A Terrible Dream

A terrible dream I was relaxing at home watching television when I suddenly heard someone calling my name â€Å"Seik Yee, help me! Help me please! † I turn my face to the person who calling me, I was so astonishment! I saw my friend Jack. â€Å"Jack! Are you okay? What happened to you? † I asked. He stared at me blankly and started speaking in Mandarin! His Mandarin was very good as my Malay, which was zilch. I spoke some Mandarin. â€Å"Wo hen xin ku, jiu wo† he kept on repeating. â€Å"Fang wo zou, Fang wo zou† he said.This translated to â€Å"I’m suffering, please help me. Let me go. Let me go. † We usually conversed in English and his behaviour was strange and I was confused and worried. Jack’s face was drenched in perspiration and he was getting increasingly agitated. I was sure that he wasn’t having a heart attack though. I had seen the movie ‘The Exorcist’ before and his demeanour reminded me of one possessed , just like the movie. Suddenly, someone rushed to my side and a crowd had gathered.Jack’s eyes were expressionless and he didn’t recognise me although it was impossible for him not to notice me. He continued talking aloud but now I couldn’t understand what he was saying at all. It seemed to be heavily-accented Mandarin and Chinese dialect of some sort I couldn’t identify. The person who rushed to my side just now suggested he had suffered a heart stroke and a few people helped move him into shaded area. He was almost delirious by then. Suddenly, a group of monks nearby came over to see what the commotion was about.The most senior-looking monk took one look at Jack and shook his head. He immediately clasped Jack’s hand to his and started reciting mantras. It was only then that Jack calmed down and stopped talking to himself. Eventually, after few minutes, he slept soundly, much to my relief. The monk reassured me that he was okay. After about 10 mi nutes, he gently woke Jack. A bit dazed, Jack was otherwise â€Å"normal†. After Jack absolutely okay, â€Å"Where was us now? † I asked. I’m absolutely doesn’t known where am I at the beginning.Jack then answer my question and gave me an insight into the history of Great Wall which I had not known. â€Å"Here is the Great Wall of China. Millions of workers had been involved in its construction over hundreds of years spanning many dynasties. The work on the wall was so difficult that most workers died within the first year. Their bodies were thrown into the wall to help fill it. Most of the workers were slaves, criminals, political prisoners or extremely low-wage workers. † â€Å"What?That is so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  when I want to complained about that, suddenly heard a women voice who calling me â€Å"Seik Yee, why you slept on sofa and the television is on? † I opened my eyes, my mother’s face was the first thing I saw. Now, only I realiz ed that is a terrible dream! In that because of the dream, I swear I won’t visit or travel to the Great Wall of China. (521 words) ENL 1100: ENGLISH 1 PROGRAM: DBADI SESSION: JAN 2012 SECTION: GROUP D2 INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT: 2/2 BY: NAME: LOH SEIK YEE MATRIC NO: J11009464 LECTURER: MS DEEPA DATE OF SUBMISSION: 16/2/2012

Financial Analysis Project Essay

Today’s personal products market has become more competitive than ever. With economic and political uncertainty in many parts of the world, The Està ©e Lauder Companies Inc. has invoked a number of unique and diverse strategies in order to gain customer loyalty while attracting new customers for staying as a leader in personal products industry. This paper focuses on analyzing The Està ©e Lauder Companies Inc., including company overview and main strategies. The main purpose of this paper is using a series financial accounting ratios as tools to analyze the operation of this company from 2008 to 2012, the nearest five years. After researching of the strategies and data, I make a conclusion that this company is in a healthy financial situation and has a large capacity to develop well in the future. Overview After one quarter learning about financial accounting, I have some sort of concept about this course. In order to deeply understand the knowledge we have learned in class and have solid experience about all of those formulas. I write this paper to turn abstract theory into practice. I choose The Està ©e Lauder Companies Inc. as my analysis target, not only because I am a loyal consumer for this company, but also I’m very interested in its unique business strategy. As we all know, The Està ©e Lauder Companies Inc. is a family business and remains the leader in the global prestige beauty market for a long history. What’s more, even though it’s a traditional company, it has not fall behind in the extreme competition nowadays. I think its success mainly contributed to four critical areas: creativity and innovation, high-tough, local relevance and digital capabilities. This paper will focus on three parts to analyze The Està ©e Lauder Companies Inc. First, I plan to say something about this company, including its development overview and strategies. Second, I will put this company in the whole industry to analyze its opportunities and challenges. The last but not the least, I’d like to use financial accounting ratios as tools to deeply analyze the operation situation of this company. Company Outline The Està ©e Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the leading manufacturers and sellers of skin care, make up, fragrance and hair care products in the world. The company’s products are sold in over 150 countries and regions under almost thirty brands. Among those brands, there are some big brands we are very familiar with, and actually, those brands indeed contributed a lot to the whole company’s sales. They are Està ©e Lauder, Clinique, Aramis, Origins, Prescriptives, M†¢A†¢C, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Kiton, La Mer, American Beauty, Flirt! , and AERIN Beauty. Taken together, sales of all the Company’s brands comprise about one-fifth of the $40 billion global prestige beauty business. The Està ©e Lauder Companies’ long-term strategy is to achieve higher levels of sustainable, profitable growth to remain a leader in global prestige beauty business. In that case, they use consumers as their muse to create products that really needed. Those educational beauty advisors always keep a good connection with consumers, in order to inspire brand loyalty. What’s more, this company dedicated in creating certain products for specific markets and deeply immersed in the online world as well. At a glance, the company sells its products mainly through some kind of channels to keep their brands are easily accessible. These channels involve department stores, retailers, TV shopping, stores on ships, in-flight, duty-free shops in airports and the Internet. The Americas, definitely occupies their largest region of sales, accounting for about 42% of total global sales. Europe, the middle east and Africa owns the highest percentage of operating income, because those regions enjoyed huge sales growth during the last two years. What’s more, China has become a more and more important market in the Asia/ Pacific region after Japan, fueled by rapidly growing demand of luxury brands. Industry Analysis The personal care industry concludes a variety of products, including fragrances, makeup, hair care, sunscreen, toothpaste, and products for bathing, nail care, and shaving. Major companies in this industry include Està ©e Lauder, Johnson& Johnson, Procter& Gamble, L’Oreal, Shiseido and Unilever. The United States, Europe, UK, Brazil and Russia dominate the global personal care products. India and China are the fastest growing markets for personal care products. The global personal care products industry has revenue of about $250 billion annually. Major products include cosmetics (35% of industry revenue), hair products (25%), and creams and lotions (20%). Other products include perfume (10%), toothpaste and mouthwashes (5%), and shaving preparations. The global personal care products industry is concentrated with the top 50 companies holding a combined market share of around 85%. The profitability of individual companies depends on product innovation, effective sales and marketing, and efficient operations. Large companies like The Està ©e Lauder Companies Inc. have scale advantages in purchasing, manufacturing, distribution, and marketing. Small companies can compete effectively by offering specialized products. Over the coming years, the whole industry is likely to continue investing in eco-friendly practices.

Sample Position Paper

The island is called Kankakee in Japan and Oddity in China. The territorial dispute was botched in 2012 by Tokyo, led at the time by the now- discredited Democratic Party of Japan. Reacting to China's increasingly intrusive presence in the waters around the Japanese-administered islands, and fearing that maverick former Tokyo Governor Shinto Ashier would carry through his threat to purchase the islands, then-Prime Minister Whooshing Nodal nationalized several of the islands after buying them from heir private owners in September 2012. China responded instantly with anti- Japanese riots and a freezing of diplomatic relations.Chinese patrol vessels and fishing boats began tense face-offs with Japan's Coast Guard. Within months, both nations' air forces began more active aerial patrols. One year and two months ago, China upped the ante by flying surveillance drones in such contested airspace. Japan responded by saying it would shoot down any drone that refused to leave the skies above t he islands. Beijing says that any attack on its drones would be an act of war. In another sign of high tensions in North East Asia, Japan announced that it scrambled fighter jets on the 7th January 2014 to head off a Chinese civilian aircraft near disputed islands.The Y-12 propeller plane entered Japan's air defense identification zone CADIS), but not the airspace around the Kankakee islets, before heading back to China. The incident is the first reported since China announced its own ADZ last November in the East China Sea, including the disputed islands, provoking an aggressive response from both the United States and Japan. The Obama administration immediately declared that US military aircraft would ignore the new Chinese protocols and flew nuclear-capable 8-52 bombers through the zone without informing Chinese authorities.US allies Japan and South Korea followed suit, raising the danger that an error or miscalculation could lead to a clash with the potential for escalation into an open conflict. The warfare is still continued and Japan did boost their defense budget. Controlling the use of drones for warfare is only in the hands of the nation's leaders. China's ambassador has accused Japan's Prime Minister, Shinto Abe, f â€Å"raising the specter of militarism† and putting his country on a â€Å"perilous path† that could threaten global peace.Lie Gaming said Abe, who has challenged the widely held view that Japan was an aggressor in the second world war, had contributed to a dramatic rise in tensions in north-east Asia with his hawkish policies and a recent visit to a controversial war shrine. The international community, Lie warned, should remain on a â€Å"high alert†. Relations between China and Japan – which enjoy expansive trade ties – have reached their lowest point in decades over competing claims to the Kankakee islands in the East China Sea, which are administered by Japan but also claimed by China.

Mending Wall of robert frost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mending Wall of robert frost - Essay Example We wonder from before we even begin to read the poem, what could be a mending wall? Does it talk of a wall that mends itself? Frost's "wall" is a metaphoric representation of something much more substantial than just a lifeless pile of stones. This wall can be associated with many things. It may represent a barrier, a boundary between two unlike existence. It may speak of segregation, of differentiation, of the negative connotation of being different from one another. It is something that keeps one thing from one labyrinth to reach another. This mystic feel embedded on the title arouses interest from the unknowing reader. Since there is so much a wall implies to be, the interest to know more about what this wall could possibly pertain to leads the reader to dig further and unfold each word that follows. Reading the first few lines of the poem, the reader finds out how "something" dislikes the erection of the wall. It is as if this "something" purposely deconstructs the wall to the po int that two individuals may pass through it side by side. On the 6th line of the poem "I have come after them and made repair", Frost uses "I", him speaking on the first person's point of view. His use of "I" implies not only of him as the writer telling a story but it symbolizes anyone as an individual. It is his way of giving the reader that sense of belongingness to the poem that creates the connection of the reader to the piece. This connection makes it much easier for the reader to relate to what the writer is trying to relay. Frost's imagist-like approach in the usage of simple and precise imagery is with great depth in meaning. The 12th line, "I let my neighbor know beyond the hill", tells the reader that the wall is dividing two neighbors. They meet occasionally to reconstruct the wall again; stone by stone they pile them back to its original form. This speaks of two different people or it may speak of a larger number of dissimilar groups of individuals constantly building walls against each other to keep one another from getting across. In this world, we people build barriers due to our fear of being engulfed by the other. Sometimes we rebuild the walls our forefathers have placed without even wondering what the wall is really for, just like the neighbor in the poem. As the poem progresses, the first person "I" started to question what the walls are for. On the 23rd to the 26th line, he stated: There where it is we do not need the wall: He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across. And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him. On the 27th line, the neighbor answered, 'Good fences make good neighbors'. It becomes all the more puzzling to "I". What is there to keep from each other? There are no cows to wall in or wall out. The poem concludes that even if there is this "something" that persistently destroys the wall, the neighbor continues to stand up for "his father's saying". The "wall" symbolizes the unwillingness of t he people to accept each other's differences as stated in the last lines of the poem. For the analysis of such a literary piece, the theme is certainly an important element. The theme plays an important role for the analysis of a poem with such a depth in meaning. Frost uses a similar style used by imagist. The use of free verse and precise imagery with the use of simple and direct words that can easily be associated to the scene or picture the writer tries to portray. The 40th and 41st lines of the poe

Will democracy ever develop in Iraq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Will democracy ever develop in Iraq - Essay Example However, there is also considerable number of those politicians and scholars whom believe the task of achieving democracy might be too difficult or even impossible for Iraq. Experts list a number of factors that prevent Iraq from becoming a democratic country, at least in the short-term. For example, Marine General Anthony Zinni, who was the Head of U.S. Central Command from 1997 to 2000 made the following statement on the probability of establishing democracy in Iraq: â€Å"If we think there is a fast solution to changing the governance of Iraq, then we don’t understand history, the nature of the country, the divisions, or the underneath suppressed passions that could rise up. God help us if we think this transition will occur easily. The attempts I’ve seen to install democracy in short periods of time where there is no history and no roots have failed. Take it back to Somalia (Zinni, 2002 cited in Dodge, 2003, p.157). This opinion of the person who was directly involved in the process of democratization of Iraq are supported by many scholars and political experts. Adam Garfinkle, a famous Middle East political expert, also holds the opinion that establishing democracy in the country is an immensely difficult task, while any attempt to fulfill it will not only result in failure but will also lead to the growth of anti-American spirit in the Arab world (Garfinkle, 2003). The pessimism that currently exists in relation to the possibility of establishing democracy in Iraq relies on the assumption that the country does not have any favorable conditions for democratic transformation. This means that not only social and economic prerequisites such as numerous middle class, serious economic opportunities, good system of education and other are not there but also that the traditional political culture contradicts the democratic norms and values. As is well known, â€Å"democracy† is taken from Ð ° Greek word which means government of the people, by

Performance Management For a Profit Organization Thesis

Performance Management For a Profit Organization - Thesis Example This section summarizes the study or the convenience of the readers. The first section of the study is the introductory part which includes a background of performance management and its external and internal factors. The external factors which affect performance management are share prices, environment of the market, competition, reputation, regulatory environment, etc. On the other hand the internal factors are the employees, management, labor unions, suppliers, etc. The performance management techniques and produces utilized by profit-making organization are effective or non-effective would be identified through the research that is done in this study. The critical review of the literature contradicted the stated problem of this research. The problem was that the current performance management procedure or practices are not effective. However, the critical review of literature has been put forward to prove the fact that the present performance management frameworks in profit-making organizations are proving to be effective. The literature review has been streamlined with research objectives and problem areas in order to find an effective solution. The traditional performance management framework was based on remuneration and financial performance of the company. The employees, their skill, and performance appraisal was planed based on their last drawn salary of the individual. However, this scenario has changed now. The performance, productivity, creativity, skill, and enthusiasm of the employees to contribute towards the sustainability of the company are taken into account in case of performance management as well as performance appraisal. Training and development are very effective in such case because the low performing employees are not punished, but they are given the opportunity to enhance their skill and knowledge, so that they can also pull themselves up. In the research methodology part it has

How Should We Help Our Organizations to Use Internet-Based Essay

How Should We Help Our Organizations to Use Internet-Based Conferencing Safely and Effectively - Essay Example Additionally, internet supported communication offers a lot of advantages such as members can get together when and where they want. Also, the use of computers as a collaboration tool can also augment the amount of information obtainable to a team and increase the pace and authority with which team members get, process, and distribute their individual and combined efforts (Thompson & Coovert, 2003) Computer conferencing can be used when two or more users are able to meet using two or more computers. In computer conference, one member is responsible for controlling what is on the computer screen on the other hand for all others to see. In this scenario, that member is acknowledged as a host or moderator. Though, all the participants can fully take part in a conference call at the same time as looking at one presentation on the computer but they can also exchange a few words by instant messaging. In addition, some computer conferences can take place at the same time with a telephone co nference. In this scenario, members can chat by means of the telephone at the same time as they look at what is taking place on the screen (Ayers, 2012). One of the biggest benefits of computer conferencing which attracts the business organizations to use computer conferences is that people all over the world can take an equal part in the conference. In fact, they only need a computer with an Internet connection. In this scenario, a host distributes an email to team members and provides them a link to the conference room or web room and the meeting and time of the conference. Hence, if someone is unable to attend the conference, he can reject the request right from the email and let them know the reason. Along with numerous advantages especially the team members’ location, there are other pros to making use of computer conferencing. For instance, if someone wants to take part in a web based training session; they can get in touch with a number of people from a variety of doma ins straight away. In this scenario, moderator or host can launch the computer conference with the intention that other people can each independently do a workout or otherwise actively take part in the conference appearing on their screen. In addition, the host can also provide authority of what is on the screen to other participants in order that he can weigh up their ideas and thoughts (Ayers, 2012; ReferencesForBusiness, 2012).

Module 2 (edited) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Module 2 (edited) - Essay Example Most of this development was achieved on the abundant natural resources that Thailand homes. What resulted in the end due to the excessive reliance on natural resources, were polluted water, infected air and barren land. Ever since the economic turmoil, consumers in Thailand have changed their spending habits to deal effectively with the ongoing economic crisis. With the exports already suffering due the global trade slump, Thai was unlucky to experience some very severe political tensions on top.With the governments initiating two new fiscal policies; situation is sighted to improve by far. A recent survey made use of several closed end questions, which makes comparison easier (Easterby-Smith et al. 2002, pp.78) - has revealed some very fitting information. People have experienced massive salary cuts and many have found themselves jobless in this situation. People have cut their spending budgets, limiting themselves to what is most needed. Most respondents to the questionnaire admitted that Thai people was growing poorer, which was seriously impacting on the lives of the Thai citizens. As the most important was that over the last decade brand loyalty has been reduced by a very great degree. Buyers have learned to compromise and make their spending more wisely since there is lesser to spend. Brand products are usually tagged at much higher prices than those unbranded, which have resulted in people switching to lower priced articles. This means international and foreign brands have seen a steep decline in their target customers, all of these due to the economic turmoil. Many international brands have adjusted their marketing strategies to appeal to target audiences, such as in the conservative Islamic countries (Karnani, 1984, pp.45). In studying the consumer expenditure pattern of Thailand, it is important to undertake a compressive analyzing of the

Business Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Law - Research Paper Example The case involves three parties, Alex, Francis and Samantha. When handling a contract, the terms of a contract are important in setting out regulations required to make a communication. The ‘term’ refers to the promise made in the conditions of the contract to be legal binding. The terms of a contract indicate the contents of the agreement. The agreement between Francis and Alex was to sell the Artifact mirror for $200 for the given duration. Alex reached home and informed Francis on his willingness to purchase the artifact for the agreed price. The message however reached Francis after he offered the artifact to Samantha for $230. Alex had a legal enforceable contract with Francis as he orally communicated with him concerning his willingness to take up the offer. The breach of a contract occurs when one party fails to perform in accordance to the agreed terms and conditions (Answers 2011). Forming a contract requires an offer. An offer refers to the willingness to abide by conditions provided by the contract. Francis offered a product for sale and Alex was willing to take up the offer, given the terms that Francis provided. Both Francis and Alex are bound to the contract given the time agreement does not expire. The other element of the contract evident in the case is acceptance. Acceptance refers to the unconditional agreement to the provided terms whether in oral or written. Francis orally accepted to the terms and conditions of the purchase. The acceptance should reflect the conditions of the original made offer. Alex made a call to confirm the purchase before the set time expired, meaning he accepted to purchase the artifact at $200. The communication between the two parties was as agreed. In the case, Francis and Alex formed a contract on purchasing the artifact. Communication was involved and Alex told Francis that he would think of about the offer. Alex later sealed the contract by confirming the purchase through telephone. The contract bet ween Francis and Alex has the counter-offer element. The initial price of the artifact was at $250, Alex made a counter- offer of $200, and Francis accepted. The price of $250 was a invitation to treat and not an offer. The display of the artifact mirror caught the interest of Alex. He however makes a counter offer of $200 (Arias 2010). It is important to realize the terms set to understand that a contract existed between Francis and Alex. The first important term of recognition is to agree that Francis created an enforceable contract. The promise in the contract involves allowing Alex to purchase the artifact mirror for the given time. The freedom of the contract involves a free negotiation by parties regarding the agreed terms. Alex negotiated without interference and at his own will. Alex and Francis both negotiated at an equal strength hence the contract was valid. The contract has no limitations to the freedom, as illegal undertaking did not take place. The purchase remained op en to Alex until the set time, but he sold the artifact to Samantha instead. Proving the terms of a contract comes with two possibilities, either orally or written. Francis orally accepted to sell the artifact to Alex within the time duration. Though no other witnesses were present to confirm, Alex remained the legal buyer of the artifact until the set deadline (Brakel and Hert 2009). Like in the case of Rankin vs. Scott Fell and co (1904) 2 CLR 164, the ruling indicates presence of a contract even if no

White Resistance to the Civil Rights Movement Essay Example for Free

White Resistance to the Civil Rights Movement Essay Throughout Reconstruction, southern whites felt constantly threatened by legislation providing rights for former slaves. The Civil Rights Bill of 1875 was the last rights bill passed by congress during reconstruction. It protected all Americans’ (including blacks) access to public accommodations such as trains. With the threat of complete equality constantly looming, violence toward former slaves gradually increased in the years following the Civil War. Beatings and murders were committed by organized groups like the Ku Klux Klan, out-of-control mobs, and individual white southern men. During Reconstruction, white southerners had limited governmental power, so they resorted to violence in order to control African-Americans. Although it is true that some whites embraced the prospect of a new interracial landscape for America, many more reacted with hostility. They feared social and political change, and were very uncomfortable with the fact that their old way of life seemed gone for good. Although there were many forms of massive resistance to the Civil Rights Movement and what it stood for, the impact of white resistance, both violent and nonviolent, on this period in America’s history is truly immeasurable. There are two scholarly works that not only trace the white resistance movement with historical accuracy, but also stress the plight that African Americans felt at this tumultuous time in history. The books that I am referring to are â€Å"Massive Resistance: The White Response to the Civil Rights Movement† by George Lewis, and â€Å"Rabble Rousers: The American Far Right in the Civil Rights Era† By Clive Webb. Although these works are both written about the same period in history, they depict much different points of view concerning white resistance and what brought it on. The â€Å"southern way of life† encompassed very distinct mixtures of economic, cultural, and social practices. Because of this, integration of African Americans into everyday life did not come without resistance. In this paper I intend to interpret and compare these two scholarly books, while explaining the role of the states and the federal government as well as individual groups in the progression and eventual fragmentation of these white resistance movements. The first thing that can be observed upon glancing at George Lewiss book â€Å"Massive resistance† is its cover image. It is a photograph of elementary school children and women protesting against desegregation in New Orleans in 1960. The main focus of the picture depicts two women yelling loudly along a sidewalk. At their side, a young schoolboy holds a poster that reads: All I want for Christmas is a clean white school. Other women and children stand in the background. One person is holding a poster that refers to states rights, as others gaze toward the street. Two women are attending the event wearing handkerchiefs and curlers, indicating that they possibly had rushed out of their homes to partake in the mornings activities. Above the scene is the books title, Massive Resistance. To a reader who might be unfamiliar with the general topic of this book, the cover’s text and image might illustrate somewhat of a contradiction. What people fail to consider is that massive resistance did not solely amount to what is visible in the photograph on the books cover. This does not depict all that stood in the way of African-Americans struggling to gain their civil rights. Women and children yelling from sidewalks with posters was one of many responses used by American Southerners in opposition to desegregation. In his book, George Lewis reveals the many ways in which southerners went about these acts of massive resistance. Throughout the book, Lewis traces the historical evolution of the term ‘massive resistance’ and explores the variety of contexts in which it was carried out. In discussing the role of Senator Harry Flood of Virginia, as well as elements of the mass media, Lewis reveals the many causes and actors in the acts of massive resistance. At first, massive resistance was the response of different elements of white society in the South, in opposition to the federal governments plans to desegregate southern society. Lewis discharges many historical explanations that viewed massive resistance as simply being carried out by southern political elites. He also dismisses the idea that the resistance only occurred at the well-known sites of segregationist protests such as Little Rock, Ole Miss and Birmingham. The author also discusses activities occurring at the grassroots level, which reveals that the movement of southern white resistance was very diverse. In regards to the beginning of the movement, Lewis rejects the idea that the Supreme Courts Brown decision was the only event that started massive resistance. He states that citing Brown as the single catalyst shows that many scholars have misread the movement. He believes that the movement was more complex than that. As an amorphous beast, massive resistance must be viewed as a phenomenon that was too sprawling, and simply not sufficiently obedient, to have been ushered into existence by a single landmark event (24). Lewis divides the movement into three historical periods of resistance activity, and then examines different ways in which it was displayed. He explores each phase chapter by chapter. By doing this, he covers many aspects such as the tactics used in various states, the role of the Souths political elite and Citizens Councils, the actions of state legislatures, the role of the mass media, and white justifications for their discriminatory policies (they call it a product of long-standing southern culture and tradition). The first period of focus covers the immediate years following the Brown decision of 1954 up until the signing of the Southern Manifesto, which signaled the start of the second period of resistance. Finally, the third period included the first half of the sixties, which is when the movement gradually lost its strength at the political and social levels. Webb’s documentation of this historic period of time provides a stark contrast to Lewis. In â€Å"Rabble Rousers: The American Far Right in the Civil Rights Era,† Clive Webb describes the stories of five white extremists who conducted war against integration with intense hate. The purpose of Webb’s work is to assess the causes, characteristics, and consequences of far-right activism in the South from the 1950s to the 1960s (p. 2). Webb argues that these men were not extreme abnormalities, but that they represented something deeply rooted in the American political culture, which is something seen in todays resurgent far right (p. 214). Out of the five men Webb profiles, two focused their energies on fighting school desegregation and entered their target communities as outsiders (Bryant Bowles and John Kasper), two of them were former military men who attempted many unsuccessful campaigns for political office and encouraged violence as a necessary means to defend their homeland (John Crommelin and Edwin A.Walker), and one was the most violently fanatical racist spawned by massive resistance who served as legal defense for offenders of anti-civil-rights violence, was suspected in bombings and murders, and also laid the foundation for contemporary white hate organizations (p. 153). To fuel violence, these self-proclaimed saviors of the white race also made whites fear black men preying on white women. Finally, although the men showed a lot of variation in their stories, they were similar in that they all developed anti-black stances, even though they had little knowledge of or interaction with blacks. In this work, Webb shows how local political contexts shaped these men’s successes and failures. He also shows how these five men and the organizations that they were affiliated with affected the overall course of massive resistance. He gives evidence of the ways in which support of free speech created an unexpected connection between the far right and far left. He calls the men and the organizations and actions they were affiliated terrorist, creating a more contemporary view of the situation. These five men were ostracized and repeatedly arrested during the civil rights era, but at the same time they were enabled by the support of white elites. While massive resisters continued to pursue their agenda throughout this broad period of time, forces that were involved in the struggle for civil rights and desegregation challenged the institutionalized system of racism that had forever been the norm in the South. Their efforts along with the commitment of the federal government led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As a result, segregation and political disenfranchisement of African-Americans in the South were illegal. The two works by Lewis and Webb give completely different depictions of massive resistance by southern whites during this era, while still conveying similar messages. After researching these two books, I have come away with a clearer understanding of the forces and dynamics that comprised the massive resistance movement. Sources: Lewis, G. (2006). Massive resistance: The white response to the civil rights movement. London, England: Bloomsbury, USA. Webb, C. (2010). Rabble rousers: The American far right in the civil rights era. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press.

The Maori people in New Zealand

The Maori people in New Zealand This essay will critically analyze Kevin Glynn and A.F. Tysons article, Indigeneity, media and cultural globalization. In this article Glynn and Tyson speak on behalf of the Maori people in New Zealand and discuss factors surrounding globalization of western media and its influences on the indigenous people. This critical essay will focus primarily on Glynns and Tysons positive and negative issues surrounding globalization, funding concerns for indigenous media and benefits surrounding glocalization. Globalization, which is the reduction of differences between nations whether cultural or ideological (Straubhaar et al 2009, 503), as a negative issue is expressed quite well within this article. Among these issues discussed within the article, two primary issues that were of greater interest and more detail were the deconstruction of the indigenous culture and the lack of funds for media related indigenous projects.(Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208) The reason why globalization has such a massive effect on these cultures is that the media (i.e. television, magazines, radio) is barraged with foreign, in this case western, cultural media which overflows and almost completely obliterates any trace of the old culture that once was there. This idea revolves around the hypodermic needle theory, where ideas and beliefs from outside media are metaphorically injected into the minds of these indigenous cultures to the point where their former culture is clouded by this new influence and sometimes lo st forever.(Straubhaar et al 2009, 414-415) In the case of the Maori they were granted funding for a television station and a dramatic television show (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207), but compared to the ever-growing western populous and media those indigenous populations will find it very difficult to sustain some essence of their culture within the society. Glynn and Tyson refer to the lack of funding for major media projects for indigenous people (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208), which may have been an issue in 2007 but as of 2009-2010 the funding for these media projects have actually increased to an extra $20.1 million (Maori Television 2009) which allows for a much richer variety of television and film and will assist in stabilizing the Maori culture. A broad claim is also made ending the funding portion of the article which refers to a worldwide lack of funding for dramatic indigenous television which in fact is not quite the case (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208). Countries such as Austral ia provide major funding for indigenous media ranging in the $30 million mark (Australian Government 2009), there are also a vast amount of indigenous films that have been made and released to the public for instance the film Smoke Signals (The Internet Movie Database 1999), which grant a rich experience of indigenous cultures and these too would have to be funded by the country in some way. A prime example in Canada would be the dramatic television series North of 60 which still airs today (although in re-runs) on CBC was granted 6 seasons (90 episodes, each 60 minutes long) and 5 made for TV movies and had lasted a total of 6 years (1999 2005) (The Internet Movie Database 1999) which is close to, if not more than, many shows that are brought forth by western cultures such as Corner Gas (6 seasons, 107 episodes) and even the original Star Trek series (3 seasons, 80 episodes) (The Internet Movie Database 1999). Therefore this claim made by Glynn and Tyson, although appropriate for some countries and New Zealand itself at that time, is not the soundest claim to make as it is, as shown, not the case for other countries in the world. This funding issue in indigenous media leads to a very interesting aspect of the article where Glynn and Tyson make note of both glocalization and globalization as also having a positive effect on the culture instead of a purely destabilizing effect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Glocalization, which is the combination of global ideologies with that of more local ones, (Straubhaar et al 2009, 113) as a positive reinforcement of indigenous culture is an interesting factor in this article. The authors introduce an efficient example of glocalizations benefits with a Maori television drama called Mataku. (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207) With the creation of this television drama the indigenes are able to present their culture and beliefs not only to their own people, in order for preservation, but with the addition of English subtitles and a supernatural theme (which are present and popular in many western programs such as X-files), (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 206) the indigenes are able to incorporate a more global population and allow their culture to be better understood and be preserved through all populations. The reference to this television show shows without a doubt that by mixing together popular ideolog ies from different cultures into one main idea creates common ground for both cultures to share which not only benefits the indigenous of the land but also all other populations who share in the common interests that these programs present. To refer back to Glynn and Tysons issues surrounding funding for indigenous media, this idea of glocalization also plays against their negative outlook on globalizations effect. By creating this common or middle ground of media it would make sense that by drawing in more of an audience outside of the intended group with popular and mystifying themes such as the supernatural (in Matakus case) these shows would link up with similar westernized media and the demand would hopefully grow. With the growth of demand comes more funding as more people will want to see new episodes. This point is brought forth exceptionally by Glynn and Tyson when referring to the Maori co-creators of the series Mataku, Bradford Haami and Carey Carter (2007, 207). This is done by pointing to Ginsburgs coined term border-crossers, which is the ability to cross between two different cultures (in this case western and Maori cultures) and present their messages to them both effectively. (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207) By using this ability and accomplishing the task of border crossing more efficiently and on a more frequent basis, the Maori people may have a greater chance of preserving their culture. As for globalization as a more positive effect, Glynn and Tyson touch upon the term cultural hybridity, which means the mixture of two cultures to create a seemingly local culture (2007, 211), and use it efficiently to show that the effects of these mixtures of cultures do in fact lead to more beneficial means for indigenous societies to preserve their culture and language. This can be seen in the article where Glynn and Tyson make note of Lisa Parks examination of cultural hybridity where post-colonial technology is used as a means to transmit pre-colonial cul tural media to the globe (2007, 212). This is a really interesting fact because no matter how much pre-colonial populations feel that their cultures are wasting away, they still take part in post-colonial activities in order to keep their culture afloat. Therefore globalization may in fact present negative effects on cultures but they also help preserve the culture by allowing a larger reach of cultural media to a more global population and the authors of this article, Glynn and Tyson, make this point very clear and use sufficient evidence to prove this claim.

Evaluation of Tourism Brochure for Portugal

Evaluation of Tourism Brochure for Portugal The National Tourism Office for Portugal describes the country as one of the world’s oldest nations whose boundaries have remained unchanged since the thirteenth century. It encompasses the Azores and Madeira within its region and offers rapid access to other countries in Europe as well as the American continent and Africa. It has mild winters and ‘agreeable’ summers. It has a population of over 10 million, with the highest demographic in Lisbon. It boasts strong and historical and cultural ties with the rest of the world. (Sourced from: http://www.portugal.org/index.shtml, Date accessed, 12/01/09) Located in South West Europe Portugal has been an economic and politically powerful country and played a key role in early maritime exploration during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It is clear that tourist brochures key objectives are to sell a positive and appealing destination to travelers; what is not quite so apparent are the disguised messages that are frequently conveyed by the way in which certain pictures are produced and by way of cleverly composed coded text throughout. Two official brochures issued by the Portuguese Tourism Office will be analysed for their content within this paper. This will mostly focus on visual images as well as some textual interpretation. One represents a traditional travel brochure depicting the country generically, while the other is their most up to date promotional campaign brochure which has only recently been launched. In Eric Laws’ Embracing and Managing Change in Tourism he talks about using content analysis to make ‘replicable and valued inferences from data to their context’. His model seeks to decode messages according to categories including location, activities, transport and travel parties etc whilst breaking down the analysis in sections; the front page, photographs and text. (Laws, 1998) It is this approach that will be applied to this paper. Assessing first the more traditional brochure for the country, immediately the front cover conveys a sense of isolation, with what appears to be a digitally enhanced image of a rock in the middle of the sea. Whether this is meant to represent Portugal is unclear and although a little uninspiring it will appeal to a certain type of audience that will want to discover more. This audience target becomes more apparent the further into the brochure you read. The first page into the literature provides a mixture of emotive, nationalistic and evocative images. A local Portuguese poet is quoted as a means of engaging the reader immediately with the prospect of a country which is inspired by the arts, as well as characterising it as a country not to be confused as a seaside resort, but rather for its lesser known rugged mountains and lakes which are illustrated romantically on the front cover. The accompanying text continues to relay all of the diverse things that Portugal has in terms of app ealing to a broad audience. These include nightclubs, hiking or deserted coves. However whilst it may seem to want to appeal to all people it is at the same time obviously trying to attract the type of middle class, sensitive and emotional visitor who will be inspired by beauty and poetry. The second page continues with this theme but elaborates on the architecture, museums and heritage to be discovered. Now the reader begins to imagine Portugal as more of an ‘old world’ country, which of course is what it is and it is clear that the brochure wants to emphasise this age old association with Portugal, not so much the seaside resort, but more of a cultural haven. Once again this romantic element continues across the following pages where the quaint old images are elaborated further with the introduction of the idea of romance. It’s as if the brochure has succeeded in coming across as a charming, welcoming country which is most suitable as a destination for lovers a nd couples to embrace. The reader is told that for the Portuguese ‘romance is as important as the air they breath’ It even goes so far as to say ‘one-night stands are out’ which automatically assumes that the young, single man or woman perhaps coming to the country in a group of similar young and single people would not feel comfortable or at ease. This is not the market that they want to encourage. It is a clever message and not so much cryptic, more overt in its presence. Already there have been four images all of which contain no people in them. This is particularly interesting as it suggests the sender of the message is trying to convey Portugal as a form of tourism which suits escapism. Pictures of food and restaurants feature across the next two pages with a list of the ten things you should not leave Portugal before tasting. Portugal thrives on its high-level services like drinking, eating and shopping and it seems uncharacteristic then that for a thirty six page brochure only around three or four pages have any images of food, bars or restaurants. Already this assumes in many ways that the country has defined its tourist and is utilising different methods of trying to attract them. In Finn et al’s Tourism and Leisure Research Methods: Data Collection, Analysis, and Interpretation the authors write about a research study which took place over three years on a remote Scottish Island with the intention of understanding better the relationship between islanders and tourists. Life on the island changed significantly over the summer months when visitors arrived and the study was able to determine that all visitors could be clearly categorized. The categories included day-trippers, summer residents, tourists, returning island-born visitors etc. (Finn et al, 2000) The tourists were defined, known and responded to accordingly. Each country has an understanding of who their visitors are and will attempt to appeal to them as categories, such as those listed above. In order to do that they apply a number of techniques that will be designed to capture the imagination of any given category. This particular brochure omits any indication of hedonism, instead it depicts couples walking or lone back-packers. There are no crowd scenes, no shots of happy groups of participatory people. The focus remains on large rural landscapes, with urban representations limited to the city architecture, rather than on nightlife or entertainment. The word romance appears seven times in the first four pages, which immediately indicates that the oweness is on this type of visitor; a couple or perhaps two friends looking for meaningful encounters rather than drink-fuelled, party antics. This isn’t isolated to one section of the brochure either, it is prevalent throughout even in the pages selling Lisbon, Portugal’s adven turous capital city. In fact the word Lisbon only features once in some contact details at the end of the literature. Portugal’s capital is referred throughout by its old traditional Portuguese name, Lisboa. This in itself suggests that the tourist office is appealing to more sophisticated and knowledgeable travelers who will know that Lisboa is Lisbon. Some readers may understandably pick up a brochure of Portugal looking for Lisbon, but it is clearly this type of prospective visitor that the country is not necessarily interested in appealing to here. Page 19 goes into tremendous detail about the historical background of the region. For many standard holiday makers looking for a cheap and cheerful get away this will automatically leave them cold and disinterested. The text reads like a detailed guide book in the style of Lonely Planet or Time Out. The Mosteiro dos Jerà ³nimos in the district of Belà ©m is a hymn in stone to Portugal’s maritime heritage, while the Torre de Belà ©m is a potent symbol of Portugal’s great age  of expansion. Even contemporary architecture takes on a maritime theme – the amazing new Vasco da Gama bridge is in the shape of a giant sail. After the devastating earthquake of 1755, Baixa Pombalina (the centre of Lisboa) was rebuilt in a classical style, but many of the winding mediaeval bairros remain, crammed with fascinating shops, restaurants and cafà ©s. At night they come into their own,  offering everything from African to Latin American music – and of course the  bluesy melancholy of fado. This is not the language traditionally associated with grabbing the attention of hard marketing, fast promoting tourist attractions and once again only seeks to reiterate the type of audience they are trying to capture. The second brochure for analysis is very different in its approach. It has been designed in a deliberately stylized way to grab the attention of the potential tourist. The reader is informed immediately that this has been created specifically for Portugal by the world renowned photographer Nick Knight. A photographer who is British, which immediately eradicates any thoughts of patriotism or national pride which comes across so clearly in the opening pages of the other brochure. And on the cover the reader is presented with a juxtaposing photograph of the Portuguese football manager Jose Mourinho resting above the caption ‘My country has 220 days of sunshine every year’. Jose Mourinho is the face of Portugal, literally. Not only that but the accompanying statement makes it personalized somehow, as if Mourinho was talking to the reader as a friend or confident. This is a very clever way of engaging readers. In addition it is almost as if the writers of the brochure have de cided that they need to associate the country more with a well known image. It signifies pride whilst boasting that it is a country blessed with sun and celebrities. National celebrities as well as the ability to attract other celebrities such as Nick Knight. It is a very bold, confident style. The most noticeable next technique to be analysed is the selected font that the brochure is written in. This looks like old computer style icons, which conjures up images of both the future in terms of technology and of nostalgia for old fashioned computer text. As a consequence the reader becomes drawn in by a familiar yet inspirational attitude towards the literature being presented. Is this the way in which Portugal is trying to be imagined? As an inspiring, forward-thinking country which is also reassuring some how. As if carrying on with this theme the brochure then informs us that Portugal is essentially trying to re-define and re-brand itself, telling us on page 4, that its many and varied assets deserve to be ‘promoted and exploited†¦.with a proper stage so that they can be seen, appreciated and valued as they are not enough at the moment’. This self-depreciating and yet overly confident message will appeal to readers on a number of levels. The information which the reader is communicated on page 6 is particularly interesting. It seeks to plead with prospective tourists on the basis of beginning to disassociate itself away from its old Mediterranean identity. Despite none of Portugal’s coast being on the Mediterranean Sea, it has often promoted itself as a ‘Mediterranean area’. For the first time in this brochure it is realigning itself with the ‘Atlantic†¦and our home’. This signifies a complete change of image and identity for the country and one that it wants to relay to other potential visitors from around the world. After approximately seven extremely short paragraphs along this same theme and a biography of Nick Knight; what emerges is a series of robust images, first of rugged seascapes and rough coastal scenes which invoke feelings of drama, excitement and energy which is clearly what this ‘new’ Portugal is attempting to portray. Probably the most powerful messa ges are however the next set of portraits which illustrate well known Portuguese people including the architect Miguel Cancio Martins, the artist Joana Vasconcelos, the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and of course Jose Mourinho. It is a brochure which is very stylised and reads more like a power point presentation than a piece of promotional tourist information. It is particularly visual and leaves behind any romantic, idealised, historical textual information so associated with the hard sell of ‘old world country’s’. Instead it is making a very brave and bold move into re-branding itself as a country to be viewed as a modern contender even going to the extreme of repositioning itself geographically within the Atlantic Ocean, rather than the Mediterranean. Perhaps this has been done in a move towards getting people to start associating it with an entirely new type of holiday which does not necessarily reflect the beaches, clubs and excitement connected to the Medit erranean, but more in line with the sophistication of the brochure discussed earlier. To be considered more like Mexico and Guyana rather than Cyprus and Greece; the more popular and media driven destinations which are more and more prone to be associated with package tours, groups of young people and stag and hen parties. The other rationale for its provocative move might relate to the Middle East; so firmly entrenched as it is in the Mediterranean, in particular Israel and Libya. Recent political unrest and continued problems in this area might have prompted Portugal to consider disassociating itself from its previous identity. In Pritchard and Morgan’s study, Evaluating vacation destination brochure images: the case of local authorities in Wales, they identified the power and influence of images appearing in brochures into six groups all of which assist with establishing identity; scenery, activities, people, heritage, urban and rural and iconic destinations. (Pritchard and Morgan, 1995). This contemporary brochure proves no different in many ways. It still succeeds in Portugal establishing itself as a vacation destination in that it projects large bold images of Portugal’s natural scenery, not its heritage, castles or monuments, but the wildlife that exists around its coast, the people of course are also iconic representations and exemplify the country as a modern forward thinking and inspirational place to go. No activities are demonstrated but the photographs of well known people listed by occupation craftily suggests that it is possible to do anything in Portugal, whether that be a scient ist, artists, architect or even an Olympic champion. Portugal has it all. The juxtaposition of both brochures; traditional and contemporary have been interesting to analyse in relation to their differences as well as their very obvious similarities. From this angle it is determinable that messages may often be similar or indeed the same but that they can be delivered in very conflicting ways in the context of differing perspectives. Many of the messages relayed in both brochures advertising Portugal predominantly appeal to more broad minded, sophisticated audiences who appreciate and know a little more about life and the world around them. By doing so it sometimes actually serves to discourage anything other than that type of tourist, which may on some levels seem risky, whilst on others is understandable if the country has faced economic, public or political issues due to the nature of their tourism or media associated tourism. References Finn, M, Elliott-White, M, Walton, M (2000) Tourism and Leisure Research Methods: Data Collection, Analysis, and Interpretation: Pearson Education Laws, E, Faulkner, W, Moscardo, G, Faulkner, B (1998) Embracing and Managing Change in Tourism: International Case Studies: Routledge Pritchard, A and Morgan, N. (1995) Evaluating destination brochure images: the case of local authorities in Wales, Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol 2, pp 23-38 Ringer, G.D (1998) Destinations: Cultural Landscapes of Tourism: Routledge Official Portugal Tourism Office (Sourced from: http://www.portugal.org/index.shtml, Date accessed, 12/01/09)

Essay --

General Information Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which is found in all living thing and one of the building blocks of the body. (1, 2, 3) The molecule is found in the nucleus of the cell and it is a double helix molecule and it looks like a twisted ladder. If it was unwound the molecule would be 6 feet in length! (2) DNA has 3 nucleotides which are sugar, base, and phosphate. (1) The four bases, which are adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine(C), and guanine (G) and they are all Nitrogen bases and there are about 3 billion of them.(1, 2, 3, 4) Adenine and thymine always pair up with one another and cytosine and guanine always pair together. (1, 2, 3, 4) In the cell there is also the RNA which acts as the messenger for the DNA because the DNA is too big to leave the nucleus. (1) RNA also doesn’t have thymine, instead it has uracil. (1, 2, 3, 4) The RNA then goes off to tell the ribosomes to make protein for parts of your body that need it the most. (1) Genes are the heredity material that is made up by DNA. (1, 2, 3) Your genes are all have from your mother and half from your father. (2) All of your genes are inside chromosomes which carry your genes. (2, 3, 4) The chromosomes carry thousands of your genes and your DNA will replicate your genes so it stays the same. (1, 2, 3, 4) If the gene code is changed it will cause a mutation. Some mutations can be good like evolution, but some can cause cancer. (1, 2, 3, 4) The 4 different types of mutation are point, frame shift, deletion, and insertion. (1, 2, 3, 4) Point and Frame shift are not as bad because it’s just changing a letter in a sequence but, insertion and deletion are changing the whole sequence. (1) Chromosomes are the tightly packed strands in the DNA which hold all... ...es. Advancement engineering is a newer field but it’s very dangerous because you are advancing the genes beyond their level. Also, advancement engineering has not been successful without any fatal diseases in the future. So we have to ask ourselves is it right to mess with these things. Conclusion The main goal for the H.G.P. was to figure out the complete puzzle of human genome for further study. If you think about it, the Human Genome Project could make people rethink life itself because there is so much technology today that is being used for medical purposes. But you have to think of this new field of science is like opening Pandora’s Box because we don’t know if there are side effects to these treatments and ideas. In conclusion, the Human Genome Project is the start of amazing new ideas to cure cancer or rare diseases, but is it right to mess with life? Essay -- General Information Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which is found in all living thing and one of the building blocks of the body. (1, 2, 3) The molecule is found in the nucleus of the cell and it is a double helix molecule and it looks like a twisted ladder. If it was unwound the molecule would be 6 feet in length! (2) DNA has 3 nucleotides which are sugar, base, and phosphate. (1) The four bases, which are adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine(C), and guanine (G) and they are all Nitrogen bases and there are about 3 billion of them.(1, 2, 3, 4) Adenine and thymine always pair up with one another and cytosine and guanine always pair together. (1, 2, 3, 4) In the cell there is also the RNA which acts as the messenger for the DNA because the DNA is too big to leave the nucleus. (1) RNA also doesn’t have thymine, instead it has uracil. (1, 2, 3, 4) The RNA then goes off to tell the ribosomes to make protein for parts of your body that need it the most. (1) Genes are the heredity material that is made up by DNA. (1, 2, 3) Your genes are all have from your mother and half from your father. (2) All of your genes are inside chromosomes which carry your genes. (2, 3, 4) The chromosomes carry thousands of your genes and your DNA will replicate your genes so it stays the same. (1, 2, 3, 4) If the gene code is changed it will cause a mutation. Some mutations can be good like evolution, but some can cause cancer. (1, 2, 3, 4) The 4 different types of mutation are point, frame shift, deletion, and insertion. (1, 2, 3, 4) Point and Frame shift are not as bad because it’s just changing a letter in a sequence but, insertion and deletion are changing the whole sequence. (1) Chromosomes are the tightly packed strands in the DNA which hold all... ...es. Advancement engineering is a newer field but it’s very dangerous because you are advancing the genes beyond their level. Also, advancement engineering has not been successful without any fatal diseases in the future. So we have to ask ourselves is it right to mess with these things. Conclusion The main goal for the H.G.P. was to figure out the complete puzzle of human genome for further study. If you think about it, the Human Genome Project could make people rethink life itself because there is so much technology today that is being used for medical purposes. But you have to think of this new field of science is like opening Pandora’s Box because we don’t know if there are side effects to these treatments and ideas. In conclusion, the Human Genome Project is the start of amazing new ideas to cure cancer or rare diseases, but is it right to mess with life?

Benefits of Playing Video Games Essay -- Video Games

Video games have been argued about for decades. Some people have argued that video games are linked to violence. However, new research shows that video games can be used for therapeutic purposes, exercise, stress relievers, positive interactive learning, hand eye coordination, and different types of patient treatment for people all around the world. When playing video games, the coordination and concentration can physically, socially, and mentally benefit the user. Research today shows that certain video games can reduce fat and therefore promote weight loss. Other sources state that doctors have instructed parents to let their children play video games to help control focus. It is found that video games can improve hand eye coordination and have been used for rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. Gamming has developed in technology, and created many new positive effects. Over the years video games has become popular, the history of gamming continues all the way back to board games, new equipment has created constructive and entertaining learning experiences. Video games are used to improve physical health. Playing video games does not mean being inactive. New and improved video games involve and incorporate different types of movement in the actual game. Certain video games can reduce fat causing global weight loss (Recio 143). By turning game systems into exercise, new generation games draw people into activities and get heart rates pumping. Schools have incorporated video games into part of their physical education program. Children’s waists lines have gone down by inches due to playing video games in gym class. In gym, the machines teach things like balance, timing, and coordina... ...e dealing with technology everywhere and their whole lives. Video games help make kids feel comfortable with technology. Video games now provide a fun and social form of entertainment and are used all over the world for positive effects. Gaming has had positive effects on aiding weight loss, improving the efficiency of visual skills, controlling anger, creating fun interactive learning environments, and has become a new way of therapy to help rehabilitate patients. The new Wii programs will certainly develop and continue to perform more incredible effects on different people. New gaming technology is being developed every year; the effects can only get more enhanced. Source "Video game play may provide learning, health, social benefits." American Psychological Association. February 2014, Vol 45, No. 2 http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/02/video-game.aspx

Environmental Protection

Many centuries ago people lived in harmony with nature because industry was not much developed. There was no ecological problem until people built lots of plants and factories which sent wastes into the air, water and land where they didn't disappear but lasted forever in one form or another. Nowadays people live only according to their wants and requirements, they ignore the laws of nature. That's why today the contradictions between man and nature are dramatic. People are slowly destroying the nature environment around them. Today we are anxious about the state of the air we breathe because every year world industry throws out into atmosphere about 1 000 million tons of dust, smoke and other harmful substances and people of many cities suffer from smog. | Another reason why there is such high level of air pollution in large cities is because of car exhaust fumes from very intensive transport. A great number of plants get used to dump poisonous chemical wastes in rivers, lakes and seas that has led to polluting water and killing fish life. At present time pollution from sinking ships and tankers with oil is increasing and there is a strong destruction of sea life. We face the fresh water supply problem today because of the depletion of water resources and the disruption of water cycle. Speaking about atmosphere we should mention ozone holes which are result of air pollution and their increase can lead to the destruction of the whole great chain of life of our planet. The pollution of the air, oceans, seas, rivers and lakes and the destruction of the ozone layer could lead our planet to a global catastrophe. But the most terrible catastrophe of our age is the Chernobyl disaster which has resulted not only in atomic explosion but has brought death to 300 thousands hectares of farm lands and has affected the lives of millions of people. The radiation doses have affected and will continue to affect the health of people living in contaminated areas. The Earth is our home that's why we must take measures to fight land pollution and keep our environment clean; we must plant trees and flowers and take care of animals, we must not throw our wastes into the rivers. In many countries environmental protection organizations such as â€Å"Green Peace†, â€Å"Friend of the Earth†, â€Å"World Wild Life Fund† are set up which try to put pressure upon the governments that don't care for ecology in their countries. The humankind will be able to survive only if we all realize that environmental protection is our universal concern.

Music Business Merchandising and Law

Discuss how the Music Business is a system comprised of principle subsystems. There are several key components to the success of an artist in the music business. These components support one another, and enable each to complete tasks that are designed to further the marketability of an artist or group. One such component, or subsystem, is the agent. The agent acts as the legal representative of an artist. This person, or company, manages all of the legal issues associated with an artist’s image and career. Agents, typically, are the face of the artist to the business world. These agents meet with promoters, and venue owners to secure the performance rights, and facilitate touring. They also ask as mediators between the artist and publishing companies to ensure that all legal issues are addressed, and that the transfer of the artist’s created materials are handled in the proper manner. Another aspect of the agent’s responsibility is to maintain and negotiate contracts for the artist, with their respective parent companies. This is to ensure that the artist receives all the proper representation that is required to ensure that the contracts that the artists are bound by are fair, and ethical. The next subsystem is the parent company itself. Often referred to simply as the â€Å"label†, record companies are the binding source of power within the music business. The label is the enterprise which holds the contracts, oversees promotion, ensures distribution, and holds the records on taxes, royalties, and payments to the artist and all his/her employees. Record companies range in size, depending on the scope of their enterprise. Small or independent companies typically handle and short list of clients, and are able reach a limited area for the release. The larger companies are multinational conglomerations that hold interests in hundreds of artist. These companies are able to reach markets the world over. They also, typically, oversee a wide range of music business genres. The next part of the equation is the distributor. It is the job and obligation of the record distributor to procure the reproduction rights of an artist, produce large quantities of the product, and ensure that the product is available for the public demand. Just as the record company, record distributors range in size and scope. With the small companies reaching a localized market, and the larger, international companies, reaching every market available, the distributors serve the record companies directly. Though they are dealing in the product of an artist, they rarely deal directly with them. It has only been in recent years that the Music Business has had the ability to find and foster increasing numbers of qualified leaders. The music business, though in existence for centuries, has only in the past few decades created an environment that fosters a profitable medium. The earliest professional musicians were limited to audiences of royalty, and noble elites – for they alone possessed the wealth enough to pay for such extravagances. This early form of the music business was also limited by the desire of the leading nobles or royalty in the scope of content and style. The musicians, such as Mozart, in his day, were allowed to create only what was pleasing to the royal court – and profited very little from it. However, in the 20th century, artists began to see a freedom that had eluded them in the past. With the increasingly large audience base in the United States, artists from multiple genres were able to procure livable wages in town halls and theaters. Following World War I, there was a large outcry for artistic expression in the arts in the United States – and a boom of employment followed. The era of the Big Band, saw music leaders, such as Duke Ellington, tour the entire country – playing their own music and earning their own wages. This boom in musical freedom peaked in the 1950’s with the rise of â€Å"Rock and Roll† – and such artists as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. The late fifties, though socially repressed, saw the first millionaires rise from the music industry – and along with them, the rise of the industry itself. The era of Sun Records, in Memphis Tennessee, showed the music world that vast amounts of income that could be generated with a properly maintained and well organized corporate entity. The number of record companies increased drastically, and by the early 1960’s there were dozens of large scale companies operating the in United States. The next big step came in the form of British artists. The arrival of The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and other English groups into the United States, opened the door for the first multinational company holdings. The rights of these groups to perform and sell their records within the United States meant that American companies had to hold part of their ownership. Soon this would lead to the expansion of American companies to other countries, to acquire the artists directly, and increase the profitability – by eliminating the shared contracts. Today, we see companies such as Sony, Viacom and Time Warner, as companies that are reaching every part of the globe, and dealing with not only music, but all ranges of entertainment arenas. These world wide conglomerations hold interest in hundreds and thousands of entertainers each, and command vast amounts of yearly income from the music business alone. Discuss the emphasis placed on the fact that Performing Arts Professionals rely heavily on a full staffed support system to gain and sustain success. The amount of legal issues that govern an artist today is nearly as expansive as the United States tax code – which is also one of the many things that must be dealt with. The time that is necessary to maintain accurate records, deal with all of the promoters, distributors, lawyers, and agents would be impossible for a single person, or even a small group of people, to undertake. Nationally marketed artists have dealings with thousands of people that are related to the marketing and distribution of their product. This is why the music industry has created several specific positions that are intended to deal directly with each facet of an artist’s career. There are tour managers who deal directly with local promoters and venue owners to schedule events and solidify contractual necessities. There are also public relations agents who deal with the entertainment press and ensure that all the necessary information about an artist is available for public knowledge – or in some cases, unavailable. There are also entertainment lawyers whose job it is to ensure that all of the issues that involve the artist are dealt with accordingly. These issues may include copyrights, ownership of the material, and/or the transfer of these from one party to another. Another very important part of an artist’s career management team would be the accountant. As we have seen with artists such as Willie Nelson and others, improperly managed income can result in terrible personal and economic costs to the artist. The amount of time that is necessary for this task to be maintained successfully, in the cases of especially large acts, is hundreds of hours per week – of course impossible for the artist to worry about and still maintain a career in music. Finally, there are the people whose job it is to ensure that every recorded track is perfect, and marketable – the producer. Today’s recording technology is vastly more complex and sensitive than was seen even twenty years ago. The expertise that is necessary to operate and adjust the sound boards for a recording artist takes years of training within itself. Some of these producers, such as Bob Rock and Jermaine Dupri, have as much recognition as the artists that they support. They are also some of the highest paid professionals within the music business – as they often hold a large percentage of the finished product’s copyright and therefore, profits. What are the FOUR FACTORS which represent the essential core foundation contributing to the success of those who â€Å"win† in the Music Business? The first factor is marketability. This is the ability of an artist to create a body of work that is acceptable to the largest possible audience. The more people who would listen to an artist’s chosen style, the easier it is to sell and profit from that style. The term â€Å"Pop Music† is the very definition of this. With artists today such as Jessica Simpson and Kelly Clarkson, who produce mainstream music that pushes few boundaries, the ability for the record companies to market these artists is greatly increased. Next would be the playability of an artist. This is the ability for an artist to be broadcasted on radio stations and television networks. It is important that an artist be able to be broadcasted on national radio stations to ensure that the artist is heard by the largest possible number of people – thereby increasing the possible number of record buyers. There are acceptations to this rule, however. Groups such as Korn and Pantera have each had number one records in the United States – with little or no airplay. This leads to the next factor – touring. Touring is the best tool that an artist can utilize to see that their work is seen by the public. Tours are usually very profitable ventures, the most often the source of greatest amounts of income for the artist or group. Tours also enable the buying public to see, first hand, the musical ability and entertainment value of an artist. Some artists, such as the Grateful Dead and Phish, never had large numbers of record sales, however their non-stop touring schedules ensured them a strong fan following and large profitability. Both bands also used a tactic that brought them much success as artists, but not as enterprises, the use of bootlegged recordings. They allowed audience members to record their performances and sell them on their own, without fear of reprisal. This created a strong fan solidarity, but most certainly contributed to their low actual album sales. Finally, there is the factor of performance, itself. No artist or group could maintain a career without an enjoyable and entertaining performance. The necessity for performance is at the root of an artist’s success. Combining talent, creation and execution in the proper construct will make for a successful artist. As seen with groups such as The Door, who were arguably the most intellectual group of the 1960’s, saw their popularity plummet as the drug and alcohol induced antics of front man, Jim Morrison, became belligerent and sometimes, combative to the audience. The Business of Music: This encapsulates the sum total of all issues that are involved in the recording, marketing, and obtaining of profit from music. The enterprise of music involves thousands of titles and positions that work to ensure the profit of an artist or group. Though, sometimes seen as the driving force behind musical trends, the business of music is intended to see that all possible musical endeavors are profitable and lucrative. The New Professionals: This is a description of groups of people who have left their original positions – such as lawyers, doctors, or CEOs etc. – to become involved with the music business. These people are shown an opportunity to capitalize on an artist or venture relating to the industry and have the resources to embrace it. Though not always long term, these professionals see the allure of the music business in much the same way as the artist. The desire for fame and fortune inspire these professionals to endeavor to make their fortunes in this business. Often taking to the production chair, or the marketing position, these people attempt to create a sustainable income promoting, producing, or investing an artist or group. Versatility: This is the ability of company to encompass multiple genres within their network. This ability allows for a single company to reach a diverse audience and increase the sales numbers of the company itself. Also, this enables a company to reach an audience with a diverse selection of musical tastes. For example, should a prospective record buyer feel that the standards of a company are high; they may pursue an artist from the same company, but outside of their normal listening area. This also allows for a single company to manage markets in multiple countries. Sony, for example, is a company bases in Japan, with holdings in many countries, in including the United States. Their diverse distribution enables Sony to sell to countries with different languages, genres, and preferred media. Job Floating: This is a term used to describe an artist who has yet to sign to a set contract, but has a marketable body of work. Much like â€Å"Free Agency† in professional sports, Job Floating is the passing of an artist from one agent or producer to another, in hopes that this artist would either sign to the company, or record their project with a reputable producer. This allows a record company to obtain distribution rights to an artist’s work without that artist signing a committing contract with that company. This option increases the ability for a company to reach the independent markets, as well as the mainstream. Education: Education in the music business is the acquisition of knowledge that better prepares the individual for all of the possible eventualities that arise within the industry. Just as with any other business venture, preparedness is essential to success. An individual receives this education from any one of dozens of colleges or technical schools that offer such courses. These schools, such as Art Instruction Schools, International, offer in-depth courses that revolve around the information needed to succeed. â€Å"Commercial† side of Music Industry: This is the area of the music business that is solely interested in the profit of a musical venture. These projects are often called â€Å"jingles† and used in advertisements and television commercials. The artists that are employed in these ventures often differ from the mainstream artists, in that they do not attempt to create an artistic expression, but rather a short, and very memorable tune that can be easily identified with a certain product. These ventures are also not intended for wide consumption. They are intended for short lived, commercial endeavors that seek to increase the sales of a product or service, outside of the music industry. Bibliography Ream, Rundi. â€Å"The Songwriter’s Guild of America†. SGA.COM. 2004.    Online access: 29  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   March 2008. URL:    http://www.songwritersguild.com/index.html â€Å"International Alliance for Women in Music†. IAWM.COM. 2006.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Online Access: 29  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   March 2008. URL: http://www.iawm.org/ Whitsett, Tim. â€Å"The Dictionary of Music Business Terms†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mixbooks. New York. 1998.   

A Event That Changed My Life

BRAINSTORMING: 1. )Moving away to a different state. Positives: a. )started college b. )stayed out of trouble Negatives: a. )had no family to turn to b. )had a lot of trouble finding a place to stay 2. )Being a troubled teen. Positives: a. )learned from experiences I had Negatives: a. )had a lot of trouble with the police b. )didn’t go to school c. )ran away Final Draft: OK so basically I have decided to tell you about me being a troubled teen. Everybody I am sure has either had some kind of trouble as a teen or been in some kind of trouble as a teen. Well some has been worse than others right. Well mine started off when I was 14. I thought I could do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it and knew everything. Needless to say it didn’t happen that way. When I was 14 I got into a lot of trouble. I didn’t listen to my mom, I would sneak out the house, and I got into a lot of trouble with the police for fighting a lot, and always skipped school. I never hung out with people that did anything good. The people I hung out with where negative. Well one day I went to school and got into a really bad fight and ended up in a juvenile facility over it. I was there for about a month went to court and the judge put me on probation for 3 years. Well I still thought I could do what I wanted to do. So I still kept doing the same behavior I was doing before then. Needless to say I ended up violating probation when I was 15 and they locked me up. I was in a juvenile facility for 3 months then went to court and they put me in a program for 1 year. Well when I got to the program I thought it was going to be easy. But I ended up finding it was actually very difficult. Well after I got out of my program I decided that was something I had never wanted to experience again. So still to this day, and am 21 now, I have not been back in jail or nothing. I have been abiding by the laws and actually I am doing really well for myself. But before I could realize that’s not the life I wanted to live anymore I had to make a change, and not for anybody but myself. Narrative essay:

Deception Point Page 47

Arriving now at the doorway of the Communications Office, Tench felt alive with the thrill of the fight. Politics was war. She took a deep breath and checked her watch. 6:15 P.M. The first shot was about to be fired. She entered. The Communications Office was small not for lack of room, but for lack of necessity. It was one of the most efficient mass communications stations in the world and employed a staff of only five people. At the moment, all five employees stood over their banks of electronic gear looking like swimmers poised for the starting gun. They are ready, Tench saw in their eager gazes. It always amazed her that this tiny office, given only two hours head start, could contact more than one third of the world's civilized population. With electronic connections to literally tens of thousands of global news sources-from the largest television conglomerates to the smallest hometown newspapers-the White House Communications Office could, at the touch of a few buttons, reach out and touch the world. Fax-broadcast computers churned press releases into the in-boxes of radio, television, print, and Internet media outlets from Maine to Moscow. Bulk e-mail programs blanketed on-line news wires. Telephone autodialers phoned thousands of media content managers and played recorded voice announcements. A breaking news Web page provided constant updates and preformatted content. The â€Å"live-feed-capable† news sources-CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, foreign syndicates-would be assaulted from all angles and promised free, live television feeds. Whatever else these networks were airing would come to a screeching halt for an emergency presidential address. Full penetration. Like a general inspecting her troops, Tench strode in silence over to the copy desk and picked up the printout of the â€Å"flash release† that now sat loaded in all the transmission machines like cartridges in a shotgun. When Tench read it, she had to laugh quietly to herself. By usual standards, the release loaded for broadcast was heavy-handed-more of an advertisement than an announcement-but the President had ordered the Communications Office to pull out all the stops. And that they had. This text was perfect-keyword-rich and content light. A deadly combination. Even the news wires that used automated â€Å"keyword-sniffer† programs to sort their incoming mail would see multiple flags on this one: From: White House Communications Office Subject: Urgent Presidential Address The President of the United States will be holding an urgent press conference tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time from the White House briefing room. The topic of his announcement is currently classified. Live A/V feeds will be available via customary outlets. Laying the paper back down on the desk, Marjorie Tench looked around the Communications Office and gave the staff an impressed nod. They looked eager. Lighting a cigarette, she puffed a moment, letting the anticipation build. Finally, she grinned. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen. Start your engines.† 53 All logical reasoning had evaporated from Rachel Sexton's mind. She held no thoughts for the meteorite, the mysterious GPR printout in her pocket, Ming, the horrific attack on the ice sheet. There was one matter at hand. Survival. The ice skimmed by in a blur beneath her like an endless, sleek highway. Whether her body was numb with fear or simply cocooned by her protective suit, Rachel did not know, but she felt no pain. She felt nothing. Yet. Lying on her side, attached to Tolland at the waist, Rachel lay face-to-face with him in an awkward embrace. Somewhere ahead of them, the balloon billowed, fat with wind, like a parachute on the back of a dragster. Corky trailed behind, swerving wildly like a tractor trailer out of control. The flare marking the spot where they had been attacked had all but disappeared in the distance. The hissing of their nylon Mark IX suits on the ice grew higher and higher in pitch as they continued to accelerate. She had no idea how fast they were going now, but the wind was at least sixty miles an hour, and the frictionless runway beneath them seemed to be racing by faster and faster with every passing second. The impervious Mylar balloon apparently had no intentions of tearing or relinquishing its hold. We need to release, she thought. They were racing away from one deadly force-directly toward another. The ocean is probably less than a mile ahead now! The thought of icy water brought back terrifying memories. The wind gusted harder, and their speed increased. Somewhere behind them Corky let out a scream of terror. At this speed, Rachel knew they had only a few minutes before they were dragged out over the cliff into the frigid ocean. Tolland was apparently having similar thoughts because he was now fighting with the payload clasp attached to their bodies. â€Å"I can't unhook us!† he yelled. â€Å"There's too much tension!† Rachel hoped a momentary lull in the wind might give Tolland some slack, but the katabatic pulled on with relentless uniformity. Trying to help, Rachel twisted her body and rammed the toe cleat of one of her crampons into the ice, sending a rooster tail of ice shards into the air. Their velocity slowed ever so slightly. â€Å"Now!† she yelled, lifting her foot. For an instant the payload line on the balloon slackened slightly. Tolland yanked down, trying to take advantage of the loose line to maneuver the payload clip out of their carabiners. Not even close. â€Å"Again!† he yelled. This time they both twisted against one another and rammed their toe prongs into the ice, sending a double plume of ice into the air. This slowed the contraption more perceptibly. â€Å"Now!† On Tolland's cue, they both let up. As the balloon surged forward again, Tolland rammed his thumb into the carabiner latch and twisted the hook, trying to release the clasp. Although closer this time, he still needed more slack. The carabiners, Norah had bragged, were first-rate, Joker safety clips, specifically crafted with an extra loop in the metal so they would never release if there were any tension on them at all. Killed by safety clips, Rachel thought, not finding the irony the least bit amusing. â€Å"One more time!† Tolland yelled. Mustering all her energy and hope, Rachel twisted as far as she could and rammed both of her toes into the ice. Arching her back, she tried to lift all her weight onto her toes. Tolland followed her lead until they were both angled roughly on their stomachs, the connection at their belt straining their harnesses. Tolland rammed his toes down and Rachel arched farther. The vibrations sent shock waves up her legs. She felt like her ankles were going to break. â€Å"Hold it†¦ hold it†¦ † Tolland contorted himself to release the Joker clip as their speed decreased. â€Å"Almost†¦ â€Å" Rachel's crampons snapped. The metal cleats tore off of her boots and went tumbling backward into the night, bouncing over Corky. The balloon immediately lurched forward, sending Rachel and Tolland fishtailing to one side. Tolland lost his grasp on the clip. â€Å"Shit!† The Mylar balloon, as if angered at having been momentarily restrained, lurched forward now, pulling even harder, dragging them down the glacier toward the sea. Rachel knew they were closing fast on the cliff, although they faced danger even before the hundred-foot drop into the Arctic Ocean. Three huge snow berms stood in their path. Even protected by the padding in the Mark IX suits, the experience of launching at high speed up and over the snow mounds filled her with terror. Fighting in desperation with their harnesses, Rachel tried to find a way to release the balloon. It was then that she heard the rhythmic ticking on the ice-the rapid-fire staccato of lightweight metal on the sheet of bare ice.

Metropolitan Growth in Canada 1991-2001 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Metropolitan Growth in Canada 1991-2001 - Essay Example In actual sense, Montreal and Toronto alone received 60% of new incomers into the cities’ demographic structures. In the 1991 census, Toronto and Montreal had a cumulative population of approximately 7 million members. In 1996, the population rose by 6.4% to approximately 7.87 million people. Other cities which accommodated more than 1 million people in 1991, 1996 and 2001 census include Calgary and Edmonton, both in the district of Alberta. In addition, Ottawa, which lies at the south eastern district of Quebec, accommodated approximately 1.2 million people. These urban centers comprise of members deriving their ancestral roots from different ethnic backgrounds. Montreal comprised mainly of European and African immigrants while Toronto and Vancouver accommodates majority of Asian immigrants. According to Simmons and Larry (2003), the ethnic difference of a city’s population plays a significant role in determining the key economic activity adopted by citizens. In this c ase, immigrants from Europe have substantial economic strength and financial capabilities compared to African immigrants. In this case, Europeans in Montreal lives in the inner-city neighborhoods with high social status. On the other hand, African immigrants tend to reside on the outskirt characterized with affordable housings and cheap social amenities. With respect to ethnic and social differences, economic activities and educational achievements influence the population level of incomes; hence the observed employment patterns across the society. However, the general increase in Canada’s urban population influences the rate of employment. The changing patterns on Canada’s population seem to exert substantial influence on the nation’s economic and social aspects. According to the bulletin research article, the observed trends within different cities are playing a role in creating new forms of divides within the society. Simmons and Larry (2003) states that some of the notable trends in social and economic aspect of the society include patterns of employment rate as compared to population growth over a period of ten years. Statistics obtained from census results shows different trends in respective cities, all of which falls under the list of 25 most populated metropolitan areas in Canada. According to Simmons and Larry (2003), emerging differences in economic strengths across the population determines the general welfare of Canadians, especially on aspects like health, living styles and housing environment. Continued degradation of economic patterns may lead to worsening of the general health welfare and society’s well-being. On the other hand, improvement of economic activities, which translates to positive changes in employment patterns, leads to a healthy society with decent and affordable housing. In an effort to objectively determine the relationship between population growth and employment rates, we will acknowledge the stati stical element of correlation coefficient. Prior to appraising its application, we will evaluate the actual change in population and corresponding shifts in employment rates among members of the selected urban areas. As an illustration, statistics shows that in a period of five years, Quebec’s city of St John experienced a 1.28% increase in its population. However, the population increase received a corresponding increase in employment rate by approximately 9 percent. On the other han