Naxalism free essay sample

The Naxal name comes from the village of Naxalbari in West Bengal, Indian state of West Bengal where the movement originated. The Naxals are considered far-left radical communists, supportive of Maoist political sentiment and ideology. Naxalism is growing in the undeveloped areas because of extreme poverty, unemployment and the collapse of the state structure. Government has failed to provide the access of basic human needs to the poor people living in those areas States which have Naxalism movements are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal The Naxalites are active in approximately 40 percent of India’s geographical area. They control large portions of remote and densely forested areas and are concentrated in an area called â€Å"Red Corridor†. This area is also the tribal belt where the tension between economic development and aboriginal land rights is most apparent. Though all Naxal groups are bound by a common ideology they tend to act and react in different ways and affect a diverse kind of population which lead to varied opinions. We will write a custom essay sample on Naxalism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page On July 5, 2011, the Supreme Court of India declared the militia as illegal and unconstitutional. Naxals believe that power flows from the barrel of a gun, and their aim is to create a classless society. Brief History of Naxalism in India: The term Naxalism was first coined in 1967. Communist party- ideology-1925 Communist party of India under the influence of Mao tsetung In 1948, a peasant movement took place in Telangana These ideological differences led to the split of the party in 1964, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also known as CPM was formed. In 1967, CPM participated in elections and formed a coalition United Front government in West Bengal with Bangla Congress. Comrade Charu Majumdar launched the Naxalbari uprising against the local landlord. Birth and Growth of Naxalism: On May 25th 1967 a section of Communist Party (Marxist)(CPM) cadres rose in revolt against the oppression of peasants in Naxalbari. They were led by CPM leaders Charu Mazumdar and Kanu Sanyal. CPM which advocated parliamentary politics did not support the rebellion. Rebels who were then known as Naxalites broke away from CPM and formed Naxalites movement. Naxalite movement based itself on the principles of Mao (Late leader of Chinese communist Party) and Che Guevara. Rebellion also benefited from the ongoing drought in India which affected peasants. By 1972 the movement was literally dead, due to efforts by the Indira Gandhi Government which used Patriotic sentiment to win over support of the general public. In early 1980s, a Naxalite group in Andhra Pradesh state started operations against state police in adivasi areas. Slowly operations extended into the neighboring states such as Madhya Pradesh. At the same time another Naxalite group carried out operation against state police in Bihar state. Two groups later joined together to form the Communist Party. For the past 10 years, it has grown mostly from displaced tribals and natives who are fighting against exploitation from major Indian corporations and local corrupt officials. The Chinese government has been found to have provided sanctuary to leaders of the movement, and the Pakistani ISI to have provided financial support. The members of the Naxal movement initially try to infiltrate and develop their bases in underdeveloped areas where there exist some sort of an administrative vacuum. While taking advantage of the feeling of neglect among the people, the Naxalites start educating them about their exploitation by the Indian state and how to bring an end to such exploitation through an armed struggle. Truth to be told, there has been a gross misunderstanding between both the parties. The State has failed to take into account the aspirations and rights of tribals. Their needs, their livelihood, are also important if we wish to march forward towards a sustainable model of development. A fully armed solution is not the way out, and the recent changes in policies like the IAP have been steps in the right direction. While gaining the trust of all the involved parties is imperative, it is essential that the State does not come across as being soft on law-breakers. Causes of the Threat: The causes of the Maoist movement in India are Economic, political and cultural dimensions which are closely linked. The first is the economic situation which is exploited by Naxalites and their extreme left ideology. On the one hand, India has experienced relatively fast economic growth, which has led to increased levels of national wealth. To facilitate and continue this development, businesses need more land and natural resources such as minerals. On the other hand, this economic growth has been uneven among regions, and has widened the disparity between the rich and the poor. Proponents of these businesses argue that these regions need economic development, if they are to catch up with their richer counterparts. The Indian aboriginals, known as adivasis, live these richly forested lands, which are wanted for development by businesses. The conflict between economic progress and aboriginal land rights continues to fuel the Naxalite’s activities. Their strongest bases are in the poorest areas of India. They are concentrated on the tribal belt such as West Bengal, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh where locals experience forced acquisition of their land for developmental projects. Businesses are making adivasis go through â€Å"sham formal consultation† processes where interests of the adivasis are not sincerely considered. Second, the alienation that is being exploited by the Maoists has a social, communal and regional dimension. The battle can also be described between India’s most neglected people and the nation’s most powerful industrial businesses. The adivasis make up about 8. 4 percent of the population and live in severe poverty. They live in remote areas where government administration is weak and there is a lack of government services. These indigenous people have the lowest literacy rates in the country and highest rates of infant mortality. Given this socio-economic alienation, it is easy to see how the Naxalite’s ideology is popular among the rural poor and indigenous tribes, and why the adivasis view the guerrillas as their â€Å"saviours†. The adivasis do not feel like they have any political power to voice their grievances legitimately, and therefore the alternative of subversive, illegal groups seem attractive. Impact on Economic Development: The major macroeconomic effects of the Naxal movement are :- Reduction in per capita GDP growth Higher inflation rates Lower tax revenues Lower domestic investment and higher expenditure on defense at the cost of lower expenditure on education and health Lower exports, reduced bilateral trade flows and reduced foreign direct investment inflows Micro-economic effects include lower tourist inflows, lower regional tourism market share, reduced usage of public transport, reduced long term investments in agriculture and other potential sectors, reduced enrollment in schools, lower job availability and lack of substantial opportunities. Postive Social Political Impact: Naxalite movement has sustained for nearly 45 years because the Naxalites have received unwavering support from the lower caste villagers and adivasis who were time and again crushed by the higher caste zamindars or governance authorities before the Naxal surge. A plethora of reasons contribute towards their sustained support:- Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 placed the reserved forests of the entire country in the hands of the Centre. No portion of these reserves could be utilized without the prior permission of the government. This rule led to the eviction of many adivasis from the forests and their frequent abuse by the hands of forest officers. The Naxalites stepped into such disputes and provided protection to these adivasis from the forest officers as well as eviction from their habitat. The law and administration provides no succor to displaced people and treats them with hostility since such internally displaced forest dwellers tend to settle down again in some forest region which is prohibited. The Naxalite movement has come to the aid of such victims. The reason for displacement of people normally is extremes of poverty and social oppression, due to some irrigation or power plant projects and poor evicted from government lands. One such example was the displacement of adivasis by irrigation projects in Orissa who migrated to the forests of Andhra Pradesh. Without Naxal intervention these adivasis would have been evicted by forest officials from there as well. The Minimum Wages Act remains an act on paper for most of the rural India. It is reported that the Naxalites have ensured payment of decent wages to the labourers. In the matter of physical infrastructure like roads, school buildings, etc. , the Naxalite movement has on certain occasions exerted pressure for its improvement but in certain locations and various occasions they have obstructed the laying of roads, rail lines and construction activites for the fear of police and paramilitary raids. The slogan of the Naxalites from the beginning has been ‘land to the tillers’. They nearly brought an end to the absentee landlordism system although this activity is still prevalent in some places. The land seized from the rich landlords was given in the hands of the peasants who cultivated that land. From the looks of it, it seems that the Naxalite movement attempted to achieve equity in the society by means of class struggle and they did achieve it to some extent but at the cost of the economic development of the state. Negative Impacts of the Naxal Movement and Security Forces: Naxalites have always attempted to disrupt elections thereby not only preventing masses from choosing their leaders but also inhibiting them from exercising their fundamental right to vote. The Maoist extortion business is estimated to be around a whopping 2000 crore rupees. All contractors have to pay 5-10% of the project cost to Naxalites as ‘protection money’ Salwa Judum which was a militia set up with the approval of the government to counter the Naxals caused the displacement of 43,740 people as of 31, December 2006 from Chattisgarh. Security forces have also been alleged of recruiting minors as SPO’s (Special Police Officers) in the Salwa Judum. Salwa Judum has been alleged of practicing vigilante justice and their activist have been held responsible for heinous crimes like torture, rape and non-judicial executions. Often villages and adivasis are caught in the cross firing between the security forces and the Naxals causing loss of life and property. NAXALISM ITS EFFECTS ON BUSINESS The Naxalites may pose a graver threat to Indias economic power, potentially more damaging to Indian companies, foreign investors and the state than pollution, crumbling infrastructure or political gridlock. The growing Maoist insurgency over large swathes of the mineral-rich countryside could soon hurt some industrial investment plans. Just when India needs to ramp up its industrial machine to lock in growth and when foreign companies are joining the party Naxalites are clashing with mining and steel companies essential to Indias long-term success. The other reason for sounding the alarm stems from the increasingly close proximity between the corporate world and the forest domain of the Naxalites. There is a growing concern over the widening reach of Naxalites as they operated in 30% of India, up from 9% in 2002. The terror groups have already begun operating and attacking industries on the edge of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Orissa Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. Naxalites are now planning to penetrate Indias major cities, and are looking to encircle urban centres, find sympathy among students and the unemployed and create armed, secret, self-defence squads that will execute orders. Investments Hurdled by Naxalism: Attacks by Maoist rebels on mining and other commercial activities in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa have cast an ominous shadow on investment plans by private players in these states. The attacks on mining and related activities could cost Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand dear as both the states have bountiful mineral resources that can boost their economy and generate employment opportunities Many of the potential investment destinations, particularly for the extractive industry and core infrastructure sectors are situated in Naxalite-affected areas, making it unviable for commercial operations. These States are on the verge of development, which can be attributed to the rich mineral resources, changing regional politics and the boom of the Indian economy. Unfortunately, the ongoing Naxalite activities are acting as major impediments to the overall growth of these least developed States Solutions: The complexity of the causes of the Naxalite problem as well as its implications both for internal and external security reflect a solution that is multi-dimensional and calls for a synergy between the central governments and the states. In order to comprehensively dissolve the Naxalite threat, the government has to address its root causes. Socio-economic alienation and the dissatisfaction with the widening economic and political inequality will not be solved by military force alone, which seems to be the main instrument employed by the government. The problem calls for a three-pronged solution: social and economic development, multi-lateral dialogue and military force. Socio-economic development As the Naxalites are fuelled by discontent from the marginalized and the poor, a larger percentage of the national budget must be allocated to addressing the needs of these regions. More of the national expenditure needs to be focused on developing these poorer regions through initiatives regarding health, education, social welfare and rural and urban development. Government service delivery should be improved in these tribal areas. Both state and government must ensure that things such as statutory minimum wages, access to land and water sources initiatives are implemented. In coming up with strategies for national economic growth, the government must always bear in mind the possible effects of fast growth for all socio-economic groups in a country as large and diverse as India. If the social needs of these marginalized people are addressed, there will be no discontent to fuel the Naxalite’s movements. Dialogue Second, the government should initiate sincere dialogue with these marginalised groups, the Naxalites and state leaders. The popularity of Naxalites with the adivasis is a reflection of the fact that the government has been unaware or â€Å"unapologetically indifferent to their plight†. By communicating and starting a dialogue between these stakeholders, these groups will feel that they being listened to. By opening dialogue, the government can give opportunity for the rebels to join the mainstream by showing them that solutions can be created together with the government, by being part of the political system in a legitimate way. They no longer need to resort to violence to get the state’s attention. For example, the former director-general of AP concluded that as a result of the ceasefire and dialogue with Maoists in 2004, the violence in the state decreased by 80-90 percent in the region. Military Currently, the main instrument employed by the government to address the Naxalite threat is the increasing use of the military. While some military force is still needed to combat against the Maoist guerrillas, it should not be the only solution. By only addressing the issue by brute force, government risks alienating civilians who are caught in the middle. Coercion of the state will only encourage people to rally against it. Governance: The growing Naxalite insurgency also reflects a flaw in the federal structure. Because law and order is seen as a state responsibility, the central government is unable to be implementing a coherent national strategy to address the threat. The government has the overall responsibility of mobilizing development, but it cannot do so without the support of the states. The central government and the states need to cooperate together to solve the internal security threats and coordinate the implementation of this multi-dimensional approach. Both organizations must complement and support each other’s initiatives and strategies. Government Policies: Naxalism 2009-Operation Green Hunt Initiated with the blessings of Home minister P. Chidambaram with the objective of cleansing naxalism from the Indian main land. The central government has recently decided to allocate meager Rs. 2 crore per year to per Naxal-affected district to develop the socio-economic situation. This is more a social and political problem than a law and order problem The Home minister made it clear that no talks will be held until the ultras abjure violence The government has also initiated publicity campaigns in order to garner support from the general public in their efforts to crack down on the naxals New Initiative in Jharkhand (Sep 2013): State police is planning to modify its existing Naxalite surrender policy for rebels in the bid to convince them to put down arms and lead a normal life. The surrender policy promised Rs. 2. 5 lakh in three installments, a monthly compensation of Rs 3000 with employment training, four decimal government land with Rs 50,000 cash to construct a house, free life long medical facility, free education up-to class X, incentive for marriage of daughters, among several other promises. Conclusion: To conclude, the Naxalite problem reflects underlying issues in the Indian social, economic and political institutions which threaten to expose India to even more danger from outside forces. While the Naxalite movement is mainly an internal threat, with globalisation, external and internal security threats are inextricably linked. The complex and multi-faceted approach to solving the Naxalite issue also reflects the fact that this is the biggest menace to India’s security in the future. The only possible way for any progressive activity to take place in these areas is by peaceful negotiations and ceasefire. In conclusion, let us take a look beyond the hullabaloo into the core reason behind it all. Capitalism and communism are two sides of the same coin. Enough blood has been shed over that piece of metal junk and humanity is yet to learn the lesson. We don’t own the coin. We are merely ephemeral entities who have been given a chance to add value to society. No one has given anyone the right to destroy what has never been anybody’s. Once we internalize this fact, there will be no dispute.

Experience Psychology, 3rd edition Essays (947 words) - Psychology

Experience Psychology, 3rd edition Essays (947 words) - Psychology Experience Psychology, 3rd edition Chapter 11, Social Psychology Vocabulary, Key Terms Affectionate love or companionate love: Love that occurs when an individual has a deep, caring affection for another person and desires to have that person near. Aggression: Social behavior whose objective is to harm someone, either physically or verbally. Altruism: Giving aid to another person with the ultimate goal of benefitting that person, even if it incurs a cost to oneself. Attitudes: An individual's opinions and beliefs about people, objects, and ideas; how the person feels about the world. Attribution theory: The view that people are motivated to discover the underlying causes of behavior as part of their effort to make sense of the behavior. Bystander effect: The tendency for an individual who observe an emergency to help less when other people are present than when the observer is alone. Cognitive dissonance: An individual's psychological discomfort (dissonance) caused by two inconsistent thoughts. Conformity: A change in a person's behavior to coincide more closely with a group standard. Deindividuation: The reduction in personal identity and erosion of the sense of personal responsibility when one is part of a group. Discrimination: An unjustified negative or harmful action toward a member of a group simply because the person belongs to that group. Egoism: Giving to another person to ensure reciprocity; to gain self-esteem; to present oneself as powerful, competent, or caring or to avoid social and self-censure for failing to live up to society's expectations. Elaboration likelihood model: Theory identifying two ways to persuade: a central route and a peripheral route. Empathy: A feeling of oneness with the emotional state of another person. Ethnocentrism: The tendency to favor one's own ethnic group over other groups. False consensus effect: Observers' overestimation of the degree to which everybody else thinks or acts the way they do. Fundamental attribution error: Observers' overestimation of the importance of internal traits and underestimation o the importance of external situations when they seek explanations of another person's behavior. Group polarization: The solidification and further strengthening of an individual's position as a consequence of a group discussion or interaction. Groupthink: The impaired group decision making that occurs when making the right decision is less important than maintaining group harmony. Informational social influence: The influence other people have on us because we want to be right. Investment model: A model of long-term relationships that examines the ways that commitment, investment, and the availability of attractive alternative partners predict satisfaction and stability in relationships. Mere exposure effect: The phenomenon that the more individuals encounter someone or something, the more probable it is that they will start liking the person or thing even if they do not realize they have seen it before. Normative social influence: The influence other people have on us because we want them to like us. Obedience: Behavior that complies with the explicit demands of the individual in authority. Overt aggression: Physical or verbal behavior that directly harms another person. Person perception: The processes by which an individual uses social stimuli to form impressions of others. Positive illusions: Favorable views of the self that are not necessarily rooted in reality. Prejudice: An unjustified negative attitude toward an individual based on the individual's membership in a group. Relational aggression: Behavior that is meant to harm the social standing of another person. Risky shift: The tendency for a group decision to be riskier than the average decision made by the individual's group members. Romantic love or passionate love: Love with strong components of sexuality and infatuation, often predominant in the early part of a love relationship. Self-fulfilling prophecy: Social expectations that cause an individual to act in such a way that the expectancies are realized. Self-perception theory: Bem's theory on how behaviors influence attitudes, stating that individuals make inferences about their attitudes by perceiving theory behavior. Self-serving bias: The tendency to take credit for one's successes and to deny responsibility for one''s failures. Social cognition: The area of social psychology exploring how people select, interpret, remember, and use social information. Social comparison: The process by which individuals evaluate their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and abilities in relation to others. Social contagion: Imitative behavior involving the spread of behavior, emotions, and ideas. Social exchange

The Type and Methods of English Taught in Schools of The Republic of Assignment

The Type and Methods of English Taught in Schools of The Republic of Yemen - Assignment Example None of them may know what is ‘past perfect tense’ or an ‘infinitive.’ Well, to acquire command over the language, they need not know grammar! Read a lot, listen to the conversation attentively, most of one’s language skills can be acquired through this process. This rule applies to the question of acquiring skills in the English language as for the Yemeni students as well. Let me, however, hasten to add that I do not mean to say that the study of grammar does not have any importance as for learning any language. But for a beginner, if the study of grammar is overemphasized, the learner is likely to lose interest in the subject English commands immense influence in the world, in all spheres. It is the language of international communication. David Crystal Writes, â€Å"In several countries, the role of English has become politically contentious, and arguments have raged about its current and future status. Have matters developed to the point where the rise of English as a world language is unstoppable?†(Preface, p.xii) The answer will have to be found in each country depending on its special situation. In the context of globalization, the needs of the English language to the Yemeni students have grown in many areas. Most of the literature in science and technology is available in English. It is the language used in medical science and international print and electronic media. Practically viewed, learning English is not an option; it is the necessity for an individual’s and national progress. A Yemeni student going abroad for advanced studies must have a reasonable knowledge of English. Though English is extensively used in the commercial world in Yemen, at the school and college level a methodology and system doesn’t exist to teach it effectively. English, though doesn’t enjoy the official status in Yemen, due to practical demand of the language in international business transactions, it has assumed an important position. The language is taught in schools and universities

D'Andrea Special Occasion Baskets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

D'Andrea Special Occasion Baskets - Essay Example Me and my partner plans to open a retail shop of gift baskets located storefront in our local shopping mall as well as a virtual storefront on the Web. We envision our shop to be the most up-to-date, fastest, most accessible and the most outstanding gift basket shop in the whole area. Our store will boost of everything that our clients want-from birthday, funeral, Thanksgiving or just a mere "Thank You" gift basket. Every time a new client enters the shop, that person should feel as if they are transported into a new dimension. The store will be filled with 20th century charm but surrounded with the comfort of 21st century since my partner and I are not new in the retailing industry. Me and my partner already ventured into other business like flower shops, merchandising and clothes retailing. Since college, I have already envisioned myself in the retailing business. Since then, I have designed and became a partner for many companies until I met my new partner just two years ago. From that time on, we started to build small companies. And this gift basket business is the latest addition to our companies. We have realized that the gift basket business is somewhat new to our locality; that is why; we have decided to come up with this idea. With this situation, every advantage is on our side. For starters, we plan to be the number one and leading gift basket retailer shopping shop in the area. We plan to do this by extensive promotions on the area and on the Internet. We would hand out fliers and do promotions on the radio and local newspapers. We will also put a site exclusively devoted to our shop and business. We will put up big banners all over the mall. We will go to different orphanages, houses and business establishments to promote our gift basket business. Secondly, the main ambiance of the shop and the gift baskets would that be of old American countryside. The shop would be mainly decorated with wood and scents of the American countryside. This would be e mulated in our "general" gift basket. Although our clients will be ordering varying gift baskets for certain occasions, our old American touch would still be felt in every gift basket that they order. Every gift basket will have that special touch. As part of our long term goal, our company shall be the pioneering gift basket retail shop that introduces flair and tribute to the old American countryside through its gift baskets. As you might have realized by now, we have a very specific and good vision for our business and we want you to be a part of it. Frankly, we just have enough money to serve as the start-up capital of our retail shop but it is not enough to subsidize for other finances that we need like maintenance, promotional budgets, etc. Due to these, we would like you to be an investor in our company. According to our feasibility, it is one of the most promising businesses that is available in our area. We have also learned from our feasibility that in two years time, we c an already regain our capital; and in five years time, our projected income will be triple as compared from our starting capital. As part of our business, you would be entitled to every 10% of our monthly income to reimburse your investment. After we have paid the money, you will still be a partner of our shop. You can help

Consultancy project (Newspaper),Report style Essay

Consultancy project (Newspaper),Report style - Essay Example Many papers are sponsored by local governments who easily influence content. It may also be argued that there is considerable diversion to online sources for news. Nearly all of the print versions of papers, now have web versions. Most of the graphic elements from the print versions have been adapted to the computer screen, making print and online versions consistent and recognizable. Complicating the mix is the presence of foreign language newspapers, particularly those written in English. Some are English language versions of Russian papers, while others such as The St. Petersburg Times, Moscow Times and Neva News, are exclusively written and published for an English speaking readership. In St. Petersburg, there are no English language TV channels or radio stations, so it is assumed that these newspapers play an important role in the expatriate community as a news source. Quality of newspaper design varies widely. Some designs are surprisingly attractive, perhaps due to competition for readers limited attention span. Much of the style differences can be correlated to the segmentation of the newspaper market and the enormous differences in taste among newspapers target audiences. Newspapers were all originally communist party, or state owned mass media tools and typically ran stories about meetings of Party officials and anti-western propaganda during the Soviet period. Now, many of these papers have evolved into publicly consumable tabloids addressing everyday mundane Russian life. Stories are heavily weighted with scandal, public corruption exposes, and entertainment. Pravdas readership was originally over 13 million during the height of the Soviet Union, but then suffered in the post Soviet collapse and eventually closed down. It has been reborn threefold, and there is an ensuing struggle to legally maintain ownership of the once famous name, now c laimed by three different

Mass Media Influence On American Society Media Essay

Mass Media Influence On American Society Media Essay It is the power that shapes and molds the mind of virtually every citizen, young or old, rich or poor, simple or sophisticated (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 1). The media is a part of everyday life in America. News and events outside of ones home or neighborhood are brought to their area via the newspaper, magazines, radio, television, and the internet. As the quote above mentions mass media, and its components, are very powerful and are capable of influencing ones mind, as well as their behavior. The images and stories introduced to children and young adults make it difficult for these viewers to distinguish between fact and fiction (Cable News Network, 1998, 3), thus stimulating confusion and blind emulation. In Torrs Violence in Film and Television, film and television editor, Harvey Roy Greenberg, says that different forms of aggression, either spoken, sung, danced, or written have appeared in practically every clime and time. In other words, the media and violent entertainment have been around since ancient times. In the Stone Age, violent images were painted and carved into their stone canvases, the Romans enjoyed gladiatorial combat, and the Victorian English enjoyed plays and puppet shows often featuring murder and swordplay as ways of exciting the audience (Torr, 2002, 15). Violence on television, or portrayed in literary form, may have been more mild and censored in the past, but all the same, the public was still vulnerable and easily influenced by what they witnessed and experienced. Hollywood, currently, is very candid and graphic in its productions, especially depending on the director and editor. However, in contrast with todays wild interpretations and brutal killings, in the 1930s, Hollywood abided by production codes. These codes regulated all aspects of screen content, with an elaborate list of rules outlining what was permissible to show and what was not (Torr, 2002, 22). As times changed and American society became more informed about reality and the violence which took place, the codes were modified, eventually leading to film ratings. Although Americans were more aware and the ratings provided some restrictions, this did not mean that emulation and confusion were eliminated completely. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ virtually from the cradle, children in the United States are bombarded by violence on TV, in movies, and in song lyrics (Cable News Network, 1998, 2). Children are easily swayed and influenced by the many images and pictures presented to them through the media. By high school graduation, children will have spent roughly 50 percent more time in front of a television than in front of a teacher (Dudley, 1999, 32). Parents, often times, are too drained or pre-occupied with their own lives, leading their children to find comfort in watching television or playing video games which, consequently, become the prime examples for their actions and behaviors. For all too many Americans, the real world has been replaced by the false reality of the TVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 2). These children hear the news and watch shows and films where innocent people are being stolen from or being killed, but they have nobody there to teach them the difference between what is real and what is not, what is right and what is wrong. An article printed in Time magazine, titled Suburban Smackdown, is a great example of how the media persuades children to impersonate what they view on television. The article concentrates on the violence of wrestling and how some children and young adults are putting on shows, costumes, masks and all, for their neighbors based on these wrestling characters they see on TV. It may not be the Rock vs. the Undertaker on prime-time TV, but the high school boys of the Extreme Wrestling Federation of Sayerville, N.J., try hard to make their contests look just as real' (Fonda, 2000, 49). It may be fun and games for a lot of these kids, but images seen on a Best of Backyard Wrestling video included kids jumping onto barbed wire, setting their opponents on fire, and other kids somersaulting onto mattresses studded with sharp objects (Fonda, 2000, 49). And the violence seems to be trickling down from teenagers to tots (Fonda, 2000, 49). The Wrestling Federation and the high school boys imitati on is similar to a slippery slope. The professional wrestlers are not setting a good example for these boys by promoting fights and violence for no reason, other than winning a trophy, and these high school boys are not setting a good example for even younger children because they are expressing that violence is fun and okay. One year before this article was published, in Dallas, a three-year-old boy was killed after his seven-year-old brother stiff-armed him in the throat, trying to imitate a move he had seen on television (Fonda, 2000, 49). After hundreds and thousands of years of media influence, it cost childrens lives and innocence for the pro-wrestling federations to run dont-try-this-at-home ads during their matches. Children are a large majority of the population influenced by the media, but it is not them alone who imitate and follow what they see and hear on a daily basis. Media experts say the last four decades of research have shown a clear correlation between violence on television and the development and display of aggressive values and behavior by both children and adults (Torr, 2002, 99). Adults watching the news are influenced by the events occurring locally as well as internationally; however, it not so much what they hear, but more how it is being presented. For example: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦which items are emphasized and which are played down, the reporters choice of words, tone of voice, and facial expressions; the wording of headlines; the choice of illustrationsall of these subliminally and yet profoundly affect the way in which we interpret what we see or hear (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 2). Not only does the news affect the way adults think and view the society, but film and violent enterta inment also play a large role in influencing their behaviors and actions. A good, very recent example involves Mel Gibsons movie The Passion of Christ. . . . A Fort Bend County man has fanned the flames of the fervor when he confessed to killing his girlfriend after viewing the movie in hopes of seeking redemption (Klentzman, 2004, 1). The Passion of Christs message influenced this man in a positive way, in confessing for his mortal sin, but the other side to this positive media influence is not so bright Leach, the man convicted of the murder, suffocated his girlfriend and got the idea of making it look like a suicide from the weekly series CSI (Klentzman, 2000, 2). Music and its lyrics have also played an enormous role in shaping and molding American societys minds. Todays music is absolutely nothing like the Oldies. The modern-day society is accustomed to hearing music where 50 percent of the lyrics are what are considered bad words. Heavy metal and rap lyrics have elicited the greatest concern, as they compound the environment in which some adolescents increasingly are confronted with pregnancy, drug use, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, injuries, homicides, and suicide (Dudley, 1999, 55). Artists like Marilyn Manson and Eminem have parents worried because they do not want their children being exposed to such vulgar language, afraid they will try to emulate these particular artists and the stories conveyed through their lyrics, often times including the subjects of beating their wives or slitting their wrists. Another good example of how the music world influences peoples minds and behaviors is the suicide of Nirvanas Kurt Cobain. When Kur t Cobain died, I died with him was the note left by an eighteen-year-old who, along with two other friends, executed a suicide pact following Cobains death (Dudley, 1999, 34). MTV and other music stations play a crucial role in young adults lives. With continuous coverage of celebrities and music artists, many people find the need to conform. Parental awareness, supervision, and discussion are critical variables in heading off additional tragedies (Dudley, 1999, 34). Video games have become a more recent trend, but just as the other sources of media, these games have the potential of influencing and molding the minds of children and adults. In the past, video games like Pong, consisted of a ball which would bounce off of two sticks. Nowadays, video games like Mortal Kombat or Grand Theft Auto, consist of cursing, shooting, beating, and killing humans and monsters. The National Coalition on Television Violence found that more than 75 percent of video games contained violent images (Sherrow, 1996, 71). Many researchers believe that video games have a stronger effect on children than merely watching television because the players take a direct and active role in the violence; the researchers also believe that the players of these games will become desensitized towards violence and disregard human life because, in these games, they are able inflict pain, but no pain is inflicted back on them (Sherrow, 1996, 71). Many of these images mimic reality, us ing lifelike scenes and situations. What we see happening, is that there is so muchà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦realistic-type violence portrayed in movies and other situationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦They think that if you shoot somebody, they get upà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Cable News Network, 1998, 4). As well as promoting violence, video games also encourage anti-social behavior. Instead of going outside and playing sports or interacting with other people, many people choose to stay indoors, in a dark room, playing on their video game systems. With the advancement of technology, how can one forget the Internet? Since its development in 1993, the Internet has been an excellent resource for research, entertainment, and communication. However, the Internet also has many flaws. Like video games, the Internet also encourages anti-social behavior; one may be able to communicate through AIM services and such, but it is possible to be addicted to the Internet. Those addicted to the Internet do not feel the need to socialize in another setting, perhaps outside. Also, the Internet has many websites for games, interesting facts, and useful yellow page information; however, it also has many websites very inappropriate for children and young persons, like pornography or violence. As mentioned above, lines of communications are often opened up through the Instant Messaging services, although this may be a positive thing, it can also lead to dangerous and harmful situations. For example, children using the Internet and talking to their f riends through instant messages may enter chat rooms. These chat rooms are full of strangers and people of all ages trying to take advantage of young minds. For instance, there have been many cases where older men have posed as 10-year-old boys in order to meet up with a child of the same age group and rape or kidnap them. Parents may try to block and limit what their children see or do on the Internet, but with the education and information children and young adults receive today they can easily break the locks placed upon their access on the computer. Although media images may be enlightening, a lot of the time they are disturbing and provocative, especially depending on the audience. Common sense just tells you that theres obviously an influence. Television is the most powerful medium in the world. Movies, the entertainment industry, the music industry, theyre very powerful (Cable News Network, 1998, 14). As one is able to tell, the mass media is present in our everyday lives. By watching the news, reading the newspaper, watching the television set, or going to the movie theatres, the media is always there. Whether one may realize it or not, in one way or another, the media has influenced their behaviors and/ or actions. From birth to death, people in America will live in a society in which their education and their futures revolve around the mass media and its messages, whether they are positive or negative; it is the American way of life.

Challenges to Male Authority in Sophocles’ play, Antigone :: Antigone Essays

Challenges to Male Authority in Sophocles’ play, Antigone In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Creon and Antigone have distinct conflicting values. Antigone first demonstrates feminist logic when she chooses to challenge a powerful male establishment. This establishment is personified by her uncle Creon, who is newly crowned as the King of Thebes. Creon poses to be a major authority figure in a patriarchal society. Creon's regard for the laws of the city causes him to abandon all other beliefs. He feels that all should obey the laws set forth by him, even if other beliefs, moral or religious, state otherwise. Antigone, on the other hand, holds the beliefs of the gods in high reverence. She feels that the laws of the gods should be obeyed above all others, especially when in respect to family. The bold, tradition-braking character of Antigone clearly clashed with the overpowering patriarchal dominance of Creon. This collision between characters gives rise to the conflict between the sexes in Sophocles' Antigone. The denial of burial to Polynices strikes directly at her family loyalty. This enormous sense of loyalty leads to her simultaneous violation and observance to the duty of women of the time. It is precisely this loyalty that makes her an active rather than a static figure. Antigone herself represents the highest ideals of human life -- courage and respect for the gods. She believed that the law of the gods, which dictates that a body be given proper burial rights, was more important than the law of the King. Throughout the play, Antigone amazingly retains the traditional role of women, while at the same time boldly challenges this depiction. The challenge occurs as both a defiance of Creon's laws in Antigone's burying Polynices and as a direct verbal assault on Creon himself. Creon becomes angry that a woman questions his sovereignty and condemns her to death even though she was the daughter of his sister, Jocasta. Creon believes that if he does not follow through on his word the people of Thebes will not respect his authority as king. Thus Creon's patriotic values clash with Antigone's ethical values to make conflicting roles. Creon, being a new king, wants to prove his abilities as a firm and strong administrator. Creon wants to be respected and feared as a king because this will prove him to be the ultimate authorative figure in Thebes. He stands for obedience to the State. Surely it is his voice the townspeople should obey. Creon abuses his power to force others to accept his point of view.

Starbucks/Itunes Partnership

Final Project Karen Cotts South University Abstract When it comes to IT Information Planning, it is very import to lay out the details of each area of this business. The IT Information Planning stage is when to decide on the IT Infrastructure which encompasses the technology and equipment required from the front end to the backend of the system. In this case, that will involve beginning with the customer as they enter a Starbucks store, browse the Apple iTunes music store, browse, and purchase and then download music back to the customers’ device. This will include the technology and equipment required from the customer, Starbucks and iTunes to make the transactions all complete. Along with the planning for the successful completion it is necessary to plan for when failures will occur. This includes planning for the points in the process where the failure(s) can occur and what resolution for each failure will be, along with who will be responsible for the resolution. It is important to understand what the long term effects of the failure could mean to the business. One very good way to document this information is with an Information Flow Diagram. This will depict the resources involved in the flow of information throughout the process. Mobile Technology is expanding daily. It seems to be one of the fastest growing kinds of technologies in the news today. With the advancements in Personal Area Networks (PAN) and Wireless Access Protocols (WPA) mobile devices of today can be developed that are more secure than ever. They can be more accessible than ever before and provide faster and more accurate data transfer. The uses for the mobile devices have begun to expand into more and more areas of daily life. The iPhone mobile phone developed by Apple, Inc. s one of the most popular and bestselling mobile phones on the market today. In order for the iPhone to be at the head of the industry several of the most important technological features are required. The protocol for connecting wirelessly to access points must be of the highest quality. The security of the connection between access points must be the best it possibly can be. And finally, the security from the device itself must be effective to safeguard any monetary transactions and data. Information Flow (Part I) ITunes has made it very easy to log on and create an account with them. Creating an account is free. All you need to do is log on to http://www. itunes. com . There is a button you can click on to log-in and another you can click on to register. Click on the button to register. You will need to enter your email address, First and Last Name, Billing Address and Credit Card Information. Your email address will be used if ITunes needs to contact you about your account for any reason. Your Name and Address, along with your Credit Card information will be used to bill for any items you purchase from the ITunes store. Using banking services for micropayments is very expensive. ITunes is able to avoid the high cost because of the volume of business they conduct. They are able to negotiate a transaction fee with the credit card issuers and banks that cost them very little. Figure 1. 1 is the Information Flow Diagram which will show the process for registering with iTunes and then ordering music for downloading. Customer accesses iTunes store online to purchase music. Customer clicks on Registration Button, and then enters Registration Information. iTunes verifies Credit Card information from Bank. Sends Customer confirmation. Bank verifies Credit Card information for iTunes. Customer searches for item(s) to purchase. Click buy, confirm. iTunes sends payment information to customers’ bank. Once confirmation is received the download process is initiated. Bank deducts payment amount from customer account and sends it to iTunes account. Music is downloaded to Customer. iTunes retrieves the correct music from the database. Database of music stored in . mp3 format ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP I = Internet Service Provider Figure 1. 1 Information Flow Diagram Customer accesses iTunes store online to purchase music. Customer clicks on Registration Button, and then enters Registration Information. Tunes verifies Credit Card information from Bank. Sends Customer confirmation. Bank verifies Credit Card information for iTunes. Customer searches for item(s) to purchase. Click buy, confirm. iTunes sends payment information to customers’ bank. Once confirmation is received the download process is initiated. Bank deducts payment amount from customer account and sends it to iTunes account. Music is downloaded to Customer. iTunes retrieves the correct music from the database. Database of music stored in . mp3 format ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP ISP I = Internet Service Provider Figure 1. 1 Information Flow Diagram After purchasing music for download from ITunes, sometimes the download can be interrupted or will fail for various reasons. These download instructions are directly from the http://support. apple. com/kb/ht1725 website: Restart the download with the following steps. Resuming downloads from a computer 1. Open iTunes. 2. Choose Store > Check for Available Downloads. 3. Enter your account name and password. 4. Click the â€Å"Check Downloads† button. 5. Click the Resume or Resume All button, or the resume arrow to resume the download. You can manually resume the download on your device with the following steps. Resuming downloads from an iOS device 1. From the Home screen, tap the iTunes icon. 2. For iPhone/iPod touch, tap More > Downloads. For iPad, tap Downloads. 3. Enter your account name and password. 4. Click the â€Å"OK† button. 5. Click the Resume, Resume All, or button to start the download. Business Use Case (Part II) Beginning on October 2nd, 2007, Apple and Starbucks began their music partnership. This partnership involved Starbucks supplying the T-Mobile Hotspot Wi-Fi network to its customers as it already had been doing. This network allows customers at participating Starbucks to automatically connect to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store where they can browse, search and preview millions of songs available on iTunes. Customers wishing to participate would need to bring their iPod ® touch, iPhoneâ„ ¢, PC or Mac ® with them to Starbucks. The customers have the ability to just sit and listen freely to music. If they find a song or an album they are interested in purchasing they can easily buy and download the items directly to their device. Both the Apple Corporation and Starbucks benefit from this opportunity in more than one way. Because both corporations have excellent reputations, forming a partnership makes good business sense. Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 and is committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality Arabica coffee in the world. (Starbucks) The idea of offering the extra perks that iTunes offers in a social setting where people gather with friends is a wonderful concept. Starbucks customers that may not formerly have used iTunes might become customers because of the free access to the trial of iTunes previews and features. This would increase iTunes customer base and sales revenue. This would also increase the number of customers returning to Starbucks for the purpose of iTunes usage. ITunes users that had not previously frequented a Starbucks might start to, for the benefit of iTunes access. And they might bring their friends along. This in turn would increase Starbucks profits. In October, 2007, Starbucks and iTunes offered ‘Song of the Day’, allowing customers to download a handpicked song every day for a month. Six million songs were downloaded. Realizing the huge potential with an audience hungry to discover new music and entertainment content, Starbucks and iTunes worked together to create an ongoing version of the program. In April, 2008 Starbucks announced a new program with iTunes called ‘Pick of the Week’. The program offered coffeehouse customers a complimentary new music and music videos each week. Each Tuesday Starbucks 7,000 US based stores would stock a download card redeemable on the iTunes Store (www. itunes. com). The available music or video of the week was hand-picked by the Starbucks Entertainment team and iTunes. Starbucks) As of August, 2011 new offering from the partnership between Apple and Starbucks allows customers to now get paid apps free at the coffee chain. Physical cards are available with redeemable codes printed on them. This offering is a way for Apple to offer customers who normally only download free apps, a chance to try out some of the paid apps for free. If Apple can impress c ustomers enough with the quality of the paid apps, they have the opportunity of turning some of them into customers who buy apps in the future. (Etherington). The Business Use Case diagram in Figure 2. shows the interaction at Starbucks from the customers’ point of view. The Starbucks and customer interaction is a physical one. Then there is the customer interaction with iTunes. Starbucks Cafe Starbucks Cafe ITunes Music Store ITunes Music Store Search items Search items Enjoys Starbucks refreshments while browsing iTunes Enjoys Starbucks refreshments while browsing iTunes Browse items Browse items Starbucks/iTunes Customers Starbucks/iTunes Customers View recommended items View recommended items Customer authentication Customer authentication Add to shopping cart Add to shopping cart Download to customer Download to customer Payment Processing Payment Processing Add to wish list Add to wish list Figure 2. 1 Business Use Case Diagram- Apple and Starbucks IT Information Planning (Part III) The IT Information Planning stage is a very important one for a business in terms of how successful they will be. The planning that goes into the infrastructure of a company can have a long term effect on the bottom line. If the backbone of the IT structure isn’t built soundly, with adequate flexibility for growth and adaptability, it can affect the way the system can be built upon for years to come. Apple/iTunes Technology Infrastructure The Apple/iTunes music store is a widely popular music and video distribution service. In general, owners of iPods, iPads and computers can download music after purchasing the item from the iTunes store. The music is in an MP3 format. ITunes itself is a browser, but only for the Apple iTunes Music Store. Web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Firefox are excluded from access. The only authorized way to transfer media files to the iPod is by use of the iTunes program. ITunes also serves as a media player for audio, video (MP3/MP4 variants) and Internet radio stations. Starbucks Infrastructure Starbucks coffee house is where the customer will come to enjoy refreshments and listen to music either with or without friends. With an iPod, iPhone or a PC, the customer will be able to connect wirelessly to the Apple iTunes store. Starbucks has been using the Wi-Fi network from T-Mobile to service all of its hotspots. This was prior to entering into the partnership with Apple/iTunes. That was not changed when the partnership began. This is an important piece of information which must be included in the Information Flow Diagram. Information Flow Diagram As can be seen from the Information Flow Diagram in Figure 3. 1 different pieces of information are required at various steps in the flow to make a transaction possible. In this simplified example, a customer enters a Starbucks store. Upon entering they connect to the T-Mobile Wi-Fi hotspot that Starbucks currently has a contract with to provide their wireless internet connection. Next the customers device will be populated with a list of the 10 most recently played songs in the cafe. This information is kept updated on a continuous loop by iTunes. Every time a new song is played the recently played playlist is updated. The customer can then request to preview a song from the list. This long is retrieved from the iTunes MP3. db and returned for preview. If the customer chooses to they can then select the song for download. At that point the song is downloaded to the customers’ device and their account is charged a fee for the transaction. There are several points in the process where a failure in the transaction could occur. It is important to plan ahead for the possible fail points to plan for prevention if possible, correction if necessary and damage control. The first point of failure is if there is a problem with the connection between the users device to the T-Mobile hotspot. Unless it is a problem within the users’ device, Starbucks would be the first line of customer assistance to try to troubleshoot the problem. If it is a broader issue and a problem has occurred with the access point it would be up to T-Mobile to correct the cause of the problem. Another possible failure point that would be of key importance is the download to the customers’ device. If the download is interrupted it can be restarted in several ways. If the problem is with one of the physical storage units iTunes would be responsible to have a backup plan to repair/replace the database or other piece of equipment. T-Mobile Wi-Fi Access point T-Mobile Wi-Fi Access point Starbucks Cafe Starbucks Cafe iTunes Music Distribution iTunes Music Distribution Connect to T-Mobile Wi-Fi hotspot Connect to T-Mobile Wi-Fi hotspot Automatically plays songs at Starbucks and updates the playlist of the last 10 songs played. Automatically plays songs at Starbucks and updates the playlist of the last 10 songs played. Retrieves and plays songs in Cafe from MP3. b Retrieves and plays songs in Cafe from MP3. db Request music to preview Request music to preview Retrieves list of last 10 songs played Retrieves list of last 10 songs played Song retrieved from MP3. db and downloaded to customer device Song retrieved from MP3. db and downloaded to customer device Selects song for purchase Selects song for purchase MP3. db MP3. db Figure 3. 1 Information Fl ow Diagram- iTunes and Starbucks Revenue Model (Part IV) Apple/iTunes Revenue ModelThe customer requirements for iTunes are to be able to listen to the last 10 songs played at the Starbucks they are visiting. If the customer finds a song they would like to buy, they want to be able to select purchase by clicking on a button and have the song downloaded to their mobile device. The customer’s account will be billed by the method stored on their account profile for the amount of the purchase. The cost to the customer is $. 99 for a single song. Apple receives $. 29 as profit from this. The competitive advantage for iTunes is that they offer the only music being played at Starbucks. ITunes is also the only music compatible for direct download for iPhone and iPod. The clientele are the customers at each particular Starbucks location. This means the music must be chosen by locality to maximize profits. Starbucks Revenue ModelFor Starbucks in this partnership, the customer requires the usage of the T-Mobile Wi-Fi access. This allows them to have access from the Starbucks location to the iTunes store. This is the wireless protocol access plan used to securely connect the customer’s mobile device to the iTunes store making the possibility of purchasing and downloading music or other content both easy and secure. In a deal with Apple, Starbucks receives eleven percent of the net profits each quarter on the songs downloaded. The competitive advantage for Starbucks is that they have the name and reputation of the Apple/iTunes store behind the music system they are partnered with. This can be a draw for more customers to their coffee shop for the music experience alone. This adds to the current client base increasing the clientele. Benefits All AroundThere are many benefits to be had by both companies in the partnership. Both companies can benefit indirectly. Starbucks has increased coffee and other refreshment sales due to the increase in customers. ITunes has been able to bring in new customers by offering free ‘songs of the week’. This has let customers who may never have started out buying get a taste and decide to buy music. The suppliers to the Starbucks stores also benefit indirectly, as Starbucks does more business they need to order more supplies and that continues on down the supply chain. Location Changes EverythingFor a Starbucks located in the Brewery district in Columbus, OH the choice of music played would be very different than what is played in New York City in Manhattan. Should Apple choose to just play the same song list at all of the Starbucks locations it partners with, there would be a large loss of potential revenue. Song choice by location makes a huge difference for the clientele as to whether they will be interested in purchasing a song or not. Other Potential PartnershipsThe type of partnership that has worked so well with Apple and Starbucks could work equally well with some other types of businesses. I think that any type of business that caters to a rather quiet environment where a soothing music background would add to the enjoyment could benefit from this kind of arrangement. In particular two of the businesses I had in mind are Laundromats and certain types of Restaurants. For the Laundromat business I see no reason that adding music to the mix wouldn’t make for a much more enjoyable experience. I think an extra benefit to iTunes would be that someone doing Laundry might want a little pick me up by way of purchasing a new favorite tune during the rather boring process of doing such a chore. For the Laundromat, one that offered free Wi-Fi and iTunes availability would seem far more attractive than just a mundane, boring Laundromat. It would be a much more pleasant way to spend a few hours. On the restaurant front, it would be nice for a small diner to offer the same type of service. I often see people who are eating alone. When they don’t have someone to converse with, it would make for a nice way to enjoy the meal. They could browse their favorite genre of music and then choose a song to download. This may take a little different song choice selection than the Starbucks selection does. I do think this possibility is something to consider. Revenue Model (Part V) Apple/iTunes Revenue ModelThe customer requirements for iTunes are to be able to listen to the last 10 songs played at the Starbucks they are visiting. If the customer finds a song they would like to buy, they want to be able to select purchase by clicking on a button and have the song downloaded to their mobile device. The customer’s account will be billed by the method stored on their account profile for the amount of the purchase. The cost to the customer is $. 99 for a single song. Apple receives $. 29 as profit from this. The competitive advantage for iTunes is that they offer the only music being played at Starbucks. ITunes is also the only music compatible for direct download for iPhone and iPod. The clientele are the customers at each particular Starbucks location. This means the music must be chosen by locality to maximize profits. Starbucks Revenue ModelFor Starbucks in this partnership, the customer requires the usage of the T-Mobile Wi-Fi access. This allows them to have access from the Starbucks location to the iTunes store. This is the wireless protocol access plan used to securely connect the customer’s mobile device to the iTunes store making the possibility of purchasing and downloading music or other content both easy and secure. In a deal with Apple, Starbucks receives eleven percent of the net profits each quarter on the songs downloaded. The competitive advantage for Starbucks is that they have the name and reputation of the Apple/iTunes store behind the music system they are partnered with. This can be a draw for more customers to their coffee shop for the music experience alone. This adds to the current client base increasing the clientele. Benefits All AroundThere are many benefits to be had by both companies in the partnership. Both companies can benefit indirectly. Starbucks has increased coffee and other refreshment sales due to the increase in customers. ITunes has been able to bring in new customers by offering free ‘songs of the week’. This has let customers who may never have started out buying get a taste and decide to buy music. The suppliers to the Starbucks stores also benefit indirectly, as Starbucks does more business they need to order more supplies and that continues on down the supply chain. Location Changes EverythingFor a Starbucks located in the Brewery district in Columbus, OH the choice of music played would be very different than what is played in New York City in Manhattan. Should Apple choose to just play the same song list at all of the Starbucks locations it partners with, there would be a large loss of potential revenue. Song choice by location makes a huge difference for the clientele as to whether they will be interested in purchasing a song or not. Other Potential PartnershipsThe type of partnership that has worked so well with Apple and Starbucks could work equally well with some other types of businesses. I think that any type of business that caters to a rather quiet environment where a soothing music background would add to the enjoyment could benefit from this kind of arrangement. In particular two of the businesses I had in mind are Laundromats and certain types of Restaurants. For the Laundromat business I see no reason that adding music to the mix wouldn’t make for a much more enjoyable experience. I think an extra benefit to iTunes would be that someone doing Laundry might want a little pick me up by way of purchasing a new favorite tune during the rather boring process of doing such a chore. For the Laundromat, one that offered free Wi-Fi and iTunes availability would seem far more attractive than just a mundane, boring Laundromat. It would be a much more pleasant way to spend a few hours. On the restaurant front, it would be nice for a small diner to offer the same type of service. I often see people who are eating alone. When they don’t have someone to converse with, it would make for a nice way to enjoy the meal. They could browse their favorite genre of music and then choose a song to download. This may take a little different song choice selection than the Starbucks selection does. I do think this possibility is something to consider. | Starbucks Customers Starbucks Customers Starbucks Cafe Starbucks Cafe Starbucks CafeT-Mobile Wi-Fi AccessiTunesArtists supply music to iTunes databases Artists supply music to iTunes databases | Figure 5. 1 Supply Chain Diagram- iTunes and Starbucks Executive Summary Starbucks is the ideal location for the partnership with Apple/iTunes for the music partnership. One of the reasons for this is that Starbucks locations already offered free Wi-Fi access which allowed iPhone users to be able to connect to apple. com and the iTunes Store. The wireless service provided at Starbucks is from T-Mobile. The Hotspots offered are 802. 1x authentication standards and WiFi Protected Access (WPA). This is better than the required basic WEP encryption (Landesman, 2011). The WPA protocol is used to make the connections from customer to access points to the iTunes store and back in reverse for a secure, fast transaction. The security is an important requirement for all parties concerned. This protects the customers monetarily and also their identification information. The security also protects iTunes corporate concerns allowing them to authenticate their customers and accurately process the payments for the transactions. The iPhone is one of the ideal mobile devices to download music at Starbucks locations for several reasons. Beyond the obvious reason that the iPhone was created by Apple and the iTunes Music store also belongs to Apple. As purchased, the iPhone can securely connect to guest Wi-Fi networks. The ease of connection is a great customer benefit. The WPA2 Enterprise with 128-bit AES encryption provides users the highest level of data protection. The iOS installed on the iPhone enables it to securely access corporate services and protect important data. IOS provides strong encryption for data in transmission, proven authentication methods for access to corporate services, and hardware encryption for all data at rest. IOS also provides secure protection through the use of passcode policies that can be delivered and enforced over the air (Apple, 2011). References Apple. (2007, September 5). Apple and Starbucks Announce Music Partnership. Retrieved from http://www. pple. com/pr/library/2007/09/05Apple-and-Starbucks-Announce-Music-Partnership. html Apple. (2011). Deploying iphone and ipad Security Overview. Apple, Inc. Retrieved from http://images. apple. com/iphone/business/docs/iOS_Security. pdf Apple. (2011). Deploying iphone and ipad Wi-Fi. Apple, Inc. Retrieved from http://www. apple. com/iphone/business/integration/http://im ages. apple. com/iphone/business/docs/iOS_WiFi. pdf Bishop, T. (2011, February 15). Starbucks: Mobile payments catching on — 1 million so far. Retrieved from http://www. techflash. com/seattle/2011/02/starbucks-a-million-mobile-payments. html Dominus, S. 2006). The Starbucks Aesthetic. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www. mktgsensei. com/AMAE/Retailing/Starbucks%20and%20Culture. doc (2004, February 2). Enabling the Future of Wi-Fi ® Public Access. Wi-Fi Alliance. Retrieved from http://www. wi-fi. org/files/wp_2_Future%20of%20Wi-Fi%20Public%20Access_1-2-04. pdf Ee, L. (2001). Essential components of e-commerce education: Supply chain and logistics management. In A. Herrmann and M. M. Kulski (Eds), Expanding Horizons in Teaching and Learning. Proceedings of the 10th Annual Teaching Learning Forum, 7-9 February 2001. Perth: Curtin University of Technology. ttp://lsn. curtin. edu. au/tlf/tlf2001/ee. html Etherington, D. (2011). Now you can get an app with your grande chai  latte. Retrieved from http://gigaom. com/apple/now-you-can-get-an-app-with-your-grande-chai-latte/ Hirano, K. , Nakantani, Y. , McCarty, S. (2007). Applications of Mobile Research in Japan. WAOE. ORG. Retrieved from http://waoe. org/president/ubiquity. pdf (2010, April 13). How Much Do Music Artists Earn Online? Information is Beautiful. Retrieved from http://www. informationisbeautiful. net/2010/how-much-do-music-artists-earn-online/ Ian. (2011, July 27). Difference between mp4 and m4v. Retrieved from http://www. differencebetween. net/technology/difference-between-mp4-and-m4v/ iTunes: How to resume interrupted iTunes Store downloads. Retrieved from http://support. apple. com/kb/ht1725 Jordan, J. M. (2007, February). Beyond Servicization: The Rise of Digital Hybrids, Retrieved from http://www. smeal. psu. edu/cdt/pubs/white-papers/beyond-servicization-9. 07. pdf Landesman, M. (2011). Using your laptop at starbucks: Is it safe?. Retrieved from http://antivirus. about. com/od/wirelessthreat1/a/starbucks. htm Levere, J. L. (2004, July 27). Wi-Fi Service Expands Its Reach. The New York Times.

Humor Can Help Create Memorable Anniversaries

Humor Can Help Create Memorable Anniversaries Remember the first time you met your husband? Remember your first date with him? Or the time you spent together, frolicking on the beach? You may have had many such pleasurable moments together, but do you celebrate these occasions? You may remember your wedding day as if it had happened yesterday, but have you spared some time recollecting this beautiful day with your spouse? Thats what anniversaries are for. An anniversary is a grand celebration of lifes important milestones. It is a thoughtful way to acknowledge your love for your sweetheart or your dear ones. Marriage anniversaries are also the perfect excuse to throw a big bash and have your friends and family fuss over you. Consider birthdays. Right from the two-year-old toddler to the 80-year-old grandmother, everyone enjoys birthday celebrations. It is a special day to celebrate your entry into this world. You are happy to be alive and surrounded by loved ones, so why not share the happiness? Now, consider death anniversaries. Though it will not be a joyous celebration, you do honor the life of a loved one who enriched your life with happiness, companionship, and love. You reminisce their small gestures of affection and the nostalgic moments spent together, and you pray for their soul. This is also a form of celebration. Death makes one realize how important life is. In short, anniversaries are important celebrations. You cant afford to forget them. When you celebrate anniversaries, you express your love to your dear ones. Every Anniversary Has a Special Meaning Each anniversary year has a special significance, and it is symbolized by special materials. For instance, the first anniversary is denoted by paper. The  25th anniversary celebration is symbolized with silver, and hence friends and family members give silver articles as anniversary gifts. The 50th anniversary is a golden jubilee celebration, and as part of the tradition, gold items are gifted to the celebrating family. Anniversaries Represent the Journey One Has Traveled Anniversaries mark the passage of years, but they also reveal the emotional journey people undergo. In the first few years of marriage, many couples go through a challenging period of adjustment and turbulence. Some marriages survive the choppy ride, while a few marriages collapse even before the first anniversary. Couples often have doubts and apprehensions about their relationship. However, love keeps the couple bonded. Over years, couples understand each other and learn to adjust. As time goes by, couples even tend to take each other for granted. The ardent courtship is replaced by friendliness, and passion takes a back seat. Love becomes secondary; family and career take precedence. Anniversaries are gentle reminders for couples to review the milestones they reached together. Anniversaries are also occasions for couples to renew their commitment to each other. Death Anniversaries Remind Us of Our Dear Ones The first few years after the death of a dear one are especially traumatic. Readjustment after the demise of a loved one is difficult and painful. However, time is a great healer. When you seek to move on, seek solace from soothing words and memories. Life teaches us to enjoy every moment and make the most of it. Anniversaries Help Build Relationships Anniversaries remind you that relationships are special. They bring us closer to our near and dear ones and enrich our lives. When you celebrate your wedding anniversary, you express love and respect for your spouse. You strengthen your commitment to honor and cherish your vows. You also acknowledge each others contribution to making your marriage successful. Funny Anniversary Quotes Add Zing to Your Relationships Humor is like a breath of fresh air. With humor, you can rejuvenate your relationship. Humor helps you to win hearts. Your funny quotes will help thaw indifference and warm up those who are close to you. With funny anniversary quotes, you can shake off the lethargy and spice up your love life. William M. ThackerayI never know whether to pity or congratulate a man on coming to his senses.Grace HansenA wedding is just like a funeral except that you get to smell your own flowers.H. L. MenckenBachelors know more about women than married men; if they didnt, theyd be married too.Ronald ReaganA hippie is someone who looks like Tarzan, walks like Jane and smells like Cheetah.Mae WestA hard man is good to find.Jimmy CarterIve often wanted to drown my troubles, but I cant get my wife to go swimming.Mae WestLook your best who said love is blind?Compton MackenzieLove makes the world go round? Not at all. Whiskey makes it go round twice as fast.Oscar WildeBy persistently remaining single a man converts himself into a permanent public temptation.H. L. MenckenHappiness is the china shop; love is the bull.Mae WestLove thy neighbor - and if he happens to be tall, debonair and devastating, it will be that much easier.H. L. MenckenA man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is marrie d. Kimberly BroylesAdam and Eve had an ideal marriage. He didn’t have to hear about all the men she could have married, and she didn’t have to hear about the way his mother cooked.Groucho MarxMarriage is the chief cause of divorce.

Film Review on Welcome to Dongmakgol

Film Review on Welcome to Dongmakgol Welcome to Dongmakgol is a thrilling, inspirational pacifist film that portrays the remarkable directorial presentation of film-maker, Park Kwang Hyeon. Filmed amidst the setting of the Korean War, this serious conflict explores the congregating trails of a crowd of bitter opponents who found more than what they expected in the serene village called Dongmakgol.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Film Review on ‘Welcome to Dongmakgol’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This fortuitous gathering starts when Smith (an American pilot) crashes in the suburbs of Dongmakgol and is invited in by the villagers who, despite their humorous language barriers, tried their best to make the American feel relaxed and at-home. Later, Smith was joined by the last existing affiliates of a fated squad of North Korea’s territorial armies: Lee Su-Hwa (commanding officer), Jang and nationalistic teen fighter Taek-Ki; all the se soldiers ended following a dazed villager named Yeo Il back to the village. As expected, the North Koreans got angry when Lieutenant Pyo Hyun-Chul and Seo Jae-Gyung (South Korean soldiers) entered serene village. The villagers, who did not know that the war was destroying their nation, were left wondering what the commotion was all about. The story then continues just as anticipated by the viewers with the soldiers overcoming their distrust, discovering common ground, performing male-bonding rituals, and slipping with twisted easiness into the agricultural life, before taking weapons once more to guard their newfound home against US troops. Interesting and unique plot implements the immensity of the lengthy movie. Even though the characters are likable and have an authentic relationship that is satisfying to the viewers, every element of this film is naturally conventional and predictable. After a forceful confrontation involving the soldiers that hastily turns uproarious thanks to the nonchalant, unemotional reactions of the villagers, a lost hand bomb ends up demolishing the food stores of the villagers. Noticing the harshness of their deeds, the two sides create a cautious ceasefire agreeing to assist the villagers to restock the storehouse.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though bewildered by the villagers lifestyle, the soldiers later understood that they had found a type of utopia where principles mean nothing and the mistakes from the past can be left in the past. Nevertheless, just as they begin to inhabit into this serene new world, outer forces continue to make threats to obliterate Dongmakgol. Even though the soldiers can stick together to defend their new acquired acquaintances, can their forces and Dongmakgol survive? Although the film is predictable, it keeps the viewer wondering what will be the fate of Dongmakgol; this element m akes the movie extremely fascinating. Welcome to Dongmakgol features a score by Joe Hasaishi based on the play by Jang Jin, thus making it a complete experience. It can make the viewer cry, laugh and create all sorts of engaging emotions. It is the type of pacifist movie that feels neither ham-fisted nor superficial. Regardless of its setting, it is not entirely a film about Korean re-unification but instead revolves around the notion of tranquility and harmony in general by using South and North disagreement as a way to draw attention to the illogicality and irrationality of war. But again, it demonstrates this concept without preaching. Perhaps the most outstanding and arresting aspect about Welcome to Dongmakgol is its liberal and plentiful use of hilarity and paranormal practicality to entwine its amiable little story. Even though its message is serious, the movie balances its most abstemious elements with an excellent measure of humor. In a different perspective, the movie feel s like a thriving gag-a-minute comedy, whose funny stories are too many to talk about in this review. One attention-grabbing sequence in the movie is the spontaneous pig attack that is shown in slow motion, which leaves the viewer and possibly the whole casting crew amused throughout its time-span. Once more, spontaneous slow-motion boar hunt is something which has to be witnessed to be accepted as true filmmakers and actors should include this pessimistic CGI-laden break in their films.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Film Review on ‘Welcome to Dongmakgol’ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The production produce a great perfection of pitch which was mainly contributed by the directors and the supporting crew, with noticeable and outstanding film actors like Kang Hye-Jung (performing as innocent Yeo-II) and Jung (performing as North Korean commanding officer). Within the fixed period, the film-makers did their best to make the cast well-formed and pleasing, especially the soldiers. Even though Miyazaki (Japans greatest animation directors) is cited by Park Kwang-Hyeon as an influence (noticeable influence in the film), there is a different Japanese filmmaker that reflects mainly in the stirring ending (Choi 170). When men decided to fasten their arms, fighting a good fight on behalf of the village is the sequence that stirs up memories of The Seven Samurai. However, rather than feeling dutiful or artificial, there is a sense of truthful comradeship that is seen in the film. This comradeship has not only been promoted by the actors of the film but also those who performed earlier. The unavoidably heartbreaking conclusion made the film to end more successfully. At the end of the day, watching the film is an experience that reflects the sentiments and emotions of the characters it portrays. Just like the defense forces in the movie, it is possible that the viewers also do not want the ir experience in Dongmakgol to end. I definitely did not, and am enthusiastically in anticipation of the next movie from its endowed young director. I believe the public would be waiting in anticipation if the next film is brilliant and thrilling as this one. In conclusion, there are so many positive things to say about Welcome to Dongmakgol. For instance, the camera works are extremely beautiful and triumphs in creating an almost wraithlike environment, bringing the village and the verdant that surrounds it to life. The movie all together has a refined, cultured, sophisticated and a sleek look, however some scenes are sub-standard. Some people may find the slow-motion involving the boar attack strange, but I found it eye-catching and interesting.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One cannot doubt the genuineness of Welcome to Dongmakgol or its authentic complexity. However, its lack of objective or effort to do anything original with an inadequately prescribed plot is evident. Although it is engaging, amusing and likeable, Kwang-Hyun Park’s film offers more than just a comical experience, if not diversion. This however does not make the film sub-standard or mediocre, but instead it is very interesting and the message being conveyed is serious. The comical scenes are captivating thus creating suspense and expectancy. One thing I love about this film is that three different sides of this war came together in the reserved Dongmakgol village. Even if they detested each other in the beginning and they did not understand each other due to communication and cultural barriers, they still united as one. They also created strong bonds with the villagers and became one people. It is a great film portraying strong ethical bonds among the Koreans. Choi, Jinhee. T he South Korean film renaissance: local hitmakers, global provocateurs, USA: Wesleyan University Press, 2010. Print.

Article two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article two - Essay Example Engaging in corporate responsibility gives the company a better image and consumers will want to engage more in the products being offered ( Crane, 21). Social responsibility can take different forms, the most popular being committing funds or resources for important social aspects. An example is donating money towards funding a facility for the blind. Another form of social responsibility is producing goods and services that are in the best interest of the whole community such as environmental friendly products or use of safe manufacturing materials. According to (Crane, 79) the best form of corporate social responsibility should integrate the two forms mentioned above. Produce environmental friendly products and funding charitable activities. Conclusively, the benefits of social responsibility include easy government relations. Companies have a more positive outlook if they take social responsibility seriously. No problems or campaigns will be launched against such companies. It also benefits the public relations by shaping consumer image and acting as a branding tool. Last it provides a positive environment in the working place. The employees are more productive knowing that they are engaging with a company that cares about the society (crane,

Techniques for the Biomedical Sciences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Techniques for the Biomedical Sciences - Essay Example While conducting ELISA tests mild detergents are normally used in washing out the proteins that are not bound to any particular substrate. ELISA has been widely used in pregnancy tests. Chorionic Gonadotrophin is a hormone largely produced by developing placenta during pregnancy. Peptide hormone detection is used in pregnancy tests and many other tests such as abnormally growing cell tumors most importantly the germ cell tumors. Chorionic Gonadotrophin hormone is also useful in man in the determination of cancer of the testicles. 3.A typical graph plotted will assume a sigmoid shape. This is mainly attributed to the wells from column 4 which indicate a yellow color showing positive results. However, there is increased absorption as the concentration increases. Wells that did not contain the serum showed little or no absorbance. For the wells which did not have the substrate indicated the least absorbance. This type of ELISA has been known to require the use antibody pairs which are m atching. In this case, the antibody is first coated in the pate well by an antigen molecule. The next solution known as the analyte is then applied to the well. This is then followed by addition of another antibody layer, which helps in measuring the concentration of the analyte. Capturing and detection of the analyte are possible through the use of polyclonal in sandwich ELISA is variability is allowed. In cases where the enzyme is conjugated to the detecting antibody, the process is known as direct sandwich ELISA. reduce the errors.