Case study 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Case study 2 - Coursework Example Taking into account the inferences drawn from the SWOT analysis, a comparative analysis of Zara and H&M have been conducted so as to provide Caifu with rational suggestions and recommendations to select either Zara or H&M, when opting for collaboration in the targeted European market. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Company Profile 5 Zara 5 H&M 6 SWOT Analysis of Zara and H&M 7 Zara 7 H&M 9 Comparative Analysis of Zara and H&M 11 Conclusions and Recommendations 12 References 13 Introduction Since the past three years, globalisation has evidently ignited a more advanced and internationalised fashion sense and has diverted the customers towards the fashion industry by a substantial extent. Consequently, cultural values, consumer changing purchasing behaviours, consumer preferences, and willingness of purchase towards fashion merchandises has been the most critical issues faced by the contemporary managers today, in the retail sector of the industry. Based on the fa ct, the contemporary organisations have been largely observed to implement customer-centric market strategies to improve and attract the purchase behaviours of the consumers on the way to the fashion products (Bianchi & Birtwistle, 2010). In addition to these contributing factors, fashion shows in television, fashion advertisements, promotion of fashion apparels by celebrity models and superstars, in-store displays of fashionable clothes and organising fashion events in urban shopping malls have developed the consumer fashionable behaviours among consumers and thus can be regarded as another driving force in the industry since the past three years. Such kind of interactive and attractive marketing strategies of fashion apparels have shown junction of traditional and contemporary values (Rajagopal, 2012). Another the prime driver of the consumer behaviour towards the fashion apparels is the dominance of the social interactions. The relationship between the apparels and identity has c ome out as the result of various social interactions. In other words, apparels have become an opportunity and medium to represent individuals as a new identity of the person within the past few years (Pentecosta & Andrewsb, 2010). Additionally, the strategy of the younger generation of fashion fanship and impulse buying to stand apart from their predecessors and other fellow consumers also act as a driver towards the divergence of the fashion industry (Holmberg & Ohnfeldt, 2010). Also the buying patterns of the consumers have shifted from low-pricing brands to high brand fashion markets that have been established in to family environment, which also act as a few noteworthy driving forces in the industry to change consumer behaviour (Pentecosta & Andrewsb, 2010). It is worth mentioning in this context that the way an organisation manages these driving forces, determine their strengths and weaknesses in the current fashion retailing industry context. Accordingly, in this paper, a comp arative evaluation of Zara and H&M will be conducted with the intention to suggest Caifu regarding its further initiative of collaboration with either of these retail brands to penetrate the European market. Company Profile Zara Zara was founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega Rosalia Mera as a Spanish company situated in Arteixco, Galicia. It is one of the largest international fashion retailers, which operates under

Memory of Lizzie Comparitive Essay Essay Example for Free

Memory of Lizzie Comparitive Essay Essay Blue Remembered Hills was originally written for television in 1979 before the writer, Dennis Potter, created a stage version in 1984. Potter based the storyline on his nostalgic views on childhood and the transition from infancy to adulthood. The play is set in the West Country during World War Two, where seven children have been evacuated. The audience gains an insight into a childs life in the 1940s and how the individual and very different characters interact with each other. The play ends tragically with the death of Donald, a child abused by his mother and tormented by the other children. A Memory of Lizzie is based on the famous trial in American history where Lizzie Borden was accused of killing her stepmother and father on the 4th of August, 1892. One of the main factors of the play that makes it so original is that it was written to portray Lizzie Bordens potential character and how she interacted with other people as a child. By creating a younger version of the murderess, the audience can see how this cruel and very much neglected child came to commit such horrific murders. The play is set in an American school playground in the 1870s and focuses on how the children react to Lizzie and vice versa. One of the main similarities between the two plays is that the cast of the play are children, although in Blue Remembered Hills adults act out the roles of the seven children. A theme conveyed through both plays is that of bullying and social rejection. Lizzie is ridiculed by the remainder of the group possibly because the groups jealousy of her familys wealth or perhaps her need for attention as a result of the absence of attention at home from her stepmother. However, Donald is isolated from the group mainly because of his physical appearance. . He is described by Potter to be splay-footed, timid, anaemic-looking boy. Although callously, the children use the fact that he is abused by his mother as another route of inflicting anguish on him. Both of the central characters, Donald and Lizzie, have a very distant relationship with their mothers; or in Lizzies case her stepmother. The children in Blue Remembered Hills speak of Donalds mothers unconventional lifestyle, Our mam says hers a bit of a thing Something to do with the sheets, yet Donald does not once bring her into conversation as he fears her; and becomes reclusive when any one of the children begin to taunt him about her. However, Lizzie is very open about her hatred for her stepmother All stepmoms are evil. Both plays deal with the theme of murder and each of the writers use minor events as a significant premonition of the horrific events that are to occur. Blue Remembered Hills shows the boys murdering an innocent squirrel for the amusement, yet it leads the manslaughter of Donald at the end. A Memory of Lizzie in its entirety is a premonition of what Lizzie will come to perpetrate. The slaughter of Rachels doll at the end of the play shows prominent signs of how this potential to commit such a murder would intensify. There is, however, a significant difference between these two cases of death; the children in Blue Remembered Hills felt remorse for the manslaughter of Donald and were almost in denial that it had even happen, yet Lizzie felt no sense of wrong-doing in the slaughtering of the doll and is portrayed to the audience as though she felt she achieved something from it. However the other characters isolated themselves from her behavior once the realization came upon them of what a twisted thing she was doing. This is very different to Blue Remembered Hills as all the children were to blame for Donalds death as they all were a part of the joke. The lifestyles of the children in the plays are very diverse. The children of Blue Remembered Hills are living at the time of the war; so the preponderance of the childrens games and talk revolved around the fear and excitement of the war. They also use the concept of war as a basis of their entertainment, particularly when the klaxon sounds and instead of returning home, they decide to hide in case the prisoner of war they created in their imaginations comes looking for English blood The children also take on the mannerisms of their parents, particularly when they are playing house in the Barn and Angela is imitating her mother. On the other hand, Lizzie Borden appears to be of a higher class than the other children because of her familys wealth, Just cos shes a Borden thinks she owns the whole place. Lizzie uses her wealth as a way of gaining power and often trys to control the other children. The other characters feel particularly degraded and insulted by this, Just like we was your servants or something

Garden State Essay -- essays research papers

Garden State by 'Pipsorcle' Andrew Largeman's (Zack Braff) journey throughout "Garden State" seems to be a testament on the meaning of liberation. Going from his struggling acting life in Los Angeles to his hometown in New Jersey, where he witnesses his mother's funeral, Andrew is in the mist of confronting difficult issues. One of the biggest issues is coming to terms with his psychologist father (Ian Holm), whom he has distanced himself from for many years because he has put him on powerful antidepressants for most of his life. The reason for this I will not reveal but it has caused Andrew to feel as if his father has controlled his life in a way. In showing how Andrew Largeman finds himself again, "Garden State" makes a good choice in putting him in every one of its scenes. Since this film is really about Largeman, because he is in every scene, we see a progression in his character as time goes on. At the beginning, we sense that Andrew feels rather numb and alienated but then as the film progresses, he becomes more energetic and liberated. This gradual change in his character is highlighted clearly in the cinematography, a key method in showing Andrew's psychological state. For a directorial debut, I must say Zack Braff has given me a completely different impression than from his regular role in the "Scrubs" TV series. One might think that for a directorial debut coming from a TV actor would be uneven and at best, formulaic and uninspired. That's not the case here with "Garden State." Braff shows he knows how to handle directing and storytelling yet at the same time, showing a vision that clearly establishes himself as an auteur. Examples of this are the tense moments when Andrew is around his father. A lesser film would go for theatrics and end up being very talky in dialogue, but instead, Andrew and his father's moments together are more subtle. Whenever we see both of them together, they talk but when they talk, their relationship is forced. There's a sense of silence at times, which shows they feel uncomfortable seeing each other after the lack of good communication for about a decade. Of course, one might think that from the way I'm describing "Garden State" so far, the film is on the more serious side. It's actually more funny than serious but even describing the film as a comedy wouldn't do ju... ... selling his invention of soundless Velcro and now trundles down the corridors of his unfurnished McMansion in a golf cart. Another buddy, Mark (Peter Sarsgaard), sells jewelry he acquires in a highly unusual manner. Braff also writes simple yet refreshing dialogue, with plenty of offbeat humor, yet none of it is strained, nothing is played self-consciously for laughs. Braff himself has a warm, easy-to-watch screen presence. He can say nothing during the lull in a conversation, while the camera remains focused on his face, and it feels right. Portman and Sarsgaard are also genuine, each wonderfully relaxed in their roles. Production design is superb: details in every scene are arranged well, and the photography, by Lawrence Sher, is - like the story and the acting – unpretentious, never distracting, tricky or cute. This film never seems to manipulate us; instead it engages us, arouses our curiosity and amusement, bids us gently to care about Andrew and Sam and even Mark, leaving us entertained in the best sense. This movie is as confident, as secure in itself, as comforting, as a well worn pair of house slippers or your favorite reading chair. A splendid film. Grade: A- (09/04)

Management and Leadership Essay

Abstract This paper describes the difference between leadership and management, followed by an examination of the role responsibility of leaders in creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture. It explains that a leader is someone who can offer a compelling invitation for others to take action, while managers manage and accomplish work through others. Today’s leader needs a multitude of characteristics but most important is the ability to develop a vision and to articulate it. This paper critically examines and articulates key conceptual and practical differences between leadership and management through an analysis of the differences in the form, function and influence processes which underpin these complementary organizational roles. It attempts to show that while management involves a key responsibility for leadership, effective management also needs to include the skillful application of other power bases which underpin the wider influencing tactics of effective leader ship. Management and Leadership Today’s organizations become more complex, more ambiguous, and more unpredictable. So how should managers and leaders respond to these challenges? Along with the world is changing constantly, everything has been changing, like the Internet and information revolution, globalization of economies, demographics and ageing population, decrease in new born babies†¦etc. Changing is the trend of development of society. All kinds of environment such as investing, marketing, financing and operating environment has been changing for organizations. Leadership and management are two notions that are often used interchangeably. However, these words actually describe two different concepts. Leadership is a facet of management and is just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess. Care must be taken in distinguishing these two concepts. The main aim of a manager is to maximize  the output of the organization through administrative implementation. To achieve this, managers must undertake the following functions: Organizing, planning, leading and controlling. A manager cannot just be a leader; he also needs formal authority to be effective. For any quality initiative to take hold, senior management must be involved and act as a role model. This involvement cannot be delegated. In some circumstances, leadership is not required. For example, self-motivated groups may not require a single leader and may find leaders dominating. The fact that a leader is not always required proves that leadership can be just an asset and is not essential for certain groups or organizations. Managers think incrementally, whilst leaders think radically. â€Å"Managers do things right, while leaders do the right thing† (Ikeda, 2003). This means that managers do things by the book and follow company policy, while leaders follow their own intuition, which may in turn be of more benefit to the company. A leader is more emotional than a manager. Men or women are governed by their emotions rather than their intelligence. Leaders stand out by being different. They question assumption and are suspicious of tradition. They seek out the truth and make decisions based on fact, not prejudice. They have a preference for innovation. Often with small groups, it is not the manager who emerges as the leader. In many cases it is a subordinate member with specific talents who leads the group in a certain direction. Leaders must let vision, strategies, goals, and values be the best guide-post for action and behavior rather than attempting to control others. When a natural leader emerges in a group containing a manager, conflict may arise if they have different views. When a manager sees the group looking towards someone else for leadership he may feel his authority is being questioned. Groups are often more loyal to a leader than a manager. This loyalty is created by the leader taking responsibility in areas such as: Taking the blame when things go wrong, celebrating group achievements, even minor ones,  giving credit where it is due. The leader must take a point of highlighting the successes within a team, using charts or graphs, with little presentations and fun ideas. Leaders are observant and sensitive people. They know their team and develop mutual confidence within it. â€Å"The leader is followed, the manager rules† (The University of Edinburgh, 1997). A leader is someone who people naturally follow through their own choice, whereas a manager must be obeyed. A manager may only have obtained his position of authority through time and loyalty given to the company, not as a result of his leadership qualities. A leader may have no organizational skills, but his vision unites people behind him. Management usually consists of people who are experienced in their field, and who have worked their way up the company. A manager knows how each layer of the system works and may also possess a good technical knowledge. A leader can be a new arrival to a company who has bold, fresh, new ideas but might not have experience or wisdom. Leading, often confused with managing, is the process of creating a vision and motivating people to achieve certain goals. On the other hand, managing is the process of organizing, planning, controlling, and leading; hence, leadership is a characteristic of managing but managing is not necessarily a function of leading. Often employees prefer employers to express roles of leading over those of managing. â€Å"If given the choice, most people would rather follow a leader than managed by a manager. To manage is to control and manipulate. To lead is to guide, influence and persuade. In today’s business world, both management and leadership skills are vital, but it’s important to use them in the proper manner – things are managed and people are led† (Iscoe, n.d.). For employers to be successful it is imperative that they distinguish the  difference between managing and leading and are able to express all functions of management (leading included), for if they do not profit maximization is hindered and failure inevitable. For leaders to influence others to become interested in their vision often they need to put some attention toward creating a healthy organizational culture. This is important because when an employee feels comfortable in their work environment it is more likely that they develop loyalty and interest for their employer. Unfortunately, due to costs and lack of regulating standards for creating a healthy organization culture many employers express unwillingness and look towards other creative means to improve employees health. â€Å"So many companies find it easier to try to ‘fix’ the employee than the organization. Focus on employees’ unhealthy behaviors – poor diets, smoking, lack of exercise. Promote self-management of health. That’s today’s typical ‘control strategy,’ but it does nothing to address the deeper organizational ills† (Johnson, 2001). Another creative way to maintain a healthy organization culture is to offer, at the employee’s expense, authorized absence (leave). This has been a common occurrence from those that I know who are in the Navy. Employers will allow an employee to take, at their own expense, additional time as needed off when stress levels are high. I believe that employers do this in attempts to avoid morale drop that could arise out of employees having health problems (some relating to stress). As far as leaders and managers having to be responsible for creating a positive work environment, it is by their own choice and in their best interest. They must make the cost-benefit analysis to decide if expenses are worth an increase in constitution of employees. Unless employers are literally doing something immoral to employees, a positive atmosphere can often be overlooked. In conclusion, leadership is an important function of management and is essential if one wishes to be triumphant. For my captain his leadership was enthralling to anyone that he met, making him and his crew more interested in furthering his career in the military. Creating pride in employees’ job and using your position as a leader or a manager to excel organizational  goals and influence employees to work towards positive goals either for themselves or the organization is my vision of healthy organizational culture. References University of Edinburgh (1997). The Difference Between Management And Leadership. Retrieved April 30, 2005 from: http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/MENG/ME96/Documents/Intro/leader.html Ikeda J. (2003) Addressing the Leadership Crises: Clarifying Leaders’ Responsibilities. Retrieved April 30, 2005 from: http://www.linkageinc.com/company/news_events/link_learn_enewsletter/archive/2003/11_03_leadership_ikeda.aspx Iscoe, S. (2004) Link to Success: Management Versus Leadership. Retrieved April 30, 2005 from: http://linktosuccess.com/success-articles/management.html Johnson, D. (2001). Creating a healthy workplace for today’s stressed-out employees. Retrieved April 30, 2005 from: http://www.ishn.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/coverstory/BNPCoverStoryItem/0,2164,62212,00.html

Mean Girls

Celebrity Culture in Mean Girls Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey and directed by Mark Waters, takes Its viewers through high school from the perspective of Caddy Heron, a young girl who never known what â€Å"high school† genuinely meant. Upon arrival, she makes friends with Janis and Diana, who were in the stereotypical â€Å"unpopular† crowd. They warn her to stay away from â€Å"The Plastics†, an exclusive clique that includes three drama-filled girls who are superficial, spiteful, and have vicious attitudes that obtain their power and fame from beauty and glamour.However, â€Å"The Plastics† ask Caddy to Join them. Caddy, Janis, and Diana together plot against the leader of The Plastics, Regina George, the most monstrous of them all. In reality, the more time Caddy spends with The Plastics, the more she starts to actually become one. The Plastics themselves show how monstrous qualities are formed in celebrity culture, while the use of Caddy is the perfe ct example of how culture builds up celebrities to break them back down. The Plastics took Caddy, someone who was naive and candid, and turned her Into something she Is not through the manipulation of their own standards and rules.Celebrity culture heavily relies on qualities of manipulation. This was done through thru burn book, etc Rumors and lies are one are heavily used in manipulation. This is the epitome of celebrity gossip, shown in Mean Girls through Regina George. Regina finds out Caddy has a crush on Aaron Samuels, her ex boyfriend, and promises Caddy that she would talk to Aaron for her; however, Regina fabricates lies to Aaron; â€Å"She [Caddy] writes all over her notebook ‘Mrs.. Aaron Samuels'. And she made this tee-shirt that says, ‘l heart Aaron', and she wears it under all her clothes†¦She saved this Kleenex you used and she said she's going to do some kind of African voodoo with it to make you like her†. Evidence In nineteenth century litera ture Is provided In Frankincense, when Victor Frankincense manipulates his monster through lies: He tells his monster he would create a female companion for him, and afterward declares â€Å"Bygone! I do break my promise: never will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness† and proceeds â€Å"to [tear] to pieces the thing on which [he] was engaged† (175).Both Regina and Victor broke their promises, developing a kind of behavior that is so focused on policing others, they almost seem to lose track of themselves; they are so busy broadcasting what they hate, and so focused on consumption of their rival with their loathsome fascination, they do not realize their own personalities turn monstrous. They become so engrossed in this idea, they are unable to distinguish that this hate they developed is the sole reason for their viciousness and misery.This happens when one must realize one's own identity Is crafted from the act of hating. It almost seems Like superficial celebrities In celebrity ultra love, yet hate, to be hated; yet they love the act of hating, and use this hate to surround their world. This kind of â€Å"high school† attitude filled with rumors and Lies that Regina possesses exists in the celebrity world, and if it continues, it will influence animosity and disgust, that a world of peace, accuracy, and love may no longer be accomplished. Another key to manipulation is secrecy.There are countless examples of this in Mean Girls. For example, the scene of The Plastics when they are all on the phone; When Gretchen was on the phone with Caddy, it turned out to be a three-way call with Regina, but Caddy didn't know. This complexity progress when viewers realize the girls are all interlinked, all on the phone with each other on separate lines; Karen gets a call from Regina, puts her on hold, and proceeds to talk to Gretchen and says, â€Å"It's Regina, she wants to hang out tonight but she told me not to tell yo u†.This is similar to the theme of secrecy in Frankincense: Victor states, â€Å"The world to me, is a secret, which I desired to discover† (26), â€Å"l have one secret, Elizabeth, a dreadful one; when revealed to you, it will chill your frame with horror† (218), and he refuses to tell the secret to his audience, telling them to â€Å"listen patiently until the end of [his] story, with which [he] is acquainted with† (44). This is similar to Mantilla, where â€Å"[her father] has a secret grief that destroys [them] both: but [he] must permit [Mantilla] to win this secret from [him]† (47).The fact that one possesses a secret, holds it vital, and purposely shields it from the world acknowledges a kind of unmoral sin, or practical wrongdoing; celebrities allow these secrets to internally eat them alive like in Frankincense and Mantilla, or whether it makes their behavior more aggressive eke in Mean Girls, these secrets have the ability to change and ma nipulate others. In celebrity culture, a secret is a form of power, yet vulnerability – a secret itself could stand for everything one can't see.The public blows these secrets up with crazy ideas and provides evidence with the theories they project onto it. The secret could mean nothing, yet everything, at the same time. This is because that a secret exists. It does not matter what the secret actually is, because the people who spread the knowledge of the secret form its monstrosity. The people have ample opportunity to take control, seceding as a whole or individuals whether they want to make up a rumor, lie, tell the truth, say nothing, or contribute to the situation.The people are monsters, because they take complete control over the situation. An example of this is all of Lord's â€Å"fans† who (most likely) made her miserable because they did not approve of the physical appearance of her boyfriend. [A concluding sentence is needed here] Manipulation is also acquir ed through self-pity, which is shown in Mean Girls with the Burn Book. The Burn Book, which belongs to Regina George, is a book essentially signed to bully her classmates: it has students' pictures with mean phrases, secrets, and other things about them.Regina takes her book, puts her own picture on it, and writes something mean about herself. She then reports it to her school's principal and says, â€Å"l found it in the girl's bathroom! It's so mean†. This is similar to when Victor seeks sympathy from Elizabeth in Frankincense: â€Å"If you knew what I have suffered from, and what I may yet endure, you would endeavor to let me taste the quiet, and freedom from despair, that this one day at least permits me to enjoy' (222).In The Complete Poems and Selected Letters of John Keats, in a short poem called â€Å"When I have Fears†, self-pity is asked for when Keats shows he is in pain, likes the pain, and wants to be acknowledged for his pain: â€Å"Of the wide world I stand alone, and think Till love and fame to nothingness do sink† (301). Just like Keats and Shelley, their own needs. Regina did this Just so she could get Caddy in trouble, Frankincense did this to make it look like it wasn't entirely his fault for the monster's actions, and Keats uses his fans' sympathy to become liked.The public falls into a part of this ultra, where one blames someone else; even the victims themselves get blamed for fault. Besides from celebrities' success, looks, and wealth, it is not uncommon for the public to condone that they are people, humans, Just like them. The public is essentially casting a negative eye upon themselves. Celebrities have people who work with them to help mold their image, but the impossible standards of beauty and perfection they try to fulfill originates from the endless, harsh scrutiny the public places upon them.When a celebrity breaks this image, or differs from the norm, they automatically are seen as monstrous, resulting in sneering and degrading comments from fans. This monstrosity on the celebrities has a counter-effect on the fans; every time there is a mean comment, they are normalizing harsh Judgment, extreme reactions, and offensive language. Celebrity culture takes the blame on how the public has developed a cruel society, through self-pity. Another quality of manipulation used in celebrity culture is feigning their own innocence; this is seen quite often in Mean Girls.Gretchen bullies Regina for violating the rules of their â€Å"girl world† by wearing sweatpants on Monday, and Regina lams she is forced to wear sweatpants because, â€Å"sweatpants are all that fits [her] right now', implying she is â€Å"innocent† because it is not her fault she has to wear those. Another scene is where Regina claims innocence is during lecture, (â€Å"workshop†), in the gym, after the Burn Book is discovered: Regina claims, â€Å"Can I Just say we don't have a clique problem at this sch ool, and some of us shouldn't have to take this workshops because some of us are victims in this situation? Regina implies she is â€Å"innocent†, and she herself is a victim. The teacher responds, â€Å"That's probably rue, how many of you have ever felt personally victimize by Regina George? † Actual innocence and feigning innocence is a huge role in Frankincense: though Victor blames himself for the monster killing his family, despite his creation, he convinces himself that he is â€Å"innocent† and expresses how he feels like the victim. Victor is a contradiction: he is innocent, yet, uses that to his advantage to feign his innocence.He is innocent because he has never intended his creation to turn into an actual form of monstrosity, but yet, feigns innocence by his hiding his guilt and hiding his knowledge about his family's deaths. Victor's innocence decreases over time throughout the novel; his â€Å"UN-innocent† behavior destroys the monster's inn ocence. Victor is performing an act that could be considered â€Å"monstrous† in manipulation by taking away the genuine innocence of one who was never given a chance to prove that innocence. At first Victor decides to â€Å"at least listen to [the monster's] tale† (105), but later on, he decides to â€Å"tore to pieces†¦ The thing on which the creature's] future existence he depended for happiness† (190), not giving the monster a chance to uphold its promise. Celebrities start out with genuine innocence, become corrupted, and may attempt to feign their innocence through their roles – However, once celebrities feign their innocence they are portrayed as â€Å"monstrous†, they are not given a chance to stick up for themselves properly without media and public interference. Lindsay Loan, off the set of Mean Girls, got into drugs, which could â€Å"feign innocence†, and assume that she had no role in her fans doing drugs.According to Good Charlotte, this kind of manipulation is the price of having a lifestyle of â€Å"the rich and the famous† (song lyrics). The most vital quality in manipulation is the key tactic in order to be able to get away with spreading rumors and lies, maintain secrecy, create self-pity, and feign illness. Control itself is the piece that connects all of these qualities. Throughout Mean Girls, there are many scenes were one of The Plastics are in control: At the talent show at school, Regina demands for Gretchen to switch sides with Caddy. When Gretchen protests, Regina says, â€Å"Right now you're getting on my last nerve.Switch! † Gretchen acknowledges this control by obeying. Caddy was also acknowledging control hen she fulfills Region's invite to eat lunch with them â€Å"everyday for the rest of the week†. In the beginning of the movie, Regina took control of Caddy social life. Halfway through, Caddy became the center of attention; she gained control of Region's previ ous fame and publicity and made it her own. The previous examples also hint at some aspect of control. Control is also seen in Frankincense, where the monster says, Mimi are my creator, but I am your master;-obey! (174). Victor chooses condone the monster, and the monster responds by taking control, killing all of Victor's family embers. Control in Charitable is implied when Geraldine takes on a role of masculinity: â€Å"lay down by the maiden's side: And in her arms the maid she took† (250-251). In The Major Works, â€Å"Farewell to a Lady' by Lord Byron shows how a woman's beauty takes control of his life: â€Å"In flight I shall be surely wise, Escaping from temptation's snare; I cannot view my Paradise, Without the wish of dwelling there† (1).By the word â€Å"flight†, viewers can assume he is going to commit suicide as a means to control the elimination of all ties with the Earthly Paradise's temptation. This kind of intro can relate to monstrosity and ce lebrity culture in a number of ways; first, one can see that the society of celebrity culture is so monstrously powerful, it is out of the control of the public to change it. Only the celebrities themselves have control of their own lives and culture and how they want to live it.Second, celebrity culture has so much control and influence over their audience, that they are not only controlling their own lives, but dominating American culture as a whole. By celebrities constantly sleeping with one another, taking part in the lies, secrecy, self-pity, and feigning their innocence inspires the public to act in the same manner. Third, by the news being so obsessed with the daily lives of celebrities, it almost implies as if they are encouraging the public to become more and more like celebrity stalkers.Lastly, they manipulate the public into believing their redefined definition of happiness, which solely consists of money, fame, and beauty. Rumors, lies, secrecy, self-pity, feigning inno cence, and control all tangle together to layer and overlap and form manipulation; celebrity manipulators do not only have control of their own world, but also wish to control the world of others. This allows them to occupy both worlds at the same time, with their rules, in their way: how much more control could a person possibly want?These qualities of manipulation in celebrity culture are allowing people to lose touch with things that are the most important in life, like friends and family. Celebrity culture is so controlling that it even takes over the roles of others. In Celebrity Culture: Are Americans Too Focused on Celebrities, Tompkins, a group an example of how celebrities are taking the roles of [super] heroes: â€Å"When I ask allege and high school students who their heroes are, they usually name celebrities, such as athletes or movie stars, not names that did something heroic or noteworthy. (Tompkins 4). Celebrity culture is now one of our prime sources of entertainmen t; ultimately, celebrity culture manipulates to control their audience's society in such a monstrous way so they are not able to distinguish the difference between genuine importance and the importance of celebrity news. One day, I fear genuinely important news, (politics, world news, emergency issues) will be ignored unless it is presented as a source of entertainment, like celebrity culture. Mean Girls Stacy Gregg Sociology M/W 11:30 Sociological Themes Sociology is everywhere we look, its everything thing we are, and can be described within everything we do. The traditional focuses of sociology have included social stratification, social class, culture, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, and deviance. As all spheres of human activity are affected by the interplay between social structure and individual agency, sociology has gradually expanded its focus to further subjects, such as health, medical, military and penal institutions, the Internet, and the role of social activity in the development of scientific knowledge.Looking through films you can see many sociological themes. I chose to look at â€Å"Mean Girls† and pull the sociological themes out. Mean Girls is a movie about a girl, Cady, who moves to the US from Africa and starts at a new school. She immediately befriends two outcasts, who explain the school's social scene. There are a group of three girls ( the â€Å"Plastics†) who are popular, malicious and rule the school. As a trick, these three girls befriend Cady.Her outcast friends encourage her to hang out with the Plastics to see what they do. But as she spends more time with them, she becomes more and more like them, backstabbing, mean, self-obsessed, and superficial. When Cady and the leader of the Plastics go after the same guy, she begins to plot their destruction, and starts sabotaging the girls in worse and worse ways. Eventually she separates from her original friends and her Plastic friends.When the entire school finds out about some of the terrible things the Plastics have said about them by finding a â€Å"Burn Book† everyone turns against the Plastics and Cady. Eventually, she must apologize to everyone she hurt and begin to find a way to become a better person. The first sociological theme I would like to address is stereotypes. A stereotype is defined as a widely held but fixed and oversimplified imag e or idea of a particular type of person or thing.Mean Girls portrays high school stereo types rather well, at school there are groups such as try-hards, wannabes, burn-outs, band geeks, nerds, the popular girls, the jocks and art freaks. All the girls wants to be a plastic so to speak and they all display it in different ways like how the girls who eat nothing are trying to be thin so they can be like the plastics, but the girls who eat their feelings are also trying to be a plastic but by eating they are showing I don’t care what anybody thinks of me, which is a popular trait.Then when everyone is explaining Regina George and one girl says â€Å"One time she punched me in the face†¦ It was awesome! † this implies that this â€Å"wannabe† made contact with Regina George even though it is contact most people don't what it is contact nonetheless which she hopes has passed on a bit of Regina George's popularity. References: (2011, 04). â€Å"Mean Girls† Analysis. StudyMode. com. Retrieved 04, 2011, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Mean-Girls-Analysis-676080. html Mean Girls Celebrity Culture in Mean Girls Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey and directed by Mark Waters, takes Its viewers through high school from the perspective of Caddy Heron, a young girl who never known what â€Å"high school† genuinely meant. Upon arrival, she makes friends with Janis and Diana, who were in the stereotypical â€Å"unpopular† crowd. They warn her to stay away from â€Å"The Plastics†, an exclusive clique that includes three drama-filled girls who are superficial, spiteful, and have vicious attitudes that obtain their power and fame from beauty and glamour.However, â€Å"The Plastics† ask Caddy to Join them. Caddy, Janis, and Diana together plot against the leader of The Plastics, Regina George, the most monstrous of them all. In reality, the more time Caddy spends with The Plastics, the more she starts to actually become one. The Plastics themselves show how monstrous qualities are formed in celebrity culture, while the use of Caddy is the perfe ct example of how culture builds up celebrities to break them back down. The Plastics took Caddy, someone who was naive and candid, and turned her Into something she Is not through the manipulation of their own standards and rules.Celebrity culture heavily relies on qualities of manipulation. This was done through thru burn book, etc Rumors and lies are one are heavily used in manipulation. This is the epitome of celebrity gossip, shown in Mean Girls through Regina George. Regina finds out Caddy has a crush on Aaron Samuels, her ex boyfriend, and promises Caddy that she would talk to Aaron for her; however, Regina fabricates lies to Aaron; â€Å"She [Caddy] writes all over her notebook ‘Mrs.. Aaron Samuels'. And she made this tee-shirt that says, ‘l heart Aaron', and she wears it under all her clothes†¦She saved this Kleenex you used and she said she's going to do some kind of African voodoo with it to make you like her†. Evidence In nineteenth century litera ture Is provided In Frankincense, when Victor Frankincense manipulates his monster through lies: He tells his monster he would create a female companion for him, and afterward declares â€Å"Bygone! I do break my promise: never will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness† and proceeds â€Å"to [tear] to pieces the thing on which [he] was engaged† (175).Both Regina and Victor broke their promises, developing a kind of behavior that is so focused on policing others, they almost seem to lose track of themselves; they are so busy broadcasting what they hate, and so focused on consumption of their rival with their loathsome fascination, they do not realize their own personalities turn monstrous. They become so engrossed in this idea, they are unable to distinguish that this hate they developed is the sole reason for their viciousness and misery.This happens when one must realize one's own identity Is crafted from the act of hating. It almost seems Like superficial celebrities In celebrity ultra love, yet hate, to be hated; yet they love the act of hating, and use this hate to surround their world. This kind of â€Å"high school† attitude filled with rumors and Lies that Regina possesses exists in the celebrity world, and if it continues, it will influence animosity and disgust, that a world of peace, accuracy, and love may no longer be accomplished. Another key to manipulation is secrecy.There are countless examples of this in Mean Girls. For example, the scene of The Plastics when they are all on the phone; When Gretchen was on the phone with Caddy, it turned out to be a three-way call with Regina, but Caddy didn't know. This complexity progress when viewers realize the girls are all interlinked, all on the phone with each other on separate lines; Karen gets a call from Regina, puts her on hold, and proceeds to talk to Gretchen and says, â€Å"It's Regina, she wants to hang out tonight but she told me not to tell yo u†.This is similar to the theme of secrecy in Frankincense: Victor states, â€Å"The world to me, is a secret, which I desired to discover† (26), â€Å"l have one secret, Elizabeth, a dreadful one; when revealed to you, it will chill your frame with horror† (218), and he refuses to tell the secret to his audience, telling them to â€Å"listen patiently until the end of [his] story, with which [he] is acquainted with† (44). This is similar to Mantilla, where â€Å"[her father] has a secret grief that destroys [them] both: but [he] must permit [Mantilla] to win this secret from [him]† (47).The fact that one possesses a secret, holds it vital, and purposely shields it from the world acknowledges a kind of unmoral sin, or practical wrongdoing; celebrities allow these secrets to internally eat them alive like in Frankincense and Mantilla, or whether it makes their behavior more aggressive eke in Mean Girls, these secrets have the ability to change and ma nipulate others. In celebrity culture, a secret is a form of power, yet vulnerability – a secret itself could stand for everything one can't see.The public blows these secrets up with crazy ideas and provides evidence with the theories they project onto it. The secret could mean nothing, yet everything, at the same time. This is because that a secret exists. It does not matter what the secret actually is, because the people who spread the knowledge of the secret form its monstrosity. The people have ample opportunity to take control, seceding as a whole or individuals whether they want to make up a rumor, lie, tell the truth, say nothing, or contribute to the situation.The people are monsters, because they take complete control over the situation. An example of this is all of Lord's â€Å"fans† who (most likely) made her miserable because they did not approve of the physical appearance of her boyfriend. [A concluding sentence is needed here] Manipulation is also acquir ed through self-pity, which is shown in Mean Girls with the Burn Book. The Burn Book, which belongs to Regina George, is a book essentially signed to bully her classmates: it has students' pictures with mean phrases, secrets, and other things about them.Regina takes her book, puts her own picture on it, and writes something mean about herself. She then reports it to her school's principal and says, â€Å"l found it in the girl's bathroom! It's so mean†. This is similar to when Victor seeks sympathy from Elizabeth in Frankincense: â€Å"If you knew what I have suffered from, and what I may yet endure, you would endeavor to let me taste the quiet, and freedom from despair, that this one day at least permits me to enjoy' (222).In The Complete Poems and Selected Letters of John Keats, in a short poem called â€Å"When I have Fears†, self-pity is asked for when Keats shows he is in pain, likes the pain, and wants to be acknowledged for his pain: â€Å"Of the wide world I stand alone, and think Till love and fame to nothingness do sink† (301). Just like Keats and Shelley, their own needs. Regina did this Just so she could get Caddy in trouble, Frankincense did this to make it look like it wasn't entirely his fault for the monster's actions, and Keats uses his fans' sympathy to become liked.The public falls into a part of this ultra, where one blames someone else; even the victims themselves get blamed for fault. Besides from celebrities' success, looks, and wealth, it is not uncommon for the public to condone that they are people, humans, Just like them. The public is essentially casting a negative eye upon themselves. Celebrities have people who work with them to help mold their image, but the impossible standards of beauty and perfection they try to fulfill originates from the endless, harsh scrutiny the public places upon them.When a celebrity breaks this image, or differs from the norm, they automatically are seen as monstrous, resulting in sneering and degrading comments from fans. This monstrosity on the celebrities has a counter-effect on the fans; every time there is a mean comment, they are normalizing harsh Judgment, extreme reactions, and offensive language. Celebrity culture takes the blame on how the public has developed a cruel society, through self-pity. Another quality of manipulation used in celebrity culture is feigning their own innocence; this is seen quite often in Mean Girls.Gretchen bullies Regina for violating the rules of their â€Å"girl world† by wearing sweatpants on Monday, and Regina lams she is forced to wear sweatpants because, â€Å"sweatpants are all that fits [her] right now', implying she is â€Å"innocent† because it is not her fault she has to wear those. Another scene is where Regina claims innocence is during lecture, (â€Å"workshop†), in the gym, after the Burn Book is discovered: Regina claims, â€Å"Can I Just say we don't have a clique problem at this sch ool, and some of us shouldn't have to take this workshops because some of us are victims in this situation? Regina implies she is â€Å"innocent†, and she herself is a victim. The teacher responds, â€Å"That's probably rue, how many of you have ever felt personally victimize by Regina George? † Actual innocence and feigning innocence is a huge role in Frankincense: though Victor blames himself for the monster killing his family, despite his creation, he convinces himself that he is â€Å"innocent† and expresses how he feels like the victim. Victor is a contradiction: he is innocent, yet, uses that to his advantage to feign his innocence.He is innocent because he has never intended his creation to turn into an actual form of monstrosity, but yet, feigns innocence by his hiding his guilt and hiding his knowledge about his family's deaths. Victor's innocence decreases over time throughout the novel; his â€Å"UN-innocent† behavior destroys the monster's inn ocence. Victor is performing an act that could be considered â€Å"monstrous† in manipulation by taking away the genuine innocence of one who was never given a chance to prove that innocence. At first Victor decides to â€Å"at least listen to [the monster's] tale† (105), but later on, he decides to â€Å"tore to pieces†¦ The thing on which the creature's] future existence he depended for happiness† (190), not giving the monster a chance to uphold its promise. Celebrities start out with genuine innocence, become corrupted, and may attempt to feign their innocence through their roles – However, once celebrities feign their innocence they are portrayed as â€Å"monstrous†, they are not given a chance to stick up for themselves properly without media and public interference. Lindsay Loan, off the set of Mean Girls, got into drugs, which could â€Å"feign innocence†, and assume that she had no role in her fans doing drugs.According to Good Charlotte, this kind of manipulation is the price of having a lifestyle of â€Å"the rich and the famous† (song lyrics). The most vital quality in manipulation is the key tactic in order to be able to get away with spreading rumors and lies, maintain secrecy, create self-pity, and feign illness. Control itself is the piece that connects all of these qualities. Throughout Mean Girls, there are many scenes were one of The Plastics are in control: At the talent show at school, Regina demands for Gretchen to switch sides with Caddy. When Gretchen protests, Regina says, â€Å"Right now you're getting on my last nerve.Switch! † Gretchen acknowledges this control by obeying. Caddy was also acknowledging control hen she fulfills Region's invite to eat lunch with them â€Å"everyday for the rest of the week†. In the beginning of the movie, Regina took control of Caddy social life. Halfway through, Caddy became the center of attention; she gained control of Region's previ ous fame and publicity and made it her own. The previous examples also hint at some aspect of control. Control is also seen in Frankincense, where the monster says, Mimi are my creator, but I am your master;-obey! (174). Victor chooses condone the monster, and the monster responds by taking control, killing all of Victor's family embers. Control in Charitable is implied when Geraldine takes on a role of masculinity: â€Å"lay down by the maiden's side: And in her arms the maid she took† (250-251). In The Major Works, â€Å"Farewell to a Lady' by Lord Byron shows how a woman's beauty takes control of his life: â€Å"In flight I shall be surely wise, Escaping from temptation's snare; I cannot view my Paradise, Without the wish of dwelling there† (1).By the word â€Å"flight†, viewers can assume he is going to commit suicide as a means to control the elimination of all ties with the Earthly Paradise's temptation. This kind of intro can relate to monstrosity and ce lebrity culture in a number of ways; first, one can see that the society of celebrity culture is so monstrously powerful, it is out of the control of the public to change it. Only the celebrities themselves have control of their own lives and culture and how they want to live it.Second, celebrity culture has so much control and influence over their audience, that they are not only controlling their own lives, but dominating American culture as a whole. By celebrities constantly sleeping with one another, taking part in the lies, secrecy, self-pity, and feigning their innocence inspires the public to act in the same manner. Third, by the news being so obsessed with the daily lives of celebrities, it almost implies as if they are encouraging the public to become more and more like celebrity stalkers.Lastly, they manipulate the public into believing their redefined definition of happiness, which solely consists of money, fame, and beauty. Rumors, lies, secrecy, self-pity, feigning inno cence, and control all tangle together to layer and overlap and form manipulation; celebrity manipulators do not only have control of their own world, but also wish to control the world of others. This allows them to occupy both worlds at the same time, with their rules, in their way: how much more control could a person possibly want?These qualities of manipulation in celebrity culture are allowing people to lose touch with things that are the most important in life, like friends and family. Celebrity culture is so controlling that it even takes over the roles of others. In Celebrity Culture: Are Americans Too Focused on Celebrities, Tompkins, a group an example of how celebrities are taking the roles of [super] heroes: â€Å"When I ask allege and high school students who their heroes are, they usually name celebrities, such as athletes or movie stars, not names that did something heroic or noteworthy. (Tompkins 4). Celebrity culture is now one of our prime sources of entertainmen t; ultimately, celebrity culture manipulates to control their audience's society in such a monstrous way so they are not able to distinguish the difference between genuine importance and the importance of celebrity news. One day, I fear genuinely important news, (politics, world news, emergency issues) will be ignored unless it is presented as a source of entertainment, like celebrity culture.

How to Write a Speech

How to Write a Speech How to Write a Speech When it comes to public speaking – in the student’s case, giving a speech to a classroom of their peers and their instructor – one’s success lies in preparation. Which means that delivering a good speech ultimately depends on the writing a  speech. After all, a speech is like a spoken essay. Some people are natural-born public speakers who can entertain an entire room without a second of planning; however, the student in higher education who is to give a speech (who is also most likely a novice public speaker) should follow these 10 speech writing steps. 10 Speech Writing Steps 1. Plan the speech according to the occasion. The student required to give a speech will probably be speaking in an academic setting, where a serious, informative or persuasive tone will serve them best. Most times, the student will be given a time limit, which should be strictly followed. 2. Recognize the theme/message or purpose of the speech. This will help the student identify which direction they are going to take in the writing/planning/researching of the speech, helping them develop a sort of formula to achieve that purpose. 3. Be creative with the speech’s introduction. Once the student knows what they are going to say, they should consider a brief, interesting way to get their audience’s attention – whether with a joke, an interesting anecdote, famous quote, even a thought-provoking question. 4. Learn how to write a speech outline. This helps the student visualize all the points they need to cover in their speech. 5. Expand on the points in the speech outline. If they’re given a speech in a persuasive manner, they will need a solid thesis statement defended by strong evidence to support their argument. If giving an informative speech for an assignment, the student should incorporate solid, research-based information. In either case, the student must center their speech on the theme, issue, or subject they are discussing, arguing, or analyzing. 6. Incorporate transitional phrases to cover various points. Words like â€Å"First of all,† â€Å"Secondly,† â€Å"Next,† and â€Å"Lastly† help the speaker better transition from point to point, for their own sake and the audience. 7. Don’t forget about the conclusion. Just like with an essay or written assignment, a proper conclusion allows the speaker to tie in all the points of their speech, leaving the audience with a comprehensive understanding of what they just discussed. 8. Write the speech out in full, in essay form. Include the introduction, the points to be covered, as well as transitional phrases, and a conclusion – and then evaluate its effectiveness. Edit if needed. Writing more than one draft helps the student add or remove pertinent information. 9. Ask a friend to revise the written speech; revise the draft based on their feedback. Once the student feels their written speech is nearly completed, seeking the help of another person is beneficial. They will see things the writer may not notice, which will ultimately improve the speech. 10. Read the speech aloud. Before the student rehearses their speech first for familiarization, then memorization, they should read the speech aloud to compare how it sounds with how it reads; this could be the difference in an awkward, boring speech or one that is interesting and gets a higher grade. Read also: How to Write a Persuasive Essay | How to Write an Argumentative Essay In case you are working on a speech, and are having difficulties with it, would be happy to assist. Feel free to contact our writers and they will help you to work through the assignment. Our staff will assign writers with suitable backgrounds and adequate experience. This will result in a paper that is properly written and formatted, with thorough background research and a solid literature base.  Feel free to contact us anytime. Place an order to get your individual discount now.

The way the play shows the differences between the generations, with particular references to Mr Birling and Sheila Essay Example

The way the play shows the differences between the generations, with particular references to Mr Birling and Sheila Essay Example The way the play shows the differences between the generations, with particular references to Mr Birling and Sheila Essay The way the play shows the differences between the generations, with particular references to Mr Birling and Sheila Essay Essay Topic: Literature The differences between the generations are very clear. Even at the very beginning of the play it is shown: Sheila: Youre squiffy Mrs Birling: What an expression, Sheila! Here it is showing that Mrs Birling does not really understand how the younger people talk. It means that the audience can see at once that there is a difference between the younger people and the older people. The difference between Sheila and Birling are not shown until later on in the play. The first signs of the generation gap is in Act 2, where Sheila says: Dont interfere, please, Father. Gerald knows what I mean, and you apparently dont This is the first real sign of tension. It makes the audience more sympathetic towards Sheila, because her father does not understand what has happened between her and Gerald. This is because the older generation do not understand how the younger generation work out their problems. Sheila has already explained how she and Gerald should sort the problems out, but her father still thinks that he can fix the situation. The main difference between Sheila and Birling is shown after the Inspector leaves. It is whether the Inspector was really a police inspector, and whether it matters if he was or not: But it doesnt make any real difference, yknow Sheila is sympathetic towards Eva, whereas Birling is more concerned about his public image. The audience are sympathetic towards Eva, and so it makes them feel resentful towards Birling. This shows a clear division between the two generations, and how they view the situation. This has a dramatic impact on the audience. They will not have viewed Birling in this way until he seems unsympathetic towards what happened to the girl. They feel betrayed by his character. Birling accuses Sheila and Eric of telling the Inspector too much, however, he defends his wife: No, not you, my dear. But these two Birling wants to clear his conscious and blame someone else, whereas Sheila wants to share the blame, and accept her responsibility. The audience feel that Birling has a weak character because he has to side with his wife, and blame his children. They feel that no one should blame their children in this way, and so they are unsympathetic towards Birling.

Understanding State Terrorism

Understanding State Terrorism â€Å"State terrorism† is as controversial a concept as that of terrorism itself. Terrorism is often, though not always, defined in terms of four characteristics: The threat or use of violence;A political objective; the desire to change the status quo;The intention to spread fear by committing spectacular public acts;The intentional targeting of civilians. It is this last element - targeting innocent civilians - that stands out in efforts to distinguish state terrorism from other forms of state violence. Declaring war and sending the military to fight other militaries is not terrorism, nor is the use of violence to punish criminals who have been convicted of violent crimes. History of State Terrorism In theory, it is not so difficult to distinguish an act of state terrorism, especially when we look at the most dramatic examples history offers. There is, of course, the French governments reign of terror that brought us the concept of terrorism in the first place. Shortly after the overthrow of the French monarchy in 1793, a revolutionary dictatorship was established and with it the decision to root out anyone who might oppose or undermine the revolution. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed by guillotine for a variety of crimes. In the 20th century, authoritarian states systematically committed to using violence and extreme versions of threat against their own civilians exemplify the premise of state terrorism. Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union under Stalins rule are frequently cited as historical cases of state terrorism. The form of government, in theory, bears on the tendency of a state to resort to terrorism. Military dictatorships have often maintained power through terror. Such governments, as the authors of a book about Latin American state terrorism have noted, can virtually paralyze a society through violence and its threat: In such contexts, fear is a paramount feature of social action; it is characterized by the inability of social actors [people] to predict the consequences of their behavior because public authority is arbitrarily and brutally exercised. (​Fear at the Edge: State Terror and Resistance in Latin America, Eds. Juan E. Corradi, Patricia Weiss Fagen, and Manuel Antonio Garreton, 1992). Democracies and Terrorism However, many would argue that democracies are also capable of terrorism. The two most prominently argued cases, in this regard, are the United States and Israel. Both are elected democracies with substantial safeguards against violations of their citizens civil rights. However, Israel has for many years been characterized by critics as perpetrating a form of terrorism against the population of the territories it has occupied since 1967. The United States is also routinely accused of terrorism for backing not only the Israeli occupation but for its support of repressive regimes willing to terrorize their own citizens to maintain power. The anecdotal evidence points, then, to a distinction between the objects of democratic and authoritarian forms of state terrorism. Democratic regimes may foster state terrorism of populations outside their borders or perceived as alien. They do not terrorize their own populations; in a sense, they cannot since a regime that is truly based on the violent suppression of most citizens (not simply some) cease to be democratic. Dictatorships terrorize their own populations. State terrorism is a terrifically slippery concept in large part because states themselves have the power to operationally define it. Unlike non-state groups, states have legislative power to say what terrorism is and establish the consequences of the definition; they have force at their disposal; and they can lay claim to the legitimate use of violence in many ways that civilians cannot, on a scale that civilians cannot. Insurgent or terrorist groups have the only language at their disposal - they can call state violence terrorism. A number of conflicts between states and their opposition have a rhetorical dimension. Palestinian militants call Israel terrorist, Kurdish militants call Turkey terrorist, Tamil militants call Indonesia terrorist.

The influence of the Denver National Western Stock Show on Prostitutio Essay

The influence of the Denver National Western Stock Show on Prostitution - Essay Example It is therefore expected that the people who will be visiting the city of Denver will lead to an imbalance in the market for prostitution and this is bound to create some pressures on the prices for the services. The various dimensions of the effects as well as the movements expected are discussed below in order to have a clear picture of the expected outcomes (Moffatt, Peter and Simon, 681). As has been mentioned above, the first basic effect of the National Western Stock Show is the fact that there will be some imbalances in the supply and demand of prostitution services. This is due to the fact that a lot of people are expected to come to the city to showcase their products and services while others will be visiting the city in order to experience the show. The first dimension of this influx is that there will be an increase in the demand for prostitution services and this is expected to push the prices upward as the market forces adjust themselves accordingly. It is expected that the prostitutes operating in the city will increase the prices of their services in order to benefit from increased demand for their services (Moffatt, Peter and Simon, 683). Another dimension is that the influx of people will bring in people with more disposable income and therefore they will be willing to spend their money on various forms of leisure and entertainment such as seeking the services of prostitutes. This will lead to an increase in the prices of the services since they will be willing to pay more than normal in order to access the scarce services. It is, however, important to note that this may not go on for long as the market will adjust itself almost immediately as it is expected that other prostitutes from other cities and localities will also invade the city in order to benefit from offering services to the people at the show. This means that the supply of prostitution services may actually increase and this may put a downward pressure on the prices (Dill 96).

Reading Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Reading Reflection - Essay Example Indeed, Gatsby is able to reinvent himself as an epitome of affluence and a typical American success story. However, the self reinvention secured by Gatsby is lacking in substance and integrity and he comes out as a love sick young lad who manages to somehow accumulate the patina of the great American dream, managing to shimmer monetarily on the surface of the social scene of the New York of the 20s, and then fading away unsung and least mourned. If evaluated within the scope of reinvention in the light of the American dream, the self reinvention wrought out by Gatsby comes out as being merely skin deep. It is an irony that the popular notions regarding the American Dream mostly tend to hover around pecuniary considerations, while in reality; American Dream is a concept that is too substantial in its scope and ramifications. In the light of this fact, Class does play an important role in the life of Gatsby, especially more so in his early life, when being an ordinary boy from a humbl e background; he falls in love with Daisy, a girl endowed with means and status. The tragedy of Gatsby was that instead of building his reinvention on integrity and substance, he chooses to opt for the easy way out, to seek a short cut promising an easy and early class shift. In that context the reinvention of Gatsby needs to be analyzed in the light of the times he is placed that is the early 20s. That era was an era of affluence when the social barriers and considerations had become quiet lax (Gross & Gross 23). Besides, the accompanying prohibition offered an easy chance to any daring and willing young man to be a millionaire through shady means. Placed amongst such times, Gatsby, a poor, hurt and dropped young man gets attracted to an idea of reinvention that happened to be purely materialistic, exhibitionist and questionable with regards to the means that it adhered to, to emerge as a success. The other thing that needs to be noticed regarding the reinvention of Gatsby is that till the very end he is evasive of his humble family background. No doubt, Gatsby affiliated to a poor family. In the light of this fact Daisy emerged in his life not only as an object of love, but also as symbol of affluence, status and riches, a kind of life that in a way mocked the humble family background of Gatsby (Bloom 140). Placed in such circumstances it was but quiet natural for a young man to evade his family background out of shame, to enamor his love with pretentions of richness and plenty out of passion, and to aspire to be rich out a belief in one’s potential and sense of daring. Yet, the war spoiled Gatsby’s chances with Daisy and stung by it he somehow felt that it was his humble background and limited means that were really responsible for this. So the young man somehow prepared himself to vehemently reinvent himself to appropriate all that the society of his times associated with status and class. The actual talent and potential of Gatsby eventually gets lost in the din of popular aspirations and pretentions as the writer reveals, â€Å"The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. †¦ So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful till the end (Fitzgerald Chapter 6).†

I will add the preper topic soon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

I will add the preper topic soon - Essay Example became a fully fledged effects facility, but by the time Jackson directed his first Hollywood-backed movie, The Frighteners, weta had 14 workstations to generate astonishing 420 digital effects shots.† xv. Support from the New Zealand State for the LoTR project figured notably in the naming of a designated minister to work with the production team, and in the New Zealand army furnishing logistical support and extras, whilst public funds supported PR abroad as well as the refurbishing of the venue for the Return of the King premiere in Wellington. Xvi. Lee and Howe agreed to come to New Zealand, and they were ultimately credited as conceptual artists. They supplied thousands of sketches and paintings to guide the designers and help create a unified look for all research and projects going on in the various filmmaking departments. Xvii. It’s a good job that actor Stuart Townsend is engaged to actress Charlize Theron. That might just have come as at least some consolation for his having to give up the part of Aragorn four days into filming, handling over to Viggo Mortensen following â€Å"creative differences†. Xix. Billy Boyd who plays Pippin says, â€Å"My memory of the Two Towers is really me and Dom (Monaghan, who plays Merry) being stuck 15ft up Treebeard for a couple of months. You had to be harnessed for safety and it got to the point where you couldn’t get down for tea

Decision Making Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Decision Making - Assignment Example In this step, one should be weary of confirmation bias, which makes one ignore incoming information because they have already decided what is best. The narrator states that dilemmas might make it hard to make decisions, as one might find themselves stuck in cyclical indecisiveness. External and internal pressure might cause one to resort to the following: make impulsive decision or delay or avoid decision-making process. The narrator outlines the following decision making skills, which help ease the decision making process: Neuromodulators such as serotonin play a crucial role in influencing the decisions we make. Therefore, the narrator suggests that it is best to make decisions in the morning compared to making them in the afternoon, as serotonin levels are higher in the morning. Decisions made later in the day are more risk-averse, as one tends to gravitate towards the status-quo bias. This leads to indecision, as many opt to postpone making the decisions. Decisions trigger anxiety within the individual tasked with the decision-making responsibility, as one is constantly evaluating whether they considered all the relevant factors prior to making the decision. It is easier to make a decision solely compared to making a decision after considering other people’s different perspectives. The narrator uses the example of dictatorship and democratic regimes whereby, he claims the latter are plagued with decision-making

Liberation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Liberation - Essay Example The Declaration of Independence has also played an important part in the history of the United States. The language that Jefferson used and the ideas that he espoused influenced numerous presidents and political leaders to this day. Abraham Lincoln considered the Declaration of Independence to be the very foundation of his political philosophy. It was the Declaration of Independence that explained the significance of liberation for the colonists in the United States. There are a number of facts presented in the Declaration of Independence that prove why this liberation was ultimately necessary for the colonies (Kelly). The tone of the Declaration of Independence suggests that it was intended to be a persuasive document to be read by many different audiences. The tone is indirect, i.e., the primary purpose of the piece is not fully disclosed until the end of the argumentation. In persuasive essays, the author uses facts and evidence to bolster his argument and to prove to the reader t he truthfulness of his point of view. These facts and evidences also create the context of the main theme of the argument. They may also influence the reader to accept the core message of the essay. Thomas Jefferson followed this pattern by allowing the opening and body to lead up to the main idea of the Declaration of Independence, which he left for the end. He drafted it so that it would persuade his readers that the liberation of the colonies was a significant betterment for the people, politically, financially, and socially.He begins by describing the reasons why the colopnies wanted to separate from the rule of England and its monarchs. He opens with a very wide scope that involves the rules of nature as justification for the colonies' independence and he contrasts this idea with the rules of man that England uses to impose its will on the colonies. Jefferson states that God created all men as equals and gave them the ability to think and decide their destinies for themselves. â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness†. This sentence alone places the Declaration of Independence among the best-known sentences in the English language. Tn addition to the poetry of the prose, the ambit of its argument is so braod and powerful that it merits such consideration. Jefferson proceeded to back this statement of principle with factual evidence to further build his arguments for colonial independence. The facts provided were presented in such a manner that they were intended to be effective tools in persuading Jefferson's audience. For example, Jefferson initially admits that changing a long established government should not be done for causes that are not material, but if the government does not change its behavior and uses its power against the will of the people, and does this repeatedly, then it becomes the right and duty of the people being governed to remove the government and obtain new protectors to ensure the security of their future (Selzer). This evidential appeal helped support the Declaration of Independence's status in history. After making this initial declaration of intent, and setting forth the basic points of his main argument, Jefferson

Decision Making Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Decision Making - Assignment Example In this step, one should be weary of confirmation bias, which makes one ignore incoming information because they have already decided what is best. The narrator states that dilemmas might make it hard to make decisions, as one might find themselves stuck in cyclical indecisiveness. External and internal pressure might cause one to resort to the following: make impulsive decision or delay or avoid decision-making process. The narrator outlines the following decision making skills, which help ease the decision making process: Neuromodulators such as serotonin play a crucial role in influencing the decisions we make. Therefore, the narrator suggests that it is best to make decisions in the morning compared to making them in the afternoon, as serotonin levels are higher in the morning. Decisions made later in the day are more risk-averse, as one tends to gravitate towards the status-quo bias. This leads to indecision, as many opt to postpone making the decisions. Decisions trigger anxiety within the individual tasked with the decision-making responsibility, as one is constantly evaluating whether they considered all the relevant factors prior to making the decision. It is easier to make a decision solely compared to making a decision after considering other people’s different perspectives. The narrator uses the example of dictatorship and democratic regimes whereby, he claims the latter are plagued with decision-making

Mid term Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mid term - Essay Example To address the demonizing of government by those enjoying the fruits of a system created for the good of all people, is similar to the analogy of biting the hand that feeds you. At his inaugural address in 1981, Ronald Reagan stated, â€Å"Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem,† and with that premise began the anti-government sentiment that is still alive today. Not in an anarchical sense, rather a frustration felt among certain people or groups that have determined nothing good coming from the feds. One must take into consideration all of the productive or good aspects of government before branding the leadership in Washington as the evil empire determined to destroy all society. Without the power within our government to implement change or assist the people of the United States in times of need would call for the shallow attempts at placing blame for the woes of the masses; however, the opposite is true. Such legislative authority builds roads, provides health care, supplies clean water, finances entitlements and Social Security payments, without those services and many others our nation would join the statistics of the third-world countries. The Tea Party agenda desires less government and more freedom to control our collective destiny, by lessening the footprint of government, a utopia will emerge in society; nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, to eliminate any major function of government such as Social Security leaving retirement savings to the individual would be catastrophic. Not to mention the security afforded by a strong military and law enforcement that if minimized would jeopardize millions of lives. Freedom, when applied in logical terms, can be achieved in the most restrictive governmental ideology. Our misconception of the U.S.S.R. during the Cold War and prior to the removal of the Berlin Wall was home to millions that went to school, shopped at local stores, and

John Stuart Mill Essay Example for Free

John Stuart Mill Essay In the ethical simulation Aaron Web an employee in the IT department of the company we worked for wrote a blog about some confidential information within in our company. It is against company policy for employees to release confidential information about our company. In this company it is my duty not to reward employees who violate the code of conduct or break the law, to honor employees right to free expression even when they are critical of the company, and to ensure that privileged information about the company is not made public. After some investigation and an anonymous tip from another employee that hacked into Aaron’s home computer I decided that it would be best for our company to let Aaron go, because I felt that simply letting him off with a warning would not send a strong enough message to him and other employees about the seriousness of breaking company policy. Although Jamal Moore who I was told is a good employee and was diligent in investigating the situation to prove that our company network is not secure enough I thought it was best to let him go as well, because hacking into another employee’s personal computer is also against company policy and two wrongs do not make a right, nor did I think it would be ethical to fire one person for breaking company policy and not another. Personally I would have preferred to let Jamal off with a warning, because his supervisor did tell me that he is a good employee, and without the information he provided it would have been hard to catch Aaron, but to protect the company from a law suit I thought it was best to let him go as well. It was more important for me to think of what would be best for the company as a whole using Utilitarian ethics which focuses on the greater good for the greatest number of people in the company as well as Consequentialist Ethics which focuses on the consequences of a decision or action. I had to think about how other employee’s would react if this situation was taken lightly, as well as the reputation of our company. I didn’t want the situation to be taken lightly, because I wanted to send a message to any employee working for our company that it is not ok to break company policy for any reason, and I wanted our shareholders to feel that their investment is being protected at all costs. It does personally bother me that I had to make such a drastic decision that may negatively affect the lives of 2 people, but I felt the need to make that decision to make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again. At my job at the West Palm Beach Veteran’s Hospital my supervisor has a no nonsense approach to employees being late, because in the past she has seen that if one person gets away with it there is usually someone one else that might try it, and not only does it make the company look bad, but it effects productivity. Doing this ethics simulation showed me how hard it can be to make ethical decisions in the work place, because they don’t always agree with your personal ethical values. One personal experience where my personal ethical belief did not agree with the policy at my job is when a patient in a wheel chair had to be at another appointment within in the hospital, and needed assistance getting there so that he would not be late. As a medical support assistant it is my job to call aid and assistance to come pick the patient up to take him to is next appointment. It is against company policy to assist in moving a patient unless you are a part of the clinical staff. I know that the people that work in aid and assistant are usually late to pick patients up for their next appointment, and didn’t want te patient to be late, because in many cases when a patient is more than 15 minute their appointment is cancelled. I would have liked to help him get to his appointment, but I did not want disciplinary action taken against me if my supervisory discovered that I had left my desk without consent. Although I was not able to physically help the patient I was able to call the clinic where his next appointment was located and let them know that he might be running a little late. Although I felt it was not ethical for me to not be able to help the patient get to his next appointment I understood why it was company policy, and I followed the rules, but still found a way to help the best I could. I think that there are a lot of things we have to take into account when making ethical decisions, and doing the ethics simulation showed me how to evaluate situation in more depth to reach a decision that is best for everyone involved.

A Study On Immigration Case Study Social Policy Essay

A Study On Immigration Case Study Social Policy Essay Using the very large variation in the inflow of immigration across the states of US and other countries states we examine the force of immigration employment, average working hours, money growth and one most important, the total factors efficiency. At the same time we find striking proof that the total factors of increased productivity. These are some of the very robust reasons of controlling for many other determinants of efficiency that may vary with topography such as RD expenditure, computer implementation, international rivalry in the form of sectors composition and exports. Thus many results suggest that immigration promotes efficiency task specialization and at the same time promotes the adaption of amateurish-based technology as the technological change would forecast. (Peri, November 2009) In what ways can immigration help economy? Immigration does not spoil the Economy nor does any Government lose their money because of immigrants. After all the people of the country makes more money. The common idea that money passes from government to company to clients and back again, if a minor amount of money is moved from manufactures to clients then at the same time a larger amount of money is retained. Immigrants, if accepted as general public, are entitled to benefits. Thus these people are draining over 2 billion dollars from benefits each year. However, once these people get familiar to our ways of living, then they can become very helpful members of society. A basic reality about our economy is that as long as we infuse more supplies and services than we have, the more number of jobs which is nearly limitless. In reality, when the number of workers increases, the more the number of jobs we create. Thus the total number of services and the mass of the labor power has been tracked each other then reasonably closely for 50 years despite dramatic changes in immigration flows. Its a recognized fact that many of the jobs that immigrants are taking are that jobs that Americans are not taking. But we check immigrants from taking these vacant jobs, American producers and clients suffer the cost. (Powell, Friday, January 13, 2006) Do you think economies should welcome immigration? Yes definitely the economies should welcome immigration. An instance is the recent policies adopted by countries like Spain. Suppose that if a western nation were to loosen its borders, thus leading to an overflow of immigrants into that nation, the predicted outcome would be unemployment, rise in crime, social unrest, but Spain Disagrees on these predictions. Over a period of the last ten years, Spain has taken in millions of immigrants from diverse backgrounds, but still it has emerged as the best economy in Europe. The growth average has been 3.2% since the last half decade. Spain is responsible for the creation of 50% of the new jobs in the Euro zone and even unemployment has fallen down. All these factors have been credited to immigration. Immigrants start out by taking the jobs that are unwanted by the local population. The taxes that they pay contribute for more than the public amenities they use. Not only Spain, many other countries have adopted a pro-immigration stand and the success they have achieved is a testimony to the fact that economies should welcome immigration. Immigration also leads to intermixing of societies, thus providing a gateway to the concept of â€Å"ONE WORLD†. (spain:immigrants Welcome, 2007) References Giovanni Peri. (2009). Theeffect of Immigration on productivity: Evidence from US States. NBER Working Paper(15507) Benjamin Powell. (2006).Get this straight: Immigration helps economy. Retrieved March 13, 2010. http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2006/01/16/editorial3.html Carol Matlack, Joan Tarzian. (2002). Spain: Immigrants Welcome Retrieved March 13, 2010.http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_21/b4035066.htm

Essay --

The article is a great contribution because of the evidences it provides contrary to the self-interest assumption. The authors discovered that there is a great chance for individuals to voluntarily cooperate by treating everyone fairly and punishing individuals who do not cooperate. They termed it behavioral propensity ‘strong reciprocity’. Empirically, this can contribute in the bringing up of universal cooperation. If purely self-interested behavior would dominate, it can cause breakdown to the cooperation. In addition to this, they showed that the people are willing to punish individuals who act unfairly towards a third person. This then only shows that strong reciprocity is an influencing factor in the enforcement of social norms and norms that suggest participation in collective actions. For an individual to be a strong reciprocator it needs to sacrifice resources to be kind to those who are being good (strong positive reciprocity) and punish those who are not (stro ng negative reciprocity). The very feature of this strong reciprocity is the willingness of these individuals to sa...

Communicative Games In Teaching Speaking Education Essay

English instruction has drawn much public attending as English has become one of the most effectual international linguistic communications. In such inclination of society for developing hearing and talking accomplishments instead than reading and composing accomplishments, surveies on how to better scholars ‘ speech production accomplishments have been carried out, but there are still many facets left undiscovered. In some non-English speech production states like Viet Nam, many high school pupils frequently find it hard to talk English and experience world-weary and nervous in talking lessons. The grounds are because they spend much clip on the topics that they will impact their consequences of university entryway test than the others, because English trials in high schools and in entryway tests are in composing and reading signifiers but non in talking signifier, and because the figure of periods of topics of natural scientific discipline is more than topics of societal scientific discipline or frailty versa. Therefore assorted methods have been used to accomplish the effectivity in learning English speech production, and one of them is utilizing communicative games. It is said that communicative games is one of the most effectual methods to better learning English speech production in high schools due to their positive effects. In add-on, the survey into using communicative games in learning English speech production in high schools is helpful to my procedure of learning pattern in high schools. For the above grounds, the research subject â€Å" Application of communicative games in learning speech production in English 10 † is hoped to lend to the effectivity in learning English speech production.2. Purposes and aimsThe survey is to show the effectivity in application of communicative games in learning speech production in English 10. The research has some undermentioned purposes: – To happen out jobs that pupils encounter in speech production categories. To analyze the effectivity of communicative games in speech production categories. To propose some pedagogical deductions to accomplish the effectivity in learning speech production.3. Scope of the surveyThe research is examined in 10th grade pupils of three categories at Quoc Hoc high school. For the clip bound and the length bound, the survey trades with four units which are unit 12, 13, 14 and 15 in English 10.4. Research inquiries– What are the troubles that pupils encounter in speech production categories? – How effectual are communicative games in speech production categories?5. Methods of the surveyThe survey is a qualitative and quantitative research. The collected informations by making a study on 10th grade pupils of three categories at Quoc Hoc high school will be quantitatively analyzed. A qualitative analysis on informations collected on pupils will be carried out to demo the effectivity of application of communicative games in learning English speech production.6. Design of the surveyThe thesis is organized into five chief parts as follows: Chapter 1: Introduction presents the grounds for taking the subject, the purposes and aims of the survey, the range of the survey and the organisation of the survey. Chapter 2: Literature Review and Theoretical Background includes two parts. The first portion reviews old related surveies. The 2nd 1 is to show an overview of English 10 text edition, state of affairs of learning and larning English speech production in high schools, scholars ‘ communicative competency, communicative activities and communicative games. Chapter 3: Methods and Procedures shows the research design and research methods, the description of the process of informations aggregation and information analysis, the description of participants and instruments in the research. Chapter 4: Findingss and Discussion is to show the findings of the probe and analysis and to discourse the consequences of the study. Chapter 5: Decision and Implications summarizes the survey, shows deductions and restrictions of the survey and suggests for farther research.Table OF CONTENTSChapter 1: Introduction1.1 Rationale 1.2 Purposes and Aims 1.3 Scope of the Study 1.4 Research Questions 1.5 Organization of the StudyChapter 2: Literature Review and Theoretical Background2.1 Previous research plants 2.2 Theoretical Background 2.2.1 Overview of English 10 Textbook 2.2.2 Communicative Language Teaching 2.2.3 Communicative Competence 2.2.4 Communicative Activities 2.2.5 Communicative Games 2.2.5.1 Definition of Communicative Games 2.2.5.2 Functions of Communicative Games in Teaching EnglishChapter 3: Methods and Procedures3.1 Research Design and Methodology 3.. Study ProceduresChapter 4: Findingss and Discussion4.1 Troubles of Students in Speaking Classs 4.2 Effectiveness of Communicative Games in Speaking Classs 4.3 Discussion 4.4 DrumheadChapter 5: Decision and Deductions5.1 Decision 5.2 Deductions 5.2.1 Design Principles of Communicative Games 5.2.2 Principles of Application of Communicative Games in Teaching Talking 5.2.3 Some Suggested Communicative Games in Teaching Talking 5.2.3.1 Some Communicative Games for Unit 12 5.2.3.2 Some Communicative Games for Unit 13 5.2.3.3 Some Communicative Games for Unit 14 5.2.3.4 Some Communicative Games for Unit 15 5.3 Restriction 5.4 Suggestions for Further ResearchEXPECTED OUTCOMESThe consequences of this survey are expected as follows: First, games are activities that make people experience relaxed and aroused and utilizing communicative games in learning English speech production draws attending of non lone instructors but besides scholars. Second, instructors can cognize more about the effectivity of communicative games in learning speech production, and cognize how to take or plan communicative games suited for scholars and learning points. Third, learning English speech production is more exciting and effectual because communicative games motivate scholars and assist them comprehend learning points in a natural manner.Plan OF THE PROJECTOccupation Detailss of occupation Time 1 Choosing a subject and planing the program of the undertaking – Determination job countries that require probe – Choosing a suited subject – Consulting relevant surveies and paperss – Planing the program of the undertaking By 24th December 2 Roll uping informations and analysing the information – Design questionnaires – Making study on 10th grade pupils by utilizing questionnaires – Analyzing the information By the terminal of February 3 Writing the thesis – Writing the first bill of exchange – Completing the thesis and composing the concluding bill of exchange By the terminal of March i? ¶ I thirstily underscore my committedness to carry throughing this research paper as scheduled under the direction of my supervisor. i? ¶ The first bill of exchange needs more work ; nevertheless, I agree to assist the pupil on status that the pupil can transport out the undertakings as planned.SUPERVISOR STUDENTVo Tha »Ã¢â‚¬ ¹ Thanh Dia »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡p Nguya »Ã¢â‚¬ ¦n Thia »Ã¢â‚¬ ¡n Ma »?

A personal opinion

Conservation of energy, economy, and environment; this is what a good government looks forward to and see secured in its country. And who does not want to wake up one day and see the environment clean and green? Unfortunately, the prospect – if we will look at it realistically – is far from happening in our day and generation. What we have created out of this supposed to be perfect habitat for all species, including humankind, is a deteriorating planet in need of preservation. This is the price of what we call progress. In pursuit of advancement, we find ourselves in the midst of degeneration. Thus, the cry for the earth’s conservation.Although, more things can be said for why our government is pushing for an expansion of the Renewable Fuel Standard, some important things relevant to our existence need to be addressed and understood. Granted, that we need not be too dependent on the Middle East’s supply of oil; besides, it’s a given that we need a m ore hygienic atmosphere and cost-effective fuel. Nevertheless, vital questions have to be asked before plunging headlong to the alluring promise of biofuel use and its program. What are the unseen consequences of massive ethanol production? What are the effects so far in ecology and economy of this adaptation to biofuels?What roles have governments played in this campaign to shift to biofuels? Which biofuels, if these are indeed viable, are the right ones to develop? These questions, if addressed properly, are crucial and may contribute a lot to the government’s policy on biofuels (Renewable Fuel Standard). Discussion ~ A Case for Biofuel. The use of biofuels has quickly become popular because they are derived from plants. As such, while grown they (the plants source for biofuels) absorb carbon in the air and also release it when burned. The very nature and life cycle of producing biofuel seem to project an environmental-friendly outlook.President Bush was urged in 2004 by at least 30 state governors to expand his program and the support the government is giving for the production of ethanol (Avery, 2006). The proposal of these governors was optimistic. It forecasts reduction of fuel prices, enhancing security in national power/energy, and can generate multiple jobs and thus accelerate economy in rural areas (Avery, 2006). The scheme was indeed a roadmap to solving most of the nation’s crises. There are many proponents for renewable energy that exert much pressure on the government to shift from using the conventional petroleum gas to ethanol.Becky Stillman, an advocate of ethanol use was very optimistic and asserted that enough biofuel can be produced in Indiana alone. She projected â€Å"Hoosier farmers† capacity to yield â€Å"1 billion gallons† of biofuels. She further calculated a â€Å"doubling of Indiana’s pork production†. Sun Microsystems’ co-founder, Vinod Khosla expressed his confidence when he stated with absolute certainty his hopes for ethanol production. He believes that the government can make use of the already agricultural land and needs not convert nor change food production in order to produce enough ethanol.He claimed that the majority of petroleum use in cars and light trucks can be switched to ethanol. Because proponents of biofuels are absolutely convinced of its gains, Senator Hilary Clinton (one of its advocates) pushed for a speedier stride in terms of the government’s support. ~ A Case against Biofuel. The big promise that plant-produced oil holds probably is the main reason why President Bush, in his 2007 State of the Union Address, has called for a broader expansion of the government’s program on the use of biofuels.The program has been running for some time now and is gaining more momentum especially that the President has backed it up. If last year’s requirement of plant-produced oil for US fuel makers was four billion gallons, the new p lan as expressed in the President’s State of the Union Address will definitely increase the requirement and would mean huge increase in budget. Let’s consider the odds against the massive production of biofuels, which I firmly believe tips the scales and convincingly points to the need to seriously reconsider what this country is embarking into.As in the pro side of the issue, there are also advocates campaigning against biofuels, and they appear to have a stronger case. For example, Republican Senator John McCain is on the opposite side and has spoken intelligently on the issue. He pointed out clearly the negative repercussions of ethanol production. In the Decade of the 80s, he said, government subsidies for ethanol production were originally meant to help bolster the corn farmers’ struggling industry. But instead of contributing to the overall welfare of America’s agriculture, the large subsidies have incurred wide ranged harm on other agricultural bus inesses.In order for the beef and dairy farmers to raise a decent profit, they would have to jack up on the prices of meat and milk; this is to compensate for expenses sustained for the higher price of feed corn while raising beef and dairy products. In short, the whole process is at the expense of the rank and file consumers. Imagine those who will experience the bulk of the impact? Not the rich and powerful definitely, unless the subject is all about gains or profits; but the grassroots, those who, in the end will not be able to fend for themselves that much in terms of financial capability.The overall effect of these subsidies can be seen in the resulting high costs of agricultural products. Senator John McCain stated that â€Å"ethanol is an inefficient, expensive fuel. † On a larger scale, the unintended consequences of massive biofuel production can be seen in its effects on some of the countries in Southeast Asia, more particularly, Malaysia. Because of strong European demand, Malaysia’s export of palm oil has generated huge monetary income of 9 billion dollars last year (check Elizabeth Rosenthal’s article at www. nytimes. com/2007/01/31).Looking at the surface, the prospect of generating such enormous amount of profit is certainly appealing. This optimistic outlook when juxtaposed with results of scientific investigation regarding palm oil production is not really utopic or ideal. Because of the rising demand of palm oil in Europe, Malaysian government has allowed for the clearing of vast tracts of their rainforest to convert them into palm tree plantation. Along with this, is the excessive use of chemical fertilizer. The expanding need for palm plantation has caused for the burning of peatlands to accommodate more space needed.This practice is responsible for the huge amounts of carbon emissions in the skies. What’s the big deal about it? According to studies, Indonesia is now ranked the world’s third-leading source (3rd only to U. S. and China) of carbon emissions and is believed to be contributory to the feared global warming (check Elizabeth Rosenthal’s article at www. nytimes. com/2007/01/31). Considering these facts, the full-of-promise prospect of biofuel use has become a frightening idea. It’s not without bad repercussions. In the U. S.alone, enough has been observed to make us think more on the issue. The government has a big role in this shift to biofuels. For one thing, our government’s leadership is like a ship’s rudder that determines the course of our nation. What the government sanctions, the populace approve. If we will not stop at this point and heed those on the opposite end (those who are against the massive production of biofuels), we might wake up one day reaping the consequences of our bad choice. The campaign for the use of biofuels needs additional and patient study.Let’s allow our scientists to probe further on the issue and consider c arefully the benefits and losses. Conclusion It was quite coincidental that I came across the topic on this other side of the biofuel issue and although much research will have to be done as of yet in order to attain a more balanced and scientific information, certainly, what we have here is truly, amazingly, real conversational piece. Just bring this up especially when some of your â€Å"more intellectual† friends or relatives are around, and you’ll realize that you have just stumbled into what may be termed as a â€Å"pricey topic.† The full consequences of a massive shift to biofuels in the future may not yet be in our full view. The arguments for and against it are all available to us. I think, not just to play it safe, for the time being, it’s still safe to use conventional petroleum gas while further study on biofuels is still ongoing. Reference: 1. Avery, Dennis, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Sept. 21, 2006. 2. Rosenthal, Elizabeth. Accessed Au gust 31, 2007