U.S.A. PATRIOT Act, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and the Essay

U.S.A. PATRIOT Act, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and the Future of Domestic Intelligence - Essay Example The attacks demolished the world trade center, which was regarded as a unique nucleus of international trade established in New York City, and took away 2,749 innocent lives. The attacks shook the pillars of the national security of United States of America and questioned the operation and functioning of the intelligence of the country. Following the day of attack, President George Bush immediately declared war on terrorism with his speech, â€Å"The United States of America will use all our resources to conquer this enemy† (Kam & Wong, 2006, p. 380). Later, on investigation it was revealed that two of the terrorist pilots gained flying training at the Huffman Aviation International in Venice, Florida, in September 2000. These men entered the United States of America on a visitor’s visa. It was further analyzed that the applications of these men were changed from the visitor to those of vocational students which were processed by the Immigration and Naturalization Servi ce (INS). Another pilot infiltrated the country on October 9, 2000 with an F-1 student visa for the purpose of studying English at English as a second language (ESL) center in California, USA. In this case it was also revealed that the student never attended the institute and the institute never reported about the missing student. With this background information it could be said that the country was suffering from inefficient intelligence operation and management. In fact legitimate questions arose regarding the intelligence operation of the nation. In the aftermath of the 9/11 disaster, America witnessed the tightening of the trajectories of homeland security and enforcement of amended and new laws with stricter policies towards immigration and emigration. But it has been also questioned as to what extent the laws were feasible in the context of the protection of the civil

Target Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Target Market - Essay Example In order to respond to this issue, Mary Kay has representatives and consultants all around the world who are not only involved in research and development of new products but in the marketing and sales of the same. The brand identify of Mary Kay products has put it as a luxury brand that is known for standard and quality. The company’s own efforts are such that they try to brand each product as an individual brand that has to be taken care of with its own separate stream of marketing strategies. Like every cosmetic product, the motivation to use and buy is more psychological than material. People have the need to feel loved and appreciated and they like to adapt in a way that’s acceptable. The benefit of self-esteem with prestige is what Mary Kay sells. Of course, a brand will only sell on that basis when the message can be reflected in their product quality as well (Viverios & Negus, April 2009). Mary Kay enjoys exposure to a large customer base through its diversified brand and products range. It has a total of about 200 premium products that have been divided under 6 classes or categories, targets both men and women, is vertically well integrated and has a range of skin and hair care products sold as drugs and ailments too (Datamonitor, 2008). In 2008, Mary Kay was present in about 35 countries across the globe. Mary Kay exploits this advantage by having employed millions of independent beauty consultants around the world and having built a separate manufacturing plant in China to meet the needs of Asian customers (Bhattacharya & Prinyanka, 2008). As compared to its biggest competitor Avon and other competitors such as L’Oreal, companies that operate in a multinational and dynamic platform, Mary Kay lacks the ability to operate at such massive scales. While these companies have the ability to reach out customers in the farthest regions and

Technology Push Development

Technology Push Development Part 1: Short questions Technology push development: The Pebble watch is a radical innovation. Eric Migicovsky created a watch to use whilst bike riding, the watch had to communicate with his smart phone, providing message notifications. The technology was tested but the concept was new; creating a whole new market of smart watches. Figure 1: Pebble watch (Pebble Technology, 2012) Market pull development: The digital camera is an example of this, customers wanted a product that takes more pictures and shows results instantly, through technological advances incremental changes were made to go from a standard film camera taking 36 pictures, to digital cameras that can take 1000s. Figure 2: Rugby ball evolution (Image: History-Gilbert, N.D Rugby ball Wikipedia, N.D) The above figure shows how the rugby ball has evolved over time. Left- The first rugby ball made from pigs bladder stuffed inside leather housing, the size of the bladder determined the shape and size. Middle -The first official rugby ball, this had a rubber bladder, the shape and size could be controlled, this is due to material enhancements. Officials then called for a ball that is uniform in shape and size. Due to advancements in technology and manufacturing processes, we now have the ball on the right; made from plastic and rubber. Goal: This sets out the desired result or solution we want the design to achieve. This does not state how this should be achieved. Context: The target audience / market is set out in this section, who are we designing this new product for. Constraints: In this part we specify restrictions for the design such as budget, time frame, even things like materials that should be used, is placed in this section. Criteria: Is a wish list of things we would like the design to achieve. It provides a method of how the design solutions will be graded; the design that fulfils most of the criteria will be preferable. Figure 3: Android TV box Remote control The remote above is a good piece of equipment but in my opinion it has one main design failure. The remote communicates via infrared with the TV box, meaning if there is no clear line of sight: then the remote does not function. This can be very frustrating. The TV box has WIFI and Bluetooth capabilities built in; so by removing the infrared and replacing with a Bluetooth connection we could eliminate the need for line of sight making the remote a pleasure to use. User test: A group of selected persons are asked to use a product with a specific and controlled set of instructions so everyone uses the product in exactly the same manner and normally at the same time, unlike laboratory conditions but like a controlled home environment. User trials: The group of persons are given a product to use at their own homes for a set period; they will then provide feedback on how the product fits in with their normal daily lives, the things they liked and disliked or even when and where they used the product. Figure 4: Aston Martin Rapide S (Rapide S, 2017) Figure 5: Rapide S interior (Rapide S, 2017) I have been in one of these, its a dream car. The noise the engine makes raises the hairs on your neck, the smell and feel of the interior is pure elegance (Physio-pleasure).Owning one of these would make me belong to a group of people that enjoy the finer things in life (Socio-pleasure). Sitting behind the wheel makes you feel important and powerful (Psycho-pleasure). One of Aston Martins policies is to do whatever it takes to reduce their carbon footprint; because with power comes responsibility thus we are responsible for the world we live in (Ideo-pleasure). User profile: This is a collection of the distinguishing features of a particular group of people for example people between 16-30 years old are more likely to listen to pop music than say people between 50- 70 years of age. User persona: This is a fictional user created by the designer to assist in the design process. This user will be created out of one of the user profiles and will be described in detail down to a name and character traits. Ergonomics looks at how we as humans move and what our body limitations are; to create designs that are more compatible with our bodies. This study allows designs to improve usability of the products whether it is something that sits better in the palm of your hand thereby prolonging the length of time the user can use the product without straining the body or a chair that curves with the spine to improve circulation etcetera, it all involves the study of what works best with our bodies. Figure 6: Push-button tap (Push button tap, N.D) The timed-flow tap is a good example of inclusive design, even though it is designed to supply a timed amount of water, the way it is designed means that a much larger group of people can use this tap in comparison to a regular tap, this tap can be used by people with disabilities such as arthritis or even amputees. This product can be used by many people without the need for adapting it. I have tried to think a bit more like a designer by keeping in mind what would be important to a client but also considering human factors, I found this a bit of a challenge as I am a hands on kind of guy but I understand that this needs improvement from my part. I tried to stick to the same format for my TMA as I scored well in the last TMA. Word count 936 (limit 900) Part 2: Researching and writing a design brief. Section 1: Gathering information. A product to improve fitness: Treadmills Product Area: Three of the broader market sectors use products for improving fitness; Retail sector consists of personal users, the Commercial sector contains entities such as Health clubs and the Public sector has hospitals etcetera. (AMAResearch, 2016) Cardiovascular exercise combats a range of disorders and improves overall wellbeing, thus a bicycle, treadmill or rowing machine would be a good. (Metabolic disorders, 2016) In 2015 approximately 67% of people aged between 16-54 years met the minimum recommended exercise levels in the UK; providing potentially large market areas. (Physical activity statistics 2015, 2016) Market sales for treadmills are approximately 83 million per year (Yozgat, 2014); this may not be accurate but its worth looking into treadmills. Users: Statistic shows people on higher income tend to exercise on a regular basis (Physical activity statistics 2015, 2016); aiming at the middle to top-end of the market would be ideal. The people that use treadmills tend to be those that are trying to lose weight, may have medical conditions making an exercise machine that can measure heart-rate and blood pressure in valuable. The largest group of people that exercise are aged 25 to 54, the working age; they do it to feel good or look better. (Fitnessforweightloss, 2015) Product information: Figure 7: ARGOS catalogue part 1 (ARGOS spring/summer 2017, N.D) Figure 8: ARGOS catalogue part 2 (ARGOS spring/summer 2017, N.D) The Argos catalogue showed a range of treadmills costing  £100- £3500; this includes manual treadmills and motorised treadmills. Cheaper models were less sturdy, had a smaller running surface because higher speeds cannot be achieved. Lower end models had smaller motors thus unable to maintain set speeds when an incline is introduced, creating a weight restriction for user usage. Top range models fold away electronically; this could be a safety concern for younger children. Materials Technologies: Parts Table 12 Extrusion rails 11 Electric motor 3 Treadmill belt 12 Drive unit 45 Rollers 13 Motor hood cover 6 Running deck 14 Treadmill frame 7 End cap 15 Electric circuit board 8 Elevation motor actuator 16 Control unit 9 Motor pan 17 Hand rails 10 Motor fan 18 Electric supply unit Figure 9: Basic treadmill parts( c.searspartsdirect.com,N.D) Table 1:Parts table for figure 9 The main materials are Polyurethane, Nylon-Polyester (treadmill belt), Steel or aluminium (frame) and wood (running deck). These are good materials with good properties; theyre recyclable or renewable making them environmentally friendly. Figure 10: Basic unit (Jhony, 2017) Figure 11: Advanced unit (fitness-superstore.co.uk, N.D.) As can be seen from above figures the control units can be basic to very advance; measuring all aspects of the fitness routine. Technologies already incorporated into treadmills are heart-rate monitoring sensors and blood pressure sensors. Theres opportunity to add ECG monitoring or Bio-electrical impedance for body fat measuring. I have a safety concern about treadmills that operate without a user being on it, this could cause harm to children. Word count 399 (limit 400) Section 2: Research Figure 12: Outer box Figure 13: Inner packaging Figure 14: Possibility of trapping wiring Figure 15: Cheap plastic part Figure 16: Feet rest with roller for moving Figure 17: MP3 connection User Research:User trip on a Reebok ZR9 treadmill, beginning at unpacking, assembly and first time use. During each stage I stopped and took note of my feelings, what I found interesting or disappointing. I was experiencing all four pleasures, something I have never taken notice of before, the Reebok brand made me feel like an athlete, the control unit made me feel excited about the different routines I could try out, the smooth lines of the treadmill is a pleasure to look at and professionalism is evident in all aspects. Points to note, packaging creates initial feeling of excitement and professionalism. Assembly was simple and clearly laid out, a concern is that electrical wiring could get trapped during assembly. Some parts looked cheap, not in keeping with design. Using the treadmill is user-friendly, no method of measuring weight and as I have no MP3 player the function to connect to one is of no use, create a wireless connection so any media can be played through the speakers. User trips are good for experiencing the pleasures but may be biased; I found I was willing to overlook faults. Prior operation knowledge meant I have learnt to navigate around nuisances meaning I may have missed something. I interviewed a personnel trainer at my local gym, this was very informative; I was able to learn a lot about what types of people use treadmills, when and for what reasons they use it, the trainer also pointed out some user tendencies. Interviews widen the variety of information available to you as designer. Things to note, treadmills are mainly used as a weight loss device and novice users only use the quick start function as they feel intimidated by all the different settings and functions. User Profile: I initially split my potential users into 3 groups, this was done by splitting them into age groups (15 to 23, 24-56 and 57+ years), I chose to do a user profile for the group aged between 24 to 56 years because this seems to be the group more likely to use and buy a treadmill based on their characteristics. User characteristics Treadmill users aged 24 to 56 years characteristics GenderBoth male and female. Physical limitationsMay range from fully-able bodied people to having some limitations such as, hearing and sight problems, mobility problems such as loss of a limb, can also range in shape and size. EducationLittle or no education, unable to read or write up to very high levels of education. Computer/IT skillsLikely to be well educated in computer literacy and technological advances. MotivationCan range from being well motivated to use a treadmill for social interaction, enhancing fitness state, relaxation (stress reduction) or controlling body weight to unmotivated to use it because of health reasons. AttitudeLikely to be positive depending on how effective the treadmill can provide the required training levels and features the user may be expecting. FinanceLow to high levels of income, more likely to be on higher levels of income as career tends to be well grounded at this stage. Daily physical activityMay range from being inactive due to working in an office; to very active working as a postal worker for example. Exercise equipment experienceVery likely to have experience in the use of a range of exercise equipment. LifestyleLikely to be athletic viewing exercise as fun, be sports-savvy viewing sport as a fashion statement, may be health oriented -likes to have a specific diet or may have medical reasons for keeping fit. User Persona: Leroy (Persona for the treadmill users aged 24 to 56 year group) Leroy is a 28 year old male. He works as a stock broker and earns  £80 000 per year, graduated from Queen Mary University with a MSc Wealth Management degree. Leroy is in a steady relationship with Claire, they are living in a spacious three bedroom upmarket apartment in a London suburb, it is situated near a large gym and very close to an Underground station; this makes travelling to pubs, shops and other amenities very simple. He lives a very fast paced life, takes great pride in his image. Shopping for good expensive clothing is important as this makes him stand out from others. Leroy plays squash with his friend Paul in the mornings to get him in the right frame of mind for work; this helps because he is very competitive. After work he will meet Claire at the Gym to do some cardio on the treadmill, this helps them to relax after a tough day. Having a treadmill at home will free up some time that he would appreciate spending with his friends and family. I used the persona activity to create a template for my persona, I immersed myself in to it, I imagined myself as Leroy, I know this may not be a true reflection of a real person and asking someone else to complete a persona notebook would perhaps give me views I could not imagine. Word count 849 (limit 800) Section 3: Detailed design brief Goal: To design a motorised treadmill that will improve overall fitness levels of the user according to their current state of health and well-being; with minimal programming input from the user. Context: People use treadmills for weight-loss, relaxation and stress-management or to maintain and improve their health and well-being. The main reason users dont exercise is; a lack of time, figuring out what program is best for the users goal is time consuming and confusing thus most users tend to use the basic stop start functions; making the user experience mundane and therefore the user is less likely to stay motivated. Users that have a goal to work towards or that is stimulated audio-visually are more likely to stay motivated and return to exercise more frequently. This brief provides an opportunity to challenge the traditional image of the treadmill that is seen as mundane by creating something interesting that forms part of the users everyday life. Constraints: The design must: User-centred, ease of use and functions to be self-explanatory. Energy-efficient, energy consumption must have an energy-efficiency rating of A or better. Non-moving parts to last lifespan of the design. All parts must be recyclable or come from a renewable source. Ready for market launch within a maximum of 5 years. To retail at approximately  £750. Able to connect with a variety of devices. Maintain a maximum speed of up to 16 km per hour with a maximum user load of up to 140kg. The running-deck must have a minimum running area of 135cm x 46cm. Mains operated. Be safe and reliable Criteria: The design should: Usable by able bodied and disable bodied users, limitations can include sight problems, hearing-loss and loss of limbs or mobility issues such as arthritis. Appeal to male and female users aged between 16-56 years. Require little to no maintenance. Assembly should be simple and easy to follow. Able to be stored neatly and compactly. Be easy to move during storage. Word Count 324 (limit 300) References ARGOS (2017) ARGOS spring / summer 2017, ARGOS. Aston Martin Rapide S (2017) Aston Martin. Available at: http://www.astonmartin.com/cars/rapide-s (Accessed: 4 February 2017). C.Searspartsdirect.com (No Date) Available at: http://c.searspartsdirect.com/lis_png/PLDM/P9110011-00001.png (Accessed: 6 February 2017). FitnessforWeightLoss (2015) Gym statistics: Members, equipment, and cancellations. Available at: http://www.fitnessforweightloss.com/gym-statistics-members-equipment-and-cancellations/ (Accessed: 4 February 2017). Fitness-Superstore.co.uk (No Date) Available at: http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/technogym-spazio-forma-folding-treadmill-with-training-link.html (Accessed: 3 January 2017). FreeGreatPicture (2016) Free photo man sports competition game Racquetball exercise. Available at: http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Man-Sports-Competition-Game-Racquetball-Exercise-89823 (Accessed: 9 February 2017). Image: History Gilbert (no date) Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gilbertsa.co.za%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F01%2Fhistory31.jpgimgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gilbertsa.co.za%2Fhistory%2Fdocid=8eSbVl-aVYRhrMtbnid=wdHhJhz5Z8ZayM%3Avet=1w=725h=275bih=636biw=1242q=rugby%20ball%20historyved=0ahUKEwjGo7jm0vbRAhXBD8AKHW8oAyoQMwgeKAIwAgiact=mrcuact=8#h=275imgrc=wdHhJhz5Z8ZayM:vet=1w=725 (Accessed: 4 February 2017). Image: Rugby ball Wikipedia (no date) Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F3%2F35%2FRichard_Lindon_(1816-1887).jpg%2F150px-Richard_Lindon_(1816-1887).jpgimgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRugby_balldocid=lW8pE2oOw1kUKMtbnid=JYnP6tWeXFBirM%3Avet=1w=150h=218bih=636biw=1242q=rugby%20ball%20historyved=0ahUKEwjGo7jm0vbRAhXBD8AKHW8oAyoQMwgpKA0wDQiact=mrcuact=8#h=218imgrc=JYnP6tWeXFBirM:vet=1w=150 (Accessed: 4 February 2017). Jhony (2017) Buy Opti manual folding treadmill at Argos.Co.Uk your online shop for treadmills, fitness equipment, sports and leisure. Available at: http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6127743 (Accessed: 6 February 2017). Metabolic disorders (2016) Available at: http://www.technogym.com/gb/business-solution/metabolic-disorders/ (Accessed: 3 January 2017). Pebble Technology (2012) Pebble watch trio group 04 Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pebble_watch_trio_group_04.png (Accessed: 23 January 2017). Physical activity statistics 2015 (2016) Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/publications/statistics/physical-activity-statistics-2015 (Accessed: 4 January 2017). Push button tap (no date) Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=push+button+tapespv=2biw=1242bih=636source=lnmstbm=ischsa=Xved=0ahUKEwjh3-aK1_bRAhVTOMAKHZ7gACkQ_AUIBygC#imgrc=AQF6rJotS-erZM: (Accessed: 4 February 2017). The Open University (2013) Designing for people: Book 2, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Yozgat, B. (2014) How many treadmills are sold each year? Available at: http://www.howmanyarethere.net/how-many-treadmills-are-sold-each-year/ (Accessed: 4 January 2017). (The references are not included in the word count)

Brave New World - How Does Society Treat Death In Chapter 14? :: essays research papers

The Brave New World treated death much as they did birth, this was in contradiction to the way the savage felt death should be Death in the Brave New World is not important, it is simply something that happens to your body when it has got worn out. In chapter 14 the nurse thought that the savage was â€Å"Undoing all their wholesome death-conditioning with this disgusting outcry as though death were something terrible, as though anyone mattered as much as all that!† Clearly she too had been death conditioned, to accept that death was certain, but she knew that she could be assured that her minerals would be recoverd after her death and used again. Societies views of death were extremely different, and even the hearses were â€Å"Gaily coloured† and the ward that Linda was on was called the â€Å"Galloping senility ward† suggesting that they had no fear of going senile. I think that the colour of the building and the size clearly represents what society thinks about death.â€Å"Primrose†,â€Å"60-Story† and the wards were â€Å"Bright with sunshine† these aren't the coulors or size modern society would use, but because of their conditioning in The Brave New world they are taught to like it, have happy thoughts about death, and are reassured by the fact, that when they die their bodies can be recycled and turned into chemicals. What the nurse says to the savage on page 163 also says something about the way that society treats death. She says â€Å"You are in a hurry!† after probably expecting him to be less anxious. She then goes on to say â€Å"You’re not feeling ill are you?† due to his abnormal (for a conditioned world) behavior and his concern for Linda which, as we can see was highly unexpected as few visitors ever came. The words â€Å"Number 3 might go off any minute now† tell us something because the people have lost their identity and because they are dying are now only refereed to as numbers, it is as if no one cares. But saying this the situation around the bed where Linda is dying, with the TV, and scent spraying into the air, tells us that people weren't just left to die, but were given some comforts but they were forgotten. Bodies were cremated not buried and there was no book of remembrance because this is the Brave New World and they are trying to forget the past, and only look on to the future

Good Fellas Essay

During the years of adolescence, children tend to conjure up ideas of what life will be like as an adult. Some dream of becoming a firefighter, some a teacher, but young Henry Hill is not like most children. He dreams of becoming a mob member and spends his time fantasizing about the cars and women that will come with the title. In the film Good Fellas, Martin Scorsese uses repetitive violence and poor decisions to show Henry Hill that material possessions and status are not of importance when you are reprimanded by the law, and further, how people in society tend to become blind by fortune and do not think about the consequences they could face by their actions. Scorsese creates a strong sense of what life is like for an Italian American, who is involved in the Mafia. Between the mass amount of mob movies and the reality shows available on cable, the stereotypes of Italians are not too keen. Before meeting an Italian American, a person who is over interested in food, tan, loud, hot tempered and obnoxious comes to mind. In some cases even a visual of a mob member. In this movie, Scorsese focuses on the way the mob members dress and eat, which helps create a strong image for the viewer of what is important to these characters. Once Henry started to become involved in the mob’s activities, he started to dress like them, â€Å"You look like a gangster,† his mother was appalled by his appearance. This is the first time the stereotype of how a member of a mob dressed is acknowledged. Henry shows up on the door step of his parent’s house at a young age, wearing a pressed suit and sparkling black dress shoes. He had used his earnings from the restaurant to make what he thought was an everlasting impression and to show his growing status. Shortly after Henry marries Karen, she is invited to a mob wife’s hostess party. She shows up in a designer dress and notices that â€Å"these women appear to be wearing thrown together pants suits and wearing worn makeup,† to her disgust. Later as the movie progresses Karen herself begins to adapt to this look as well. This is scene when appearances become less important and survival according to the demands of the mob is more of a focus. The aspect that never changes is how important a good meal is no matter what is going on around them and focus on the present tense. Even when Henry and Tommy have a man in the trunk, they think nothing of parking the car in a residential driveway to have a hearty meal with Tommy’s mom. Whenever life takes a turn for the worse, all is lost and the men are in prison, they still manage to prepare a five coarse meal. It is the only thing that gives them a sense of home. The members of the mob lived on the code of respect; if this was forgotten then they were forfeiting the safety that comes with being part of the crew. They were to respect the Boss and listen to whatever advice that was given. If a member were to go against him, there were consequences, â€Å"murder was the only way to keep everyone in line, if you got out of line, you got wacked,† there was no room for mistakes. It was seldom that a second chance would be granted. Once a member of the mob worked their way to the top and proved that they were loyal, they were treated extremely well. Not only did people within the mob know their status but onlookers knew as well. Henry enjoyes the amount of respect he received, he was not at the top but still had the power. He â€Å"didn’t have to wait for [his] fresh bread at the bakery, neighbors didn’t park in their driveway anymore, and the kids in the neighborhood would carry [his] mother’s groceries home for her. † This was just the beginning because as Henry grew older, he received this kind of treatment everywhere he went. Life was good. The luxuries Henry had did not come from volunteering within the community or going to college to earn a degree. These men were well known but not for their good doings. Henry explains it as being as an easy job, â€Å"if we wanted something we just took it, if someone complained they got hit so bad they didn’t again,† violence and crime was the only way to go for them. The people within the community feared them and if the police came after them, they would just pay them off or murder them and dispose of the body so it could not be pinned back on any of them. In order to become completely untouchable from the outsiders as well as the members within the mob, although, they needed Pauly. These members would go to Pauly for help, when they could not go to the police. The only problems with this is Pauly is not cheap and they needed to play by his rules. If his help was needed, he was to be paid weekly and no excuse was good enough for not having his cut when it was due. Scorsese uses violence and crime to show there was more to life than the money and fun that came along with it. It takes a bit of dirty work to get high end items if the hard work isn’t done to allow for the high end job. The members of the mob and their wives see life a bit differently than the typical working American. Henry’s wife Karen addresses this by saying â€Å"Our husbands are not Brain Surgeons; they were blue collar guys who go out and cut a few corners. † She did not see anything wrong in what Henry does as long as he comes home and treats her with all the luxuries she has become accustomed to, nothing else mattered. Henry and his accomplices did not think anything was wrong with how they lived. They enjoyed themselves and were aware of the consequences, but did not fret about them, â€Å"no one goes to jail unless they want to,† Pauly offered protection and as long as the rules were followed there was nothing to worry about. In order to get by, Henry would do everything from boot leg cigarettes, steal cargo, deal drugs and would kill anyone who gets in the way. The two that must be followed were, do not kill a Made man, which is a boss, unless you have permission and make sure you pay Pauly. Henry was living a fabulous life until he started making some bad decisions, got careless and broke the rules. Now the consequences that have been threatened have caught up with him and are starting to give him a rude awakening of what life really can be like for the average person, who does not belong to a powerful family, such as his. Henry was living life day by day and getting by doing whatever he pleases. He had the respect, the power and the wealth that he dreamt of as a young boy. But in the end it didn’t add up, he was left with nothing. All due to a few bad decisions, the materialistic rubbish and money caused Henry to be blinded from what truly should be important in life, he had cut off relationships with all of his real family and now had no one to turn to. Pauly had warned him not to get involved in the scandal that his two close accomplices Tommy and Johnny were getting involved in, but after Henry gets put into prison, he runs out of resources and needs money fast. â€Å"When you go away you are on your own,† because Pauly did not help Karen, while Henry was in jail he decides that instead of asking Pauly for help when he gets out he would take care of this misfortune of his own. He doesn’t feel as if he owes Pauly anything because Pauly did not offer help when he needed him the most. Henry locates Tommy and Johnny and creates a multimillion dollar plan. The problem that surfaces is that it will be hard to keep everyone involved quiet and some of the help decided to spend their cut of the money right away which started to draw some unwanted attention. Tommy and Johnny cannot have this become an issue, so â€Å"months after the robbery, they were finding bodies left and right, â€Å"it was obvious that there was something going on and it was starting to catch up with Henry. Pauly eventually caught up with them and had his men kill Tommy. Henry began to notice he was being followed and he thought he had everything under control but he was wrong. The Federal Government caught up with him â€Å"and now it’s all over, I am and average nobody. † In order for Henry to stay out of prison he had to become a victim of the Witness Protection Program and confessed everything, from the beginning, involving everyone and every detail. He no longer had the power or money he once had. None of it mattered anymore and he now regrets the poor decisions he had made that lead him in this direction. If he would have just listened to Pauly, he may still be living the life he once had. The director uses this end result of regret as the main theme of the movie. It holds as a message, a man may be blessed with good fortune but one bad decision can turn it all around. This film was based on a true story. The main character relives the life of the real Henry Hill to show the general public that it is okay to live life day by day and enjoy what comes with it but make sure that the consequences are acknowledged and be prepared for the outcome of the actions taken. All can be lost by a few bad decisions and there is no going back.

Team Role Paper

Team Role Paper Learning Team A COM100: Introduction to Communication Jan Bozwell, instructor Team Roles Working in teams can be a tricky task for a good majority of people, but being able to designate roles to each team member can help promote the teams effectiveness, cohesion and advance the project completion. Designating roles for the members of a group can increase effectiveness because it helps cater specific roles to a specific need that supports the team’s collaborative effort. Some roles that help in this effort are the leadership role, the encourager, analyst, and a secretary.Each role has a certain responsibility that can ensure success and effectiveness. The leader is one of the most important roles, the leader helps keep the group on task; he/she maintains the schedule of meetings, and deadlines. The encourager helps guide the discussion to maintain a forward momentum. The analyst is the facts checker; their main responsibility is to make sure that information is correct (Indiana University: Bloomington,  2012). The final role belongs to the secretary, this person’s responsibility is to make sure ideas are recorded and submitted on time.Each designated role plays a major part in the effectiveness of the team’s final project. Effectiveness of a group is paramount in keeping a group on track and maintaining a deadline, but cohesion can be just as important for a team. By assigning roles to individual team members, you’re building cohesion. Individuals possess a variety of strengths and weaknesses which can often complement each other in a team setting. The strengths of one team member may help balance the weaknesses of another. By splitting a project into smaller tasks based on individual strengths, team members are forced to trust and rely on one another to omplete parts of the project. When tasks overlap or are ready to come together, communication between team members helps create unity as the team works toward a comm on goal. Giving roles to members of a team also creates a sense of ownership and pride in the overall project. When individuals are invested in a project, they are naturally drawn closer to others with a similar goal. According to Stahl (2012), â€Å"Working together, each bringing our gifts and not only valuing, but seeking those of others enables us to create the best possible solutions. † (p. 6) When people see the value others are able to provide to the quality of a project, a mutual sense of accomplishment brings them together. Being able to bring team members together on a project they feel pride in, allows for the best possible work to be put forth. But, not only does taking pride help, but effective meetings and an equal share of responsibility helps keep the team on task. Assigning roles and responsibilities in a team is essential for project completion. When a team leader wants to achieve excellence with the group, the selection of tasks will be optimized if they us e all of the member’s experiences and skills.The single most important goal in team success is having effective team meetings. Team meetings create responsibilities for team members so they are up to date on the project deadline. The more communication and the more goal oriented a team is, the better the outcome of the project. Kennedy (2008) says, it is always important to maintain focus and create responsibilities for the task and team. When these responsibilities and roles are established it creates common expectations. A timeline is essential as well, as far as setting date on completing projects and checking in.Successes of projects come with being responsible, and communication within a team. Being able to designate roles can help tremendously, allowing a team to complete their assignment promptly and efficiently. Team members are more engaged when they have a clear outline of the work at hand, and what is expected of them. As well as feeling like they’re part of the finished product, no matter what their role turned out to be. By focusing on individual strengths, sharing the work load and allowing for equal input, you push team cohesion and effectiveness to its limits.References Indiana University: Bloomington. (2012). Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from http://www. teaching. iub. edu/finder/wrapper. php? inc_id=s2_5_group_03_designate. shtml Stahl, M. (2012,  June). Creating Dynamic Teams–The Power of Working Together, Stronger, Bolder!†¦ Dynamics of Critical Care 2012, Vancouver, British Columbia, September 23-25, 2012.. Dynamics, 23(2), 36. Frances Kennedy. (2008). Successful Strategies for Teams. Clemson University. Retrieved from http://www. clemson. edu/OTEI/documents/teamwork-handbook. pdf