The Stone Angel; Comparison essays

The Stone Angel; Comparison essays The film A Beautiful Mind and the novel The Stone Angel both have a very important and interesting theme: when life throws you a curveball, love will always be there. A Beautiful Mind is a film about the life of John Forbes Nash, a Nobel Prize winner who struggled through most of his adult life with schizophrenia. It is a true story, not only of one man's fight to overcome his own disability, but of the overreaching power of love - a theme that has also been embraced by the book The Stone Angel. This novel deals with the life of Hagar Currie Shipley, a 91-year-old woman who is on a tumultuous journey to accept her own life, and prepare for death. Yet even though she attempts to wrestle against the inevitable, there is always a constant reminder: love is always the key to happiness. Thus, the film and the novel explore the true importance of love and its role our lives. Both characters experience different stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance in their quest to define their lives and learn the fact that love is the most important thing. At one time, every individual is faced with death, horrific to the young, or inviting to the sick and the old. Death is interpreted as the end of existence, but to those who believe in the afterlife, as a whole new chapter of the unknown. When Hagar Shipley realizes the proximity of death, she is in denial. She comes to live in a world of memories in the past. All her life, she was hard, never showing emotion, even through the passing of her husband. However, near the end she comes to a new understanding, although she would not admit it: what is the purpose of living life, happily or unhappily, if there is a lack of love and trust? Likewise, John Nash is faced with his own death when he finally realizes that he is a schizophrenic, has taken many chances with his life already, and may die a lonely man if he does not come to accept his situation and use the remainder of h...

Where did English come from - Claire Bowern Essays - Language

Where did English come from - Claire Bowern Essays - Language When we talk about English, we often think of it as a single language but what do the dialects spoken in dozens of countries around the world have in common with each other, or with the writings of Chaucer? And how are any of them related to the strange words in Beowulf? The answer is that like most languages, English has evolved through generations of speakers, undergoing major changes over time. By undoing these changes, we can trace the language from the present day back to its ancient roots. While modern English shares many similar words with Latin-derived romance languages, like French and Spanish, most of those words were not originally part of it. Instead, they started coming into the language with the Norman invasion of England in 1066. When the French-speaking Normans conquered England and became its ruling class, they brought their speech with them, adding a massive amount of French and Latin vocabulary to the English language previously spoken there. Today, we call that language Old English. This is the language of Beowulf. It probably doesn't look very familiar, but it might be more recognizable if you know some German. That's because Old English belongs to the Germanic language family, first brought to the British Isles in the 5th and 6th centuries by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. The Germanic dialects they spoke would become known as Anglo-Saxon. Viking invaders in the 8th to 11th centuries added more borrowings from Old Norse into the mix. It may be hard to see the roots of modern English underneath all the words borrowed from French, Latin, Old Norse and other languages. But comparative linguistics can help us by focusing on grammatical structure, patterns of sound changes, and certain core vocabulary. For example, after the 6th century, German words starting with "p," systematically shifted to a "pf" sound while their Old English counterparts kept the "p" unchanged. In another split, words that have "sk" sounds in Swedish developed an "sh" sound in English. There are still some English words with "sk," like "skirt," and "skull," but they're direct borrowings from Old Norse that came after the "sk" to "sh" shift. These examples show us that just as the various Romance languages descended from Latin, English, Swedish, German, and many other languages descended from their own common ancestor known as Proto-Germanic spoken around 500 B.C.E. Because this historical language was never written down, we can only reconstruct it by comparing its descendants, which is possible thanks to the consistency of the changes. We can even use the same process to go back one step further, and trace the origins of Proto-Germanic to a language called Proto-Indo-European, spoken about 6000 years ago on the Pontic steppe in modern day Ukraine and Russia. This is the reconstructed ancestor of the Indo-European family that includes nearly all languages historically spoken in Europe, as well as large parts of Southern and Western Asia. And though it requires a bit more work, we can find the same systematic similarities, or correspondences, between related words in different Indo-European branches. Comparing English with Latin, we see that English has "t" where Latin has "d", and "f" where latin has "p" at the start of words. Some of English's more distant relatives include Hindi, Persian and the Celtic languages it displaced in what is now Britain. Proto-Indo-European itself descended from an even more ancient language, but unfortunately, this is as far back as historical and archeological evidence will allow us to go. Many mysteries remain just out of reach, such as whether there might be a link between Indo-European and other major language families, and the nature of the languages spoken in Europe prior to its arrival. But the amazing fact remains that nearly 3 billion people around the world, many of whom cannot understand each other, are nevertheless speaking the same words shaped by 6000 years of history.

Research and recommend environmentally friendly elements to be used in Essay

Research and recommend environmentally friendly elements to be used in the construction of a multi storey commercial building - Essay Example These ensure client satisfaction and deign excellence. The chief task of this paper is to recommend environmentally friendly elements to be employed in the use of the construction of a multi-storey building. Green building is both cost effective and environmentally friendly. Recommendation Wood is among the core materials used in the construction of buildings. In context to multi-storey buildings, the ratio of steel, glass and concrete, is significantly more. However, in green building, this ratio must change. In this endeavor, timber-concrete composite is favorable for this building. It comprises of timber beams being interconnected to slabs of concrete that are then cast on timber members (GLAVINICH, 2008). This introduces cost saving measures and efficient control of building materials. The picture below was taken from a case study of Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney, east London. It demonstrates the strength associated with timber concrete composite. In context to the roof , clay roofing tiles are the best environmentally friendly option to pursue. Clay is a hundred percent recyclable as such the core rationale for its inclusion as a preferred building material. The durability of clay will lead to significant savings. This will be in terms of cost of repair. An additional factor for clay is that an increasing number of clay manufacturing companies are offering post consumer recycled clay tiles. Thus, the roofing system will always be up to date. The ten storey building is expected to consume a significant quantity of energy. As such, in achieving the sustainability of the building, energy efficiency is imperative. When the appropriate energy efficient solution is found, the rising costs of energy are controlled. The design and construction of the building should capture energy efficiency. Thus, solar energy is reliable since it is incident and available for a larger part of the year (YUDELSON, 2008). In the past, systems for harnessing solar energy we re not efficient in the creation of electrical energy. However, technological advancements have made it possible to source reasonable output from the solar panels. However, solar energy is expected to work in unison with the conventional power source. The picture below is a depiction of a Sandtoft product. The rationale for using Sandtoft rests on the premise that since they produce both clay roofs and solar panels, it would be more economical to buy from Sandtoft. The picture is from a case study conducted in Leeds where the owner reported significant energy savings since dealing with Sandtoft. Painting has been discovered to be among the most toxic chemicals in buildings (RIDER et al., 2011). Therefore, environmentally friendly paint must be used. The paint to be used on the building should be of low or no VOC paint. Natural pigmented paints should be the only paint to be used. As such, Ecosure Matt by Deluxe Trade is the best alternative. A case study conducted on Rimrose Hope CE Primary School explicates on both the sustainability and performance of this natural paint. The normal insulation systems are a product of toxic materials. An environmentally friendly insulation system comprises of blue jean denim (MULVANEY, 2011). It entirely uses recyclable materials. It has almost zero waste materials. Widows and doors form a core element in the energy profile of a building. When these products are

Namesake Directed by Mira Nair Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Namesake Directed by Mira Nair - Essay Example Nikhil’s wedding plan makes a very compelling effort to show that they are Bengali, this vacation perhaps more than anything shows that while in the name they might be Bengali, their cultural and societal roots are fairly far from it. Paris is also significant for Moushumi, and it is more of a home for her. When Moushumi tells Nikhil the story behind her devastating break-up with Graham whom she loved passionately it causes a lot of insecurity to Nikhil.   She used to live in Paris and admits that if it weren't for Graham she would have never left. So not only is Paris not home to Nikhil but a place he cannot possibly like. This actually becomes even truer, later when Moushumi has an affair with somebody she met in Paris. When Nikhil later states that â€Å"his time with Moushumi seems like a permanent part of him that no longer has any relevance or currency. As if that time were a name had ceased to use" it is something which started here in Paris. However to blame Paris f or what becomes of Nikhil and Moushumi would be like trying to blame the stove for starting a fire. The stove was always there. Nikhil and Moushumi were always the people they were supposed to be. When Nikil’s mom could not understand, though she resigned herself too, later why Moushumi and Nikhil could not try and make this work like any Indian couple, she did not understand that neither of them was Indian, perhaps they were not completely American, but they had their own set of values. Nikhil is in Paris, the home of the people with liberated thinking, and in many ways, he thinks that he has a very liberated view too. But in many ways, he finds out that he is not â€Å"free† as long as he continues to divorce himself from his parents’ existence.   It is interesting because, here Nikhil is finding out, though not yet acknowledging to himself what his mother found out a long time back. For being a foreigner is a constant burden, a continuous feeling out of sor ts.

Executing Strategies in a Global Environment Essay Example for Free

Executing Strategies in a Global Environment Essay Abstract This paper will analyze Federal Express’s value creation frontier, and determine which of the four building blocks of competitive advantage the company needs in order to continue their above average profitability. It will also explore the main aspect of product differentiations and capacity control of the company to maintain an edge on their rivals. Furthermore, for this assignment I will attempt examine the efficiency of FedEx’s current business model and recommend a new business level strategy that will give Federal Express a competitive advantage over it rivals. In addition, this paper will also examine the manner in which overall, global competition may influence my recommended business strategy and I will suggest a significant way that Federal Express can confront its global competition. Introduction Federal Express began operating in 1973, under the leadership of Fred Smith Jr. Before Federal Express, a major portion for small packaging airfreight flew on commercial passenger flights. Fred Smith believed that these two services should be treated differently, because the commercial passenger and cargo shipper had different needs. The commercial passenger they wanted the convenience of daytime flights. As for the cargo shippers, they preferred night services, which would afford them late afternoon pickups and next day delivery (Hill,2013). Since small-package airfreight only went out based on the commercial flight scheduling, it was hard for cargo shippers to achieve next day delivery. To remedy the shipping issue cargo shippers had Smith aimed to build a system that could achieve next day delivery of small package airfreight (Hill,2013). Today Federal Express has grown from a express delivery company to a global logistic and supply chain management company (Crane, et al., 2003). Over the years Federal Express was able to grow through acquistions and large investmenst in information technoloy. The company was also able to stand out from the rest best on their business model operate independently, compete collectively. Smith segmented his compnay into 6 different  component – FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services, which allowed each component to focus on their own maket segment. By segmenting of each component it provided Federal express the oppurtunity to focus more on customer. Even though Federal Express 6 different components operated seperatley the competed together under FedEx Corporation. Federal Express’s Value Creation Frontier and Their Four Building Blocks of Competitive Advantage Federal Express profitability depends on three factors: The value a customer places on t heir services, the price Federal Express charges for their services, and the cost Federal Express has to incur to produce the services they provide (Hll Jones, 2013). The more favorable these factors are the more value is bestowed on Federal Express’s product. To accurately value, a company’s product management must distinguish the difference between utility and price (Hill Jones, 2013). Utility is the customer’s satisfaction or happiness with using or owning a company’s product or services. Federal Express has stepped up to the plate by making shipping easier and convenient for their customer. Today we can find drop off boxes in front of office buildings and small neighborhood shipping stores. Having drop off boxes offers the customer anytime drop offs and no waiting time. Federal Express has also invested heavily in innovation to add to the customer’s experience (Crane, et al., 2003). The option of wireless technology and the ability to track deliveries and schedule picks on the company’s website provides the customer shipping right at their fingertips. For their global customer Federal Express can offer shipping option to more than two hundred companies. The prices Federal Express set for their services are higher than many of their competitors. Federal Express pricing is considered a premium, which reflects the high quality level of service FedEx provides (Crane, et al., 2003). Based on FedEx stance, their premium pricing is worth it, but they fail to realize their very price sensitive customer who may go with a more cheaper option for certain services (UPS). In this case it make it difficult for Fedex to standout based on branding and the amenties they offer. They may have to think of a different way to differeinate themselves from the competitior. Since Federal Express’s growth and customer, satisfaction comes with a high price tag. Their return on invested capital (ROIC) is very low compared to its biggest competitor UPS. In 2011, FedEx ROIC was 7.41% and UPS was 19.39%  (Hill, 2013). Some say in time the money FedEx spent to build up their company, technology infrastructure, and customer satisfaction may soon pay off. The other positive side is that FedEx spending and acquisition expenses have made it hard for new companies to enter and compete in the packaging industry Along with value creation, a company must excel in the four building block of competitive advantage efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. How well a company performs in these four areas will determine their profitability and competitive advantage over the competitor. These four generic building blocks are a product of a company’s distinctive competencies, which will allow a company to differentiate its product and lower its cost structure (Hill Jones, 2013). In turn, sustain a competitive advantage and better profitability outcomes over their competitor. When determining a company’s efficiency we can look at what it takes (inputs) to produce a product or services (outputs). According to Hill and Jones, the more efficient a company is the fewer inputs it required to produce a particular output. The most common way to measure a company’s efficiency is through employee productivity – the out pout produced per employee (Hill Jones, 2013). When examining FedEx efficiency they were the first packaging company to invest in technology that enabled their employees to access company information wireless 24 hours a day. This wireless feature also allows the employee to collect packaging data, which allows employees to quickly enter packages into the company’s package tracking system, which reduces the possibility of error (Crane, et al., 2003). As for FedEx service, they can be review by its features, performance, durability, reliability, style, and design (Hill Jones, 2013). These features are used by customers to determine the quality level of the services that are offered by FedEx. Based on FedEx’s history, spending to build its infrastructure, and premium pricing FedEx is committed to providing a service of high quality standings. FedEx has also invested heavily in new technologies, which will improve their services, make it more reliable, and valuable to its customers (Amsler, Cullen, Erdmenger, 2010). An example that show FedEx is all about quality is their technology efforts such as tracking deliveries on their website, and offering convenient shipping at the customer’s fingertips. As mentioned before FedEx is all about innovation. They are into creating new services  and processes to make shipping easy and convenient for their customers. One of their major investments is the joint venture with University of Memphis. University of Memphis and FedEx have joined and formed the FedEx Institute of Technology. This investment will ensure that FedEx will not be let in dark when it comes to new technology (Crane, et al., 2003). When it comes to customer satisfaction FedEx tries to identify their customer needs. FedEx heard the customers demanded for a more convenient way of shipping. FedEx has extended drop off times by three hours, offer drop off boxes, and the ability for customer to schedule pickups on FedEx’s website. The only dissatisfaction is the premium pricing set on their services. FedEx fail to adhere to the demands of their cost sensitive customers. These are the customers who only care about inexpensive delivery services. This group of people may use FedEx as a last resort for their shipping needs. Product Differentiation The idea behind product differentiation is creating a product that satisfies the customers’ needs (Hill Jones, 2013). In order for a company to obtain a competitive advantage they must offer a product that better satistfies the customer’s need than its rival. When a company creates a stratergy that involves innovation, execellence, quality, and customer responsiveness they are offering custumers differentiation product. When the a company’s stratergy is about finding ways to increase efficiency and reliablity to reduce cost they are offering the customer low priced product (Hill Jones,2013). In the case of Federal Express their stratergy is not about offering a low priced product, but offering a product that is innovative, meets a high standard of execellence, high quality, and basing the product on the customer’s need. Federal Express understood the importance of differentiation. Since their strategy is not based on offering a low costing product Federal Express had to focus on information technology. Today customers are interested in monitoring their shipments, estimating arrival times, price and cost of shipments. These elements are important to most businesses and consumers as well as the safety of their delivery (Crane, et al., 2003). To satisfy the needs of their customers and to stand out from their competitor FedEx has  invested heavily in the technology infrastructure, which provides options for customers to track and validate shipments at their personal computer. Federal Express works hard to create a high quality level of service that is difficult for their rival to match (Crane, et al., 2003). Over the years, FedEx has been known as an innovator in the shipping sector, and providing a high level of quality services. Due to FedEx’s higher prices the level of service they provide may become unnoticed. To differentiate their standard of quality from their competitor FedEx lets their customers know that if they are willing to pay more it will be worth it (Crane, et al., 2003). Capacity Control With technology, forecasting, and planning strategies Federal Express is able to handle the fluctuating demand in shipping. With General Information Science (GIS) Federal Express is able to build routes for the driver, guide sorting activities of inbound freight, estimate and record delivery times. This information is stored on a cloud, which is use for future planning and test the durability of a route to accommodate package volume fluctuation (Conger, Dezemplen, Haas, McLeod, 2010). Efficiency of Federal Express’s Current Business Model Federal Express’s current business model is to â€Å"operate independently, compete collectively.† Currently Federal Express is under the leadership of FedEx Corporation. FedEx Corporations provides strategic direction and financial reporting for the following operating companies that compete collectively, but operate separately worldwide: FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services (Amsler, Cullen, Erdmenger, 2010). The idea behind â€Å"Operate independently, compete collectively† is that each company will operate independently, compete collectively and manage collaboratively. By operating independently, each of the organizational components (FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services) can focus solely on their market segment. Also by segmenting off each component by its own market segment has provided FedEx the competitive advantage in customer responsiveness and has limited wasted time and resources on problem that are not associated with each market (Amsler,  Cullen, Erdmenger, 2010). The benefit of all the organizational component competing collectively is carrying and competing under a well know name – FedEx, which is one of the most recognized names in the industry (Smith, 2005). Even though â€Å"operate independently, compete collectively† has worked for Federal Express thus far, but keep in mind it only provided FedEx with a competitive edge in specific customer focus. To gain a stronger competitive advantage FedEx should add cost leadership to their business level strategy. Cost leadership is a business model strategy that works towards lowering a company’s cost structure so they can make and sell their products at a lower price than its competitors (Hill Jones, 2013). This has been difficult for FedEx, because of their constant expenditures in their infrastructure (Amsler, Cullen, Erdmenger, 2010). Due to FedEx costly expenditures, they are unable to compete with their biggest rival, UPS in setting prices. Global Competition and the Impact on Suggested Business Strategy Based on the international shipping demand among integrated global corporations and manufactures it will be FedEx’s as well as its competitors best interest to enter into the global shipping industry. Global manufactures are interested in keeping their inventory at a minimum and have just in time delivery option. This way global manufactures can keep cost down, fine-tune their production, and meet delivery deadlines (Hill, 2013) . As for global corporation their shipping need are different. They are in need of fast and a safe way to ship document that are to confidential for internet transmisson or require a real signiture. These global coroporation are seeking for the same shipping services the receive in the U.S for their global operations (Hill, 2013). According to Case 7: â€Å"The Evolution of the Small Package Express Delivery Industry, 1973 -2010† the trend for global shipping need is forcasted to grow approxiamently 18% annually from 1996 to 2016. This means there is a big demand for air cargo operators to build global shipping networks that will allow them to provide shipping services across the globe with in a 48 hour time frame. Through acquistion Federal Express was able to build a global shipping network to meet the demand among intergrated global corporations and manufactures. The acquisition expenses, international start cost, customs regulation cost , labor issue associated with global shipping, and the barries to attaining landing right in many markets prevented FedEx to  include cost leadership in their global busines stratergy. Eventhough FedEx does not have the competitive edge when it come to pricing they are t more visible in the global shipping industry than their competitors. They can offer services and shipping time frames their rivals can not offer. FedEx also has shipping hubs all over the world, which include 600 or so air crafts , which allows them to provide shipping option most of their comepitives can not offer. Based on history this was very difficult for other companies to establish this task. Since very few competitor have the same golobal infrastructure as FedEx global companies relay more FedEx for the international shipping needs (Crane, et al., 2003) Conclusion In conclusion, Federal Express’s competitive advantage is not based on cost, but on its technology infrastructure. Over the years, Federal Express has spent heavily on technology and in acquisitions in order to offer delivery options and services their competitor cannot. The spending was geared towards satisfying the needs of the customer, innovation, offering a quality product and excellence services. The only negative side on spending heavily is that the cost was passed on to the customer, but Federal express stance is that they offer premium services and products. Federal Express can offer their international customers shorter delivery time, because of the major acquisition transactions Federal Express was involved in over the years. As for their domestic business, it may be a little difficult to stand out from their competitor. Currently the competitor (UPS) can offer similar services and convenient shipping options at a lower cost. References Amsler, M., Cullen, J., Erdmenger, J. C. (2010). Strategic Report for FedEx Corporation. Vector Strategy Group. Conger, R., Dezemplen, R., Haas, J., McLeod, J. (2010). Using GIS Strategic Planning and Execution at FedEx Express. Crane, B., Landthorn, B., Miri, B., Relph, J., Sanchez, C., Vernerova, A. (2003). FedEx Corpration: Strategic Management Project. Hill, C. L. (2013). Case 7: The Evolution of the Samll Package Express Delivery Industry, 1973-2010. In C. L. Hill, G. R. Jones, Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach (pp. C83-C96). Independence: Cengage. Hill, C. L., Jones, G. R. (2013). Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach (10th ed.). Independence: Cengage. Smith, F. W. (2005). FedEx. Retrieved from FedEx corporation annual report: http://www.fedex.com/us/investorrelations/financialinfo/2005annualreport/online/msg_chair.html

Canada and Chemical Weapons :: Canadian Canada History

Canada and Chemical Weapons Chemical weapons date back the Peloponnesian war of 428-424 BC when they were used against the Spartans; the chemicals used were incendiary devices and sulfur-based gases that were blown by the wind onto besieged cities. The chemical weapons used then aren't nearly as deadly as those used in more recent times such as mustard gas, they were more to cause there enemies to retreat. There have been many incidents in history in which chemical weapons have been used as I have found in two articles on the history of chemical weapons. The articles I found are "A Short History of Chemical Weapons", and "Creating the Faith: The Canadian Gas Services in the First World War". Chemical weapons have been used in many occasions in war, including Ancient Times, The Middle Ages, World War I, and World War II and so on throughout time. Many kinds of chemical weapons have been used but modern chemical weapons started on April 22, 1915, with the Germans use of Chlorine gas on the Allie troops in WWI. In this incident 6,000 cylinders of the gas were released by 2 battalions along a 6 kilometer of the front, and the wind dispersed the clouds of gas killing 5,000 soldiers and putting 1,500 more out of the war. This caused great panic because nothing like this had happened before and wasn't expected by the allies. Previous to this event in the Middle Ages they used such things as arsenic and more natural things as chemicals which were as powerful as the chlorine gas ended up being in WWI. Chemical weapons were used many times after the Germans used chlorine gas in WWI, chlorine, phosgene, benzyl bromide, hydrogen cyanide, and then mustard gas in 1917. Mustard gas bec ame the worst and most popular chemical weapon used when it came out because of how harmful it was to the enemies; in addition it was figured that 1,300,000 soldiers were killed by the chemical weapons by the end of WWI. This essay stated that: "If the first World War had continued for yet another year it would indeed have been called the first Chemical War" (A Short History of Chemical Weapons) In WWII the use of chemical weapons decreased a lot and was only used in the Far East. Since WWI has really been called the birthplace of chemical weapons Tim Cook starts his article there with the Germans use of chlorine gas and how chemical weapon use escalated from that point.

Impact of internet social and political Essay

The internet is less than two decades old but its impact has been felt by almost everyone in the global village. It has not only revolutionized our personal interaction habits but has also impacted greatly on other spheres of our life, most notably the economy. In many societies, the digital technology has not only influenced the political communication but also the whole political systems. Shapiro (1999) suggests that the digital technology has captured the attention of everyone from the media, government and the general public. Although the invention of the internet has brought with it some negative aspects, the digital technology has been hailed as the man’s new road to the better world. This paper will try to discuss some of the aspects of the internet that have continuously impacted on our social and political behaviours as citizens. Computers and the internet have greatly facilitated and expanded the individuals’ capacities in every sector of the society. Gurstein (2000) contends that the new ICTs have impacted almost everyone from institutions to business to organizations to the political arena. The impact has been so great that every sector of our society feels obliged to embrace the information communication technology in order to either improve the running of the government, community networking or to improve the citizen participation in the new information society. Terms such as â€Å"citizen networks†, â€Å"digital cities† or â€Å"e-governments† have become common expressions these days. They simply imply the new ways of interactions that exist between the governed and the government and new ideas regarding the metropolitan policies, through the use of electronic media (Sclove, 1995). The urban settings, built landscape as well as the social setting in our society, has undergone tremendous transformation from the last decade into the new millennium. The citizens have also not been left behind in this era of transformation. What we consider space, time, and our perception of politics as well as what we consider public or private and local or global has greatly changed. The advancement in the information communication technology has largely contributed to the changes in our cities and contemporary societies (Tsagarousianou, Tambini, & Bryan, 1998). There is a new concept that has caught on with most people in our society concerning governance. The term â€Å"electronic democracy† though has been in use since 1960s when most activists introduced a number of communication medias like free radio stations, to make the governments more accountable and responsive to its citizens, has found its way back in the advent of the internet (Sclove, 1995). Internet is currently being used to marshal grassroots groups to support a certain cause by most civil activists. There is also a growing mass of citizen initiatives that help to shape public opinion and thus influencing policies both at the national and local level. The internet therefore has greatly challenged the hitherto monopolies of the most political classes through better communication networks that have empowered the citizens to create a form of democracy in the society (Schuler, 1998). Today, many cities around the globe have created home pages in the internet and forums for interaction with their city residents. Governments around the world both at the local and national level in developed and developing nations alike, have invested in e-government projects through networks that enable citizens access to government structures, engage in online transactions or to get information on government policies. Some of these networks and sites have enable citizens to participate in most decision making regarding the management of urban habitats (Underwood, 2002). The internet has great potential to amass groups of people persuasive to certain ideologies. Many organizations now have websites which they use not only to communicate with their members but to recruit more like-minded individuals into their groups. Indeed the internet has become one of the major tools for lobbying citizens to a particular cause. Such organizations as the Internet Society and Voters Frontier Foundation have been very active in recruiting and educating the public on political issues in America (Tsagarousianou, Tambini, & Bryan, 1998). These groups have greatly contributed to the policy making processes through intensive lobbying. The internet has therefore provided a better platform for the citizens to actively participate in the political arena. This development has actually dealt a big blow to the interest group politics that have gone on over the years (Davis, 1999). The internet has impacted greatly on how we interact these days. Due to its widespread and accessibility, the information communication technology has completely changed the forms of social engagements. Today, there are numerous social networking sites that have increased the speed at which we do interact and organize our social activities. The most notable ones are MySpace and Facebook, which have simply taken the social interactions to the next level. These sites not only make it easier to keep in touch with friends and family members but enable subscribers to find other friends online. The era of information communication has ushered in a new way of keeping contacts with others no matter the distance between us. In a nutshell, the internet has reduced the world to a global village where everyone can be reached simply by a few clicks of the mouse (Subrahmanyam & Greenfield, 2008). The social networking sites have also been very important in educating the public on social and political problems afflicting the society. There are groups of people who have formed social forums and recruited individuals with like-minded views on the social and political events in the country. Members would be easily reached through the internet and topics as well as current affairs discussed. These forums have been quite helpful in bringing change in the political and social arenas in our country. It is the emergence of the internet as a political tool that some countries like the Myanmar, Iran and China have censored its usage among their citizens. These countries have restricted contents of political and religious materials that are accessible to their citizens (Shapiro, 1999). Again, a new internet phenomenon has emerged reshaping the politics and political activities in many countries around the global. What has been referred to as the internet activism has caught on in many countries and political players and citizens alike have embraced internet to win masses into their camps and political groupings (Tolbert, & McNeal, 2003). The current United States president Barrack Obama owes much of his political success to the internet. He amassed overwhelming campaign funds that enabled him outmuscle his opponents in the 2008 elections simply by recruiting a greater mass of followers through the internet. The citizens who were eager for change contributed wholeheartedly to this cause through internet donation. What was most remarkable was the overwhelming following Obama was able to attract over a short period of time in politics. Those who contributed included even non-Americans, who found it easier because of the internet. The internet has also provided leisure activities to its users through social entertainment sites. Currently, there are a number of forums that provide games, videos, and cartoons to entertain internet users. The internet has also enabled easy access to news and information. People these days are able to watch and listen to news, book for vacations, get information on weather and many other things of their interest. There are also thousands of blog sites that have not only provided a platform of communication but have enabled most people to interact by sharing views on various happenings around them. The blog sites have also become political tools most citizens use to lobby people onto their way of thinking (Rodgers, 2003). During the early stages of its development, in the early 1990s, the digital technology led to what many considered internet-euphoria. Many optimists believe it was the new dawn to mankind’s participation in social, political as well as economic spheres in his society. These euphoric evaluation has somewhat changed over the years as more people are now becoming more aware of the dangers technological advancement may pose to the society (Engel, & Keller, 2000). There is the issue of lack of internet safety as the social networking sites have proved to be. The critics of internet claim that it may increase cyber thefts or deceits because one may be able to steal one’s identity especially from the social networking sites. The challenges posed by the internet to the political activities have been cited as some propaganda wars between nations which may spill over into real battles (Tolbert, & McNeal, 2003). Conclusion The internet has profound altered our societal operation both in political and social spheres. The citizens will continue to access vital information that would eventually empower them which in turn will reshape the politics and political class that have long governed with their interest-based policies. Again, the internet has proved to be a better social tool in our society because it has made interaction easier than before. However, there are a few challenges that must be overcome to make it safer for every user.

Lucozade Adverts

Lucozade is a product which over the years has totally changed the target audience and its impact on the market. At the start of its production life it was marketed as a drink which helped aid recovery for sick children, so the obvious target market was mothers who would be encouraged by the commercial to buy the drink for their children. However, as time went by this proved unsuccessful. It was time for change and this they did, changing not only image but target market and the different uses for the drink. The first advertisement studied was an original commercial which advertised Lucozade as a drink which aids recovery from illness; aimed to be bought by mothers, and promoted very much as a ‘happy family' drink. However, the slogan ‘Lucozade Aids Recovery' made consumers think it was a drink only for the sick and not intended for healthy people; because of improving social conditions and medical care, fewer people felt the need to buy Lucozade when they were ill, causing as obvious decrease in sales. Another problem was the packaging: it was a unique large glass bottle, but was only suitable for use in the home. Consumers who felt thirsty were unlikely to buy it and drink it on the street, which meant that the brand was only sold in large grocery stores and chemist so limiting its availability and reducing its market share. The drink itself was also a problem as it was then only provided in one flavour and consumers could take it or leave it, so many simply did not like th e taste and bought other soft drinks. A positive side to this advertising, however, was that everybody had heard of Lucozade and it had an excellent reputation, strongly associated with glucose and health. It was sold at a high price compared to production cost which meant that Lucozade made tremendous profit on each bottle sold. There was also no direct competition, not even from supermarkets, who often market their ‘own brand' versions of successful products. The Daley Thompson advertisements were the ‘cure' and saviour of the Lucozade drink in using a top sports superstar to endorse and advertise the product. Thompson was a double Olympic gold winning decathlete in the 1980s, and so was a world renowned sports star and he was British! A totally new advertising campaign was now launched to give Lucozade a new image and enhance its reputation in a modern was that consumers would feel was relevant to them. The image of the children and sickrooms was gone and in came representations of fitness and healthy living, so completely transforming the total target market, as it now promised energy for healthy athletes, not for convalescent children. In addition there would be announcements of new products for example providing new flavours that would give Lucozade a much wider appeal through its advertising. Also the first part of the campaign introduced the single-drink, quarter litre bottle. Sales improved dramatically and the newer, smaller bottle was sold in small shops as well as chemists, so widening its availability. The Daley Thompson advertisement starts with an extreme close-up of a red traffic light which draws attention immediately to the screen, as it then switches to a shot of Daley Thompson slowing down from a run, while it states: ‘8AM Daley Thompson', stops training for a refreshment. Another picture of a red light cross fades to a shot of Daley coming to a standstill: when Daley stops, the viewers stop to focus a shimmering heat on the running track, which is red, the corporate colour of Lucozade. The effect of this dramatic opening is to show the viewer Thompson's total exhaustion, whilst the red colours remind us of the product label. It also has an American style with the traffic lights and intense heat so suggesting what an international superstar Daley Thompson is. It also indicates that if he trains in America, he must be popular whilst it is a country associated with success – as is Thompson, and, by implication, Lucozade The traffic lights turn amber as it goes to a shot of Daley: the clothes he is wearing are grey and dull emphasising that he is exhausted from a long training session. He is depicted with a bottle of Lucozade, flipping it out of out of his bag to show it is portable and will fit into a bag which can be taken anywhere. He drinks it; am extreme close-up follows of the vivid orange Lucozade liquid and bubbles passing through it like the energy building up. There is also an extreme close-up of the bottle with a Royal Seal of Approval indicating that is a high quality product, which is good enough to be royally approved, to remind viewers of the tradition and reputation. The music speeds up and the camera moves in and goes to an extreme close-up of a green light, zooms in and out quickly and moves to a mid-shot of Daley getting ready to sprint; this is in slow-motion which indicates the energy building up and rushing through his body from the tip of his toes to the top of his head. He burst from the block and races down the track towards the camera and audience to fully involve them, stressing how quick he is and it is implied that the Lucozade has fully revitalised him. There is then a variety of shots of his legs pounding down the runway, making the advertisement more explosive and exciting so retaining audience involvement. The shots change quickly to reflect the speed of Lucozade, but it ends with a freeze frame of Daley in motion winning his race. The words ‘Lucozade' and ‘the refreshing glucose drink' appear in the Lucozade ‘font' whilst the voice of Des Lynam is heard saying these words, portraying more celebrity endorsement which gives Lucozade an even better image having been endorsed by two famous sport personalities. Sound is also used to excellent effect in the advertisement as the music is of a heavy metal style, which was popular with teenagers at the time, the band being Iron Maiden with their song ‘Phantom of the Opera', complementing the images perfectly. The music gives the advertisement a racy and modern edge whilst also appealing to a younger audience than the mothers of the older advertisements. Therefore, the advertisement was constructed extremely well and this was reflected in a huge increase in sales, mainly because of the Daley Thompson endorsement. It helped Lucozade become what it is today, a well known and respected top sports drinks used by the worlds best professional and amateur athletes aswell as ordinary people on the street who have been convinced by a series of very powerful advertisements.

How To Be Productive When You’re Unemployed

How To Be Productive When You’re Unemployed Being unemployed can be a scary thing. The freedom to sleep in and watch television is great, but the lack of financial security can be panic-inducing. No matter whether you quit or were laid off, here are some strategies for how to make the most of your transition time. 1. Dig DeepThe first key is to understand what went wrong at your last job. Be as honest with yourself as possible. Was it the job, or was it you? Whether you left of your own accord or not, think about why you had to leave without a back-up plan in place, and what you can do to prevent such a situation in the future. This will help you clarify what you want most now, and how to get there and stay put. It will also help you understand your self better- from your unchallenged strengths to your unfortunate habits. Take a little time for stock-taking, soul-searching, and self-improvement.2. Find Your PassionWhat do you want to be when you grow up? What kind of work appeals to you and why? Where do you see yourself in fi ve years? What are you doing on a daily basis? What kind of company do you work for? Finding the answers to the questions of what drives you will only help you find a workplace that will keep you motivated and inspired.3. Prepare to ApplySpruce up your resume, check in with your network, jazz up your profiles, and keep up in the latest research and trends in your chosen field. Don’t get caught with a job application on your hands and nothing to show for your time off. Narrow your search platform, select the handful of companies you want to be working for, and start charging forward.4. Get a Temp GigIf you need cash, join a temp agency. It’s not a permanent solution, but sometimes it can lead to one. And besides, you’ll make a little extra money and stay in the game. You can also find online freelance work and stay afloat by working remotely.5. Do Something ElseUse your time to volunteer, or take a course, or learn a new skill. You may never have time like this a gain in your career. Use it wisely and you’ll be in a much better position when you meet your next opportunity.6. Be PatientFinding a job doesn’t happen overnight. Keep track of your progress, however incremental. Celebrate the small victories, the little tasks completed, and the new contacts made. Plan out your daily and weekly goals and chart your progress. Even if it feels like nothing is happening, you’ll still be able to see what you’ve accomplished.7. Be Good to YourselfSelf care is important. Make sure you’re being healthy- eating right, getting plenty of sleep, and exercising. Give yourself a wellness makeover. You’ll be that much more attractive to prospective employers when the time comes if you do. But also take some time to pamper yourself- indulge your hobbies and interests. Get a bit of joy under your belt. Do something each day that makes you feel good, that flexes your happiness muscle, so to speak.8. Keep to a SchedulePerhap s the most important bit of advice is to make sure you don’t fall victim to the amorphous lack of structure in an unemployed day. Make a daily schedule (when you research, job search, exercise, relax) and stick to it. This will help you build better habits- and keep them. And will keep your teeth sharp and workforce ready for when the time comes to rejoin the race.

The Packinghouse Daughter essays

The Packinghouse Daughter essays This novel tells the story of a small-town, working-class life in the mid 1900s. The daughter of a meatpacking company millwright, Cheri Register tells about the event, which divides her small town of Albert Lea during time of depression. Albert Lea, Minnesota was an industrial town of only 13,545 people. Surrounding the area was cornfields, lakes, cattail marshes, knolls, and oak groves. Albert Lea still was in the 1950s when this story began. Cheri was an elementary student. Her school plans many field trips, which tend to be excursions in industrial technology. Cheri and her classmates visit places, which serve an entertainment and educational purpose. They have visited placed such as printing press, Coca-Cola, and egg hatching victories. Their next trip was different. Cheri and her class were to visit the Wilson s father had worked since 1943. Not speaking much of his job Cheri didnt know much about her fathers work. This trip consisted of a parents signature because of the scene it may bring to the youngsters. Each kid had the option not to participate in the activity that morning since once they entered there was no turning back. They describe the trip as very scenic and educational. For the rest of the day the kids talked to each other about the incredible views, which they encountered. Such as the hundreds of people who worked there and how the as sembly lines for the animals just never ended, one after another after another. Wilson s dad at this time was in a verbatim pattern of a workday, dinner, and falling aslee...

Paintings by Ilya Repin, Frederic Edwin Church, Peter Paul Rubens Essay

Paintings by Ilya Repin, Frederic Edwin Church, Peter Paul Rubens - Essay Example The essay "Paintings by Ilya Repin, Frederic Edwin Church, Peter Paul Rubens" discovers three paintings by such famous artists as Ilya Repin, Frederic Edwin Church, Peter Paul Rubens. The discussed paintings are â€Å"The Volga Boatmen† (1870-1873), â€Å"Heart of the Andes† (1859) and â€Å"The Battle of the Amazons† (1618-1620). While there have been several periods in history where artists from a given region or working on a particular subject have following a seemingly ‘set’ approach to how to convey their ideas, these approaches can often be traced backward or forward to other periods, artists and regions. The earliest of these paintings is the Rubens, in which the artist depicts a battle scene carried out between the legendary female warrior clan of the Amazons with the Athenian king Theseus and his men. Presented with a color palette dominated by golds and browns, the scene is difficult to make out because Rubens generally avoids using sharp l ines except in the definition of the bridge they are fighting on and the shaping of some of the horses involved. This suggests a feeling of softness even in the middle of the fighting, suggesting that the battle is somehow less fierce than it might have been if the combatants were all male. The soft shapes falling into the river have an impression of being women, indicating that they are losing the battle. Perhaps because of the softness, the mood is somehow romantic, as if this were a struggle of men and women that ends not in death but in sexual conquest.

Metabical Case Questions Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Metabical Questions - Case Study Example From this paper it is clear that once the need is recognized and the problem identified, consumers engage in information search during which they attempt to find proper solutions to the problems. Consumers acquire information from various sources in order to make independent decisions and evaluate the options available for them. Information during this stage can be acquired from the internet, newspapers and even magazines. Once the information on the product of choice is acquired, consumers undergo a process of evaluating the alternatives available. This is done through the analysis of different product brands in stock within the market and whether they can fulfill a current need. During this stage, consumers may also engage other players within the market to acquire information on the different products available.This discussion highlights that  after critical evaluation of the alternatives in the market, the consumers can either decide to make a purchase or not based on how convi nced they are. In this case, the consumer may decide to engage in the metabolic weight loss program based on whether the information acquired was convincing enough or not. During this stage, the consumer determines whether the purchase was well informed and whether a similar decision can be made in the future.  Cognitive dissonance will be embraced in this instance to demonstrate whether the consumer's decision was right.