Infant Observation Research Paper (The Infant Care Environment,

Infant Observation (The Infant Care Environment, Developmental Milestones) - Research Paper Example Under the song/rhyme activity (words to rhymes or songs), children are exposed to the cat and the own, Little Bunny Fu, Fu; Look at the Doggie at the window; Three birds and one fish, two fish, three and four fish. Under the language development activity, children learn pat the cat, the bunny hops, the doggy barking, this is the way the bird flies, and the fish swim. The activity on exercise/stimulation features tummy time boost, push the feet, roll over, jingle feet, and the gentle stretch. For the activity today’s music, children are taken through lullabies, soft rock music, easy listening music, classical music, and country music. During the massage time, children are massaged on the forehead, on the forehead and cheek, the eyebrows, the shoulders and the chin and ears. During playtime, children are taken through the cat is up and down, bunny hoping, doggie to the right and left, bird say tweet, tweet and the gold fish. For fun activities, children are taken through copy me , I love to dance, shake the rattle, and flashlight fun (Forman & Hall, 2005). Children of ages: 9 to 15 months: program range This program offers the infants with a fun-filled learning experience. The program offers heuristic play items, blended in preschool themes and inspired by a touch of Montessori. The lessons are grouped into weekly packages, all including group time exercises, sign language lessons (five taught in a month), language development exercises, words to rhymes and songs; and fun-filled learning exercises. 3. The room’s painting is based on a simple color scheme. Furniture are arranged in a manner that large, open spaces are available for activity sessions and smaller, containing spaces are available, which are best for social interactions and group work. On the floor were 4 by 4 feet rugs, which are used as leaning areas for the infants. Spaces are left for large block plays, book areas, and stacking and nesting play toys. Child-safe mirrors are useful to children and they also improve the supervision of the two caregivers (Moreno & Klute, 2011). Different rugs and large pillows, which offer protection when children fall, were also available. The larger pillows are placed at the spaces for older infants, as they can interfere with the sitting and crawling of younger infants. The shelves are low, as they are used as the display area for different toys. The toys are changed after every two days, to ensure that children remain interested and learning. The children’s baby-beds are personalized by the teacher, adding mobiles above different cribs. Others had homey touches, and a family photo, to bring familiarity to the spaces. The furniture at the infant center are low

Imperial Oil Company Limited Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Imperial Oil Company Limited - Case Study Example The company is important in the Canadian economy as oil products are the choice for the transportation fuel and Imperial Oil captures a significant portion of the market; since it was once a national asset which now is in the hands of the private sector but, still it contributes significantly in terms of taxes and supporting the economy. The Imperial Oil Company Limited is in the petroleum business, involved in all upstream and downstream activities; including exploration, production, transportation and sale of crude oil and natural gas, and lastly, the manufacture and transportation and sale of petroleum products. The Imperial Oil Limited's board of directors comprises of 8 directors, 5 of which are non employee directors. These directors are responsible for the overall management of the company. Profiles of each are as follows: Mr. Broiles joined Mobil Corporation in 1979 as a process engineer in South Texas and has held positions of increasing responsibility over 25 years including project management, technical, line management, commercial negotiations, and strategic planning. Prior to his current appointment with Imperial, he served as the global planning manager for the Houston-based ExxonMobil Production Co., a position he held for three years.Before that, he was the executive director of production for ExxonMobil, based in Lagos, Nigeria for four years (1997-2001), after his two-year assignment (1995-1997) as vice-president of production for Mobil Oil Canada's Western Canadian business. He was also the production manager for Mobil's Hugoton Field Area for two years (1993-1995), located in Liberal, Kansas.In addition, he was planning manager for Mobil New Producing Ventures for two years (1991-1993), where he contributed to the company's acquisition of material working interests in Qatar's North Field, Kazakhstan's Tengiz field, and Venezuela's Cerro Negro field. Mr. Broiles is a member of the American Society of Petroleum Engineers and serves on the CAPP Board of Governors as well as the CAPP Safety and Human Resources CEO Task Group. T.J. (Tim) Hearn Mr. Hearn is chairman, president and chief

How Each Corporate Culture Differs From the Other Assignment - 9

How Each Corporate Culture Differs From the Other - Assignment Example For several decades, the Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have been in operating in the beverage industry asserting each other to capture a high amount of market share, improvement and promotion imprint amidst its consumers. Though friendly activities have been adopted by both the companies to maintain their leading position in the global level, however, it can be said that the main reason behind the continuous adaption of new techniques to attract new customers is their own strategy to change customer preferences and consumption. As a result, it has been viewed that the actions of both the company are often compared. Amid all the factors that have been in debate amid many critics relating to the two companies, the corporate culture prevailing in these two companies is considered to be one of the major factors that have to differentiate these two companies from each other (Grinton, 2010; Barney, 2003). The aspect of culture is considered to be the first priority in Coca-Cola as the company beli eves in developing an environment which would help in developing true dedication that would help in adapting the values of the company as one own. The first cultural aspect that is being followed in all its plans since its establishment is considering all the local business located in various part of the globe as a single entity. The Coca-Cola brand is determined for its representation of various qualities such as caring, connecting, integrity and excellence. The company also believes in a co-operative form of culture where all employees are provided the opportunity of sharing their ideas whether they work as a lower level staff or are a member of the higher authority. Additionally, emphases are also made to develop a close relation amid all the members working in a group within the organization as it is believed that establishing a close relation would help in developing skills that would directly facilitate in accomplishing the organization goal efficiently. Additionally, it has b een viewed that the company recruits people from around the world as it helps in determining the best policy and practice that would help to maintain a balanced working environment (The Coca-Cola Company, 2013; The Coca-Cola Company, 2009). Considering the aspect of culture it is observed that PepsiCo maintains a rigid and managerial form of culture within the organization. The company believes in blazing new traits and is viewed to implement guidelines and rules that help the individuals to develop commitment towards their job but as a team to strengthen the company performance as a whole. The company also strongly believes in recruiting people from a diversified background as it is believed that recruiting people from diversified background helps in understanding the preferences and the demands of different people belonging to different geographical regions. Additionally, an innovative form of culture also prevails in the company which motivates all employees in the company to adh ere innovative ways to meet the discriminating taste and preferences of its global customers (PepsiCo, n.d.).

Chronic Pain or Mental Illnesses Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chronic Pain or Mental Illnesses - Assignment Example There are numerous causes of chronic pain and these including different underlying chronic pathologies such as congenital abnormalities in the structure of the spinal cord, trauma, obesity, ageing and other underlying conditions such as multiple sclerosis, AIDS and cancer. When carrying out an assessment of an individual with chronic pain, there are several issues which have to be addressed; however, among these issues there are three main questions that are important for the physician. The first question is the extent of the disease affecting the patient; the magnitude of the disease in terms of suffering and pain and how these intrude into the everyday life of the patient; and finally, whether the complaints of the patient are in coherence with the disease or if there are some signs of exaggeration indicating a psychological component to the condition of the patient. There two patients that were examined and one was a 45 year old male with a history of brachial plexus injury and the other a 75 year old woman suffering from tendonitis. The 45 year old male complains of pain that has lasted for approximately a year. The patient complains of pain that is associated with a tingling sensation in the form of an electric shock. Upon examination, the patient displays weakness in the arm and he also says he feels numbness in his right arm. The 75 year old woman has a history of tendonitis which is approximately 25 years. The patient reports pain that is predominantly in her wrist area and there is also significant swelling in the wrist area. Upon examination, the patient was found to have swelling at the area of the thumb and was diagnosed with DeQuervain’ tenosynovitis. The patients both went through a psychological examination and this indicated that there was no exaggeration of pain among these patients and it was in coherence to the medical co nditions which they were found to have. The

Biblical Worldview Essay Essay Example for Free

Biblical Worldview Essay Essay Introduction/Thesis The Bible’s New Testament book of Romans, chapters 1-8, provides a fundamental perspective and useful resource on how God desires to shape our worldview. A biblical worldview in a society that gravitates to a sinful nature can be a challenge. Paul, however, provides insight that may not encompass every theological truth, but provides the basis of establishing a biblical worldview. Specifically, these chapters provide the essence of how Christians should view the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and culture. The Natural World Paul’s description of a worldview of the natural world is supported in the Bible several times. The book of Genesis begins with God’s creation of the heavens and earth as described in Genesis 1:1. Romans 1:20 also supports God as the master creator by explaining, â€Å"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.† (NLT) But, because of man’s sinful nature, people turn away from Him and deny His power and divinity. In Romans 1:21-23 Paul states, â€Å"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.† (NIV) Despite the evidence of God’s existence, people turned away from Him, worshipped idols, and continued to relish in sin. Human Identity God created man in His image and put mankind over the rest of His creation. In fact, God has ranked man just a little lower than the angels and has anointed us with His glory and honor (Psalms 8:5). So, why is it we have an identity crisis? It is because of sin, we have fallen out of God’s grace. Romans 3:10 states, â€Å"There is no one righteous, not even one.† (NIV) It is through Adam’s sin that we are all now held in God’s contempt. God understands man is bound by his sinful nature. But, Paul describes our  opportunity for redemption in Romans Chapter 8:1-2, â€Å"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.† (NIV) â€Å"Although the ‘law of sin and death’ is more powerful than our moral will-power, the ‘law of the Spirit of life’ more powerful than the ‘law of sin and death’. It has the power to liberate us.† (DeLashmutt) Through Jesus Christ, we are able to reclaim our human identity as God’s children. Human Relationships Human relationships have been tainted with sin since Adam and Eve. God has provided other human relationships as a gift to us. It’s through these human interactions we demonstrate God’s love through us. Though human nature leans toward sin, especially in dealing with human relationships. Our refusal to acknowledge God will allow us to fulfill our own sinful hearts and desires. These selfish motivations lead us to fulfill the desires of our heart instead of the desires of God’s heart. In Romans 1:18-32, Paul provides a detailed description of the wickedness and immorality of the people. Sin is what separated us from God and a relationship with Him in the first place. God restored this, however, through our gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus’s life and human relationships, as described in throughout the Gospel, provide a perfect example of the biblical perspective on human relationships. Culture The biblical worldview on culture that Paul describes in Romans is a society that has systematically imploded. Romans 1:26-31 provides explicit detail on the Roman culture at that time. Sin was running rampant through the society. People knew God and they rejected Him anyway. This type of sinful nature and blatant rejection of God spread throughout the culture. (Romans 1:32) People were determined to live in defiance of God and by their own legalistic views of the law. Paul stated that those under the law were lawless because the people abused the law to provide selfish gains or as a means to stand in judgement of another, especially the Gentiles. God meant for the law to be good, but man manipulated it to his own advantage. On the contrary, obedience demonstrates humility. Paul states in Romans 5:19, † For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners,  so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.† (NIV) The philosophy in this scripture supports God’s desire for us to be the light in the world to shape our culture for His purpose and not our own. Paul maintains that the grace that we as Christians are under was achieved by one Man’s (Jesus’) righteous act (Rom. 5:18). (McCracken) Conclusion I believe that Paul’s epistle is just as relevant today and it was in his time. Paul’s thoughts and insight provide sound perspective for biblical worldviews for believers to mature in their faith. These biblical worldviews about our natural world, human identity, human relationship and culture are applicable to current believers because human nature has not changed. These messages are just as relevant to us today because there is still sin in the world that will not end until the Second Coming of Christ. In the meantime, we can use Romans 1-8 as a guide to align our biblical worldviews with God’s heart. Paul’s perspective on biblical worldviews, such as these, are just one of the many gems we can get from the Word. References DeLashmutt, G. Walking by the Spirit Part 1. Teaching Series from Romans. Retrieved on 5/1/15 from http://www.xenos.org/teachings/?teaching=527. McCracken, R. (April 20, 2014). The Difference Between Legalism and Obedience. Bible Study with Randy. Retrieved on May 2, 2015 from http://www.biblestudywithrandy.com/2014/04/know-difference-legalism-obedience-romans-5-8/.

The Cinema Of Short Films

The Cinema Of Short Films Cinema is one of the few mediums which have managed to successfully depict the true reality of society in general and our lives in particular. As like other art forms, it depicts the multiple realties that one is faced with. It explores one of the most discarded yet eternal truths which every individual experiences and that is isolation. Each individual longs for social ties despite belonging to organized societies; it is what each one of us is ultimately reduced to. A Short film is a technical description originally coined in the Indian film industry and used in the North American film industry in the early period of cinema. The description is now used almost interchangeably with short subject. Although the North American definition generally refers to films between 20 and 40 minutes, the definition refers to much shorter films in Europe, Latin America and Australasia. In New Zealand, for instance, the description can be used to describe any film that has duration longer than one minute and shorter than 15 minutes. The North American definition also tends to focus much more on character whereas the European and Australasian forms tend to depend much more on visual drama and plot twists. In this way, the North American form can be understood to be a derivation of the feature film form, usually acting as a platform for aspirant Hollywood directors. Elsewhere, short films tend to work as showcases for cinematographers and commercial directors. (Short Film) A short film manages to tell the same tale as a full length feature film, but in a shorter duration of time. It is characterized by the directors reflection of the existing social, political and economic conditions. A short film narrative is one which can easily be created by people from all walks of life, it has universal applicability. It enables directors functioning on a small budget to tell their stories to the world. The talent in creating a short film lies in communicating the message of the film to the audience in a very limited period of time. The transitions in a short film are of critical importance. What I find intriguing is how any person imbibes from their existing social conditions and produce work which is effectively communicable to most individuals. Another reason to dwell into this topic of research is that many youngsters and amateurs start by making short films and use it as a path to grow. As Daniel Wiernicki states, Short films are often popular as first steps into the film industry among young filmmakers. This is because they are cheaper and easier to make, and also their length makes shorts more likely to be watched by financial backers and others who want some demonstration of a filmmakers ability. Many things can be achieved by creating a short film so are an ideal opportunity to get recognized and get into the industry. (Wiernicki) Through this dissertation, I aim to explore the world of short films in the context of movies which have won the Cannes Short Film Palme dOr (French: Palme dOr du court mà ©trage), which is the highest prize given to a short film at the Cannes Film Festival. These short films are a representation of different cultures, ideologies, people, religion, economic background, and political thoughts and history from across the world that come together on one platform and showcase their art. The cinema is not an art which films life: the cinema is something between art and life. Unlike painting and literature, the cinema both gives to life and takes from it, and I try to render this concept in my films. Literature and painting both exist as art from the very start; the cinema doesnt. Jean- Luc Godard LITERATURE REVIEW Throughout our history, humans have looked for different forms of expressing themselves. These expressions were in the form of poetry, literature, songs, plays, dancing, etc. films are one of the latest forms of expression that has been adopted by the people around the world to portray their views on their surroundings, any event, or moment that captivates them and they want to show it to the world. The beauty of the films nowadays is that you can detract from reality and present something beyond the human imagination at the same time one can present the harsh realities of life that some dont know about. Films as a medium of communications can be used to spread ones message or view across the world. History of Cinema (History of Film) The birth of the films happened in 1878, when Eadweard Muybridge recorded a horse running in fast motion using a series of 24 stereoscopic cameras. With the development of technology came of the Silent era. Till the 1920s movies were silent, though at times they were accompanied by musicians, sound effects, or even commentary at times. 1940s to 60s- War and Post War Cinema The wartime saw immense change in the cinema as more focus was given to propaganda and patriotic films. Films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Citizen Cane were pieces of this period. The cold war era brought movies filled with paranoia such as Invading Armies of Evil Aliens and anti- communist movies such as the Manchurian Candidate. The onset of television in the post war era also threatened the cinematic industry as a medium of watching films. During this Period, Asian Cinema specifically saw a golden age. Some of the greatest masterpieces of the Asian cinema were produced during this period. These include works like: Yasujiro Ozus Tokyo Story (1953), Satyajit Rays The Apu Trilogy (1955-1959) and The Music Room (1958), Kenji Mizoguchis Ugetsu (1954) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954), Raj Kapoors Awaara (1951), Mikio Naruses Floating Clouds (1955), Guru Dutts Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), and the Akira Kurosawa films Rashomon (1950), Ikiru (1952), Seven Samurai (1954) and Throne of Blood (1957). 1970s: Post-classical cinema This term is used to describe the period following the decline of the studio system during the 1950s and 1960s and the end of the production code. During the 1970s, filmmakers increasingly depicted explicit sexual content and showed gunfight and battle scenes that included graphic images of bloody deaths. The 1980s were filled with movies releasing with sequels like Star Wars, Jaws, and Indiana Jones. The audience also started to watch movies on their VCR at home during this period. 1990s to present: Contemporary Cinema The 1990s saw the development of the independent cinema with commercial success. Special effects also ruled during this period as it was being heavily used by the successful movies of the period like: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Titanic (1997). During the 2000s, documentary genre of film making also rose as can be seen with the success of movies such as March of the Penguins, and Fahrenheit 9/11. Increase in the problem of digital distribution due to infringement of copyrights, and piracy also has reached heights during this period. Cinema as a whole during this decade has become more global with foreign-language films gaining popularity in English-speaking markets. Films such as City of Gods (Portugese), Lagaan (Hindi), and the Passion of the Christ (Aramaic). Some have described the prevailing style of the period as postmodern because many contemporary films are apolitical, ahistorical, intertextual, and less tied to the conventions of a single genre or culture. The transnational circulation and genre hybridity of contemporary films is exemplified by the increasing global popularity of non- English speaking cinema. (Film Studies, 2009) Major Genres of Films: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime Gangster films, Drama, Epic/ Historical films, Horror, Musical, Science fiction, War (anti- war), Western, and Eastern films. They are broad enough to accommodate practically any film ever made, although film categories can never be precise. By isolating the various elements in a film and categorizing them in genres, it is possible to easily evaluate a film within its genre and allow for meaningful comparisons and some judgments on greatness. Films were not really subjected to genre analysis by film historians until the 1970s. All films have at least one major genre, although there are a number of films that are considered crossbreeds or hybrids with three or four overlapping genre (or sub-genre) types that identify them. (Dirks) History of Short Films Short subject a name initially given to Short Films came into existence in the 1910s when the majority of the feature movies were being made into loner run-time editions. The name short subject is an American film industry term, which was assigned to any film within 20 minutes long or running two reels. Short subject films could be comedy, animated, or live action. One of the best known users of short subject was Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin. In 1930s came the slowdown of the short subjects, basically produced by Warner Bros and Famous studios that owned their own theatres to showcase the films. By 1995s, the rise of television led to the strangulation of the live action- short and at the same time the fall cartoon short. Since the 1960s, majority of the directors of short films have been special studio projects or independent film makers. Since the 1980s, short film term was being used for short subject. Short film as a term describes the non- commercial film that is much shorter in time length than a feature film/ an analogy that can be drawn for short film to a feature film is that of a novella and a novel. The short filmmakers heavily depend on the short film festivals and art exhibitions to showcase their short films. At the same time, these film makers have more freedom to take up more difficult topics than normal feature films as the risks are lower. Short film making is now a growing as more and more amateurs, students, common man, and enthusiasts are taking this up because of the affordability of the technology to make such films. At the same time one can showcase his work to the world by uploading it on web portals and sharing it with others. It is an area where people are turning to as a hobby, as an art, to achieve their form expressions. (Wiernicki) Festival de Cannes The Festival is an apolitical no-mans-land, a microcosm of what the world would be like if people could contact each other directly and speak the same language. Jean Cocteau Being first large international cultural event after the World War II, the Festival de Cannes opened on 20th September, 1946. The Palme dOr was created in 1955. Palme dOr became the enduring symbol of the Cannes Film Festival, awarded each and every year since to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition. At present, Festival de Cannes invites film makers from around the world to present their work in one place and exchange cultural experiences. The selections for the awards are done from a nomination of films from all over the world, from different socio-economic backgrounds, different cultures, and different historical backgrounds. Cannes offers an opportunity to determine a particular countrys image of its cinema. Festival de Cannes is a melting pot of global cinema and filmmakers. This is the reason why I have undertaken the study of the award winning short films at festival de Cannes. (Festival History) KNOWLEDGE GAP Looking at the current literature review, we see that there is a knowledge gap regarding the study of Short Films in the contemporary cinema as a communication medium. This subject requires an in-depth analysis and more research to come up with some perspectives in this area. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To take selected works of Short Films of contemporary cinema, last ten years winner of Cannes Palme dOr du court mà ©trage (1999-2009), and analyse the context and form of Short films. Content of the winners of the Cannes Short Film awards (1999-2009) in context of political, sociological, economical, and historical backgrounds. To study the narrative codes in the films to arrive at a deeper understanding of the short films. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The Qualitative research methodology is used in this study. The method would involve content analysis (Roland Barthes), text/narrative analysis and semiotic analysis of the movies. The Sample: The Short Film award winners of Palme dOr du court mà ©trage (Cannes Short Film Palme dOr) in Festival de Cannes in the last 10 years (1999-2009). The following Short Films have been selected for the study: Arena Megatron Ver Llover Sniffer Podorozhni Trafic Cracker Bag Eso Utan Bean Cake Anino Why the above Sample? The above following sample has been chosen for the reason being that the Festival de Cannes (le Festival de Cannes), founded in 1946, is one of the worlds oldest, finest and most prestigious film festivals which has a very good representation of directors from across the world from different cultural, political, historical, religious, economical, and sociological backgrounds. This provides us with a variety of content for our study. The above movies are selected also on the basis of them being a part of contemporary cinema. How to Study Short Films Some of the salient points/ questions that will be used to do this study of short films are as follows: Who is telling the story? Why is it being told? Does it appear to have a purpose? (media agencies, authorial voice, writers and auteurs, marketing, economics, ideology) How is it experienced? Who consumes it, where and in what way? (readers and media audiences- private and public experience, narrative structures) How is it made? (film technology, publishing and episodic publishing-the differences they make to the production process as well as to the finished product) How does it construct meaning? (film language and written language-expectations of audiences and readers, codes and conventions, narrative structures) How does it represent its subject- especially with reference to period? (representation, use of stereotypes, representation of the past) (FILM STUDY GUIDE FOR TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, 2003) Three Ways of Thinking Talking About Films (Wilder, 1997) Literary Aspects Dramatic Aspects Cinematic Aspects Who are the characters in the film? Did the actors make you forget they were acting? How? What vivid visual images did you note? What did they make you feel or think about? What is the films setting? Were costumes, make-up, and set equally important to the success of the film? What sounds or music do you remember? What did they make you feel or think about? What are the main plot elements? In what scene was an actors voice (pitch, volume, expression) particularly effective? What scenes can you understand even without dialogue? Why? From whose point of view is the story told? Select a scene that must have been difficult to act. How did the actor make his or her body movements appropriate and convincing? What scene has very effective or unusual editing? What is the theme of the film? Describe a scene in which facial expression was important. What feelings were developed? Were words necessary? If the film uses special effects, do they add to or detract from your enjoyment of the film? What is the mood of the film? Did the actors establish their characters more through dialogue or through movement and facial expressions? . What symbols did you notice? How is this film like or unlike other films by the director? Does this director have a recognizable style? . . Was there anything about the acting, set, or costumes that bothered you or interfered with your watching of the film? EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION Given that the art of making Short Films is on the upward trend it is necessary to analyze the current trends, narratives, and the context of the Short Films genre in our contemporary cinema. We have enough knowledge on feature length movies but we lack information on the Short Films of our age. The study of this medium is important as Short films are a highly effective medium of communication and will gain importance going forward. As more and more people are turning towards Short Film making due to accessibility to technology, it is one field that needs attention in our world of cinema. A study of its content will give us a better understanding of the Short Films and world around us through their camera scope is imperative.

The Anti-Trust Case Against Microsoft :: Business Technology

The Anti-Trust Case Against Microsoft Since 1990, a battle has raged in United States courts between the United States government and the Microsoft Corporation out of Redmond, Washington, headed by Bill Gates. What is at stake is money. The federal government maintains that Microsoft's monopolistic practices are harmful to United States citizens, creating higher prices and potentially downgrading software quality, and should therefore be stopped, while Microsoft and its supporters claim that they are not breaking any laws, and are just doing good business. Microsoft's antitrust problems began for them in the early months of 1990(Check 1), when the Federal Trade Commission began investigating them for possible violations of the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts,(Maldoom 1) which are designed to stop the formation of monopolies. The investigation continued on for the next three years without resolve, until Novell, maker of DR-DOS, a competitor of Microsoft's MS-DOS, filed a complaint with the Competition Directorate of the European Commission in June of 1993. (Maldoom 1) Doing this stalled the investigations even more, until finally in August of 1993, (Check 1)the Federal Trade Commission decided to hand the case over to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice moved quickly, with Anne K. Bingaman, head of the Antitrust Division of the DOJ, leading the way.(Check 1) The case was finally ended on July 15, 1994, with Microsoft signing a consent settlement.(Check 1) The settlement focused on Microsoft's selling practices with computer manufacturers. Up until now, Microsoft would sell MS-DOS and Microsoft's other operating systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEM's) at a 60% discount if that OEM agreed to pay a royalty to Microsoft for every single computer that they sold (Check 2) regardless if it had a Microsoft operating system installed on it or not. After the settlement, Microsoft would be forced to sell their operating systems according to the number of computers shipped with a Microsoft operating system installed, and not for computers that ran other operating systems. (Check 2) Another practice that the Justice Department accused Microsoft of was that Microsoft would specify a minimum number of minimum number of operating systems that the retailer had to buy, thus eliminating any chance for another operating system vendor to get their system installed until the retailer had installed all of the Microsoft operating systems that it had installed.(Maldoom 2) In addition to specifying a minimum number of operating systems that a vendor had to buy, Microsoft also would sign contracts with the vendors for long periods of time