Key Economic Indicators and Changes over time in Bangladesh

The ancient region that in 1000 B.C. was called the Vanga, or Banga, Kingdom is considered to be #8 among the poorest and most densely populated countries today. Bangladesh, an independent country with parliamentary democratic government at the head of the state, remains dependent on foreign investors, grant aids and loans from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the U.S., Japan and some Western countries, and suffers from corruption, lack of reforms, weak infrastructure and unstable financial system.The economic exploitation of the East Bengal (contemporary Bangladesh) by the West Pakistan, contemporary Pakistan, has turned out to be the complete deficit for the first player and the surplus for the other one. Yet, the advantageous climate, fertile soil, abundance of water and population growth are still playing the essential role and bringing the balance in economic indicators: income and employment rates, productivity, import and export prices, inflation, balance of trade, balance of payments, etc.Till the 10th century the East Bengal was ruled by Buddhists. Since that time the power had been handing over to Hindu, then Islamic converts in 1576 and British India from 1757 till 1947. However, the foreign dominance has shifted to domestic one and for 24 years the historic region of Bengal was a part of Pakistan. Though, the most of Pakistani population were the residents of East Pakistan (contemporary Bangladesh), the West Pakistan was holding the control over politics and economics.Grace to Sheik Mujibur Rahman and other Bengali nationalists, the independent state of Bangladesh with the capital of the state – Dhaka, and Sheikh Mujibur, as its head, was proclaimed on March 26, 1971. However, 1 million Bengalis had to pay the price during the four-year civil war that followed the independence of Bengali nation. On February, 1974, Pakistan finally accepted their autonomy attempt and a slaughter of brave soldiers was compensated in an unexpected way .The greatest problem, which has affected the devastated economy in 1980s, was the population growth. According to the facts, provided by Heitzman, J., and Worden, R., the population of East Bengal in 1901 numbered 29 million people, of East Pakistan – 44 million in 1951, of Bangladesh – 71 million in 1974, 87 million in 1981 and 110 million in 1988 (1989). It was expected that Bangladesh will reach the mark of 140 million by 2000 and today it numbers 150 million people. Today, Bangladesh takes the first place in population among Asian countries, the third one in national debt and the lowest GDP growth – 4.5 percent (Vital Statistics, 2006).Though Bangladesh had such natural resources as natural gas, timber, coal and agricultural land, they could not cover the demand of the growing population, along with natural disasters, such as cyclones, tropical monsoons, droughts, tornadoes, tidal bores and floods; therefore, agriculture – the key economic factor â⠂¬â€œ was rising from ashes over and over again.So, the newly proclaimed government had to seek answers to the following issues:1) environmental – degradation and erosion of soil, deforestation, lack of lands for cultivation, shortages of water and its pollution, natural disasters;2) national – overpopulation, illiteracy, technological regress and diseases.The independence has also brought some economic concerns, which have to be solved with the help of brand new economic policies and planning. The government of Bangladesh had to manage over 300 industrial enterprises (90 percent out of all enterprises such like), which West Pakistani owners left after 1971. The grant aid and loan commitments to the developing economy at that time numbered $15 billion disbursed out of $22 billion planned. The UN Development Program, along with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and developed countries gave a hand to strengthen the new nation.In order to manage the economy, the government of Bangladesh had to develop new industrial capacities and rehabilitate the economy itself. The West Pakistani economic model turned out to be inefficient and has led to economic stagnation. In 1975, the government resolved to organize public corporations and gave a greater scope to private sector, which is still working on. The state-owned enterprises that were targeted at: sugar, cotton textiles, steel, fertilizer, chemicals, minerals, pharmaceuticals, food, forest, paper newsprint, cement, garments, tea processing, engineering and shipbuilding products have been privatized; while banking sector, jute, oil and gas production remained under the governmental control.Bangladeshi government endeavored to encourage private sector and investments, denationalize public industries, ease up the import system and reinstate budgetary regulation. Yet, the reforms, expected from an enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF), along with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), were affected by political confrontation in 1991-1993. That very year, Bangladesh received $3.3 billion in food and development assistance from the United States and was forgiven $293 million of national debt. The corruption level and political troubles cut the foreign investments in 2000-2001 and led to the economic regress.In 2003, after liberalization reform, the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) $490-million plan for 3 years was approved by the IMF. Also, the World Bank has approved $536 million in interest-free loans. Other economic policies originated from the West Pakistani model and estimated the Annual Development Program, Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs) and the five-year plans for the economy.The first two waves of the Five-Year Plan failed to meet the objectives; but the last one, which lasted from 1985 to 1990: reduced poverty, â€Å"[brought] down the rate of population growth to 1.8 percent annually (present rate is 2.2 percent (Vital Statistics, 2006)), in crease[d] exports by 5.9 percent and  domestic savings by 10 percent, attain[ed] self- sufficiency in food production, [stated] GDP of 5.4 percent† (Heitzman, 1989). In its turn, the government of Bangladesh maintained institutions, responsible for implementation of economic policies and planning. The Planning Commission, the National Economic Council, the Executive Committee and the Project Evaluation Committee were and are still monitoring the reforms and progresses of economic policies and plans.According to the â€Å"Bangladesh† fact sheet, the key economic indicators between 2001 and 2006 are as follows: GDP showed a stable increase from $47.2 billion in 2001 to 63.0 billion in 2006, therefore, real GDP growth varied from 4.8 to 6.2 accordingly; GDP per capita have increased from $335 to $407; goods exports varied from 14.5 percent of GDP to 16.1 percent. The Central Bank of Bangladesh in its publication â€Å"Major Economic Indicators† provided the ample data on other economic indicators. Hereby, the Bangladeshi inflation rate increased from 1.5 % in 2001 to 6.94 % in 2007; balance of trade, 2007, amounts $-2,551 million, exports increased by $1519.05 to $9036.45 million (20.21 %) and import payments increased by $2172.8 to $12743.5 million (20.55%) in 2007.These promising facts show that foreign investments and loans, along with domestic policies, improved infrastructure and financial system, made economic reforms, and strengthened Bangladeshi positions on the global market. Yet, the growing number of labor force earns its livings from agriculture, while undeveloped industrial sector, inefficient power supplies and underdeveloped energy and gas resources hide the potential for economic growth, developed market, and the way out of poverty. The government of Bangladesh had turned its blind eye towards the economic perspectives of technological progress, the interrelationship between transportation and communication, and the core econ omic factor – industrialization in the very beginning of the new nation, so today it remains underdeveloped and holds the place of one of the poorest countries in the world.References:Central Bank of Bangladesh. (2007, May). Major Economic Indicators: Monthly Update.Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (2006, July). Bangladesh: The Economy FactHeitzman, J., Worden, R. (1989). Bangladesh: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for theLibrary of Congress.Virtual Bangladesh. (2006, August). Economy: Vital Statistics. Retrieved June 5, 2007, from Read also: Padma Bridge

The Indigo Spell Chapter Fourteen

SUNDAY ROLLED AROUND, and the day started off quietly. We were nearing the point when Veronica might strike again, and my stomach was in knots over what her next step would be . . . and how stuck we were on how to stop her. Then I received help from an unexpected source when my phone rang with an unknown number on the display. Normally, I wouldn't answer something like that, but my life was hardly normal these days. Besides, it was a Los Angeles area code. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Hi! Is this Taylor?† It took me a moment to remember my secret identity. I did not, however, recall giving my actual number to any of the girls we'd warned about Veronica. â€Å"Yes,† I said warily. â€Å"This is Alicia, from Old World Bed-and-Breakfast.† â€Å"Hi,† I said, still puzzled as to why and how she'd be calling me. Her voice was as cheery and bright as when we'd met her. â€Å"I wanted to know if you'd thought any more about getting a room for your anniversary.† â€Å"Oh, well . . . that. We're still deciding. But, uh, probably we're going to go with something closer to the coast. You know, romantic beach walks and all that.† â€Å"I can totally understand,† she said, though she sounded disappointed at the loss of a sale. â€Å"If you change your mind, just let me know. We're running a special this month, so you could get the Bunny Suite at a really good price. I remember you saying it reminded you of your pet rabbit. What was his name?† â€Å"Hopper,† I said flatly. â€Å"Hopper! That's right. Such a sweet name.† â€Å"Yeah, awesome.† I tried to think of a polite way to phrase my next question but simply chose directness. â€Å"Look, Alicia, how did you get this number?† â€Å"Oh, Jet gave it to me.† â€Å"He did?† â€Å"Yup.† She'd apparently gotten over her disappointment and now sounded bright and chirpy again. â€Å"He filled out an info card while you guys were here and put down your number.† I nearly groaned. Typical. â€Å"Good to know,† I said. I wondered how often Adrian gave my number out. â€Å"Thanks for following up.† â€Å"Happy to. Oh!† She giggled. â€Å"I nearly forgot. Your friend is back.† I froze. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Veronica. She checked back in yesterday.† My first reaction was excitement. My second one was panic. â€Å"Did you tell her we were asking about her?† â€Å"Oh, no. I remembered you saying you wanted to surprise her.† I nearly sank in relief. â€Å"Thank you. We, uh, wouldn't to ruin that. We'll have to stop by and visit – but don't tell her.† â€Å"You can count on me!† We disconnected, and I stared at the phone. Veronica was back. Just when we thought we'd lost all leads on her. I immediately called Ms. Terwilliger but was sent to voice mail. I left a message and then followed up with a text, saying I had urgent news. My phone rang again, just as I was about to call Adrian. I almost hoped Alicia had more to tell me, but then I saw that it was Stanton's number. After first taking a deep breath, I tried to answer in as calm a way as possible. â€Å"Miss Sage,† she said. â€Å"I received your message yesterday.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am. Thank you for calling me back.† I'd called her yesterday, just before meeting up with Adrian. Ms. Terwilliger's magical training had taken priority at the time, but I hadn't forgotten my deal with Marcus. â€Å"I have a, um, favor to ask,† I continued. Stanton, who was rarely surprised, was clearly surprised now. â€Å"You're certainly entitled to ask . . . but you're just not usually the type who does.† â€Å"I know, and I feel bad. So, if you have to say no, I understand.† In truth, if she said no, I would have a number of problems on my hands, but it was best not to sound too eager. â€Å"Well, I've been thinking about how I have to spend Christmas here – with the Moroi. And I definitely understand that, ma'am. It's part of the mission, but . . . well, I'd be lying if I said that didn't bother me. So, I was wondering if there's any way at all I'd be allowed to go to one of the big holiday services. It would make me feel . . . oh, I don't know. More connected. Purified, even. I'm just always surrounded by them here, by that taint, you know? I feel like I can't even breathe half the time. That probably sounds ridiculous.† I cut my rambling off. When Marcus had first suggested taking advantage of knowing someone in St. Louis, I'd immediately thought of Ian. Then I realized that wasn't enough. Alchemists on assignment couldn't just ask for casual time off to visit friends. Time off for something more spiritual and group-oriented – say, the Alchemists' annual holiday services – was a different matter. Lots of Alchemists were given clearance to travel and attend those services. They were tied to our faith and group unity. In fact, Ian had even brought it up at the wedding in the hopes of luring me to visit him. Little had he known his trick would pay off. Kind of. â€Å"It doesn't sound that ridiculous,† Stanton said. That was promising, and I tried to unclench my fist and relax. â€Å"I was thinking maybe I could go before we're out for winter break,† I added. â€Å"Jill can stay within the confines of the school, so there shouldn't be too much risk. And Eddie and Angeline are always with her. I could just hop over to St. Louis for a quick weekend trip.† â€Å"St. Louis?† I could almost see her frown through the phone. â€Å"There are services in Phoenix as well. That would be much closer.† â€Å"I know, ma'am. It's just. . . .† I hoped being genuinely nervous would help me sound convincing. â€Å"I, uh, was hoping I could also see Ian again.† â€Å"Ah. I see.† There was a long pause. â€Å"I find that more surprising than you wanting to attend services. From what I saw at the wedding, you didn't seem to be that charmed by Mr. Jansen.† So. I'd been right that Stanton had noticed his crush on me. However, she'd also noticed I didn't return his affection. She was observant, even to little details, which brought Marcus's warnings back to me, about how the Alchemists paid attention to everything we did. I started to understand his fears and why he pulled his recruits out of the Alchemists so quickly Was I already attracting attention? Were all the little things I did – even asking for this – slowly building a case against me? Again, I hoped my anxiety simply made me sound like a flustered, love-struck girl, one Stanton would feel sorry for and shake her head over. St. Louis wasn't that much farther away by plane, and the end result was the same. â€Å"Well, that was business, ma'am. I didn't want to get distracted from our goal.† â€Å"Of course.† Her next pause was only a few seconds long, but it felt like an hour. â€Å"Well, I see no reason why you can't go. You've done an admirable job in your work, and – from a personal point of view – I can understand why you'd want to be with familiar faces again. You've spent more time with the Moroi than many Alchemists ever will in their lives, and you didn't hesitate when that Ivashkov pushed himself onto you at the wedding.† I didn't really hesitate when he pushed himself onto me at the sorority, either. Or did I push myself on him? â€Å"Thank you, ma'am.† She authorized me to go next weekend and said I could use Alchemist funds to book my travel arrangements. When we got off the phone, I contemplated calling Ian but then decided on a more impersonal approach. I jotted out a quick email telling him that I'd be in town and that I hoped we could meet up. After a few moments of thought, I then texted Marcus: Arrangements made. Lunchtime came around, and Eddie texted to ask if I could meet Jill and him in my dorm's cafeteria. I headed downstairs at the appropriate time and found a glum Eddie sitting by himself at a table. I wondered where Angeline was and noted he hadn't mentioned her in his text. Rather than bring that up, I focused on who he had mentioned. â€Å"Where's Jill?† He nodded toward the opposite side of the cafeteria. I followed his gaze and saw Jill standing near a table, laughing and talking. She held a tray and looked as though she'd been stopped on her way back from the food line. Micah and some other guys were at the table, and I was happy to see he did indeed seem comfortable with being her friend again. â€Å"That's nice,† I said, turning back to my own food. â€Å"I'm glad she's getting along with everyone.† Eddie stared at me in amazement. â€Å"Don't you see what's going on?† I'd been about to bite into an apple and stopped. I hated these kinds of loaded questions. They meant I'd missed out on some social subtlety – something that wasn't my strong suit. Glancing back at Jill, I tried to make my best guess. â€Å"Is Micah trying to get back together with her?† â€Å"Of course not,† said Eddie, like I should've known. â€Å"He's going out with Claire Cipriano now.† â€Å"Sorry. I can't keep track of everyone's dating lives. I'll add it to my to-do list after, you know, busting Alchemist conspiracies and finding out whether the Warriors are after Jill.† Eddie's gaze was locked on Jill, and he nodded, making me think he hadn't actually heard a word I'd said. â€Å"Travis and Juan want to ask her out.† â€Å"So? She learned her lesson about human and vampire dating.† I wished I had. â€Å"She'll tell them no.† â€Å"They still shouldn't be bothering her,† he growled. Jill didn't seem to be particularly bothered by their attention. In fact, I liked seeing her bright and smiling for a change. Confidence suited her and emphasized her royal status, and she clearly was enjoying whatever banter was going on. One thing I'd learned in my social education was that flirting wasn't the same thing as going out with someone. My friend Julia was an expert at the difference. If it made Jill happy, I certainly had no problems with it. Honestly, it looked like the person who was most bothered by Jill's suitors was Eddie. He theoretically had the excuse of wanting to protect her, but this seemed pretty personal. I decided to bring him back to his own romantic life, the one he should actually be concerned about. â€Å"Where's Angeline?† Jill began walking toward us. Looking relieved, Eddie turned back to me. â€Å"Well, that's what we wanted to talk to you about.† Whenever anyone wanted to talk to me, it meant something weird was about to happen. Actual emergency issues were never given an introduction. They were just delivered immediately. This premeditated stuff was a wild card. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked once Jill sat down. â€Å"With Angeline?† She exchanged a knowing glance with Eddie. â€Å"We think Angeline's up to something,† she said. A moment later, she clarified, â€Å"Something bad.† Not this again. I turned to Eddie. â€Å"Is she still being distant?† â€Å"Yeah. She had lunch with us yesterday.† He frowned. â€Å"But she was acting weird. She wouldn't explain why she's been so busy.† Jill concurred. â€Å"She actually got really upset the more we kept questioning her. It was strange. I think she's in some kind of trouble.† I leaned back in my chair. â€Å"The kind of trouble Angeline gets into is usually spontaneous and unexpected. You're talking like she's masterminding something in secret. That's not her style. At worst, she's harboring an illicit wardrobe.† Eddie looked like he wanted to smile but couldn't quite manage it. â€Å"True.† Jill apparently wasn't convinced. â€Å"You have to talk to her. Find out what's going on.† â€Å"Can't you talk to her?† I asked, looking between their faces. â€Å"You live with her.† â€Å"We tried,† protested Jill. â€Å"I told you. She just got mad the more we talked.† â€Å"Well, I can understand that,† I snapped. â€Å"Look, I'm sorry something weird is going on with her. And I don't want her in trouble, believe me. But there's only so much hand-holding I can do with her. I fixed her math problem. My job is to make sure she stays in school and doesn't blow your cover. Everything else is extraneous, and I just don't have time for that. And if she wouldn't talk to you, why on earth do you think she'd talk to me?† I'd spoken a bit more harshly than I intended. I really did care about them all. I also didn't want trouble in the group. Nonetheless, it was always a little frustrating when they came to me with dramas like this, as though I were their mother. They were some of the smartest, most competent people I knew. They didn't need me, and Angeline was no criminal genius. Figuring out her motives couldn't be that difficult. Neither one of them had an immediate response for me. â€Å"You just always seem to get through to people,† Jill said at last. â€Å"You're good at communication.† That certainly wasn't a compliment I heard very often. â€Å"I don't do anything special. I'm just persistent. Keep trying, and maybe you'll get through.† Seeing Jill start to protest, I added, â€Å"Please. Don't ask me to do this right now. You both know I've got a lot going on.† I gave each of them a meaningful look. Both knew about Marcus, and Jill also knew about Ms. Terwilliger's sister. After a few moments, that knowledge set in, and they both looked a little embarrassed. Eddie gave Jill a gentle nudge. â€Å"She's right. We should keep working on Angeline ourselves.† â€Å"Okay,† said Jill. My relief was short-lived. â€Å"We'll try a little more. Then, if it still doesn't work, Sydney can step in.† I groaned. When I parted ways from them later, I couldn't help but think again about Marcus's comments in San Bernardino about how Alchemists got caught up in menial tasks. I tried to reassure myself that Jill and Eddie would take care of this on their own, meaning I wouldn't actually have to intervene. Presuming, of course, Angeline really wasn't planning something catastrophic. Unfortunately, those doubts were soon shaken when I got on the shuttle that would take me to main campus. On weekends, there was only one bus that looped between all buildings, and this one had just picked up at the boys' dorm. I found Trey sitting in it, staring out the window with a happy expression. When he saw me, his smile vanished. â€Å"Hey,† I said, taking a seat beside him. He actually looked nervous. â€Å"Off to study?† â€Å"Meeting with Angeline, actually.† There was no escaping her today, but at least if she was working on math, it seemed unlikely she'd be staging a coup or committing arson. His troubled expression concerned me, though. â€Å"She . . . she didn't hit you again?† I didn't see any noticeable marks, but with her, you could never tell. â€Å"Huh? No, no. Not recently.† He hesitated before speaking again. â€Å"Melbourne, how long are you going to need me to do this?† â€Å"I don't know.† Mostly I'd been focusing on getting her through the present, not the future. One thing at a time. â€Å"She'll have her final coming up before break. If she passes, then I guess you're home free. Unless you want to keep up with it after break – I mean, provided she doesn't wear you out.† This startled him a lot more than I would have expected. â€Å"Okay. Good to know.† He looked so forlorn when he left to go to the library that I wondered if those chemistry answers had really been worth it. I liked Trey. I'd never thought inflicting Angeline on him would so radically alter his life. I guessed that was just the kind of effect she had on the world. I watched him walk away for a few more seconds and then turned toward the science building. One of the teachers, Ms. Whittaker, was an amateur botanist who was always happy to supply Ms. Terwilliger with various plants and herbs. She thought Ms. Terwilliger used them for home craft projects, like potpourri and candles, and I frequently had to pick up the latest supplies. When I walked into her classroom today, Ms. Whittaker was grading exams at her desk. â€Å"Hi, Sydney,† she said, barely looking up. â€Å"I set it all over there, on the far counter.† â€Å"Thanks, ma'am.† I walked over and was surprised to practically find a spice cabinet. Ms. Terwilliger had requested all sorts of leaves, stems, and clippings. It was the most I'd ever had to pick up for her. â€Å"She sure had a big order this time,† Ms. Whittaker remarked, as though sensing my thoughts. â€Å"Is she really using garlic in potpourri?† â€Å"Oh, that's for some, um, cooking she's doing. You know, holidays and all.† She nodded and returned to her work. One thing that often helped in Alchemist affairs (and witch ones) was that people rarely expected supernatural reasons for weird behaviors and phenomena. I almost considered visiting Trey and Angeline at the library, just to assess her behavior myself, but decided it'd be better to not get involved. Eddie and Jill would handle it. With nothing else to do, I dared to hope I might actually just be able to stay inside and read today. But, when I returned to my dorm, I was greeted with the astonishing sight of Marcus sitting outside on a bench, playing an acoustic guitar. A group of four girls stood around, listening in awe. I walked up to the circle, my arms crossed over my chest. â€Å"Really?† I asked. Marcus glanced up and shot me a grin. One of the girls actually cooed. â€Å"Hey, Sydney.† Four sets of eyes turned to me, displaying a mix of both disbelief and jealousy. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"You're the last person I expected to see here.† â€Å"I never do what's predictable.† He tossed his hair back and started to put his guitar back in its case. â€Å"Sorry, girls. Sydney and I have to talk.† I got more of those stares, which kind of annoyed me. Was it really that unbelievable that a good-looking guy would want to talk to me? His followers dispersed reluctantly, and Marcus and I strolled around the grounds. â€Å"Aren't you supposed to be in hiding?† I asked. â€Å"Not panhandling with your guitar?† â€Å"I never asked them for money. Besides, I'm incognito today.† He tapped his cheek, and I noticed the tattoo was barely noticeable. â€Å"Are you wearing makeup?† I asked. â€Å"Don't judge,† he said. â€Å"It lets me move around more freely. Sabrina helped color match me.† We came to a halt in a relatively private copse of trees. â€Å"So why are you here? Why didn't you call or text?† â€Å"Because I have a delivery.† He reached into his shirt pocket and handed me a folded piece of paper that looked like it had traveled around the world before reaching me. When I opened it and managed to smooth it out, I saw several painstakingly drawn diagrams. I jerked my gaze back to him. â€Å"Wade's floor plans.† â€Å"As promised.† A little of that self-satisfaction faded, and he actually looked impressed. â€Å"You've really got a way to get to St. Louis?† â€Å"Sanctioned and everything,† I said. â€Å"I mean, aside from the part where I break into their servers. But I've got a few ideas on how to pull that off.† He laughed. â€Å"Of course you do. I won't bother asking. Every girl's got her secrets. Maybe someday you'll share yours.† From the tone of his voice, he might have been talking about non-professional secrets. â€Å"Once this is all over.† â€Å"Is it ever over?† I asked. I meant it as a joke, but it came out sounding a bit more melancholy than I would've liked. He gave me a long, level look. â€Å"No, not really. But getting the tattoo sealed in Mexico is kind of fun. I hope you'll go with us. At the very least, we can take in some beaches and margaritas while undoing insidious magic. Do you own a bikini?† â€Å"No. And I don't drink.† â€Å"Well, maybe one of these days we could go out for coffee. I know you drink that.† â€Å"I'm pretty busy,† I said, thinking of everything weighing on me. â€Å"And you know, I also haven't decided if I'm going to do the first phase of tattoo breaking.† â€Å"You should, Sydney.† He was all business again and tapped my cheek. â€Å"If nothing else, do that. Don't let them have any more control over you than they have to. I know you think we're a little out there, but this is one thing we're absolutely serious about.† â€Å"Hi, Sydney.† I glanced over and saw my friend Julia Cavendish carrying a huge stack of books. A couple seconds later, Marcus looked up at her too. Her eyes went wide, and she stumbled and dropped everything she was carrying. She flushed. â€Å"Oh, God. I'm such an idiot.† I started to help her, but Marcus was by her side in a flash, his movie star grin firmly in place. â€Å"Happens to the best of us. I'm Dave.† â€Å"J-Julia,† she said. In all the time I'd known her, I'd never seen her flustered around a guy. She usually ate them for breakfast. â€Å"There we are.† He handed her the books, all neatly stacked. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you so much. You didn't have to do that. I mean, it was my own fault. I'm not usually that clumsy. And I'm sure you're busy. You must have lots to do. Obviously.† I'd also never heard Julia ramble. Marcus patted her on the back, and I thought she might pass out. â€Å"Always happy to help a beautiful damsel in distress.† He nodded in my direction. â€Å"I've got to go. Sydney, I'll be in touch.† I nodded back. As soon as he walked away, Julia dropped the books again and hurried over to me. â€Å"Sydney, you have to tell me who that is.† â€Å"He already did. Dave.† â€Å"Yes, but who is he?† She gripped my arm and seemed on the verge of shaking answers out of me. â€Å"Just a guy I know.† I thought about it more. â€Å"A friend, I guess.† Her breath caught. â€Å"You guys aren't – I mean – â€Å" â€Å"What? No! Why would you think that?† â€Å"Well, he's gorgeous,† she said, as though that were enough to make us soul mates. â€Å"Don't you want to just rip his clothes off?† â€Å"Whoa, no way.† â€Å"Really?† She scrutinized me, like I might be joking. â€Å"Not even a little?† â€Å"Nope.† She stepped back and started picking up her books. â€Å"Jeez, Syd. I don't know what to think of you sometimes. I mean, I'm glad he's available – he is available, right? – but I'd be all over that if I were you.† Jill's words came back to me, about how he was human and had â€Å"that rebel Alchemist† thing going for him. Maybe I should start considering him or another ex-Alchemist as a romantic option. Having someone who wasn't a forbidden vampire in my life would make things a lot easier. I tried to dredge up the same reaction other girls had around Marcus, but nothing happened. No matter how hard I tried, I just didn't have that same attraction. His hair was too blond, I decided. And his eyes needed a little more green. â€Å"Sorry,† I told Julia. â€Å"Just not feeling it.† â€Å"If you say so. I still think you're crazy. That's the kind of guy you'd follow to hell and back.† All romantic musings disappeared, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as we slowly headed back toward the dorm. Hell was a good analogy for what I would be walking into. â€Å"You actually might be closer to the truth on that than you realize.† She brightened. â€Å"See? I knew you couldn't resist.†

“Click” by John Barth Essay

Barth insight on the worlds technological advancement with computers gave him a good start on an interesting story. By incorporating today’s living with literature he turn out Click. â€Å"Click† some hated it, but some liked it. I think the lack of understanding of this story is what caused those people to dislike the story; the fact that the story was very long also had something to do with it. I will present the in-depth thought that made me understand and really like the story. Also I will put some points from the elements of fiction. I really like the concepts â€Å"Click† presented when I read it. There were some thoughts that the writer expressed, then there were some that was more in-depth and you had to think about. So lets begin the argument. One explicit theme to ‘Click’ is told best by Barth, â€Å"The Hypertextuality of Everyday Life†(73). Where each word can take you further and further into a maze of choices. The choices can go deeper which defines the terms of what you read. Those terms travels along side the paths of day by day activities. Until you get to an endless sea of terms, â€Å"given time and clicks enough, you will have ‘accessed’ virtually the sum of language, the entire expressible world. That’s ‘hypertext,'(75). I understood the combination of these words that are expressed to the fullest extent to be part of this story. The author gave so many side notes in parentheses or any other expressible notation that it could have drove the reader to throw the book against the wall. So, as Barth does so when he goes to express himself with the following â€Å"(because all these digressions, suspensions, parentheses, and brackets are setting the Narrator’s t eeth on edge†¦.)†(77). The text will be to long to show an example from the story. Lets try it anyway â€Å"(Parenthesized elements in this case = amplification that might indeed be cut, but might instead well be ‘hypertexted’ behind the bare-bones description, to accessed on demand, just as further amplifications [not given, but perhaps hypertexted] might lie behind {any highlighted/underlined words})† (76). With this quote you can click on the word that you want to get the information on. If you haven’t figured it out yet hypertext is usually used on a computer thus comes the title â€Å"Click†. Where the computer is the gateway to many passages to more information than any one human brain can handle. Where someone well rehearsed can crack the  highest of security codes with the whelms of their thought; all the way through to the illiterate who use two fingers instead of ten. Wait I’m getting sidetracked, which brings me to my next point of the story. Where â€Å"the flashy home page of their Web-server program, actually encouraging her (the character) to sidetrack here and there in the What’s new? And What’s Cool? Departments† .(78) Where the web give you so many options to go down. I don’t know if any one person can honestly navigate through the entanglement of â€Å"the World Wide Web (WWW), [without] the deployment of ‘bookmarks’ as shortcuts through that electronic labyrinth, the black hole of leisure and very antidote to spare time.† (77) It would have been to frustrating and so over whelming to be focus on one particular thing. Although once you start the journey that’s all one has is time when getting on the internet. Clicking is an action with a choice in a computer’s world. You can get lost with that massive instrument. You can also get lost with the twists of everyday life too. If you assume â€Å"everybody knows, after all (or believes that he or she know,) what ‘everyday life’ is, different as may be the everyday lives of , say, Kuwaiti oil sheikhs and American felons serving life sentences in maximum-security prisons without possibility of parole†.(74) You just deal with all the little conflicts and dilemmas. Where some one’s life can be painstakingly slow. While another’s is speed right through. The point of view of life will always be held by that individual. Where the authors point of view in this story varies. It goes from the third to the first then to the audience. The story is letting’s us experience the everyday life of each character. It is how their lives intertwine that make the story. A good story is drawn on many basis. Barth bring ups the point if a story has â€Å"this constant sidetracking, this what’s-the-rush digression, can take the edge off the main event by the time one gets to it, the way some restaurants lay on so many introductory courses and side dishes that one has no appetite for the entrà ©e†. (82) This concept with drain the life out the story or overly stuff them with tedious details. The audience will lose interest which will distract them from what the author wants to get through to them. If the story holds the â€Å"full agenda [which] was a single item, [the] top  priority always and only the bottom line, [the] eternal (and infernal) Let’s get on with the story in fact a Let’s get done with the story, for the reason†, (83) of a means to an end. The story will be so short that you won’t have much to go on to understanding the story in the first place. These two concepts alone causes a story to tarnish and be a waste of paper in some since. It is the combination of the two that makes a great story. â€Å"Its between fundamentally opposite views of and modes of dealing with the infinitely complex nature of reality† (87). The center of narrative gravity pulls us to the perception of reality on this story. Without the ying there is no yang that holds the boundaries of a story. â€Å"Their tendencies represent contrary narrative impulses of equal validity and importance.† (90) The opposites of each other that counterbalance themselves. Give us â€Å"[a] satisfyingly told story requires enough [Ying]—that is, enough detail amplification, and analysis— to give it clarity, texture, solidity, verisimilitude, and empathetic effect.† (90) The detail terms that can be taken out of the parenthesis sometime with give that require information (that hypertexted). â€Å"It [also] requires equally enough [Yang]—that is, efficiently directed forward motion, ‘profluence,’ on-with-the-storyness– for coherence, anti-tedium, and dramatic effect.† (90). The story has to keep to a single track, because if you split it up to much you have multiple stories with no ending. Where â€Å"CNG’s interactive E-fiction serendipitously supply the terms ‘Expediter’ and ‘Enhancer’ to shorthand the characterological differences that erupted†,(87) expediter being Mark and the enhancer being Valerie. Valerie the ying of the story. The one who you need to fill the story in with enough details to help the reader understand what it is all about. Where Valerie validates what Marks role have to do with the story by saying his concept is â€Å"who gave a damn?–[Mark’s] idea of living life was the same, Let’s get done with it, [an example of her situation] every time she saw him ready and fidgeting in the car a full ten minutes earlier than he knew as well as she they needed to leave for work, she was tempted to suggest that they drive straight to the funeral parlor and get done with it.† (83) That is what the expediter can’t help but do. Val’s statement † ‘I thought you  were the big moving-onner and I was the over-dwelling-on-things.’ â€Å"(88) The author gave us a foreshadowing uncharacteristic of, the intrapersonal relationship with Mark, Valerie where â€Å"(Val ‘s better than Mark, we remember, at shrugging of f their infrequent blowups)†. (87) Although by the end of the story you have â€Å"Val (who, decidedly herself even after deciding to be more Marklike)†, (91) Which we will confront of Marks behave. Then there is Mark the yang of the story. You need him to get to the point of the story and not to lead you to different paths that are available to access in the story. Where his thoughts were â€Å"having no timetable or deadlines doesn’t mean having no agenda or priorities†, (82) to give and example â€Å"Expediter and enhancer in the Supermarket, he with grocery list in one hand, pencil in other, and eye on watch, she already examining the (unlisted) radicchio and improvising new menu plans down the line†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , (79). Where that is the Enhancer for you, the person who comes up with more of the story and gives you a better â€Å"taste† variety. Where his uncharacteristic foreshadowing is shown with, â€Å"He’s less ready to take offense, but slower to put their occasional tiffs behind him.† (81). Also â€Å"(Val’s better than Mark, we remember, he tends to forget that and to project from his own distress [of dwelling on their argu ment longer ])†, (87). When toward the end â€Å"Mark (inescapably himself even when determined to be more Valish)† (91). The contradictory of the two characters gave the story its base. The â€Å"anonymous oddball whose homepage [was] http://www.epiphs.art† (78) alias CNG â€Å"who happened just then to be passing by and sympathetically so saw and heard them [at that horrible Saturday quarrel], or a couple not unlike them, toe-to-toeing it, and who then subsequently was inspired to imagine.† (84) Created and gave us the fictional story of Irma and Fred, who are the replacement to Valerie and Mark. They where part of the beginning (of the end) of the story. They along with millions of other names in the world are made up identities in order for its users to surf the web freely. It could also represent the wants of that individual to be someone else other than themselves. Although we are not going to get into that ordeal. The setup of the story begins with the near ending which in Marks case is â€Å"Lets be done with it† morality. CNG who is the supposedly author/narrator of the â€Å"Click†Ã‚  story. Kind of at first threw me off, because I thought the story was going to be a third person point of view. Well once the ideal of the end of the Irma and Fred story here comes the bulk of the actual story, where the Val morality is used. When the end of the end came it left me wanting more. â€Å"Valerie lifts one [long] [lithe] [cinnamon-tan] leg up and with her [left] [great] toe gives the Mac’ master switch a† (92). WHAT? I would have yell if I wasn’t in a crowded area when I read that last page. It leaves you with the daunting of the hypertexts of choices. Since this is a book you wouldn’t be able click on any of the above words to get the ending. You left tittering on the edge of a cliff that drops for days on ends. The taunting the author leaves you by not using the Mark in any good story. Yet that was his aim even for the ending to turn out to be happy and open to imagination.

Mythical Man Month Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mythical Man Month - Essay Example It is only after IT based business house developing and altering large potential customers that the requirement has raised to develop latest and new software's and hardware. Necessity is the mother of invention. As w all know, we tend to learn only when there is a need to. To compete with the new requirement software engineering has evolved over the years and trying to perform to the core. In fact learning in the software engineering course is phenomenal over the years. The software and the supporting hardware, which we have now, were not available in those days. The software companies in olden days were lagging in planning, coding, scheduling and repartitioning. Now a days planning and scheduling has become organized and well treated aspect of development. Software test has come a long way over the decades. The testing techniques now has grown in numbers and are able to test the developed software using different tools within no time. Testing engines have learnt a lot from the developed versions of testing techniques. It is sure that over the years IT companies have learnt a lot as how to make profit within minimum number of employees for a particular project. In olden days training used to play a vital role before the project is assigned to teams. Every member of the team is initially trained almost for a month. Then comes scheduling the project and assigning the modules to the team members. Number of members per team is the key aspect for a project. Since each employee must have almost three times of communication between the team. As the number of team members' increase then there should be three times more communication per each employee for the successful completion of the project. It is almost like closing a fire with gasoline if we increase the number employees for project. Because there should be perfect communication between the team if the number of employees are increased or it ends in to a disaster like if we keep on closing a fire with gasoline. The skill and interlining of the employees has also shown a phenomenal growth over the decades. Until recently software developed were small and the client requirement was also not so demanding. But at the perfect age requirements are matching global standards. Silver bullet in this context is a weapon, a tool to suppress the horrors created by the software bugs and errors. The intention is to use the silver bullets, which can magically lay the errors and bugs to rest. Software developing does find many difficulties. There are no silver bullets available for software. There are no substantial inventions in this field. Considering the inherent properties and irreducible essence of software system, the following are the problems faced by software engineering: Complexity Conformity Changeability Invisibility Software is too complex than human construct. Since no two parts are alike. Similar parts are generally made as a subroutine. Computers are the complex products. This inherent complexity makes conceiving desirability no difficult in a more simply way to classify the software entity is that they are not repletion of the different elements. The elements interact with each other in a non-linear fashion there by increasing the complexity more than linearly. Software entities in olden days use to suffer a lot due to hardware constraints since software are developed

Are marketers responsible for the use of harmful products in society Essay

Are marketers responsible for the use of harmful products in society - Essay Example Society suffers tremendously when such harmful products are easily available. These products become so integrated in the lifestyles of people that consumers almost get addicted to them oblivious to the fact that these products are harming them. Why are these products marketed? Do marketers make such products so attractive that consumers over look the repercussions of their use or is it that the consumers have an existing demand for them that is why they are being manufactured and marketed. Such products have to be marketed within ethical boundaries or else the society will suffer immeasurable harm (Gandolf). Organizations today are encouraged to focus on being socially responsible. This means that they have to consider the interests of the society by taking the responsibility for the effects the firm’s activities has on its customers, stakeholders, employees, the community, the environment and all things involved in every step of its operations. This extends beyond the legal framework within which the company is required to work and is basically going a step further not to harm the society and helping make the society a better place. They should have business ethics and ideally produce products that are beneficial for the society. Today firms have incorporated CSR as an integral part of their long term strategic goals. This extends into different steps the product goes through-from the manufacturing stage till it reaches the consumer (Vass 2007). This also means that all the products should be marketed within ethical bounds keeping the interest of the society first in mind. With firms being socially more responsible, they are contributing tremendously towards improving the society. (Vass 2007). Making consumers more aware of the products and giving them a clearer picture through marketing enables the consumer to make a better choice for himself and thus a better

Unit 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Unit 2 - Essay Example (CFA, 2009) II. There is no single or correct value for a ratio. Normally, the ratio value may be too low or too high in comparison to reference value. Ratios can therefore mislead especially when they are not combined with economic need and management of the company. Therefore, one must consider the products, competitors and the vision of the company. III. It is generally hard to define the goodness- appropriateness of the ratio or its badness. Ordinarily, high cash ratio is historically classified and may be interpreted as a good sign especially when the company is growing, but could also interpreted as a sign that the company is no longer a growth company. V. The inflation also changes companys balance sheet hence affecting the profits accrued from the organization. Therefore, a ratio analysis of one company over time or a comparative analysis of companies of different ages must be scrutinized with understanding (CFA, 2009) I. Free cash flow is the amount of cash that a firm has in the bank at any given time, after all of its bills and payables are accounted for. It is determined on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. Free cash flow is given by the total cash flow or the earnings with noncash charges added back in, minus capital spending. II. Free cash flow is important in the progress of any business because an excellent indicator of the strength of the marketplace. It normally focuses on the ability to pay bills and the remaining cash invested in growth and expansion projects. It is vital in assessing financial health of the company because it strips away all the accounting assumptions built into earnings III. Free cash flow is vital and it represents the operating cash flow after interest, the cash taxes, and normal capital expenditures. This is the cash flow that is available to a firm or a company used for dividends, debt repayment or the acquisitions of a new business. Investors use free cash flow in

Implications of USA not Ratifying the Kyoto Protocol Research Paper

Implications of USA not Ratifying the Kyoto Protocol - Research Paper Example The Kyoto Protocol is an amendment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The main purpose of the convention was to stabilize the emission of greenhouse gases. States agreed that they would lessen the green house emissions in their countries1. It was also recognized that developed countries were responsible for emitting high amounts of green house gases. The convention did not provide any plan for action2 instead it just encouraged countries to lessen their emissions. A forum was held in Berlin that came up with the Berlin mandate, which was mainly a mandate by several countries to set policies, and measure that would see the enforcement of the targets set for reduction of greenhouse gases. A second conference3 was held in Geneva Switzerland that led to a declaration, which stated the climate change levels were alarming, and needed strong commitments that were legally binding. There was then held a third conference in Kyoto in Japan whereby countries signed the Kyoto Protocol. The protocol gave targets for greenhouse gas emissions of specific countries. The protocol provided that upon the ratification by 55 industrialized countries it would come into full effect4. What did ratification imply? Ratification meant that countries would implement the protocol within their national institutions. The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement negotiated by countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Kyoto protocol is a protocol that is aimed at reducing emissions of carbon-dioxide gases and greenhouse gases. This is seen whereby the protocol sets targets for countries that emit carbon dioxide and green house gases. This carbon gases include gases such as Hydrofluorocarbons, Perflourocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, nitrous oxide and methane. The difference that is seen in the convention and the protocol is that the protocol encouraged industrialized countries to control or otherwise stabilize their green house emissions by co mmitting such countries to do so5. The protocol states that if the participating countries continue in the emission of the green house gases they should engage in trading of emission. The protocol uses both national and international mechanisms to ensure the reduction of green house gases. When it comes to national mechanisms, the protocol encourages countries to enact laws that will enhance the purpose of the protocol and therefore reduce the emission of these gases. On international mechanisms, the protocol has come up with three mechanisms that include emission trading, clean development mechanisms and joint implementation6. The protocol Emission trading is the buying of credits from the countries that have managed to exceed the targets set for reduction in order to offset their emissions. The protocol also has several means of monitoring it targets. To begin with is the keeping of a registry whereby countries keep a registry log in the United Nations Secretariat to ensure that c ountries comply with the rules of the protocol. Secondly, a compliance mechanism ensures that countries observe their specific commitments7. There is also adaptation mechanism in the countries that are still developing in that they are provided with assistance to adapt to their climatic changes. In addition, there is

Five aspects of language knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Five aspects of language knowledge - Essay Example It is necessary to emphasize that there are several phonemes that may not occur in children’s native language. That is why there can be some difficulties in the process of language learning. In this case, a teacher should create a good instruction to make students familiar with all new sounds. A child’s brain is trained to systemize all sounds according to the categories common for native language. This fact frequently conflicts with English phonemes. To make the lessons more effective and involve the students in active participation a teacher should apply games, songs and poems. It is proved that children percept information better through such methods, especially when they learn a language. It is difficult for a student to learn phonics of a new language if they are not good at their native one. They cannot understand initial concepts of the correlation between phonemes and graphemes. There is also the list of vocabulary that is applied to communicate by means of a ce rtain language. It has been already proved that children learn their vocabulary by means of three ways: 1) active reading on their own, 2) listening to adults and 3) with the help of interaction with adults. Child’s language development may affect a teacher’s methodologies. They are different on various levels of student’s knowledge. Moreover, both delayed development and fluency relate to the acquisition of written knowledge. They also require changing the methods for language

(FAR) Getting the Contract Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

(FAR) Getting the Contract - Research Paper Example 87). The pre-negotiation process may be very important to the company’s contractor because the efforts invested before going into the negotiations may be very instrumental in guaranteeing that the government will offer the contracts to the company. Some of the pre-negotiation activities that the company, in general, and the contractor will need to take include, collecting the company’s internal data that may be relevant to the negotiation; analyzing it, and using it as the lens, through which the future plans of the company can be formulated (Tomlin, 1989). After developing a clear picture of the future plans of the company, the company as a whole as well as the contractor will need to define the outcomes expected from the negotiation process, and also explore the goals of the government. The goals of the government, similar those of the company will be very instrumental in determining whether it will choose the company; which will depend on the company’s understanding of the goals and its potential to meet the government’s goals. The company can only be selected when the government conceives that it understands the goals to be realized through the contracts (Guth, 2008). By ensuring that the activities/steps mentioned before have been taken, the company should have gone through the three major stages of the pre-negotiation process. The three pre-negotiation stages that apply to the contractual negotiations of the company with the government include that the actions will enable the company to establish a relationship with the government (Tomlin, 1989). The second stage that will have been met is that the company will have gathered all the necessary information about the industry and the government, which will guarantee that it will offer its attention to valid data and information only. The third stage that will have been completed will be that of setting the

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant Essay Example for Free

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant Essay Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are two of the greatest basketball players to ever live. The way they play the game is memorizing. These two athletes are very extraordinary, though only one can be called the greatest of all time. The debate still and will always continue on who is the best. On one hand, there is the 6 time NBA champion in Michael Jordan; in the other there is the phenom who scored eighty- one points in one game, Kobe Bryant. In my opinion, Michael Jordan is and will always be the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. When I think of the word, legend, only one name comes to my mind and that name is Michael Jordan. Even the president of the United States thinks MJ is the better choice. Oh, Michael, the lifelong basketball fan told The Associated Press I mean Kobes terrific. Dont get me wrong, Obama said of the four-time NBA champion. But I havent seen anybody match up with Jordan yet. Michael Jordan tops Kobe Bryant in many ways, such as: offense, defense, and overall career achievements. In today’s generation of basketball superstars, there is one distinguished player, Kobe Bryant that holds a reflection to another known superstar, Michael Jordan in his ability to play the game, offensively and defensively; however, they differ in their overall performances. Although sports fans attempt to compare the two players, many will agree that Michael Jordan carries the best offensive and defensive numbers, while Kobe Bryant holds the title of the youngest all-star to ever enter the National Basketball Association. Both Jordan and Bryant were offered huge endorsement deals, with Kobe Bryant taking the lead as one of the largest global brands, in basketball history. The game of basketball is a rewarding sport that allows its players to give back to the community. There is no competition, when it comes to giving back to the community, as each player is equally involved in charitable organizations. In the professional basketball world, sports fans will agree that Michael Jordan is the better player, while other fans are loyal to Kobe Bryant. When looking at offensive and defensive numbers, objectivity and a hard look at the facts leaves one conclusion without a doubt, that Michael Jordan is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He is famous for blocked shots, rebounds, and scoring an average of 30 points per game, during his career (Squidoo, 2012). As an offensive player, Jordan has the advantage. In his best season, his fans will count on him to average 37 points per game compared to Kobe Bryant’s best season of 35 points per game. Michael Jordan, a true team player, averages eight assists per game in his best season, and an average of five assists during his career. Unlike Jordan, Kobe Bryant, as an offensive player averages six assists per game during his best season, and he is close to beating Jordan’s average with four assists per game.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Psychology Essay

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Psychology Essay Organisations are struggling in the current competitive economic climate. Ensuring organizational survival may ultimately come down to attracting and recruiting skilled employees (Barber Roehling, 1993). Terpstra (1994) identified recruitment as an essential strategy for organisations to prosper and survive in the global economy, suggesting the initial attraction and selection of candidates may be the most important foundation for organisational performance. As the realisation of the link between human-capital and financial growth is now a shared knowledge across sectors, the crucial importance an employee holds is broader acknowledged (Gardner, 2002). Recruitment is a fundamental organisational activity defining who will constitute the organisation (Turban Cable, 2003). The difference between a mediocre and exceptional hire could mean momentous differences for organisational profit (Wicklund-Hansen Weyergang-Nielsen, 2007). Thus the benefits of efficient and successful recruiting are increasingly recognized in research and literature (Barber, 1998; Billsberry, 2007; Breaugh, 2008). Recognising the importance of employees, individually and as a whole, organisations are increasing their recruitment investments. Ralston Brady (1994) modestly suggested the average cost of recruiting and selecting to be over $2000 per individual. Given such large amounts are spent, there is both an expectation and a demand for recruitment to be of organisational benefit. The study by Terjesen, Vinnicombe and Freeman (2007) addresses the need for adapting recruitment practices to up-and-coming graduates, soon to constitute the labour force of the 21st century. Research findings by Ryan, Sacco, McFarland and Kriska (2000) emphasize also the importance of recognising the individual applicants choice in the recruitment process. However, Ryan and Tippins (2004) argue there are still large gaps between research and practice in this area. Recruitment in the current labour market Recruitment takes place in a wider societal context and shifts in the labour market will subsequently affect recruitment activities. In tighter markets potential candidates are likely to be less critical of the process as they are in desperate need for a job (Cable Judge, 1996). Contrary, in a flourishing economy where organisations are in demand of multiple hires, the on-going competition leads to a lack of high-quality candidates. Fernà ¡ndez-Arà ¡oz, Groysberg and Nohria (2009) claim organisations will face challenges when recruiting to replace the plentiful baby boomers. Some business sectors are especially prone to this and hence compete for the best candidates, also known as the war for talent (Ferris, Berkson Harris, 2002; Hiltrop; 1999). In contrast to much of Europe, Norway is a country where the economy is boosting (Takla, 2012). With an unemployment rate of 2.7% and increasing growth in the industry, Norway finds itself in a position where some occupations actually lack qualified workforce. Low unemployment rates will naturally increase competition for the best people (Ferris, Berkson Harris, 2002), but in Norway this is also combined with a strong economy and growing companies. Recent figures from the Norwegian labour and welfare administration revealed a need for 16.000 engineers in the imminent future (Kaspersen, 2012) The numbers are consistent with research predicting technical and engineering skills of particular shortage in the years to come (Dohm, 2000). Businesses in unrelenting demand of talent are consequently competing, all depending on qualified employers to survive (Tulgan, 2001). How recruitment is managed should be of essential value especially for organisations in such a position. A recent survey showed that 92% of organisations within the oil- and gas sector in Norway were in demand for graduate engineers (Vartdal Riise, 2012). One of the largest technical universities in Norway plans to expand their capacity for engineers by several hundred (Amelie, 2012a). An emerging job market consisting of desperate organisations and cohorts of new graduates triggers the need for further insight into attraction and recruitment. Defining recruitment Recruitment literature stretches over a wide spectre, thus claiming necessity to clarify a definition for the thesis at hand. Also, it must be distinguished between the two organisational activities recruitment and selection, tightly linked and often occurring simultaneously. Recruitment can be viewed as the initial and sustained attraction of candidates, whereas selection is the process of selecting among potential employees (Rynes Boudreau, 1986). Research on recruitment has often been subject to critique of having a static view of a process that is rather quite dynamic (Barber, 1998). In response this thesis views recruitment as an on-going process consisting of several stages (Saks Uggerslev, 2010) and will apply the following definition for recruitment: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) the actions organizations take to generate applicant pools, maintain viable applicants, and encourage desired candidates to join those organizations (Dineen Soltis, 2011, p.43). This definition differs from B arbers (1998), critiqued for only focusing on attraction of candidates. Hence, it is desirable utilizing a definition that acknowledges the ultimate outcome of recruitment, namely a candidate ´s job offer acceptance (Ferris, Berkson Harris, 2002). Five dimensions of recruitment As the area of recruitment research is versatile, Barber ´s (1998) distinction between five dimensions of recruitment will be applied in the following paragraph. This serves as both a framework for organising a wide research area, as well as discussing previous work with its inevitable strengths and limitations. Clearly illustrated by these examples are how the dimensions are inextricably linked, underlining recruitment as dynamic and complex (Boswell, Roehling, LePine Moynihan, 2003). Context Rynes (1991) highlights the obvious fact that recruitment occurs in a wider contextual setting. The economic climate, labour market, organisational size and business-sector are all potentially influencing factors (Rynes, 1991; Rynes, Heneman Schwab, 1980; Taylor Bergmann, 1987; Turban, Campion Eyring, 1995). As the experience of recruitment inevitably will vary, it can be of value to have more specific recruitment research related to a given context (Derous Schreurs, 2009). Moreover, the need to recognise context as a variable in concrete research is much needed, as a great deal of recruitment studies is done in experimental settings. For example, Rynes and Miller (1983) manipulated recruiter knowledge, recruiter affect, and job attributes to measure effects of recruiter influence. Goltz and Giannantonio (1995) manipulated recruiter friendliness in an experimental video-condition study. Both studies found recruitment activities to have an effect on candidates, confirming the cont ributing value of experimental studies in the development of recruitment research (Chapman, Uggerslev, Carroll, Piasentin Jones, 2005). However, suggestions have been made that research designs using simulating job-applicants can lead to understated research claims (Rynes Miller, 1983; Uggerslev, Fassina Kraichy, 2012). Barber (1998) argues studies of experimental nature contribute to a simplification of the complexity the recruitment process holds. A simulated study does not necessarily capture the many variables and external occurrences that will influence a candidate in a real-world setting (Chapman, Uggerslev, Carroll, Piasentin Jones, 2005). Studies utilizing real job seekers in an actual recruitment setting might validate the strength of previous findings, if holding true to contexts where influence of a recruitment process truly has consequences both for candidate and organisation. On the other hand, manipulating variables in recruitment activities would be ethically challenging (Highhouse, Lievens Sinar, 2003). Therefore, studies done in a real-life setting must choose a method in line with strict ethical considerations. Players Naturally receiving most attention in recruitment research has been organisational representatives and candidates. Recognising both parties is the social process paradigm with a view of recruitment as a two-way, inter-subjective interaction (Herriot, 2002). This perspective has progressively earned respect as an alternative to the dominating psychometric paradigm by allowing for the candidate ´s voice to be heard (Billsberry, 2007). The development towards a social process rather than a one-sided organisational choice leads to interesting interactions between candidate and organisation in the current economic climate. A number of recent studies have attempted to determine the best strategy for attracting and convincing candidates to accept job offers in a competitive market (Ferris, Berkson Harris, 2002; Turban, Forret Hendrickson, 1998; reference possibly Boswell et al, if not finding any other more about a competitive market). Extensively debated is whether recruiter characteristics and behaviour actually have an influence on candidates. Alderfer and McCord (1970) were among the first to explore the possible effect of recruiter characteristics; a continuing topic of interest as recruitment research has evolved. The meta-analysis by Chapman, Uggerslev, Carroll, Piasentin and Jones (2005) concluded that recruiter behaviour such as being personable influenced candidate attraction to organisations. By applying signalling theory (Spence, 1973) to recruitment, research has demonstrated how candidates view recruiters in the recruitment process as signals of unknown organisational characteristics and attributes (Turban, Forret Hendrickson, 1998). Rynes, Bretz and Gerhart (1991) found recruiters to act as a symbol of interpersonal relations in the organisation, indicating candidates use recruiter behaviour as images of interpersonal work relations. Chapman and Webster (2006) later concluded recruiter influence app ears more complex than anticipated. However, Breaugh (2012) points out that less attention has been devoted to recruiter effects over the last few years. Also, a majority of recruiter-candidate interaction research is built on experimental designs, possibly ignoring effects from a real-life human interplay (reference). It is further suggested that qualitative research could prove value beyond the majority of existing quantitative research (Breaugh, 2012). Activities Organisations facilitate recruitment activities such as campus career fairs, employment interviews and site visits to attract candidates (Arvey Campion, 1982; Turban, Campion Eyring, 1995). The review by Rynes, Heneman and Schwab (1980) and more recent research by Collins and Stevens (2002) both state that recruitment activities have the potential to influence candidates, possibly by signals of wider organisational attributes (Turban, 2001). However, there is still a need for a better understanding of how recruitment activities affect a candidate (Turban, 2001). Breaugh (2008) highlights the site visit as a recruitment activity given undeservedly little attention. An exception is the study by Turban, Campion and Eyring (1995) extending preceding research by demonstrating just how influential the site visit can be on actual job acceptance decisions. Another interesting aspect of the site visit is the possibility to meet future colleagues beyond organisational representatives often sent from the human resource department. Consistent with the suggestion by Rynes and Miller (1983), Rynes, Bretz and Gerhart (1991) found that meetings with any given organisational representative is less influential than meeting someone from the same functional area as the candidate. The site visit typically consists of several activities and Turban, Campion Eyring (1995) suggest future research continuing to investigate how applicants interpret and make meaning of attending one. Saks and Uggerslev (2010) critiques existing research for an exaggerated focus on single activities. Consequentially some activities can come across as having a very small or large influence, possibly limited by research methodology. Those who ultimately accept a job offer will have been through a more extensive process, very likely consisting of several activities. Whereas initial stages are critical to determine candidate ´s further pursuit, later stages have a profound effect on the final job acceptance decision. Recruitment activities do not occur in a vacuum. The overall experience of a recruitment process based on combined effects of activities must be acknowledged (Saks Uggerslev, 2010). Phases Experimental studies often break the recruitment process down to smaller units for investigation. This approach ignores that going through a recruitment process is not likely to be experienced as single events with a separate effect on the candidate, but rather as a process consisting of phases (Boswell, Roehling, LePine and Moynihan, 2003). The early stages of recruitment have been suggested critical, because this can decide candidates willingness to proceed with a given organisation. Critical contact theory addresses how applicants are influenced in their first meeting with organisational representatives (Ralston Brady, 1994). Rynes, Bretz and Gerharts (1991) study demonstrated the possible detrimental effects of a single interaction, showing a number of candidates actually chose to withdraw from recruitment based on a negative first impression. Due to the stress job search can hold as well as anticipation of evaluation, it has been suggested job applicants enter the process with uncertainty as a salient emotion (Proost, Derous, Schreurs, Hagtvet De Witte, 2008; Rynes, 1991). Moreover, uncertainty is likely to persist as candidates are faced with consistently limited information (Barber Roehling, 1993). Assessing levels of uncertainty is difficult in a simulated setting, unfortunately undermining a great deal of existing research (Breaugh, 1992, as cited in Barber Roehling, 1993). Studies have demonstrated that candidates weigh various information and organisational features differently throughout the recruitment process (Carless, 2005; Jaidi, Van Hooft Arends, 2011). The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) suggests peripheral processing is superior to central processing in the primary stages of a recruitment process (Larsen Phillips, 2002). The former type of information processing typically leads to a focus on environmental cues rather than relevant job characteristics. Saks and Uggerslevs (2010) study on college students found that rather focusing on the effect of a single activity or stage, the total combination of the whole recruitment process should be considered. Contrary, it has been suggested that various stages of the recruitment process in itself does not significantly influence a candidate final decision (Lawler, Kuleck, Rhode Sorensen, 1975; Powell Goulet, 1996). Findings from previous research thus prove conflicting; suggesting candidates may go through recruitment with or without a diverse range of perceptions, emotions and thoughts that influence their final decisions. Outcome For organisations to maximise utility, the ultimate end goal of a recruitment process is job offer acceptance from desirable candidates (Jackson Schuler, 1990). Nevertheless, much research has often studied candidate ´s reactions at a given point during the process. Attracting and maintaining candidates are obviously necessary requirements for a viable recruitment process. Yet, acknowledging the process inherent dynamic nature combined with the fact that organisations attempt to actively influence a potential candidate; the effects of this influence must be assessed. The study by Aiman-Smith, Bauer and Cable (2001) revealed that different factors lead to job attraction and actual job pursuit. An extensive amount of research measures only candidates attitudes, perceptions and impressions, rather than actual choice (Rynes, Bretz Gerhart, 1991). Many studies approach recruitment from the organisations view, attempting to establish how an applicant can be persuaded to accept a job of fer (Jaidi, Van Hooft Arends, 2011; reference). Such studies operate with the implicit assumption of a candidate actually making a choice (Boswell et al., 2003). However there is less knowledge of how the candidate perceives this choice or decision-making. The perspective of a candidate who has been through a full recruitment experience with the result of accepting a job offer is less investigated and will inevitably provide knowledge of important aspects of recruitment (Saks Uggerslev, 2010). Graduates A large part of an organisations recruitment activities revolve around new graduates, of interest for the new skills and updated education they contribute with (Turban, Forret Hendrickson, 1998; Wayne Casper, 2012). The recent years have witnessed changes in recruitment practices as competition for graduates tightens (Branine, 2008). However, recruitment literature and research has often been criticised for overly emphasizing college graduates (Breaugh, 2008; Rynes, Heneman III Schwab, 1980). Nevertheless, multiple interesting aspects serve justice to focusing on this particular group of job seekers. Career theory refers to the transition from student to employee as an important one, significantly affecting a person ´s life (Super, 1980). Previous research has found inexperienced job seekers to be more likely influenced by recruitment practices (Feldman Arnold, 1978; Larsen Phillips, 2002). Walker, Field, Giles and Bernerth (2008) demonstrated how candidates limited job experience and job search influenced their perception of recruitment activities. Seeking full-time employment for the very first time might be a particular meaningful event where one is exceptionally aware of recruitment practices because of their novelty. Graduate recruitment is both voluminous in size and investments( Rynes Boudreau, 1986). In addition, the study by Terjesen, Vinnicombe and Freeman (2007) suggested the coming workforce, generation Y (1977-1994) differs from previous generations. As organisations are increasingly acknowledging human capital as a competitive edge, the need for educated workforce is not likely to decrease. Liden and Parsons (1996) points out that educated candidates approach job-searching differently than candidates seeking lower level jobs, where the former is more discriminating in the process. Collectively, this demonstrates new graduates as a sample of interest for further investigation. Rather than attempting to generalise across all job seekers, clearly quite distinctive, this study recognises and appreciates graduates as a separate target group for research. Aim and research question In summary, Barbers dimensions call attention to recruitment research in the field, where context and realistic human interaction is acknowledged. There is a need to further investigate how recruitment activities and recruiter behaviour are elements of a whole recruitment experience leading to the ultimate outcome of a candidates job offer acceptance. The current economic climate holds exciting times for new graduates. Indeed, Celani and Singh (2011) highlight the competitive benefit an organisation could gain from enhanced understandings of candidate ´s reaction and appraisal of recruitment practices. By acknowledging the individual as the organisations most valuable asset, an expectation follows to consider the individual ´s perspective, also in recruitment. Breaugh (2012) highlighted the valuable in-depth insight to the candidate ´s perspective from the previous qualitative work of Rynes, Bretz and Gerhart (1991) and Boswell, Roehling, LePine Moynihan (2003). Based on a person-centric approach, Weiss Rupp (2011) suggest the human subjective experience should guide more research. Insight from candidates own words about recruitment experiences has been of inspiration (Billsberry, 2007). Therefore, the study employs a phenomenological approach to address the following research question: How does a recent graduate experience the recruitment process? A phenomenological approach Phenomenology is concerned with exploring the richness of a real, concrete, daily-lived phenomenon (Finlay, 2009). The transition from graduating student to working professional has been proven a major one, additionally supported by life-stages theory and career theory (Ng Feldman, 2007; Schein, 1978, Super; 1980). Billsberry (2007) argue job-related events such as obtaining or changing jobs are of significance, but they are also a natural experience in the inevitable progression of life. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) is an approach of exploration of a lived experience (Clarke, 2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis is therefore suitable to explore how a new graduate experience a recruitment process. Something about why not other qualitative methods? However, merely stating that a study is of phenomenological nature is not sufficient for methodological rigour. Adopting a philosophical stance underpinning the method of choice should be done to uphold methodological clarity (Lowes Prowse, 2001). The transcendental phenomenology as described in the original work of Husserl request suspending all presuppositions of a phenomenon through bracketing (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). This standpoint has been critiqued for not recognising the cognitive aspect of a human being situated in a contextual world (Wilding Whiteford, 2005). Furthermore, the researcher ´s seminal role in identifying, defining and formulating research is consistent with Smith ´s (2004) recommendation to avoid a superficial attempt of bracketing. The philosophical foundations underlying IPA is simply not compatible with complete bracketing, as the interpretative component inevitably acknowledges the researcher ´s role. Heidegger advocates a hermeneutic phenomenology with interpretation at its core (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). Utilizing a double hermeneutic acknowledges the dual role of the researcher, where one tries to make sense of the participants experience after the experience has been subject to sense making from the participant itself (Smith Osborn, 2003 double check book Uni). Rather than shallow bracketing, not adequate to its true form as proposed by Husserl, reflexive bracketing was done in resonance with Ahern ´s recommendations (1999). As being reflexive involves more than having an awareness of one ´s standpoint, but should be consciously exercised throughout the research process, a full reflexive account is given in section x.x (Finlay, 2002). A main goal in phenomenology is being able to understand what a particular experience is like for someone else (Creswell, 2007). Rooted in the phenomenological approach is the recognition that an experience takes place in a specific context (Willig, 2009). The contextual setting of the study will subsequently be addressed in the following section. Context To advocate high-quality research, Stiles (1993) advise explicit awareness of the social and cultural context of the research (as cited in Elliott, Fischer Rennie, 1999). IPA recognises that the individual is positioned in a context, inevitably influencing the individual sense-making process (Clarke, 2009). Furthermore, the aspect of context has often been overlooked in recruitment research, pointed out by Rynes (1991) more than twenty years ago. Erhart and Zieger (2005) continuously emphasize researchers to render the environmental context where organisational recruitment takes place. Several authors have highlighted the important factor of the current labour market (Rynes, Heneman Schwab, 1980; Turban, Campion Eyring, 1995). In response and in the belief of context-depending findings, the following paragraph will give a brief description of the context where this study took place. The region of Western Norway thrives on the oil business and a majority of workplaces originates within this sector (Boe Hornbug, 2012). Stavanger, one of the largest cities in the region is often referred to as the oil capital of Norway. Several large international oil companies base their Norwegian head offices in this part of the country. Due to constant development over the last years and a forecast of continuous growth there is a pressing need for qualified engineers. The present study was conducted in an oil company employing 70.000 across the world, whereby 2000 of these work in Norway (Taraldsen, 2012). A recent survey completed by engineering students from the largest University in the area demonstrated the company ´s high status; the company was rated among the top five most popular employers (Hult, 2012). The company still emphasizes advertising their vacancies through the most popular job-search base in Norway. In general, job advertisements underline the companys attractiveness by emphasizing their abilities and position in the market. The adverts also encourage potential candidates to apply by embracing the uniqueness of each individual employee. During winter 2011/2012, the company carried out a recruitment process for their graduate programme, hiring 25 trainees after receiving several hundred applications. On the basis of their recent recruitment experience, a number of the newly hired trainees were asked to participate in this study. Acknowledging the criticism of recruitment research ´s large focus on graduate samples (Rynes, Orlitzky Bretz, Jr., 1997), nevertheless this was seen as a factor adding to the interest of this study. The social, the cultural and the heavy media focus on the oil business sector may lead to both expectations and pressure for a new graduate. A survey of the labour market during spring 2012 demonstrated that 82% of engineer graduates already have a contract signed by completion of their education (Amelie, 2012b). Organisations are ambitious in their search for talented candidates and as a result initiate recruitment at early stages (Gjerde, 2012; Halvorsen Ellingsen, 2011). While the offensive approach of competing organisations can contribute to an awareness of the attractiveness of engineers, it can simultaneously force feelings of pressure, rush and st ress to the process of securing a job. Method Design To explore new graduates experience of a recruitment process, a cross-sectional study of qualitative nature was conducted. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse semi-structured interviews. Procedure The researcher made contact with the organisation through a personal acquaintance in February 2012. Being aware of possible challenges in regards to organisational access, the researcher took several steps to ensure a smooth process (Johl Renganthan, 2010). Through mutual agreement between the researcher ´s area of interest as well as the organisation ´s need, a suitable sample for research was identified. The sample was chosen purposively to ensure all the participants had experienced the phenomena of interest, necessary to give insight into a particular perspective of the experience (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). Striving for a homogeneous sample, sample criteria were set to be recent graduated engineers who through the process of obtaining their first job naturally had been through a recruitment process. It was established prior to commencement of research that participants had been exposed to various recruitment activities. To increase credibility for the study the human resource senior manager of the organisation sent out the first informative e-mail, encouraging participation. This was also done to ensure the participants felt comfortable sharing their experience, given they were recently hired at the organisation. Further, the researcher established contact per e-mail with the individual with thorough information (Appendix X: Information sheet). E-mail contact is considered efficient for both parties in establishing contact and to make further arrangements for the interview (Seidman, 2006). Given practical considerations and various start-dates, 14 individuals were contacted. As IPA is concerned with the quality and not the quantity of accounts, the researcher searched for a smaller sample as 3-6 participants is recommended (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). However it was found useful to initially contact a larger number, being aware that some participants may withdraw (Seidman, 2006). All but one were initially positive, however situational factors led to a final sample of 6 participants. The researcher found this sample to fulfil the requirement of both suitable size and saturation (Kvale, 2007). Participants The sample consisted of Norwegian citizens, 3 females and 3 males (6 in total) between the ages 22-28. All participants had experienced various recruitment processes, including a site visit arranged by the organisation prior to being hired. The participants were all recent graduated engineers with a BSc or an MSc degree within various fields of engineering. All participants had their education from Norwegian universities where recruitment activities arranged by several companies had taken place in various forms. All but one participant resided in the greater area of Stavanger. Fictitious names were given to each participant to ensure anonymity. Interviews Inviting to a rich, detailed and personal account of the individual ´s experience, semi-structured interviews were chosen as method for this study. This is the preferred method for IPA as its flexibility allows for the experience of interest to lead the interview, rather than fitting it into pre-determined categories of a structured interview (Smith, 1995). Two pilot interviews were conducted early in the process, as strongly advised by Seidman (2006). This familiarises the researcher with the complexities an interview may hold. Although not identical with the actual sample, the volunteers for pilot interviews were also recent graduates having undergone recruitment processes in their search for jobs in the past year. Hence pilot interviews were useful to provide insight into possible important aspects of a recruitment experience and also led to changes in the interview structure such as fewer and less non-directive questions. The pilot was also seen as valuable training in interview technique, which according to Kvale (2007) is mastered through extensive practice. The interview guide was developed after wide reading around the topic of interest as well as inspiration from the pilot. Advised by Smith, Flower and Larkin (2009) it was attempted to approach the area of interest sideways. Rather than asking direct questions, which may be leading the participant, the questions attempted to facilitate a discussion around the topic of interest. The interview commenced by the open-ended question Could you tell me about how you got this job? (Appendix X). For an open-mind in regards to the participant ´s experience, open-ended questions were asked, allowing the participant ´s answer to steer the direction of the interview (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). Although having prepared possible follow-up questions, the researcher exercised flexibility throughout the interviews to fully be able to attend to the personal experience of the individual. Probes and prompts were used as suited. The interview session was rounded off asking each participant if they had anything further to add which had not been addressed in the interview, but that was seen as important in their recruitment experience (Kvale, 2007). Interviews were held in the workplace during week 26 and 27 at the participant ´s convenience. The researcher made sure to be allocated a room in sufficient distance from the participant ´s department, to s

The Growth Of 3d In Movie Industry Film Studies Essay

The Growth Of 3d In Movie Industry Film Studies Essay The first presentation of 3D films before a paying audience took place at the Astor Theater, New York, on June 10, 1915. The program consisted of three one-reelers, the first of rural scenes in the USA, the second a selection of scenes from Famous Players Jim, the Penman, and the third a travelogue of Niagara Falls. The anaglyphic process used, developed by Edwin S. Porter and W.E. Waddell, involved the use of red and green spectacles to create a single image from twin motion picture images photographed 2 ½ inches apart. The experiment was not a success. The first 3D feature film was Nat Deverichs 5-reel melodrama Power of Love, starring Terry ONeil and Barbara Bedford. It premiered at the Ambassador Hotel Theater, Los Angeles, on September 27, 1922. Produced by Perfect Pictures in an anaglyphic process developed by Harry K. Fairall, it related the adventures of a young sea captain in California in the 1840s. The first feature-length talkie in 3D was Sante Bonaldos Nozze vagabonde, starring Leda Gloria and Ermes Zacconi, which was produced by the Società   Italiana Stereocinematografica at the Cinee-Caesar Studios. The 3D cameraman was Anchise Brizzi. The first feature-length talkie in color and 3D was Alexander Andreyevskys Soyuzdetfilm production Robinson Crusoe (USSR 47), starring Pavel Kadochnikov as Crusoe and Y. Lyubimov as Friday. The process used, Stereokino, was the first to successfully dispense with anaglyphic spectacles. Developed by S.P. Ivanov, it employed what were known as radial raster stereoscreens-a corrugated metal screen with raster grooves designed to reflect the twin images separately to the left and right eye. The most difficult technical problem encountered during the production of Robinson Crusoe was persuading a wild cat to walk along a thin branch towards the camera. After five nights occupied with this one scene, the cameraman succeeded in getting a satisfactory shot. The effect, according to accounts, was riveting, the animal seeming to walk over the heads of the audience and disappear at the far end of the cinema. The first 3D feature with stereophonic sound was Warner Brothers House of Wax (US 53). When it was premiered at the Paramount Theater, New York, with 25 speakers, the Christian Science Monitor was moved to deplore the cacophony of sound hurtling relentlessly at one from all directions. Andrà © de Toth, director of the movie, may have been able to hear the cacophony, but was unable to see the 3D effect, as he only had one eye. During the 3D boom that began with the low-budget Bwana Devil (US 52), over 5,000 theaters in the US were equipped to show 3D movies, but the fad was shortlived. 3D production figures were: 1952-1; 1953-27; 1954-16; 1955-1. In addition there were 3D movies produced in Japan, Britain, Mexico, Germany and Hong Kong, but many of these (as well as some of the US productions) were released flat. Sporadic production resumed in 1960 with the first Cinemascope 3D movie, September Storm (US 60), since when there have been 54 further three-dimensional films References This quick overview of the firsts of 3D movie history was published in the 1993 edition of the Guiness Book of World Records. http://www.3dgear.com/scsc/movies/firsts.html Limbacher, J. L. (1968) Four Aspects of the Film, New York:Viking Norling, J. A. (1915) Basic Principles of 3-D Photography and Projection New Screen Techniques Norling, J. A. (1939) Three-Dimensional Motion Pictures, Journal of Society of Motion Pictures and Entertainment Dec Potter, W. J. (2008). Media literacy (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Walters, Ben. The Great Leap Forward. Sight Sound, 19.3. (2009) pp. 38-41 Main Response Post (History of 3D) Since its invention in 1838, stereoscopy has been used as a technique to create the illusion of a third dimension (Norling 1915). There is a lot of debate about the first 3D film but Larrivà ©e du train filmed in 1903 by the Lumià ¨re brothers, the inventors of cinema, is often referred to as the first stereoscopic movie ever made (Norling 1915). When it was released, audiences panicked because they thought the train was about to crash right into them! Although the technology for creating 3D films has been around for a long time, the technology for viewing these films, as essential as it may be, is a totally different story. This explains why 3D cinema has gone through a few significant changes. 1900 to 1939 was a period of experimentation for 3D. Producers, fans and inventors of various areas lay the groundwork for 3D cinema (Norling 1939). A few films are shot with small budgets in order to try to uncover the secrets of stereoscopic production. 1950 to 1960 is where 3D sees its first bit of popularity. With the commercial success of Bwana Devil, released by United Artists in 1952, 3D cinema captures the attention of the major studios (Limbacher, 1968). They turn out more than sixty films, including Hitchcocks Dial M for Murder and Hondo, starring John Wayne. Although these films were shot with state-of-the art technology, 3D fell out of use because of the poor viewing conditions in most theatres and due to the complex equipment required to exhibit 3D movies (silver screens, polarized glasses, double synchronized projectors, special lensesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)(Limbacher, 1968). From 1973 to 1985 3D is all but forgotten by the general public, 3D cinema resurfaces and several studios, large and small, try to resurrect it (Walters, 2009). They succeed in creating interest thanks to such films as Jaws 3D, Comin at Ya! and Friday the 13th Part 3. However, in spite of its new-found success, the little cardboard glasses still didnt improve the viewing conditions, and 3D disappeared once again. With the invention of the Imax 3D format, from 1986 to 2000, audiences discover for the first time while watching Transitions the emergence of new screening technology, 3D cinema finally comes into its own (Walters, 2009). Although 3D is used only in specialized productions due to the prohibitive shooting costs, it takes its rightful place, along side productions with incredible and expensive special effects. The arrival of computer animation technology, digital cameras and 3D home theatre contribute to the development of stereoscopic production and screening starting 2000 thru to the present (Walters, 2009). The demand for 3D continues to grow and the technology is now entering its second phase of popularity. The popularity of the recent computer animated movie Avatar is evidence that this newer 3D IMAX experience is something the public is fascinated with. 3D movies can have various psychological effects. The basic effects that all movies we enjoy have in common are the emotional effects (Potter, 2008). Without the emotional effects the movies plot would not hold our attention and this happens by them evoking or emotions. 3D movies are particularly known for their play on physiological effects, the visual experience of seeing the movie in 3 dimensions makes a movie seem more real and there for our bodies react releasing adrenaline even thought we know that what we are seeing is not real (Potter, 2008). This leads to one more psychological effect of 3D movies, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. Because of the realistic nature of seeing action in 3 dimensions it can be hard to separate the line between what is real and what is the movie, at least while the movie is being viewed (Potter, 2008).