Monday, September 30, 2019

College Dropouts Essay

It’s safe to assume that everyone who applies for college is taking the first step to improving their lives. We are not forced to go to college like we are grade school. It’s totally optional yet those of us who chose not to attend college are looked down upon in our society. Our generation is under immense pressure to succeed. The first step to success is usually defined by graduating from College and getting a degree. Those of us who chose to go to college away from home are taking a huge risk and testing our ability to be away from our safety zone. Many teenagers don’t realize that it’s a whole new world and they may not be ready to embrace it all at once. Even I often find myself a bit overwhelmed by all the new things I must adapt to. In high school, teachers and counselors were there to guide you, as high school classes are typically smaller than the entering freshman class. It’s a lot harder to get the personalized attention that you’ve been used to and that could turn people off quickly. Sometimes high school doesn’t really prepare students for college because they never get a realistic view of life. Even in high school you’re sheltered and teachers constantly remind you of assignments. Professors won’t waste their time reminding a student of their assignments. You receive a syllabus and they expect you to be aware of all the readings and upcoming assignments. Many turn to the social scene when work is too hard. Eleanor Roosevelt once said,† With freedom comes responsibility. † Some students have lack of self control and have difficulty balancing work and fun. They get stressed out in class and decide to just go out and party instead of doing their homework. Without a college degree it’s hard find a well paying job. During our parents generation it was probably easier to find a job whether you had a high school degree or not. Now those with just high school degrees are lucky to find jobs at fast food restaurants. Times are changing and for the better but the number of college dropouts is still on the rise. A variety of causes lead to the effects of college dropouts. These causes range from internal conflicts within the student to external causes that they can not control. A college degree is very necessary and could determine whether or not a student will be able to support themselves and their future family. I contemplated withdrawing my first few weeks of college because of personal problems. I found it difficult to concentrate in class because of all the things that were going on. I started talking to a counselor and if it wasn’t for him I would have given up those first two weeks. He told me that giving up now was a waste of my life because I’d been in â€Å"training† my whole life for this higher education. I’m glad that I decided to stay and one day when my children attended college I will be understanding of all the things that could cause a student to want to drop out.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

An investigation into the ways Essay

An investigation into the ways in which the language and the subject matter of Hamlet’s three soliloquies reveal the key concerns of the play. The most common portrayal of Hamlet is of a person seeking truth in order to be certain that he is justified in carrying out the revenge called for by a ghost that claims to be the spirit of his father. Other views see Hamlet as indecisive or even unwilling to carry out a duty of obligation to his murdered father. The purpose of Hamlet’s soliloquies is to outline his thoughts and feelings, it reveals his innermost beliefs and offers an unbiased perspective as it is merely him talking to the audience, albeit not directly. Each soliloquy delves further into Hamlet’s motivations, or lack thereof, and psyche. Each soliloquy, each slightly different, is all united by vivid imagery, introspective language, and discussion of Hamlet’s delay of action. Shakespeare reveals the key concerns of the play inevitably, meaning it touches on love, betrayal, murder and revenge, which where commonly found in plays around the time Hamlet was written. Therefore, Hamlet’s first soliloquy (Act 1, scene ii) is essential to the play as it highlights his inner conflict caused by the events of the play. It reveals his true feelings and as such emphasizes the difference between his public appearance, his attitude towards Claudius in the previous scene is less confrontational than here where he is directly insulted as a â€Å"satyr†, and his feelings within himself. In the first soliloquy Hamlet appears very distressed even contemplating suicide. He desires his flesh to â€Å"melt†, and wishes that God had not made â€Å"self-slaughter† a sin. As dew does, Hamlet wishes to evaporate with the sunrise and leave his troubled kingdom behind. He says that the world is â€Å"weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable†. Stating that he thinks of life as nothing else but tedious and foul, which causes one to assume that he believes that it is better to die then live a life full of pain and agony. After describing his desires for death, Hamlet then continues to describe the state of his kingdom as an â€Å"unweeded† garden. Hamlet seems to view Denmark as a metaphorical Garden of Eden which is now totally corrupt, Perhaps Hamlet is to become the gardener and solve the infestation of corruption. Hamlet’s despair stems from his mother’s marriage to his uncle and it is this that is the driving force behind what is communicated. His constant repetition of the time in which it took the two to get married, â€Å"But two months dead†¦yet within a month†¦A little month†¦Within a month†¦most wicked speed†, suggests his disgust at the situation. One instance it can be seen is in the first soliloquy â€Å"for I must hold my tongue† this shows that Hamlet cannot share his thoughts, therefore he must keep his feelings hidden behind his appearance. In comparison, in the second soliloquy Hamlet talks of Claudius as a â€Å"smiling damned villain!† here he is implying the evil reality behind Claudius’s genial appearance. This key theme of betrayal makes the play very dramatic in places as it creates a sense of impending evil. In the second soliloquy Hamlet expresses his anger at the accession of his uncle Claudius and at his mother’s hasty remarriage. Hamlet encounters the ghost of his dead father, who informs him that he was murdered by Claudius, and commands Hamlet to avenge him. Hamlet is unsure whether the ghost he has seen is truly his father, and suspects that it might be an evil spirit impersonating him. He therefore sets out to test the king’s conscience through feigning insanity, and by staging a play re-enacting the circumstances of the murder, â€Å"The play’s the thing, Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King†. (Act II, scene II) Shakespeare makes Hamlet end his soliloquy with two excellent lines as they round up the whole soliloquy; â€Å"the plays the thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King.† This explains his idea because if the King’s guilt shows he’ll have more proof, and is also a positive sign as he starts to get a more stable state of mind. Also the last two lines are rhyming couplets, which create the audience to react in such a way that Hamlet has somewhat a stable mind. Hamlet’s melancholic language in his first soliloquy, â€Å"But break, my heart,† is in stark contrast to the determination and triumph in his second soliloquy â€Å"yes, by heaven!†. Furthermore, the structures in both soliloquies have some comparisons. In both soliloquies there is the use of broken syntax to show the raw emotion in Hamlet’s voice. In his first soliloquy, â€Å"But two months dead – nay, not so much, not two† the use of broken syntax shows how heartbroken and upset Hamlet is. The most famous soliloquy, â€Å"To be or not to be† is a question that set the audience thinking. This is Shakespeare making Hamlet question his existence. It relates to the theme of corruption. Hamlet is asking himself if there is any point of him existing. This seems to be the case when Claudius and Polonius are spying on him. But when scrutinized it could be that Hamlet knows of the spying and is saying this just to confuse Claudius and Polonius more. This is very clever because although it seems like he is mad he is, in actual fact, not. The suggestion of death occurs throughout Hamlet’s third soliloquy and the cruelty of life is victimized by fortune. â€Å"To die, to sleep†, sleep is a metaphor for death. Hamlet uses violent imagery to represent his thoughts, â€Å"The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune†. He uses a metaphor â€Å"a sea of troubles† to symbolize the variance in his mind. Repetition of the word â€Å"Sleep† demonstrates Hamlet procrastinates, and is reluctant to kill his uncle. He is trying to escape from the problems and promises that await him. Hamlet compares life to a calamity, â€Å"That makes calamity of so long life†. His words are punctuated with sorrow, â€Å"mortal coil†. Hamlet is comparing his duties to time’s brutality â€Å"whips and scorns of time†. Hamlet also expresses the longing to return to dust, a precursor of his later soliloquy where he contemplates the same idea. We feel a real sense of Hamlet’s disturbed nature; whether he is actually mad or not is debatable, but that he is troubled by the weight of responsibility to avenge his father’s death is unquestionable. The mention of the â€Å"quintessence of dust† is not fully expanded on at this point, but is effective in illustrating Hamlet’s mental decline. He questions whether â€Å"to be or not to be† and expresses a longing for the â€Å"sleep of death†, but a fear â€Å"of something after death†, preventing such actions. Hamlet’s sentences are generally short and disjointed in this soliloquy, â€Å"To die, to sleep† showing Hamlet’s mood is agitated and he is distressed. Iambic pentameter is used in both the second and third soliloquies because it is a recognized poetic device and can reflect normal speech, which is the way Hamlet is supposed to be speaking. In the second soliloquy Shakespeare again includes lots of dramatic pauses to break up the speech and also to give a climax to what Hamlet will say next. The sentences are long in the third soliloquy, because Hamlet is almost talking to himself and so does not slow down or pause very often and so he rambles on, because his thoughts are â€Å"running away from him† uncontrolled. Also, in this soliloquy Hamlet is philosophizing about death and what’s after death and so he does not speak as he would if somebody else was there. The soliloquy is more realistic because if it rhymed then it would have to have been already thought up and it is supposed to be spontaneous. The sentences are rather disjointed showing Hamlet, at this moment in the play, as a slightly â€Å"mad† character. In this speech Hamlet repeats the words â€Å"To die, to sleep† which helps to show that even though Hamlet tries to talk about something other than suicide he cannot help thinking about death as something as peaceful as sleep because that’s what he wants to think.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Essay Analysis

Essay Analysis (Name) (University/Institution) â€Å"And You Will Know Us by the Trail of German Butterballs† By Jonathan Kauffman Many Americans are discovering the value of locally or own grown food. By doing this, they help reduce the carbon print while at the same time supporting local business (Elton). The general concern posed by the writer in this article is how the local-foods movement is gradually becoming a global trend. As the author sites how the movement is steadily growing, he also expresses his concerns regarding it. Without proper standards to oversee the movement, the author expresses fear that it will decline sharply. The first section of this article deals with a brief history of locavorism. In this section, the writer goes into some of the history of the movement and how the movement has changed from a small group of friends to be the largest, most influential food trend in the country. From the beginning, of the article we are given hints that the author is in support of the idea of locavorism when he tells us how he favours local foods over certified organic ones and the reasons why, even though he states that the movement still has a long way to go. In the next section, the author talks about how the idea behind the local foods movement is slowly permeating into the wine world. Even though, the phenomenal seems very different from the locavore movement, the passion for specificity is the same. Wine sellers have resorted to import wines from places like Europe and South America as opposed to buying local products. In the final section, the writer ponders over the pros and cons of the locavorism moment. He goes on to compare the number of people behind the ovement at present as opposed to how it was five years ago. He further expounds on the effects of cost and prices on consuming local foods and how Corporate America has its eye on the locavore movement. As the piece comes to an end, the author explores the position of the locavorism movement in the present world and how it is on its way to become a powerful trend. The author’s description of locavorism presents a setting of the story that is essential in understanding the writer’s view with regards to the movement. Even though, he goes ahead and lists reasons why the locavore movement has not caught on yet, he provides subtle hints that he is for the idea. One feature of a good essay is that it should present a logical flow of ideas, especially from one paragraph to the next. The author has taken this into account, and his mastery of this subject is quite impressive. The writer ends the piece by stating that if the locavore movement is to expand, then it should borrow a leaf from Radiohead, one of the world’s largest rock bands. The strength of this article lies in his layout of the characteristics of the local foods movement. Maybe this is one of the best analyses I have read regarding the subject. The writer has in depth knowledge about food, and this is evident from his style of writing. He illustrates this in a clear but concise manner while covering all the main points thoroughly. Work Cited Elton, Sarah. Locavore: from farmers' fields to rooftop gardens : how Canadians are changing the way we eat. Pennsylvania: HarperCollins, 2010.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Historicising knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Historicising knowledge - Essay Example Scientific proof, scientific explanation and scientific approach are the fashionable terms of our contemporary life. What do we really mean by ‘scientific’? Is it just a set of hypotheses designed in some controlled conditions?Or is it merely based on certain mathematic calculations and observations? Or is it something like a convenient tool used by politicians to usher their political interests in the name of service/grant to society? This term has transcended all walks of life.Labour management too talks of Taylorism, which in effect separates conception and execution. The ‘scientific management’ of Taylorism is just decoupling the labor processes from the skills of the workers. Scientific approach is not alien to mankind. It had emanated from the moment of realization of human needs and attempts made to get satiated. Right from the Stone Age, starting from the invention of wheels several numerous inventions have come up. The growth of knowledge of science is grotesque to such an extent that many processes, which were really scientific, have become our way of life. Although we tend to admire a village school boy using his socks to fishing in the wayside pond, we are not prepared to call him an innovator or scientist. However, the approach adopted by the boy is really scientific. Man’s everyday perception with theoretical powers had well been conceived by Foucault. Creativity is the means to an end and not an end in itself. Innovation is the end, where the realization of the creative idea is felt in its fullest depth. Innovation means taking all the promising ideas and testing them for real. Despite failures en-route, goal-focused creativity leads to success. (Sloane. P, 2003: p.8) Thus, we can accept science as a way of life but not a superficial guide from the sky to give us always extraordinary. The over conscious style of life has created a sort of numbness giving way to ramification of ‘normal science’ and â⠂¬Ëœrevolutionary science’. Kuhn’s conception of paradigm although is subjected to criticism by many successors, could not be right away rejected as a misfit. Because, in Kuhn’s view science, whether normal science or revolutionary science, moves in traditional path of progress involving problems, anomaly, crisis and revolution. At this point of revolution he sensed a normal phase to recur allowing an acceptable alternate paradigm to evolve. (Mouton J, 1993: p.77) Kuhn’s work although restricted to problem-solving within the continuously developing domain of interpretations of the paradigm itself, he termed the continuous elaboration of ideas which constituted the original paradigm as ‘normal science’ (Wallace, 1972: p. 467, 469) PERCEPTIONS OF SCIENCE: Science is perceived currently as a provider of extraordinary comfort. The evidence based empirical results – of scientists, (Merquior, 1985: p.40) the ‘workers of evidenceâ€℠¢ – have formed a strong foundation of connotations in which the theories and hypotheses evolved in the process of scientific problem-solving are construed as the best and only reliable tools to near the truth. This is what we currently mean scientific approach. An approach that confirms each and every stage of progress is termed scientific approach. Scientists however are expected to evolve imaginable and sometimes unimaginable theories on issues. Such scientists are alone are construed as innovators. Darwin was hesitant to publish his idea of evolution in 1842, since a radical theory required massive observational evidence to be marshaled in its support. (McGrath, 2010: p.34) In fact theorization gets evolved after a long process of perceptions and necessities. (Pearson, p.134). The theory of planetary motion is in itself as logically necessary as the theory of circle (†¦) The necessity lies in the world of conceptions and is only unconsciously and illogically transfer red to the world of perception. While talking about the law of motion of a planet, Pearson

Thursday, September 26, 2019

A Critical Review of Theoretical Approaches to GPE Essay

A Critical Review of Theoretical Approaches to GPE - Essay Example Traditionally, there are six central concepts of GPE: state, firm, capital, power, labour and globalisation, which are, from analytical point of view, interconnected. At the forefront of GPE in the understanding of these concepts are the theories of rational choice, of neo-institutionalism, of neo-Marxism, of constructivism and of postmodernity. These, however, are the objects of ongoing debates among scholars, and several thoughts and analyses have posited new ideas and concepts, either affirming or negating them. This paper seeks to provide a critical review of three literatures on the subject, to wit: (1)‘Strategic Interests and International Political Economy’ by Stephen Greenwold, 1999, (2) ‘Competitiveness: A Dangerous Obsession’ by Paul Krugman, 1994, and (3) ‘Globalisation, Hegemony and Passive Revolution’ by Anne Showstack, 2001. The three literatures tackle interrelated concepts and theories of GPE. All three authors advocate for the realist perspectives in the understanding of GPE, competitiveness, and of hegemony and passive revolution in the context of globalization, respectively. Greenwold, Stephen (1999), in his article ‘Strategic Interests and International Political Economy’, discusses at length about the rivaling theories of IPE, how each is unique from and similar to the rest of the theories. However, Greenwold stresses on the realist theory as the most relevant and provides the most reasonable and sensible explanations in today’s socio-economic and political landscape, as it tries to look at the interrelatedness of economic forces and political forces in the shaping of nation-states. On the other hand, Krugman, Paul (1994) keenly tackles about a relatively new concept in economics which has revolutionized states and corporations at the onset of globalization. Krugman argues that the concept of nations as corporate companies competing against one another

Applied paramedic practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Applied paramedic practice - Assignment Example 2. For my personal development so far, I feel that my skills of taking a patient’s history and performing a physical examination are better than I previously was able to do. Part of this success is due to repetition--doing the same task over and over again. Also, I have improved with the reassessment of vital signs and interventions to see if I have used appropriate treatment of I have need to correct a mistake. 3. My experience of the past weeks has shown that there are some problems that I need to address. I can do so by improve my knowledge and skills in certain areas. I used to struggle with some of the knowledge, but I have been determined to make improvements so that I can achieve all of my objectives for this course. I still have a lot to learn, but I hope that by the end of this course I will be able to identify all of my strengths and weaknesses so that I know what I need to work on. 4. There are some new goals that I want to achieve in the short term. Over the next few weeks, I would like to focus on the pathophysiology principle so that I can improve my assessment skills. This is really important to me because it will help show where I am academically right now. Also, I want to be able to identify ECG and all of the paramedic drugs. These skills will come in handy in the future. 5. The applied paramedic practice topic is a comprehensive approach to everything that we have learned over the last three years. The integration of the areas of the curriculum helps me to assess patients and prescribe them with the right type of treatment. This is not only beneficial from the patient’s point of view, but it also gives me confidence because I understand what I am

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Human Development Across the Lifespan - Gender Identity Issues that Essay

Human Development Across the Lifespan - Gender Identity Issues that Adolescents May Face - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to focus on gender identity issues that adolescents face, and how they cope with them. Gender identity is defined as â€Å"the youngster’s internally perceived gender, regardless of chromosomal constitution, gonadal/ hormonal secretions, or genitalia† (Telingator & Daniolos, 2007: 79). Gender includes biological sex but is larger in scope, encompassing the socially prescribed roles which are considered appropriate for each sex, which are different in various cultures (Lee, 2005). Hence, gender role refers to culturally underwritten masculine and feminine behaviors, attitudes and personality traits which are based on biological factors as well as an individual’s environment. Aspects of sex-typed behavior in childhood, adolescence or in adulthood are affected by hormones that play a part very early in development, as early as age two or three, sometimes by age five or later (Sexson, 2005; Pescovitz & Eugster, 2004). At the core of adolescents’ development is the separation-individuation process by which adolescents become independent of their parents in a process similar to that which occurs during infancy. Children usually develop a gender identity which is in alignment with with their assigned sex, also known as their sex of rearing. The formation of gender identity is influenced by the combination of children’s temperament and parents’ qualities and attitudes. Culturally acceptable gender roles are learned stereotypical roles, by which boys are required to be masculine and girls to be feminine in their behavior and conduct. However, over the past few decades there has been increasing toleration for mild cross-gender activity in children (Sadock et al, 2007). â€Å"Sigmund Freud believed that gender identity problems resulted from conflicts experienced by children within the oedipal triangle† (Sadock et al, 2007: 718), which may be fueled by actual family

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Network Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Network Security - Essay Example In order to prevent such attacks in the future the following measures should be thoroughly applied. The employs should be enforced with strict regulation when it comes to dealing with spam mail. The employees should be educated on how to avoid suspicious emails (Minimizing the impact of the RSA SecurID breach, 2011). Security monitoring technologies should be used to monitor changes in user privileges and also add manual approvals to critical infrastructure and software (Minimizing the impact of the RSA SecurID breach, 2011). Also the infrastructure hosting critical software should be hardened and they should be monitored closely for remote and physical access. Help desks activities and any other activities that may result in information leakage should also be examined (Minimizing the impact of the RSA SecurID breach, 2011). Since the attack has taken place recently the full damage is too early to be predicted. According to RSA’s FAQ for the customers the threat of direct attack to the customers have been denied since the information stolen is useless, without the information held by individual customers (Inc.). Because of that RSA is confident there no immediate reason to call back any products. The local user should apply them selves with strict rules handling any type of spam mail or downloading attachments from unknown sources. Also they should avoid sharing their important credentials (usernames, passwords) with strangers. Even though the company effort and training to avoid spam based attack has not paid off. It is a good lesson to everyone (Litan, 2011). By utilizing the thousands of computers in DC++ file sharing service network this DoS have been launched against 40 companies over the last three months (Reimer, 2007). If such attack is launched using a single computer the attacker is easy traceable. So overcoming this barrier, using DC++ network’s

Monday, September 23, 2019

Students Preference of Theory or Practical Teaching Methods in Essay

Students Preference of Theory or Practical Teaching Methods in Orthodontic Postgraduate Education - Essay Example Due to the significance of the projected theme, an educator from New Zealand, Neil Fleming, designed a survey called VARK (Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic) in 1998. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the most preferred teaching technique of dental undergraduates and to illustrate any important distinction amongst the group of students. 31,243 respondents were interviewed regarding VARK preferences. The outcome of the research revealed that there were major divergences in students’ preferences for a particular teaching style. Overall, dental students preferred practical (kinaesthetic) learning to theoretical (aural) learning. The distribution of the scores also demonstrated preference for teachers who adopted well-planned practical teaching styles and assisted student note-taking throughout the teaching sessions. This case study will consider how these practices have impacted on teaching practices within the field of dental education. The paper will also report the outcomes of a small-scale survey of learning preferences of postgraduate orthodontics students and make recommendations for future teaching practice. Table of Contents Introduction 4 Problem Statement 5 Literature Review 6 Research Methodology 10 Data Collection Process 10 Distributed Questionnaires 11 Data Analysis 12 Validity and Reliability of the Case Study 12 Results 12 Discussion 15 Conclusion 18 Introduction The most important challenge facing dental instructors is the improvement in the quality of learner experience within the programme of study and educational surroundings. In undergraduate dental education, informative and scientific teaching is compressed into a span of four years sometimes even less (Bertolami 2001). This time span includes both theoretical and clinical practice which is a prerequisite to complete for successful graduation (Robotham n.d.). Although the incorporation of scientific approaches in the field of clinical practice is a fundamental aim of a ny dental course, learners often recognise that the secret for success in training is to pass the science classes by adopting rote learning and memorization approaches in addition to understanding the significance of this education when put into practice (Jordan, 2005). Bertolami (2001) has suggested that one of the most important reasons why students get frustrated with their programme of study was the lack of correspondence involving the learning (content) and the instruction delivery (form). While a considerable number of dental students had a preference for various learning techniques, most relied almost exclusively on the lecture as their primary means of information delivery. Teaching topics using lectures can be essentially passive for the learner and didactic approaches support rote memorization and note-taking (Biggs, 2003). It is essential for dental teachers to recognize that students differ from one another and what oftentimes differentiates them is their diverse approac hes to learning and knowledge retention. Adhering to all these factual revelations, this case study explores the preferred teaching technique of postgraduate orthodontic students at King’s College London orthodontic program using questionnaires as the method for data collection. This research question will serve the purpose

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Jon Lebed Essay Example for Free

Jon Lebed Essay Summary: In this case study we learn about Jonathan Lebed, at 15 years old, the youngest person during that time and the first minor to ever to face proceedings by the SEC for stock-market fraud. In 2000, Jonathan Lebed caused chaos in the stock trading industry and was accused of â€Å"pumping and dumping† stocks over the Internet. Between September 1999 and February 2000 Lebed made hundreds of thousands of dollars by posting in internet chat rooms and on message boards encouraging people to buy penny stocks he already owned, thus, according to the SEC, artificially raising the price of the stock. Lebed was found guilty by the SEC of wrong doing under Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 which addresses fraud in the use on interstate commerce. Under these acts it is unlawful for a person to intentionally provide false statements for the purposes of deceiving buyers. The SEC settled with him for a $285,000 of his earnings. His actions proved that the Internet could be a very powerful tool for fraud. The Context: The moral tone of the case study we were given to read, written by Michael Lewis, almost seemed to be a defense as to why what Jonathan had done should have been acceptable. Lewis seemed to portray Jonathan as just a kid doing what all financial analyst and stock gurus do daily, but since Jonathan was 15, and doing it well, then the Securities and Exchange Commission was â€Å"picking† on him. At times in the story their was a sense on emotional disarray, and no one wanting to be the blame or accept responsibility for the situation, especially between Jonathans, his mother, and father. Broader Ethical Perspective: In the case it was obvious that Jonathan did not have the best interest of all the parties involved in his best interest, which to me constitutes for one of the first red flags of the lack of ethical behavior. He also never showed care or any remorse of any potential wrong doing for anyone who may have been a victim to his gimmicks; he never took responsibility for his actions.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Why Do The Sociologists Need Theories?

Why Do The Sociologists Need Theories? In simple terms, theories are used by sociologists to explain how social phenomena has occurred. A theory is used as an explanation by sociologists as to why something occurs in society. Durkheim quotes, sociology is a way to discover ultimate truths about society, for the purpose of social improvement (Seidman, 2008). For most sociologists this quote summarizes the reasons they study society and in turn use theories to explain social phenomena. Theories offer people in sociology and outside sociology another view or take on a certain aspect of society. The more theories there are, the more choice and freedom of thought there is for someone looking for answers as to why society is the way it is. Hence theories are essential to the continuing development of society, providing potential answers to those who seek them. It is natural for humans to ask why and seek answers. Sociologist also use theories to abstract particular information and convert it into more general material, so that others can make sense of it. Further more they use theories to categorise and group sociological happenings into a specific class. In order to illustrate the above, the Neo-Marxist theorists Althusser and Gramsci will be compared, seeing as they both have their own unique approach to Marxism and interpreted Marxs ideas in different ways. Gramsci was the humanitarian Neo-Marxist while Althusser was more of a scientific Neo-Marxist (Kellner, 2005). With Althusser being a structuralist he in turn rejected Marxs Hegelian essentialism, the two kinds of which being economism and humanism (Scott, 2007). Hence Althusser was very much an anti-economist and anti-humanist. Althusser viewed ideology itself a determining inflection that moulds consciousness and ultimately represents a considerably large swerve away from economic determination (Scott, 2007). For Althusser ideology portrayed the relationship between the persons imagination and their actual conditions of existence. He felt that ideology transformed humans into subjects of ideological process that shaped them while at the same time they are conned into viewing t hemselves as self- determining agents. (Benton 1998). Further more Althussers theories can often relate to functionalism (Swingewood, 2000). Gramsci was also a strongly influential Marxist thinker. Like Althusser, he rejected economism, but also rejected crude materialism and instead offer a humanist version of Marxism which focused on human subjectivity (Nield Seed, 1981). He adopted the term hegemony to depict the supremacy of social classà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ over others which in essence referred in particular to the bourgeoisie dominance over the working class (Nield Seed, 1981). As well as hegemony being used as an economic and political tool, he felt it gave the dominant bourgeoisie class the ability to project its own way of viewing the world upon the lower classes who then accept this as common sense and part of life. A key difference between the two Marxist theories is that contrary to Althusser, Gramsci highlights struggle and conflict (Nield Seed, 1981). He claimed that common sense was not a solid state and constantly transformed itself. Gramsci s theory meant a rejection of economism due to th e fact it saw the struggle for ideological hegemony as a major factor in social change. Overall, there were more criticisms of Althussers theories that in turn led many to favor Gramscis theories, with particular credit given to his theory of hegemony. A number of strengths can be found across the board of Marxist theory. Contrary to the mass media, Marxism takes into account the importance of explicit theory (Swingewood, 2000). The Marxist critical theory attracts consideration to the matter of political and economic interests in the mass media and emphasizes the social inequalities in media representation whilst revealing the myth of value-free social science (Swingewood, 2000). Whilst Althussers theories help to attenuate the allegory of the absolute individual, other Marxist attitudes see the media as a site of struggle. Marxist theory accentuates the importance of social class in relation to the media and the publics understanding of media, which remains a valuable factor in media assay (Kellner, 2005). This Marxist analysis is useful in that during the distribution of power in society, certain types of reality end up with more influence than others, which in essence means Marxist theory reveals how the media makes less import ant new seem far more important that it is. Meanwhile more serious and important news is sometimes swept aside and not focused on by the media for a tactical purpose. While the strengths of Marxist theory seem to outweigh the limitations, some limitations can be found. Some contest that Marxism is just another ideology, with some Marxists being accused of being too doctrinaire (following the theory regardless of its practicality). Fundamentalist Marxism is crudely deterministic, allowing not much amplitude for human agency or subjectivity (Swingewood, 2000). Another point is that Marxism is often seen as an elevated form of theory which concentrates on the grand scheme and in turn averting empirical research. This means Marxist analysis of media does not include vigorous enough studies. In conclusion, sociologists need theories to explain social phenomena and explain how the sociological world has come to be like it is. Theories offer people another view on a certain aspect of society. We all think theoretically in our own way, although the key difference that sociological theorists use is that they think theoretically in a systematic manner. Sociological theorists will arrive at different explanations for events than the theoretical approach of a normal person, and therefore will need to create a theory to explain it. Using the example of Marxist theories and theorists, in particular Althusser and Gramsci, it is possible to see why sociologists need theories. Praktische opdracht A.K: Nike Praktische opdracht A.K: Nike Inleiding: Ik heb dit merk gekozen omdat ik er graag meer over wil weten. Ik weet wel dat het eindproduct heel mooi is, maar wat voor soorten textiel ze gebruiken en hoe de import en export wordt geregeld weet ik allemaal nog niet. Ik hoop dat ik doormiddel van dit onderzoek er wel achter zal komen. Deelvraag 1: Hoe is Nike ontstaan? Het begon allemaal toen de vrouw van bouwerman tijdens het ontbijt altijd wafels bakte. Bill kwam op het idee dat je de zelfde manier ook bij schoenen kan doen zodat de schoenen dan ook lichter worden. Hij maakte een paar stuks met de hand, en zag dat er veel vraag was naar de schoenen. Toen dacht hij er aan met Phill om van China de schoenen te exporteren.Toen begonnen ze met hun bedrijfje. Johnson begon een winkeltje met de geà ¯mporteerde schoenen. Het logo Swoosh werd in 1971 ontworpen en kwam op alle artikelen van Nike. De Moon Shoe is de eerste schoenen collectie werd in 1972 geà ¯ntroduceerd, speciaal gemaakt voor atleten, omdat ze lichte schoenen nodig hadden. De schoenen werden ook verkocht in Verenigde Staten. Toen werd ook de eerste sponsorcontract getekend met de Roemeense tennisster Emma Ballard. Er werden een jaar later ook fabrieken en bedrijven geopend in Taiwan en Zuid-Korea. De eerste air schoenen werden in 1979 gemaakt, de schoenen zijn gevuld met gas zodat je je makkelijker kan bewegen met de schoenen. Vanaf de jaren 80 werd Nike het grootste sportmerk ter wereld. Deelvraag 2: Waar wordt Nike geproduceerd: Nike is Amerikaans, maar laat haar producten vooral in Azià « produceren. Nike wordt geproduceerd in landen waar de productiekosten heel laag liggen en de arbeiders het minimumloon krijgen en zo weinig mogelijk rechten hebben, zoals: Zuid-Korea, Taiwan, Filippijnen en Maleisià «. Later werd ook in Vietnam geproduceerd, omdat Nike nog meer landen zocht met lage lonen, maar de fabrieken werden onderneemt door Zuid -Koreaanse en Taiwanese ondernemers. Nu worden Nike producten vooral geproduceerd in China, Vietnam, Thailand en Indonesià «. Maar voor moeilijkere werk ook in Zuid-Korea en Taiwan en in Cambodja, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Mexico, El Salvador, Dominicaanse Republiek enz De productie van nike wordt op de volgende manier gemaakt: 1 de model wordt eerst ontworpen. 2 dan wordt het uitgewerkt bij onderaannemers. 3 de onderaannemers produceren het product in fabrieken in lage loonlanden zoals: Thailand, Indonesià «, China of Vietnam, de onderdelen van à ©Ãƒ ©n product worden vaak in verschillende landen gemaakt. Nike wordt natuurlijk in heel Europa verkocht, maar de hoofdkantoor van Nike ligt in Oregon in VS en in Europa ligt de Kantoor in Hilversum. In Australià « Nieuw-Zeeland en verschillende Aziatische landen heb je ook een Nike -Kantoor. Deelvraag 3: Is er een verband tussen globalisering en de verkoopcijfers van het merk? Er is wel een verband tussen de globalisering en de verkoopcijfers van het merk Nike. Sommige landen hebben betere eind producten dan andere landen. Doordat ontstaat er concurrentie. De globalisering speelt een rol bij vestigingsfactoren. De globalisering heeft ook invloed op de economie. Als de globalisering zich ontwikkeld dan wordt het economie ook mee ontwikkeld. Zoals we weten heeft Nederland kwalitatieve concurrentiefactoren, zoals op het gebied van arbeid en kwaliteit. Er is een zeer grote verband tussen globalisering en de verkoopcijfers van Nike. Nike is een succesvolle merk dat bekend is over de hele wereld. Het wordt overal verkocht je hebt in veel landen fabrieken die Nike kleding en schoenen produceren de hoofdkantoor ligt in Hilversum, en de verkoophandel gaat heel goed. Zoals u ziet draagt bijna iedereen Nike kleding. Er zijn fabrieken in verschillende landen in Azià « waar Nike kleding wordt gemaakt. mensen kopen steeds meer merk kleding dat komt omdat het steeds pop ulair wordt voor jongeren die een grote belangstelling hebben voor merk kleding. Of sommige mensen willen daar mee laten zien dat hun welvaart goed is en daar door ze het ook kunnen kopen. Deelvraag 4: Wat zijn de gevolgen voor de lokale economie en lokale milieu in de productielanden? De economie wordt juist beter, want er is dan minder werkloosheid in die landen omdat Nike ook een bekend merk is over de hele wereld en goed wordt verkocht wordt er ook meer geproduceerd en stijgt de economie. Zoals je weet is Nike een Amerikaanse merk en in Amerika is de economie niet zo slecht. Jaarlijks wordt er steeds meer verkocht dan er voor, maar er wordt ook in landen in Azià « Nike geproduceerd en in die landen gaat het een stuk minder met de economie. Als de fabrieken de kleding maken, dan kan het milieuvervuiling groter worden. Hoe meer ze kleding produceren hoe meer de fabrieken voor vervuiling zorgen. Gevolgen voor de milieu: Meer fabrieken in een gebied. Meer vervuiling. Meer grondstoffen in een fabriek. Meer grondstofvervuiling. Luchtvervuiling. lucht wordt vervuild door uitlaatgassen en andere gassen. Watervervuiling. is altijd vervuild door afval en fabrieken. Bodemvervuiling. De fabrieken vervuilen de omgeving. Meer fabrieken werden geplaatst op een plek. Omdat er weinig plekken zijn voor de fabrieken. In fabrieken worden producten gemaakt, en bij het maken van producten komen er schadelijke stoffen vrij. En al die stoffen komen in de lucht terecht, daarom wordt er een doorlopentijd gemaakt zodat het product niet schadelijk kan zijn voor ons als we het inademen. Bij die landen waar producten worden geproduceerd is de grond verzilt waardoor er confectiekleding wordt gebruikt tegen die stoffen. De vezels worden gebruikt voor het maken van touw. Het water stonk, het was te vies om te drinken en het was gevaarlijk. De vervuiling was dat er teveel natuurlijke stoffen van de productie in het water kwamen waardoor er een bodemerosie ontstaat. Bodemvervuiling ontstaat doordat de mens zomaar dingen op de grond gooit die hij niet nodig heeft. En daardoor wordt de bodem vervuilt en als het door gaat zal het erger worden. Deelvraag 5: Waarom verkoopt dit merk goed? Nike is een merk dat heel bekend is geworden naar mate de tijd. Dat komt natuurlijk vooral doordat bekende sporters die merk dragen. De Nederlandse elftal loopt in T-shirts van Nike. Veel voetballers, tennissers, atleten, golfers, voetbalelftallen dragen die merk. En vooral nadat de Nike -sneakers kwamen dat heeft er voor gezorgd dat de verkoop met 25% is gaan stijgen ook de winst is hoger geworden dan was verwacht. Het steeg van 261,2 miljoen dollar naar 326,8 miljoen dollar. De aandelen stegen natuurlijk ook mee van 0,98 dollarcent naar 1,21 dollar. Nike heeft Adidas als de grote concurrent, vooral nadat Adidas-Reebok kwam is de concurrentie nog meer geworden. Puma, Asics en Fila zijn 3 andere merken die het ook moeilijk maken voor Nike. Nike wordt verkocht onder de namen Nike, Air Jordan en Nike Air. Converse, Bauer en Cole Haan, dat zijn de dochterondernemingen van Nike. De actie van back-to-school seizoen van Chuck Taylor Convers zorgde voor een verkoopstijging van 12% in de VS. Doordat bekende sporters zoals Serena Williams de merk Nike dragen vooral tijdens de olympische spelen is dat een steeds betere succes voor Nike. Een paar namen die worden gesponsord en een contract hebben met Nike: Ronaldinho, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer en Michael Jordan. Ook Fc Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United en PSV. Nike heeft over de hele wereld 26.700 werknemers in dienst.In 2006 heeft Nike een winst gemaakt van 15 miljard dollar. Zo kun je zien dat het wel goed gaat met het bedrijf. Hoofdvraag: Is Nike de Belangrijkste merk op de markt? Als we ons meer gaan richten op de sportmerken dan is Nike à ©Ãƒ ©n van de topmerken over de hele wereld. Dat komt natuurlijk vooral doordat bekende sporters die merk dragen. De Nederlandse elftal loopt in T-shirts van Nike. Veel voetballers, tennissers, atleten, golfers, voetbalelftallen dragen die merk. Er is een zeer grote verband tussen globalisering en de verkoopcijfers van Nike. Nike is een succesvolle merk dat bekend is over de hele wereld. Zon wereldberoemd merk als Nike word al snel door vele mensen gedragen. Vanaf de jaren 80 werd Nike het grootste sportmerk ter wereld. Nike heeft Adidas als de grote concurrent, vooral nadat Adidas-Reebok kwam is de concurrentie nog meer geworden. Puma, Asics en Fila zijn 3 andere merken die het ook moeilijk maken voor Nike.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Consumer benefits and drawbacks of shopping online

Consumer benefits and drawbacks of shopping online In the following essay I attend to track the recent growth on the web/e-retail sales and analyse, compare and critique the consumer benefits and drawbacks of shopping online compared to conventional store from the perspective of consumer behaviour, brand marketing and the application of the seven Cs of retailing. The business of e-retail has been defined as the sale of goods and services via Internet or the other electronic channels for personal or household use by consumers (Dennis 2002). The explosive growth of the Internet has revolutionised many aspects of daily life (Routledge, 2000). Since the development of the Internet in the early 90s and its relevance in e-commerce the Internet has allowed effective new communications channels, easy access, flexibility and the potential to upload a huge amount of information to a global audience. Online shopping has evolved with the growth of technology. Online shopping has had a dramatic impact and become very popular, however it still carters to middle and upper class. A significant feature in consumer attitude towards non-store shopping is exposure to technology, since it has been established that amplified exposure to technology increases the probability of developing favourable attitudes towards new shopping channels (Bigne, Enrique.2005). Growth of the web The occurrence of the Internet has already had a remarkable impact on society, there are more people online than at any other point in history and online retailers have seen tremendous increase in their online earning potential. PricewaterhouseCoopers predict that by 2014 the UK entertainment and media business will be worth an estimate  £56 billion (video on nile week 4 uk entertainment media). The rapid growth of the Web and Web development has been the result of many innovative advances in Web technology, Feather calls this the webolution. Everyday more and more people are integrating the internet into their daily lives due to the flexible opportunities on offer. Feather forecasts that a vast rapid growth on the Internet will concur over the next ten years transforming all aspects of society. Feather argues that half of North America will be living a web lifestyle in which they will also be connected to the internet and be able to control their homes, automobiles, work and lesse n the need to commute to a remote work site. Developed countries that have been offering e-commerce have shown impressive improvement in their respective economies (Javalgi et al., 2005) however the Gulf Area seem to be struggling to keep up with the western world. While consumers from the western world take for granted Internet banking and Internet shopping the Arab world are struggling due to major obstacles mainly poor infrastructure, under investment and slow connection speed. Another major concern that is contributing to their lack of slow growth is the insufficient and compelling amount of content in Arabic; only 0.2% of websites are in Arabic. However the Gulf area presents a huge potential market with over 30million web users but organisations feel its an expensive process to translate. On the other hand the new deregulation has allowed competition to enter, before only one ISP company was available to the masses but now with an increase of ISP companies they have started to push the limit on service. This new competition has driven down prices because the Internet has become more accessible and affordable for users. Video(nile of BBC Middle East Business Report: Internet Growth in the Middle East video on nile week 4) The huge growth area though, is in mobile internet access (appendix). Mobile Commerce has been defined as follows: Mobile Commerce is any transaction, involving the transfer of ownership or rights to use goods and services, which is initiated and/or completed by using mobile access to computer-mediated networks with the help of an electronic device (Tiwari, R.; Buse, S. (2007) Mobile is literally how consumers live in todays worldwide society and businesses have already seen this change in the way consumers connect to the internet. Businesses have realised the new trend and due to the improvement on browsing on smart phones this is set to increase rapidly. (Ebay appendix) Customer benefits and drawbacks To most consumers important attributes of online shopping are convenience and accessibility (Wolfinbarger and Gilly, 2001). Online shopping is becoming more and more popular each year as consumers take advantage of the convenience, wide variety of products and low prices available when shopping online. Over the years the Internet has become a great source for bargain hunters for good reason, there are many great buys online with price comparison companies that help consumers find the best prices, shipping and tax advantages, and the convenience of not having to leave home. However sometimes the deal that looks like a bargain may fall short of what has been advertised. Being able to walk into a physical store and able to see, feel, try, easily ask questions and compare different products side by side with ease makes for a strong case to why brick and mortar shopping is more of an engaging experience. One major benefit of brick and mortar shopping is its organisation. Its straight-forward layout allows consumers to easily locate the right department and the right products effortlessly. Online sites offer similar organisations layouts by providing search capabilities and well designed websites with easy navigations. Another factor could be the relationship between attitudes of attractiveness of alternatives. The consumer although might have a positive attitude toward online shopping, lead by the strong attractiveness of the brick-and-mortar alternative. Therefore, he will choose to shop offline, despite his positive attitude toward shopping on the Internet. Online stores recommend certain products over others, while all websites offer descriptions for each product, it may not always be the best thing because the descriptions can be either too general or too detailed, making it difficult to compare two or more products on their features. A negative aspect of shopping online is the communication dissatisfaction because consumers miss that face to face link, not having an informed person available to provide an immediate answer. However websites now provide independent reviews by customers who have brought each product and display their own personal opinion which in the long run is beneficial to consumers because it helps strengthen their decision on whether or not to purchase a product. Other advantages and disadvantages for shopping online include: (see appendix) Perspective of consumer behaviour Retailers and researchers have been aware that shopping is not just a matter of acquiring tangible products but also about experience, enjoyment and entertainment. In the e-shopping context, experience and enjoyment originate from consumers interactions with an e-retail site. Factors can influence a consumers decision when shopping online, these include the following: Image: Traditional retailers with strong images have long been making the running in e-retail. According to Kimber (2001) instore and online shopper loyalty are linked. Image is the significant perception from the eyes of the consumer to build up their overall evaluation or rating, in such a way to guide their decision making process. Consumers are more likely to buy from a store that they consider to have a positive image e.g. price, brand or customer service. For example Tesco is recognised as having a positive image both instore and online, being the UK grocery market leader in both channels and the worlds largest e-grocer. Social: One social interaction is reference groups. These are groups that serve as a point of reference for an individual. They are perceived as credible and powerful can change consumers attitude and behaviour (see table1 appendix major consumer reference group pg332). When having doubts about obtaining accurate information about products or services, consumers are more likely to communicate with like-minded people who can be important motivators that influence decisions. Consumer related reference groups include the following: (see appendix book page 334) Opinion leadership unofficially influence the actions or attitudes of consumers who may be opinion seekers or purely opinion recipients. Opinion leaders are highly credible sources of information because their intentions are perceived as being in the best interest of the opinion recipient because unlike commercial endorsers, opinion leaders do not actually represent the interests of one company and receive no compensation for their advice. Comparisons of opinion leaders and receivers (appendix pg 506) Product characteristics: Consumers decisions whether or not to shop online are also influenced by the variety of products or services available. In essence some product categories are more suitable for online shopping than other categories, the lack of physical contact and assistance in shopping on the Internet is one factor that influences this suitability. Kare Silver (2001) created the electronic shopping test to measure a product to calculate the chances that it will be purchased online. Three factors affected the potential sell for products: Product Characteristics Familiarity and Confidence Consumer Attributes More information + example of electronic shopping test (appendix) Brand marketing Brands are ever more important on the internet with further competitors due to the global presences; brands are the link to maintaining the relationship between e-retailers and consumers. Consumers have a variety of choices and are more liable to choose e-retailers they know who represent value and are trustworthy. Brand elements are the point of contact between the brand and consumer which is intended to mirror the wanted look and feel of the brand and what it represents. For the brand to succeed all elements must be implemented correctly, however branding a company as something they do not represent is worse than no branding at all because it raises consumer expectations about the quality of what they will receive. Lindstorm (2001) dictates both trust and interactivity are the main factors when shopping online. Consumers perception of e-brands are driven by their total experience on the website, making trust a significant long-term barrier because there is no personal interaction buying on the internet offers potential risks e.g. security transactions. E-retailers can interact and build trust with consumers in a number of ways (appendix model of e-branding pg 176). E-retail mix assists e-retailers to achieve designated objectives. Prices and advertising remain a key element but online e-retailers benefit from using banner ads, pop ups and affiliate marketing. Difference forms of retail mix and e-retail mix (appendix) Loyalty marketing strategies, including communication and two-way dialog, rewards, effective customer service and service loyalty schemes and are an important aspect of brand building (Cuthbertson and Bridson, 2006). One way Adidas use the e-mix effectively is to allow consumers to create accounts to make their shopping experience easier. They offer exclusive deals/discounts on products, able to keep track of orders and personalised homepage when signed in makes consumers feel the brand are paying great attention to their needs, help build and maintain a relationship.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Galileo Church v. Hero Essay -- Religion Philosophy Essays

Galileo Church v. Hero It is a volatile point in history: the intersection of science and religion at the height of the Inquisition; it is a time when the Church reigns and a man, a physicist, must choose life or death, himself or science. Galileo Galilei's legendary dilemma and the circumstances surrounding it are presented in Bertolt Brecht's Galileo from a perspective that is clearly criticizing institutions with such controlà ³in this case, the Catholic churchà ³while reminding us that men are simply men, no matter how heroic their actions appear. These issues are expounded throughout the play; however, Scene 11 has the most significant role in Galileo's development, as it simultaneously reveals the extent of the Church's control and humanizes Galileo in just a few lines. Despite his courage to venture into unexplored realms of science and thought, Galileo is not a hero. He is only a man. Scene 11 is the shortest scene in the play and one of only three scenes in which the title character does not appear. Yet it is here that Galileo is made completely human. In the quest for a hero, one might ignore his almost hedonistic desire for food, thought, and fine wine and the sacrifices that he makes to acquire money. These characteristics of Galileo are revealed early in the play, when he plagiarizes another man's telescope invention in order to get a salary raise from the city (Scenes 1 and 2), and then again in Scene 11 when the Pope says, "He has more enjoyment in him than any other man I ever saw. He loves eating and drinking and thinking. To excess. He indulges in thinking bouts! He cannot say no to an old wine or a new thought" ( Brecht 109). However, one cannot ignore a hero's cowardice in the face of physical pain. I... ... Nobody has planned a part for us beyond this wretched one on a worthless star. There is no meaning in our misery'" (Brecht 84). The people rely on the Church to lead them to a better life in heaven; their faith is all that they know. It is the Pope's duty to preserve the unity that comes from shared faith, and because he is controlled by that which he governs, he cannot refuse to punish Galileo for fear of social collapse. Brecht cleverly uses Scene 11 to plant seeds of thought in the minds of his audience members. Through the controversy of Galileo's life and the circumstances surrounding his session with the Inquisition, Galileo explores both the dangers of institutional control and the folly of elevating men to a heroic status. One will only be disappointed when both prove fallible. Bibliography Brecht, Bertolt. Galileo. New York: Grove Press, 1966.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Frosts mending Wall Vs. Floyds the Wall :: essays research papers fc

From Robert Frost's Mending Wall to Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall, humankind erects and maintains real and symbolic barriers to protect and defend opposing stances, beliefs and territories. Although each "wall" is different they serve the same purpose and both Frost and Floyd oppose them. Robert Frost's Mending Wall is a very popular poem. This poem consists of two characters: the narrator and his neighbor. In this poem the two neighbors are mending a stone wall that separates their property. The wall mending has been a pastime of the neighbors for many years and occurs every spring. Over the winter the wall has fallen victim to both hunters and the frozen ground and, therefore, contains gaps that must be filled.In the poem the narrator questions the sense of even mending the wall . He concludes that neither of the farms contain animals, only trees, which would be enough of a boundary. There is no physical need for the wall, so why go through the trouble of fixing it every year for no apparent reason. Although the narrator is right the ignorant neighbor insists that they mend the wall by saying "Good fences make good neighbors."(Frost) The neighbor repeats this saying although he doesn't know why the wall is necessary nor does he know why it will make them better neighbors . Frost is criticizing the ignorance of the neighbor here. Mending Wall, although it doesn't appear it on the surface, almost parallels to a popular Pink Floyd song, Another Brick in the Wall. The speakers of the song are students and the poem is directed towards teachers. In this song, as in Mending Wall, a barrier is discussed, but this time it is a phsycological barrier instead of a physical one. This barrier has been put up by society and is being built up by the teachers. The students are calling out against this building up of the wall. As it is stated in the song: "All in all you're(teachers) just another brick in the wall."(Floyd) This barrier being put up is restraining the students' freedom of thought, a process that has gone on and become reinforced over a long period of time. Floyd has realized this barrier and is calling out against it as he says:"We don't need no thought control."(Floyd)The barrier put up by education is just as unnecessary to Floyd as the stone wall is to Frost.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Ethical Perspectives Essay

ABSTRACT: This paper will describe the four different types of ethical perspectives. We will start by describing my ethical perspective; which I found out to be â€Å"character† from my results on the Ethical Awareness Inventory Assessment. We will then evaluate the four types of ethical perspectives. Which include character/virtue, obligation/deontology, results/utilitarianism, and lastly, equity/relativism. Then we will conclude with a brief discussion on issues one is likely to encounter dealing with ethical dilemmas at Bank of America. The four ethical perspectives include character/virtue, obligation/deontology, results/utilitarianism, and equity/relativism; thus, making up CORE. These different ethical perspectives help to explain what drives an individual’s decision when faced with an ethical dilemma. It is easy for someone to say what they will do when faced with an example of an ethical dilemma; however, it is another thing to make that same decision when faced with an actual real-life dilemma. By understanding what perspective compels someone to make an ethical decision, it will be easier to make that decision when one really has to. I have found that my ethical perspective is character/virtue. I was not surprised when I got my results. I have always done my best to live a life of integrity, which is very important to me. The people in my life would agree. Character is a very, if not the most, important part of a persons make up. Without character you have no solid or clear foundation. Without character you most likely with not possess strong morals naturally. Character is the beginning building block of a successful and trustworthy person who is dependable and values integrity. Character/Virtue The properties of a virtue are very different from that of other moral concepts, such as value. Virtues are something that you possess only if you practice them. Values are what is important to people. I may value honesty, but not always tell the truth. I cannot possess the virtue of honesty without telling the truth (Ciulla, 2004). Aristotle once said, â€Å"Virtues are good habits that we learn from society and our leaders.† People must practice virtues while being fully conscious that what they are doing  is morally right. One thing about the Greek concept of virtue (aretà ©), which is also means excellence, is that it does not separate an individual’s ethics from one’s occupational ability. Both Plato and Aristotle used many examples of doctors, musicians, coaches, rulers, etc. to talk about the relationship between moral and professional excellence. Aristotle wrote, â€Å"Every excellence brings to good the thing to which it is the excellence and makes t he work of that thing be done well. . . . Therefore, if this is true in every case, the excellence of man also will be the state which makes man good and which makes him do his work well.† (Ciulla, 2004) Obligation/Deontology Deontological ethics or deontology, which means obligation or duty in Greek, is an approach to ethics that focuses on the right or wrong of actions themselves, as opposed to the consequences of those actions. It is sometimes described as â€Å"duty† or â€Å"obligation† based ethics, because deontologists believe that ethical rules â€Å"bind you to your duty†. Deontological ethics is commonly contrasted with consequentiality or teleological ethical theories, according to which the rightness of an action is determined by its consequences. Deontologists, such as W. D. Ross, hold that the consequences of an action, such as lying, may make lying the right thing to do (Ross, 2002). Many people feel obligated to do what is right just because of their ethical practices. I feel that no matter what, you should be ethical in everything that you do. Results/Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility, that is, its contribution to happiness or pleasure as summed among all persons. It is therefore a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome. Utility has been defined by various people as happiness or pleasure, though preference utilitarians, define it as the satisfaction of preferences. It may be described as a life stance with happiness or pleasure as ultimate importance (Wikipedia 2008). Utilitarianism can be contrasted with deontological ethics (which disregards the consequences of performing an act, when determining its moral worth) and virtue ethics (which focuses on character), as well as with other varieties of consequentialism. Supporters of these opposing views have extensively  criticized the utilitarian view; though utilitarians have been similarly critical of other types of ethical perspective. In general, use of the term utilitarian often refers to a somewhat narrow economic or pragmatic viewpoint (Broad, 1930). Equity/Relativism In philosophy, moral relativism is the position that moral or ethical propositions do not reflect objective and/or universal moral truths, but instead make claims relative to social, cultural, historical, or personal circumstances. Moral relativists hold that no universal standard exists by which to assess an ethical proposition’s truth; moral subjectivism is therefore the opposite of moral absolutism. Relativistic positions often see moral values as applicable only within certain cultural boundaries (cultural relativism), or in the context of individual preferences (moral subjectivism). An extreme relativist position might suggest that judging the moral or ethical judgments or acts of another person or group has no meaning. Though, most relativists advocate a more limited version of the theory. In moral relativism, there are no absolute rights and wrongs, only different situations (Wikipedia 2008). Some moral relativists hold that a personal and subjective moral core lies at the base of individuals’ moral acts. In this view, public morality reflects social convention, and only personal, subjective morality expresses true authenticity. Moral relativism differs from moral pluralism, which acknowledges the co-existence of opposing ideas and practices; but accepts limits to differences, such as when vital human needs are violated. Moral relativism, in contrast, grants the possibility of moral judgments that do not accept such limits (Wikipedia 2008). Working in a banking environment, I believe having the ethical perspective of character is very important. Naturally having a moral and ethical character places confidence and trust in my superiors that I will do what is ethically right in every situation. I do not see many issues arising in my organization because Bank of America places our Code of Ethics as a priority that each associate must abide by. Understanding character, we see that ethical decisions are made naturally because it is right. I do my best to  uphold Bank of America’s code in everything I do. In conclusion, there are many differences to the types of ethical perspectives with few related qualities. Individuals from diverse walks of life and belief systems come to their own ethical perspective conclusion in many different ways. My personal ethics perspective is character. I believe having good character is a vital part of one’s life. It will not only lead to success, but earn people’s respect along the way. The admiration of others, and the trust and confidence they will feel from one that has great character is priceless. My father has always taught me that â€Å"you can never be wrong doing the right thing.† I live my life by this and encourage others to as well. References Broad, C. (1930). Five types of ethical theory. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co. Ciulla, J. (2004). Ethics, the heart of leadership. Connecticut: Praeger. Ross, W. D. (2002). The right and the good. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Wikipedia. (2008). Retrieved September 17, 2008 from http://www.wikipedia.org

Monday, September 16, 2019

Huck Finn’s Transformation Essay

By the end of the first half of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I noticed a few changes in Huckleberry Finn’s attitude towards certain things. Huck’s outlook on life shifted rather dramatically before pap had kidnapped him. Though he had mixed feelings regarding his life with the widow, he, for the most part, was content living with her because not only was he educated, clothed, and fed properly, but he also felt slightly protected from pap. However, after pap captured Huck and locked him inside a secluded cabin, his opinion changed. Initially, he was scared of pap and was miserable being locked inside for days on end. He remained scared of pap, but gradually began to enjoy life without the widow. He said, â€Å"I didn’t see how I’d ever got to like it so well at the widow’s, where you had to wash, and eat on a plate, and comb up, and go to bed, and get up regular, and be forever bothering over a book†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Twain 32). Many transformations took place in Huck after he feigned his death and ran away from pap as well. Some of the changes were fairly minor, but I felt that they added up and also proved that Huck was not as stubborn as he once was. They proved that he truly did have the ability to change. A paradigm of a minor change was in Huck’s opinion regarding praying. At the beginning of the novel, he looked down upon praying and religion because he thought them to be useless and claimed that praying didn’t work. But after he found the loaves of bread with quicksilver inside them, he thought that the widow, or someone else, had probably prayed that the bread would find him, and it did. Huck then decided that praying might be effective (45). The most significant change that I noticed in Huck was at the end of chapter 15. Jim and Huck had been separated and could not find each other because of the foggy conditions. However, Huck thought it would be funny to fool Jim and convince him that it was all in his dream. When Jim realized that Huck was lying, he was extremely hurt and offended. At first, Huck let Jim walk away, but then he said, â€Å"It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterward, neither† (89). This was a huge deal, because at that time, a white person would never apologize to a slave.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

The Directive for the American Dream

Robert Frost is one of the most popular poets in America. He was known as the favorite poet of the country’s citizens (Hollander). In â€Å"Directive†, one of his popular works, Frost became controversial as the interpretation of the poem actually suggested that in order to find one’s self; one has to get lost first. This may be true as there is no necessity to find something which is not lost. However, by claiming this in his poem, it has been said that Frost has presented to his audience the modern version of the American dream. The American DreamThe concept, American Dream, began from the writer James Truslow Adams. He used it in his book, â€Å"Epic of America†, which was published in 1931. The concept referred to that dream or vision of a land in which life is better, richer, and fuller for all people. The opportunities in this land are according to each person’s ability and accomplishments. It is not merely a dream of people to have high-end p roperties and earn high salaries; instead it is a vision of a social order in which all men and women may be able to achieve the fullest stature that their innate capability may bring them.This is regardless of concepts that are relative to fate or destiny, like circumstances of birth or position (â€Å"What is the American Dream†). During the 30’s, the century in which this work was published, the American dream actually started to become vague. Although there were people who believed strongly in the American dream, there were also those who slowly lost faith. America was then under the great depression and its economy was at a very low status; thus, the vision of the American dream seemed rather obscure (Sutton). However, as the time passed, the cloudiness of the vision started to clear up.America slowly got to its feet again and the dreamers, who woke up during the great depression, began to dream again. Today the dream is still on-going and the dreamers have now gr own to multitudes. From Americans who believed their founding fathers, the dream has already spread to other countries (Sutton). Foreigners who continued to enter America were said to have been armed with their American dream. They come into the country, with the desire to earn for themselves and their families and to achieve greater. This is then current generation’s view of the American dream (Bohan).This may be what Frost was referring to in his poem. It may be remembered that the poem, â€Å"Directive† was about a speaker telling someone that he can accompany him around, direct him somewhere. But there is a huge probability that he may only take the person to the wrong destination as indicated by this line, â€Å"if you'll let a guide direct you/ Who only has at heart your getting lost† (Frost). This may point that Frost was trying to tell his audience that in order for a person to find his true destination, he must first get lost.In the earlier part of the poem the speaker described the places that the person he will be accompanying may go through. It is an old town, where everything is dilapidated and destroyed. The roads were once walked on yet no longer visited and patronized. It is a place that people has deserted (Frost). This may be comparable to the fact that when foreign migrants start to envision something great for themselves and decides to transfer to America, he leaves behind the home he once knew. The deserted place may refer to the life the migrants once had. It was tattered, of not the best quality, and very poor.Now the journey that the poem is referring to may be the travel in order to achieve the American dream. This may refer to the part of the migrant’s life where he enacts the dream and tries to fulfill it. In the poem, this is the line that says, ‘Make yourself up a/cheering song of how /Someone's road home from work this once was, /Who may be just ahead of you on foot† (Frost). It indicates th at many have done the same things and many have dreamed the same dream and have embarked on the journey. They left their home, their old lives, and even their identities.The way that the migrants left their identities behind is the notion of ‘lost’ that was being referred to by Frost in his work. Paralleling this to the American dream, it should be noted that foreign people enter the country to work and the citizens have the tendency to discriminate. These immigrants are not only viewed unequally by the citizens; they are also treated unequally by those who employ them. One common instance is the case of the Mexican laborers who are paid with lower wages but given bigger and more difficult jobs than American laborers.People seem to have this notion that when the work is done by Mexicans, it can be as good and efficient but not as costly. This notion is directly related to their racial affiliations (La Botz). The fact that when they are seen this way denotes that they ha ve already lost their dignity and themselves. There seems to be no hope if this kind of situation is examined, however, as the poem indicates, â€Å"And if you're lost enough to find yourself/ By now, pull in your ladder road behind you/ And put a sign up CLOSED to all but me./Then make yourself at home† (Frost), the drawback is not without a price. After being lost, the person finally finds his destination. Relative to the immigrant workers, the destination is the fulfillment of their American dream. Given this, it may then be concluded that using various symbolic words such as destinations, lost, and home in the poem â€Å"Directive†, Robert Frost was able to present to the public his idea on modern American Dream. He was able to expose to his readers that the modern American dream involves getting lost and finding one’s self again as narrated in his poem.He was also able to pinpoint that this generation’s American dream is no longer limited to the citi zens of the country but also to foreigners who are willing to get lost in order to find themselves finally. Works Cited Bohan, RT. 2008. â€Å"Immigrants and the American Dream†. Liberty in America. 30 April 2009 . Frost, Robert. 2009. â€Å"Directive†. Poets. org. 30 April 2009 < http://www. poets. org/viewmedia. php/prmMID/20521 >. Hollander, John. 2009. â€Å"A Close Look at Robert Frost†.Poets. org. 30 April 2009 < http://www. poets. org/viewmedia. php/prmMID/15894 >. La Botz, Dan. 1992. â€Å"Labor in Mexico†. multinationalmonitor. org. 30 April 2009 < http://multinationalmonitor. org/hyper/issues/1992/11/mm1192_13. html >. Sutton, Bettye. 2008. â€Å"American Cultural History†. Lonestar College Kingwood. 30 April 2009 < http://kclibrary. lonestar. edu/decade30. html >. â€Å"What is the American Dream. † 2002 The Library of Congress. 30 April 2009 < http://lcweb2. loc. gov/learn/lessons/97/dream/thedream. html >.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Iphone Marketing strategy Essay

Since its launch, in 2007, and until the end of 2013, Apple sold 500 million iPhones. It’s an impressive number. in 2012 alone, Apple sold 120 million iPhones, in 2013 Apple sold 160 million iPhones. Without a doubt, the iPhone has become a ‘cult product’, a ‘must have’ device. Which are the secrets behind the iPhone astounding success? To understand the spectacular iPhone success, and the iPhone phenomenon, we need to start by analyzing the cellular telephone market in the years immediately before the launch of the first iPhone, And the situation inside Apple. Before the iPhone launch, infact, Apple was not a cellular telephone manufacturer, and had zero experience in cellular telephones marketing.  Its only expertise was in computer hardware, computer software, and in portable music devices (the iPod). In 2005-2006, the cellular telephone market was considered a mature and saturated market, with narrow margins, dominated by Nokia and Motorola. And by the Blackberry in the high end, especially in the business and corporate world, which were needing email writing, sending and receiving capability on their cellphone, with a suitable keyboard for texting messages. A mature and saturated market with a fiery competition, such as the cellphone market in 2005-2006, was allowing narrow margins, therefore was unanimously considered unappealing by financial and business analysts. When rumours came out, in 2005-2006, that Apple was in the process of developing a cellular telephone, financial and business analysts were at best ‘skeptical’.   To be true, the consensus among financial analysts was that the ‘Apple cellphone’ would have been a terrible flop. Some of them were privately saying that they were suspecting Apple executives had gone completely mad, to enter such a saturated and non-profitable market. Very few, among the business analysts, had the more objective attitude to just ‘wait and see’.  Then, the day came, and the iPhone was launched.  But Apple began with 3 huge, terrible mistakes. We expand on them onwards. When the iPhone was launched, in June 2007, it made an impact. It impressed. The touch user interface and the sleek and beautiful design by Jonathan Ive and his team made it a masterpiece of technology and design. The iPhone was decidedly a superior product.  had a host of pluses against the competition (Nokia, Motorola, Blackberry) It was a highly innovative product, a different product from the other cellphones on the market at the time. Moreover, it was significantly larger and bulkier than the other cellular telephones in the market, when the market trend, for years, had been to have smaller and smaller cellphones: the smaller cellphone you had, the cooler you were. The Apple iPhone went decidedly against the trend. Today, in 2013, with 500 million iPhones sold, and with Apple stock market capitalization at $500 billion, it is easy to affirm that the iPhone has been a game changer. It surely has. Ultimately, today we can affirm that the appearance of the iPhone on the market caused the death of the Blackberry, and the loss by Nokia and Motorola of their previously dominant position in the cellular telephone market. The reason is simple: The iPhone is a clearly superior product. Its touch control features, and its enticing user interface, made the iPhone become a ‘cult product’. But in 2005-2006, before it came out, things were different. And the perception was different when the iPhone first came out. No-one, in 2006, would have imagined that an ‘Apple cellphone’ would have sold 500 million units in 6 years.. No-one would have thought this even in June 2007, when it was launched. The first generation iPhone was launched – only in the US – on June 29, 2007. It was subsequently launched in three more markets – UK, Germany and France – 5 months later, in November 2007. In July 2008 the second generation iPhone, the iPhone 3G, was launched at the same time in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France,Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico and Brasil. The third generation iPhone, the iPhone 3GS, was launched in June 2009. Each iPhone generation had more features that the previous generation, and had longer battery life, and rendered the previous generation iPhones obsolete. The fourth generation iPhone, the iPhone 4, was launched in June 2010. The iPhone 4S was launched in October 2011. The iPhone 5 was launched in September 2012. The iPhone 5C and 5S were launched in September 2013. Planned Obsolescence has been a conscious marketing strategy by Apple. Thus, any Apple costumers knows (or pretend not to know) that he buys a product that in 12 months will become old and obsolete. However, examining the sales data, this ‘planned obsolescence’ strategy paid off for Apple, But which were the 3 serious marketing strategy mistakes that Apple made when it launched the iPhone? The 3 Mistakes that Apple made when it launched the iPhone. Mistake #1. To purchase an iPhone, you had to sign a 24 months contract with AT&T. You had to ‘marry’ AT&T. And many potential costumers did not want this marriage. you were locked on a 24 months contract with AT&T. An expensive contract. In the end, if you were wanting to buy an iPhone, its real cost was more than 2000 dollars. Why forcing your costumers to sign a contract with a service provider? And why a single provider, not giving any other choice? Why not letting your costumers simply buy an iPhone, and let them free to arrange a contract as they please? Infact, there were numerous complaints by iPhone costumers and potential costumers, on this issue. Even, a widespread hacking practice took place, significantly called â€Å"jailbreak†: on several websites appeared step by step instructions on how to hack the iPhone software to let it operate with a different service provider. Infact, 3.3 million iPhones were sold in the US between June andl December 2007, but only 2 million contracts were signed with AT&T. Were did the remaining 1.3 million iPhones go? It has to be remarked that the iPhone jailbreak practice infurated Apple executives, who, instead of recognized their marketing strategy mistake, criminalized the jailbreaking behaviour, to the point of blackmailing costumers doing the jailbraking. Mistake #2. On June 29, 2007 the iPhone was launched in the US. It was put on sale only in the US, and in no other nation in the world. Only in November 2007, 5 months later, the iPhone was launched in a few other countries. To be precise, it was launched in just 3 other countries: UK, Germany and France. In each of these countries with the same silly formula that Apple used in the US, forcing the costumer to sign a 24 months contract with a service provider. and in each country with a different provider: O2 in the UK, T-Mobile in Germany, Orange in France. This was a bad marketing choice by Apple.  There were millions of potential costumers all around the world who were wanting to buy an iPhone, but couldn’t, because in their own country it was not on sale.  Many of them went to such length to ask to their friends in the US – or traveling to the US – to buy one for them. Finally, only on July 11, 2008, one full year after the initial launch in the US, the iPhone was put on sale in other countries, in Europe: Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium;  and in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Brasil. It was already the 3rd generation iPhone, the iPhone 3G and 3GS. Why so late? Besides, it is interesting to verify the jam and confusion of different prices, terms and monthly fees charged by the service providers in the European countries: O2 in the UK, T-Mobile in Germany, Austria and Netherlands, Orange in France, Swisscom in Switzerland, Vodafone in Italy, Telia Sonera in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland. It was the perfect formula to confuse potential iPhone costumers and push them away. A self-hammering marketing strategy by Apple. In our opinion, this was a totally wrong marketing strategy by Apple. Infact, numbers do not lie: from July 2008 until the end of 2013, Apple sold a total of 500 million iPhones. From June 2007 until December 2007 – when the iPhone was available only in US – only 3.3 million iPhones had been sold. Mistake #3 – iPhone Pricing. On June 29, 2007, when the iPhone was launched in the US, its retail price was.$599. Just 3 months after, Apple reduce the iPhone price to $399 – a 33% rebate – . This was an unelegant way to betray and exploit the iPhone early adopters – Apple most faithful costumers. And infact, many of them complained with Apple. A smart and attentive company must not indulge in such serious mistakes, betraying their most faithful customer base. Apple had other 3 better options: Apple could have waited 1 year before reducing the price of the iPhone, or: Apple could have delayed the iPhone launch for 3 months, or: Apple could have set the iPhone retail price at $399, since the initial launch. Besides, in July 2008, the iPhone 3G was sold at $199, 66% less than the launch price of just one year earlier. This is not a serious pricing policy. Consideration. Each of these 3 mistakes constituted a bottleneck factor which confused costumers, and seriously hampered the iPhone sales potential in the first year and a half. However, in the following years Apple corrected and amended these mistakes, and things went smoothly and successfully for the company. Infact, from 2008 until 2013, Apple sold 500 million units. in 2012 alone, Apple sold 120 million iPhones, in 2013 Apple sold 120 million iPhones. The iPhone was also a precursor product of the iPad. The iPad, infact, has numerous features and technologies which derive from the iPhone, the main one being the touch control system and the user interface. The iPad, infact, is a sort of ‘big brother’ of the iPhone. The iPhone certainly has been the key product of the spectacular growth of Apple revenues – today at $156 billion in 1 year -, of Apple profits, and stock market capitalization – today at $500 billion, making Apple the #1 company in Wall St. See more at: http://www.vertygoteam.com/apple/iphone_marketing_strategy.php#sthash.YDqfyvTj.dpuf

Friday, September 13, 2019

Questions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Questions - Research Paper Example These good social habits will not only benefit the student but the society as a whole. Moral education will therefore help students know how to interact with the society. In order to curb the growing incidents of depreciation of moral values among students, a moral educational curriculum should be rolled out. Although, moral education is taught under different subjects, it is high time to develop a moral education curriculum that will deal with moral decay among students. A moral education curriculum will among other things, give the teacher a clear way of manipulating their student’s moral values. The moral education will aid in the holistic development of students physical, mental and social aspects. Finally, a moral education curriculum should be rolled out as it is an integral part of the learning process. It will help students become better people in the society. One of the major barriers to curricula is developing teacher assessment tools. There has also been an issue of nurturing leadership at the student level. The universal design for learning is a great tool to assist in student expression, representation and engagement. These form the primary pillars of the universal design for learning. The pillar of representation accepts the fact that different students have different ways of comprehending information. Therefore, information should be presented in different ways to increase learning opportunities. The pillar of expression accepts the fact that students have different ways of expressing themselves. It is therefore important to broaden impact of teaching by accepting this natural diversity. The third pillar accepts the fact that students will give maximum attention to the task at hand. It is therefore important ensure that individual interests of students are incorporated into teaching to broaden the impact of teaching. The three pill ars enhance student engagement, representation and

Thursday, September 12, 2019

STDs in the Print News Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

STDs in the Print News Media - Essay Example The alarming STD problem in the US is brought about by a combination of factors, the primary one being that people are not knowledgeable about the disease - its causes and effects, modes of transfer, dangers and risks. This shows in the lifestyle of most Americans and their condescending attitude toward premarital sex, multiple sex partners, casual and unprotected sex. Such practices erode the moral fabric of American society and, on the health implications of STDs, deprive this country of a healthy and robust citizenry. On the need to address the perceived lack of awareness of Americans on STD, it is agreed that media is a potent medium for that purpose. But the question is, does American media recognize the extent of the problem and the role it is being called upon to play The media in modern times has served as the primary means people use to gain insight into the various issues that bedevil American society. Media feed people information about current issues ranging from politics, global affairs, economics, and public health and is the information mix with the most extensive reach. The influence of media in people's lives is so vast it can sway public perception and opinion towards one side (Stoughton, 1994). Thus media can promote awareness of important issues such as STDs just as easily as it can prompt awareness regarding violence. This paper will discuss the role of one form of media, newspapers, in increasing public knowledge and awareness of STDs. News articles published in the nationally-circulated newspapers that tackle the issue of STDs will be analyzed to determine the ways in which the issue is presented and discussed. The primary objective is to determine how the print news media informs the public about sexually transmitted diseases. Four daily newspapers representing American mainstream media are herein presented for their views and editorial policies on the subject of STD: the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and Miami Herald. The four newspapers enjoy the widest circulation and readership and carry the potential to sway not only public opinion but also government policies. Methods In this section, past studies will be discussed to determine the scope and intensity of coverage that the print news media devote to the subject of STD. Also, news articles from the nationally circulated newspap

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Legal and Financial Structure of Project Finance in India Essay

Legal and Financial Structure of Project Finance in India - Essay Example This paper further discusses several aspects of investment risks in India, and points out how investors can implement certain useful techniques. Finally, it offers some suggestions to overcome these challenges. Keywords: Investment, Project Finance, Investment in India, Public-Private-Partnership. Introduction: The long term financing of various types of infrastructure, industrial and public service projects are usually referred to project finance. In recent times, it has funded many large-scale natural resource projects as well as a number of high-profile corporate projects. However, similar type of financing scheme is recorded in the history of ancient Greece and Rome, the modern trend of project finance developed in last forty years. Basically this is an innovative and timely financing system. The non-recourse or limited recourse loans of project finance are mainly based upon the estimated cash flow of the project. â€Å"The key to project finance is in the precise forecasting of cash flows† (Ghersiy, 5). The assets, rights and interests of project secure the loan amount in such cases of debt. And repayment of loan exclusively depends on project’s cash flow. The balance sheet and creditworthiness of the project sponsors are secondary in it. Unlike conventional financing methods, project financing is unique. Since project financing enhances the values of some of these projects by permitting higher optimal leverage than with conventional financing.... The borrowing party has limited liability in some risky and expensive projects. Such cases are secured by a surety from sponsors. Therefore this is also known as limited recourse financing. There are many huge industrial and infrastructural projects, as already carried out successfully for certain types of project i.e. infrastructure development, mining, highways, railways, pipelines, power stations, etc. By the end of previous millennium, the private share alone in infrastructure investment varied between the lows of 9% and 13% in Germany and France and the extreme highs of 47% and 71% in the US and Great Britain, respectively (Miller & Lessard, 67). In fact, the projects that require non-recourse project financing would require significant contractual framework (Singh, 19). Moreover, the securities and borrowings are designed to be serviced and redeemed exclusively from the cash flow in non-recourse project finance. Whereas, the project sponsors or government provide undertakings t o an effect that coerce them to supplement the cash flow under assured limited conditions in limited recourse project finance. Generally, project financing is not designed for already running business rather for the large-scale innovative initiatives. Often it involves the creation of a legally independent project company financed with equity from one or more sponsoring firms and non-recourse debt for the purpose of investing in a capital asset (Esty, 213). The design of project finance is indicated in the following diagram. Figure: Project Finance Structure Source: The Institute for Public Private Partnership (Powell, 19) In present scenario, project financing emerged as an alternative to conventional financing over the world,

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

All Immigrants need better support programs for cultural transition in Essay

All Immigrants need better support programs for cultural transition in the United States - Essay Example Significantly, the opportunity for economic improvement has been one of the most important motivations for immigrants in the United States. However, the immigrants have long been experiencing numerous challenges which turn up several issues, including work, education, and marital relationships. Cultural transition has been one of the most significant processes affecting the immigrants in the United States and this process of cross-cultural transition has given rise to several pertinent researches in the area. Immigrants in the United States belong to different countries of origin and dialects, and every group of immigrants has specific economic resources, educational systems, and class structures which keep the group distinct from other groups in the nation. The diversity in the cultural aspects of every immigrant population brings about numerous challenges with regard to cultural transition and the experience of the immigrants of Hmong culture in the nation illustrates these challen ges. The current system of support programs for the cultural transition in United States prove to be deficient in meeting the numerous challenges raised by the cultural practices and beliefs of various immigrant groups. Therefore, a reflective exploration of the experience of the immigrants in the nation, especially the people of Hmong culture, affirms that all immigrants need better support programs for the cultural transition in United States. Cultural transition has been one of the most dominant processes affecting the immigrants in the United States and the various groups of immigrants experience unmerited incidents which affect the process of cultural transition. Most often, difference in the cultural aspects of the individual cultures come to conflict with one another and the culture of the immigrant population usually suffer great loss. The role of social and cultural support programs to deal with these issues of cultural transition is often emphasized in various