Direct & e-Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Direct & e-Marketing - Essay Example Starting from the stage of development of a business plan to the actual operations of any venture, customers retain a pivotal importance in all activities. There are primarily three perspective of a business plan. One is from an entrepreneur's perspective, one is the venture capitalists or Financier's perspective and the third is customer's perspective. It means a business should only be viable if it provides a product or a service that can be of value to customer and can help in customer's utility maximization. When designing a product or deciding about what services the business will provide, customer segmentation is done to ensure that the right product is given to right customers at the right time. All these efforts are made to ensure that more and more customers will be attracted towards an organization's offering and a positive image can be built so that business can create good will in the market and enjoy increase in sales. However, no businessperson can turn his eyes from attracting new customers and increase its customer base but this is also true that old or existing customers also hold a special place when it comes to increase sales and revenue generation. Research shows that old and existing customers are much more effective to increase sale for an organization. A very serious misunderstanding businesspersons use to have these days is that they think if someone becomes their customer, he or she will stay with them, their organization and their product, forever, which happens not to be the case in most of the circumstances. Slowly and gradually, they lose their customer base day by day and keep on wondering why the customers are not coming back to them or why they are leaving. Many reasons have come up for this loss in customer base. Customer loses his or her loyalty when he feels that: Your offering is unfair or unjustified They have some problem or issue relevant to your product or service which remains unsolved or un attended They have a better offer from your competitor He simply feels that you have no care or attention towards your existing customers and he feels ignored. Customers repeat their purchases when they feel themselves loyal with your organization and associate themselves with your product. Still we see organizations spending most of their money in attracting new customers and clients instead of maintaining good relationship with their existing clients to pursue them for repeat purchase. "Before you spend your time and money going after new customers and clients you do not currently have a relationship with consider the following statistics: Repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers. Referrals among repeat customers are 107% greater than non-customers. It costs six times more to sell something to a prospect than to sell that same thing to a customer (Laura Lake, 2007)". Building relationship with existing customer is easy to do. The only thing organizations should keep in mind is to treat customers as a partner in their business and realize the true worth of their customers. Businesses should focus on attracting new customers but at the same time put every effort to please their existing clients. It is necessary because existing clients are the source of a positive word of mouth. A positive word of mouth is the fastest and least costly source of marketing. People tend to believe someone, who has experience your product or s

Activities of Investment Banking Essay Example for Free

Activities of Investment Banking Essay The Investment bank is the financial institution which assists the governments, corporations and the individuals in raising the capital by acting or underwriting as the agent of the client in issuance of securities. The investment bank can also help the companies which are involved in acquisitions and mergers, and offer ancillary services like the trading of the derivatives, market making, foreign exchanges, instruments of the fixed income, equity securities and commodities. Unlike the retail banks and commercial banks, the investment banks dont take the deposits. There are commonly two main channels in the process of investment banking. Trading the cash for securities like market making, facilitating transactions or for cash or for the promotion of the securities like research, underwriting is known as the sell side, while correlate with the mutual funds, hedge funds, pension funds and investment public comprises the buy side. Various companies have sell and buy side components. What are the main activities of the investment banking? The investment banking is generally split into back office, middle office and front office activities. While the big service investment banks provide all the channels of the business both buy side and sell side. The little sell side investment companies like as the small broker dealers and the boutique investment banks focus on the trading/sales/research and investment banking respectively. The Investment banks also provide services to both the investors buying securities and the corporations issuing securities. For the corporations, the investment banking provide information on how and when to place the securities on the open market, this activity is very much important to the reputation of any investment bank. Thus, the investment bankers play a key role in issuing the new offerings of the securities. Other activities of the investment banking: Apart from the main activities, there are some additional activities, in which the process of investment banking is involved. These are: †¢ Global transaction banking: This part is the division of investment banking which offers custody services, cash management, security brokerage and lending services to various institutions. Hedge funds with Prime brokerage is especially a risky as well as profitable business. †¢ Merchant banking: This process is also known as the very personal banking. The merchant banks provide capitals in exchange for the share ownerships and also provide information on strategy and management. The term merchant banking is also used to define the private equity part of any company. †¢ Investment management: This service offers professional management of several securities like bonds, shares and of other assets like real estate to meet with certain goals of investment for the profit of the investors. These investors can be institutions like pension funds, insurance companies, corporations and many more or the private investors. †¢ The investment management division of an investment bank is generally divided into separate groups, often known as Private Wealth Management and Private Client Services. †¢ Merchant banking is also a name used to describe the private equity side of a firm.Merchant Banking: Past and Present Current examples include Defoe Fournier Cie. and JPMorgans One Equity Partners and the original J.P. Morgan Co. Rothschilds, Barings, Warburgs and Morgans were all merchant banks. (Originally, merchant bank was the British English term for an investment bank.) Reference: http://classof1.com/homework-help/finance-homework-help/

Economic Impact of Population and Technology on the Environment :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

Economic Impact of Population and Technology on the Environment Ask any economist what two things have changed in the past three or so million years since humans first began appearing in demographically significant numbers and he will tell you with unwavering confidence: population and technology. And that economist would be right. These two factors are the root cause of every change in the standard of living we have experienced since the dawn of humanity. Any anthro-ecologist posed with the same question and will offer up little more than a puzzled look. Only two? The point, here, is that economists have a certain tendency to apply Razor's Axiom to every situation imaginable. Looking at the effect humans have on the environment is most commonly a qualitative exercise. While it may be possible to count sheer number of deer hunted or square miles of forest burned as the result of human involvement in nature, such calculations are more commonly done with anecdotes and broad estimates. Ask an economist to measure the damage done to the environme nt by humans and you will hear about equivalent and compentating differentials two quantitative methods of valuing a qualitative loss. Both neccesitate understanding humans' preferences and values, and take an understandably anthropocentric view of the Earth. Regardless, in absolute, per capita, and relative terms, both of those differentials have increased consistently over the course of human history. The first step in evaluating human impact on the environment is to elucidate what we consider human-caused ecological damage. There are, not surprisingly, a great many approaches possibly in defining such a broad concept, but there are a few basic principles which are nearly universal bads. The damages in this illumination are defined with a Darwinian perspective. One such bad is the loss of diversity among non-human population. This loss of diversity can take the form of extinction of plants or animals, a loss of genetic diversity among one species, or a forced-relocation of an existing population. Another bad is the transformation of terra, whether intentional or unintentional, as the result of human activity. Examples are common think 1930 s Oklahoma Dust Bowl and are often caused by agricultural activities. The next step in evaluating the extent human-caused environmental damages lies in the measurement of such damages. Since no dollar value can be placed on the extinct ion of a species, we must estimate the value that species contributes to the Earth s consumption (evaluating changes in consumption is the only way we can say that one situation is better than another).

With close reference to the text explore what the stories of Crooks :: English Literature

With close reference to the text explore what the stories of Crooks and Curley's wife reveal of the attitudes, culture and society amongst farm workers in 1930's America. With close reference to the text explore what the stories of Crooks and Curley's wife reveal of the attitudes, culture and society amongst farm workers in 1930's America. In 1930s America there was a Great Depression and people were finding themselves without work. Many flyers were sent out to the unemployed telling them that there was work in California. Hundreds travelled to California, hoping to find work but soon found that the employers had lied and there were few jobs to be found. 'Of Mice and Men' is a story about two men called Lennie and George who are migrant workers that travel around California trying to make themselves enough money to buy a small plot of land. The reasons that they have not settled anywhere is that Lennie is often getting them in trouble and they are forced to leave and find work elsewhere. Lennie is a simple minded character, who has the mind of a child in the body of a man. Although Lennie is lacking in brains he makes up for it with his strength and has a unique combination of strength and innocence. Lennie's simple mind means that he relies heavily on George, who is wise and intelligent. George is a good judge of people's characters and a good worker; he is modest and doesn't want any trouble. George takes a lot of responsibility for Lennie and tries o teach him to control his strength and keep him out of trouble. In the end George has to make an important decision about Lennie and there is no way to change the results. Although George and Lennie are the main characters in the book I will be concentrating on two minor characters, they are Crooks and Curley's wife. Although they seem to be less important than George and Lennie they are the most successful at showing us the culture and attitudes of the people in the 1930s. Crook is mainly effective at showing societies opinions on cripples and those of a different race, whilst Curley's wife portrays the situation of women. Together I am able to obtain a considerable amount of information on attitudes, culture and society amongst farm workers in 1930s America. The character of Crooks plays an important role in the book 'Of Mice and Men' because Steinbeck is able to show through Crooks the racial situation of the time. By using a character to portray attitudes towards others of a different race, Steinbeck can include the feelings

Up from Slavery: the Struggles and Triomphs

UP FROM SLAVERY: THE STRUGGLES AND TRIOMPHS OF BOOKER T. WASHINGTON IN A DIVIDED AMERICA Even though slavery has been abolished in the United States for decades now, the stories from the people who lived in the period when slavery was still practiced and experienced the period after the abolishment, are still alive today. The experiences Booker T. Washington tells about in Up From Slavery range from haunting to inspirational, and give a clear view on the South of the US post-Civil War from the eyes of a black man. Even though Booker T.Washington endured horrible circumstances during slavery, Washington sets an example for black people of the perseverance to succeed in the US and to overcome all obstacles. The autobiographical story in Up From Slavery starts with introducing Washington’s life on the plantation where he worked. As he phrases it himself: â€Å"[his] life had its beginnings in the midst of the most miserable, desolate, and discouraging surroundings† (Washin gton 870). These surroundings, combined with devastatingly hard labor, created an environment with no apparent end in sight, and no hope of changing the situation.This helplessness is expressed by Washington, as he sees other boys and girls his age going to school. Due to the situation in the US at the time, there were no chances at all of Washington getting into school, or as he calls it: â€Å"paradise† (Washington 872). When this no-escape-possible situation ends –when slavery is abolished– and Washington hears about a school for black people, he immediately is determined to go to the school. His persistence is recognized by the school board and he gets accepted in the school, which leads to Washington excelling in school.When he began delivering his first speeches years later, he developed himself as a leading figure, who was fighting to help black people and other minorities to grow out of the place they have been kept in for years, and advance themselves. For black people, often in circumstances not dealt with by whites, having Washington as an example as someone who defeated his personal enemies by escaping his situation, was of grave importance. To actually see someone who has climbed to the top, coming from horrible circumstances, could inspire a next generation to work as hard as Washington did.To let other black people get to the place Washington is, he not only talks about education, he also talks about always being friendly to white people. During a speech at the Atlanta Exposition in 1895, Washington talks about significance of finding allies: To those of my race who depend on bettering their condition in a foreign land or who underestimate the importance of cultivating friendly relations with the Southern white man, who is their next-door neighbor, I would say: â€Å"Cast down your bucket where you are†Ã¢â‚¬â€œcast it down in making friends in every manly way of the people of all races by whom we are surrounded. Washi ngton 888) By sending this message to people of every color and casting down ones bucket, Washington said that a society where black people could work themselves to the same level as whites could be created. This approach to overcoming the racial issues between black and whites did lead to criticism, with them saying that Washington was keeping discrimination in place by not addressing it fully. Especially W. E. B.Du Bois was critical of Washington’s ideas, stating that â€Å"[Washington’s] program asked blacks to give up political power, insistence on civil rights, and higher education for Negro youth† (Gibson). And while Washington did play down some issues, one must not forget the time Washington was living in, and that his speeches even without those issues more assertive leaders like Du Bois were rooting for, were controversial to many Southern white people. Booker T. Washington pushed aside the force of the Southern whites wanting to hold black people back and overcame his obstacles.Coming from an enslaved and poor position, educating and working himself up to a high position, Washington was and still is an inspiration to all people, but especially for those who are in the position he was in. He gave hope to the people that needed it most, and his words still continue to do so. WORKS CITED Gibson, Robert A. Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois: The Problem of Negro Leadership. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. http://www. yale. edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1978/2/78. 02. 02. x. html Washington, Booker T. Up From Slavery. New York: Doubleday, 1901.

Rights and Benefits of Full US Citizenship

Rights and Benefits of Full US Citizenship Many of the benefits of U.S. citizenship, such as the assurances of equal protection under the law and due process of law are granted by the U.S. Constitution and federal laws to both citizens and non-citizens living as lawful permanent residents in the United States. Immigrants to the United States who pass the civics examination and take the Oath of Allegiance to complete the naturalization process of achieving full U.S. citizenship gain the full protection of the U.S. Constitution, along with several rights and benefits denied even to immigrants with long-time legal permanent resident status. At the same time, the benefits of U.S. citizenship do not come without some important responsibilities. Benefits of Citizenship While the U.S. Constitution and laws of the United States give many rights to both citizens and non-citizens living in the United States, some rights are only for citizens. Some of the most important benefits of citizenship are: Sponsorship of Relatives for Permanent Resident Status Persons holding full U.S. Citizenship are allowed to sponsor their immediate relatives - parents, spouses and unmarried minor children - for U.S. Legal Permanent Resident (Green Card) status without waiting for a visa. Citizens may also, if visas are available, sponsor other relatives, including: Unmarried sons and daughters, 21 years of age and older, of U.S. citizens;spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of age) of lawful permanent residents;unmarried sons and daughters, 21 years of age and older, of a lawful permanent resident;married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens; andbrothers and sisters of U.S. citizens (if the U.S. citizen is 21 years of age and older). Obtaining Citizenship for Children Born Abroad In most cases, a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen is automatically deemed to be a U.S. citizen. In general, children born abroad to U.S. citizen parents may obtain full U.S. citizenship either at birth or and after birth but before the age of 18. Congress has enacted laws that determine how citizenship is conveyed by a U.S. citizen parent (or parents) to children born outside of the United States. In general, the law requires that at the time of the child’s birth, at least one parent was a U.S. citizen, and the U.S. citizen parent had lived in the United States for a period of time. Becoming Eligible for Federal Government Jobs Most jobs with federal government agencies require applicants to be U.S. citizens. Travel and Passport Naturalized U.S. citizens may possess a U.S. passport, are protected from deportation, and have the right to travel and live abroad without the threat of losing their Legal Permanent Resident status. Citizens are also allowed to re-enter the U.S. repeatedly without being required to re-establish proof of admissibility. In addition, citizens are not required to update their address of residence with the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) every time they move.  A U.S. passport also allows citizens to get assistance from the U.S. government when traveling overseas. Naturalized U.S. citizens become eligible for a wide range of benefits and assistance programs offered by the government, including Social Security and Medicare. Voting and Participation in the Electoral Process Perhaps most importantly, naturalized U.S. citizens gain the right to vote, and to run for and hold all elected government positions, except for President of the United States. Showing Patriotism In addition, becoming a U.S. citizen is a way for new citizens to demonstrate their commitment to America. Responsibilities of Citizenship The Oath of Allegiance to the United States includes several promises immigrants make when they become U.S. citizens, including promises to: Give up all prior allegiance to any other nation or sovereignty;Swear allegiance to the United States;Support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States; andServe the country when required. All U.S. citizens have many responsibilities other than the ones mentioned in the Oath. Citizens have a responsibility to participate in the political process by registering and voting in elections;  Serving on juries is another responsibility of citizenship;Finally, America becomes stronger when all of its citizens respect the different opinions, cultures, ethnic groups, and religions found in this country. Tolerance for these differences is also a responsibility of citizenship.

#8220;Compare and Contrast Essay Sample on Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad #8220;

#8220;Compare and Contrast Essay Sample on Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad #8220; While â€Å"Apocalypse Now† is based loosely on Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, there are many key differences that contrast the two works. The differences in â€Å"Apocalypse Now†, however, highlight the main points of Heart of Darkness. Heart of Darkness is set in the European imperialism era, whereas â€Å"Apocalypse Now† is set during the Vietnam war in Cambodia. This difference makes the reader think of the moral justification of both settings, bringing out one of the controversial aspects of the book. The main characters in each work differ slightly, and because of this we see Marlow as more of a self-seeker whereas Willard is the dutiful green beret. These differences bring out characteristics of Heart of Darkness that we as a reader might not have noticed otherwise. The first difference, visible from the beginning, is the two different settings. Wether it’s the Vietnam War or imperialism, the characters have the sense that they can do whatever they want in the foreign lands. There are no rules of society in either places. â€Å"Apocalypse Now† deals more directly with a war, whereas Heart of Darkness can be seen as an attack on Africa. This difference makes the reader think more closely about what exactly imperialism is. It can be seen as a war that is hidden, lurking underneath the image of the white man’s burden. Perhaps Conrad uses Heart of Darkness to expose the dangers and illusions connected with imperialism. Both war and imperialism are morally questionable. â€Å"Apocalypse Now† serves as a commentary on the way society now accepts war the way Europe used to accept imperialism, as seen in Heart of Darkness. Another major difference is between the characters of Marlow and Willard. Willard is in his position because he was told that he was to kill Kurtz. His journey down the river is less of a personal experience than Marlow’s. Marlow, on the other hand, is self-motivated. His journey comes from his yearning for adventure and for change. He is unsure of his final goal until long into his trip, and even then he is unclear what his purpose is. As Marlow is re-telling his story, he is realizes and acknowledges that his sharing of the story is incomplete. Marlow says that â€Å"when you have to attend toincidents of the surface, the realityfades. The inner truth is hidden–luckily, luckily† (61). In watching â€Å"Apocalypse Now† and comparing the two journeys, the reader realizes just how much of a personal experience Marlow’s journey is. Without the comparison of Willard, who is under specific orders, we might not realize this important fact. Another difference between Willard and Marlow is how each one metaphorically â€Å"looks over the edge†. Willard stands on the steps of the Cambodian Village, looking out at all the people bowing to him. This scene shows Willard’s power in the community, but he chooses to throw down his machete and leave. Willard’s â€Å"edge† here is deciding wether or not to stay and rule the people. He could become the god to the village that Kurtz had been and supplant his position. The â€Å"edge† in Heart of Darkness, however, represents death. Marlow uses the edge metaphor many times to talk about Kurtz, â€Å"he had made that last stride, he has stepped over the edge† (132), and also to represent himself , â€Å"I had peeped over the edge myself.I had been permitted to draw back my hesitating foot† (132). The comparison between the two interpretations brings forth a better clarity of their meanings. Reading Heart of Darkness without watching â€Å"Apocalypse Now† is possible. After seeing the movie, however, Marlow’s character is better defined. In contrast to Willard, we see just how naive Marlow is at the beginning of his journey, and his unawareness of the cruelty of imperialism. We also see how the setting Heart of Darkness in Africa during imperialism is crucial to the story. There must be moral inconsistencies between Marlow’s observations of the treatment of the natives, and the rest of Europe’s opinion. Comparing the two works not only helps us better understand Heart of Darkness, but it draws our attention to points that we might have otherwise realized in reading the novel alone.

General Rules for Having a Pet in College

General Rules for Having a Pet in College For some students, daily life involves being around a pet or pets. At college, however, animals usually arent allowed. So is it possible to have a pet in college? You Have a Few Options Those college students interested in having a pet in college have a few options. Mostly, however, pets are not allowed in places like residence halls - or even on campus - for a variety of reasons. Your campus is likely not trying to be cruel; they simply have to worry about issues of safety and regulations about hygiene that they are required to comply with. First and foremost, there are in fact some schools that allow pets on campus. These are the exceptions to the rule, however, and picking a school based on their pet policy may not be the  best choice. Additionally, even if your school of choice doesnt allow pets on campus, you can always rent a house with some friends or find an off-campus apartment that permits pets. Service Animals If youre a student who needs an animal with you for medical reasons (such as a service dog, for example), however, you should contact your school right away. Letting your college know that you need assistance - both from them and your service animal - as soon as possible is definitely of high importance. They should work with you to figure out a way to support you and your service animal during your time in school. Incorporating Animals Into Your College Life If, however, you would strongly just prefer to have a pet as part of your experience, there are some ways you can incorporate animals into your new college life: See whats allowed in your living space. Alright, so you cant bring along a dog or cat. But can you bring a fish or other small animal? Are there certain animals that are allowed, and if so, what are the regulations? Are there certain theme houses that allow their residents to bring pets with them?Can your family bring up your family pet for a visit? Lets say your family comes up the first Sunday of the month to take you out to brunch. Can they bring your family dog in the car for a quick visit? Are dogs allowed to walk on campus if theyre leashed? Will a monthly or occasional visit from your pet suffice?Consider volunteering at a shelter. If you just love - and even need - to be around animals but cant have one with you on campus, consider volunteering at a local animal shelter. You have a lot of love and patience to give and there are always animals in need. Check with your campus volunteer center, do some quick searching online, or even start your own campus group to help make re gular volunteer sessions at a shelter a reality. Keep in mind, too, that when you go to college, it will be nearly impossible to recreate the life you had back at home. And thats part of the fun, right? If, deep down, you wanted things to be the same, you wouldnt have decided to go off to college in the first place. Be flexible in understanding that there sometimes is only so much your school can do. They might very well be limited about having pets in the residence halls, for example, because of city and county health regulations. Check in with your pet(s) during a Skype session with your parents and know that your pet(s) will be just as excited to see you as you will be to see them when you next return home.

Internatinal business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internatinal business - Essay Example Entering into China will not only open the gates of opportunity in China but in other Asian countries also. Star Traders aims to procure low cost products and sell them at the relatively reasonable margins in the international markets. This strategy will be leveraged through extensive marketing to the existing client base in the developed countries of the world. It is however, important to note that China has the risk of political instability as country is predominately a Communist society with government controlling most of the assets in the country. International firms are not allowed to operate on their own and need to develop working partnerships with the local players to enter into the market. To successfully enter into the market, a financing of approximately $10 million will be required. Research The name of the business is Star Traders and it is going to operate in China in partnership with the local players already working in the chosen field of business of the firm. China h as a population of over 1.3 Billion with Han Chinese forming the 92% of the overall population of the country. The overall population growth rate is around 0.48% which China has been able to control over the period of time (â€Å"CIA World Fact Book. China†). China has the highest population in the world therefore in order to control the population, China has implemented one child policy (â€Å"CIA World Fact Book. China†). As mentioned above, the major ethnic groups in the country include Han Chinese which form over 90% of the population of the country. Apart from Han Chinese, Zuhang, Manchu, Hui and other smaller ethnic groups exist too. However, the overall concentration of these smaller groups is relatively low and Han is the major ethnic group in the country. Mandarin is the major language being spoken in the country. Apart from this, Cantonese, Wu and other languages are also been spoken in various parts of the country. Mandarin however, is the major language spo ken by most of the ethnic groups in the country. It is also critical to note that the there are various dialects of the Mandarin also. Over 30% of the population of the country lives under the age of 30 years indicating that the country has ample supply of young labors to continue to supports its economic progress achieved and sustained over the period of more than 10 years. China is the fastest growing economy in the world and has recently overtaken Japan as the second largest economy in the world. With over $12 trillion GDP with a real growth rate of over 7.8% indicate that the Chinese economy has the potential to offer one of the most lucrative business investment to be made. It is also important to note that the China is a predominately manufacturing oriented economy with manufacturing taking more than 46% of the overall GDP of the country. Services sector has a share of 43% whereas rest of the share is taken over by the agriculture sector of the economy. Major export items incl ude electrical and mechanical equipment. Iron, textile and data processing equipment. The major trading partners of the country are US, Japan, Hong Kong as well as Germany and South Korea. As compared to exports, Imports are relatively low and are only over $1.7 trillion with electric and other

Online Journalism, Mass Media and Communication Essay

Online Journalism, Mass Media and Communication - Essay Example Most researchers and academicians assert that the internet communication is a superior way to attain competitive advantage in this century. This is critical since timely information facilitates accurate and timely decision making towards execution of valuable activities. It is imperative for institutions and various individuals to embrace technological advancement towards ensuring quality provision of information. This paper gives an insight about online journalism especially the web and blogsphere. 2.0 Web and blogsphere Journalists are bound, with professional ethics and obligation, to disseminate credible information based on factual elements. This is critical since information they make available facilitate progressive decision-making. Web 2.0 and blogosphere provides an online edited gathering of essay and information, which gives discursive and communicative facts (Mitchelstein & Boczkowski 2010). Consequently, blogs also exist together as connected community where various indi viduals publish various opinions for internalization globally with an example being the New York Times where blogs serve as communicative avenues. It is a concept, which currently is adoptable due to increased need for timely information touching on various issues. ... bility towards the provision of timely information based on factual events and matters cannot be challenged easily especially in the current century (Lowrey & Kim 2009). The world is presently a global village through technological enhanced services thereby rendering blogging venture reliable and relevant. Variably, journalist’s updates via the internet are fit and subject to regulation by international journalism standards, which ensure that value is achievable within the reported content of information (Deuze, Neuberger & Paulussen 2004). Evidently, internet communication has positively resulted to sound performance in various institutions; for example, it benefits businesses through customer retention, conversion, reach, and community integration. According to Frey (2011), it has the potential to leverage performance in the modern societies towards building strong information based capacities. Clearly, individuals require timely and valuable information to facilitate choice making on various matters like economic issues due to dynamic changes. It is stated that quality performance is reliant on the eminence of communication in various departments and sectors (Frey 2011). That is, timely provision of quality information facilitates superior decision making which in turn leads to excellence in various institutions. Consequently, blogging also expands ones network system and societal integration through adoption of best practices in life with an example being the political dispensation in US, which is often affected by blogs. According to Srisuwan (2008), technology is a key pillar towards developing sustainable communication networks thus institutions should ensure integration of technological activities for sound performance. Similarly, Morozov in his articles

DPB Portfolio Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

DPB Portfolio - Coursework Example es in International Context, Project, English Language Grade 6, Business Communication 3, International Marketing and Export Trade, International Trade: Payments and Law While studying BA (Hons) International trade and business communication at the University of Portsmouth, I describe the skills I learnt through the course as having given me a thorough grounding in various subjects I wished that I was interested in and wished to specializes or practice later in life. From, the first year I was introduced to the numerous problems or challenges faced by individuals in the business world. Moreover, the skills which were imparted through the course enabled me to develop an idea of how to solve the different challenges that came along the way. At the end of the course I was able to achieve a consolidation of my study through numerous aspects like personal studies and research. Moreover, the business skills which I learned also have opened other opportunities to study a wide range of subjects like those falling in the faculty of humanity and social sciences. I achieved the task of acquiring the skills I have today through am intense process of dedication and hard work in my studies. Being that the University of Portsmouth has entry levels, I studied heartily to pass my GSCE levels at Bay House School, Gosport with ten passes as between the grades A-B. After that I joined St. Vincent College for my A levels and passed with flying colors to be admitted at the university of Portsmouth which imparted me with the skills of accounting, marketing, business law, human resources, management dissertations, consumer led demand and other primary skills which has greatly played a significant role in my studies and career to date. At ST. Vincent College and in taking my BA (Hons) at Portsmouth University I reflect on various learning points which changed my views of what I would do when provided with another chance to pursue the same courses at the institutions. With flying

PTSD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

PTSD - Essay Example People believe that soldiers had gone through a lot of trainings - too much training that taking lives is just a usual thing to do. But what people do not know is that war leaves a mark not only to the soldiers’ body but also to their sanity. Soldiers may be trained to be killing machines but the violent experiences that they encounter during the war can have detrimental effects on them which include post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. According to Oak, whenever soldiers are at war, they have to hurt or kill their opponents. Their duty forces them to destroy their enemy’s forces and end lives. However, enemies or allies, they are all human beings after all. This is why â€Å"they have to bear the grief of the suffering and deaths of their fellow mates as well.† (Oak). These situations affect the soldiers emotionally and often results to depression and deprivation of peace of mind among soldiers. The soldiers who experience this go through emotional struggle that often results to severe mental stress. They will also experience different kinds of emotions which will result in great mental strain. â€Å"Their homesickness can lead to intense feelings of solitude. Their trauma brings them mental insecurity. The violence, the injuries and the heavy destructions result in distress.† (Oak) Peter Kilner, a major from the Army, contributed an important essay to the journal Military Review. According to Kilner’s essay, as cited by Adam Weinstein in his article in Mother Jones magazine, medical consultants of the army gave an estimation of 20 percent of soldiers who fought in Iraq had shown symptoms of mental problems. The study also showed that suicide in the military has doubled since 2001. There was even an investigation by the National Public Radio that soldiers with PTSD were punished and kicked out of the army (Weinstein). When a person encounters a traumatic experience that might have harmed the individual physically and/or emotionally, the person is

Political Ideologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Political Ideologies - Essay Example Ideologies are therefore patterns of thought that play a crucial role in shaping political landscapes often in unconscious ways1. Of these, include democratic ideology. With its origin traced back to the ancient Greece, democracy refers to a system of leadership in which political governance is by people directly or by electing their representatives into leadership positions. The emphasis of this ideology is the free exercise individual rights in shaping political orientations of their country. Its basic tenet is the rule by many through democratic selection processes. The major flaw with this ideology is that the majority always gets their way and may result to oppression of the minorities. Second is conservative ideology. As the word suggests, this ideology refers to the assertion that the traditional governance institutions function the best way possible and that it necessary to avoid radical changes taking place in the society as much as it is practically possible. The emphasis h ere is on ensuring continuity of systems, maintaining stability and where possible returning things to their original status. Liberalism is the third. Attaining equity and liberty in the society are the key defining assertion of this political ideology. The emphasis here is on such things as the constitution, exercise of inherent human rights, democracy defined by free and fair elections, free market economy defined by free trade, and secularism in a country. Embracing divergent political views, libertarians advocate for a minimized statehood or its abolition while advancing a maximized individual liberty. This means that an examination of observed liberalism may establish that they have liberty situated in their core; human rights, democracy, and equality are adjacent while nationalism is on the periphery2. Other political ideologies include socialism, which opposes capitalism on the basis that it creates and concentrates wealth and power to a small segment of the society through w anton exploitation of resources including human resources. They advocate for a system that creates equal opportunity for all people to maximize their potential while using technology and resources for the benefit of the public as a whole, while doing away with any form of coercive pecking order. Closely linked to this is the green party ideology that promotes the exercise green politics defined by social justice, local level democracy, environmentalism, and violence free societies to realize world health. The independent ideology promotes none affiliation to political parties although standing by the principals and manifestoes of political parties is acceptable3. Based on evaluation of the various types of political ideologies, the liberal ideology provides the best flat form for freedom and equality among society members. Since attaining equity and liberty are its basic precepts, this ideology advocates for a structure that provides individuals with basic human rights and freedoms entrenched in a constitution. It further captures aspects like the exercise of free and fair elections also advocated for by the democratic ideology as well as for equal opportunity based on free markets and secularism for people to attain their full potentials4. As opposed to the socialism and republican/ conservative ideology, liberalism allows for improvement in the state of affair to attain maximum benefit possible for an individual in a free market setting. In conclusion, the different types of politica

PTSD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

PTSD - Essay Example People believe that soldiers had gone through a lot of trainings - too much training that taking lives is just a usual thing to do. But what people do not know is that war leaves a mark not only to the soldiers’ body but also to their sanity. Soldiers may be trained to be killing machines but the violent experiences that they encounter during the war can have detrimental effects on them which include post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. According to Oak, whenever soldiers are at war, they have to hurt or kill their opponents. Their duty forces them to destroy their enemy’s forces and end lives. However, enemies or allies, they are all human beings after all. This is why â€Å"they have to bear the grief of the suffering and deaths of their fellow mates as well.† (Oak). These situations affect the soldiers emotionally and often results to depression and deprivation of peace of mind among soldiers. The soldiers who experience this go through emotional struggle that often results to severe mental stress. They will also experience different kinds of emotions which will result in great mental strain. â€Å"Their homesickness can lead to intense feelings of solitude. Their trauma brings them mental insecurity. The violence, the injuries and the heavy destructions result in distress.† (Oak) Peter Kilner, a major from the Army, contributed an important essay to the journal Military Review. According to Kilner’s essay, as cited by Adam Weinstein in his article in Mother Jones magazine, medical consultants of the army gave an estimation of 20 percent of soldiers who fought in Iraq had shown symptoms of mental problems. The study also showed that suicide in the military has doubled since 2001. There was even an investigation by the National Public Radio that soldiers with PTSD were punished and kicked out of the army (Weinstein). When a person encounters a traumatic experience that might have harmed the individual physically and/or emotionally, the person is

Engineering The palms in Dubai aka 8th wonder of the world Essay

Engineering The palms in Dubai aka 8th wonder of the world - Essay Example The Islands add about 1, 600 km to Dubai’s coastline and have already been termed as the eighth wonder of the world. The three islands facilitate over 100 luxury hotels and a large number of residential and entertainment centers [1]. This report presents an analysis of one of the best engineering marvels, the Palm Islands project. The report will first give a background of the project, including the construction process, and then discuss the challenges faced by the engineering team. The impacts of this mega project on the local environment and the coastal eco system will also be discussed in detail. Table of Contents Abstract 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Reasons for construction of the Palm Islands 4 Construction Process 4 Curving the land 5 Engineering Challenges 6 Environmental Impact 8 Project Result 9 Conclusion 9 References 11 Introduction The UAE is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing economies. This country has witnessed immense investments in the construction industry hence becoming the largest construction market in the GCC [2]. According to Noack [3], the country’s construction industry managed to record a strong development between 2007 and 2009 despite the global financial distress. In 2009, the industry contributed approximately 8% to the country’s GDP. ... An island is made up of piles of lava rising above the water level. Technically, the Palm islands are manmade peninsulas made of sand dredged from the Persian Gulf [4]. Among the three islands, the Palm Deira is the largest and is also the largest artificial island in the world. Construction was commissioned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The islands were constructed by Jan De Nul and Van Oord, the former being a Belgian company and the latter a Dutch company, with each settlement shaped like a palm tree. Palm Jumeriah was the first island to be constructed. Its construction commenced in June 2001. Also situated on an artificial island in Dubai is the Burj al Arab. This is a luxury hotel standing 280 meters from Jumeriah beach. It is the world’s fourth tallest hotel and has a private curved bridge connecting it to the main land [5]. Reasons for construction of the Palm Islands The Palm Island is unquestionably one of the most ambitious and enterprising ventures to h ave ever been imagined and constructed. The core purpose of the entire construction of the islands was to increase the tourism sector in Dubai. This was to be achieved by providing a tourist destination that stands out from the rest, brimming with world class hotels, upscale amenities and hundreds of miles of beaches all in one unique place [2]. The other objectives of the construction project were to complete reclamation of land and as a result, achieve pioneer status as well as fame. The reclamation would then allow for construction of hotels and housing facilities. This would involve many foreign investors and hence improve Dubai’s international recognition [3]. Construction Process Construction of The Palms began in mid 2001 [5]. The Islands are made of sand

Ipremier and Denial of Service Attack †Case Study Essay Example for Free

Ipremier and Denial of Service Attack – Case Study Essay In a recent Information Management lecture we went through the case of iPremier (read the full case) which is a popular case study from Harvard Business School. It was a made up case but the recent high profile hacking stories (such as Gawker) show that companies are not taking security seriously. The background is that iPremier suffered a DOS attack in the middle of the night which caused chaos in the company. After an hour the attack stopped and the company went back to business as normal. Two weeks later another DOS attack was spawned from the company’s server directed at a competitor which proved that their server had been compromised. The FBI became involved, the competitor threatened to sue and the city analysts were thinking of downgrading the stock. Our role was to come up with recommendations as to how the processes and plans could be improved for the future. Keeping in mind that the security is about more than just technology we needed to brainstorm around people and processes as well. 1. People and processes Develop a business continuity plan (test it end to end including suppliers and keep it updated) Develop an IT governance framework that includes security in its remit Develop clear reporting lines Better training for emergencies Trust your technical leaders and make sure they have the resources to lead in a crisis Make security part of strategy Hire an independent audit team who report into the board Hire a security and risk expert Develop a better relationship with your hosting provider 2. Technology Avoid single points of failure. Separate the server stack so that database, web and file servers are not on the same network Use a reputable hosting provider with a world class infrastructure and support Make sure all your software is up to date Use a combination of hardware and or software firewalls Backup and redundancy planning and testing Active monitoring Strong one-way encryption of passwords Use open auth systems such as Facebook connect

The Development Of British Horror Films Film Studies Essay

The Development Of British Horror Films Film Studies Essay One aspect of the argument is that British horror developed around certain themes and key moments, the effect of imported horror will also be considered, in light of industrial cultural and social elements. It will also argue that the amount of development that took place did not develop or evolve enough to enable the genre to survive the 1970s foreign onslaught. The main thrust of the essay will consider the cultural and social background, including cinema audience and some industrial aspects. These are often linked as fuller employment generally leads to more disposable income for leisure purposes. Horror films are exploitation movies made for commercial gain not artistic endeavour, therefore winning formulae are often milked dry and copied by others . Prior to the advent of television, video tape, DVDs and more recently digital downloads, which provide an additional source of income, the product was made to be watched once and (discounting possible re-runs on minor circuits, or as part of double bills) expected to make its returns on the first release, and therefore needed to appeal to the target audience necessitating constant development and evolution. The investigation took the form of viewing cinematic texts to determine central themes in light of period conventions and audience. Various literate texts were also consulted to review the validity of the conclusions reached . It became apparent during the investigation that a key factor of British horror was its tendency towards being insular and local, unlike American and European horror which tended to lay great swathes of population and/or country to waste. A common element of the genre involved innocents, generally outsiders, being drawn into, or stumbling upon, a web of deceit, corruption and exploitation. This local theme was also a financial consideration, as it enabled production costs to be controlled and kept to a minimum as British horror was generally produced by cost conscious independent companies or studios. In a similar vein to the interpretation of the horror film, assessing the development of horror is by nature quite personal as aptly summarised by Dilys Powell: one mans frisson is another mans guffaw . Therefore, in order to minimise bias a large cross section of texts were consulted in order to present a balanced view . Horror has changed over the years as alien invaders, mad scientists and spectral creatures, challenging to both the individual and society, have gradually been superseded by killers and sadistic scientists, both often psychotic. British horror has classic attributes such as blood, death, the afterlife, a fear of the unknown and tends to be constructed around themes of Science-fiction, Gothic, Occult, Psychological, Historical / Mythological, or Medical . These attributes, combined with a local, claustrophobic, insular setting usually manifest as innocents being drawn into danger in a variety of imaginative ways, such as: location, being drawn into cultic rituals, or falling prey to outside influence . With the exception of psychological horror, the evil in the above is generally personified and usually recognisable. This is not normally the case with psychological horror, which often concerns the evil within where a normal facade hides a murderous psychotic nature. The 1950s saw increasing prosperity and the evolution of a youth culture with its own music, meeting places, high employment and disposable income along with a rebellious streak that challenged authority. This new youth culture saw the emergence of movements such as Beatniks and Teddy Boys, the latter associated with violence and racism, seen as being commensurate with the rising levels of upheaval in 1950s society . There were definitive attitudes to gender and roles, with men being seen as brave and women as helpless, this attitude would prevail until well into the 1970s. Increasing cinema admission prices, gritty realistic films and horror, which played on the new X certificate introduced in 1951, did not make for family viewing and consequently sounded the death toll for the family cinema outing. This was partially responsible for instigating the decline in cinema attendance that would continue in succeeding decades . This change in film production values made television an acceptable alternative to the older generation who stayed at home, happily sacrificing the shared audience experience of cinema viewing. They were replaced by the younger, more rebellious audience that demanded different films, a pattern that is still prevalent today. The British film industry struggled for finance, leading to a reliance on American backers who were tempted by lower production costs, funding and allowances put in place by the British government to try and bolster the ailing industry . In order to secure some of this finance many companies entered into joint productions with other parties, e.g. Hammer and Robert Lippert who distributed Hammers films in America. A requirement of this type of deal was often the use of known, though fading, American actors in lead roles to generate American interest. The V2 rocket and the atom bomb heralded the space and nuclear age, resulting in a welter of science fiction films. These involved alien invasions or creatures created by exposure to or feeding on radiation which supplanted the classic creatures of Americas first horror cycle which had begun with Dracula (1931) but had ran its course by the end of the 1940s. British production companies were not slow to jump on what they saw as a lucrative, potentially low cost, bandwagon. Hammer entered the fray with a mix of science fiction and gothic elements in The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) , set against the stark, scarred landscape of WWII and maintaining its local feel. This also commented on the changing nature of society as it emerged from the privations and horrors of war during the prosperous 1950s. The production was in line with their safe bet policy , on release it was vilified by the critics but loved by the audience. Audience surveys revealed that the horror element was responsible for the films success which resulted in Hammer embarking on their very successful gothic horrors, beginning with The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Dracula (1958) which contained amorality, graphic violence and gore in glorious colour assuaging the audiences senses within the boundaries of prevailing censorship. Colour enabled them to dispense with the moody shadowy world of monochrome horrors, which rather than the crafted tension to assault the audiences imagination with unseen horror. This allowed more direct depictions of violence, gore and smouldering sexuality requiring little imagination and virtually dispensing with the need to spend time on characterisations. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) heralded a new period in the history of horror that was not fully realised until well into the 1960s, as it combined dangerous science with blood, gore and sex. Apart from disregarding the proper order of things by usurping God and indulging in immoral activities it also replaced the more familiar happy restoration of order with death, sowing seeds of doubt that the evil had truly been eradicated. Thus was born the quintessentially British brand of gothic artificial horror, set in an ambiguous somewhat mythological past, but still incorporating the brave men and helpless women gender definitions of the decade and the dominance of the male. This was a monumental step in the development of British horror as it pushed the boundaries of censorship, providing the cinema audience with a new viewing experience that was depicted with the deadly seriousness which would become a trademark of many British horrors. These first steps, resulting in some two decades of British domination of horror, were quite a gamble as major Cinema chains such as Rank and ABC were reluctant to screen British horror, or X, films until 1960 and 1956 respectively confining their release to the more minor circuits. A further gamble involved finance and co-production as Hammer stood their ground in refusing to cast American actors in the lead roles, much to the consternation of their American partners . This re-definition of horror encouraged other producers including Amicus, AIP (American International Pictures), Anglo Amalgamated, Tigon and Tyburn to jump on the bandwagon Hammer had set rolling resulting in British horror rampaging through national and international Cinema until the mid-1970s. This depiction of horror was so new that there was no template to work to, it would generally fall to Hammer to develop it by trial and error with others following their lead. This was a double edged sword as in the early days it enabled British horror to steal a march on world horror but by the late 1960s the lack of further development on Hammers part for various reasons, especially finance, would eventually result in a stale and outdated commodity that did not suit the audience. The portrayal of science in the 1930s and 1940s was populated with overzealous, totally committed, scientists whose work to benefit man had unfortunate side effects. By the 1950s and beyond the image of science had become more sinister and threatening as the power of mass destruction and side effects, which could result in mutants and monsters, invaded public consciousness. The mystique and charm of the earlier mad scientists was rapidly being replaced by the cold, calculating, although often charming, scientists who would stop at nothing to achieve their goal. Horror in the late 1950s and early 1960s was not all gothic. Regal/Triads The Flesh and the Fiends (1958) journeyed into medical horror while Columbia/Sabres Night of The Demon (aka Curse of The Demon) (1957) conformed more to the prevailing moral standards along with a more sedate blend of occult and psychological horror combined with a reserved approach to violence and sex. This was similar to the subtle RKO horrors that had provided a counterpoint to Universals contemporary gothic, providing an alternative to gothic horror. Psychological horror such as Insignias Cat Girl (1957) was also beginning to make its presence felt, but it would not become more prevalent until the 1960s, promoted in part by censorship issues and the success of Shamleys Psycho (1960). Even considering the gore, violence, sexuality, eventual nudity and lesbianism British horror generally operated within a moral framework, focusing on the struggle between the spirit and the flesh, science and superstition, good and evil and using symbols of Christian belief, crucifixes and bibles, as weapons rather than contemplation and prayer until its demise in the 1970s. The late 1950s and 1960s would see the look of the inhabitants of 1930s and 1940s horror such as vampires, werewolves, zombies and psychotic scientists updated for the modern audience. The 1960s saw the advent of protest marches, the seeds of Womens Liberation, the Hippie movements free love and living culture all of which were seen as challenges authority . Society saw violence on the increase as the mods and rockers indulged in pitched battles at coastal resorts and the Skinhead and National Front doctrines and practices of racist violence. The cinema audience was also changing as the first phase of the baby boomers who, like the previous young generation had their own music, high levels of employment and disposable income joined their ranks. As with the previous decade this new section of the audience expected different types of film more in line with their standards and values. British film finance, along with the rest of the entertainment industry, would experience another boom and bust decade. In the case of film this would be closely linked with American finance, which reached an estimated 90% by 1967 . Americas determination to dominate the film industry and maximise profits led to them reducing the quantity of output to finance blockbusters, which would ultimately prove detrimental to their industry. This enabled British companies to fill a niche as this reduction in output resulted in a shortage of product for the cinema, leaving the door open for the independent producer. This fact was not lost on British based companies such as Anglo Amalgamated and Independent Artists who, as AIP had been doing in America since the 1950s, put their house in order to fill the gap in horror production which could, to a large extent, be accomplished with low budget productions. The closing of the 1950s and the dawning of the 1960s saw developments in sadistic violence with offerings such as Herman Cohens Horrors of The Black Museum (1959) which, along with Anglo Amalgamateds Circus of Horrors (1960) and Peeping Tom (1960) , formed a trilogy often termed sadian, but more properly Selwynian , movies. The first of these updated Grand Guingol theatre with its catalogue of gruesome crimes while the second turned to medical horror with a sadistic, megalomaniac plastic surgeon murdering his creations when they challenged his authority. Unlike the first two which can be seen as more violent takes on conventional themes the third film was a new development that centre staged the psychotic killer, the human monster hiding behind a faà §ade of normality. This was a comment on the paranoid fear of communism, perceived as the enemy within that had been growing since the mid-1940s. The films contemporary setting would lead to it being vilified by critic and public alike, with a general reaction of repulsion and disgust. Not only did it reflect the violence that society was more aware of due to news reports and the exposure of the seedy world of Soho (tolerated but swept under the carpet) it also portrayed the taboo subject of mental instability in the community. Unlike other movies it struc k home as its style implicated the audience in the voyeuristic pleasure that was derived by the killer, making them feel a part of the crime. This was not the unreal, detached, gothic horror they were used to viewing, this was more realistic and the vitriolic reaction that ensued would lead to the censor taking a harsh stand for the next four years . This tightening of censorship would in effect almost bring the development of horror to a halt from which it would never fully recover. There is not much doubt that had this not been the case it would have rightly assumed the mantle of father of the slasher/stalk and slash movie, bestowed on Psycho (1960), that would come to dominate 1970s American horror. The censors stand, combined with Psychos (1960) success, saw many production companies turn to developing the low budget psychological horror such as Hammers Maniac (1963) concerning a psychotic killer and Compton/Teklis Repulsion (1965) which traced a womans descent into madness culminating in violence. Despite this Hammer still continued to try and develop the horror theme by exploring new ideas such as sadistic violence in The Stranglers of Bombay (1960), veiled lesbianism in The Brides of Dracula (1960), Voodoo in The Plague of The Zombies (1965) and science fiction with The Damned (1963). Apart from the lesbian theme, which they would not re-visit until the 1970s, they did not pursue these ideas any further. This may have been for several reasons but it coincided with a time that they were concentrating more on their psychological horrors which were likely to be more lucrative. In doing this they missed out on future survival opportunities as the discarded themes eventually gained prominence in the late 1960s into the 1970s. They did challenge the accepted 1950s gender convention in The Gorgon (1964) giving a nod of recognition to Womens Lib by making a strong woman the central character (and the monster), something they would not repeat until the 1970s, beginning with Countess Dracula (1970) but that Tigon would pursue with The Blood Beast Terror (1968) albeit not with great commercial success. In general there was a lack of development due to lack of audience appeal as demonstrated by the commercial failure of Danzigers The Tell Tale Heart (1960). This was an attempt to enter Edgar Allen Poe territory and a challenge to the extremely cost conscious AIP who had cornered the Poe market in America. AIP in turn ventured into Britain in 1965 to continue their successful Poe series with a story of obsession / possession in The Tomb of Ligeia (1965) and also take excursions into horror themes that had been experimented with by British companies such as Voodoo in The Oblong Box (1969) and medical horror in Scream and Scream Again (1969), the latter being a joint production with Amicus. 1964 saw Amicus enter the frame who, with the exception of single features like The Deadly Bees (1966), concentrated more on the portmanteau format. This enabled them to incorporate several themes within a single framework, linked by a central thread, which would have a wider audience appeal. Their tongue in cheek approach and contemporary settings were very different to the period horrors of the time, allowing them in effect to incorporate more gore, so much so that they stole a march on Hammer as Dr. Terrors House of Horrors (1965) got a release on the horror shy ABC circuit. Apart from The Skull (1965) which chillingly charted possession and a descent into madness, they also incorporated Voodoo elements in the majority of their portmanteaus. Amicus did not really add to the genres development, as much of their material was taken from the American EC comics and partially Anglicised for the British audience. A further development was the depiction of some parts of societys willingness to accept extreme violence, both to subdue strong women to mens will and also as an acceptable means of restoring order. This was the subject of Tigons Witchfinder General (1968) which also challenged the current moral framework of British horror as the defeat of evil did not produce a clear winner and only resulted in madness. This is an important moment in horror as good does not really triumph, an idea that would re-surface in George Romeros horrors. The late 1960s and early 1970s saw British horror under attack from a resurgence of American horror which would eventually come to dominate the market. George Romeros Night of The Living Dead (1968) took the slow moving, brainless zombies of American Securities White Zombie (1932) and the British Plague of the Zombies (1965) endowing them with more fluid movement and a hunting instinct with a craving for human flesh. Just as Hammers The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Dracula (1958) had redefined horror in the 1950s he laid the seeds of a new type of horror, where the line between human and monster became blurred as infected humans themselves became the monster. More chillingly, these zombies were not Voodoo creations, but victims of an unseen infection that could spread uncontrolled and had no motive of any sort. The true horror, the disease, cannot be reasoned with or eradicated and was not personified as was the case with gothic horror. This change in American horror was not taken on board by the British producers, who were probably under the opinion that they were almost unassailable and were happy to rely on the old guard. Where this was not possible they came to expect too much of younger talent that they had to turn to in order to minimise costs, who had not been given the guidance, nurturing and development it needed. Not only would they struggle with their basic product, but more importantly they were no longer a source of new ideas, consequently resulting in their loss of audience. The British studios would carry on remaking the same scenario over and over again either little realising or refusing to accept the fact that the audience found it old fashioned and stale. This was something that would really come home to roost as the end of the Hays code in 1969 gave American producers the freedom to depict things and scenarios that had previously been the province of British and European producers meaning that Am erican money could be invested in their own horror productions. The 1970s saw great changes in the social and economic sense. Britains 1960s sexual revolution accelerated as women demanded more and more equality and sexual satisfaction via the Womens Liberation Movement. Continuing aspects of the hippies freedom culture were counteracted in part by the Punk Rock movement of the late 1970s. The full employment enjoyed in the 1950s and 1960s began to disappear as 1971 saw 1 million unemployed which, combined with price rises and higher inflation, would culminate in industrial unrest . This resulted in less disposable income for leisure, which became a factor in the further decline of cinema audiences. Another major factor of the decline was the lack of investment in cinemas fabric, which had become shabby and undermined the quality viewing experience that the audience had come to expect along with cinema closures . Financial problems once more plagued the British Film Industry and the boom and bust pattern of the early 1970s was similar to that of the 1960s. By the early 1970s American studios had withdrawn the majority of their finance to try and prop up their own ailing film industry, the aftermath of their blockbuster phase. The period following the release of The Exorcist (1973), which had reinvigorated the general publics interest in horror, proved difficult for British Horror. It struggled as it failed to adapt to the mix of innovative special effects and brutal violence of films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974).More importantly, as in The Night of The Living Dead (1968), this horror was contemporary not gothic, which had formed the backbone of British horror. The British horror industry reacted by fragmenting in many directions instead of developing their own generic product. They attempted, generally unsuccessfully, to ape the American satanic worship / possession based output, usually with low budget offerings such as Unicapital/Ranks I Dont Want to Be Born (1975) and Monumentals Satans Slave (1976) and some bigger budgeted affairs like Hammer/ Terra-Filmkunsts To the Devil a Daughter (1976). Although the latter incorporated the current satanic vogue it sacrificed its quintessential British style and placed an American actor in a lead role, a last gasp attempt that could only result in box office failure. British horror would not learn the necessary adaptation techniques until a younger breed of filmmaker emerged in the 1980s and beyond. By the mid to late 1970s the popularity of British horror was in decline which, to a large extent, was the fault of the production companies. Instead of trying to develop the more traditional forms of British horror to suit the changing, diminishing audience they, as in the 1960s, basically sat back on their laurels. There were some half-hearted attempts to transplant Dracula in the modern world as with Hammer/Warners Dracula AD72 (1972) but all it did was confine him to a gothic setting in a modern world that was more related to the previous decade in language and style. Hammer had become a shadow of itself, desperately trying to engineer the survival of its particular brand of gothic horror by spicing it up even more with sex and violence. Amicus was no different as they found that their more tongue in cheek approach was not compatible with the developing product of possession, gory, psychotic and often sadistic violence, sex and nudity. This enabled smaller companies such as Benmar and K-L Productions to come to the fore with a fresh approach ranging from zombie bikers in Psychomania (1972) to cannibalistic descendants in Death Line (aka Raw Meat) (1972). Even the return to science-fiction with TCF/Brandywines Alien (1979), which harked back to the Quatermass series of the 1950s with its mix of gothic type settings and horror, was short lived and was not really picked up as providing the shot in the arm or development lifeline that British horror desperately needed at the time. The relaxation of censorship and the desperate fight for finance and box office returns pulled the horror film towards sexploitation with films like Noteworthys Horror Hospital (1973), and the incorporation of more nudity and graphic violence in Gothic based fare of Hammer/AIPs The Vampire Lovers (1970), the first of the Karnstein Trilogy which played on the viewer being attracted to the lesbian act in a voyeuristic way. The lesbian vampire not only intruded on society, with her unnatural desires capable of undermining its authority, but also intruded into male dominated sexual territory as the erotic act of drawing blood emphasised what society deemed an unnatural sexual, non-procreative, pleasurable practice, further compounded by it depleting the victims body of blood, possibly affecting menstruation and a direct challenge to human reproduction. The theme was continued with Essay/Fox-Ranks Vampyres (1974) with the added twist that the lesbian couple used a bisexual relationship to satisfy some of their desires and need for nourishment. This formed a part of the 1970s movement that saw female sexuality become more aggressive as sex driven vampires and witches which, coupled with other offerings of invasion, bodily or otherwise, by supernatural beings or alien life-forms posed a threat to the secular world and highlighted what was being viewed by many as the decline of the males dominant role in society. It is worth noting that 1970s America saw pornographic films like Deep Throat (1972) make the transition from the adult into main stream, a further indication of the changing tastes of the cinema audience and giving a nod to the feminist movement as it showed a woman willing to take charge in satisfying her needs, rather than be a pawn to mens desires. More importantly the relaxation of censorship opened the door for the adult soft core pornography and sexploitation producers such as Pete Walker , Antony Balch and Tony Tenser to enter mainstream horror. They brought their extensive experience of making films on shoestring budgets and distribution networks to bear. They were happy to provide offerings of sadism and sex in films like Heritages The House of Whipcord (1974), which commented on societys view that girls who were just out for a good time should reap just punishment. They attacked established religion by having a murdering, non-celibate, Roman Catholic priest in The House of Mortal Sin (aka The Confessional) (1975). They also offered large doses of sex and horror in a combination of schlock and art-house style and stomach churning sadism in productions like The Secret of Sex (aka Bizarre) (1970) and mad surgeon horror, tinged with a perverse sexual desire in Horror Hospital (1973) generally appealing to an audience that had, or would, embrace the sexploitation market. Although operating in the blood soaked and grotty end of the market with their mix of sex and violence, which presaged the future American domination of the market, that had been so frowned upon by the censor in the 1950s, 1960s and part of the 1970s, they toyed with acc epted scenarios and added more chills in contemporary settings. It was not all sex and gore as Tyburn desperately tried to return to the gothic style that had once been a successful mainstay of British horror. Although they opted for higher budgets with films like The Ghoul (1975) and The Legend of the Werewolf (1976) they were doomed to box office failure, as they could not generate audience interest considering the prevailing contemporary horror climate with their efforts almost destroying the company. Films from the more recognised horror producers such as AIP and Hammer were laced with more sex and violence as they, like the sexploitation producers, challenged peoples beliefs as well as commenting on societys attitude that almost anything goes in the 1970s, especially in the search for truth or the restoration of order. This determination to Americanise, or even orientalise British horror as with Hammer/Shaws Kung Fu based The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974) robbed it of its quintessentially British touch, often resulting in pleasing neither one market nor the other. By the late 1970s the torrent of early independent 1970s horror, that had one eye firmly focussed on the American market, had slowed to a trickle eventually becoming a downward spiral that by the 1980s would prove almost terminal and it was becoming crystal clear that British horror would never again see the heady dominating days of the 1950s and 1960s. From 1978 onwards the horror film had moved on again as Gothic had had its day, partially the fault of the producers as their sequels which were remakes of the original offered little re-imagination, being replaced by the stalk and slash movie in the form of Halloween (1978) and Friday 13th (1980) to satisfy audience requirement for more gore and psychotic, senseless violence. The films of the 1970s had really become a combination of sex and violence which also set out to challenge the accepted sanctity religious beliefs as in Tigon/Chiltons Blood On Satans Claw (aka The Devils Skin) (1970) where the leader of the coven tries to seduce the local priest and also included a violent, graphic rape scene. This theme of gratuitous nudity, sex and violence would be a factor in many British horror films of the 1970s, a good demonstration of this gratuity are the opening sequences of AIPs Cry of the Banshee (1970) and in challenging conventional beliefs British Lions The Wicker Man (1973) wit h its survival of strong pagan beliefs involving animal and human sacrifice being depicted as the only course of action due to the failure of science. It can be seen above that the changes in the 1950s and 1970s were the most influential in British horror development. The 1950s saw the emergence of productions that not only pleased the audience but in doing so pushed against the existing boundaries of censorship and making full use of the adults only X certificate introduced by the BBFC in 1951. There is no doubt that this would have continued into the 1960s but for two crucial events. The first being the vitriolic reception to Peeping Tom (1960) which put the censor on the back foot, in a harsh clampdown until 1964. The other was the success of Psycho (1960) which had a two-fold effect. Firstly it was seen as the father of the slasher movie, which would gain prominence in the 1970s, secondly it provided a life line to British producers, who were having difficulties with finance and the censor in the early part of the decade, enabling them to realise revenue by developing their low budget psychological thrillers, which would be made in monochrome to reduce the effect of gore and be more acceptable to the censor. It also emerged that the development and production of British horror was subject Boom Bust cycles which occurred in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s due to their dependence on foreign investment. Also there was a continuously changing and declining, due to the proffered viewing experience and lack of investment in cinema fabric, audience that by the 1970s it had failed to evolve with. The most costly event in the development of British horror was its failure to monitor and adapt to changing audiences and looking to the future by developing new talent during the good times to enable them to keep up with changing trends. Many of the producers stuck with the old guard and virtually remaking the same film again and again with little imagination and the odd tweak to their characters behaviour, mistakenly believing that drenching it in more violence, nudity, sex and lesbianism would save the day. Even these embellishments could not hide the same old formula from the audience. They had not realised that they were heading towards times of the rejection of religious beliefs and acts of faith. The religious symbols from the 1950s-1970s defe

A Golden Age for Athens? :: World History Essays

A "Golden Age" for Athens? The 5th century BCE was a period of great development in Ancient Greece, and specifically in Athens. The development of so many cultural achievements within Athens and the Athenian Empire has led scholars to deem this period a "Golden Age." It is true that his period had many achievements, but in the light of the Athenians treatment of women, metics (non-Athenians living in Athens), and slaves it is given to question whether or not the period can truly be called "Golden." The 5th century and the Athenian Empire gave birth to an amazing amount of accomplishments. One such accomplishment was the minting of standard Athenian coins that were used throughout the Athenian holdings as valid for trade. The use of standard Athenian-minted coins helped the Athenians establish and maintain control over their empire by helping to control trade and the economy of the area to the Athenians' benefit. Since Athens regularly received tribute from the states it controlled, Pericles, the leader of Athens, began a building project in Athens that was legendary. Athens had been sacked by the Persians during the Persian Wars and Pericles set out to rebuild the city. The city's walls had already been rebuilt right after the end of the second Persian War so Pericles rebuilt temples, public grounds, and other impressive structures. One of the most famous structures to result from Pericles' building project was the Parthenon. The Parthenon and other such structures re-established Athens's glory and while some Athenians criticized the projects as too lavish, most Athenians enjoyed the benefits of the program. A major benefit to the Athenian people was that there was an abundance of work in the polis. The 5th century BCE was also an important time for Athenian thought. "Sophists," paid teachers, taught rhetoric amongst other subjects to wealthy Athenian citizens. The Sophists were criticized by Athenians who thought that Sophists were destroying Greek tradition by emphasizing rationalism over a belief in superstition, however it was this rationalism that became so important to Greek philosophers such as Socrates and Plato, both who belonged to the 5th century BCE. The Sophists high regard for rhetoric was later of great use to citizen addressing the Assembly in the developing Athenian democracy. Athenian democracy is perhaps considered the crowning achievement of the 5th century BCE. Democracy grew out of the status that poorer Athenians were gaining as rowers for the ships of the large Athenian fleet. Since these poorer Athenians now played a large part in the Athenian military, they ga8ined more say in the Athenian government. This led to a

Cold environments Case Study- Alaska Essay

Location * State in the United States-international boundary with Canada to the east, arctic ocean to the north * Largest state in United States by area, however least densely populated Economy * GDP in 2007: $64,333 * Per capita personal income : $40,042, rank :15th in nation * Oil and gas industry dominates the Alaskan economy * More than 80% of states revenues derived from petroleum extraction * Main export : seafood , agriculture represent only fraction of economy * Largest employers: * Providence health and services : 4000+ av. Monthly employment in 2010 * Walmart: 3000-3259 av .monthly employment 2010 History * First oil claims in Alaska made in the 1890, noted oil sea pages on iniskin bay and cold bay- not pursued by Russians * 1898- first Alaskan wells drilled in Iniskin Peninsula * Alaska’s first productive oil drilling operation was at Katalla, on the Gulf of Alaska, south of the Copper River delta * In 1911 several new wells in the district began to produce significant oil, costs not big enough to justify extraction * In 1960, following the statehood of Alaska and the creation of the state natural resources agencies, oil companies bought exploration leases for work in Cook Inlet * The boom in economic development and population growth after the discovery of oil was immediate and still continues Types of Development in Alaska * Oil and Gas industry- major oil fields developed along central north slope * Oil production accounts for 93% of Alaska’s unrestricted general fund revenues. * Since statehood, Alaska has received $164 billion in revenues from oil * Development in the fishing industry- sea provides endless harvest worth billions of pounds. Over 3 million lakes, 3000 rivers and 34 000 miles coastline- bountiful fishing regions in the world * Salmon fishing industry- worth $11 billion a year * Provide thousands of jobs, long term economic engine * Pollock fishery- 1,252,000 million metric tons- 2.7 billion ponds annum * Seafood- top export commodity. 2009- 1.6 b dollars. Accounted for 50% states total exports. * Seafood processing accounts 71% of manufacturing jobs in ALK. * Fishing industry- generated 54 000 jobs- short seasonal * Mining- historically a cornerstone of alaska’s economy. Today, mining industry brings broad range of benefits- offering highest paid jobs in the state. * Produces zinc, lead, copper , gold, silver, coal * Alaska’s 7 largest mines Provided more than 2,250 full time jobs of 9500 total mining ind jobs in state * Mining creates public revenue by paying state and local taxes * Help support local economies in both urban and rural Alaska. * Issues: spent $300 million on exploration last year * drilling costs and fuel expenses have risen sharply * Facts and economic impact-cumulative value of mining industry: $4.4 bil. 2011 * Minerals are the states second largest export commodity. Accounted for 31% of states export total- zinc and lead from Red Dog mine * Approximately 200 placer mines produced 70,000 ounces of gold, as well as platinum, in Alaska in 2011. In addition to Alaska’s active precious-metals mining industry, there were more than 120 active rock quarries, and sand and gravel operations throughout the state. Pressures on Cold Environment * Alaska is unique state- economic development in it’s remote, petroleum based economy- resembles oil rich developing nations than other US states * Realtively small size of the Alaskan economy can discourage production for local use. * Geography wise- their location is at a disadvantage. Difficult to transport oil to other countries * Trans Alaska pipeline * Pipeline flows through natural biomes, upsets animal trails, carries potential of a devastating leak * Woodland destroyed- also people’s homes affected

Climate Change Essay

Once, I visited a hospital for my health checkup,there I saw a man with shattered skin,rashes all over the body;clearcut it was the case of allergy.Doctors are rushing and making report on it.After a week I again visited that hospital for my scheduled checkup,then I came to know a shocking news-that allergy case was the case of Ganga bath!! Alas! Holy river Ganga, ancient river Ganga ,that Ganga which takes away all the sins from mankind, today causing allergy,irritation,skin rashes!!! that man has to pay price for his religious belief†¦ Also scientists got some samples from Ganga from specific places having disease causing microbes. This small case itself indicate the change we have made in our nature. Change is the law of nature,change is inevitable and change is evergoing process,but Climate Change is one of the most complex,multifaceted and serious threat that the World face. Whether you are adding your bit to the heap of garbage piling up in your locality or not become meaningless when the garbage begins to rot-the stench will reach your nose too,Climate Change induced by global warming works much the same way. World famous scientists all over the country had evaluated climate change and came to conclusion that Greenhouse Gases ,CFC, Carbondieoxide and many other toxic gases are the cause of environment degradation.Though it is true scientifically,the root lies elsewhere;that is in the greed of human being.Our greed led to adavancement of technology and led us farther from peace and prosperity of all. Increasing consumption of electricity due to intiation of several new industries,disposal of garbage without treatment to maximize profit,use of environment hazardious substances like polythene in our daily life are concrete examples of human greed. People have been influencing the Biosphere for at least 8000 years,since the invention of Agriculture,but Climate Change has proposed a threat over our Agriculture.The most affected area of Climate Change will be Agriculture and its biodiversity. The first and foremost impact of climate change is in biodiversity specially Islands biodiversity.nearly one –fourth of the worlds countries are Island and they are treasure trove of biodiversity.Also they provide food,fresh water ,wood,fibre,medicine,fuel and other raw materials. But increasing sea level has given a alarm threat to them,The New Moore Island of India in Sunderbans has been consumed recently by rising sea,many other Pacific atoll nation Island of Kiribati,Islands of Vanuatu also submerged in early history.we are loosing huge . biodiversity;these are initial cases†¦ Rather IPCC has warned that a rise in sea levels of between 18 and 59cm by 2100 would be enough to submerge many other big islands, including Maldives and make them unhabitable,also of the 724 recorded animal extinctions in 400 years about half were Island species .also climate change will bring degradation of coastal environment and natural resources on which poor rural people depend.Higher rates of erosion and coastal land loss may vanish our islands In context of Agriculture,sea level rise will also cause increased salinity due to encroachment of the sea and saltwater intrusion into freshwater lenses,contributing to an increasing shortage of water supply and loss of agriculture land.The most vulnerable section will be the poor and marginal farmers with small landholdings because ‘extreme weather events’will specially occur in tropics,fundamental changes in rainfall pattern together with rising temperature will shorten growing season and reduce crop productivity . Acco.to World Bank 75% of 1.2 billion people are trapped in extreme poverty,so they will fail to adopt new rotation practices and thus most vulnerable to climate change. World wide farming is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions accouting for 20% of total emissions.Atmospheric concentration of methane has more than doubled during the past 200 years.Natural wetlands,fossil fuels related to natural gas,coal mines coal industry,electric fermentation,rice fields,biomass burning,landfills accont for 75% of methane production in our environment. thus major source of greenhouse gases is agriculture itself. Rice fields are the most significant contributors of atmospheric methane accounting for 11-13% of the world’s total methane production. Also, rice production will need to expand by around 70% over the next 25 years to meet the demands of fast growing human population whose food demand is expected to double in developing world in next 40 years. Thus if we increase our crop area specially staple crop area in near future then the problem of global warming is likely to increase. Already in today’s era 800 million people are unnourished, in India only 30 million people suffer hunger,46% children are underweight and 17000 people are dying per day due to hunger on an average. Thus in near future we are going to face a great threat not only of climate change but also of food security†¦. However, Not all effects of climate change on agriculture are expected to be negative, most of the major food crops are C-3 plants including staple food like rice ,wheat, oat, barley will show increase in yield ranging from 25% to 64% due to increased CO2 level, also most of the noxious weed are C4 plants and their growth will be checked. But this is only one side of the coin ,increased temperature due to increase in CO2 level may rise the pest attack up to 25% and fungal disease attack up to 20% and also disturb our monsoon pattern.In an overview it can be said that it will create more and new problem rather than benefits because the worst sufferers would be farmers of Rainfed agriculture which cover 60% of all cultivable lands. Today humanbeings have become dependent on technologies which are dependent on non -renewable resources and produce illeffects in long run.nowdays we say that glaciers are shrinking;may be shrinking but more that the heart of the people and their philosophy is shrinking too.while the drastic effects of global warming has been discussed in many scientific circles,had their run on T.V. and even had well meaning Hollywood films but the need of the hour is to change ourselves,to reduce our luxurious wants. The need of the hour is to develop a) True sustainability,there should be synergies between climate mitigation strategies and development policies in areas of energy efficiency,fuel substitution,renewable ,afforestration,and land and waste management. b) The planning should not be for temporary economic gains and support,but for sustainability in future as well.There should be partnerships with communities,individuals,and private sector to frame effective measures to reduce the impact the effect of climate change. Today we all peoples of the world need to change our habbits ,not only in Agricultural practices but also in our daily life practicices†¦ Switching of fans and light before leaving room ,efficient use of water at home , proper garbage disposal at micro level, though seems to be a very minute step but the huge building of true sustainability will only form above these basic steps because this will be the 1st step against our greed, so step ahead and realize your own responsibility ,because it is not the time to curse the darkness but to light a small lamp. References: 1. â€Å"Know climate change† by Tanya Agarwal 2. â€Å"Global climate change† by Arnold J.Bloom 3. Science Reporter (CSIR) 4. IPCC website

Progressive Era and Gilded Age Essay

In Walter Nugent’s book Progressivism: A Very Short Introduction, he claims Progressivism emerged as a response to the Gilded Age, an unfortunate era that left the average working Americans poor while a new class of wealthier people started to rise. Nugent explains to us the breakdown of Progressivism and what occurred when it struck our nation. Progressivism began to come together in the end of the 1800s due to the ills of American Society that had developed during the great spurt of industrial growth. It shaped and progressed from 1900 to 1917 and finally started to disappear from 1917 to the early 1920s. Nugent claims Progressivism emerged as a response to the Gilded Age, an unfortunate era that left the average working Americans poor while a new class of wealthier people started to rise. For once, Americans sensed change in their society. Some change for the good but most of it for the worse. Nugent talks about how cities began growing up faster than the blink of an eye. The railroad companies started to turn into monopolies. Unfortunately, more problems started to rise in America other than this one. The rich became wealthier and the poor became poorer. The nation had also previously faced a serious recession from 1893-1896, and recovery did not actually really begin until 1897. Other factors that occurred during the progressive era: prostitution and alcohol abuse, the great railroad strike of 1877, and the Homestead Strike. The main progressive leaders, such as, Theodore Roosevelt, William Jennings Bryan, and Woodrow Wilson stepped in to make a difference. Theodore Roosevelt claimed he backed up the middle class and showed no mercy toward monopolies. Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson accomplished many things such as: the 16th amendment which modified the structure of taxation, demolishing the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to dissolve trust so the railroads would not create a complete monopoly in the North West part of the country, the 18th amendment which banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol, and the passing of the Woman’s Suffrage Act in 1920 which allowed women to have larger roles in issues with our society. However, according to Nugent, reformers such as Jane Addams, W. E. B DuBois, and Booker T. Washington also had a huge impact on the Progressive Era as well. Addams founded settlement houses like the famous Hull House, where immigrants and the poor resided. The Hull- House also showed change could come without overthrowing the political and economic system. DuBois, head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), helped to reduce discrimination. Nugent later describes what occurred in America when Progressivism slowly started to die out. It considered to have ended with the outbreak of the First World War. The war left over 53,000 killed in combat while 63,000 died from other causes. A Flu pandemic also struck which killed roughly 600,000 Americans. In conclusion the progressive era had rough times. Although not everything turned out completely successful, it did put America in the position it needed to be in in order to achieve success.