Compare and Contarst essays

Compare and Contarst essays Although the films Seven Samurai and A Bugs Life may seem like two very different movies, they actually have a lot more in common than one might think. The plots of the two films are nearly identical. Basically, there is a group that is invaded once a year by a group of outlaws who come to raid and attack their place of habitation. The violated group finally becomes fed up with this routine and decides to enlist the help of a troop of warriors to help them fight off and defeat the raiders. Akira Kurosawas film epic Seven Samurai is set in the 16th century and deals with war, honor, and courage. It is a classic action film that was made in 1954, and is set in the country of Japan during the feudal era. The story is about a poor farming village that is plagued yearly by bandits who come to take their women and raid their prized rice crop. As harvest time nears, the bandits begin to appear in the village. The desperate farmers request the services of a group of samurai, who at one time were respected, noble warriors but now could be had for a low price. At first, the warriors have no idea what they are getting themselves into. The leader is Kanbei, and he recruits five others. The seventh one is Kikuchiyo, who is a silly, drunken man who wants to be a samurai. He follows the other men and eventually they accept him into their group. The beginning deals with the bonding of this group, their uneasy relations with the people of the village, and the strategies they develop for fighting the bandits. The rest of the film is a series of stunningly visualized scuffles that lead to the final battle, in which the villagers are victorious, and all but two of the heroes are killed. Disney-Pixars 1998 animated film A Bugs Life follows an almost identical blueprint. However, instead of people as the characters, there are bugs. The setting is Ant Island, and the...

Find and Claim Your Unclaimed Pension With PBGC.gov

Find and Claim Your Unclaimed Pension With PBGC.gov As of 2014, the federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), reports there are more than 38,000 people who, for any number of reasons, have not claimed pension benefits they are owed. Those unclaimed pensions are now north of $300 million, with individual benefits ranging from 12 cents to almost $1 million. In 1996, PBGC launched the Pension Search directory Web site to help people who may have forgotten about, or been unaware of pensions they earned during their career. The pension database can be searched by last name, company name, or state where the company had its headquarters. The online service is absolutely free and available 24-hours a day. Updated regularly, the current list identifies some 6,600 companies, primarily in the airline, steel, transportation, machinery, retail trade, apparel, and financial services industries that closed pension plans in which some former workers could not be found. Benefits waiting to be claimed range from as little as $1 up to $611,028. The average unclaimed pension is $4,950. The states with the most missing pension participants and money to be claimed are: New York (6,885/$37.49 million), California (3,081/$7.38 million), New Jersey (2,209/$12.05 million) Texas (1,987/$6.86 million), Pennsylvania (1,944/$9.56 million), Illinois (1,629/$8.75 million) and Florida (1,629/$7.14 million). Does It Work? ​ According to PBGC, in the past 12 years, more than 22,000 people have found $137 million in missing pension benefits through the Pension Search program. The states with the most found participants and pension money claimed are: New York (4,405/$26.31 million), California (2,621/$8.33 million), Florida (2,058/$15.27 million), Texas (2,047/$11.23 million), New Jersey (1,601/$9.99 million), Pennsylvania (1,594/$6.54 million) and Michigan (1,266/$6.54 million). What to Do If You Don't Have Internet at Home For those without access to the Internet at home, many local public libraries, community colleges, and senior centers make computers available to the public that can be used for searching the Pension Search directory. Searchers can also e-mail foundpbgc.gov or missingpbgc.gov if they believe they are entitled to a benefit. What Happens If You Find a Missing Pension? ​ Once the PBGC is contacted by people who find their names in the directory, the agency asks them to provide more details including proof of age and other vital statistics. The identification process generally takes 4-6 weeks. After the PBGC receives a completed application, people currently eligible for a benefit should receive their checks within two months. Those entitled to future benefits will receive their benefits when they reach retirement age. Things You Might Need to Claim Your Pension Several documents may be required or helpful in proving proof of eligibility for a pension. These include: A notification from the company of plan administrator that you are vested in the planAn individual statement of annual plan benefitsA plan exit letter (sent by the employer) noting participation in the plan and a summary plan description showing the plan’s rules, including the rules for vestingA Notice of Potential Private Pension Benefit Information, if sent by the Social Security Administration (SSA) The SSA automatically sends a Notice of Potential Private Pension Benefit Information to people who may be due pensions when they apply for Social Security and Medicare benefits. How Do Pensions Become "Lost?" Many of the names in the Pension Search directory are workers with pensions whose former employers closed pension plans and distributed benefits. Others are workers or retirees missing from underfunded pension plans taken over by the PBGC because the plans did not have enough money to pay benefits. Included in the directory are people who may be able to document that they are owed a benefit, even though current PBGC records show that no benefit is due. Some reasons pensions might go lost or unclaimed include: The company went bankrupt or simply closed and vanished;The company moved to another town, city, or state;The company was bought by or merged with another company and given a new name; orThe company was divided into separate parts, none of which retained the company’s old name. For More Information The PBGCs booklet Finding A Lost Pension also provides tips, suggests potential allies, and details numerous free information sources. It is particularly helpful for those trying to find pensions earned from former employers whose identity may have changed over the years because of changes in company ownership. About the PBGC The PBGC is a federal government agency created under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. It currently guarantees payment of basic pension benefits earned by 44 million American workers and retirees participating in over 30,000 private-sector defined benefit pension plans. The agency receives no funds from general tax revenues. Operations are financed largely by insurance premiums paid by companies that sponsor pension plans and investment returns.

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 10

Case Study Example Despite the fact that many retailers even close down during weak economic periods, Wal-Mart manages to maintain high profits due to huge volumes of sales it makes. It has succeeded due to its low cost strategy that attracts an array of consumers (Yang & Linowes, 2009). Significantly, this prompts it t enjoy cost advantage through controlling the market as the cost leaders. Despite its placement, it is therefore necessary to addresses the weaknesses and strengths Wal-Mart possess in order to maintain its position in market, which this case study will analyse the appropriate solutions to the weaknesses and enhancing its strengths. One major threat that Wal-Mart faces are varied pricey lawsuits filed against the company. Many employees and customers have complained of discrimination instances in the company. Due to these, the company has lost a lot of money as they pay off damages to those offended by the same. Approximately 815,000 employees of female gender and most often than not have experienced cases of unfair treatment (Reed, 2013). The unfairness is quite evident for they are sometimes underpaid compared to men whom they work together. It is quite ill-fated that the same females end up jobbing hard and for long to the extent of even surpassing the males but remain unrecognized (Reed, 2013). In addition, these women comprise the majority of employees but still do not get appear anywhere in assuming key positions meant for the enterprise’s managerial roles. As per 2010, most of its managers were men. Being the biggest retail company, this enterprise ought to set a pace for the smaller retail compan ies so that they embrace equality and not injustices. Evident from Duke Vs Wal-Mart case, 5 million females accused the enterprise of discrimination when it came to promotions as well as allocation of certain vital assignments (Reed, 2013). To add on, to date numerous people due to unfair experiences they have ever had are filling case suits with the intention

SWOT Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

SWOT Analysis - Essay Example Sustainable business practices and strong commitment to corporate social responsibility are other major strengths of Trader Joes. â€Å"Trader Joe’s is committed to providing selective products that cannot be found in grocery stores† (â€Å"What is Trader Joe’s Strategy?†). In other words, unique products are the major strength of Trader Joes. Expanding global market, growing demand for organic foods and growing ecommerce opportunities are providing many opportunities to Trader Joes. India and China like Asian countries are developing rapidly at present provides excellent opportunities to Trader Joes like companies. Product recalls and the increased focus on some geographical areas alone are some of the weaknesses of Trader Joes. It should be noted that Trader Joe has limited presence outside California. Inability to expand business to other territories not only in America but also in other parts of the world is some of the major weaknesses of Trader Joes. Increasing manpower cost, increasing competition and the entry of substitute products are some of the major threats of Trader Joes. Manpower cost in America is extremely higher compared to that in countries such as India or China. As a result of that Indian and Chinese products are causing big threats to the products of Trader

The Meaning of Suffering Essay Example for Free

The Meaning of Suffering Essay We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that cannot be changed. For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into triumph, to turn ones predicament into a human achievement. When we are no longer able to change a situationjust think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancerwe are challenged to change ourselves. Let me cite a clear cut example: Once, an elderly general practitioner consulted me because of severe depression. He could not overcome the loss of his wife who had died two years before and whom he had loved above all else. Now, how could I help him? What should I tell him? Well, I refrained from telling him anything but instead confronted him with the question, â€Å"What would have happened, Doctor, if you had died first, and your wife would have had to survive you? â€Å"Oh,† he said, â€Å"for her this would have been terrible; how she would have suffered! † Whereupon I replied, â€Å"You see, Doctor, such a suffering has been spared her, and it was you who have spared her this suffering – to be sure, at the price that now you have to mourn her. † He said no word but shook my hand and calmly left my office. In some way, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of sacrifice. Of course this was no therapy in the proper sense since, first, his despair was no disease; and second, I could not change his fate; I could not revive his wife. But in that moment I did succeed in changing his attitude toward his unalterable fate inasmuch as from that time on he could at least see a meaning in his suffering. It is one of the basic tenets of logotherepy that man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. That is why man is even ready to suffer, on the condition, to be sure, that his suffering has a meaning†¦ There are situations in which one is cut off from the opportunity to do ones work or enjoy ones life; but what can never be ruled out is the unavoidability of suffering. In accepting this challenge to suffer bravely, life has a meaning up to the last moment, and it retains this meaning literally to the end. In other words, lifes meaning is an unconditional one, for it even includes the potential meaning of unavoidable suffering Victor Frankl in Mans Search for Meaning (pg 112-115)

Honesty and Trust Essay -- Dishonesty Ethics Morals Essays

Honesty and Trust Several decades ago I used to enjoy an occasional lunch in with the late Professor G. Warren Nutter, a distinguished economist who taught at the University of Virginia. Professor Nutter had considerable expertise in comparative economic systems, particularly that of the former Soviet Union. While he had a deep understanding of economic theory, he always stressed that markets do not operate within a vacuum and we gain a greater understanding of human behavior if we paid attention to the role of institutions and other non-market forces. At one of our luncheons, just out of the clear blue sky, and maybe just to tease me into an argument, Professor Nutter said that if we had to stop to count our change each time we purchased something, economic activity would grind to a halt. That’s a bit of exaggeration, but Professor Nutter was making the point that the institutions of trust and honesty are vital to human well-being. Honesty and trust are not simply matters of character and morality; they’re crucial for efficient human interaction and a smoothly working economy. To gain an appreciation for the significance of honesty and trust, consider what our day-to-day life would be if we couldn’t trust anyone. We purchase a bottle of a hundred folic acid tablets from our drugstore. How many of us bother to count the tablets to ensure that we in fact received a hundred? We drive into a gasoline station and the meter reads that we put ten gallons of gasoline into our fuel tank. When was the last time anyone of us bothered to verify whether in fact we received ten gallons instead of nine and a half? We paid seven dollars for a one-pound package of steak. How many of us bother to verify that it was in fa... ... honesty. Many More Victims The fact that honesty and trust are vital should make us re-think the treatment of the dishonest and untrustworthy. Dishonest people impose losses that go beyond those suffered by their direct victims. If pack-ages are stolen from people’s doorsteps, the rest of us incur costs when delivery companies stop leaving packages unless someone is home. If people rob bus operators and taxi drivers, all of us are required to have exact change or small bills. Considering the large economic effects of dishonesty and of not being able to trust one another, we should show little tolerance for violators. Fortunately, we live in a society where we can generally trust and accept the word of one another. That’s the good news. The bad news is there’s nowhere near the level of trust and honesty there was as recently as a half-century ago. Honesty and Trust Essay -- Dishonesty Ethics Morals Essays Honesty and Trust Several decades ago I used to enjoy an occasional lunch in with the late Professor G. Warren Nutter, a distinguished economist who taught at the University of Virginia. Professor Nutter had considerable expertise in comparative economic systems, particularly that of the former Soviet Union. While he had a deep understanding of economic theory, he always stressed that markets do not operate within a vacuum and we gain a greater understanding of human behavior if we paid attention to the role of institutions and other non-market forces. At one of our luncheons, just out of the clear blue sky, and maybe just to tease me into an argument, Professor Nutter said that if we had to stop to count our change each time we purchased something, economic activity would grind to a halt. That’s a bit of exaggeration, but Professor Nutter was making the point that the institutions of trust and honesty are vital to human well-being. Honesty and trust are not simply matters of character and morality; they’re crucial for efficient human interaction and a smoothly working economy. To gain an appreciation for the significance of honesty and trust, consider what our day-to-day life would be if we couldn’t trust anyone. We purchase a bottle of a hundred folic acid tablets from our drugstore. How many of us bother to count the tablets to ensure that we in fact received a hundred? We drive into a gasoline station and the meter reads that we put ten gallons of gasoline into our fuel tank. When was the last time anyone of us bothered to verify whether in fact we received ten gallons instead of nine and a half? We paid seven dollars for a one-pound package of steak. How many of us bother to verify that it was in fa... ... honesty. Many More Victims The fact that honesty and trust are vital should make us re-think the treatment of the dishonest and untrustworthy. Dishonest people impose losses that go beyond those suffered by their direct victims. If pack-ages are stolen from people’s doorsteps, the rest of us incur costs when delivery companies stop leaving packages unless someone is home. If people rob bus operators and taxi drivers, all of us are required to have exact change or small bills. Considering the large economic effects of dishonesty and of not being able to trust one another, we should show little tolerance for violators. Fortunately, we live in a society where we can generally trust and accept the word of one another. That’s the good news. The bad news is there’s nowhere near the level of trust and honesty there was as recently as a half-century ago.

Consumer Behavior and Purchase Decision Making Process

Consumer behavior and purchase decision making process Every day we need to make a decissions – buy or not to buy anything. There are many things which helps us to make decissions like location, mood, advertisments and other. Consumer behavior is the mental and emotional processes and physical activities people engage in when they select, purchase, use, and dispose of products or services to satisfy particular needs and desires. A consumer goes through several stages before purchasing a product or service: 1. need; 2. information gathering/search; 3. evaluation of alternatives; . purchase of product/service; 5. post purchase evaluation. In my opinion, in this process there are two main steps – information gathering and evaluation of alternatives. These steps help to understand how much you need the product and how good it is. The buying process starts with comming needs. A need can be activated through internal or external stimuli. A need can also be aroused by an exter nal stimulus such as sight of a new thing in a shop while purchasing other things. Need is the most important factor which leads to buying of products and services.Need infact is the catalyst which triggers the buying decision of individuals. After need arousal, the consumer tries to solve it and gathers the sources and information about the product. Depending upon the intensity of need, it produces two states of individual. The first state is called heightened attention when the consumer becomes more receptive to the information regarding the item he needs. If a consumer needs to purchase a refrigerator, he will pay mere attention to fridge ads and the remarks made by friends and associates about fridges.If need is more intense, the individual enters a state of active information search and he tries to collect more information about the product, its key attributes, qualities of various brands and about the outlets where they are available. There are a lot of consumer information so urces like family, friends, advertisements, mass media, salesman. In my opinion, it is hard to arrange in the order wich one is the best source where get information about product. All these sources have pluses and minuses.If I prefer get information from family there is possibility that I do not get info about technical stuff. Or if I choose only salesman advice he can aggrandize about product advantages. That is why I recommend to take information as much as possible from every source. Having collected the information, the consumer clarify and evaluate the alternatives. There is, unfortunately no simple and single evaluation process used by all consumers or even by one consumer in all buying situations. Consumers can make choices based on their emotions and feelings.They elicit from memory their overall evaluations of products and choos the alternative for which they have the most positive feelings. One of the most current process of evaluation is to judge the product largely on a conscious and rational basis. Various considerations form the part of judgment such as product attributes, importance, weights, brand image, utility function for each attribute, and attitude and other. After evaluation of various alternatives, he takes the decision to buy or not to buy.Ofcourse, people can make choice on the spur of the moment, often without prior problem recognition. But I recommend going through all theese five steps focusing on information gathering and evaluation of alternatives. And always remember that the best impression about product you can get only after you try it. Izmantota literatura: http://www. managementstudyguide. com/consumer-decision-making-process. htm http://uwmktg301. blogspot. com/2010/01/evaluation-of-alternatives. html http://www. slideshare. net/Annie05/consumer-buying-behavior-and-decision-making-presentation