Strategic Business Analysis - Case Study about Netflix Essay

Strategic Business Analysis - Case Study about Netflix - Essay Example This essay focuses on the business analysis of the Netflix company. The researcher aims to describe the strategic business analysis of Netflix, that is the wÐ ¾rld's lÐ °rgest Ð ¾nline DVD mÐ ¾vie rentÐ °l service, Ð ¾ffering mÐ ¾re thÐ °n three milliÐ ¾n members Ð °ccess tÐ ¾ 50,000 titles. It is stated by the researcher of the essay that the Ð °ppeÐ °l Ð °nd success Ð ¾f the cÐ ¾mpÐ °ny Ð °re built Ð ¾n prÐ ¾viding the mÐ ¾st expÐ °nsive selectiÐ ¾n Ð ¾f DVDs; Ð °nd fÐ °st, free delivery. The Netflix business mÐ ¾del is Ð °n Ð ¾rgÐ °nized rent Ð ¾f DVD Ð °dvertised thrÐ ¾ugh Internet Ð °nd delivered thrÐ ¾ugh the pÐ ¾stÐ °l mÐ °il. Te key drivers Ð °re the number Ð ¾f custÐ ¾mers, custÐ ¾mer quÐ °lity, prÐ ¾duct cÐ ¾sts Ð °nd fulfilment cÐ ¾sts. In the first pÐ °rt Ð ¾f the essay the researcher Ð °ssess the cÐ ¾mpetitiÐ ¾n in DVD industry. Using PÐ ¾rter’s Five FÐ ¾rces MÐ ¾del Ð ¾f CÐ ¾mpetitiÐ ¾n the researcher defi nes the kinds Ð ¾f cÐ ¾mpetitive fÐ ¾rces thÐ °t currently fÐ °ce Netflix. In pÐ °rticulÐ °r, the researcher also provides Ð °n Ð °nÐ °lysis Ð ¾f relÐ °tiÐ ¾nships between Netflix, BlÐ ¾ckbuster Ð °nd WÐ °l-MÐ °rt. SecÐ ¾nd pÐ °rt Ð ¾f reseÐ °rch is referred tÐ ¾ current pÐ ¾sitiÐ ¾n Ð ¾f Netflix in DVD industry. Using the grÐ ¾up mÐ °pping strÐ °tegy, key cÐ ¾mpetitÐ ¾rs Ð °re described Ð °nd cÐ ¾nclusiÐ ¾n Ð ¾f rivÐ °lry in the industry is mÐ °de. Further the study prÐ ¾vides mÐ ¾re discussiÐ ¾n Ð °nd less Ð °nÐ °lysis Ð °s the subject Ð ¾f DVD Ð ¾nline rentÐ °l industry Ð °nd its lÐ ¾w bÐ °rriers tÐ ¾ entry Ð °nd high bÐ °rriers tÐ ¾ prÐ ¾fitÐ °bility Ð °re mentiÐ ¾ned. In the cÐ ¾ncluding pÐ °rt the recÐ ¾mmendÐ °tiÐ ¾ns Ð °s fÐ ¾r the strÐ °tegies thÐ °t might bring grÐ ¾wth Ð °nd sustÐ °inÐ °bility tÐ ¾ Netflix Ð ¾ver the next five yeÐ °rs Ð °re presented.

Proposal to Cease Testing Blood Donations for CMV

Proposal to Cease Testing Blood Donations for CMV Status Public Executive summary (200 words) In response to SaBTO recommendations for replacing CMV seronegative cellular blood components with leucodepleted blood components, an implementation project has been established pending approval from the Board. The proposed implementation date of January 2018 is considered a realist timeframe for this approach. Communication with clinicians indicates the acceptance of leucodepleted components as CMV safe, replacing the selection of CMV seronegative components. Information has been obtained regarding international practices and use of leucodepletion with respect to CMV. This paper sets out key information on the proposed replacement of CMV seronegative blood products with leucodepleted blood products, provides recommendations of the optimal strategy to achieve this, and takes into consideration patient groups that may be affected. Action requested (bulleted list) The Board is asked to: Note the implementation plans for the introduction of CMV safe blood products Approve the proposal to cease production of all CMV seronegative blood products that undergo leucodepletion and consider these products as CMV safe Approve the proposal to continue the production of CMV seronegative red cell and platelet components for intra-uterine transfusions and neonates Approve the proposal to continue the production of CMV seronegative granulocyte components for CMV seronegative patients Approve the proposal to continue the production of CMV seronegative blood components for seronegative and seropositive pregnant women that require transfusions throughout pregnancy Agree the recommendation to continue to implement CMV PCR as a screening method for early detection for all haemopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplant recipients Purpose of paper (1 paragraph) For over 30 years, there has been an ongoing debate regarding the use of CMV seronegative blood components versus the use of leucodepleted blood components. To date, the use of CMV seronegative blood products has been implemented to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus in patients considered at risk. Leucodepletion has been performed on all blood products in the UK since 1999. This paper provides an overview on the use of CMV seronegative blood products in comparison to the use of leucodepleted blood components. This paper provides an assessment of patient groups that are considered at risk of CMV and considers advantages to ceasing of CMV testing in the UK. Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a pervasive, cell-associated prototypic virus that is a member of the betaherpesvirus subfamily (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014; Ljungman, 2004). CMV mostly causes asymptomatic infection or mononucleosis-like-infection in an immunocompetent host; however, in an immunocompromised host it can result in chronic and persistent infection with devastating outcomes (Seed et al., 2015). Patient groups that are considered at risk of life-threatening transfusion-transmitted CMV infection includes CMV seronegative patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and solid organ transplantation, low birth weight and premature neonates, foetuses that require intrauterine transfusion, CMV seronegative pregnant women, and highly immunocompromised patients, such as those with malignant disease (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014; SaBTO, 2012). CMV infection is frequently encountered throughout childhood and an estimated 50 60% of the adult population in the United Kingdom (UK) are CMV positive (SaBTO, 2012). CMV infection can be transmitted both horizontally and vertically (Crough and Kannah, 2009). Horizontal transmission occurs through contact with body fluids, such as urine and saliva, sexually through genital secretions, blood transfusion, and hematopoietic stem cell and organ transplant (SaBTO, 2012; Sia and Patel, 2000). Vertical transmission occurs from mother to child, via delivery and breast milk (Crough and Kannah, 2009). Additionally, congenital CMV infection is highly prevalent and may arise through a primary maternal infection during pregnancy (Crough and Kannah, 2009). Following exposure to CMV and the initial infection, the virus remains in a dormant state (Ljungman, 2004). Seroconversion of the host occurs between 6 8 weeks and mounts an immune response, producing CMV specific immunoglobulin (IgG) (Seed et al., 2014). In the UK, there is an estimated seroconversion rate of 1% per annum (SaBTO, 2012). CMV therefore has a window period, in which there may be underlying viremia and high viral load (Liberman et al., 2011). Subsequently, a CMV seropositive individual is considered to have been infected, whilst at the same time considered potentially infectious due to the life-long persistence of the virus (SaBTO, 2012). Transfusion-transmitted CMV infection is regarded as a potential threat to the safety and sufficiency of the blood supply for a multitude of reasons (Roback, 2002). Firstly, transfusion-transmission of CMV that is present in blood and blood components can result in the infection of naà ¯ve recipients (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014; Ljungman, 2004). Secondly, transfusion-transmitted CMV is acknowledged as a primary source of infection, in which donor infectivity is an underlying reason, that may result in CMV disease (Ljungman, 2004). Thirdly, CMV seropositive recipients that are exposed to blood products containing CMV may cause reactivation of the latent virus or reinfection from a new strain (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014; Ljungman, 2004). However, the risk of transfusion-transmitted CMV infection has been significantly reduced through the implementation of leucodepletion and production of specific CMV negative blood and blood products (Ziemann and Hennig, 2014). Since November 1999, all blood products (unless state otherwise) produced by the UK blood service are leucodepleted (Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom, 2013). Initially, this was a response taken to reduce the risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) disease in blood transfusions; however, this risk reduction strategy has proven beneficial in additional areas of transfusion science and blood safety (Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom, 2013). The UK specification for leucodepletion is: more than 90% of leucocyte-depleted components should contain less than 1 x 106 leucocytes and more than 99% of components should contain less than 5 x 106 leucocytes (SaBTO, 2012). The specification for 99% of components is regarded as the level in which blood components are deemed CMV safe (SaBTO, 2012). Leucodepletion has considerably reduced the risk of transfusion-transmitted CMV, to a level that mirrors the selection of CMV negative blood products (Ljungman, 2004; Bowden et al., 1995). However, it has yet to be shown to what extent the techniques are comparable and how this may affect patient groups considered at risk of CMV infection (Ljungman, 2004). It is important to note that whilst leucodepletion removes most white cells from blood products, it is not 100% effective (Kumar, 2006). Therefore, there is a residual risk of CMV transmission in blood products of recently infected donors (Kumar, 2006). This occurs in the window period of the virus from 6 8 weeks to 1 year following seroconversion, in which the virus may be present in the remaining plasma or white cells (SaBTO, 2012; Ziemann et al., 2010; Drew and Roback, 2007). CMV transmission can occur in both donors that have an active infection, including primary or reactivated, or latent infection (Azevedo, 2015). The leading mechanism of transfusion-transmitted CMV infection is through mononuclear cells that are believed to harbour a latent infection (Ljungman, 2004). CMV is thought to persist in circulating monocytes, in which an estimated 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 100,000 peripheral blood monocular cells carry CMV (SaBTO, 2012). Pennington et al (2001) conducted a study that provided evidence to suggest that leucodepletion filters are highly effective in removing mononuclear cells and may reduce CMV levels to 0.1 viral copies per mL in leucodepleted blood. Furthermore, blood products that have been leucodepleted are monitored continuously, using flow cytometry, to assess efficiency (SaBTO, 2012). Moreover, the prospect of having a component issued that contains a leucocyte count above the UK specification can be calculated (SaBTO, 2012). In regards to testing for transfusion-transmitted CMV, there are two main methods that are used. This includes serological testing and Nucleic Acid Technology (NAT) testing (SaBTO, 2012). Serological testing involves the use of antibody screening which is accomplished through the use of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) tests that detect total CMV antibody (Ross, 2011). Screening for CMV infection using serology is the most prevalent method used and is based on the agglutination principle (Ross, 2011; Ljungman, 2004). The method offers several advantages as it is fast, highly sensitive, and highly specific, constituting an ideal screening test (Ross, 2011). This method, however, is associated with two key limitations. Firstly, the window period presents a challenge in regards to activation of the primary infection and seroconversion (Ljungman, 2004). Secondly, there is a risk of obtaining false negative screening results (Ljungman, 2004). Therefore, there is a risk that CMV may be transmitted via a CMV seronegative component (SaBTO, 2012). In addition to serology, NAT testing is used to detect CMV DNA and subsequent infection (Ross, 2011). Several qualitative and quantitative assays are available for this method (SaBTO, 2012). This screening method is associated with variation in the sensitivity and specificity of available assays (Roback et al., 2003;2001). Studies have highlighted inter-laboratory variation for samples containing low viral load (Pang et al, 2009; Wolff et al., 2009). As a result, a CMV DNA reference has been developed for comparison of results when sensitivity is a challenge (Ross, 2011). To produce a supply of CMV negative blood and blood components, several donations are screened each year. Overall, an estimated 25 40% of donors are CMV antibody positive, dependent on age. The production and use of CMV negative blood components forms a significant undertaking for the blood service. According to the report released by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues, and Organs (SaBTO) in March 2012, in the last 5 years, the number of CMV negative platelets and red cells has increased. The report notes that NHSBT charge  £7.76 for CMV negative red cells and platelets, covering the inventory and screening costs. This amounts to a total of  £2.5 million per annum, in which  £230,000 is dedicated to apheresis platelets and  £2,270,000 to red cells. The number of donations that are screened is greater than the number of donations that are issued as CMV negative. In addition, not all donations screened will deliver a negative result. Subsequently, it has been proposed that the use and production of CMV negative components is reviewed. SaBTO recommends the use of a single inventory and accepting leucodepleted blood products as CMV safe. This is outlined in section 6. Proposal 6.1 This proposal has been written to ask the blood centre to consider ceasing CMV testing for an agreed list of blood products and in its replacement, support the use of leucodepleted blood components that are considered CMV safe. 6.2 The proposal of ceasing CMV testing for the replacement of leucodepleted components that are considered CMV safe is associated with several advantages. Inventory management Management of a single inventory would offer an advantage to blood banks and hospitals. This would be a preferred method to the current used for ease of access. NHSBT must ensure CMV negative components are available across the country on multiple NHS sites. To achieve this, NHSBT spend approximately  £95,000 n the delivery of CMV negative components. Wastage The Belgian Blood Service have produced a report that states implementation of pathogen reduction in platelets to inactivate CMV may result in an overall decrease in the wastage of platelets. A 1.5% reduction is estimated, which would result in a saving of  £0.22 million. Improved compliance with safety initiatives Reduction in the wastage of blood products and implementation of a single inventory would enable the target of 80% platelets by apheresis to be met sooner. Furthermore, this would support transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI) prevention, as the number of male platelet donors would increase due to enhanced recruitment strategies. This would further enable costs of HLA antibody screening of potential female platelet donors to be avoided. Reduction in hospital blood bank workload Because of the removal of CMV seronegative components, the workload in hospitals and blood banks would decrease. Staff would no longer have to spend time ordering or checking platelets as CMV negative components. This would have a direct positive impact on the stock management. Staff that may potentially be free from the responsibility associated with CMV negative products will be able to invest their time elsewhere, to improve the efficiency of the blood service. Reduction in clinical errors The Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) have reported from 2000 to 2010, 1040 reports were filed stating special requirements were not met. Of these, 83 were attributed to the inappropriate selection of blood components that were not CMV negative. 65 were attributed to selection of blood components that were both CMV negative and irradiated components. However, none of these cases reported CMV transmission. 6.3 The proposed implementation date of this project is January 2018. Further clinical guidance is to be requested from SaBTO who will instruct in the implementation plan of this proposal. 6.4 Consideration must be given to specific patient groups that are considered at risk of CMV infection. This includes: Haematopoietic stem cell transplant patients Leucodepleted blood products can be used for all patient groups post haemopoietic stem cell transplantation Patients receiving transfusions and may need a transplant also may receive leucodepleted products CMV PCR should be used to assess CMV infection for patient groups to enable early detection and treatment Intra-uterine transfusions and neonates CMV negative components should be provided for intra-uterine transfusions and neonates (up to 28 days post expected due date) All blood products produced at a reduce size for neonates should be CMV seronegative Pregnant patients CMV seronegative blood products should be provided to pregnancy women, regardless of CMV status. Components should also be provided for transfusions throughout pregnancy, for example in the case of haemoglobinopathies. HIV and immunodeficient patients These patients should receive leucodepleted blood as there is no evidence to suggest a benefit with the use of CMV seronegative components Organ transplant patients Organ transplant patients should receive leucodepleted blood only CMV PCR should be used to assess CMV infection for patient groups to enable early detection and treatment Granulocytes Granulocyte components provided should be CMV seronegative for all patients as these components cannot be leucodepleted 6.5 Potential impact on blood centre employees includes the reduction in workload. Considerations needs to be given towards how this workload can be replaced. Consideration also needs to be given towards the possibility of redundancy, as a successive effect of this proposal. 6.6 The board must be aware of the clinical and financial benefits of this proposal; however, the board should also be aware of potential limitations regarding the operation of the proposal. The board should also be aware of potential legal repercussions should someone become infected with CMV through a blood component. 6.7 Stakeholders that will need to be involved include both internal and external. Internal stakeholders will include the manager of the NHSBT site and the head of testing. External stake holders will need to raise public awareness regarding the change in production of seronegative CMV components. Doctors will also need to be aware of the changes implemented to CMV negative components and be aware of who this applies for. E.g. certain patient groups will still receive CMV seronegative components. References A. Ross, S., Novak, Z., Pati, S. and B. Boppana, S. (2011). Overview of the Diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus Infection. Infectious Disorders Drug Targets, 11(5), pp.466-474. Azevedo, L., Pierrotti, L., Abdala, E., Costa, S., Strabelli, T., Campos, S., Ramos, J., Latif, A., Litvinov, N., Maluf, N., Caiaffa Filho, H., Pannuti, C., Lopes, M., Santos, V., Linardi, C., Yasuda, M. and Marques, H. (2015). Cytomegalovirus infection in transplant recipients. Clinics, 70(7), pp.515-523. Crough, T. and Khanna, R. (2009). Immunobiology of Human Cytomegalovirus: from Bench to Bedside. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 22(1), pp.76-98. DOH UK, (2012). SaBTO Report of Cytomegalovirus Tested Blood Components, Position Statement. [online] pp.1 15. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/215125/dh_133086.pdf [Accessed 13 Mar. 2017]. Drew, W. and Roback, J. (2007). Prevention of transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus: reactivation of the debate? Transfusion, 47(11), pp.1955-1958. Guidelines for the Blood Transfusion Services in the United Kingdom. 8th Edition, TSO Norwich, http://www.transfusionguidelines.org/transfusion-handbook/3-providing-safe-blood. [Accessed 25/10/2016] Kumar, H., Gupta, P., Mishra, D., Sarkar, R. and Jaiprakash, M. (2006). Leucodepletion and Blood Products. Medical Journal Armed Forces India, 62(2), pp.174-177. Ljungman, P. (2004). Risk of cytomegalovirus transmission by blood products to immunocompromised patients and means for reduction. British Journal of Haematology, 125(2), pp.107-116. Pang, X., Fox, J., Fenton, J., Miller, G., Caliendo, A. and Preiksaitis, J. (2009). Interlaboratory Comparison of Cytomegalovirus Viral Load Assays. American Journal of Transplantation, 9(2), pp.258-268. Pennington, J., Garner, S., Sutherland, J. and Williamson, L. (2001). Residual subset population analysis in WBC-reduced blood components using real-time PCR quantitation of specific mRNA. Transfusion, 41(12), pp.1591-1600. Roback, J. (2002). CMV and blood transfusions. Reviews in Medical Virology, 12(4), pp.211-219. Roback, J., Drew, W., Laycock, M., Todd, D., Hillyer, C. and Busch, M. (2003). CMV DNA is rarely detected in healthy blood donors using validated PCR assays. Transfusion, 43(3), pp.314-321. Roback, J., Hillyer, C., Drew, W., Laycock, M., Luka, J., Mocarski, E., Slobedman, B., Smith, J., Soderberg-Naucler, C., Todd, D., Woxenius, S. and Busch, M. (2001). Multicenter evaluation of PCR methods fordetecting CMV DNA in blood donors. Transfusion, 41(10), pp.1249-1257. Seed, C., Wong, J., Polizzotto, M., Faddy, H., Keller, A. and Pink, J. (2015). The residual risk of transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus infection associated with leucodepleted blood components. Vox Sanguinis, 109(1), pp.11-17. Sia, I. and Patel, R. (2000). New Strategies for Prevention and Therapy of Cytomegalovirus Infection and Disease in Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 13(1), pp.83-121. Wolff, D., Heaney, D., Neuwald, P., Stellrecht, K. and Press, R. (2009). Multi-Site PCR-Based CMV Viral Load Assessment-Assays Demonstrate Linearity and Precision, but Lack Numeric Standardization. The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, 11(2), pp.87-92. Ziemann, M. and Hennig, H. (2014). Prevention of Transfusion-Transmitted Cytomegalovirus Infections: Which is the Optimal Strategy?. Transfusion Medicine and Hemotherapy, 41(1), pp.7-7. Ziemann, M., Unmack, A., Steppat, D., Juhl, D., Gà ¶rg, S. and Hennig, H. (2010). The natural course of primary cytomegalovirus infection in blood donors. Vox Sanguinis, 99(1), pp.24-33.

Big Brother in 1984 and The Children’s Story Essay -- George Orwell

Fear, an emotion that takes control over you, forces you to act in a certain way and refrain from taking certain risks. Fear takes over us day after day. We fear dying, losing, and failing. In the world of 1984, fear not only controls people individually, but human kind as a whole. Leaders of the Inner Party, and the ultimate leader Big Brother controlled the people of Oceania by their fears. Through revolt, love, technology, and control over history Party members became restricted in every aspect of human nature. In 1984, free thought is revolt. Physical actions of rebellion never occurred in the world created by George Orwell. Due to the lack of freedom of thought by Big Brother people turned to thought in order to escape the brutal world. Any thinking outside of the designed thought of the Party was a â€Å"thought crime† (13). Thought about uprising, or any thought of hatred directed towards the Party was a crime. All thought was an act of rebellion. Winston commits many thought crimes throughout the book, and in the end, the Thought Police arrest him. Not only did he rebel in thought, but attempted to make a physical revolt by joining â€Å"the brotherhood† (171). Physical relationships and love also rebel against the party. They dislike any human relationships that are not for the benefit of the Party, like Winston and Julia’s relationship. Attempting to hide their relationship, the two must sneak around telescreens to continue their connection. Winston protested in his own way against the Party, but in the end he failed by falling in love with Big Brother (298). Love still exists in the novel 1984 because everyone loves Big Brother, or will love him. Winston and Julia â€Å"loved† each other, though arguably their loved centered more ... ... show the easy manipulation of children. The main message of the Children’s Story tells us that the unawareness of children and adults makes it easy to control and influence thoughts and beliefs. In 1984, Winston tells us that the people â€Å"incapable of understanding† the Party’s view, prove to be the ones most successfully taught it (156). These people could never fully grasp the â€Å"flagrant violations of reality† and never understood what the Party demanded of them (156). The messages of both 1984 and The Children’s Story send a strong message to our government, keep people informed. Children need to be aware who they are pledging their allegiance too, and why they pray to God, and who God even is. Adults need to be aware of governmental issues, especially with politics. People need to be mindful of what each politician stands for and know what their beliefs are.

Bible teacher Essay

There are many opinions about the book of Hebrews and a variety of responses. In order to recognize these, three people were interviewed to understand their impressions and how they generally understood the message of the book. A Bible teacher, a non-believer, and a friend who professes to be a believer were interviewed and these were the results. Mr. Edward Shim is a Bible teacher and informs us that Hebrews is about â€Å"the calling of Jesus as man’s Savior†. That He is â€Å"the complete author and provider of our salvation from sin. † According to Mr. Shim, â€Å"it explains the Son of God as the fulfillment of the symbolic tabernacle ceremonial system given to the ancient Israelites. The shedding of blood for the atonement of sin on a daily basis is replaced by the once and for all shedding of Jesus’ blood so that all those who believe through faith may be saved. We enter His rest by accepting Jesus’ death as salvation for our sins. Hebrews continues to support Jesus’ death as the valid and legitimate answer to sins’ demand of death. It concludes by calling all who accept his salvation to walk uprightly in spiritual maturity and growth. † He believes that no man, not even the pope, preacher, parent, or anyone can mediate between a person and God but Jesus Christ alone and that Christ’s death has â€Å"cleansed away the enmity between God and man. † Mr. Brian Starlin, a non-believer, says that he is not really familiar with the Book of Hebrews. All he says is that â€Å"there were men through whom God communicated. † Some of which were Moses and Noah, while Jesus was one of the more recent mediators. He adds further that â€Å"Christ’s sacrifice inspired a lot of people; helped push Christianity across the globe and still helps push it; and has led a lot of people toward a more moral and balanced life. † To Mr. Starlin, Hebrews is â€Å"an inspiring story about an important individual from the past, and it has influenced a lot of family members and friends,† so he respects what Christ’s influence has accomplished. Ms. Mishell Pang, on the other hand, is a friend who professes to be a believer. She says that the general message of the book is â€Å"of how Jesus is the ultimate high priest and no one can come to God except through Him. † She goes on to say that â€Å"Christ’s death cleansed every one of their sins,† and that accepting Jesus as savior and mediator to God is accepting God’s grace and forgiveness. The Book of Hebrews was written primarily for Christians who are undergoing persecution and discouragement. Its writer strives to strengthen the faith of believers in Christ by carefully explaining the superiority and finality of God’s revelation and redemption in Jesus Christ. He shows that God’s redemptive provisions under the old covenant have been fulfilled and made obsolete by Jesus’ coming, and the establishment of the new covenant though his atoning death. The writer hence, challenges readers to hold on to their confession of Christ until the end; to go on into spiritual maturity; and not to turn back to condemnation by abandoning faith in Jesus Christ. Both Mr. Shim and Ms.Pang basically understood the general message of the book which is about redemption in Christ Jesus; Mr. Starlin, on the other hand, honestly mentioned that he was not familiar with the Book of Hebrews. Nevertheless, it was noted that none directly mentioned an understanding of Christ as both genuine God and genuine man, but only about Christ’s sacrifice and what it has accomplished. Both Mr. Shim and Ms. Pang openly professed how much impact Christ’s sacrifice has touched them and how much they appreciate this sacrifice. They both claim that no one can come to God but through Christ alone. This assignment has helped me see and understand that though access to the Bible is now unlimited, there are still many who are not aware of its contents and message. It is sad to note that to some, its contents are mere stories and that Christ to them was just a man like the rest of God’s prophets and messengers and that they still have no knowledge about What Christ can do for them. This assignment has helped me realize how most of us are still spiritually hungry and how many among us are dying spiritually without proper knowledge of the Word.

The Life and Literature of F Scott Fitzgerald

ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Life and Literature of F. Scott Fitzgerald By Jillian Thompson May 16, 2012. English newspaper, The Guardian, once asked Jonathan Franzen, the Pulitzer Prize nominated author of The Corrections, to contribute what he believed were the greatest rules to abide by for aspiring fiction writers. His response was â€Å"Fiction that isn't an author's personal adventure into the frightening or the unknown isn't worth writing for anything but money† (Franzen). The novels of Francis Scott Fitzgerald suggest that he would agree wholeheartedly with Franzen.In his Notebooks, Fitzgerald wrote, â€Å"There never was a good biography of a good novelist. There couldn’t be. He’s too many people if he’s any good† (Fitzgerald 61). Fictionalizing emotions and backgrounds are an unparalleled resource to writers, and some of the greatest stories in literature have grown from the personal lives of novelists. Dickens’ David Copperfield, Hemingway ’s A Farewell To Arms, and Kerouac’s On the Road are famed illustrations of autofiction techniques, featuring a protagonist that has been modeled after the author, and a central plotline that mirrors the events of their lives.A close examination of the known facts of Scott Fitzgerald’s life is enough to establish that there is a profound relationship between his personal dispositions and the subject matter of his novels. It is also fair to conclude that he was deeply concerned with class, wealth, and their effect on the corruption of â€Å"The American Dream. † The novels and short stories of Scott Fitzgerald are documents that illustrate the hazy and glamorous Jazz Age, and had Fitzgerald’s own life been any less hazy and glamorous, some of America’s greatest literature may not have come to pass. THE LIFE OF SCOTT FITZGERALDFrancis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born September 24th, 1896 in St Paul, Minnesota, the only son to middle class parents , Edward and Mary Fitzgerald. His parents instilled him with a fear of failure, and an obsession with wealth that would haunt his life’s ambitions. At an early age, he proved himself an imaginative and talented writer, and despite some academic struggles, he was accepted to Princeton in 1913. Intent on following his family’s advice, Fitzgerald dedicated himself to the pursuit of social and intellectual attainments, the path he believed would lead him to fame and fortune.He joined any extracurricular activity that he believed would increase his social standing on campus, but the beginning of WWI put an end to any possible fruition of his efforts. He left Princeton for the army in 1917, and was stationed at Camp Sheridan in Montgomery, Alabama, where he began work on a novella called The Romantic Egotist. It was also there that he met the woman who would change the course of his life forever. Her name was Zelda Sayre, the â€Å"golden girl†, and in her, Fitzgerald met his match in both ambition and extravagance.They had a whirlwind romance, but in the summer of 1919, Zelda grew tired of waiting for his success, and ended their relationship. Devastated by her rejection, he moved back to St. Paul, more determined than ever to become rich enough to win Zelda back. He rewrote The Romantic Egotist and in a letter to his publisher wrote, â€Å"I have so many things dependent on its success—including of course a girl† (Bryer and Barks 149). In 1920 This Side of Paradise was published. The novel was an overnight sensation with postwar youth, and two weeks later Fitzgerald and Zelda were married.They became the icons of success and youth, the first â€Å"it† couple if there ever was one, but the tumultuous beginning of their relationship never quite faded away. He and Zelda lived far outside their means, and Fitzgerald continually sunk into debt. Zelda’s impulsiveness, once interpreted as charming, had become erratic, and emotionally draining for Fitzgerald and his writing suffered. While living in Europe, Zelda overdosed on sleeping pills, and flung herself down a flight of stairs in a jealous fit. Fitzgerald had Zelda institutionalized, and she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.Fitzgerald’s dream of his muse had become a nightmare, and he worked through his emotions the way he always had, through writing, and Tender is the Night was the result. Fitzgerald died of a heart attack in 1940, while writing his final novel, The Last Tycoon. Zelda died not long after, locked in a room awaiting treatment as the sanitarium set fire. They are buried together, with a shared headstone that quotes the final words of Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, The Great Gatsby. â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past† (172). FITZGERALD AND THE JAZZ AGEPerhaps the most vivid and poetic character of any Fitzgerald novel is â€Å"The Jazz Age† itself. The histori cal backdrop of the glamorous world of Flappers and speakeasies that’s envisioned when one thinks of the â€Å"Roaring Twenties†, make the perfect canvas for Fitzgerald to place his characters, who share Fitzgerald’s own conflicted feelings on Jazz Age morals. The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise both center on the theme of love warped by status seeking. They can be read as harsh criticisms of 1920s America, and its disintegration during an era defined by material excess.With the end of WWI the American economy soared and brought about an era, from 1920-1931, which was marked by unprecedented national wealth and prosperity. The rise of the stock market and the shock of the war left America with a generation that compensated for the chaos by creating a society centered on materialism. People began to spend and consume like never before. The conservatism and modest values of Victorian society that marked the previous generation were too suffocating for the y outh who grew up fast during the â€Å"Great Crusade. A person from any background now had the opportunity to earn a fortune, especially if they were helping to supply the demand for bootleg liquor, such as Jay Gatsby was. But this giddiness was short lived, and after the stock market crash, those that had enjoyed the rapid succession from penniless to millionaire as a bootlegger, quickly lost everything as the economy crumbled. Even before the stock market crash, Fitzgerald portrayed the decay of the Jazz Age as the self-consuming society of excess that couldn’t possibly be sustained through its greed and cynicism. Fitzgerald always idolized the luxurious lifestyle of the rich.As the Fitzgerald’s fame rose in the early 1920s, he found himself slowly being seduced by the opulence of his newfound life. But despite the excitement of his new life, Fitzgerald struggled with the mixed feelings of hypocrisy associated with falling in love with a girl who was everything heâ €™d ever dreamed of, but who led him toward the materialism he had once despised. Fitzgerald developed his characters as representations of these inner conflicts. Arthur Mizener, Fitzgerald’s most noted biographer, wrote that Fitzgerald’s work so perfectly defined the Jazz Age because Fitzgerald nfused both sides of himself into what Mizener called â€Å"the middle-western Trimalchio and the spoiled priest† (297). The symbol of the green light on Daisy Buchanan’s dock in The Great Gatsby represents Fitzgerald’s hope for the future, but also the awareness that it may never be realized. Writing The Great Gatsby allowed Fitzgerald to confront his feelings on the superficiality of his world and its inhabitants. Even the title The Great Gatsby is a reflection on the Jazz Age as a masterful illusion. THE AUTHOR AND THE HERO The heart of any study on Scott Fitzgerald is of course his work.However, Fitzgerald wrote only about himself and the people and places with which he was familiar, therefore his life and his work are inextricably bound together. â€Å"There were four or five Zeldas and at least eight Scotts,† as James Thurber once put it in his book Credos and Curios, â€Å"so that their living room was forever tense with the presence of a dozen desperate personalities, even when they were alone in it. Some of these Fitzgeralds’ were characters out of a play or a novel, which made the lives of the multiple pair always theatrical, sometimes unreal, and often badly overacted† (63).In fact, reading This Side of Paradise is like reading a biography of Fitzgerald. A young man from the Midwest serves in the army, falls in love with a rich socialite, and they break up, leading him to search for success by any means available. Jay Gatsby and Amory Blaine, the young dandy protagonists of The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise, pursue and glorify wealth to win the affections of the woman they love, much like F itzgerald himself did to win Zelda Sayre.Gatsby and Blaine are perpetually romantic adolescents whose lives are based on the mistaken idea that enough money and fame can keep the love and beauty of the past crystallized forever. The romanticism of Gatsby and Blaine, which at first rises above the frivolity Fitzgerald associated with Jazz Age society, eventually disintegrates to unveil the corruption wealth causes. The Great Gatsby’s narrator, Nick Carraway, is a young man from the Midwest with an Ivy League education, exactly like Fitzgerald.Nick’s background makes him an ideal narrator because he is able to see past Gatsby’s superficialities to the man underneath. Fitzgerald uses Nick to express his opinion that an ideal based on a materialistic foundation is a self-defeating and ultimately destructive goal. Then lastly, there’s the girl. The object of all-consuming affection. Fitzgerald’s muse for his female protagonist was of course his wife, Ze lda. In fact, she was more than just a muse. After sharing her personal diaries with Fitzgerald, he used verbatim quotes to write the character of Rosalind Connage in This Side of Paradise.He wrote, â€Å"all criticism of Rosalind ends in her beauty† (Bryer and Barks 201) and told Zelda â€Å"the heroine does resemble you in more ways than four† (230). Like Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, Zelda never took to motherhood and was never particularly domestic. According to Fitzgerald’s Notebooks, the famous line from The Great Gatsby, â€Å"I hope she'll be a fool–that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool† (Fitzgerald 22), is based on what Zelda said after her daughter, Scottie, was born. The most accurate portrayal of Zelda is most likely in Tender is the Night, Fitzgerald’s last completed novel.This is a story of a man of almost limitless potential who makes the fatal decision to marry a beautiful but mental ly ill woman, and who ultimately sinks into despair and alcoholism when their doomed marriage fails. He wrote it about their time in Europe, and the Lost Generation community of writers, a term coined by Fitzgerald’s close friend Ernest Hemmingway to describe those who came of age during World War 1, including Gertrude Stein, T. S Eliot and Waldo Peirce. In the novel, he chronicled the decline of Zelda’s mental health, and his discovery that she would never return to the way she was.The Zelda in this novel not was the glorified beauty of This Side of Paradise or The Great Gatsby, and she a wrote a semi-autobiographical account of her own as a form of revenge against Fitzgerald after their marriage dissolved. After she was committed, Fitzgerald wrote in his Notebook, â€Å"In an odd way, perhaps incredible to you, she was always my child (it was not reciprocal as it often is in marriages) †¦ I was her great reality, often the only liaison agent who could make the world tangible to her† (478). â€Å"SO WE BEAT ON†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fitzgerald, 172)The beginning of The Great Gatsby is prefaced by a poem written by a fictional character from This Side of Paradise. It reads, Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry ‘Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you! (6) If the words of Jonathan Franzen are true, then it can be assumed that Fitzgerald’s greatest adventure into the unknown was his relationship with Zelda. Their relationship became the basis of his life’s work, which made him one of the greatest storytellers American literature has known to date.