...The threat of Communism created an air of paranoia in the United States during the early 1950’s. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin was the man who exploited those fears. CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his producer Fred W. Friendly decided to take a stand by challenging McCarthy. They chose to expose him for the fear monger he was. Even though their actions took a great personal toll on both men, they stood by their beliefs. In turn, they helped bring down one of the most controversial senators in American history. This important story in American history and politics is shown in the film, “Good Night and Good Luck.” It is directed by George Clooney, written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, and stars David Strathairn, George Clooney and Patricia Clarkson. As mentioned before, "Good Night, And Good Luck" takes place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950's. It chronicles the real-life conflict between television newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Permanent Sub-committee on Investigations. With a need to report the facts and enlighten the public, Murrow, and his dedicated staff - headed by his producer Fred Friendly and Joe Wershba in the CBS newsroom – rebel to corporate and sponsorship pressures to examine the lies and fear mongering tactics carried out by McCarthy during his communist 'witch-hunts.’ McCarthy claimed that there were over two hundred card carriers in America. An awfully public argument develops when the Senator...
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...popularly known as “McCarthyism.” As the lead proponent who spoke out against communism and subversion in the United States, Senator Joseph McCarthy added fuel to the popular fear by initiating a series of accusations of government officials who were supposedly communist supporters. This “witch-hunt” that resulted from McCarthy’s reign of terror is reflected in the movie Good Night and Good Luck. Since any challenge to McCarthy’s authority would lead to suspicion and eventual attack, many didn’t speak out against McCarthy’s tactics in fear of being discredited themselves. However, this film not only captured the fear and terror that McCarthy’s accusations created, but also identified Edward R. Murrow, a journalist and host working under the Columbia Broadcasting Station, as one of the few who dared speak out against Senator McCarthy. Good Night and Good Luck, named after Murrow’s famous sign-offs that concluded his program See It Now, is a realistic presentation of the communist paranoia that enveloped America and the emergence of television as a mass media. Directed by George Clooney, Good Night and Good Luck follows Edward R. Murrow and his CBS crew in a production that addresses how the media can offer a voice that counters that of the government. Wanting to report the truth to the public and put an end to McCarthy’s wild accusations, Murrow and his staff dive into the controversial issue with resolution. Despite attacks from McCarthy and loss of corporate sponsorship, which...
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...Good Night, and Good Luck The word “McCarthyism” has entered America’s vocabulary to define the practice to question one’s patriotism while making unsupported accusations of disloyalty without the proper evidence. During the anticommunist crusade that took place throughout the 1940’s and 1950’s, the political term became very popular after a Senator from Wisconsin; Joseph R. McCarthy went on an anti-communist witch-hunt. Senator McCarthy made a public accusation that more than 200 communist had infiltrated the U.S. government, “This is glaringly true in the State Department. There the right young men who are born with silver spoons in their mouths are the ones who have been worst… In my opinion the State Department, which is one of the most important government departments, is thoroughly infested with Communist” (VF, p. 238) Many of the tactics McCarthy used were very questionable and usually with very little to no evidence would be provided. Some of the tactics he used varied from forms of intimidation to the threat of sending people to jail, “McCarthy used the Senate subcommittee he chaired to hold hearings and level wild charges against numerous individuals as well as the Defense Department, Voice of America, and other government agencies.” (GML, p. 732) In the film, “Good Night, and Good Luck” directed by George Clooney, many civil liberties issues were portrayed through McCarthyism. The one man who was brave enough to speak publicly against McCarthy was a well-known...
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...CASE BRIEF I. Case cite 1996 914 F. Supp. 97 (January 18, 1996 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.) II. Facts Michael A. Smyth was a regional operations manager at the Pillsbury Company. Smyth had a company email account that he was able to access from work and home. Pillsbury, on multiple occasions, told its employees that all email communications were private, confidential, and that there was no danger of the messages being intercepted and used as grounds for discipline or termination. In October 1994, while at home, Smyth received emails from his supervisor and, thinking that his replies would not be intercepted or used against him, made threatening comments. Pillsbury intercepted the emails and, despite the previous assurances made to the employees, terminated him. Smyth brought a wrongful discharge suit against Pillsbury, claiming that his right to privacy had been violated when his emails were intercepted Tort (invasion of Privacy) III. Legal history of case The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The court was not persuaded by the arguments and granted Pillsbury's motion to dismiss. IV. Issues on appeal. The employee’s privacy interests against the employer’s need to discover information. V. Holding The facts that the Smyth's person and personal property weren't searched and he was not required by Pillsbury to disclose any...
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...Luck or Opportunity "Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity” is a quote from Oprah Winfrey, a famous American talk show host. The speaker is trying to tell people that good preparation for opportunity is the key to be successful, not luck. Luck is really being ready for something, perhaps unconsciously, so that you recognize it when you see it. When whatever it is comes along, it will seem to be a stroke of luck, but in reality it is not luck at all. It is something you have strived and worked towards, maybe without even knowing it, so that when it presents itself it seems second nature. I agree with Winfrey because I believe that preparation is more important. My agreement is based on the following reasons. The first reason is that opportunity is very transient and rare, so we must grab it whenever we meet it. In my opinion, grabbing opportunity means to get ready and be well-prepared. Take Oprah Winfrey for example. Before she became a well-known national TV host, she worked in a local station for many years and had gone to uncountable interviews. Without her experiences, she could not have gotten the interview for national TV host and become successful. Second, preparation is always advantageous and never harmful to us. Preparation requires motivation, activity and carefulness. Those who most frequently experience outcomes viewed by society as unlucky live lives which exhibit little evidence of motivation, activity and care. When preparing for something...
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...striking story about a 1. little boy, Paul who secretly rides his rocking horse to pick the winning horse in the various horse races that took place. After the beginning of the story, there is a short conversation between Paul and his mother about luck, and it was the conversation that started the whole dramatic episode which lead to Paul's death. The conversation between Paul and his mother, the phrase that is constantly heard in the house and the rocking horse itself are the main ideas covered in the scope of this paper. The dialogue between Paul and his mother is mainly about luck and how a person can get money if such a person is lucky. From the story, the reader should be aware of Hester's crave for money and her expensive taste, therefore, it is not surprising when she talks her son into believing that luck brings money. We could also establish at this point that the family is at least living comfortably, meaning they were not very poor; "They lived in a pleasant house, with a garden, and they had discreet servants." Paul's mother tells him that his father is not lucky and because of this, she is no longer a lucky woman. The conversation ends with Paul believing that he is a lucky boy, and the action he takes in finding this luck is what brings his demise in the end. The phrase "there must be more money" was mentioned in the story over ten times. The phrase symbolizes the insatiable desire the family has for money. In the early parts of the story the phrase was being...
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...INTRODUCTION Folklore has for centuries associated black cats with superstition. Historically, in the US but also in UK, black cats were associated with witchcraft and evil. Black cat was sign of poverty in China, in Europe is bad luck to have a black cat cross your path. In Canada, bans on the adoption of black cats on Halloween were common until a few years ago. But, is some cultures, black cats they were celebrated and seen as a sign of good luck. In UK, Japan and Australia it is quite the opposite: black cat is a sign of good fortune and good luck. For 19th century sailors black cats were kept on ships as they believed it would bring them luck. Fisherman’s wives would keep black cats while their husbands were away to sea, believing they...
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...“Luck, Greed & Money” Success or failure brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions is Luck; which Hester understands but still is not willing to give up their luxurious lifestyle. D. H. Lawrence describes their living style in “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” in a pleasant house, with a garden and servants to feel superior to anyone in the neighborhood. Hester marries for love, and it turns into dust. She had two little girls and a boy, whom she tells that luck is everything, and her “good luck” is ruined by her husband’s “bad luck.” They did not live a poor life style, but Hester is to compete with other families by having the best and most stylish living. She is always looking for ways to earn more money, but fails. This greed was turning Hester into a Heartless mother, she complains about not having enough money that the house starts to echo the phrase, "There must be more money!" This statement caused her son Paul, feel the need to help find more money. He does this by gambling with the gardener at the horse race track and wins a lot of money. As he wants to start giving his mother some of the money on yearly basis, she ends up wanting it all. The more she gets, the more she wants, without realizing where it was coming from. Everyone in the neighborhood thinks Hester is a good mother, who adores her children, but only she and the kids knew that it wasn’t true. She always showed love to her kids but could not feel it in her heart because there wasn’t enough...
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...pursuit of desire, and how if you take it to a certain extent it can result in tragedy if the individual chooses not to conform. Paul wants to please his mother because his mother feels that there family has no luck, but Paul believes that he is lucky. Paul suddenly becomes consumed with this sudden spree of good luck and feels this is the only way he will be able to gain to the affection of his mother. D.H Lawrence reveals that Paul has a certain flaw that turns him to believe that the only way he will be able to gain his mothers love and affection is by winning money in the horse races. He leads this pursuit of desire to the standards he thought he wanted to, but not to the standards that would have achieved what he wanted, which leads to his down fall. When individuals desire love from another, they may choose to conform their beliefs and actions to that person. At first they may feel successful, however if they sacrifice everything, in pursuing this kind of goal, they may pay a heavy price instead of gaining there hearts desire. Paul desire his mother’s love more than anything. However he believes he needs to prove he is lucky. He struggles to prove that he is to make his mother happy. Paul wants his mother to love him more than anything. For Paul’s mother money equals luck, and this will gain her love. “There must be more money”(19). He hears these voices throughout the house. They hear these voices when they are receiving items of joy, especially around Christmas time. The...
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...Walking under a ladder brings you bad luck, wishing on a wishing star as it tails off in the sky, and crossing fingers for good luck are examples of the many types of unreasoned rituals that are very common nowadays. This is what superstition is all about. It is about incoherent beliefs and customs carried out with increasing popularity, by people all around the world. It is an irrational belief that does not have any fact or reason to support it. Its essence therefore lies in blind beliefs and habits that are generally accepted in a particular society and are scientifically unexplainable. There are literally hundreds of different types of superstition beliefs around the world. Some people take these very seriously but others just laugh them off. Superstitions may have begun hundreds of years ago when people didn't have the knowledge that we have nowadays. For instance people used to think that their shadows or reflections were part of their souls, because they didn't understand the concept of the sun or moon making shadows. Moreover, it is likely that learned people used superstitions as a means to make the general population abide with certain basic principle of life in order to ensure safety precautions or prevent a situation of fear to arise. For instance walking under a ladder leaning against a wall is perceived to be dangerous, as knocking against it can, not only be dangerous to the person standing on the ladder but also to the person walking under it. Therefore to...
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...Hermalin Consulting “The Nerd in the Know” TM To: Mr. William Jaeger From: Benjamin E. Hermalin, ph.d. Re: Harvesting Decision I have analyzed your harvesting decision problem. Figure 1 represents your problem in terms of a decision tree. Botrytis [.4] 2 storm [.5] 4 wait 5 no storm 3 [.5] sell as bulk $12,000 + C $42,000 good luck [.4] okay luck [.4] bad luck [.2] $36,000 [.6] no Botrytis 1 bottle $24,000 - R $67,200 $30,000 $34,200 harvest now Figure 1: The harvesting decision represented as a decision tree. In Figure 1, R denotes the monetary value of the loss of reputation you would suffer from bottling an inferior wine, while C denotes the cost saving from not bottling your own wine, should you choose to sell in bulk. Assuming the information you gave me is correct (more on this later), R and C are irrelevant to the problem. Given the information you provided, it seems safe to assume that C < $15, 000.∗ Even assuming the worst, R ≥ $12, 000 and C = $0, the option of waiting has a greater expected value than the decision to harvest now: $35,640 versus $34,200.† If the worst is not true (i.e., R < $12, 000 or C > $0), the the option of waiting is even more valuable. Consequently, unless you strongly dislike risk, you should wait to harvest. Your expected gain from waiting is at least 4% (worst-case scenario). If the very best-case scenario in which the node (labeled as ①) is worth $28,200 (see Technical Appendix for underlying calculations), your expected gain...
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...The Man Who Desired Gold Bansir, the chariot builder, sat dejectedly on a low wall outside his house. As he surveys his modest property, his wife pops out now and again giving him a disapproving “you should be working” look. As his glance moves to the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city, his friend Kobbi the musician walks up. Noticing Bansir is sitting around instead of working, Kobbi assumes things are going well for Bansir and asks to borrow two shekels for the Nobleman’s Feast. Bansir explains that he doesn’t have two shekels to lend, not even to his best friend. Kobbi asks why, if Bansir is in such dire straights, he isn’t working on the half-completed chariot in his workshop. Bansir replies that it’s due to a dream he had had the previous night. In the dream, he had all the money he could want, he was able to give freely to the poor and purchase all his heart desired. Upon waking, he came back to the realization that he had no money at all, and had been sitting glumly on the wall ever since. Bansir goes on to explain that both he and Kobbi had worked hard their entire lives, and made a decent amount of money over the span of years, and yet at this point had little to show for it. How, then, could two educated men have worked so hard yet attained so little? Kobbi sympathizes with Bansir’s situation. He, too, has worked hard his whole life playing his lyre and has very little to show for it. Kobbi mentions that he passed their mutual friend, Arkad, in the streets...
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...Superstitious Beliefs . FUNERALS : No Sweeping No bathing or showering Don’t visit 3 different wakes in one day A pregnant women should not attend interment Family members should be the first to leave the house or place of wake and should not look back. They must wait for the funeral car to pass by before they can then leave for the church. MARRIAGE: The bride should never try on her wedding gown. Doing so, is preventing the wedding to push through. It is also considered a bad luck for the couple to see each other the night before their wedding. The groom should be in the wedding venue before the bride arrives to avoid bad luck. Giving an arinola (chamberpot) as a wedding gift is believed to bring good luck to the giver and the newlyweds Siblings are not permitted to marry within the same year for this is considered bad luck. The remedy to this belief, called sukob in our native tongue, is to have the one marrying later pass through the back entrance of the church instead in the main door. CHRISTENING : After baptism, the baby must be brought out of church ahead of the other babies for it to receive the first graces and therefore live a prosperous life. the child that cries during baptism is a sign of prosperity. the louder the cry, the richer the child will be. cutting a baby's eyelashes during their first month will make them long and beautiful. WHILE EATING : When a spoon falls down, it means a female guest is coming. If a fork falls down...
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...this was not the right thing to be done. 4. Summary of the Selection: The story begins with the narration of Paul’s mom. She is a beautiful woman with many features, yet she does not have any luck. The reason why she had no luck was because she married someone who was unlucky. It was because of this unluckiness that she was unable to bring in a sufficient source of income to tend to her children. Paul then began to realize that he himself had luck, and that the more he rode on a horse of his, the more he was able to guess which horse would win the next derby or race. As time progressed in the novel, he began to become unlucky and this unluckiness was eating him alive. Soon he was barley able to function or better yet even think. As the story comes to an end he dies because of uncertainty. 5. Figurative Language: Personification and Smile: “ And then the house whispers at you like people laughing behind your back” (pg 314) Simile: “The voices in the house suddenly went mad, like a chorus of frogs on a spring evening. (pg 315) Alliteration: And yet the voices in the house . . . simply trilled and screamed in a sort of ecstasy: “There must be more money!” 6. Elements of Fiction •Characters: - Protagonist— Paul - Antagonist—The House and the Family’s Bad Luck - Other significant characters: Paul’s...
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...years because we have had the opportunity to work with so many of you amazing interns. The prize for the winner is a $2000 scholarship that goes towards any school expense. The application process is quite simple; write a two (2) page essay telling us about your financial situation and what this scholarship can do for you professionally. In addition to a recommendation letter from someone you worked with whether it is at school or at a job, please no personal references. Applications are limited to one essay per contestant. The deadline date for all applicants is November 30th 2011 at 9 pm. Please send all essays to the email address provided below. If anyone has any questions please feel free to email me and I will help best I can. Good luck to all, and I look forward to announcing the winner. Email address: kristinanesbit@gmail.com Sincerely, John Done Communications Executive 24 Harlow Drive, Scarborough, ON M1J5K9 December 2nd, 2011 John Done 29 Grapevine Circle, Toronto, ON M1X1X5 Dear Paul Lemieux, The Communications department of MTV would like to thank you for your submission to our intern scholarship competition. We regret to inform you that you were not chosen as the winner. Due to the vast amount of submissions of high quality essays, our decisions were exceedingly difficult to make. Unfortunately, you do not fit the criteria for the financial need for this scholarship. As you can imagine, it...
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