Market Research Report on printing industry Essay

Market Research Report on printing industry - Essay Example Print is used in business to create logo and advertisements to stand out in the market place. Companies often prefer their stationeries, be it business letters, pamphlets or catalogues to be customized and according to their requirements. This strategy of brand building is applied by all the companies. This is where the print industry enters the world of business related print products. In general market where print products are sold as leisure products, print industry has a strong hold. Products like Cards, customized stationeries, and craft products have given print industry a very distinct market to focus on. The print industry is also accredited for the production of lot of educational material. The print industry market is divided basically into three distinct market segments – Corporate sector, Gifts and Entertainment sector and educational sector. The print industry has witnessed gradual and steady growth, the demand for print products have increased considerably in the market. A lot of speculation had surrounded the print industry during the electronic media revolution. ... Identification of a Small and Medium Sized Enterprise The European market alone has 132,000 functioning business houses involved in printing industry. This comprises of 85% of SMEs. These SMEs have less than twenty employees each yet they are able to rake 105 billion EUR as annual turnover. The global printing market is dominated by the European printing companies. Most of the printing companies depending on their size are involved in export. Globally the printing market is very much static and not very dynamic in its growth. Most of these companies operating in printing industry are Small and Medium enterprises run by Entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs have creative bent and open a medium size businesses. However they do lack the expertise in operating the business aspect of the industry. Most of these companies have issues like resource sharing, creative differences and networking as major barriers towards growth. The SMEs also have to face fierce competition from players who are b etter established and are conglomerate in their operations. Finance becomes a huge criterion for these SMEs as expanding in new market especially in other countries requires a substantial capital. Internet and electronic media although has not been able to completely take over the print sector but does have some influence on the print industry. Thus, economy of scale and the fad of new media have made an impact on the growth of SMEs in print industry (Batgraphs, 2011, p.6) One of the most important aspects for the small and medium enterprises in the printing industry is the incorporation of recent technology in their operations. The introduction of advanced and improved tools in the area of printing has been very rapid.

Grand Canyon Essay Essay Example for Free

Grand Canyon Essay Essay Although not a more prominent theme, the theme of things happening for a reason and changing your life was also shown in the movie Grand Canyon. Through my own life experiences and the through the experiences of others I too have learned that things do happen with reason and that things may not seem good right at the moment, but things will turn out right in the end. To me, the movie showed this theme, but more subliminally then up front. When times do look bad, have faith and know that things will turn out for the better and that theres a reason for why things are the way they are. In the beginning of the movie we see that Mack gets into car trouble in the wrong side of town. As Mack is beginning to be harassed by a couple of gangsters, Simon comes to the rescue. Simon, the tow-truck driver tells the gangsters to back off, thus saving Macks life. Mack is therefore grateful of what Simon has done. Despite the fact that Mack couldve gotten himself killed, Mack wised up and made a new friend. In another part in the movie Simons sisters house was shot at (they live in the wrong part of town). At first, his sister decides to just stay there, but later moves into an apartment that Mack suggested they get. Then there was the part where Simon and Jane, a girl Mack set up with Simon hit it off right away after their first date. If you think real hard about it, all those things that happened never wouldve happened if that night Simon and Mack had not met. Even though it was a bad way to meet, things did turn out right. Everyone involved learned more about each other and themselves and everything did turn out for the better. As did the case with Macks wife, Claire. One day on one of Claires daily jogs she literally finds a baby behind some bushes. Claire takes the baby into her care and later plans to adopt the child. The child seems to be what Claire was missing all this time. The baby seemed to fill an emptiness she had. As these situations in the movie shows, there is reason for why things are the way they are and that in turn changes our lives completely. In my own life experiences, Ive come to terms with my faith in God and the belief that things happen with reason and that God would not abandon you. My mom has also taught me and instilled that belief in me. In the past couple of years things have been on the rough for my family and I. Four years ago  my dad lost his stable job of about 10 years. During and throughout that period of about a year, money was somewhat a problem and with each new day my dad became more and more depressed as each job interview passed with no reply. During that time my mom, told us to believe and kept telling us that bad things do happen, but they only happen when something better is to come. About 2 years ago, Bell Canada employed my dad. His office was even closer than the old one and his new office was larger and my dad loved his new job. My mom was right. But thats not where it all ends. A year and a half ago, my dad was transferred to a Mississauga branch. My dad hated the commute each morning and you could tell he wasnt liking it there. They were understaffed there so he always worked overtime, and that meant leaving later from his already far workplace. He was stressed a whole lot. Once again, my mom told us that this is just a period of time that tests us and that things would turn out for the best. About a year ago today, my dad was transferred to one of Bell Canadas downtown branches. My dad now works right in the Eaton Centre and my dad is so happy. Through just that whole ordeal Ive learned first, how powerful prayer really is and second, that things do happen for a reason. When my dad first moved to Mississauga he was thinking of quitting and looking for a new job, if he had done that he wouldnt have ended up where he was today. Through many other experiences I have learned that something very little can change your life forever and that God only gives you things He knows you can handle. It may seem like through my experiences Ive learned two different things, but to me they go together. God communicates to us through many different ways, so does fate. The littlest things like going to the mall or going home can change our lives forever. More recently, was the terrorist attack in the U.S. In the news and from various other sources you hear stories about people who missed their train or slept in that morning and therefore missing out on the Trade Centre collapsing. Just missing out by a few seconds how just by being late could change your life forever. It also shows the power of fate, it wasnt your time to pass on. As little as something may seem, it can alter your life in more ways than one. When your life seems out of place or when youre going through rough times,  youve got to just remember that things always turn out for the better. If something good has passed you by now, something better for you is bound to be coming soon. Though you may not be optimistic something better is coming, youve got to believe so. That something better may not come big, but it will change your life forever.

HuckleBerry Finn Character List :: essays papers

HuckleBerry Finn Character List He is the protagonist and narrator of the novel. Huck is a thirteen-year-old boy. Huck is dirty and frequently homeless. He was constantly forced to survive on his own wits. But Huck is thoughtful, â€Å"street smart† rather than â€Å"book smart†. In fact he was uneducated. He was always an outcast, he was willing to come to his own conclusions about important stuff, even if the conclusions frequently contradicted society's norms. Huck was easily influenced by others, particularly by his friend Tom. Jim He is one of Miss Watson’s household slaves. He is sometimes a little sentimental and very superstitious to the point where you might think he is stupid, but its because he knew the world around him. But he was also intelligent, practical, and I think, more of an adult than anyone else in the book. He became a replacement dad to Huck as well as a friend. Because he is a black man and a runaway slave, he was afraid of getting caught, so he became paranoid. Jim was at the mercy of almost all the other characters in the book. Tom Sawyer He was Huck's friend in this novel. He is everything that Huck is not. Tom's stubborn reliance on the "authorities" of romance novels leads him to acts of incredible stupidity and startling cruelty. His adherence to the uncivilized world gives him something in common with Huck. He learns to see through and alienate himself from the â€Å"forces† that try to civilize him. Pap Huck's father and the town drunk. When he appears at the beginning of the novel, he is a wreck, with pale white skin and decrepit old clothes. Illiterate himself, he disapproves of Huck’s education. Many surrogates are forced to care for his son. Pap represented â€Å"white trash†. Most of the black characters in the book were morally and physically better than he was. He was a dead-beat and abusive dad. Judge Thatcher Judge Thatcher shared responsibility for Huck with the Widow Douglas, and is in charge of safeguarding the money that Huck found. He takes responsibility for issues affecting the community as a whole. He cared for Huck. When Huck discovers that Pap had returned to town, he signed his fortune over to the Judge, instead of taking it, he promised to hold it for him. Judge Thatcher has a daughter, Becky, who was Tom's girlfriend in the earlier novel.

Cyber Forensics: Development of a Case Hypothesis Essay

Throughout time past, forensic science disciplines have helped solved numerous crime investigations and it has given impelling testimony in the area of court trials. In order to reduce the sagacity of siding or bias situation and avoidance in prosecuting innocent victims, it is important to analyse, validate and have proper presentation of digital evidence in the context of cyber forensics examinations. [1] (Noblett et al, 2000) in this essay we will discuss on various topics that describe, explain or illustrate on issues such as the processes that assist in the development of a case hypothesis and as well as alternative hypothesis. It will also cover the processes in which how validation check and test are conducted to determine the accuracy of the digital evidence. Furthermore, we will look into the deductive, inductive and abductive reasoning in the field of cyber forensics. Lastly, the essay will also cover on the processes that would improve the communication and presentation of case analysis to the solicitors and courts. INTRODUCTION Before the term cyber forensics was introduced in the late 1960s, most crimes are formally solved using traditional forensic science disciplines. Before the first PC computer was invented, crimes in those days were not as complicated as compared to today. In this introduction section, we will distinguish between what is forensic science and how it is different from cyber forensics. Forensic science depends on the capability of the research scientists to develop a case report based on the outcome of a scientific review. For instance , a DNA report analysis of a murder case can be undertaken without the prior knowledge of the victim’s name or exact situation of the crime.[2] (Chakraborty, R.1990) On the contrary, cyber forensics science’s main focus is driven on information discovered during the investigation. However the challenge lies in the search hunt of valid and admissible evidence in the media storage of a computer. The average storage capacity of a PC is approxima tely 300-500 Gigabytes; therefore it is tough to totally scan through every single file stored on a suspect’s computer system, let alone those computer networks. [3] [Casey, E. (2004] PROCESSES THAT ASSIST TO DEVELOP CASE HYPOTHESIS /ALTERNATE HYPOTHESIS Before  we develop a case hypothesis or alternate hypothesis, there are several procedures and guidelines that a forensic investigator must follow and do. Firstly, the investigators must construct a hypothesis of the occurrence which is based on the study of the evidence. On the other hand, the degree of rigidity of this hypothesis also relies upon the type of investigation. For instance, an Interpol police investigation would require the preparation of a detailed hypothesis with discreet and meticulous proper documentation to support specimens identified during the examination.[4] [Ó Ciardhuà ¡in, 2004]In the case of a police investigation , the hypothesis will be presented before a jury however the hypothesis drawn in a company will be handled by the management. Technically the hypothesis will be verified and an alternate hypothesis as well as supporting evidence will be presented before a jury. The investigators will need to affirm the legitimacy of their hypothesis and protect it against any critics or provocation. In the event if the challenge is successful, there will be a need to backtrack to the earlier stages to collect and search for more evidences so as to construct a better hypothesis. Talking to the experts AKA† Hot tubbing† is widely used for coexisting evidence. This process involves the court to put several expert witnesses on the stand together which will in turn saves much time and resources. Moreover, there are two main types of witnesses’ testimony at a trial, deposition or hearing. They are technical or scientific witness testimony and expert witness testimony. [5][Enfinger, 2006] As for technical or scientific witness, the investigator would need to present details of evidence that were discovered during the investigation. They would be asked to describe what was discovered and how it was acquired. During the compilation of the evidence , the investigator must ensure that the evidence collected must be legal and done appropriately with the permission of the owner and the suspect as well as a search warrant or hot pursuit. Also, it is essential that exculpatory and inculpatory evidence is presented. [6] [Cohen, 2006] On the other hand , the investigator would draft out the chains of events that have certain connections and linkage to form the chain of custody which is basically a documentation or paper trail displaying the seizure, control, transfer, analysis, custody and deposition of physical or digital. Apart from the chain of custody, there is another process known as the chain of Inference which is also referred as concatenate inferences.  These inferences between the weak and the strong ones build upon one another until they reduce the gap between the defendant and the conclusion to a manageable distance. The concatenate inferences process may be interpreted by fabricating a hypothetical scenario. The purpose of constructing a chain of inferences is to convince a fact finder that the desired conclusion is the most plausible sequence of events. On top of this, it is also vital to internalise the difference between evidence and inference before the development of a hypothesis or the reconstruction of the crime scene. With that comes the formation of crime scene timelines which is an efficient method to derive a conclusion. It is a graphical chart that illustrates the activity time line of crime scene sorted based on the sequence of events. These log entries displayed a unique chain of events that culminate in the incident which is a closer step towards proving a case. [8] [Stephenson, 2000] Another important process is testing, analysing and reporting. Testing is to ensure that all evidence both physical and electronic gathered must be verified and gone through quality check by scientific personnel to affirm the originality [without contamination] as well as how this proof of evidence would be of any aid to solve the crime. Analysis deals with what are the issues identify and intention of the crime act and for each issue how it can be addressed, documented, tested and verified. Lastly this analysis will be written down and documented as a report. [9] [Robert F. Winch and Donald T. Campbell, 1969]

An Analysis On Upper Echelon Theory Essay

The Upper Echelon Theory links the attributes of firm performance and top management team members. Furthermore, this theory argues that the attributes of a certain person affect the attitudes and preferences of top members and the team dynamics. The theory suggests that the organizational outcomes are the result of the strategic choices that the managers make. The idea that the values, goals, and aspirations of top management influenced organization’s culture and systems can be proven by numerous corporations from different industries that have gained reputation and credibility in the marketplace for providing excellent products and quality services (Coyle-Shapiro, 2005). Those companies have good historical backgrounds and currently possess great missions and visions for their organizations. The goals and values of a certain organization determine the competitive strategy of the firm as suggested by the theory. Apparently, the prominent organizations that have been included on the lists of profitable companies portray excellence in terms of employee line-ups and performance. The people who are highly skilled and possess strong determination are usually found working in these corporations. In other words, the people on the top management could predict the success and future status of the company based on the values and goals that the company would like to achieve in every project. On the contrary to the theory of Hambrick and Mason, Laske and Maynes suggest that people have already their firm beliefs regarding certain issues prior to their participation to an organization. Naturally, people act, talk, and behave according to the constructed reality that the society had provided for them (Laske and Maynes, 2002). In this aspect, Laske and Maynes argue that the organization may or may not fail regardless of the values set by the organization because of the diverse personalities under that firm. The person who works for a certain organization may do his or her job merely because of the benefits like compensation and promotion that the company can offer and not because of what the goals that the top management would like to achieve for the company as a whole. Generally, upper echelon theory proposes a good view in the organizational outcomes; however, it shows conflicts on the values that the company sets and the employees in that firm possess. References Coyle-Shapiro, J. (2005). The Employment Relationship. USA: Oxford University Press Laske, O. and Maynes, B. (2002). Growing the Top Management Team: Supporting Mental Growth as a Vehicle for Promoring Organizational Learning. The Journal of Management Development. Bradford: MCB Ltd. Vol. 21

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier essays

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier essays Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier was born on Aug. 26, 1743. He grew up the oldest child in his family in Paris, France, and a product of the bourgeoisie lifestyle. His father was a well-off attorney who followed the family tradition of practicing law. Antoines mother died when he was just a boy, but his aunt came to help raise him and his younger siblings. Between 1754 and 1761, he was educated at the Collge Mazarin where he studied mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, and botany. From there, he was pushed into the field of law, and earned his degree. However, this career didnt interest him a great deal. He was more fascinated with sciences, especially, geology. Coming from his background, he had already gained entrance into the leading intellectual circles of the day and had been exposed to a great variety of scientific pursuits by the time he started his scientific career. A good friend of the family, Jean-Étienne Guettard, was a brilliant geologist and botanist, as well as bein g one of Lavoisiers main influences to join the study of science. Another great teacher of his was Guillaume Franà §ois Rouelle, his chemistry teacher. Both of these men were members of the Acadmie Royale des Sciences, or Royal Academy of Science. Lavoisiers first essay was about the mineral gypsum and the settling process of plaster of paris. This experiment showed off one on his strengths as a chemist, accurate measurement. Although a few scientists had earlier paid careful attention to measurement, it was Lavoisier who convinced the majority of chemists that accurate measurements are essential to experimental success and scientific progress. In 1768, Lavoisier was elected to the Royal Academy of Science. The same year, he entered the Ferme Gnrale, a private firm that collected certain taxes for the government. At the time, scientists were not very well paid, so in order to afford his expens...

To Kill a Mockingbird Symbolism Essays

To Kill a Mockingbird Symbolism Essays To Kill a Mockingbird Symbolism Paper To Kill a Mockingbird Symbolism Paper Essay Topic: Literature The characters in To Kill a Mockingbird portray stereotypes and classic roles. Scout is the epitome of an innocent child, and through her eyes we see events unfold that change her status and broaden her awareness of the world around her. Due to her innocence in the beginning of the novel, we have to view her as an unreliable narrator because her views on the situations in the novel are somewhat skewed by her inexperience with the evils in the world. Bob Ewell symbolizes the evils of racism. He is uneducated, poor, and rude. He has an abusive parenting style and an adamant distrust of outsiders. His feelings toward Tom Robinson are misdirected as a result of his anger at Mayella for kissing a black man. His attempt to attack Scout after the school pageant shows that he is absolutely evil, because he has already destroyed one innocent life and is ready to take another simply for the sake of saving his pride. Atticus symbolizes logical thinking; he is able to act on the right thing while still trying to keep the peace in the small town he loves. His upstanding morality is characterized by a lack of pride, in stark contrast to Bob Ewell (we see this when his own children dont even know hes a perfect shot, for example). As he instructs Scout and Jem on the proper ways to behave, he symbolizes a teacher for all of the novels readers as well. Walter Cunningham, Sr. can be used to symbolize the possibility of change. Mr. Cunninghams situation isnt all that different from Bob Ewells; the main difference is that Ewell seems content to take handouts while Cunningham works for everything he has, even if it isnt much. Cunningham is a visible presence in the lynch mob that visits Tom Robinson in jail, but his conversation with Scout marks a turning point. If he is willing to see beyond his own hatred and listen to the voice of innocence and reason, perhaps Ms. Lee used him as a symbolic example to the rest of us that such a thing could be possible outside of Maycomb, too. A symbol is something that is used to represent something else. It can be simple, like a logo being used to represent a company. In literature, symbols can be objects, characters, ideas, or even colors that are used to represent larger concepts. Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is full of symbols. Each symbol has a deeper meaning that leads the reader to understand the greater themes of the novel. The Mockingbird The mockingbird is one of the most obvious symbols in the novel, mainly because its in the title and theres usually a picture of a mockingbird on the cover. In the novel, Scout and Jem learn that its a sin to kill a mockingbird, because they dont do anything to harm other creatures and therefore should never be harmed. In the novel, several characters can be symbolic mockingbirds. Surely Tom Robinson, accused of a crime he didnt truly commit, can be the top on that list. Toms innocence stems from the fact that he tried to help a fellow human being and ended up losing his life over it, all due to circumstances outside of his control (like being black). Jem and Scout are also mockingbirds in the novel, in that they lose some of their innocence due to their exposure to the evil in the world. Throughout the course of the novel, they learn about cruelties in life: from Toms trial to Dolphus Raymonds essential exile from white society to the incidents with Bob Ewell toward the end of the novel. Ewells attempt at killing the children is one more example of their mockingbird status as well. Finally, Boo Radley is a mockingbird in this novel. Though he had some not-so-innocent times in his past (like stabbing his father with a pair of scissors or running around town with a bad crowd), the imprisonment he has lived with for years under the hands of his parents and brother gives him mockingbird status in the novel. The way he has become a town ghost story also shows the cruelty he faces from the people of Maycomb, whether they mean to be cruel or not. Boo Radley Aside from being a mockingbird character, Boo Radley also shows the reader how Scout grows up throughout the novel (and, by some extension, Jem as well). In the beginning, the kids all like to play Boo Radley games, pretending to be him or telling scary stories about him. As they progress throughout the novel, they begin to discover that he might not be the town spook they fear he is. In the end, they realize that he is a caring, sensitive man who has done them a heros service. This growing understanding of Boo Radley is symbolic of the overall maturity that Scout and Jem experience in the novel. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, a person who shows symbolism is Atticus Finch. An object or place that shows symbolism would be the tree outside of the Radleys house. Atticus Finch shows symbolism because he is seen as a hero when he kills the rabid dog. Atticus is a father in that he shows love to his children. He is probably the only lawyer in Maycomb that would represent a black man. Atticus always tells his children that shooting a mockingbird is a sin because they dont do any harm. They are innocent creatures that make music. The snowman, the fire in Miss Maudie Atkinsons house, and the mockingbird are all examples of symbolism. The snowman that Jem and Scout made in front of Miss Maudie Atkinsons house one winter was an example of symbolism. Their was not enough snow for the snowman so Jem used dirt for the foundation and then covered it with the snow that they did have. The snowman is symbolic in that Jem is trying to cover up the black man and showing that he is the same as the white man. The fire in Miss Maudie Atkinsons house shows symbolism in that it shows the prejudice of Maycomb. The fire melted the snow from the snowman and left nothing but mud. The fire also shows that blacks and whites are nothing alike. The mockingbird shows symbolism because the mockingbird is innocent and all they do is sing beautiful songs. Killing a mockingbird is a sin. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch says to his children As you grow older, youll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and dont you forget it whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash. That statement is similar to what he says to his kids about killing a mockingbird. The mockingbird symbolizes underprivileged black people. They are innocent and never would harm anyone just like the mockingbird. Boo Radley is also innocent and would never harm anyone therefore the mockingbird also symbolizes him. Boo Radley never comes out because he does not want to face the prejudice and corrupt world. The symbolism reveals the prejudice of the citizens of Maycomb, the fears they have, and all of the dishonest things they do. It also reveals an attempt to get rid of these feeling in Maycomb by a hero to the community, Atticus Finch and his children who will follow in his footsteps. Symbolism makes this novel so appropriate. Symbolism is basically what the book is about. If this book did not have any type of symbolism it wouldnt be complete.

Crowdfunding †Whether You Need the Money or Not

Crowdfunding – Whether You Need the Money or Not FundsforWriters is all about helping you earn enough money, whether its finding jobs, publishing or freelancing. Crowdfunding is off and running, and its Like with grants, many writers I know do not want to bother with crowdfunding. Its another learning curve, they dont like asking for money, theyd have to pay taxes on the money, you name it. But the one that doesnt make sense is I dont need the money, so I shouldnt ask for it. Crowdfunding has turned into more than the needy asking for funds. Crowdfunding is a strategic method of finding supporters. When you proudly and passionately promote your project, then offer rewards for people to jump on board your train, you are campaigning for all of you to propel a project into fruition. It isnt a poor person asking for a handout. Its the group of you making something exciting happen! Look at the successful BIG projects on crowdfunding. Watches, movies, all sort of inventions. Publishers even post their next book project. i Just saw a nonprofit press post about their next poets chapbook, asking for support. What they are doing is not only financial, but also promotional. Its getting the news out ahead of time, and the blog updates within the crowdfunding page keeps the supporters updated as to progress. It becomes a community effort instead of an author, a publisher, and a reader. Hello Ru 1000 Days of Spring is a memoir that asked for $6,400 and gained $12,790. www.indiegogo.com/projects/1000-days-of-spring With each dollar comes a reader or two! See crowdfunding as a tool in your promo toolbox, not just a place to find money. Not only will you gain readers, but successful campaigns are trolled

Administration Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Administration Decisions - Essay Example A school can function to the fullest if the families and the community it is established are involved. One type of school, a community school is unique in that it includes in its program an integrated model that considers stakeholders in the community such as partners, administrators, teachers, parents and students (Jacobson, Hodges, and Martin 18). A community school does not only uphold the academics and youth development, but also support for the family, grant of social services and development of the community as a whole (18). In working with partners, a school community recognizes the different needs of students both in academic and non-academic spheres (20). Thus, the school site team works toward the alignment of activities with the vision of the school. The partners in turn work in congruence with the total improvement plan of the school (20). The role of the principal in the school and the community cannot be overemphasized. The principal must be aware that the community sch ool belongs to the community and should interact with the latter for total success (20). In connection with this, the principal should welcome the resources offered by the stakeholders and partners of the school (20). ... The School of Cooperative Technical Education (under the NYC Department of Education), on the other hand, provides career training for skills development to grades 11 and 12 students. The CAS Bronx Family Center also provides holistic physical, dental and mental health diagnosis to both students and parents of Fannie Lou. The health educators of CAS advise students on health and preventing pregnancy. The social workers based in the school provide mental health advises and intervention services during crisis. The school gives emergency relief to the family of a student who is evicted from home. The Oyler Elementary School (in Cincinnati, Ohio) was converted into a community school that includes high school offering. This was made possible through the partnering of families and members of the community with the Cincinnati Public Schools (20). The transformation of the school into a community school that allowed it to offer a K-12 program enabled students to enroll in high school for th e first time. Previously, no student in the neighborhood was able to avail of high school education. The Cincinnati Health Department has a clinic inside the school so that students can avail of health, dental and vision care services (21). Mentoring and tutorial services are given by more than 400 volunteers who visit the school weekly to students on an individual basis. The school also partnered with the Cincinnati Early Learning Centers and other partners to provide support to infants, children and their parents. In Glencliff High School, transforming it into a community school set up has allowed it sponsor numerous programs together with its partners, such as the

Coming to Live in a Foreign Country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coming to Live in a Foreign Country - Essay Example I was very excited when I got admission in a United States College. Though I had hoped for it, however, for it to come true so easily was very exhilarating. I was glad that I had been granted this opportunity, both by the college’s board of admissions and by my family who supported my decision to go abroad for higher studies. The delight at felt at being able to be on my own, and that too in a foreign land was indescribable. I constantly made plans regarding how I would go about settling in once I reached the United States. I was essentially entering a new phase in my life and was very keen and enthusiastic about starting this chapter of my life. However, once I reached the United States, in fact as soon as I landed at the airport, I felt a strange sense of trepidation. Everything I saw and heard was new to me. All of a sudden I was surrounded by sights and sounds that were very unfamiliar. There were lots of people at the airport, in fact, it would be right to say that there was a throng of people at the airport, yet I felt completely and utterly alone. Out of all of these people around me, I knew nobody. What is more, nobody knew me. I felt like an outsider as if I somehow did not belong in this multitude of people. I was scared that this feeling of loneliness might get too much for me to bear, causing me to be unable to enjoy anything, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that that was not the case. All of a sudden, the feeling of anxiety was replaced by a sense of excitement. If I were essentially an outsider, then everything I was seeing was a new sight for me. I looked at everything I passed by closely. From the airport till I reached the college campus, I tried to absorb as much as I could. Everything seemed novel to me, even the simple and mundane things like air vents in buildings and how people had a different voice cadence in the United States than in Nigeria seemed to excite me. There was a sense of newness to everything. I noticed even dull and routine details around me and became excited over them. Though at first I only noticed the newness with an excited mindset, yet soon enough that excitement changed to trepidation. I simply had not taken to account the fact that there will be quite a lot of cultural gaps and cultural differences that I will have to cross. It is a given that all countries have their own set of norms and the adage of â€Å"when in Rome, do as the Romans do† entails that one follows local customs. I did not want to offend anyone for my lack of knowledge regarding local customs. Soon enough, though, I discovered that there were quite a bit of similarities between the two cultures of Nigeria and United States. I was still, however, afraid of offending others for my lack of understanding or knowledge regarding local culture. It was soon clear to me, though, that United States has a more relaxed approach towards following cultural norms and one can fit in without having to change or adapt much. Although that is true, nonetheless, I still looked forward to learning new things about the culture of the foreign land I found myself in. Perhaps it seems like my feelings were that of a child who is brought to a toy shop and told to go on an

Documentary film represents its subjects from a distinct perspective Essay

Documentary film represents its subjects from a distinct perspective or point of view. How would you identify the point of view - Essay Example The principles of documentary films and especially as exercised by early documentary filmmakers stand out as crucial distinguishers of these forms of films in comparison to the other representations (NICHOLS, 2003, p. 234). One of the major principles by Grieson includes the fact that the potential of cinemas in looking at life may be in a new art form. The original actor and scene are better than the fiction counterparts are and materials from the ‘raw’ are realer compared to the acted material. A documentary from the previous work of Grieson is therefore, the creative treatment of the actual world. It is also the representation of factual events but in a dramatic setting. A documentary stands out from the rest of other non-fictional films since it provides a well-defined opinion, has facts, and a specific message (NICHOLS, 2003, p. 235). The process of creating documentary projects is simply the documentary practice. It is a complex procedure done by people in order to explain the creative, ethical and conceptual problems arising from the process of making documentaries (Erik, 1993, p. 56). Observational Cinema, which is also Cinema Verite, refers to a style in the filmmaking of documentaries. It is a combination of the power of improvisation and use of a camera in the activity of unveiling the truth. Jean Rouch is the founder of this style and Robert Flaherty is the most popular user of the style in his films. It may involve interactions and set-ups between the filmmaker and the subject under surveillance to a point of provocation. The technique is widely used over the years like in 1963 where Pierre Perrault asked old people to fish for a whale and then filmed them. However, critics argue that this style of filming is a deceptive pseudo-natural formation of reality. Just as research shows of the two ways to present a cinema of the real, one is pretending of one’s ability to present reality and the second the ability to show the problem o f reality. The same is true for of Cinema Verite with the first way being pretense of bringing forth the truth and posing of the problem of the truth (Erik, 1993, p. 58). It is true of what they say that making a film involves elimination of the non-essentials. In the film making industry and especially on documentary filmmaking, documentary mode is exceedingly crucial. This refers to a scheme developed by Bill Nicholas that distinguishes conventions and traits of the many documentary films. The styles applied in documentary filming differ in various ways depending on the purpose and the audience of the documentary. Early documentary filmmakers had a distinct way of representing their subjects on a distinct point of view, which led to their success and fame in the presenting their ideology and uncompromised truth as compared to other as the text will later discuss (Erik, 1993, p. 59). The History of Documentaries The history of documentaries is long and engrossing and various phases of its evolution are crucial in its study. Documentary filmmaking has seen a series of evolution stages dating back to the extreme historical time until the emergence of the most current and technological forms (Michael, 2003, p. 34). Before 1900 During this time in history the art of filmmaking was new and at its initial stages. The basic and commonly used style in this period was the single-shot moments that were exceedingly short in length. However, this was just

Procopius secret history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Procopius secret history - Essay Example He was also on the Gothic campaign, in Italy, until 540. He finally lived in Constantinople after describing the immense plague of 542 in the capital. This paper will analyze the source and determine the author’s reliability (Arbor 1). The contemporary history reader should characteristically depend on the investigation of similar contemporary historians. Contemporary historians can access a large number of sources and frequently aim to give an impartial notion of the past life. Nonetheless, past historians did not appreciate objectivity in creating their stories on what would have been for contemporary figures and events (Arbor 1). There should be a balanced method to history and occurrences of the past life. Moreover, Procopius was the best placed historian to give information on the existence of Belisarius, Theodora, and Justinian of the eastern Roman Empire. This is because he published eight works on one of the most popular emperors, Justinian. He not only sets aside panegyrics, in the Secret History, but Procopius looks keenly into the revolt he experienced at his mighty empress and emperor (Arbor 1). Procopius illustrates the cruelty and greed of his emperor, in addition to the lasciviousness and malice of Theodora, his wife. The Secret History is under-supported and overstated, despite being an interesting resource. Early writers did not have the will to cite their resources. One cannot simply presume that because the author, Procopius, was Justinian’s contemporary, he was a witness of everything he documents. This raises a lot of concern on his reliability. Readers cannot ascertain what composition of his work is hearsay, or if it is rumor found in rumor, and the component of the resource that can be advanced. Nevertheless, the resource depicts both Justinian and Theodora as largely suspicious individuals (Arbor 1). Also, when Procopius asserts that Justinian was the most terrible ruler of all time, we are not sure how much

Business strategy case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business strategy analysis - Case Study Example A BETA format video recorder was manufactured and produced by many companies like Sanyo, Toshiba etc. But this technology was going to meet a violent end. It was a hit in its introducing year since Sony went ahead to produce a Beta format home video system and Sanyo was producing the top selling beta format video recorder. Beta grabbed one-third of the UK market in 1975. Sony was in an agreement with JVC and the two companies had signed a deal formerly, to produce U-Mat technology and this deal was known as the U-Matic deal. Sony had taken one wrong step during this deal since they were too arrogant and aggressive enough to take most of the credit for the technology in the market. Thus, JVC had a grudge against Sony for this unfair treatment. When Sony produced Betamax they were still in a deal with JVC and once again Sony made the mistake of not accepting JVC's advice on replacing Betamax with JVC's new find which was better in all aspects, "Video Home System" (VHS) technology. Sony was once again to arrogant to accept the advice from JVC and they paid a price for it. JVC launched VHS in 1976 and this format swarmed the market. By 1980, VHS had a 70% market share in North America. By 1984, all strategic companies started to produce VHS format video recorders. Everyone adopted this new and better technology. But there are specific reasons to why Betamax failed due to Sony's bad strategy management. (SJ. Liebowitz, Stephen E. Margolis; 1996) Sony's strategy had flaws and the major flaw was that they had not conducted a proper market research about what the customer really wants. Sony had a wrong perception about what the customers really wanted. They believed the customers would go for the high quality of recording and not the length of the recording. VHS could record up to 4hrs of video whereas; Beta could record up to 3hrs and 35minutes. Customers wanted greater length and not quality of the video. So, VHS sold more and became a HIT! Beta was a high quality video format so the costs involved were high compared to VHS; therefore, the retail price for Beta was higher than that of VHS. This market is price sensitive and Sony took another wrong decision. Sony should have taken informed decisions in the market to avoid the embarrassment and the failure of their baby product that died in its infant stages. Sony could have both gracefully let go of Beta and taken JVC's advice to adopt VHS technology. But the company should have had conducted a market research to know the consumer demands. This would have saved them from making uninformed decisions that were a fatal risk and ended in a failure. Otherwise Sony could have marketed Beta with a different approach by targeting the right market. They could have targeted their product to a niche market that preferred quality over quantity. This way VHS and Beta would be competing in two different markets since VHS was mass marketed. BLU-RAY and HD-DVD BLU-RAY and HD-DVD (High Definition) are the latest buzz in the video format market but history is repeating itself since once again the two formats are in a war to gain the highest market share. BLU-RAY is considered to be more superior to HD-DVD because RAY can record two hours of digital HD (high definition) video and thirteen hours of SD video. HD-DVD has 40% less storage capacity comparatively. Sony's BLU-RAY or Toshiba's HD-DVD need

Land law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Land law - Assignment Example This portrays the intention of the parties at the time of the grant and, therefore, what will amount to deviation from grant. The case of Petra Investments v Jeffrey Rogers illustrates these principles. 2 The landlord of a shopping centre was entitled to rebuild or change the centre in any manner, and to utilize or lease the centre for any use. This was so, even if the access of light or air was tampered with, or other rights given to the tenant were reduced or prejudiced. The High Court noted obiter dicta that probably, the landlord was obliged not to change the common parts of the centre to reduce its quality as a shopping centre. In part, this was because of pre-lease representations by the landlord to the tenant.3 In Saeed v Plustrade Ltd, 4 the tenants of the flat were entitled (in common with other tenants) to park on the forecourt. The lease reserved to the landlord a right to change the block of flats and to build on the adjacent land, even if the access of light or air was reduced. The landlord took the forecourt parking spaces out of commission for three years, even as neighboring land was being developed and projected to reduce the number of spaces from 12 or 13 to four. The landlord (Kevin) reserved rights by confirming that it was his duty to develop the road accessing the four houses. The contract expressly limited the use of the houses to the place of residence. The owners were at no circumstances allowed to use the houses for business purpose. These redevelopment clauses are common in leases. The provisions of the lease may mean that Cara may not be able to claim from Kelvin for interfering with the easement that was granted by the lease. However, the rights of Cara are reserved and they cannot permit the total destruction of the easement. This is illustrated in the case of Petra Investments v Jeffrey Rogers,5 where the landlord of a shopping centre was entitled to

Business strategy case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business strategy analysis - Case Study Example A BETA format video recorder was manufactured and produced by many companies like Sanyo, Toshiba etc. But this technology was going to meet a violent end. It was a hit in its introducing year since Sony went ahead to produce a Beta format home video system and Sanyo was producing the top selling beta format video recorder. Beta grabbed one-third of the UK market in 1975. Sony was in an agreement with JVC and the two companies had signed a deal formerly, to produce U-Mat technology and this deal was known as the U-Matic deal. Sony had taken one wrong step during this deal since they were too arrogant and aggressive enough to take most of the credit for the technology in the market. Thus, JVC had a grudge against Sony for this unfair treatment. When Sony produced Betamax they were still in a deal with JVC and once again Sony made the mistake of not accepting JVC's advice on replacing Betamax with JVC's new find which was better in all aspects, "Video Home System" (VHS) technology. Sony was once again to arrogant to accept the advice from JVC and they paid a price for it. JVC launched VHS in 1976 and this format swarmed the market. By 1980, VHS had a 70% market share in North America. By 1984, all strategic companies started to produce VHS format video recorders. Everyone adopted this new and better technology. But there are specific reasons to why Betamax failed due to Sony's bad strategy management. (SJ. Liebowitz, Stephen E. Margolis; 1996) Sony's strategy had flaws and the major flaw was that they had not conducted a proper market research about what the customer really wants. Sony had a wrong perception about what the customers really wanted. They believed the customers would go for the high quality of recording and not the length of the recording. VHS could record up to 4hrs of video whereas; Beta could record up to 3hrs and 35minutes. Customers wanted greater length and not quality of the video. So, VHS sold more and became a HIT! Beta was a high quality video format so the costs involved were high compared to VHS; therefore, the retail price for Beta was higher than that of VHS. This market is price sensitive and Sony took another wrong decision. Sony should have taken informed decisions in the market to avoid the embarrassment and the failure of their baby product that died in its infant stages. Sony could have both gracefully let go of Beta and taken JVC's advice to adopt VHS technology. But the company should have had conducted a market research to know the consumer demands. This would have saved them from making uninformed decisions that were a fatal risk and ended in a failure. Otherwise Sony could have marketed Beta with a different approach by targeting the right market. They could have targeted their product to a niche market that preferred quality over quantity. This way VHS and Beta would be competing in two different markets since VHS was mass marketed. BLU-RAY and HD-DVD BLU-RAY and HD-DVD (High Definition) are the latest buzz in the video format market but history is repeating itself since once again the two formats are in a war to gain the highest market share. BLU-RAY is considered to be more superior to HD-DVD because RAY can record two hours of digital HD (high definition) video and thirteen hours of SD video. HD-DVD has 40% less storage capacity comparatively. Sony's BLU-RAY or Toshiba's HD-DVD need

Professional development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Professional development - Essay Example The project, which will probably involve an element of problem solving, can relate to any aspect of the organisation so long as it is considered to be of use to the company. It is important that on completion of the project you obtain from your employer a written statement (on official company stationery) which gives his/her opinion of your performance in carrying out the investigation and presenting your conclusions and recommendations. The statement should comment on the overall benefit to the company of the investigation and any recommendations that you make. List in the order of Books, Journals and Website the sources you used in the Harvard Style. Remember the information here must relate to the in text referencing that has been included in the Harvard style throughout the main report, According to Learnthenet.com (2008) Â  netiquette, a term coined from either network etiquette or Internet etiquette comes in handy. To guide you through your online communications, here are a few pointers: When you talk with someone, the tone of your voice conveys great meaning. To add personality and humour to your messages, use smileys, also known as emoticons, expressions you create from the characters on your keyboard. A few popular ones include: Keep your written communications to the point. Few people like reading text on a computer screen. Many people now receive e-mail on cell phones and other portable devices. The tiny screens make reading lengthy messages particularly challenging. This is true whether you send e-mail or post messages online. To keep messages short, use some common abbreviations: A favourite is , which stands for Rolling on the Floor Laughing. A shortened version is --Laughing Out Loud. And if you get called away whilst in the chat room or on Windows Live Messenger try --Be Right Back. Remember that anything you post to a blog, newsgroup, forum or website

Are Friends More Important Then Family Essay Example for Free

Are Friends More Important Then Family Essay In our daily lives, we socialize with a lot of people, because we have been evolved to cooperate with our species in needs of survival against extreme weather and wild carnivores. generally, in our social life, we are personally closest to two groups of humans : families and friends. Families are the group of humans who shared genetic material with us such as: father,mother,brothers,sister,wife,and son.naturally, family is the most important group of humans to me,because of default characteristics of human genes. Too, because i have a lot of great moment with them.For instance, i remember a moment when we went to a beach and have a lot of fun with them. Also, the one that i most remember, when we are struggling together in poor economic condition Friends are the group of humans outside of family and personally close to us .I have a lot of friends from when i was in junior highschool until now in university.But, from all of them i feel closest to my friends from senior high school.Because, like with my families, i have a lot of good moment with them too. For example, the one i would never forget, we always make a joke about our teacher in the class. Moreover, we also have fought together against students from another school. However, besides my love to my friends, my first priority is my family.For instance, if at the same time i have to choose between hangout together with my family and hangout with my friends, i will gladly choose to hangout with my family.

Irony in Sophocles Antigone Essay -- Antigone essays

   Frank Jevons in â€Å"In Sophoclean Tragedy, Humans Create Their Own Fate† comments on Sophocles’ irony: In this connection we may consider the â€Å"irony of Sophocles.† In argument irony has many forms That which best illustrates the irony of Sophocles is the method by which the ironical man, putting apparently innocent questions or suggestions, leads some person from one preposterous statement to another, until, perhaps, the subject of the irony realizes his situation and discovers that when he thought he was most brilliant of impressive, then he was really most absurd. . . .(62).    Let us explore the irony, in Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone, and see if we don’t conclude that, as it applies to King Creon it brings quite the same result as in Jevons’ stated situation.    In Sophocles: The Theban Plays E. F. Watling comments on Sophocles’ usage of dramatic irony in his dramas: â€Å". . . that powerful and subtle weapon of ‘dramatic irony’ which Sophocles used with especial skill, whereby the audience can judge every speech and action of the play in the light of their previous knowledge of the situation† (12). M. H. Abrams defines dramatic irony as a situation wherein:      Ã¢â‚¬Å"the audience or reader shares with the author knowledge of present or future circumstances of which a character is ignorant; in that situation, the character unknowingly acts in a way we recognize to be grossly inappropriate to the actual circumstances, or expects the opposite of what we know that fate holds in store, or says something that anticipates the actual outcome, but not at all in the way that the character intends†(137).    This type of irony is commented on by Thomas Woodard in the Introduction to Sophocles: A Collection of Crit... ...dings on Sophocles, edited by Don Nardo. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997.    Segal, Charles Paul. â€Å"Sophocles’ Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Sophocles. Antigone. Translated by R. C. Jebb. The Internet Classic Archive. no pag. http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/antigone.html    â€Å"Sophocles† In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.    Woodard, Thomas. Introduction. In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Watling, E. F.. Introduction. In Sophocles: The Theban Plays, translated by E. F. Watling. New York: Penguin Books, 1974.   

Influence and Creativity Essay -- Individuality Culture Media Essays

Influence and Creativity I have a habit of noticing redundancies in other people. Their personalities and their thoughts just seem so similar: daughters trying to be like mothers, or sons trying to be like fathers, or friends trying to be like each other. In my mind the sense of "self" that we as human beings have is more of a delusion than a reality, where we are nothing but the products of a multitude of influences throughout our lives. Did I ever have an original thought in my life? Or is it always someone else's idea that I am only repeating? What does it mean to be a human being without original thought and creativity? I talk like my friends do. I learned body language from my parents, stories from movies and books, perspectives on life from parents or philosophers or friends or teachers. Despite the myriad of thoughts that make up my personality, I feel as if I only absorbed my surroundings with no real personal creation. My parents keep asking me: "Who have you been hanging out with? Why do you a ct like this?" as if they already know that the comments I make, or the movies I enjoy or any of my other sudden preferences and mannerisms are not my own. When we are young, the adults tell us that "everyone is `special,' but how could I believe in this idea of personal creativity and uniqueness when there are so many influences that I copy in my life? Of course, the term "creativity" is almost inherently ambiguous. What do I hope to achieve, or more specifically, what do I feel that I lack because of this supposed lack of personal creativity? When I think of creative minds, I imagine Pablo Picasso or Thomas Edison and the contributions they have made to society or the impact on our emotions. But fame or critical acclaim a... ...y mine. I don't see creativity as being some sort of individual contest that must be won as an indication of my uniqueness and verification of my or anyone's human value. And although I don't think I fully understand the greater picture regarding the role of influence of creativity in my life and society, maybe the answer is not nearly as complex as it seems. Maybe creativity is a societal, collective process in which everyone has a role. I like to think that the point of creativity and the creative process is not to individually labor over the seminal work of the century, or to painstakingly differentiate one's self from others. Creativity should be about the pure enjoyment of having been involved, influencing others and being influenced, combining ideas and preserving those that speak to us, discovering and appreciating all that which is greater than ourselves.

Because I could Not Stop for Death values

â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop For Death† Emily Dickinson During the start of the realist movement, Emily Dickinson wrote â€Å"Because I could Not Stop for Death,† questioning the communal values of religion and eternity. The poem, at first, looks to be about the eternal afterlife, but with closer inspection of the language, (i. e. â€Å"Surmised† is a word of uncertainty) we find that she is actually not sure about the eternity of afterlife and all it entails. The 19th century was the beginning of a new era. Science and religion were beginning to intersect and to ome, clash.Dickinson's poem, in a way, is a direct comparison of this battle, as she is obviously struggling with idea of eternity and the traditional belief of the afterlife being heaven or hell. Dickinson uses realism in this poem by speaking of the reality of death, an event every living thing will experience, while using symbolism and personification. Death is personified as a gentleman who is gent ly taking her on a carriage ride. The first two lines, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death/He kindly stopped for me-â€Å"(Dickinson, Line -2) symbolizes that the narrator has died but not on her own terms.She was not prepared for death, but Death â€Å"kindly' stopped for her. Dickinson personifies death, but is talking about the actual event of dying. Unlike the common fear among society of death, this Journey is calm and peaceful: â€Å"He knew no haste† (Dickinson, Line 5) and â€Å"For His Civility' (Dickinson Line 8) are phrases used to describe the gentle nature of death. On her Journey, she reflects the stages of her life. â€Å"We passed the School, where Children strove† (Dickinson,line 9) represents her childhood or youth.We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain† (Dickinson,line 1 1) represents the maturity of adulthood, and â€Å"We passed the Setting Sun† (Dickinson, line 12) represents the end. All of these events are common to everyone; childhood, adulthood, and death. Carol Frost writes, â€Å"There are no lectures and no overt theological speculations†¦ † . Hidden under the symbolism, lies only the process of dying. The poem questions the traditional values of religion and the beliefs that after death, comes eternity in a heavenly paradise.She is not accompanied by angels, here is no light leading to eternity, or visions of God reaching out his hands to embrace ner returning soul. Her actual beliets are unclear, but sne was clearly not religious. â€Å"Emily Dickenson lived in a time defined by the struggle to reconcile traditional Christian beliefs with newly emerging scientific concepts, the most influential being Darwinism. Dickinson's struggles with faith and doubt reflect her society's diverse perceptions of God, nature, and humankind. † (The Church). The scene as she comes closer to her destination is slowly getting dark and cold.We passed the Setting Sun/Or rather-He passed US† an d â€Å"The Dews drew quivering and chill† (Dickinson, lines 12-14) represent the leaving of the physical world and entering a dreary existence. At first, death was kind and now he's lured her into the darkness. A common belief among religious people is that when one dies, they enter a euphoric afterlife. As she reflects on the day of her death, she says, â€Å"Since then-tis Centuries- and yet/Feels shorter than the day/' first surmised the Horses' Heads/Were toward Eternity-â€Å"(Dickinson, lines 21-24).Dickinson gives no clear answer about her existence after death, but by the tone, she does not appear to be in a magical place. She also leaves the answer open to the reader's imagination by saying the centuries seemed shorter than the day she assumed she was going towards eternity. The 19th century introduced the ideology that mankind's creation had scientific explanations, and the beginning of the realist movement. These events mixed with Dickinson's already formed skep ticism, resulted in the creation of, â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death†.

Exploring Gender Conventions in Film Essay

The American melodrama film, Mildred Pierce, directed by Todd Haynes, was based on the 1941 novel, written by James Cain. Mildred Pierce explores the roles of gender and class during the economic hardships of the stock market crash and the depression. This novel is a very effective representation of the 1930’s and 1940’s turmoil. An interview with Todd Haynes titled, â€Å"Something That is Dangerous and Arousing and Transgressive,† was done by Julia Leyda; and in that interview, Todd Haynes explains that women, â€Å"struggle with their embodiment, their identity, their social positions† (Leyda). James Cain created Mildred to be a woman who expressed many different attributes that women would not normally have during this time period and with the happening of the Great Depression. In his novel, Mildred represents a lower-middle-class woman who went through a divorce. Although she is a single parent in the beginning of the book, or as her friend Lucy calls it, a â€Å"grass widow,† she has the ambition to work and help Bert provide for their family. This book touches on a different aspect of gender expectations because during this time period many of the men did not have jobs and the women were the one’s working and earning money. This is evident through her ex-husband Bert, and her new husband (later in the film), Monty. Neither of them had jobs, she refers to them as loafs, and she does all that she can to provide for them. Mildred is embarrassed by some of the job offerings she got and does not want to disappoint her self-aggrandizing daughter. As mentioned in chapter five, it is obvious that Mildred fears Veda. The novel reads: She was afraid of Veda, of her snobbery, her contempt, her unbreakable spirit. And she was afraid of something that seemed always lurking under Veda’s bland, phony toniness: a cold, cruel, coarse desire to torture her mother, to humiliate her, above everything else, to hurt her. Mildred apparently yearned for warm affection from this child[†¦ ] but all she ever got was a stagy, affected counterfeit. (Cain 86) Mildred was constantly trying to impress Veda and her dreams of becoming rich, whereas in this family’s present state, it was almost impossible. Mildred even had to break down and beat Veda because she had been so vicious toward her when all Mildred ever did was bust her ass to earn enough money for her children. And for a while, Mildred even kept work a secret so that her own children would not have to worry about their family falling apart and finding out that they were lower middle class. One really important part of this book was when Mildred stood up to Veda and said, â€Å"You may not realize it, but everything you have costs money, from the maid that you ordered to go traipsing with you to the pool, to your food, and everything else that you have† (Cain 85). Mildred has a strong will to keep her family strong, but at the same time she faces two weaknesses: sleeping with men, and having a strong devotion to please her daughter Veda, who lives in a fantasy wishing she were upper-class. It is odd because she resorts to sex when she encounters stress and her sexual life is her sense of freedom; but when it comes to her work life, she is constantly on the edge and she does not indulge in it. Work is often what causes the stress in her life. In addition, Monty has the same fantasy as Veda and in the end of the film we see Mildred being pushed away from both of them, and eventually they end up together. Throughout the whole novel, Veda and Monty represent the upper-class and Mildred admires Veda so much because she is a reminder that there is hope to get to a better state during the depression. At one point in the novel Mildred even tells Veda that everything good happens on account of her. Haynes focuses on gender and class as huge themes in this film and he states that: what’s so fascinating about Mildred as a character is the way she has all of this potential for incredible productive and sexual success: a willfulness and a sense that she deserves it. Of course, there are all kinds of things she has to overcome initially, the sense of pride, before she can go out and get a job and work her way up the ladder and discover her innate talents[†¦ ] while at the same time being so thoroughly harnessed to a whole other set of terms that have everything to do with feminine identification and subjectivity, and mothering, and class. (Leyda) After Mildred accepts the fact that she must inherit a job, she becomes very good at what she does and she takes all of her domestic attributes and converts them into the work-field through taking up a job at a restaurant. Compared to the other women and families during the time of depression, many of them lost jobs, large amounts of money, homes, family, and many other things. With these important aspects on the line, Mildred remains strong and uses her willpower to overcome the obstacles thrown her way. This touches on class a lot and Mildred does a phenomenal job at keeping her family secure through this very tough time. As a lower middle class woman stuck in the depression, Mildred was very resilient and hard working toward recovering from the stock market crash and the depression which left her and her family with almost nothing. Another film that deals a lot with gender is the 2009 spine-chilling horror film Splice, directed by Vincenzo Natali. This film features two young genetic engineering scientists, Elsa and Clive, who are trying to discover a new protein for pharmaceutical purposes. The blog post on shaviro. com about this movie reads, â€Å"Splice never departs from being a genre film; but the way it twists genre conventions is powerful and original† (Shaviro). This movie reworks some of the themes and motifs that appeared in Frankenstein and Eraserhead. Throughout the entire film, Elsa seems to be the better educated of the two, but together they create a blob-like figure in each gender, and as they are developing they will soon be presented to their team to show them reproducing. While all of this was happening, Elsa and Clive decide that since they were successful with the first part of their experiment, they would like to make it more challenging and add human DNA to the specimen (although they were told not to because of the dangers) and see what the end result is. Once again, they are successful and they have now created a new creature with human DNA in it. Clive wants to kill it – which shows his aggressive and protective side, two qualities often found in males – but Elsa becomes very attached to it and obtains motherly qualities toward it – which is evidently linked to women gender expectations. Mentioned in the blog post, â€Å"Most of the movie is taken up with Elsa’s â€Å"mothering† of Dren, with Clive as the somewhat distant father figure. And this is where any prejudice that â€Å"mothering† might be â€Å"natural,† or inherently â€Å"feminine,† or inherently hardwired in Elsa’s, or any woman’s, genes, definitively breaks down† (Shaviro). Elsa convinces Clive to keep it alive so that they can â€Å"study it closely,† when all she really wants is to protect it like her own child – it does contain her own DNA after all. She has a horrific style of parenting in that she treats Dren with respect at one moment, and then flips the complete opposite the next. From the interview, the author says that, â€Å"There is clearly something narcissistic and self-obsessed here; all the more so when we learn that Clive wants to have a child, but Elsa is reluctant† (Shaviro). Elsa decides to play it safe and instead of bearing her own child, which would take her away from her work and give her less control, she genetically creates Dren a hybrid of animal DNA as well as her own. As it grows up, they must keep it a secret because they were never authorized to do so by their company. Clive grows very attached and attracted to Dren, but later finds out that Elsa put her own DNA into the creature and he is furious with her and realizes that this is why she had become so obsessive and protective over Dren. She even gets angry with Clive when he refers to Dren as a specimen and not a â€Å"she. † As Elsa and Clive are absentmindedly worrying about their own problems as a couple, the two creatures they created in the beginning, Fred and Ginger, undergo a weird switch. Ginger switches from a male to female while they are presenting their new specimen to their research team. In this part of the film Ginger and Fred (both males at this point) brutally murder each other instead of reproducing like intended, leaving the audience in shock with blood and guts flying freely. Because Elsa and Clive were so involved in Dren and had been neglecting their real experiment, everything went wrong. This goes to show just how restricted the gender expectations are among humans. It labels males as violent and aggressive, especially toward each other, which touches on the way society sees gay men and how unacceptable it appears to be. Another few actions that represent the expectations of gender are when Elsa treats Dren like her own child and forces a motherly figure, and when Clive has sex with Dren. This scene is really disturbing because one, the creature isn’t human, and two, Dren has some of his girlfriend’s DNA in her. Toward the end of the film things get even worse. Dren also switches from female to male and attacks a few people and then kills Clive with the retractable stinger in his tail, then he rapes Elsa and Elsa gets away and kills him before he does anymore destruction. This points out that men are very inclined to sex and are almost seen as uncontrollable. It also makes women seem more vulnerable, especially with Elsa being raped by Dren later in the film. In the very last scene of the film, Elsa is pregnant with Dren’s baby and is going to have the baby and give it to the company for more experimentation and does not seem to care, even though it is very crude. The interview reads, â€Å"Splice‘s focus upon a woman instead of a man as the â€Å"mad scientist† figure whose creations ultimately lead to catastrophe has been quite a point of contention† (Shaviro) and this is a different aspect to the movie Frankenstein, which was basically the same plot with a ale scientist and no technology. In conclusion the interview claimed, â€Å"Gender roles are oddly reinforced[†¦ ] The film entirely scrambles our sense of what is natural and what is artificial† (Shaviro). Splice is very twisted and touches on a lot of weird expectations that society has made out for men and women. It paints men to be very controlling, defiant, and drawn toward sex, and it paints women to be very motherly, protective of their c hildren, and caring toward others.

Juvenile Probation Officers Essay

All Juvenile Probation Officers (JPO) are required to complete 40 working hours per week following a flexible work schedule. JPOs are entitled to paid working holidays which includes, but are not limited to, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Please note that in the occasion that the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, another day off may be substituted, upon approval of the employer. JPOs may also be granted a vacation leave after six months of continuous service has been rendered. The number of vacation leave, however, will depend on the number of years in service, with a maximum of 15 days for those having rendered at least one year of continuous service. JPOs are also entitled to family leaves in cases of giving birth or conception-related cases, adoption, care of new-born child, family illness, child’s medical appointment of parent-teacher conference Health Insurance. All employees are entered in a group health insurance under a health maintenance organization (HMO) as approved by two-thirds of the majority during the General Assembly Meeting. The group insurance will cover hospitalization, health, long-tern disability, and accident expenses. Employer contribution starting January 2007 will be $557 per month. As such, premiums required for maintenance of the insurance, in excess of the employers contribution, shall be deducted by the state treasurer on the JPO’s salary on a monthly basis and upon employee’s written order. Retirement/ savings plan. After achieving five years of continuous service, provided that the employee is 50 years of age, a JPO is entitled to a retirement benefit which will be computed based on the employee’s age of retirement, length of service, and pre-retirement earnings. Employees may opt for a normal or early retirement, the latter, however, will deduct the accrued benefits for the years prior to the normal retirement age. The employee may choose to receive payment of benefits on a straight life annuity where the retiree will be paid on a periodic basis; or lump-sum payment where the retiree will receive the full one-time payment and no further benefits will be given to the employee upon receipt of payment. Other options will be joint-and-survivor annuity where benefits are provided for married participants. The amount of survivor annuity shall be between 50-100% of the amount payable for the time the couple is alive. The amount, however, will be lower than that received from straight life annuity. In cases where an employee become totally disabled or ill prior to his eligibility in the retirement plan, but has served the company for 10 consecutive years, he will be entitled for a disability retirement benefit, which he could defer or immediately claim. Life insurance. In cases of death or dismemberment of employees, they will be entitled to a life insurance benefit which will be paid in lump sum following the multiple-of-earnings formula. Using this formula, the length of service and earnings of the employee will be incorporated in the computation and will therefore increase following an increase in employee’s salary. Provisions for the life insurance includes accidental death and dismemberment benefits to the employee or his beneficiary equivalent to the basic life insurance and a percentage of the life benefit for dismemberment; monthly income to surviving family members of the employee; retirement from work; and reduction of life insurance for employees near or above 65 years.

Supply Chain Integration Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Supply Chain Integration - Case Study Example The power of IOIS also helped in creating an adversarial relationship between Wal-Mart and P&G. In this case, information technology helped in creating an accurate and timely information flow within the organizations. In simple terms, technology helped in establishing a common language especially during the partnership (Clark, and McKenny, 1995). Through technology, both organizations’ costs were driven down. Supply chain integration entails the flow of both products and information between organizational supply chain members. Recently, technology use is considered a requirement for any effective control in supply chain integration. In fact, development in technology enables organizational supply chain management to avail information easily. These technologies remain significant especially in coordinating the activities that help manage supply chain. Despite the acknowledged significance of IT use in supply chain integration, most studies assessing technology use in supply chain context remains limited (Coyle, Langley, Gibson, & Novack, 2012). According to the article, technology use especially in supply chain management is divided into at least three aspects. The three aspects include; Use of inter-organizational systems in supply chain integration remains important especially in information sharing. It also helps in processing across organizational boundaries. In organizations such as Wal-Mart, technology has played various roles in the company’s supply chain integration. Key roles in this case include driving out costs via automation, joint scorecards and measurements, and sharing information to better consumer understanding. It also helps in driving sales (Coyle, Langley, Gibson, & Novack, 2012). On the other hand, technology in supply chain integration helps in emphasizing strong commitment into developing mutually beneficial

Alternative media Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Alternative media - Case Study Example It’s obvious this is a subtle dig at the propensity of tobacco to be a cancer causing agent. In other such co-optations Adbuster’s parodied Tiger Woods as a picture of the Nike logo in the background was featured and then a swoosh sign within Tiger Wood’s mouth was inserted. The implications for this are clear, as it demonstrates a political commentary on the means by which Nike has purchased Wood’s advertising power and voice. Another image has the slogan ‘Buy Nothing Day’ with a giant credit card running down the street displayed. In these regards, there are ultimately two means of constructing these forms of alternative commercialization. The first being the alteration of existing imagery in an effort to play on the power effects contained in these images. The second method is the direct construction of methods that call into question mainstream social ideals, for instance consumerism. References "Culture Jammers." Adbusters. N.p., 2011. We b. 7 Apr 2011. .

Top business management teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Top business management teams - Essay Example Wrong approach on these issues has seen different companies; organizations and firms topple while as correct measures have seen their excellence and succession. Recently, each and every firm has its human resource management department on the spotlight. Even though the situation is so, critics and analysts point out that it the high time line managers and human resource professionals rethought and redefined the exact meaning of human resource (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). As a result, human resource managers are responding to scrutiny by applying new thinking and approach. They are trying to transform from the earlier concept of do-ables to focusing on more proactive measures, the deliverables. While the do-ables usually dwell on improving HR practices, upgrading HR professionals, and re-instituting or re- engineering of human resource departments. Activities involved here are emphasizing on taken actions, activities and an organizations happenings, occurrences and events. Deliverables deal mainly in outcomes, values and results that emerge from carrying out or under taking human resource upgrading or practice. Survey done on aspects towards managing performance and development of workers: shows a variety of differences depending on the nature of business. Some of the strategies applied included strategies, policies and employee recruitment, promotion, appraisals, pension payment and compensation: job design, complains handling and labor management. Managers must take competence of their workers into account very serious, technically/functionally that is individual achievements in finance, marketing and customer care, core basically in organization, crisis management, logistics and manufacturing. Social capabilities like leadership, setting directives, diversity, commitment, teamwork and credibility among other reasons. They should also consider organizational merits such as long distance work, time, speed and intellectual capital. Competencies result to correct total income and balance sheet reflection. Incase of errors or omissions, reports annual reports published would reflect a lie, even from a slight discrepancy. Competence also ensures that final products or services are of high standards thus increasing customer in flow and a growth in demand (Bowen and Ostroff, 2004). Managers should make change happen by being the change agent: In an environment that is unpredictable or even unforeseeable, they should emphasize on the ability to quickly change rather than investing on policies that might not work in such cases. They ought to prepare their workers for anything anytime. Change in the sense of perceptions and euphoria about the company is also worth consideration in efforts towards HR management. They should create an intellectual capital and play employee champions: the challenge lies in what they have and how to increase it. With keen interest on workers progress, managers can encourage and campaign for even better working conditions. By championing for their welfare in turn morale can be boosted among employees. Human resource managers need also to improve on their employee relations in order to create that friendly atmosphere. This involves understanding of their pros and cons, practicing empathy and creating a close relationship between them and the working team in their company. By showing that they really care, the workers will feel

Human-wk7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human-wk7 - Essay Example I would think that educators would help students identify goals for their education. As an example, students may want to set a goal that would bring them a better life. They may see this type of gal as long-term and may find another way to identify shorter term goals but they may first need to be exposed to education that helps them identify what they want. Self-regulation comes into play as children would reflect on their wants and needs. Reeve (2009) suggests that this happens as people begin to define goals and work towards them. As they begin to move towards their goals, they also begin to identify whether the goals they have set are working or need to be changed. In educating teens, I would think that educators would also set goals for what they wanted children to learn. Reeve also talks about self-regulation as a skill that must be developed. I would facilitate self-regulation with teens by exposing them to people from Liberia who had set goals and realized them. Plans-- my plans were to begin my Masters and continue it once I began. I think my plan was too big at the time because I did not take into consideration that raising a family and working full time would be difficult. Goals -- I set several goals in my head but I never wrote them down. I wanted a Masters degree because I felt it would bring more money but it was too difficult trying to do school, work full time and take care of my family. Smaller goals would have been better and would have stopped me from feeling so overwhelmed. Personal strivings--I always wanted a Masters degree in counseling because I wanted to help people. I wanted the goal to be completed quickly and I thought I could do it while working full time. I was not able to do it in that way. Implementation intention -- I did not have a specific plan for my Masters degree. I only wanted to have one. If I had set specific goals for completion like I have now, I may have been

Read two essays, and which historian (Dan Carter or Bruce Schulman) Assignment

Read two essays, and which historian (Dan Carter or Bruce Schulman) does the best job of describing the origins of the New Right Why - Assignment Example Carter’s approach of depicting the origins of the New Right is from an event’s (politician’s race) perspective. However, his work neglected to explore the holistic nature of the New Right phenomenon and presented a one-sided argument -- that political movement alone spurred its resurgence. Carter’s work focused on Wallace’s contribution: â€Å"his attacks on the federal government have become the gospel of modern conservatism; his angry rhetoric, the foundation for the new ground rules of political warfare† (Hoffman, Blum, and Gjerde 485). According to his work, the resurgence of New Right started with â€Å"George Wallace’s racist populism, sharpened with Nixon and Agnew’s ‘law and order’ demagogy and triumphant with Reagan’s ‘tough on crime’ policies† (Lyons 28). Schulman’s work capitalized in his clear demographic story of the economic shifting towards the Sunbelt (a rightist territory) and establishment of supporting arguments about the strengthening of New Right. His arguments include the 1) stating of economic developments; 2) fostering of a less federal government; 3) posing the effects of the failure of North and Eastern unions like, they â€Å"had risen with the great industrial revolution in the heartland, and they were falling with it too† (Hoffman, Blum, and Gjerde 488); and emphasizing, not just political developments but socio-cultural developments. Schulman’s format worked well in presenting the emergence of New Right as a participating event in the â€Å"reconfiguration of twentieth-century American politics† (McGirr 273). Much of New Right activities took center stage in politics, yet its big picture lies in the industrial and commercial movements of the economy, and socio-cultural flow within the civilian spheres. Thus, it is appropriate to include not just a single perspective in presenting the New Right’s origins. Bruce Schulman’s work took heed of this topic’s nature and

Monumental Architecture Essay Example for Free

Monumental Architecture Essay Monumental architecture is large man-made structure of stone or earth. I live in New York, one of the largest cities in the world. We have many examples of the monumental architectures. The top ten of them are the Statue of Liberty, Grant’s Tomb, Grand Army Plaza, Washington Square Arch, Columbus Circle Fountain, The Grand Army Plaza, Literary Walk, Richard Morris Hunt Memorial, 107th Infantry Memorial, and the 911 Memorial. I have been living in New York City for the last twenty years. On September 11, 2011, I arrived at work as usually fifteen minutes earlier and while I was parked my car I heard on the radio that one of the airplane struck the World Trade Tower. I came to my floor and told all my workers about it. Our building was located in the East part of New York; we could see the Twins Towers from our windows. From our windows, we saw how the second airplane struck the second tower. Panic struck everyone. In the Towers and the area surrounding, there were friends and relatives, we feared for their lives. We tried to reach them but the phone lines were over-flowing and we cannot reach them right away. From the windows in our offices we saw how the building collapsed. After that our director decided to close our office early in order for us to go be with our families. From work I went directly to school to pick up my daughter and on our way home I tried to explain to her what happening in the morning. My friends and relatives safely escape from the area of Twins Towers but many other lives were lost. As a tribute of remembrance and honor to the lives lost on September 11, 2001, a memorial was built by the name of the 911 Memorial. This memorial is located at the World Trade Center site, the former location of the Twin Towers. The memorial contains two square pools in the center, where the Twin Towers once stood surrounded by the forest of trees. The design of memorial is thirty feet below street level which was started in the year of 2006. This design contains the footprints of the buildings that stood. On September 11, 2011, a dedication ceremony was held at the memorial. The memorial officially was opened to the public on September 12, 2011. The museum of this tragedy opened around September 11, 2012. Many people now visit the memorial to remember not only the lives lost but of the heroes who went into the buildings to save others. www.911memorial.org http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/29/us/new-york-911-memorial/ http://timeline.national911memorial.org http://www.nationalgeographic.com/remembering-9-11/place-of-remembrance/ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44483977/ns/us_news-9_11_ten_years_later/t/memorial-plaza-nyc-opens-public/#.UP7cZ_JX-KI Rttp://gswho went into the firre

Political Apathy in Youth Essay

Political Apathy in Youth Essay Is Political Apathy Among Youths Prevalent Across The World Today? Tan Hong Kai Introduction The antithesis of social advancement, political apathy, is a pressing yet thorny issue all countries need to address. Citizens’ impassivity towards politics could destabilise a country, particularly the youths as they are the future of a nation. With the increasingly rapid pace of life, youths tend to be more occupied with keeping up with the Joneses and climbing up the social ladder rather than getting themselves involved in the affairs of their state. Recently, American youths have also made clear that they do not vote due to their dislike of politicians. Political apathy is a universal problem. It recognises no boundaries, and continues to be pervasive across many parts of the world today. Definition of Key Terms Political apathy is a lack of concern and the indifferent attitude of citizens towards public affairs. Throughout this essay, the term youths will refer specifically to persons between the ages of 18 and 29. Political Apathy Among Youths in America One of the main problems with American youths is the huge propensity to be politically indifferent. This attribute is seen in two metamorphic events, the 2008 and the 2012 Presidential Elections. 3.12008 and 2012 Presidential Elections The 2008 United States Presidential Elections saw Barack Obama succeed George Walker Bush as the 44th President of the United States. The voter turnout for the 2008 Presidential Elections was 61.6%, which was the highest since the 1968 Presidential Elections. Howbeit, Hayes (2013) pointed out that the youth vote made up a mere 19% of the electorate. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement pointed out that youths â€Å"make up 21% of the voting eligible population in the U.S.† The data above can be represented in a pie chart, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1. 2008 Presidential Elections Voter Turnout. Only 11.7% out of the 21% of youths casted a vote in the elections. Four years later, in the 2012 Presidential Elections, Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term. Voter turnout, however, decreased from 61.6% in 2008 to 58.2% in 2012. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (2012), 45% of youths voted, which is a decrease as in 2008, 51% of youths casted a vote. Evidently, less than half of all American youths are keen in choosing the leader they want to represent their nation. According to Kohnle (2013), the 2013 Harvard Public Opinion Project found that most American youths would replace every member of Congress if they could. However, 26% have declined the opportunity to vote in the 2014 midterm elections. Although American youths do hold certain views against the political leaders, they are uninterested in instigating change themselves. Stockley (2014), per contra, expressed that historically youths have been the least reliable voters as they tend to be distrust and be dissatisfied with the government for not listening to concerns, thus believing that their votes do not matter. This could be the reason why American youths choose not to vote. The participation of American youths in the elections suggests that problem of political apathy among youths is present in America. As youths are uninterested in voting, there is a lack of political participation as they choose to abstain from voting. Political apathy is thus present in the United States. 3.2Political Participation of American Youths Nevertheless, American youths cannot be said to be completely apathetic about politics. During the African-American Civil Rights Movement, youth activists participated in the â€Å"sit-in movement†, which had â€Å"at least 56 colleges in the region linked to† it. A decade later, hundreds of youth demonstrated at Times Square to protest against the Vietnam War. Thus in history, youths were proactive about politics and wanted a say in the decisions the government makes. In recent times, similar movements had taken place as well. In 2011, youths organised the Occupy Wall Street protest movement to express dissatisfaction at the country’s economic disparity and alleged political corruption. This suggests that even till today, youths do participate in politics and in this case, pressure the government to reform and ameliorate the country’s plight. American youths are hence not as apathetic as feared. American youths are concerned and do express their thoughts over state affairs through demonstrations and protest. Political Apathy Among Youths in China While America is ruled democratically, the People’s Republic of China adopts a different kind of political ideology. Governed by the Communist Party of China, civilians in the socialist country do not have the opportunity and freedom to vote for a leader. Nonetheless, the difference on political ideology has no impact on whether citizens are concerned about the state’s affairs; youths in China are politically apathetic as well. To date, the Tiananmen Square protest of 1989 was the only student-led demonstrations in China. In 1989, Chinese youths gathered in Tiananmen Square. Youths called for social equality, freedom of speech, and most importantly, democracy, amidst political corruption and economic nepotism. However, on 4th June, Chinese troops entered Tiananmen Square and opened fire on these student protesters. This attack conveys the message that the government is unwelcoming of these demonstrations and will be hostile towards anyone who partakes in such protests. Political apathy in China can be attributed to the education system and the stringent laws the Communist Party of China had enforced in the country. The Chinese Education System The Chinese education system places a huge emphasis on galvanising chauvinism. Taboo topics such as the Cultural Revolution, the Hundred Flowers Campaign, the Great Leap Forward and the aforementioned Tiananmen Square Massacre are intentionally omitted from the syllabus. (â€Å"Political Apathy Among Youth†, 2012) As these taboo subjects are usually events which stir anti-government fervor, youths lack exposure to these movements which could have spurred them to participate in political activities and make a difference. Besides, in the Chinese education system, America’s multi-party system is ridiculed. In high school, students go through Political Science lessons and courses, in which they are taught sensitive yet critical issues such as Sino-Japanese relations, the â€Å"Taiwan Issue† and â€Å"Mao Zedong Thought.† These lessons stir nationalistic feelings and promote patriotism among the students. Thus, youths are taught to be loyal and committed to the Communist Party of China. As a result, youths would refrain from instigating anti-government protests or participating in politics as they are satisfied with status quo. The Prohibition of Demonstrations All protests are banned in China. â€Å"Public demonstrations from dissidents that explicitly oppose the government will be whisked away by the police force.† (â€Å"Political Apathy Among Youth†, 2012) Due to such strict laws the government has imposed, youths would naturally be unconcerned about politics. Youths know that any efforts to call for change will be dismissed. Only government-sanctioned protests are permitted. This can be seen from the 2012 Anti-Japan Riots. Tang (2012) reports that â€Å"Outside the Japanese Embassy, student protesters shouted slogans demanding that Japan relinquish the Senkaku islands.† While Chinese youths do not initiate any movements or demonstrations as it is banned, they would still participate in protests approved and led by the Communist Party of China. Political apathy is hence prevalent amongst Chinese youths as they do not display any interest or concern unless they are instructed by the government to do so. Political Apathy Among Youths in Singapore Singapore has always been known as the bridge between the East and the West. As mentioned, both the youths in the East and the West are politically apathetic. Intriguingly and idiosyncratically, that is not the case in this hybridised cultural melting pot. Political Participation of Singaporean Youths Singaporean youths have actively participated in politics. This can be seen from the organisations youths have established in response to certain political issues. 5.1.1Youth for Ecology In 2013, the government released the Population White Paper which proposed the Singapore population to hit 6.9 million in 2030. The release triggered a countrywide debate as Singaporeans did not welcome the import of foreign labour. A group of youths from Singapore Polytechnic realised that â€Å"there was little said about the environmental impact of what was outlined in the paper†, thus they formed the â€Å"Youth for Ecology† to raise awareness. Dialogues were organised and papers were written and submitted to Nominated Member of Parliament Faizah Jamal to address in Parliament. Singaporean youths are concerned about the nation’s future as well. They are also willing to take action to appeal to the government certain aspects they might have missed out. 5.1.2Social Media According to Lee (2013), a Singapore Polytechnic survey found that â€Å"almost 71% of those aged 15 to 19 said they speak up on politics and the Government on social media, while 68% of those aged 20 to 24 do so†. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, all of which are hugely popular among the tech-savvy youths, can be used to express their opinions on state affairs. A study conducted by the Institute Policy of Science (2010) showed that 25.5% of youths participate in politics online as compared to 16.8% adults. Over 77% of Singaporeans in their 20s have a Facebook account (Nielson, 2009) while more than half of Singapore Members of Parliament have a Facebook account. (Hussain, 2010) Thus, social media can be utilised to convey their opinions on political issues and ensure it is heard by the Members of Parliament. With such a convenient platform, youths are recommended to air their views freely and encouraged to participate in political activities. 2006 and 2011 General Elections Nonetheless, the voting turnout of Singaporean youths has been largely disappointing. Chang (2012) found that in Singapore, despite its compulsory voting, the youth turnout had a 40% drop from 63% to 2006 to 38% to 2011. About 70% of young voters had hardly voted in elections. A survey conducted by The New Paper found that 40% of youths will not vote if voting were optional. Furthermore, 25% of youths bemoaned that they have little say in government policies. (â€Å"Are our young Singaporean voters politically apathetic?†, 2011) This suggests that Singaporean youths believe that it would have been pointless to vote since they could not influence any plans the government proposes. Conclusion As Meheresh Yeditha puts it so nicely, â€Å"As the youth, we are its future. Our habits, political views, and actions will have a major effect on the future of our country, and the future of humanity. We as a youth have a moral obligation not only to be informed about current situations, but also to try to make a difference.† Political apathy is something any country could not afford. Youths, being a crucial subset of every electorate, can influence election results to a huge extent. Despite, political apathy is still present in today’s world. Youth turnout for the American Presidential Elections in 2008 and 2012 was low. Nevertheless, American youths have organised political movements to protest about certain issues. Saying that American youths are politically apathetic would be a sweeping statement. In China, due to the education system which places a huge emphasis on chauvinism and the prohibition of demonstrations, youths believe that any participation would not have any impact on how the country is ran at all. Therefore, Chinese youths would not be concerned about state affairs knowing that there is no room for contribution. In Singapore, youths are actively participating in the country’s state affairs. For instance, youths have established organisations which provide feedback to Members of Parliament on certain governmental policies. Youths have also used social media as a platform to express their opinions. However, youth turnout has declined, and youths would choose not to vote as they believe they had little say in politics. Nevertheless, voter turnout should not be the only measure used to determine whether a country’s youths are politically apathetic or not. Political participation should also consist of how vocal they are and how much they engage themselves with political issues. Such is the case in America and Singapore, where youths may not vote but are proactive in voicing out their concerns through protests and peaceful demonstrations. As in the case of socialist China, since there are no elections and freedom of expression is limited, Chinese youths are demotivated to participate in politics, which explains why they are politically apathetic. Plato once said â€Å"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. For a democracy to work, people must participate in that democracy. The same applies to any political ideology. Governments worldwide have gradually become aware of that and are starting to take measures to curb political apathy. In America, MTV has established the â€Å"Rock the Vote† organisation, which strives to fuse pop culture and technology to encourage youths to register and cast a ballot. It allows youths to register online, which is a more convenient process. In Singapore, the People’s Action Party has set up and developed a youth wing, called the â€Å"Young PAP†. Formed by Singaporean youths, it seeks to influence youths to participate in politics as they are indispensable to Singapore’s future. In China, while plans have been made to provide more channels to allow youths to express their thoughts, it remains to be seen what will be put into effect. During the 2011 United Nations High-Level Meeting, Senior Official Zhou Changkui mentioned, â€Å"As youth is an important political force, facilitating youth in political participation symbolizes equality and progress of a society. Participation is a way for young people to improve their status, exercise their rights and promote common development.† It could only be a matter of time when barriers are removed and Chinese youths start to engage themselves in political activities. It is therefore unfair to say that political apathy among youths is prevalent across the world. While it exists, it is not pervasive and widespread. Youths in democratic countries such as Singapore are less politically apathetic as compared to those in countries with lesser freedom, such as China. Hence political apathy among youths is not prevalent across the world today, but it is existent and is a pressing problem for countries to curb and prevent. 7.0References