Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Music Censorship is Not Needed Essay - 762 Words

Music Censorship is Not Needed Marilyn Manson. Eminem. Limp Bizkit. Rammstein. All of these musical artists have been under fire in the past few years by government officials, the media, and activist groups. Supposedly, their music conveys too violent of a message. The sounds and words these artists have so carefully crafted have been targeted as the cause for violent acts, especially by young people. For example, Columbine shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold idolized German industrial bands such as Rammstein and KMFDM, as well as American shock rocker, Marilyn Manson. The public has been quick to blame these musicians for violence in the United States. People are calling for government regulations in the form of†¦show more content†¦The government has taken some appropriate steps in making the public aware of the content of music albums. Very few critics can deny that parental advisory labels are beneficial. Although adults and children frequently ignore them, at least they make consumers a ware of any potentially offensive content. Parents concerned about extremely violent or offensive music can outright refuse to buy the CD in question. Alternatively, parents can research and examine the content. However, stores such as WalMart and K-Mart have been known to ask artists to redesign their album covers or to release an edited version of an album, simply because the stores feel a CD is potentially offensive. This practice, however, goes a step too far. No store owner can please all customers. Either sell the CD with the appropriate warning, or choose not to stock it. Additionally, stores that are so worried about sales figures might consider the fact that such adult oriented material may attract a larger, slightly older consumer base, one which would be willing to spend more money on other products. One argument that is continually pulled into this debate is the First Amendment. According to the United States Constitution, everyone is entitled to the right to free speech, which is a sacred American belief. By submitting to censorship, artists are essentiallyShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Music On The Music Industry1555 Words   |  7 Pagescensoring music on the radio and CDs is not a right thing as censorship can hide a meaning of the song. There are a lot of different factors why many people want their songs to be the way that the songwriter writes them. But these people usually forget that there are many more factors why songs should be censored. On the other hand, people want songs to be Ã' ensored because uncensored music can highly affect young children, limit the exposure of people s morality and some people want music to be censoredRead MoreCensorship And Its Effect On Children1619 Words   |  7 Pagesthey see being done. Without censorship daily television shows are increasingly exhibiting more violence, foul language and sexuality to susceptible youth. Due to lack of censorship, explicit music lyrics and inappropriate images on music videos are being introduced to impressionable children. There is a lack of control on the internet leading to internet addiction and forces vulnerable adolescents to face cyber bullying. In a variety of mediums not enough censorship is used, which influences impressionableRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By F. Bradbury1131 Words   |  5 Pagesworld presented in Fahrenheit 451 we will be able to see the different themes and the factors that influence them. The four main factors that influence the story are the controlling government, terrible social conditions, advances technology and censorship. Although, some a play a bigger part than others, without all the them the book s final outcome could have changed in a drastic way. The government in Fahrenheit 451 ties into most of the drama throughout the book. In the book, the governmentRead MoreEssay on censorship846 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Censorship is the act of suppressing publications, movies, television programs, plays, letters, and so on that are considered to be obscene, blasphemous, or politically unacceptable† (MccGwire 4). Censorship should be enforced because it is needed into today’s society. Censorship needs to be used in media, hate speech, and obscene material. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;To begin with, the media has very negative effect on society as a whole. â€Å"The mass media—movies, television, and recordings—needRead MoreThe Need for Censorship in the Media Essay1650 Words   |  7 PagesThe Need for Censorship in the Media Censorship is the cuts and remakes of media mainly movies. Censorship is usually when obscene scenes and actions have been removed from a piece of media. Censorship has been around for a long time, censorship is supposed to protect us from the things which happen in media for example movies which contain horror, sex or violence. Censorship is said by the government to help us because it cuts out scenes which may mentally affectRead MoreThe Effects Of Censorship On The World Essay1749 Words   |  7 PagesAround the turn of the century â€Å"many observers of German culture concluded that a new performing art was needed†(Jelavich 26) it needed meet a middle ground between â€Å" the mindlessness of popular variety shows and the incomprehensible esoterism of avant-garde†( Jelavich 26). This is when the form cabaret came to the rescue. Berlin had over fifty theatres in operation as the wartime censorship had been abandoned this new edgy artistic movement evolved. The German currency, the Mark, was significantlyRead More Music Censorship Essay3364 Words   |  14 Pagesfuss about? Censorship, Government officials, and raving mad protesters alike have been trying to stop the expressive creativity in everything from rap music to Mark Twain. Censorship in music is a topic that has brought about much controversy in the past two decades. There have been many different arguments on the topic, however the question still remains as if it should be censored or it should not be censored. In Paul Blanshard’s book The Right To Read: The Battle Against Censorship, he speaksRead MoreSelf Efficacy And Self Control Essay1700 Words   |  7 PagesAnderson and Overy (2010) Craig Locus of control of behavior Scale found decrease in self-efficacy in both experiment groups and the control group. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale found 8.74% increase in self-confidence for music groups, but not with art groups. None Strengths: included music and art experiment groups, included control group, multiple measures and assessments Limitations: Small sample size, discrepancies in testing measures, interventions not completed within 8 week time allocation, notRead MoreEssay on Censoring the Pages of Knowledge1688 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel Fahrenheit 451 is the idea of censorship. In Bradburys fictional world, owning books is illegal. A firemans job is not putting out fires like one may assume. In Fahrenheit 451, a fireman has the job of starting fires. Firefighters start fires in homes containing books. If this were reality, there would be no homes to live in. Books have become an integral part of American life. However, the theme of censorship is still relevant in American life. Censorship is enforced in an interesting wayRead MoreEssay on Rage Against the Machine1523 Words   |  7 Pagesactually protest against the censorship of music and the Parents Music Resource Center, founded by Tipper Gore (Buchi, incidents par. 3-4). The music of Rage Against the Machine contains the political and social views of the band members. They are very avid about defending constitutional rights of the individual and large groups of deprived people. The members of Rage Against the Machine each bring diversity and strong political views into the music they produce. Each member is

Monday, December 23, 2019

Should Corporal Punishment Be Banned Essay - 1983 Words

Seven countries-Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Italy and Cyprus- have laws making it illegal for parents to use physical punishment on their children. Corporal punishment in schools has been banned in all the countries in Europe, South and Central America, China and Japan. The United States has outlawed corporal punishment from our prisons as cruel and inhumane treatment, as well as wife-beating, once thought to be the right of a husband. Why don’t we afford the same protection to our children? Our culture sanctions the use of corporal or physical punishment as a way for parents to discipline their children. Just a few weeks ago Marvin Munyon, president of the Family Resource Forum based in Madison, Wisconsin, was at the Eau Claire Gospel Center to talk about and demonstrate the proper way to spank children. Mr. Munyon would have us believe that discipline other than spanking is ineffective (Emerson 1B, 3B). From my experience as a child and a parent I have found the opposite to be true. If we take a look at what discipline is and the reasons parents use physical punishment, we can then start to understand that there are more effective ways to discipline children. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines corporal punishment, as â€Å"bodily punishment.† The word punish is defined by the same source as â€Å"to cause to undergo pain, loss, etc., as for a crime.† There is no mention anywhere in this definition about teaching or training which is one of the definitions ofShow MoreRelatedCorporal Punishment Should Be Banned1459 Words   |  6 Pagescourse, it is no surprise that corporal punishment against school going children is one of the most controversial topics throughout the globe, including within political, academic, and general public debates at large. A detailed review of available literature on the topic reveals that the academic discussion is divided into those who argue that corporal punishment is effective and necessary in schools, and those who argue that the risks and disadvantages of corporal punishment far outweigh its benefitsRead MoreShould Corporal Punishment Be Banned? Schools?975 Words   |  4 Pagesof corporal punishment in schools, yet discussions are now re-surfaced to bring it back. While Corporal punishment is currently banned in schools in American Samoa, it is widely administered at home and tolerated in other social settings such as in church communities, sports events, or wherever children under the age of eighteen are present. Before I expand on my stance in this matter; let’s take a glimpse at the definition of Corporal punishment first of all. The term corporal punishment refersRead More Corporal Punishment of Children Should be Banned Essay2475 Words   |  10 PagesThe term corporal punishment is defined as the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not injury, for the purpose of correction or control of the child’s behavior (A Report 18). In America, parents use of corporal punishment in homes have been defined legally by the states as â€Å"encompassing ‘reasonable’ force with some states adding qualifiers that it must also be ‘appropriate’ (AL, AK, AZ, CA, CC), ‘moderate’ (AR, DE, SC, SD), or ‘necessary’ (MT,Read MoreCorporal Punishment Should Be Taught Essay856 Words   |  4 PagesCorporal is derived from the Latin word corporÄ lis bodily which is equivalent to corpor meaning,  "of the human body; bodily; physical†, as defined by the dictionary. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines corporal punishment as, â€Å"punishment that involves hitting someone: physical punishment†. The Committee on the Rights of the Child in the General Comment No. 8 defines ‘corporal’ or ‘physical’ punishment as, â€Å"any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of painRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Corporal Punishment707 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is corporal punishment and what is being done about it? Corporal punishment is in layman’s terms is a physical discipline of a child such as slapping, hitting, whipping, and paddling, along with other types of physical contact. Forty-three countries have laws against corporal punishment and more than one-hundred countries have recognized it is wrong but has not banned it. The reason the ban is effective is it limits the parents from the vague guideline s that are set and prevents them from becomingRead MoreEssay on Abolishing Corporal Punishment in the United States Schools755 Words   |  4 PagesCorporal punishment is a discipline method in which an administering adult inflicts pain upon a student (usually using a paddle) in response to a students offensive behavior. Nowadays regulations have been created as to how many â€Å"swats† can be inflicted, by whom, and with what instrument. It is still used in many U.S. schools as a disciplinary method against disobedient or defiant students. Although corporal punishment is no longer tolerated in the military, prisons, or mental institutions, 21 statesRead MoreCorporal Punishment Is A Used Form Of Discipline Around The World1516 Words   |  7 Pages Corporal punishment is a commonly used form of discipline around the world. Author Dobson, J. (2013) defines corporal punishment as the use of physical force without causing harm with the intention of disciplining or modifying be havior in children. Pain, but not injury is how corporal punishment is distinguished from physical abuse. Many ask, when does corporal punishment become physical abuse? According to The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2010, child abuse is when Any recentRead MorePurpose Of Corporal Punishment1151 Words   |  5 PagesCorporal Punishment is the intentional act of disciplining by inflicting physical pain as retribution for an offense or wrongdoing. The purpose of corporal punishment is to prevent the offense or wrongdoing from happening again by instilling or associating fear with these undesired acts. Corporal punishment may be divided into three main types: parental or domestic corporal punishment, school corporal punishment and judicial corporal punishment which closely related to prison corporal punishmentRead MoreCorporal Punishment And Its Effect On Children1587 Words   |  7 PagesThe term corporal punishment is defined as the use of physical force with t he intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not injury, for the purpose of correction or control of the child’s behavior Seven nations Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Italy and Cyprus-have laws making it illicit for parents to utilize physical discipline on their children. Corporal punishment in schools has been banned in every one of the nations in Europe, South and Central America, China and JapanRead MoreCorporal Punishment Is Defined As The Utilization Of Physical Force1459 Words   |  6 PagesThe term corporal punishment is defined as the utilization of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, yet not harm, for the purpose of correction or control of the child’s behavior. Seven nations Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Italy and Cyprus-have laws making it illicit for parents to utilize physical discipline on their children. Corporal punishment in schools has been banned in every one of the nations in Europe, South and Central America, China and

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Biography Song Free Essays

All people around the world has blessed with different talents and gifts. I would say that I am one of them and that most individuals like music. Everywhere you go, you can see people around who are fond in listening to music may it be â€Å"noisy† for others or not but for them it is a music that soothes their beings. We will write a custom essay sample on Biography Song or any similar topic only for you Order Now I am a recording engineer who dearly loves music. Music is my passion and this is how I can express my feelings whether am happy or sad. Music is an expression of one’s emotion. Every line of the song tells a story and its rhythm and melody has meanings that foretold the joy and sadness of the composer. My interest in music motivates me to study in this field at an early age of 13. It is a lifestyle that I live on and music uplifts my soul. I also love touching other’s lives through the music I make. I strongly believe that music has big role to play in communicating with different kinds of people from different walks of life. Moreover, I also write songs. I love writing songs because they make me happy. Songs that relate to what I feel at the moment. It is my tool to tell other people that life is beautiful in spite of the pains and trials each one has gone through. Furthermore, I grew up in Montenegro Bay, Jamaica and Bronx New York and these made me exposed to different kinds of music from different kinds of people and help me appreciate it more. I recently reside at Orlando, Florida to attend full sail so I can understand music more. With these experiences and passion, I can say that I deserve to win in this contest. How to cite Biography Song, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

A Short History Of AntiSemitism In Germany free essay sample

A Short History Of Anti-Semitism In Germany Essay, Research Paper The Second World War has left an unmistakable feeling on the whole of Europe that will neer be forgotten. Whether seeable to the bare oculus, or hidden in the consciousness of its people, the war has scarred Europe indelibly. Historically, the foremost recognizable commission against Europeans was Adolf Hitler s Final Solution to the Judaic inquiry. This sophisticated operation of systematic mass executing was calculated, organized, and carried out with such dismaying efficiency that merely a lunatic could hold been responsible for such an act, and Hitler was so huffy. However, Anti-Semitism had been long a portion of German history, and this spiritual intolerance had its roots steadfastly planted long before the rise of the Third Reich. Although the sheer magnitude of the loss of life during the holocaust is merely impossible to hold on, these horrors were the apogee of coevalss of antisemitism, brought to the boiling point by the determination of one power-crazed adult male. We will write a custom essay sample on A Short History Of AntiSemitism In Germany or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Dating back several centuries, antisemitism was prevailing throughout Germany excluding rare cases where communities were tolerant sacredly or socially of Judaic dwellers. However, the belief that Jews were selfish, manipulative, nescient misbelievers bound merely for snake pit was still a popular one, even in communities such as these. The Catholic Church merely enforced these positions, and German Jews had troubles seeking equality. To Christians, the Jews were an cussed people who had refused to acknowledge Jesus as the promised Messiah, and who non merely still persisted in that mistake but were burdened with the guilt of deicide ( Craig, 127 ) By the reaching of the reformation, antisemitism was platitude among Germans and even justified by the Catholic Church. Jews during this epoch possibly saw the coming of a new idealism with Martin Luther, or at least believed that mass split from the Catholic Church would at least addition tolerance to their people. However this was merely a myth, for Luther saw the reformation to be a perfect chance for German Jews to abdicate their faith and fall in the freshly sprung Christian gathering. Luther s program didn t rather come to fruition as Jews found this to be merely another effort to destruct their spiritual liber ty under the frontage of a new and better idealism. Luther s ignorance and holier-than-thou fanatism was shortly revealed, as he would finally compose..We know about their prevarication and blasphemy and cursing, we can non digest them ( Craig, 128 ) Therefore, The Reformation did nil for the Jews except create another organized cabal that officially detested them. These hates became the diabolic roots imbedded in Germany, and were ineluctably destined to touch even the most Godhead of the state s amply gifted creative persons. Centuries subsequently, one of Germany s most well-thought-of and admired composers would emerge from the same soil-Richard Wagner. The composer openly voiced his disfavor of the Judaic people, and harmonizing to Gordon Craig, ( Wagner ) prided himself on his services to the anti-semitic cause ( 139 ) . Even Hermann Levi, a Judaic music director who after a public presentation of Parsifal, was seemingly presented by Wagner with the impression that he take a baptismal. By the twentieth century, antisemitism was shooting in Germany in a much more violent manner, as right wing popularity would make a fevered pitch. Judaic scientist, philosopher, politician and man of affairs Walther Rathenau served Germany in World War I as a provider and decision maker of natural war stuffs. After the war, Rathenau sought out to alter some of judicial admissions of the Versailles Treaty. His end was to derive the aid of western powers in hopes of organizing a stronger, more incorporate Germany. His understanding as a political head shortly gained him a occupation as Germany s Foreign Minister. Rathenau s unpopularity among German nationalists followed him throughout his political Career, and this assignment would shortly hold drastic effects. After functioning merely four months as Germany s Foreign Minister, Walter Rathenau was assassinated. This event was a preliminary to the politically extremist events to come, and besides made apparent that being Judaic in Germany was more than a disability or societal embarrassment ; it was a danger and, non impossibly, a sentence to decease ( Craig 143 ) . Centuries of anti-semitic sentiment and action were propagated in the land that is now Germany. However, the actions of history s most recognizable devil would ensue in the extinction of 1000000s of lives. These people were non war felons, undercover agents, military captives, or opposition combatants ; they were merely people who had been fighting for coevalss to get spiritual freedom and liberty. The twentieth century s most flagitious discourtesy would be perpetrated against a people who, like Walther Rathenau, were murdered because they were guilty of being Judaic. Beginning: # 8220 ; The Germans # 8221 ; by Gordon C. Craig, Meridian Publishing, New York City, 1983.

Friday, November 29, 2019

The Noble Lie Essay Research Paper The free essay sample

The Baronial Lie Essay, Research Paper The Baronial Lie In book III, Socrates Begins to depict standards for an ideal metropolis. Socrates Begins by depicting who should govern this ideal metropolis. He feels that they must take defenders who have the province s involvement at bosom, because they see it indistinguishable with their ain involvement. Socrates feels that the defenders will be the anchor of the province who will protect the province and the people. And, that the defenders will assist to supply the instruction to the people. Once Socrates establishes the thought of supplying defenders for the province, Socrates suggests that the remainder of the citizens be told a baronial falsity. The baronial falsity that Socrates proposes provinces that the citizens must be divided into three different categories, gold, Ag, and bronze. They are to be told that their young person was a dream, and the instruction and developing which they received from us, an apprearance merely ; in world during all that clip they were being formed and fed in the uterus of the Earth This prevarication is necessary because Socrates feels that by doing different categories the metropolis will go stronger. We will write a custom essay sample on The Noble Lie Essay Research Paper The or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He tells the people that they are all brothers and that each individual has a different function in the metropolis so they will all profit from each other. If the people did non hold certain functions in the province, and were left to happen their ain felicity, so they would non carry through their function in the province. This would take to a weaker and less happy province. By stating the people this baronial prevarication, Socrates hopes that he can accomplish and ideal province. He intends on making this non through regulations and ordinances, but by the citizens decently carry throughing their function in the province, and within their societal categories. Socrates is besides seeking to forestall utmost poorness or wealth by stating this prevarication to the people. In this manner, none of the people can challenge their position in society because they were told that they were born into that societal category. I feel that this prevarication is justified because Socrates is merely seeking to happen a program that will make an ideal metropolis. Basically there has ever been some signifier of societal position so he has justification to hold the defenders put the people in the category where the can bring forth the most end product for the province. Without a program of how to get down this ideal metropolis, I think that things would go helter-skelter, and would rapidly fall apart.

Monday, November 25, 2019

British life essays

British life essays The nineteenth (19th) century was a period of great change and accompanying social unrest in the British Isles. Most outstanding among the changes was the industrial revolution. As everything in life, it brought good, but it also brought evil. The industrial revolution combined with the expansion of the British Empire made the United Kingdom, the richest and most powerful country in the world. Some of the islanders became unbelievably wealthy, but others, unfortunately, became unbelievably poor. Writers from this historical period cognizant of the human suffering, became social critics of what was taking place in England, of how the rich and powerful became more oppressive than before and how the very poor, were evenly more oppressed. Among these writers were Charles Dickens and George Eliot. In his novel, Felix Halt the Radical, Eliot (nee Mary Anne Evans) describes graphically the conflict and battle between these two groups. In the novel, Eliot portrayed British society as having two types of people, the oppressors, who were the landowners who had the ability to vote and serve in government and then there the oppressed, who are the back breaking workers. The factory workers and miners (the oppressed) were denied basic human rights and their opinion and beliefs were discarded as being useless. These workers wanted change and reform, however they did not speak out against their masters or government because of fear of retaliation by the oppressors, of punishment and also because of the lack of leadership skill to organize a revolt. The leadership that was needed was that of Harold Transome, a radical, and of his political agents that began preaching the need for change and for equality among the workers. Traditionally, two main political parties existed in Great Britain, the Whigs and Tories, which forced society to choose what side would represent them. The split in society caused conflict in which people would onl...

Friday, November 22, 2019

The risk factors and causes of cervical cancer Essay

The risk factors and causes of cervical cancer - Essay Example 805; Fonseca-Moutinho, 2011, para 1-4). About 90% of cervical cancer cases are however direct resultant of HPV virus whiles other causes such as smoking explains the remaining 10% of cervical cancer cases. It should be noted that regular pap tests are recommended, as HPV may stay long in human body after infections before cancerous symptoms start to be exhibited. Symptoms that one may be suffering from the type of cancer include bleeding from vagina and which would not be explained, breeding during sexual intercourse or better whenever a foreign object such as a diaphragm is exposed to the cervical region as well as the painful experience while having an intercourse. It is also a sign whenever one observes bloody vaginal discharge and as such, one should take all precaution in the event of such signs of cervical cancer. Diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer is dependent on regular tests and which would reveal it in the early stages, which would enable it to be treated successful ly (O'Malley et al, 2006, p. 2179). Applicable treatments to cancer patients include surgery such as hysterectomy, chemotherapy as well as the radiotherapy. In many instances and depending on the stage of growth, the treatments described can be administered separately, combined or even repeatedly. Nevertheless, there are some procedures in treatment, which have long lasting effects on the victim such as hysterectomy, which renders on incapable of bearing children. The most well known mechanism of protection against cervical cancer is through regular pap tests, which enable one to take precautionary measures once such abnormal cells are noted in a person. Moreover, persons aged below twenty-six years have the capacity to take up a vaccination, which protects one against infection of two main types of HPV (Kraszewski, 2008, p. 14; Thiry et al, 2009, p. 161). Other mechanisms of preventing against cervical cancer is through abstinence or practicing safe sex as sex is one major way that the cancer causing virus are transmitted. With such an introductory background, this paper intends to have an in-depth analysis of risk factors responsible of causing cervical cancer. However, the scope of analysis will be in relation to sexual behavior as a risk factor to contracting HPV which causes cervical cancer and how as a tool, sexual cancer would be adopted to be a primary management tool for cervical cancer. It should be noted that cervical cancer is not a new phenomena within the medical profession. However, dynamics in lifestyles as well as increased research studies have revolutionized the field of medicine and subsequently influenced the knowledge on cervical cancer. Unlike previously, cervical cancer can be diagnosed early, be treated fully and can be effectively prevented than before (Bailie et al, 1998, p.304). Increased awareness and the ease of access of pap test have increasingly played a fundamental role in containing the menace in the modern day societies. Mor eover, advancement of medical knowhow has been ascribed with efficiency in cervical cancer management. It is worth noting that there have been developed vaccines, which are administered for protection purposes against the infection. Besides, increased awareness have enabled people to adopt favorable living practices such as abstinence as well as practicing safe s

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Look at each questions, and answer the questions Essay

Look at each questions, and answer the questions - Essay Example , increased production levels, efficiency and employment all together positively impact the economics of free trade country as it results in rising living standards and increased real incomes (Edge, n.d.). In case of global or regional economic recession, the country’s economy is more dependent on global economy and therefore it is less stable in terms of export incomes, GDP, and employment in export-oriented industries. In the developing countries free trade has a high risk of â€Å"eating† smaller national producers/companies by large international giants as competition between these two parties would not be equal. In case there are no measures undertaken by government in order to protect national producer/manufacturer there is a high risk of occupation of the market by foreign goods (Edge, n.d.). (b) Assume that two countries are competitors in the international trade markets. The two governments are thinking about whether it is profitable to adopt a free trade policy or not. The entries in the table below are showing (in millions of pounds) the gains of each policy. Find the Nash equilibrium. Analyse how you conclude to your answer. The table below illustrates, that when there are imposed restrictions (tariffs) for both countries, both A and B countries lose. If country A introduces free trade policy, then country B will be better off with imposed restrictions as it gets 70 million of pounds with restrictions and only 60 million with free trade. If country A imposes restrictions, then country B is better off with high tariffs, as it will get 20 million of pounds with free trade and 30 million with imposed restrictions. If country B introduces free trade, then country A is better off with free trade as it will get 60 million with free trade and 20 million with imposed restrictions. If country B imposes restrictions, then country A is better off with imposed restrictions, as it gets 30 million imposed restrictions and only 20 million from free trade. The

Monday, November 18, 2019

Environment, Culture, Ethnicity and Health Essay - 2

Environment, Culture, Ethnicity and Health - Essay Example At that time, the community was organized and incorporated and its first priest was Fr. Michael Sarris. In 1916, a home had been purchased and converted into the first Greek Orthodox Church of Jacksonville. The "godfather", so to speak, of the church was Rev. Parthenios Kolonis from Patmos, Greece, and had been granted the name of St. John the Divine of the parish.(Originally named The Church of the Revelation of St. John the Divine (Theodoratus, 1971). On April 17, 1919, the community purchased a larger church facility in the downtown area from the Christian Science Congregation. This building, for the next 39 years would see innumerable weddings, baptisms, funerals, and visits, by many high ranking clergymen. As far as can be determined, the consecration of this church was in the early to mid-1920s by the late Archbishop Alexander (Theodoratus, 1971). In many ways, the history of this parish reflects a process-- a process of the establishment and assimilation of Greek Orthodoxy within the American context. From the 1920s until today, through the struggles to build, to finance, and to educate, the parish finds itself at a new point of impact. Though the foundations are now firm, their greatest mission, that of preserving and furthering the Orthodox faith and their heritage as good Americans lies in the future (Theodoratus, 1971). They are now upgrading with emphasis on the importance of the Greek Orthodox religion by promoting educational, cultural, social and athletic activities. In large part, this decrease has resulted from the desire of parents to provide adequately for their children and to have them educated so they can achieve professional status. The method of limiting pregnancies has changed from control of gestation to control of conception (Papadopoulos, 1998). In Greece, abortions were not legal but were commonly performed by physicians. In the United States, a wide variety of birth

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Marketing Case Study Levi

Marketing Case Study Levi Levi Strauss Company is one of the worlds leading brand-name apparel marketers with sales across the world. There is no other company with a equivalent worldwide presence in the jeans and casual pants market. Their market-leading apparel merchandise are sold under the Levis, Dockers, and Levis Strauss Signature brands. Today, the Levis trademark is one of the most globally recognized, and is registered in almost over 160 countries. Now, more than ever, constant and meaningful innovation is vital to their commercial success. The global business environment is intensely competitive. Worldwide trade, instantaneous communications and the effortlessness of market entry are among the forces putting greater pressure on merchandise and brand differentiation. To be successful, it is imperative that Levi Strauss continuously change, competing in new and different ways that are relevant to the changing times. What position in the market does Levi occupy (using the strategy clock to characterise its position) A strategy clock is based upon the work of Cliff Bowman. It is another suitable way to examine a companys competitive position by comparing the offerings of competitors The strategy clock allows one to consider competitive advantage in relation to cost advantage or differentiation advantage. (C. Bowman and D. Faulkner Competitive and Corporate Strategy Irwin 1996).There a six core strategic options, one of them are where Levi is positioned and this will be shown below. According to Bowmans Strategy Clock Levis displays Differentiation with price premium. This means that the company has value to its product and the customers to justify high costs. Differentiation is about charging a premium price that more than covers the additional production costs, and about giving customers clear reasons to prefer the product over other, less differentiated products. (Johnson, G Scholes, K 1997) The first indication of Levi been this position is that Levis states that they wanted to avoid price-based competition due to their history of brand recognition and brand loyalty to their customers. Therefore Levi created value to the customers by providing them with customised jeans and accustomed the price according to the Levis brand which carries enough clout to justify a reasonable price premium. Over the years though it seemed that the brand name lost some importance and it was critical for Levi to create valued features to the customers in order to differentiate them from their competitors. The cost structure showed that Levi sold their products through wholesale channels which were then distributed by the retailers. Levi also maintained a chain of Original Levi Stores. These two choices allowed Levis to be closer to the customers and help them satisfy their needs in the search for the perfect fitted jean. The next factor that indicates the position is that Levi emerged with mass production with the use of emerging communication and computer technologies. The concept allowed Levi to find a niche market and help them create a competitive advantage over the competitors by providing customized made jeans. Previously it was thought that highly-customized products were expensive to produce, however with information technology Levi was able to meet the customer needs for flexibility and it created a chance for Levi in becoming more economical. Levi found a way to make a mass production and have services delivered due to the technology. Levi was facing a lot of competitors that provided the low-cost and high volume producers, therefore they had an advantage over the company. The Personal Pair Proposal project allowed a discovery of a niche market and this allowed Levi to create differentiation from its competitors and by adding price premium. Levi wanted to avoid competing against the low-cost volume producers therefore Levi did market research and revealed that only a quarter of women were truly happy with how their jeans fitted them. This project was a jean customisation program that made it possible to approach the customers with having lower distribution costs and unsold inventory. The mass customised program allowed the costs to be lower as well as provide the differentiation advantage due to the reengineering process of new technologies. Therefore the position of differentiation is providing customers with value, medium prices and high perceived value is created for Levi jeans. The fact that there is value added with the service. The proposal of a $15 premium and with focused groups suggested that women would consider the price fair due to them finding a superior fit, which competitors have not done yet. Suggestions have been made that a realistically price would be between $5 and $10. The fact that there is a brand name involved it would not be considered for the premium to be $15 as customers know the quality of the jean that they will be receiving and the knowledge that the jeans are hand sewn. Manufacturing and raw materials will not be affected with the proposal both therefore eliminating unnecessary costs and allowing prices to be reasonable for the customers, which creates more value for differentiation. How confident are you that the Personal Pair project will change the differentiation and low cost trade-off? Levis has a legacy of being very durable and high quality jeans that last at a low cost. Levi is very high quality with a low cost but they somehow are losing favour with their customers. To compete in the always changing market Levis might have to enter into a new market which would be high quality with a high price. Therefore with evidence below I am confident to say that the Personal Pair will change the Low cost trade off. It is almost a must that Levi must change the differentiation and low cost trade-off. This would change Levis motto of high quality for a reasonable price, unless they start a new line to compete in the new market. Levi will move to incorporate a focus differentiation strategy where focus is on the higher end of the jeans market, yielding stronger profit margins due to price premium. The fact that customers expect prices to be higher due to quality the company cannot just reduce the prices even though with mass customisation will be cheaper. The idea of the perceive price has been set in the customers minds and therefore they are willing to pay a higher price for perceived added value to a particular segment, justify a price premium. Therefore it is vital the company prices the jeans correctly because the particulare market segments is not necessarily price sensitive and is willing to pay a higher amount for a jean that they know is going to fit them perfectly and is made of good quality fabrics. The personal pair proposal approach helps the customers who find a array of choices in the market place overwhelming, and to narrow down their specific needs. The Personal Pair Project adds extra value and therefore customers perceive the premium price to be high. These customers are approached and are helped to understand what their needs are, and with the offerings of a customized fitting jean it allowed customers to know that Levi is catering for their need which creates customer loyalty and a strong brand name. The actual manufacture products in a just-in-time fashion respond to specific customer request. What are Levis unique resources and core competence? Resource is any physical or virtual entity of limited availability that needs to be consumed to obtain a benefit from it. (Alexander Osterwalder, 2004) In most cases, commercial or even ethic factors require resource allocation through resource management. (Alexander Osterwalder, 2004) Unique resources are resources that are not easy to copy, incomparable to competitors and create value for the company. A core competency is a specific factor that a business sees as being central to the way it, or its employees, works. (Prahalad, C.K. and Hamel, G. (1990). It provides consumer benefits, it is not easy for competitors to imitate and it can be leveraged widely too many products and markets. (Prahald, C.K. et al (1990). Core competencies are particulare strengths relative to other organizations in the industry which provide the fundamental basis for the provision of added value. Core competencies are the collective learning in organizations, and involve how to coordinate diverse production skills and integrate multiple streams of technologies. (Prahalad, C.K. and Hamel, G. (1990) The core competence of the corporation, Harvard Business Review (v.68, no.3) pp. 79-91). Levis core competencies were found in manufacturing, merchandising and marketing. With regards to manufacturing, Levi has decided to do mass customization for the customers. The mass customization results in them satisfying a number of customers needs and savings cost at the same time by producing in bulk. From a strategic point, the concept is based on finding a niche market. Mass customization uses emerging communication and computer technologies to bypass the limitations of traditional mass production methods. Therefore Levi had a core competency in meeting the customers needs by been more flexible and has greater choice in the market place with the help of manufacturing with the use of technology. In addition, a mass customisation model lowers the costs as well as it provides the differentiation advantage over the competitors, since the re-engineering process is often more efficient once the new technology is applied. Therefore Levi will have this competency of customers loyalty and brand recognition due to their needs been satisfied. The next core competency is merchandising, Merchandising is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity. (Kunz, Grace (2005). In the broadest sense, merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products to a retail consumer. Levi is doing this by offering the customers a chance to find the perfect fitting jean. Levi operation equips the store with networked PCs and personal pair kiosks. Customers will be measured and with this technology operation and practice it results in one of 4ÂÂ  224 possible size combinations. The computer generates a code for the number of correspondents. This practice gives Levi a competitive advantage as they would be the first company to offer these unique resources to the customers. Lastly you can see the core competency of Levi in their marketing. Levi is such a well known brand, and is given terms such as authentic, genuine and original. This indicates that they are widely known and considers having customer recognition. Therefore Levi is able to market to their customers that are willing to pay for the quality products. The marketing strategy allowed differentiation to be possible and to offer the customers a new product development of a perfect fitted jean. Levis aspects of the VRIO framework: Valuable: Has a history of Brand Loyalty and Recognition and remains number one internationally in its markets. Rare: Has a strong branding image. Levis is marketed as authentic and genuine and enjoys customer support. Inimitable: Jeans are US made unlike competitors. Levis provides generous packages to employees retention of HR. Organised: Manufacturing is key core competency and is managed to have maximum value for resources (J.F Smith, 06/22/2009). Should Levi go ahead with the joint venture? What would you recommend and why? Yes, Levis should go ahead with the joint venture with Custom Clothing Technology Corporation (CCTC). Levi stands to lose this opportunity to competitors if it decides to not move forward. Market research has shown that more than ÂÂ ¾ of women are not fully satisfied with fit of their jean, this is almost guaranteeing a market segment that will be willing to buy the perfect fit. Low-cost and high value competition makes it necessary to create value features that would differentiate it in the eyes of the consumer. Therefore by joining CCTC, Levi will be able to get the technology expertise on how to create and capture different possible size jeans for different shaped people. Offering this to the customers will allow them to feel that they are been catered for and therefore willing to pay the price in order to feel good. This creates customer loyalty at the end of the day due to customer intimacy, Levi should ensure that the intimacy is marketed and to show the benefits. Levi should at first enter into the proposal cautiously by choosing to enter a test phase before proceeding in joining the full scale project. The result of doing this will ensure that Levi will be making a good decision and know more about what they are getting involved with. Levi will benefit this joint venture in many ways. Firstly with mass customisation and offering the customers a perfect fit can result in Levi to better adapt to the individual needs and wishes. This means that it will result in the customers to less likely switch brands. Levi should also consider the fact that by going into a joint Venture with CCTC and offering mass customisation it will help Levi learn directly from the customers and it will help them identify the new trends and the taste that improves the New Product Development. This is because Levi will be dealing with a variety of customers of different shapes and sizes and needs to understand that they require and look for different styles. Therefore Levi will get a hand full of people to represent the possible sizes and this creates the customer value. This venture can allow more customers needs responded to and therefore by allowing the customers to participate in the New Product Development allows the product to be accepted by the market much faster. Levi will be catering for them and they will respond due to Levi identifying that there is a need for a perfectly fitted jean. Levi must understand that by doing this venture they are responding to the individual needs of the customers. The response of one person will lead to them telling their friends, the word of mouth is a very powerful and very cheap form of communication. Levis Strauss can only benefit from joining the CCTCs approach. At the end of the day it will add value to Levis value chain due to them catering for their customers needs and wants. The fundamental idea in this approach is to gain customers satisfaction and if Levi does not take this opportunity another company will. Creating this system which is driven by the customers demands and specific to the exact needs of their customers CCTC can help Levi ultimately make their business be more aware and learn more about their customers and how to fully achieve customer satisfaction. Without a joint venture with CCTC and outside value chain analysis, Levi might not be able to grasp the actual scope of the opportunities that they were missing out on. This joint venture will help the company adapt to the fast growing industry and competition, it can also help the company differentiation. Due to the fact that the competition is offering lower prices it is vital that Levi offers something unique to the customers. Levi wants to avoid price based competition because they had a history of brand recognition and brand loyalty. Therefore it would be wiser to join this venture with CCTC and create customer value and customer satisfaction. Personal pair was a jeans customisation program which will make the joint venture with Custom Clothing Technology Corporation. Together these companies can enter the mass customisation with the help of technology. CONCLUSION: A valuable lesson that can be taken from this case is how necessary it is to keep up with your brand image and customer loyalty. Being content with one niche in a market such as clothing is never acceptable and is therefore necessary that Levi makes the joint venture successful. Styles, times, and preferences are changing so rapidly, that a clothing line must be able to meet the needs and wants of their customers. While Levis still had a market in the older generations, they were missing out on a huge market that likes to shop and that are looking for the perfectly fitted jean no matter what their size was. The second implication that can be applied to other companies would be their option for strategic alliance. Levis really needs some help in the area of brand image and by collaborating with Customer Clothing Technology Corporation, they will have a whole new consumer market. Levis has learned that they cannot be comfortable in one market for too long because that alienates another market such as the younger generations. Collaborating with CCTC, the company can obtain certain advantages that can only help Levi with the competitive environment. Therefore Levi can improve its customer value chain and achieve maximum customers satisfaction with mass customization. Harvard References: Alexander Osterwalder, 2004 Barney, J.B. and Hesterly, W.S. (2008). Strategic management and Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases. 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall C. Bowman and D. Faulkner Competitive and Corporate Strategy Irwin 1996). Dr Brian Squire, Supply Chain Management Research Group, Manchester Business School, Executive Briefing 2006-04 J.F Smith, 06/22/2009 Johnson, G., Scholes, K, 1997). Phil Dourado, Bart de Boever, Dirk De Vos the annual, organised by ICBI and held in Paris. Prahalad, C.K. and Hamel, G. (1990) The core competence of the corporation, Harvard Business Review (v. 68, no. 3) pp. 79-91. )

Thursday, November 14, 2019

War On Drugs :: essays research papers

Have you ever heard the expression â€Å"War on drugs†?. That was first used in 1972 when Richard Nixon described a series of govern-mental programs intended to suppress the consumption of certain recreational drugs. Marijuana was one of them. However the first attack on Marijuana occurred not in 1972 but in1937 when the Marijuana TaxAct was passed. According to Legalizationofmarijuna.com Harry Anslinger (bureau of narcotics commissioner) testified in hearings on The subject that the hemp plant needed to be banned because it had a violent â€Å"effect on the degenerate races.† This referred specifically to Mexican immigrants who had entered the country, seeking jobs during The Great Depression. The law passed quickly and with little debate. Making possession of marijuana a criminal offense has only increased crime rates. As more and more people find it enjoyable to smoke. By legalizing marijuana law enforcement will be utilized somewhere of more importance. Because possession of marijuana is a common criminal offense, jails are over crowded and court rooms are cluttered with marijuana cases instead of real problems. In Amsterdam marijuana was made legal and the result was that Crime rates dropped by 60% and the amount of drug users did not Increase. Now you may be thinking that marijuana is dangerous, you may Be thinking of all the things you’ve heard about marijuana, like it Causes hallucinations, impairs your vision and judgment, and gives you paranoia. Those are in fact things that smoking marijuana can cause. But they are all short term. Do you want to know how many people a year are killed by marijuana and marijuana related deaths? ZERO. There have been no credible reports of death from marijuna. However, 430,000 deaths a year are caused by Tobacco making it The nations leading cause of death. 116,113 total alcohol related Deaths. And 200,000 deaths from prescription drugs. Now with all the illegal drugs combined there (excluding marijuana) there have been14,218 deaths. And remember there have been zero deaths even remotely related to marijuana. Cigarettes are legal although, according to health.com they are more addictive, cause cancer, damage the respiratory system, raise blood pressure, decrease oxygen to the brain and body, and cigarette smoking is a significant risk factor to the cause of emphysema, chronic bronchitis, stroke, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Florence Nightingale’s Nursing Philosophy

The nursing profession today is being recognized all over the world due to the recent increase in demand for nursing professionals and caregivers. Today, more and more students are encouraged to take and pursue a nursing degree in college due to the opportunities awaiting them in the medical field—an opportunity which was sparked and started long ago by a caregiver and health care provider by the name of Florence Nightingale. Since Nightingale’s establishment of a concrete nursing philosophy, the nursing practice was never the same. Nightingale’s view on health care was simplistic yet holistic. She believed that nurses are born with a given responsibility on their shoulders to provide humane and sensitive aid selflessly to the sick, to do anything within their power to alleviate the pains and illness of the patients, and to support the professional doctors to the best of their abilities (Kleiman). During Nightingale’s time, the women were experiencing extreme discrimination under the government of Great Britain. The government suppressed the women and prohibited them to contribute in any way to the affairs of the state. Thus, this pushed Nightingale to fight for her point of view as a health care provider and prove the women nurse’s worth (Bruner). She was very strong and firm on her principle which involves providing health care selflessly regardless of gender, with sensitive consideration to the ill and the needy. This humanistic philosophy is what guided Florence Nightingale to push through the now established philosophy of nursing and care giving which has been eternally symbolized by her, holding a lighted lamp which kindles the hopes of the ill. Thus, Nightingale’s philosophy is truly an inspiration. It stands as a reminder for me to stay humble and focused on my future responsibilities as a nurse. It also reminds me of the importance of providing health care without biases and reservation—anyone who seeks medical help is a patient that doctors and nurses should attend to.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Responding to Social, Economic and Political Systems Essay

Social, economic and political systems greatly vary across nations, with the minor and major differences dependent on the very foundations of the social, economic and political structures of these nations. For instance, a third-world country with a predominantly Muslim population has various social, economic and political systems to a first-world nation largely composed of Christians, or the opposite can also be true as well. To a certain extent, these systems develop from the most fundamental needs of the people from their collective experience. Since there is a great deal of differences from among the collective experiences among people, there are also corresponding differences in the way in which these people address these experiences, which is why there has been varieties in the social, economic and political systems worldwide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, these systems do not remain in a stagnant stage. Rather, social, economic and political systems also undergo certain changes through certain times, whether periodic or constant change. It can also be said that because of these developments in these systems, there has also been a seeming overlap among them inasmuch as terms such as socio-political and socio-economic systems have emerged. In more recent times, changes in the social systems have taken place largely because of the improvements in the economic status of the nation. Changes in the social systems were also likely the results of the recent events which took place in a particular state. For example, the emergence of India as an economic powerhouse in terms of its capability to produce a large number of outsourcing employees has corresponded to a shift in the social status of the Indians, making those employed as outsourcing agents more informed and well-aware of the latest technological advancements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   China, on the other hand, has been a growing market in the international economy precisely because of its continuous development in international trade due to its cheap goods from cheap labor. China’s cheap labor stems from the fact that the large population of that nation easily provides available manpower in the production lines. The cases of India and China are only some of the many examples which illustrate the idea that social and economic developments oftentimes comes hand-in-hand. Thus, it can be safe to assume that social, economic and political systems may intertwine with one another, bringing about consequent changes to the other while having a direct impact on the status of that system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These systems, for the most part, cast direct and indirect influences on the performances of certain organization or agencies operating within a specific location or across several parts from around the world. Direct influences may include but is not entirely limited to political, economic or social systems of a specific nation. The same can also be said of indirect influences although it can further be considered that indirect influences may come from sources external to the regional location where the organization is operating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For example, political systems can give either stringent or loose regulations on the operations of an agency depending on the context in which the agency is operating. A profit-oriented agency can directly be influenced by political regulations which limit the target market and the employment policies of that agency for instance. Social systems, too, hold a great deal of influence on the overall performance of an agency profiting from the sales of a certain product. In the case of a populated community, chances of marketing a certain product may be relatively higher than marketing goods within a less populated community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yet it should also be noted that agencies which are non-profit by nature are equally influenced by social, political and economic systems as well. Since the existence of non-profit agencies do not depend largely on the financing that they can derive from their operations, it can nevertheless be argued that the social, economic and political systems of a specific state can have a different bearing to agencies which are primarily profit-oriented.   A certain state regulation on marketing goods may very well apply to profit agencies. However, non-profit agencies may experience no impact by these state enforced marketing regulations. What largely influences the operating of non-profit agencies in terms of social, economic and political systems can be observed from the very way in which these systems restrict the activities of these non-profit agencies. These non-profiting related restrictions may come in many forms such as restrictions on the scope of the agency’s operation as well as the extent of the agency’s behavior with respect to the existing state laws.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A country under a liberal democratic system will essentially enforce limited regulations on agencies such as non-profit ones so as to give these agencies an organizational type of civil liberties, giving more freedom for these non-profit agencies to exercise their functions and purposes. With these things in mind, the social and political systems of a liberal democratic state will significantly increase the participation of non-profit agencies in exercising their functions, thus giving way to servicing more clients or individuals with the services the agency provides. On the other hand, a nation under an authoritarian regime will most likely restrict the operations of a non-profit agency, placing its activities under close scrutiny of the authorities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the examples given, it can be seen that the socio-political composition of a nation or, more specifically, of a government greatly affects a non-profit agency be it in terms of its capability to exercise its functions or its capacity to provide certain services to the people not even as a marketing scheme but as a servicing scheme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Further, the economic system of a specific country can also influence both the internal and external decisions and actions of a non-profit agency. Japan was once a nation which isolated itself from the rest of the world, making any financial aid from foreign agencies less likely to penetrate the funds of the non-profit agencies within Japan. Although to a certain extent these external financial aids from foreign organization may reach the funds of the non-profit agency in Japan, there could have been difficult obstacles prior to that. More recently, the economic prosperity of Japan and its opening of its borders to the world have nonetheless become contributive events to the welfare of several Japanese non-profit agencies which can make the most out of foreign financial assistance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, non-profit agencies in third-world countries such as the Philippines can encounter the difficulty of mobilizing its services across communities precisely because these communities come in a large number. The necessity to address the needs of a specific number of constituents in a certain community should first be established. Otherwise it becomes more difficult for the non-profit agency to materialize its goals given the limited amount of resources. In general, the economic system of any given country or community greatly affects the manner in which a non-profit agency addresses this factor and in which the agency allocates its resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In essence, political, social and economic systems affect non-profit agencies and that these agencies would have to make the most of what is available in terms of resources. Certain restrictions may be present, yet these things test the integrity of any non-profit agency. Reference Reiner, T. A., & Wolpert, J. (1991). The Non-Profit Sector in the Metropolitan Economy. Economic Geography, 57(1), 23-33.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

SNCC book review essays

SNCC book review essays The evolution of SNCC is interesting because it began almost by accident but ended up having a profound effect not only on the Civil Rights movement but on multiple movements for change in the United States during that time, including the growing movement to protest the United State's involvement in Viet Nam. The book also makes an important point about historical movements: no one group will have all the answers any more than any one person will have all the answers. While Martin Luther King and his group, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, tends to get most of the credit for gaining civil rights for all, they did not do it alone, and sometimes SNCC's contributions both in their actions and in their evolving philosophy were crucial. The book is divided into three major parts: "Coming Together," "Looking Inward," and "Falling Apart." As the author analyzes the actions and thought processes of those involved in SNCC, he reveals a much more three-dimensional picture of the group than people might otherwise be aware of. While the SNCC ended up promoting ideas that were much more radical and confrontational than those of SCLC, those who shaped the group's philosophy were thoughtful, determined people, not just angry young firebrands ready to lash back at a system that had wronged them. The word "non-violent" in their name is not double-talk. They started out embracing a non-violent approach to ending segregation in the south (eventually focusing more on voter registration) and only accepted confrontation as part of their strategy when they realized that non-violence by itself would In the first section, "Coming Together," the author describes the first student sit-in at a lunch counter. Early in February of 1960, four Black students from a Black college in Greensboro, North Carolina, walked into a Woolworth's lunch counter and sat down. This was...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Impact of Industrial Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Impact of Industrial Revolution - Essay Example However, despite the great attention that I have accorded to the subject, I feel a bit discouraged by the score attained in the assignment previously. My understanding of assessment evaluation as such a paper is that the most important factors that are considered are together with the language competence, proper understanding of the question, the quality of the materials used as well as the ability for a student to express ideas fluently and cohesively. In my personal evaluation of the previous paper written (on impact of industrial revolution), I would reason that my command for English as the formal language of communication is unquestionable. I have a proven command in communication in language as would be justified through the excellent sentence structure, excellent spellings as well as the ability to interlink the points in a logical manner. Besides the ability to write and communicate in English, I have proven capacity to extract information from other written materials and com prehensively relate it to produce such a good flowing and informative paper as that previous paper. Among other strengths that I would be certain of are the capacity to effectively understand an examiners intentions through understanding the question. In this regard, I therefore feel that the assignment was handled effectively and perfectly to warrant a better grade than accorded. However, as it is famously said, man is to error, this position does not refute the possibility of having great weaknesses, which would explain my poor performance. Having studied in detail the question and the skills to tackle such an assignment from my teacher, I stand to be corrected on the weaknesses that I have shown in the assignment. In particular, I highly appreciated the comments from my teacher concerning my assignment. He justifies my poor performance through pointing out certain weaknesses that are portrayed in the paper in general. The comments points out to the first issue that would have led to my poor performance would have been the low quality picture used in the analysis. The picture was not clear and thus presented a problem to any person analyzing it. Besides the weakness of the picture, it was also farfetched from the core idea behind the essay. This would point out to the possibility of poor understanding of the question or task. This points to a possible weakness in my comprehension of that particular task and hence the adoption of a rather wrong approach while addressing the question posed. The comments from the teacher show that my tackling of the industrial revolution was very broad and never warranted the use of the picture as used. The referencing also fell short of expectation in that few sources are sited compared to the breadth of the topic, which would imply the application of other materials, which are not captured. This is a weakness concerning professional academic practices. It is also poor to cited the source of the picture and have the source not referenced again. These weaknesses among others led to the poor performance in the paper as shown by the lecturers comments and would therefore be attributed to personal weakness. Nevertheless, according to my opinion, my weakness is not wholly on poor understanding of the question posed but on the centrally the weakness is in having much of the information I want to write but fail to appropriately present it.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Reaction paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Reaction - Research Paper Example In the case of Hose, media had an active role, knocking down individual voices of concern, and spreading words contradictory to the reality, igniting hatred in the public minds. I was taken aback by the fact that though the wife of the killed revealed in investigation that Hose committed the murder in self-protection and that there was no rape, no one including the media or government gave attention to the same. I feel that the main reason for this extreme aggression and shameless activities is the self-interest of the media to offer the Whites with the kind of news they loved to hear about the Blacks. As the chapter reveals, so many Blacks met their end almost in the same way. To sum up, I would like to say that government, media, and religion are the only forces powerful enough to make mass movements. Once they are prejudiced, the whole society remains prejudiced. Once this happens, moral values and rational thinking disappear from the minds of even the so-called educated and civilized

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Existentialist view on human nature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Existentialist view on human nature - Essay Example For thousands of years, people have debated whether God exists, and most conclude that it cannot be proven. Karl Barth asserts that God â€Å"rules unconditionally and irresistibly in all occurrences. Nature is God’s servant, the instrument of his purposes. God controls, orders, and determines, for ‘nothing can be done except the will of God†. Aquinas argued that â€Å"God is impassible, unaffected by the world. Since God knows all events in advance and controls every detail, divine knowledge is unchanging and in, God there is no element of responsiveness†. In this context, an analysis of opinions expressed by different philosophers is paramount in understanding the analogy of self and being, and it is postulated that the correct answer lies in the area of abstract philosophy and the metaphysical. Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human exist ence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one’s acts. Danish religious philosopher Soren Aabye Kierkegaard is considered as the founder of existentialism and is remembered for his critique of the systematic rational philosophy of Hegel on the ground that actual life cannot be contained within an abstract conceptual system. Kierkegaard rejected collective thinking, and insisted on the importance of the individuals and resisted the features of Hegel's tendency to mediate all oppositions and to hold out the prospect of complete understanding of god. Hegel maintained that true understanding can only be attained if one has a comprehension of 'The Absolute', and for Hegel the whole of human history and intellect constitutes a progressive self-realization of this Absolute spirit that takes place through 'dialectic.' (Stevenson, 1987, p.54). He believed that to an extent the mind has not completed its journey toward the absolute, the individual experience alienation, and a strong sense of awareness is essential to accomplish this goal. Hegel's emphasis on self-awareness in establishing self-realization is strongly reflected in existential philosophy. Marx also adopted the concept of alienation into his thinking, but maintained that such self-estrangement is a product of economic and social factors, and not of a metaphysical relationship. Rene Descartes assumed a dichotomy between thinking substance and extended substance, the ghost in the machine, and faced the problem of how we can have valid knowledge of objects if the only basis for knowledge is intuitive individual self-consciousness. Martin Heidegger believed that the individual and the world are inseparable, and postulated that 'to be' involves existing, and existing involves constant and dynamic change. Although one has no choice regarding some of the circumstances he lives in, these factors determine the context in which one exercises one's freedom and defines his/her existence. The position of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant, that the physical world did not transcend consciousness, or of objective or absolute idealism, that the world was an aspect of an absolute min d, has

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

School Administrators Essay Example for Free

School Administrators Essay The role of education does not solely revolve around creating opportunities for children to learn and acquire information. At the same time, the role of reaching out to the community and reaping its benefits have been becoming part of administrative practice. With this idea on mind, there is an increasing need for administrators and educators to create an active environment for participation to extract the needed skills and capabilities to adapt to the challenges and trends of the present environment. Looking at the survey provided, it tries to outline the relevance of such programs not only among administrators and educators but also to parents and students. This is essential because it can create transparency and accountability among the facilitators of the program. At the same time, it allows the educational institution to create new and renew relationships that are relevant to maintain strong partnerships. â€Å"The goal of school-community relations expands on the definition of public relations; the goal of school-community relations it to help develop and maintain relationships† (Hopkins, 2005, p. 1). Another significant component of this initiative is the presence of goals and objectives in every program. This is relevant because it can generate the needed results and actively promote the target audience and provide direction on specific outputs. Likewise, it is important that these outputs are clear and concise because it can increase the chances that the program can be successful and be implemented better on target audiences (Ley, 1999). Through this, it can necessitate effective outcomes and create opportunities for relationships to grow in the process. Communication and interaction is also another relevant element that contributes to community building. Actively coordinating programs towards intended and target audiences can help spread out the word and supplement the objectives by giving the chance for each one to cooperate and take part in the process. Seeing this, it does not only work for actors such as parents, students, and teachers. Rather, there are also significant members who can contribute in the field. â€Å"All of those community members might be interested in knowing how a schools test results and student work compare to other schools† (Hopkins, 2005, p. 1). Operating on this concept, it can be argued that having effective communication can create active environments for cooperation and collaboration. These community programs can serve as a bridge in increasing support mechanisms that are essential not only for students but also for the educational institution as well. At the same time, having a harmonious relationship with these individuals and groups can enhance public relations that can be beneficial for the school’s growth and continuous development (Ley, 1999). Seeing all of these, leadership is a vital component that can merge these concepts together and allow the interaction and change to occur. Organizers must actively realize that by promoting this initiative, they can actively achieve necessary outcomes that will cater student awareness of revolving issues in the community and help them adapt to the elements that continue to be manifested in society. To conclude, community relations have been growing as an important element of student education. By allowing each individual to be immersed to different programs it can reap benefits and experiences not taught in classrooms. At the same time, it can help further and sustain relationships that are also significant not only on creating a good image for the educational institution but also harness the ability of each actor to grasp diversity and complexity in society. References Hopkins, G. (2005) School-Community Relations is Great PR And Then Some in Education World. Retrieved April 23, 2009 from, http://www. education-world. com/a_issues/chat/chat143. shtml Ley, J. (1999) Charter Starters Leadership Training Workbook 5: Community Relations in Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved April 23, 2009. 1-50.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Is Media Globalization A Form Of Cultural Imperialism Media Essay

Is Media Globalization A Form Of Cultural Imperialism Media Essay It can be argued that media globalisation can be a form of cultural imperialism but others may argue that its not. Many critics have defined globalisation or media imperialism as an important channel for the expansion of consumer-based culture extending across borders (Tomlinson J. 1997, p22). The critics have also defined the growing phenomenon of people from North America who tend to buy media and entertainment products from there. As a result they are heavily influenced with what the media tells them that the consumers seem to be led in one direction of culture and hence the effect of this is that people are dislodged from their own culture because of cultural imperialism which is a direct result of media globalisation and the effects of it. Media globalisation can play a huge role in various cultures thus impending cultural imperialism. For instance, the generation of ideas and culture from the developed and modern west to the undeveloped world such as Asia can result in homogenisation of consumerist culture which can endanger and alter cultural values (Tomlinson J. 1997, p23). Media imperialism can be defined as a progression where the arrangement, ownership allocation and the actual content of the media in a specific country can be influenced by external pressures from the content of the media in other countries or country without the same response of influence from the country that is affected (Boyd-Barrett, O. 1998, p160). The concept of media imperialism was developed after a broader analysis of cultural imperialism and dependency took place. Imperialism could differ in relation to other forms of media which consist of diverse heights, proportions of activity in various different media sectors. The definition itself refers to ownership, structure, distribution or content (Boyd-Barrett, O. 1998, p162). Many factors can affect media globalisation such as economic, social, cultural and political factors. Media globalisation is a form of cultural imperialism as media in places such as America with channels such as CNN broadcast government news which can most assuredly influence people from around the world as television is a communication channel and depending on what industry they belong to, it may biased thus it would contribute towards cultural imperialism which shows how the media integrates and thus affect it (Straubhaar, J.D. 1991, p40). During the 1960s and the 1970s America and some other First World nations took the media to their advantage. America challenged the idea of the emergence of news and cultural factors for example film, music, television and advertisements and thus entertainment was portrayed through the media which helped to develop many countries (Straubhaar, J.D. 1991, p40). Some critics such as Herman and McChesney argue that the main universal avenue, specifically in regards to the media, is still taken over by the American interests and by the American domestic market, although its importance may turn down as other nations become more prosperous and become more media active (Straubhaar, J.D. 1991, p40). With the widespread of the Internet, it has given the media another channel to which to interact with the world and is the most useful, all-encompassing channel of communication used throughout the world. Media globalisation has greatly expanded the significance of communication through various media channels such as social networking sites on Facebook which has become so dominant that people from around the globe and from countless different cultures use these communication channels even though it originally originated from the West but which still has many affects on the less developed world. The radio is also another form of media which can generate globalisation in the sense that it has universal accessibility. The radio has been around for hundreds of years and it still seen as an influential tool in helping and expanding ideas around the globe. The radio in Europe was mainly used for governmental uses during the times of war and thus other countries from around the globe considered the radio as a popular movement as well as a political dissenter which was used to criticise the state policies (Boyd-Barrett, O. 1998, p162). Furthermore, the radio is a tool which can be used for media purposes, educational, entertainment and they provide as useful political mediums to benefit the community. Hence, although many people treat the Internet as a worldwide, electronic device which is best known for democracy at its peak, it has led to a divide and has its own disadvantages. The Internet and technology itself has affected many social and economic factors within the society which has also affected those living in undeveloped countries that people who are poor do not have access to the Internet and considering that the Internet is part of a global movement, they seem to be neglected. The radio can still solve this issue in the sense that the radio has been around for many years and the less fortunate people may have some or little access to it and can contribute to everyday debates, politics and communication (Boyd-Barrett, O. 1998, p162). In summary, media globalisation affects people on so many levels depending on which form of media they use that although the Internet revolution may leave some people neglected, the radio may help and act as a substitute. Thus the form of cul tural imperialism will depend on who uses what media and whether they are influenced by it or not. Schilers early definition of cultural imperialism was highly inclusive. He described it as the total of the procedures in which the community is placed into the modern world system and how powerful it is that it tends to attract, force or even induce social institutions by shaping them (Stevenson N. 1999, p22). Thus the way the social institutions are shaped, it liaises and advertises the morals and structures of the powerful centre of the actual system. There is no globalisation without media and communication but this is sometimes ignored. The media itself acts as a connector which interconnects different cultures from around the globe. Marshall McLuhan describes globalisation as inter-relations amid various countries which aim to highlight the electronic media and technology which increasingly integrates the world and therefore the events in a certain country may be experienced in real-time by other people which would make the world more integrated (Eds. Golding P. Harris P. 1997, p17). Hence people from around the world are imposed by the cultural imperialism which takes place in regards to the media which heavily influences the public. The fusion of different cultures from different countries can be integrated, mixed and represented into various foremost forms of media representation which can form the media globalisation and multiculturalism. The expansion of the business model of media, foreign investment in the media and the power of multinational advertisers were seen to threaten the use of media for nationally determined, development -oriented purposes (Eds. Golding P. Harris P. 1997, p16). Media globalisation is a form of cultural imperialism as the media is tied in with the cultural concepts which originate from the financial dealings of dependency. Thus the minor or Third World countries are dependent on the industrialised world for money, technology and commodities whilst delivering cheaper items ensuing in little advantage to the local economy (Eds. Golding P. Harris P. 1997, p16). Therefore, the role of this culture is to make the undeveloped countries satisfied with what they have. This idea is similar to Gramscis theory of hegemony, in which the privileged battle to use the media and in order to set a prominent ideology for culture and informational uses (Eds. Golding P. Harris P. 1997, p18). In conclusion, there are many theories in regards to media globalisation and whether it is a form of cultural imperialism. The media imperialism is not structured. Boyd-Barrett depended on an experimental definition. He believed that media imperialism was unequal in the sense it provided different set of connections amongst countries specifically in regards to the media (Straubhaar, J.D. 1991, p40). On the other hand, Marxist centered his theory on the inequality of power and the path in which the media flows whereas Lee described the stages of media imperialism which was observed. He particularly focused on the emergence of television, overseas savings and the adoption of foreign models and their impact on cultures (Straubhaar, J.D. 1991, p40). However, some other critics noticed that Lee had missed several correlations between the bigger context of dependency and the media especially advertising as the focal point (Straubhaar, J.D. 1991, p40).

Friday, October 25, 2019

Sri Lanka :: Politics, Sinhalese Majority

Obtaining true Independence for Sri Lanka as a nation from the British was a long struggle which began in 1915 due to a rivalry between the Sri Lankan Muslims and the Sinhalese Majority over commercial interests which led to a riot in Colombo, the administrative capital of what is then known to the world as Ceylon (Corporation, 2008). The British, in response to the riots among the Ceylonese and the Muslims, placed the sole blame of these riots on the Sinhalese and implemented strict punishments on the Sinhalese showing (IrÄ manÃŒ ²Ã„ tanÃŒ ², 1916). As a result anti British feelings began to increase among the Sinhalese majority, and an intense interest was placed in needing to be an independent nation (Corporation, 2008). However, it was just a work in progress until the LSSP Sri Lanka Socialist movement founded in 1935 demanded that the nation be freed from the British and the administrative language of English be replaced with Sinhala and Tamil (Tambiah S. J., 1992). However, the plan of Sri Lanka being an independent nation which addressed the needs of all ethnic groups of the nation, despite starting as a collectivist ideology soon began to deteriorate upon obtaining the long waited freedom in February 1948. This was due to the post colonial separatist mentality (LePoer, 2002). Additionally following the independence, vital questions as the citizenship concerns of Sri Lanka’s up country Indian Tamils and the National Language concerns were not addressed (Roberts, 1994). Furthermore when these questions were addressed during the S.L.F.P rule from 1956-1965 the methods used in addressing these imperative problems which gave the minorities of Sri Lanka their individual identity was slanted toward the Sinhala majority (Hennayake, 2006, pp. 76-91). Considering the fact that an ethnic identity in a nation being a result of long preserved traditions followed by a set of people, when combined as a state with multiple ethnic identities will possibly result in a conflict of interests. Furthermore, as mentioned by Authors David Lake and Donald Rothchild, in most cases, the small minority will adopt to the Majority but when considering a substantial seize minority it becomes hard to adopt in such manner (Lake & Rothchild, 1998, p. 48). This being the case of the Sri Lankan Tamils who is a large minority in comparison to other groups, and having key administrative roles during the colonial era began to protest on the new Sri Lankan legislation as the â€Å"Sinhala Only Act† (Tambiah S.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Biblical Similarities in Hawthorne’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter” Essay

Biblical Similarities in Hawthorne’s â€Å"Rappaccini’s DaughterIn Nathanial Hawthorne’s â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter,† many biblical parallels can be found. This short story duplicates the first three chapters of Genesis in the Bible. The similarities range from the characters, to the setting, and even to the deadly plant in the story. The account of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapters 1-3 is extremely similar to the situation of Giovanni and Beatrice in â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter†. In both â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter† and the Genesis chapters in the Bible, lush, beautiful gardens are the setting. Both gardens are exotic and pretty, but the Garden of Eden is bright and tropical, whereas Dr. Rappaccini’s garden is dark and mysterious. Both gardens are home to a type of â€Å"forbidden† plant, but the Garden of Eden was created by God, whereas the garden in the story is created by a man with a god complex, Dr. Rappaccini. The forbidden plant in Genesis is a gorgeous fruit tree. The tree in the Garden of Eden is called the Tree of Knowledge and was extremely tempting to Adam and Eve. However, the tree was deemed prohibited by God. The plant in Rappaccini’s garden is a large flowering bush. The flowers on this bush are unlike any others and are extremely exquisite. The two plants share the trait of â€Å"forbidden,† but in different ways. The fruit on the tree in Genesis was forbidden because God said so. The plant in Rappaccini’s garden was forbidden because it was poisonous. The only person immune to the poison of this plant was Beatrice, then soon Giovanni. In Hawthorne’s story, a parallel between Giovanni and Adam is established. Both are young men, and each were tempted by a beautiful young woman. Giovanni in Hawthorne’s story was lured into the garden by Beatrice’s beauty. Adam was lured by Eve’s beauty to betray God. Beatrice and Eve also share similarities. They both are beautiful and young and are naà ¯ve to the evils of the world they live in. The serpent in â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter† is clearly represented by Dr. Rappaccini and Professor Pietro Baglioni. Dr. Rappaccini is responsible for luring Giovanni into the garden for his daughter, and also for exposing him to the toxin that led to him becoming like Beatrice, poisonous and stuck in the garden. Professor Pietro Baglioni is responsible for giving Giovanni the silver vial with the supposed antidote for the poisons. When Giovanni gives Beatrice the vial she then dies because the poison is too entwined with her body. Sadly, she was not given a second chance like Adam and Eve. The story of â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter† is an extremely enjoyable story with close biblical ties. The parallels are extremely apparent and also very important. What seems to be a story simply of fatal love is quite possibly a retelling of the opening chapter of Genesis in the Bible.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Article Critique on Video Game Play and Aggressive Thoughts and Behavior Essay

The study by Vincent Cicchirillo and Rebecca M. Chory-Assad (2005) entitled Effects of Affective Orientation and Video Game Play on Aggressive Thoughts and Behavior investigates the effect of violent video game on aggressive thoughts and behavior and the mediating role of affective orientation on this relationship. This study is prompted by the scarcity of research examining the role played by an individual’s personality in the processing of media effects. The underlying concept which frames the study is that of priming which is the idea that a certain stimulus will activate similar stimulus present in the mind of an individual, thus enabling a reproduction of the outside or presentation stimulus to occur (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). Media effect is based on this concept. It also supported by the neoassociatve perspective on cognition. In the neoassociative model, the mind is a network of nodes that corresponds to certain emotions, behaviors and thoughts. These nodes are connected by pathways that are strengthened by frequency of use and relatedness. When a particular node is activated, related nodes will be activated as well through the networks, resulting to production of other emotions, behaviors or thoughts which were not directly stimulated. Researches found that media such as video game can activate cognitive nodes (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). According to Cicchirillo and Chory-Assad (2005), personality traits such as affective orientation play a part in the processing of media effects. They define affective orientation as the tendency of an individual to utilize his emotions as a guide for behavior and decision-making (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). A person with a high affective orientation will respond to emotional cues and act accordingly, while one with a low affective orientation will act based on factual variables. The independent variable in the study is the administration of video game varying in content. The first video involved violence and the other involved non-violence. A second independent variable is the level of affective orientation of the participants. The dependent variables in the study are aggressive thoughts and aggressive behavior. Each dependent variable is measured with an appropriate scale to determine its interaction with the independent variables. Cicchirillo and Chory-Assad (2005) make two hypotheses in the study. First, participants who played violent video games will exhibit more aggressive thoughts and behavior than those who played non-violent games. This hypothesis is based on the gathered research supporting it and the concept of priming (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). Second, participants with high affective orientation who played violent video games will exhibit more aggressive thoughts and behavior than participants with low affective orientation who played the similar game and participants who played non-violent games (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). This hypothesis is based on the assumption that affective orientation mediates on the effect of violent video games on thought and behavior. To test the hypothesis, the researcher randomly asked 80 communication students at the beginning of the semester to answer questionnaires measuring their affective orientation. This was the first phase of the methodology. Thereafter, the second phase which is a laboratory test was initiated. The students who participated in the first phase were called back to participate in the second phase which involves the actual playing of video games. The students were divided randomly into two groups. One group was assigned to play a violent video game; the other group assigned to play a non-violent game. After playing for ten minutes, the students were asked to take a word completion test for three minutes to measure aggressive thoughts. Upon completion of the test, the students were told to evaluate the researcher on the pretext that this evaluation will be the basis for a research grant which the researcher was applying for. The evaluation form asked the students to assess the researcher’s courtesy, competence and deservedness of a financial support. The test was designed to measure the students’ aggressive behavior after playing the video game. A debriefing about the whole research was conducted after the students completed the evaluation. The results show that violent video games do not directly prime aggressive thought but it does prime aggressive behavior. They further conclude that some other process other than aggressive thoughts mediates the relationship between violent video games and aggressive behavior (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). In addition, the study also shows that affective orientation does not mediate between video games and affective behavior, but between affective behavior and aggressive affect (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). In other words, video games stimulate the aggressive affect which may increase aggressive behavior depending on the level of affective orientation. A participant with a high affective orientation is more likely to exhibit aggressive though and behavior after playing violent video games than one who is otherwise. The methodology designed by the researchers is experimental to test both hypotheses. In the first hypotheses, they measured relationship between the independent variable (violent video game play) and dependent variable (aggressive cognition and aggressive behavior). In the second hypotheses, they measured the correlation between affective orientation and video game play in predicting the level of aggressive cognition and behavior. In measuring affective orientation, student participants were asked to answer Booth-Butterfield Affective Orientation 15 scale which was used in previous studies about the influence of affective orientation in behavior(Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). To measure aggressive cognition, mean scores from the word completion task were analyzed, while scores obtained from the evaluation of the researchers were used to measure aggressive behavior. The researchers decided to separate the scores obtained from three items in the evaluation of aggressive behavior because the correlation is low and the alpha reliability is unacceptable (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The psychometric tools used by the researchers in measuring the variables of the study were culled from previous investigations of similar nature to ensure reliability and validity (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). Thus, the tools can be considered appropriate for the variables present in the hypotheses. There is a concern though about the nature of video games used in the experiment. From what Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad (2005) related, it can be observed that the violent video game [Grand Theft Auto] is relatively more complex than the non-violent game [etris)] As such, the researchers took a longer time in explaining the mechanics of the violent video game which may have affected the students’ evaluation of the researchers in the last phase of the experiment (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The length of playing time and number of video games used may also have affected the correlative scores between variables. In previous studies, participants were allowed longer exposure to a number of media compared to the exposure used in this study (Anderson cited in Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). A significant result may have arisen if this method was appropriated. In addition, the instrument used in measuring aggressive condition, a word completion task, may also have influenced, or more specifically, limited the responses of students. According to the recommendations of the researchers, an alternative instrument, such as thought listing, may record accurate and significant results obtained during the actual playing of the game; a less constricted instrument may allow for a precise mapping of aggressive thoughts (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). Moreover, the method of word completion is a novel psychometric method in that only two studies have used it (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The researchers reported that during the period between the first and second phase of the test, some of the student participants who answered the affective orientation questionnaire did not show up during the lab test (Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The original sample of 80 students was cut down to 59 and an additional 5 students who were not present during the first phase participated in the lab test. This significantly affected the results of the study. According to Kazdin (2003), in terms of sample selection, attrition, or the difference in the number of participant drop-outs in the groups, has significant effect on the result. He further suggested that to avoid attrition, researchers should select participants who are not likely to pull out of the experiment (2003). Considering that the experiment was done in a school setting, which is relatively easier to supervise than a broader setting such as a community, the researchers could have avoided the huge drop out of participants. The number of sample is crucial in arriving at a more definitive result as demonstrated in a similar study involving a sample of 65 participants (Anderson, C. ited in Cicchirillo & Chory-Assad, 2005). The partial validation of both hypotheses in the study may be different if the following changes are adapted in the study. As mentioned, an increase of sample size will yield to a significant relationship between aggressive thought and aggressive behavior. A close (but not intrusive) monitoring of participants may enable researchers to avoid the occurrence of attrition. In addition, utilizing a more naturalistic setting for the lab tes t may result to significant changes. According to Kazdin (2003), one factor influencing the external validity of a research design is the level of a participant’s awareness that he or she is undertaking an experiment. The â€Å"reactivity to experimental arrangements† may be lowered if the researchers utilized non-artificial and informal setting. Another improvement applicable to the study is the distribution of sample. According to the researchers, there was a random uneven distribution of the participants in terms of gender and number, and this may have affected the results. Increasing the sample size and close monitoring of the participants will resolve this discrepancy. The statistical analyses used to measure the relationship of the variable are appropriate for testing the hypotheses. The impact of violent video-game play to aggressive thought and behavior, which is the first hypothesis, was determined using a one-tailed t-test. This test determines the relationship of two groups—in the studies case, the players of violent video games and players of non-violent video games—to a single variable. Cicchirillo & Chorry-Assad (2005) reports that violent video-game play influences aggressive behavior, but not aggressive thought. Since the second hypothesis involved a the relationship of two independent variables—that is, level of affective orientation and video-game play—the researchers appropriately used regression analyses to determine the closest fit in this relationship. The results show that high scores on affective orientation and playing violent video games influence some aggressive behavior, but, similar to the first hypothesis, not aggressive thoughts (Cicchirill & Chorry-Assad, 2005). Because of the numerous variables present in the study, an alternative method may present more disadvantage than otherwise. However, to accommodate the use of a more naturalistic set-up, the study may require a longer methodology in terms of time. The researchers may involve a sample of much younger participants—for instance, high school students. To measure their affective orientation, school departments such as the guidance office may be utilized to administer tests at the beginning of the school year. Instead of a laboratory test for the second phase, a survey may be done to gather data on violent video game use of the specific sample chosen for the test. Methods to measure aggressive thought and behavior may be similar to the Cicchirill & Chorry-Assad study, but may include observation of actual behavior of the participants in a natural school setting. The disadvantages of this method involve the constraints on time and money resources inherent in a longer experimentation, and the bigger probability of attrition also due to time element. The research may be extended by exploring cultural factors involved in determining affective orientation. According to Zimbardo et al (2005), personality types, such as thinking versus feeling, are influenced by cultural affiliations. For instance, some cultures do not distinguish thought and emotions as much as Americans do (Zimbardo et al, 2005). Further research such as this may enlighten recent issues involving mass killings in US associated with violent behavior adapted by young people from media. It may also explore the role of gender differences in determining affective orientation, the results of which may establish empirical grounds for gender associated aggression.