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Wednesday, July 31, 2019

“Crucible” by Arthur Miller: The madness in Salem Essay

How does Miller use the ending of each act to make the audience feel the madness in Salem? Miller is able to portray the madness of Salem in a variety of ways, throughout the whole of the play however the ending of each act allows the audience to fully feel the hysteria. By incorporating changes of key themes and ideas as well as using links throughout the text and a variety of dramatic techniques towards the end of each act, Miller is able to leave the audience with a sense of this madness. The ways in which he reflects the madness change from scene to scene however each technique is just as important as others. Occurring frequently throughout the play, but particularly predominant at the end of Act I is the use of stage directions to increase tension and hysteria. After Tituba confesses to allegiance with the Devil, Abigail realises that this has saved her and so she decides to repeat Tituba’s actions in order to save herself. She understands that in order to prevent being accused she must become the accuser. Miller emphasises this as immediately after Hale states â€Å"God will bless you for your help†, Abigail rises and is quoted as â€Å"staring as though inspired.† She goes on to become â€Å"enraptured as though in a pearly light† which shows the progression from a quiet confession to a loud, more hysteric declaration. The passage which follows shows a huge rise in tension and irrational incidents as suddenly Betty rises from the bed after a long period of time in a collapsed state, also chanting confessions. Betty and Abigail exclaim the names of people who they claimed to have seen with the Devil, and Miller once again uses stage directions to show the craziness by describing them as â€Å"calling out hysterically† and â€Å"rising to a great glee.† The curtain falls on the girls crying out the names of people seen with the Devil, with a progressive increase in intensity and so the audience is left with a clear feel of the hysteria. Another way Miller is able to portray the madness towards the end of Act I is by using short sentences to increase tension and reflect the condition in Salem. During the confession of Abigail short, quick sentences are used such  as â€Å"I danced for the Devil!† or â€Å"I saw him†, both of which show a peak in hysteria. These are followed by Betty and Abigail accusing people of allegiance with the Devil and all these claims follow the same, generic format of â€Å"I saw ____ with the Devil!† This makes the girls seem as though they are possessed and are under the influence of the Devil – once again giving the audience a feel of the madness in Salem by building up a mad atmosphere. Towards the end of Act II Miller uses the actions of John Proctor to make the audience feel the madness in Salem, with his violent acts indicating how emotions have spiralled out of control in the village. After the arrest of his wife, Elizabeth, Proctor becomes aggravated and begins to take a violent approach towards the matter. As soon as he is left alone with Mary Warren, she is described as speaking in a â€Å"fearful squeak of a voice† which begins to suggest Proctor’s threatening presence. This is followed by Proctor â€Å"moving menacingly toward her† which gives the audience an instant insight on Proctor’s anger. Even though Mary Warren proclaims that Abigail will â€Å"kill [her] for sayin’ that† (referring to telling the court who stuck the needle into the poppet), Proctor still â€Å"continues toward her† which also indicates the madness of Proctor and the community around him. Mary then begins to â€Å"back from him† and speaks â€Å"in terror†, however Proctor â€Å"strides and catches her† which shows a progression from mere verbal abuse to physical violence and an upsurge of anger. This anger proliferates into Proctor â€Å"grasping her from the throat as though he would strangle her† before â€Å"throwing her to the floor where she sobs†. Miller is able to use this forcefulness to give the audience a taste of how things have progressed from illogical thoughts to outright madness in not just the Proctor household but the whole of Salem. Along with the use of Proctor’s violence to reflect the madness in Salem, Miller uses the intense dialogue between Proctor and Mary Warren to show how insanity has grown in the Salem community. Miller utilises Mary Warren’s repeated refrain of â€Å"I cannot, I cannot† to reflect how crazy she has become. Despite Abigail’s wrongdoings Mary states that she â€Å"cannot charge murder on Abigail† which shows how much Abigail has manipulated her. She   then states that â€Å"they’ll turn on [her]† which demonstrates the pressure placed upon Mary to lie to the court. Mary’s mind has been twisted into believing that staying loyal to the girls is more important than saving the lives of innocent people accused of witchcraft and this gives the audience a glimpse of the absurd ideas implanted into the brains of the Salem community. The curtain falls on Mary repeatedly sobbing â€Å"I cannot, I cannot† and this tells the audience that the madness is not at an end but will continue into the scenes to come. In Act III, Miller utilises Mary Warren’s change of heart to fully epitomise the extent of which the madness in Salem has grown. As previously stated, Miller used the end of Act II to show that the madness in Salem would continue into the coming scenes, and by making Mary Warren and John Proctor the subject of drama once again he has shown this. The end of Act III begins with Abigail conversing with an invisible bird which is acclaimed to be controlled by Mary Warren. This, not unlike most other claims of witchcraft in the play, has no substance or evidence apart from the victim’s claims and is irrational which links in with the general madness of the play. Abigail has made this accusation in order to avoid being accused; drawing parallels with the ending of Act I. Abigail once again asserts her dominance over Mary which can be seen, as when Abigail shouts that the spirit is â€Å"going to come down† and is â€Å"walking the beam†, Mary changes from saying that previous cases were â€Å"pretence† to now saying that John Proctor is â€Å"the Devil’s man.† Mary is described as â€Å"screaming in horror† – antics associated with someone gone mad. Ultimately, this extreme change of heart is used by Miller to show that the hysteria has reached its peak and now people are no longer willing to argue anymore. The idea that arguing is of no use anymore as the judges fail to understand good reasoning is shown again through John Proctor’s change of heart as well. After spending so long arguing for the freedom of his wife and so many others, when asked if he has any allegiance with Satan he replies that â€Å"God is dead!† Proctor recognises Judge Danforth’s hypocrisy in that Danforth previously stated that witchcraft was only visible to the victim and the accused, however now he says â€Å"I have seen your power† which is contradictory  to the previous statement. Miller uses this case of hypocrisy to show the audience how a lack of logic has overrun Salem causing the aforementioned madness. Proctor follows by â€Å"laughing insanely† and saying that he â€Å"hears the boot of Lucifer† and â€Å"sees his filthy face† – a sharp contrast to saying the Devil is not present in Salem just a few moments before. Imagery of burning in Hell and the damnation of himself and Danforth contribute greatly to the madness and they give the audience an idea of the graphic culmination of the madness in Salem. Also, Hale â€Å"denounces these proceedings† and â€Å"quits this court† which leaves the courtroom itself in a state of madness. Danforth attempts to control the room but is unable to and this symbolises how power is no longer with any of the officials and all chaos has broken loose in Salem, giving the audience a full on feel of how a total loss of control has culminated in Salem. All in all, Arthur Miller is able to use the ending of each act to make the audience feel the madness in Salem by incorporating multiple techniques into the play to add tension and hysteria. These techniques, ranging from stage directions to symbolism and imagery, are able to give the audience a glimpse of the insanity going through Salem and they are developed well as the audience progresses through the play; building up to dramatic climaxes and culminating in the loss of all order in the Salem community.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

A happy farm life, tragic heart break, traitorous family, and of course dogs: the marvelous components that make The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski a true classic. Within this brilliant novel there are of course many memorable moments that leave the reader filled with shock, sympathy and deep sadness. The most intense moment in the novel to me, though, was the death of Edgar’s father, Gar.The strong relationship between father and son as well as Edgar’s muteness makes this moment a pivotal point in the novel, and the sympathy felt by the reader brands this part of the novel as the most memorable and influential moment in the book. First, Gar’s death is by far the most memorable moment in the novel because of how it affects Edgar. In the moment, Edgar is alone and finds his father lying motionless on the ground. He frantically tries to sign to him but there is no reply so he quickly runs into the house.There, he makes a very unsuccessful phone call to try and save his father, and while on the phone he tries to â€Å"force the sound from his mouth† (Wroblewski 123) by hitting himself repeatedly in the stomach. He finds there is nothing he can do and frustratingly smashes the phone to pieces and pounds furiously with his fists on the barn walls to get someone’s attention. During this part of the novel the initial reaction of the reader is pure shock and sympathy, the audience knows that his efforts are useless.It is by far the most important and memorable section of the book because Edgar now has to deal with life feeling that his flaw of being mute is the only reason his father died, and he is constantly feeling guilty and responsible for Gar’s death for the rest of the book. The scene is also very well written by the author, Wroblewski, and the descriptions of Edgar’s attempts at talking are completely impossible to read without feeling empathetic towards Edgar’s situation and wanting to help. Second, the scene of Gar’s death is a pivotal moment in the plot during this novel.Gar is a very influential character in the novel. He represents a strong, stable, life for his family, a role model for Edgar, and the good hero who keeps any evil forces, like Claude, out of their family’s lives. Also, his death is the beginning of a tumultuous fall of the farm and Edgar’s life. Once Gar’s protection is gone, it is just Edgar and his mother left, both broken and trying to figure out how to keep the farm running. Gar was in charge of paperwork and the business of raising the Sawtelle dogs, so without him not only the household, but the business slowly starts to crumble.This also sets off the need for Claude to come in to the story, whose presence causes many problems including ultimately the death of Edgar. Third, Gar’s death haunts Edgar throughout the novel. He always replaying the memory and feeling terrible that he couldn’t save his father , even though it was out of his control. Also, later Claude tries to blame Edgar for Gar’s death, saying it was â€Å"strange, the way [Edgar] just†¦found him† (Wroblewski 435). Gar’s death in the book has a great relationship to the novel because of how it affects the plot and characters throughout the rest of the story.This scene is very effective when being read because of its strong influence on the rest of the novel. First, there is a great amount of sympathy felt by the audience while Edgar makes his discovery and phone call. All the reader wants to do is reach out with their voice to help out this poor boy who can’t speak into the phone. Also, to watch such a traumatic experience unfold as an outside party is absolutely heart wrenching. Second, Edgar’s character flaw comes into play in this moment. This is the main part in the book where the fact that he is mute is a big factor to the novel’s plot.The whole center to the conflict of his father’s death is that he is alone and is left in a situation where his voice was the only hope of saving Gar’s life. Knowing this as a reader makes the scene so much more powerful and meaningful, as well as influential to the rest of the book. This scene is necessary to the plot, because without the conflict between Claude and Gar and Gar’s sudden death, there would be no reason for several other big moments in the novel. For example, Edgar later sees his father as a â€Å"figure in the rain† (Wroblewski 235).This is a major plot twist, because this is when he finds out that Claude is responsible for the murder of Gar. Also, Claude’s relationship with Trudy would not have kindled without the death of Gar. These other moments help to connect the main plot with the plot of Hamlet, a very important connection that Wroblewski wanted to make clear, as well as add the general conflict of the plot of the novel. The death of Gar is the most memora ble part of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. It is the most pivotal part of the novel, the part where everything shifts and begins to go downhill.His death increases conflict in the novel and is necessary in order for other main parts to play a part in the plot. Edgar’s character development is also based on this death scene, and the moment ties his character flaw of being mute into the plot. When the actual moment in the book is being read, the audience is left in utter shock and sympathy for Edgar and the position the situation throws him in. The descriptive work of Wroblewski is powerful, and a permanent image of Edgar hitting himself in the stomach with the Sawtelle’s shattered phone lying on the kitchen counter will be forever embedded into any reader’s mind.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Diversity in The Workplace Essay

Diversity has several definitions. According to Schmidle (2010), workplace diversity is a people issue, focusing on the differences and similarities that people bring to an organization. It is usually defined broadly to include dimensions beyond those specified legally in equal opportunity and affirmative action non-discrimination statues. Diversity is often interpreted to include dimensions which influence the identities and perspective that people bring, such as profession, education, parental status and geographic location. If you think of diversity and all of the categories it can be a bit overwhelming. Schmidle did leave out several categories that include age, gender, income level, social status, political views, religion, and marital status. The word â€Å"diversity† has a kind of conflict ring to it but it doesn’t necessarily mean it is a bad thing. Diversity can in fact be a good thing. Schmidle later goes on to discuss some of this positive outcomes of diversity including one of the most important aspects of diversity which is learning new things from others. If we are around the same people everyday that are the exact same and do things the exact same it is hard for people to think outside the box. This paper will discuss positive and negative aspects of diversity focusing on age. It will also discuss other forms of diversity as well. When discussing age diversity it is important to discuss the different categories. Individuals over 60 are considered to be the Traditionalist generation. Individuals in their mid-40’s to 60’s are baby boomers. Those in their late 20’s to early 40’s are in the Generation X category and the most recent generation is Generation Y who are early 20’s or younger (Bell, Narz, 2007). Each one of these groups has been described as having certain characteristics. Traditionalists are defined as having a more traditional  working environment. They typically work 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 but are said to work late and weekends during busy periods if necessary. Traditionalist are also said to be hard working, loyal employees who respect authority. It is typical for wives of this category to have been home with the children while the male is or was at work bringing in the sole income. Traditionalists are retiring from the work force at a steady rate but still remain influential in today’s working environment (Bell, Narz 2007). Baby Boomers are the children of Traditionalists and also thought to have a strong work ethic. A difference between Boomers and Traditionalists is that they are dual-career couples with the women working as well as the men. Boomers are said to question authority and have also been labeled the â€Å"me generation† (Bell, Narz 2007). Generation Xers are the children of Baby Boomers. They have grown up watching their parents working to try and have it all and have been affected by their parents working hard and late hours. They are more family and parent oriented, optimistic and confident. They are said to not have a very strong loyalty to their employer and tend to work for someone that best fits their needs (Bell, Narz 2007). Generation Y are the children of Generation X and are also called the millennials, the internet generation, and also the Echo Boomers. This is due to their computer knowledge and also due to them being one of the largest generations since the Baby Boomers. At a young age they were introduced to different lifestyles and cultures in school. Being that they were exposed so young they tend to have more accustomed to different races, sexual orientation, and ethnic groups. Generation Ys like to be challenged and want flexibility and telecommuting options. They are also family oriented and want to work part time or time off when having children (Bell, Narz 2007). After describing these different groups it is clear there is a difference in attitude, respect, loyalty, goals, and work ethic. Putting all of these individuals in a working environment together would seem like a very bad idea. Schaefer 2010 States: The popular press paints a picture of generational divide at work. Mature workers (Traditionalists and Baby Boomers) are portrayed as loyal and hardworking, but dinosaurs when it comes to innovation and technology. Younger employees (Generation Xers and Millennials) are viewed as innovative, but disrespectful, lazy, and egocentric. Taken at face value, these stereotypes can lead to conflict and turmoil in the workplace. Schafer later describes that this is not the case and actually have more similarities than differences. She also informs the reader that age diversity is a value to our organizations and will be a â€Å"an important component in the divers workforce of the future.† (Schaefer, 2010). What are some benefits and who does it affect? One benefit is respect. By respecting others differences productivity increases which can affect an employee and an organization economically, financially and competitiveness (Green, 2008). By being more productive the company makes more money, which makes it possible for them to be competitive. When a company makes more money it is easier for them to give raises and bonuses. Also when a company has diversity in the workplace it can reduce lawsuits and increase marketing opportunities, recruitment, creativity, and business image (Green, 2008). Diversity is not only positive. It can be if you have the right group of people working but for the most part managers will find obstacles and challenges. When I was managing I always said it only takes one individual to destroy a group’s character and flow. This type of person looks for problems and gets the rest of the group members worked up. Something simple like a gossiper can ruin a group’s charisma. If a group member is racist or not accepting of particular member’s religious views or sex it can also affect the rest of the group (Green, 2008). This can lead to the loss of personnel and effect work production which in turn affects the employees and organization economically, financially, and its competitiveness. Also if an individual is not socially accepting of others it affects the companies view to the customers and shareholders. The chain fast food restaurant Chik-Fil-A has recently announced it does not support same sex marriage. The public exploded with outrage and tens of thousands of people vowed to never eat  there again. If a business employs an individual who voices their discrimination, prejudice, or stereotyping of a particular group the same outcome could happen if left unchecked. I think for the most part we could all agree the older generation was not as accepting to different races, religion, and sexual preference as much as the younger generation is. This certainly does not mean a younger person would not be discriminatory or that all Traditional workers are discriminatory but it is something managers need to understand. Business will typically have a note on discrimination in their by laws or employee hand books that any form whether it be for age, sex, ethnicity, sexual preference will not be tolerated. Colleges employing individuals will have this as well. An example of this is the University of California’s system wide non-discrimination statement: â€Å"It is the policy of the University not to engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with the University of California on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic Characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation citizenship, or status as a covered veteran. This policy applies to all employment practices, including recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, merit increase, salary, training, and development, demotion, and separation. † (University of California, 2011). Having non-discrimination statements like this allows employees, the public, shareholders, and other colleges or competition see discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated at the school. This can help the business have a positive image to all who read it. It is fairly uncommon to find a current business without some form of discrimination statement. The one from the University of California above is very descriptive and most that I have found do not go into this much detail. The University of California also has their Principles of Community: â€Å"We recognize, value, and affirm that social diversity contributes richness to the University community and enhances the quality of campus life for  individuals and groups. We take pride in our various achievements and we celebrate our differences.† (University of California, 2011). These types of guiding principles allows the community and any other readers know the University welcomes differences in individuals. If someone was having any reservations about attending this University or working for them this further assures the individual the University would welcome them no matter how different they are. Age diversity can also affect the way a person is treated. If you think about front-line management, mid-management, senior management you typically vision an older individual at the senior management level, a slightly younger individual at the mid-management level, and again a slightly younger individual at the front-line management level. Does age have to do with getting promoted? If I simply get older will I be promoted? Apparently it does not but it does have a huge impact on getting dismissed. If an employee is more than twenty percent younger than their superior they are more likely to be let go. If the employee is less than twenty percent younger than their superior they are less likely to be let go (Giuliano, Leonard, Leving, 2006). This study shows a superior is much more likely to dismiss someone who is considerable younger than them compared to if the employee is rather close in age. The workforce demographics are also shifting. It has been reported workers in the age group of 55-64 there will be 36.5 percent more compared to 2006. That is a drastic increase. What about those ages 65-74 and employees 75 and up? There is projected an 80 percent increase in both. This means people are working longer and past the retirement age (Schaefers, 2010). This also lets us know age diversity with the Generation X needs to be paid attention to by employers. Many feel we have a solid understanding of this group already while others feel we have been focusing on the Traditional workers more. Whatever the case it is pretty clear employers will need to be prepared to provide for this generation and others who follow. How do we do that? We need to understand how each generation feels and act. Mature workers value loyalty from and to the company. They often few their younger co-workers as not having enough company allegiance. Generation Xers are considered to be loyal to a team, boss, or project but  not necessarily a company. Baby Boomers and Traditional workers may view this as disrespectful and it could cause conflict (Schaefers, 2010). We need to understand the core values of generations. Many values are shared between generations. The Traditionalists raised the baby Boomers. The Baby Boomers raised the Generation X and the Generation X raised the Generation Y. It is easy to understand some of the traits of the older generations have been passed down especially family. It did take some negative steps at times. The traditionalist taught their children to work hard and be loyal. This had a kind of family second effect and the Generation X was affected by this. They are very family oriented and family always comes first. So an employer would need to know that if they plan on keeping Generation X employees around they need to allow them to have flexible schedules and they need to be able to take time off for family(Schaefers, 2010). We need to expand our communication approaches as well with the other groups coming up. The millennial generation is extremely technology oriented and it is very important in their lives. This generation does most of their business through electronics and technology as well as their personal life (Schaefers, 2010). One of the major characteristic an employer should have and should instill on all employees is to show respect to one another. A younger employee does not want to get disrespected for a possible new and out of the box idea just as an older employee doesn’t want to disrespected for doing something the same way for so long. We have all heard treat others like you would like to be treated and it holds a lot of weight when trying to get different generations to work in a cohesive and productive manner (Schaefers, 2010). Productivity is another topic employer and employees are concerned with. Some feel the older workers do not work as hard or are productive as younger employees. Some decide this is true whether or not it is and respond to it. Making comments or speaking to other employees and management about the lack of work is one form. The truth is studies have shown this is not necessarily true in all cases. A three year study was conducted with a hardware chain. One store was staffed with only employees over the age of fifty, while the other five stores were staffed with younger employees. The over fifty store was considerably more productive in major business aspects than two of the other five stores and was close to the other three in sales generated against labor costs (Robbins, Judge, 2011). This is an impressive study that can refute arguments that the older individuals are not worth employing. Employers carry mixed feelings about older worker. Some feel they are more loyal, have more experience, better judgment, and stronger work ethic. Others feel they lack in flexibility and are not accustomed to today’s technology. When these employers are looking for new hires it is common for the older applicants to be looked over and if they are hired they are usually the first to go when it comes to layoffs (Robbins, Judge, 2011). The opportunity to quit is also a concern for employers. Given that an older applicant has fewer employment opportunities it is thought some employers hire these individuals based on the idea that they will not leave once hired. The younger applicant is thought to have greater opportunity and a more willingness to change jobs or jump ship if the job is not what they expected. They younger generations are also thought to expect the employer and business to take care of there needs better than the older generations (Robbins, Judge, 2011). Some companies realize the value in older employees and actually make attempts to attract them. Boarders and the Vanguard Group have realized the value and have offered benefits and options that lure them in. Flexible hours and part time work are a couple of the things the older workers are looking for. Since most have at least thought about retirement if not already been retired, these groups of workers enjoy spending time with family and doing the things they enjoy. Most states have agreed that a mandatory retirement is not necessary the pool of aged workers has increased dramatically. No longer is it required for individuals to retire at the age of 70. This has led a lot of workers to reinter or continue to be a part of the labor force. Some have lost loved ones and wish to socialize which they would not be able to do if they simply stayed home. The opportunity gives  them a reason to try and make new friends and also gives them a reason to stay busy. Others may have not prepared or had the opportunity to save up a proper retirement with today’s increasing prices and declining economy (Robbins, Judge, 2011). The employee’s job satisfaction needs to be considered when it comes to the diversity of age in a workplace. Employees over the age of 60 who are non professional’s satisfaction rate decreases during their middle ages and increases as they get older. Professional employees who were over the age of 60 however continually increased as they aged (Robbins, Judge, 2011). One of the ongoing concerns with diversity is if they want it. As discussed there are many advantages of having diversity in the workplace. If a company wants to grow it is important to allow new and different people to bring different things to the office table. This is so true that some literature can be found on how to increase workplace diversity. The most important decision for a company is to decide what kind of diversity they need. It may not be the best idea for a company whose main product is A company that sells women’s jewelry may n References Robbins, S.P., & Judge, T.A. (2011). Organizational Behavior(14 ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Notter, Jamie (2009). Generational Diversity in The Workplace. Retrieved 30 August 2012 from Convergence Media: http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/recruit/group/mature/Gen eral-Diversity-in-workplace.asp Schaefers, Kate (2010). Age Diversity in the Workplace. Retrieved 31 August 2012 from Careers Thought Leaders: http://www.careerthoughtleaders.com/blog/age-diversity-in-the- workplace/ Schmidle, Deborah and Woods, Susan (2010). Workplace Diversity. Retrieved 31 August 2012 from Catherwood Library: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/library/research/subjectguides/work placediversity.html University of California (2011). Managing Diversity in the Workplace. Retrieved 27 August 2012 from University of California: http://ucsfhr.ucsf.edu/index.php/pubs/hrguidearticle/chapter- 12-managing-diversity-in-the-workplace/ Green, Kelli A. and Lopez, Mayra (2008). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools. Retrieved 31 August 2012 from University of Florida: http://www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hr022 Greenberg, Josh (2004). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and Solutions. Retrieved 31 August 2012 from AlphaMeasure,Inc.: http://multiculturaladvantage.com/recruit/†¦/Diversity-in-th- Workplace-Benefits-Challenges-Solutions.asp Bell, Nancy Sutton and Narz, Marvin (2007). Meeting the Challenges of Age Diversity in the Workplace. Retrieved 31 August 2012 from New York State Society of CPAs: http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/2007/207/essentials/p56.htm United States Department of Labor (2010). Employee Tenure Summary. Retrieved 4 September 2012 from United States Department of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/tenure.nr0.htm Giuliano, Laura, Leonard, Jonathan and Levine, David I. (2006). Do Race, Age, and Gender Differences Affect Manager-Employee Relations? An analysis of Quits, Dismissals, and Promotions at a Large Retail Firm. Retrieved 4 September 2012 from http://moya.bus.miami.edu/~lgiuliano/Quits.pdf

Monday, July 29, 2019

Communication Stratergy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication Stratergy - Essay Example Pink is now part of a French luxury brands group called LVMH which has helped them to expand more, they now cater to their customers with a treasure trove of silk ties, leather goods and other accessories. Thomas Pink, also operates a state of the art website, through which customers can purchase its luxury products at any hour of any day at any place in the world. (LinkedIn). To a novice, Thomas Pink’s success story may seem like a fairytale that has been riding a continuous success wave held up by sheer dumb luck. However, this is not how Thomas Pink has been able to climb up the rungs of the ladder of corporate success. They have, over the course of time implemented various policies and techniques that have given the brand an edge over its competitors and helped propel it from just another shirt manufacturer to one of the leading names of luxury brands in the UK. One of the things most important for a brand’s rapid success in the marketing sphere is its communication strategy. As effective as a good communication strategy can be, it can sometimes also be very difficult to develop, fashioned to best suit the companies needs. Thus, many companies suffer from either the lack of a communications strategy or the ineffectiveness of one. A successful communications strategy explains and promotes the company’s goals and what it hopes to achieve. It creates the â€Å"voice† of the company used to reach its customer base and it is upon this communications strategy that the company can base subsequent tactics. First and foremost, the company needs to get some things in order. The management needs to decide on five management decisions which are further explained below. First, the company needs to ascertain what its audience is. Who are the people it wants to reach and communicate its goals to? Second, the company needs to figure out what it needs to change about its behavior. Things it needs to do differently, new actions that it will have t o take to reach its newly defined audience and communication routes it will have to redirect and realign. Third, the management needs to decide which messages will be suitable for the defined audience. Do they have to restructure the messages? Or will they have to be changed completely? Once the messages to be conveyed to the audience are decided, the management can now work on what channels will be required to convey the message. These will also be in accordance with the defined audience to be targeted. The last job of the management concerning the implementation of a communications strategy is that of evaluation. How will the success of implementation of such a strategy be measured? Should the management set some goals or aims to be achieved? And how will they be able to quantify results? Thomas Pink’s communications strategy changed greatly with time as it expanded and its audience changed. Initially, it was just producing luxury men’s shirts for an audience that wa s prepared to pay a premium price for premium quality. This required Thomas Pink to target a particular segment of the rich and image conscious male market that would purchase the brand’s products with a loyalty only associated with people with money who stick with brands because those brands offer a small part to the completion of their personalities. When Thomas Pink joined LVMH, it expanded into different markets like a firework. It

Sunday, July 28, 2019

What have you learned about Asian culture (you may wish to distinguish Essay

What have you learned about Asian culture (you may wish to distinguish between various countries and cultures) in this course - Essay Example The discussion will be based on the analysis of a number of films being produced in the region. The films chosen for the analysis are: Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa, Hanabi by Takeshi Kitano, Apur Sansar by Satyajit Ray, Salaam Bombay! by Mira Nair, Red Sorghum by Zhang Yimou, and Chungking Express by Wong Kar-Wai. The paper will examine how the variations of Asian culture are presented in these films. Before going into any further discussion on the nuances of Asian culture, it is important to understand what culture means. A general definition of culture argues that the concept of culture can be best described as â€Å"a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behaviour. It is an abstract ‘mental blueprint’ or ‘mental code’.† Concepts and ideas of culture can be studied by means of exploring behaviour, customs, material culture (artefacts, tools, and technology), language, etc. of a particular community or region. So to say, culture is a learning process through which a community or society can be studied both at individual and collective levels. This process of learning one’s culture can be labelled as enculturation. One of the characteristic features of culture studies is that there is nothing like a ‘culture of one’, it is a collective possession shared by a ll the members of a society. Commonness in behaviour, customs and other traditional practices can be achieved by mutual construction of a culture by means of a constant process of social interaction. Besides, culture, language and thought are based on symbols and symbolic meanings. Apart from this symbolic nature, the definition of culture features arbitrariness and habitualness as culture is internalized and created by humans. Coming to the more specific discussion of the Asian culture, it is characterized by the concept of cultural variation. Some of the most important ingredients of Asian culture are: Asian art,

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Education and Training Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Education and Training Policy - Essay Example In the beginning of 2000, an emphasis is given for the changes in national implementation practices regarding executive and administrative structures of education, training and development systems. However, the administrations face the task of formulating policy for education and training and it needs transmission through a wide range of subsidiary competences to the institution levels. The differences in policy decisions with varying degrees of urgency and authority are subject to differing degrees of interpretation at various stages of implementation. The afore-mentioned aspect is due to complexity in the policy decisions and their implementation. However, the complexity is great when the policy is supranational policy (Phillips, David (Editor), 2003). 1 According to Adey and Philip (1994), there is a notion that the educational standards are not up to the mark in secondary school level and the afore-mentioned standards are regarding the acceptance of certificates of public examinations at secondary school level. ... The question of standards arises if there is wide acceptance for the notion of not considering the certificates of public examinations as the only criteria for standards in secondary education. The next question is about the complacency of teaching staff and ill designed material affecting the standards, as they may not stop students in getting certificates of public examinations in UK. If the later reason is true, the concern is about the methods that enhance the standards of education and the reliability and relevance of them to secondary education. The first step is to set up higher standards that can lead to higher achievement through fear of loss of job. However, the afore-mentioned aspect may lead to malpractices in education, as the impositions are not enough to enhance or bring out the ability of teaching staff. However, one should keep in view that the popularisation of educational policy may often result in crude instruments of intervention. When the interventions are crude , the methods have poor innovation in judging the standards of secondary education. The innovative intervention should have professional credibility that can lead to higher scores in national testing process. The creation and implementation of the afore-mentioned innovative interventions need investigation of the implications of our understanding about how children learn. Moreover, the understanding about the affects of curriculum on children and the way the professional development in children is affected by curriculum; ways and means of teachers and education policy decide the nature of interventions. For the afore-mentioned aspect, the emphasis on psychological foundations of innovation and a well

Friday, July 26, 2019

Edward Snowdens NSA Leaks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Edward Snowdens NSA Leaks - Assignment Example The revelation was a show of gross violation of civil liberties. When Snowden resigned from CIA, he started working as a contractor at the NSA facility in the United States Military base in Japan. Snowden had excellent computer skills and was given top secret clearance. At the time, there were a lot of opportunities for contractors as the United States security outsourced intelligence tasks to outside private companies. Snowden found out the all-consuming NSA surveillance activities. He was also keen to notice that the mechanisms that were built into the United States system to keep NSA in check were not working. While working for one of the 13 hubs that spied on Chinese interests, he made anonymous contacts with journalists and leaked top-secret information to them. When he took a new job with the Booz Allen Hamilton, he got access to the list of machines that had been hacked by NSA from across the globe. He was among those who were allowed to look at the system. Other people with t op secret clearance did not have the permission to view all the classified files. Snowden was able to open files without leaving any electronic trace. He was a ghost user. As an administrator, he managed to persuade others to give him their login details. Snowden used his authority as a sysadmin to download documents to thumb drives. He was able to reach the NSA servers remotely from Hawaii. After completion of four weeks in his new job, he claimed to be unwell and requested for unpaid leave from his bosses at Booz. Then, he disappeared. There are a number of measures that should have been ensured to prevent Snowden’s leaks. Firstly, the top secret clearance should have been given to people with clear motives who have passed integrity tests. Secondly, there should have been a strong security policy barring any staff from disclosing his/her login details to prevent unauthorized access to files.  

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Race and Gender Roles Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Race and Gender Roles - Movie Review Example The reflective lyrics makes Knowles envision herself in the role of her disregarding guy as is in the lyrics "I'd put myself first/ And make the rules as I go/ 'Cause I know that she'd be faithful/ Waitin' for me to come home." However, the wife is shown to be relentlessly trying to understand her husband and making excuses for him but it is never the other way around. It shows how a woman feels through the eyes of herself. It uses technique of making the man sit at home and act like a wife by running behind her all the time. If it were shot otherwise, the wife may not have looked as dismal and ignored as a husband did in this video. This fact not only shows the perspectives the society has long built up but also the insensitive attitude toward them. According to a review: "The lyrics are both a lament for misunderstanding between the genders and an indictment of the male side of relationships. It's a perfect follow up to the independent attitude of B'Day and lays the groundwork for another exploration of what it means to be a woman in the world today. The pain of experience is palpable counter-balanced somewhat by a sense of hope that progress can still be made." The video disregards any observable aspects race may have played in such a situation.

Costs of benefits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Costs of benefits - Essay Example This paper gives an analysis of the results obtained from StopNShop Today Inc especially on the competitiveness of its benefits package and the benefits it accrues from the package. As much as it is of a necessity for any organization to conform its benefits package to the prevailing ones within the economy it operates, it is also ethical that organizations make their packages more attractive and above their competitors so as to retain the best of human resource within the market (Barnow et al, 2013). The review report from StopNShop Today Inc study review of its packages reveals an interesting trend within the organization. More weight is given to wages and salaries as in forms the core of the organization’s incentive to its employees. This is followed by the total costs incurred on benefits to the employees with the rest given very little weight. Of more interest is the allocation to retirement and the savings that come with it. It is the least area over which the company allocates its resources. The trend within the U.S economy is of greater interest and explains further the recent decision by major organizations to review their benefits packages (Barnow et al, 2013). As of the year 2004 towards the year 2008, the general of cost allocation to benefits and remunerations was on a declining slope which gives a reflection of the economic times during such periods. Between the year 2008 and 2010 there was a steady increase in the general allocation of resources to benefits and remunerations. Such an action reveals that the companies were experiencing economic boom and thus could easily afford to increase the allocation of their resources to benefits. The general trend in the statistics available at the U.S Bureau of Statistics shows that most organizations do allocate between 40% and 47% of their resources towards the benefits of their employees with the percentage allocated to

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Jackson Pollock's Convergence as Fine Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jackson Pollock's Convergence as Fine Art - Essay Example The paper "Jackson Pollock's Convergence as Fine Art" concerns the art of Jackson Pollok. In 1973, his 1952 painting of Blue Poles was purchased by the Australian government for an outstanding amount of US$2 million—that time the highest price ever paid for a contemporary work of art. His paintings are currently valued up to US$40 million. Only works by Rembrandt, Velazquez and da Vinci had commanded more respect and higher prices in the art market. Another of Pollock’s most well-known pieces is Convergence (1952, oil on canvas, 93 1/2 x 155 inches, exhibited in the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York). The Springbok Company introduced Convergence as a jigsaw puzzle in 1965. The 340-piece jigsaw puzzle was billed as â€Å"the world’s most difficult jigsaw puzzle† as hundreds of thousands of Americans struggled to piece together the reproduction of Pollock’s complex art. As Jackson Pollock rose to fame and to a significant reputation in the world of art, some critics argued whether his paintings were really "art", or just mere paint drips on canvas. The seemingly simple act Pollock performed fuelled controversies and split the public opinion. His masterworks triggered discussions whether his style was raw genius or was his work an arbitrary composition of paint brought about by a drunken state. The definition of art is frequently the issue of debate and argument. What constitutes its nature and qualities is a complicated matter. Who is authorized to define art is also a subject of disputations.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Counterfeiting is NOT a major problem for Branded good companies Essay

Counterfeiting is NOT a major problem for Branded good companies engaged in International Strategic Marketing - Essay Example Counterfeiting is production of goods similar to the original article; they are cheaper alternatives of the original and there may not be perceivable difference in quality (Phau, Teah & Lee, 2009). OECD (1998) defines counterfeiting as any manufacturing of a product which so closely imitates the appearance of the product of another to mislead a consumer that it is the product of another. Hence it also includes trademarks and copyrights infringements, including packaging and labeling or any other significant feature of the product. Counterfeiting is a civil offence, a criminal crime apart from being a social, political and serious economic problem (Bian & Veloutsou, 2007). However, according to the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development, 2007) the total value of counterfeit goods in 2005 was $200 billion (Gistri et al. 2009) and by 2007 it has estimated to have exceeded $500 (Phau, Teah & Lee, 2009). It is estimated that about 15% of the branded products sold across the world are counterfeit (Cross, 2006). The core target for counterfeiting brands is the luxury brands. It has increased to such proportions because of global trade and emerging new markets (Phau & Teah, 2009). Counterfeiting thrives because in some countries such as the US, their legal system protects only functionality and not designs or the style. In other countries even this level of protection is not present (Hilton, Chot & Chen, 2004). Countries like China and Hong Kong has no way to deal with counterfeiters and moreover, many times counterfeiting takes place outside the jurisdiction of a country (Nejdet, 2000). North Korea too engages in secret counterfeit printing and packaging of billions of cigarettes and drugs sold in the US (Cross, 2006). Phillips Morris has been able to trace the counterfeit version of its Marlboro brand at more than 1300 stores in the US. Such illicit activities generate more than half a billion US dollars. The counterfeiting is done so

Monday, July 22, 2019

Othello is a play about jealousy Essay Example for Free

Othello is a play about jealousy Essay Othello is a play about jealousy, Iagos innate jealousy and the imposed jealousy of Othello, discuss. Othello is a Shakesperian tragedy in which the valuable qualities of the favourable characters are manipulated against them in such a way that their own qualities catalyse their own downfall. At the start of the play all is well between the honest Othello and sweet Desdemona until Iago slowly poisons Othellos mind until it cumulates in a bloody and murderous finale. Shakespeares plays are well renowned for their examination of human emotions through drama, Romeo and Juliet examined the nature love, Hamlet examined the characteristic of having a weak mind, and both of these plays revealed the dangerous aspects to extreme feelings. Othello is a play that also explores the destruction that human emotion can lead to, and this essay shall consider the proposition that Othello is a play about the emotion of jealousy and its consequences. Iago is the first cause of all the trouble in Othello. His apparent motive for wanting to oust Cassio in favour of himself is his belief that Cassio is less fit and capable of the position of lieutenant than he. Nor the division of a battle he knows More than a spinster, unless bookish rhetoric, Wherein the togged consuls can propose, As masterly as he. Mere prattle without practise In all his soldiership. Iago, Act I, scene I. The harsh sounding pr sound in the alliteration in Iagos speech suggests his anger at Cassios appointment. This idea is later supported when Iago goes on to declare he cannot feel love for the Moor, as he feels Othello picks officers out of favouritism. Iago feels hard done to by Othello, and the combination of these revelations indicate that Iago is jealous of Cassios new position and contemptuous towards Othello for giving it because he wanted the position for himself. He may also feel jealous because he is considered less favourable as a person to Othello, because he scorns Othello picking his lieutenant out of favouritism. It is these feelings that rouse the desire for revenge on Cassio and The Moor inside Iago, and cause him to plan the fall of his superiors. Jealous people are never happy with others fortunes and therefore can only be happy when others are misfortunate. Therefore, it is possible Iagos desire for destruction is spurred by his jealousy. Due to the fact Iago is the root cause of the tragic result of the play, the point that Othello is about Iagos innate jealousy seems to be well made because it is jealousy which first inspires Iago to bring misfortune to those he views to be better off than himself. Iago is not only jealous of Cassio, but also jealous of Othello. Similarly to the jealousy he feels for Cassio, Iago is jealous of Othellos respect and fortunate position. However, there is also evidence that Iago is jealous of Othellos relations with women. He believes that his wife has been unfaithful to him with Othello and this would rouse jealousy and contempt. And it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets Hes done my office Iago also finds Desdemona very attractive, and perhaps reveals he wants her for himself, although Iagos precise motives are never revealed in the play. Now I do love her (Desdemona) too; Not out of absolute lust, through peradventure I stand accountant to as great as sin, But partly led to diet my revenge For I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leaped In my seat Act II scene I line ~280 This speech can be interpreted as either meaning he loves Desdemona because he can use her as a tool in his revenge against the Moors behaviour with his wife, or perhaps interpretted as Iago admitting he wants Desdemona for himself- and his justification of this feeling being that Othello had Emilia. Either interpretation concludes that Iago hates the moor because of jealousy not only on the grounds of status and position in the army, but also in terms of women too. The idea of Iagos innate jealousy of wanting Desdemona for himself would explain his behavoir of disregard for Desdemonas feelings in conspiring misfortune for Othello. Iago sees her as a whore, And Ill warrant her, full of game Iago Act II scene III line 19. And this treatment of devalueing is similar to that of someone you want for youself and cannot have1. He is jealous of Othellos relationship with her, and thus his hatred extends to her because he feels that Desdemona should love him and thus he not only wants Othellos position, but to destroy the love he has with Desdemona because he is jealous of it. Iago would not have gone beyond his plans to simply eliminate Cassio if he had not felt passion for Desdemona, his actions to ruin her stem beyond military position. Another idea as to why Iago plans to eliminate Cassio and Othello is that of Coleridges suggestion of motiveless-malignity. The idea that Iago was not exactly jealous but just gained pleasure from seeing others miserable is, in my opinion, is a stronger idea than that of Iago acting because of jealousy alone. There is evidence to suggest that Iago was not jealous of Othello supposedly having sex with his wife, but just saw it as more reason to hate him. Iago did not hate Othello because of this- but as well as this- and this suggests that Iago had no real reason to hate Othello, but his evil character enjoyed the pleasure of seeing a great man fall. I hate the Moor And it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets He has done my office Act I scene III line ~385 The use of AND in this speech suggests that Iago hates the Moor through separate reasons than the issue of his wife. Iagos treatment of Roderigo and Desdemona in the play also suggest that Iago is just an innately evil person rather than someone corrupted by innate jealousy. Roderigo and Desdemona have complete faith in honest Iago, and he abuses their trust and incorporates them into his plans regardless of how he may hurt them as individuals. O good Iago, What shall I do to win my lord again? Good friend, go to him Desdemona to Iago Act IV scene II line ~147 He has no reason to be jealous of Roderigo and Desdemona and yet he hurts them anyway, so this suggests Othello is not just about Iagos innate jealousy, but his evil ways. He knows the trouble he is causing, and indeed uses dark imagery to express the enjoyment in the pain he creates. I havent. It is engendered. Hell and night Must bring this monstorous birth to the worlds light The darkness in the language and the imagery of hell he uses indicates a dark cruel side in Iago and the playful romantic imagery of his evil plans proves he retracts enjoyment out of it without guilt. If consequence do but approve my dream My boat sails freely both with wind and steam. I believe getting so much enjoyment out of their misery is a point against Othello being about Iagos innate jealousy because jealous people tend to act irrationally. Iago methodically plans his actions. However, the fact Iago is so bitter could also have hardened him over the years. He seems to be jealous of anyone who is valued favourably, and resentful to anyone who values someone else more highly than himself. In this way I am of the opinion that the play is very much about Iagos innate jealousy transforming him into a bitter man who derives his only pleasure in life from seeing people who could be happy turn miserable. Iagos tragedy is perhaps that he can never be happy himself and so spends his life making others miserable with motiveless-malignity. However, in the book Seven, a serial killer says I took it away because I envy your normal life detective, so it seems that envy is my sin having killed his victims he admits he wishes he could be normal. Jealousy and envy are closely interlinked, so if a serial killer who kills helpless victims even prefers to die because of his jealousy of normal happy people, then the fact Iago shows no remorse perhaps wagers that Iago did not primarily act out of his jealousy but lust for causing pain. Othello is very much in love with Desdemona at the start of the play, he feels his soul bound to hers and has complete faith and trust in her. His soft language is almost like poetry and reveals his gentle nature. Oh my souls joy! If I were now to die, Twere now to be most happy; for I fear My soul hath her content so absolute That not another comfort like to this Succeeds in unknown fate Othello is an old black man and Desdemona is a beautiful young Venetian girl, in Shakesperian times this would have been considered a very unconventional marriage and people would have looked down on it, at the time, black people were only associated in England with Slaves. The play, however, shows that true love in any circumstance can over power social integrity. In the beginning of the play, their relationship is very solid despite the troubles that they had to go through to be accepted, however Iago poisons Othellos mind into becoming a jealous monster. Desdemona originally speaks of Othello as if he is beyond jealousy My noble Moor Is true of mind, and made of no such baseness As jealous creature are. Desdemona Act III, scene IV. Therefore, when Othello is finally corrupted by Iagos slowly dripping trickle of evil lies and ideas, it is a shock to Desdemona to see her husband so callous. The play is about how Othello changes from one man into a completely different one, and the cause of this is jealousy. Thus I can say that the play is about Othellos imposed jealousy. As Othello spends more and more time with Iago, he becomes almost in Iagos possession. At the beginning of the play, Othello has a musicality in his words, and speaks with such beauty and power. Amen to that, sweet powers! I cannot speak enough of this content It stops me here; it is too much of joy. His references are to God and Christianity, and he talks of sweetness, joy and contentment. Later, however, the imagery he uses in his speeches changes completely. Shakespeare uses imagery in language to portray the personalities of characters, and thus, a change in Othellos speeches indicates a change in personality. Damn her Lewd Minx. O damn her, damn her! Come, go with me apart, I will withdraw To furnish me with some swift means of death For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant Act III, scene IV. The imagery he uses here is that of darkness and hell. These are similar to Iagos imagery repetition of hell. Shakespeare makes a connection between Iagos hellish imagery and Iagos possessing of Othello. Witchcraft in Shakespeares time had more social stigma attached to it than in 2002 Britain, therefore, Shakespeare was making strong linkages between Iago and evil, stronger than how we would interpret it today. The almost hellish possession of Othello by Iago leads to the end result, and thus the imposed jealousy of Othello by Iago is a main part of what the play is about. Psychologist Emma Goldman states on jealousy: Jealousy, the contortions of which we see in the matrimonial tragedies and comedies, is invariably a one-sided, bigoted accuser, convinced of his own righteousness and the meanness, cruelty and guilt of the victim. Jealousy does not attempt to understand. Its one desire is to punishas severely as possiblehonour is restored as soon as blood is shed, either that of the man or the woman. From the archives of the New York public library. This description is essentially what Othello goes through and basically summarises the play. Othellos imposed jealousy is different to Iagos innate jealousy because while Iago appears to be jealous of people who merely have the capacity within them to be happy, Othello appears jealous of Cassio and suspicious of Desedemona because he genuinely thinks they do him wrong. This can lead to the interpretation that Othello was never indeed jealous. Coleridge believed that Othello was indeed not jealous. Let me repeat, that Othello does not kill Desdemona in jealousy, but in a conviction forced upon him by the almost superhuman art of Iago, such a conviction as any man would have entertained who had believed Iagos honesty as Othello had Notes on Othello, Coleridge Coleridge is saying here that Othello was not jealous of Cassio, or unnecessarily suspicious of Desdemona, but in fact just severely hurt. Iago is repeatedly referred to as honest throughout the play, and even his own wife Emilia did not suspect him of such evil acts. Therefore, because Othello is such a believing and trusting person, he had no element within himself that questioned the honest Iago, with whom he was on first name friendly terms with. Othello was not jealous when he killed Desdemona, but in fact felt it was the only way in which he could regain his respect. In Shakespearian times, the man whose wife was unfaithful would be labelled a cuckold. It was a huge public disgrace to the man as well as an emotional strain, and Othello, being proud, did not take this well, thus he killed the woman he loved not out of jealousy, but out of solemn agony. Without Desdemona, and with the knowledge that someone he loved so deeply had betrayed him, Othello felt in despair. Look where he comes. Not poppy, nor mandragora, Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world, Shall ever medicine thee to sweet sleep Which thou owedst yesterday Iago of Othello Act III scene III, line 329. In this way we can see that Othello is not just a play about jealousy, but it is also a play about trust and deception. Othello should have believed Desdemona but the seemingly honest Iago used everyones good traits against them, and caused the bloody mess single handedly. To conclude, Othello is perhaps a play about the innate jealousy of Iago, however, I am left unsure about the precise motives Iago has. I tend to agree with Coleridge, that Iago is motivated simple by the direst cruelty, although there is substantial evidence, such as his behaviour towards people who seem happier than himself, that Iago suffers from innate jealousy aswell. The play to me, seems to be more about mistrust, and the tragedy that Othello believes Iago over his wife. The fact Othello is so quick to doubt both his love and his best friend also suggests that Othello has a weakness in character judgement and solidarity of emotion. However, Iago was a very intelligent manipulator, and had luck on his side, to create a catharsis of emotion which drives Othello to kill his beloved, and how Iago manages to do this, is essentially what the play is about. It leaves the open question for me, that did even Shakespeare not know exactly what drove Iago, did the writer have doubts, or was he just unable to convey such a complex character within the confines of a play. 1 It is a psychological theory that if someone/something you love is unreachable, your mind will automatically begin to devalue them to ease the pain of not having that person/thing. It is easier to accept a whore does not love you than to accept a genuine pure girl does not love you.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

History of Video Games

History of Video Games The History of Video Games One of the youngest forms of entertainment to date, the path that led the video game industry to be the giant multibillion dollar industry that it is today is about as humble as World War II. Mounted in mystery and finding its roots in gambling dens and the minds of defense contractors, the history of video games is obtuse and then some. This essay will present a summary of the history of videogames, as it started in the mind of Ralph Baer, the ‘Father of video games, to its place in present and future society as the place holder for billions of dollars in the entertainment industry. Although he is barely spoken of today, except by those the behind scenes, the idea of interacting with televisions further than changing the volume and channel sprang out of the mind of Ralph Baer. After escaping Germany with his parents at the age of 16, Ralph came to America and began working in a television and repair factory. In 1943 he was drafted in the United States Army and served in World War II in Army Intelligence. (Game Informer, 2009) Baer learned much of his knowledge in electronic technology while working for Loral, a military contractor that specialized in airborne technology. Loral approaches Baer with a mission: He is to make the best television technology and money can create. It was at this time that Baer had an idea to make a television that people can be actively engaged with. Loral wasnt nearly as enthusiastic as Baer was and shot his idea down, an action that may have been hastily made. (gamespot.com, 2009) In the year of 1966, Baer approaches his associates with a full page paper on his idea, which is now in the Smithsonian. â€Å"That Document was basically the Magna Carta of the home game industry. Within a year and a half, we were playing video ping-pong, hand ball, and shooting the screen with light guns,† Ralph Baer told Game Informer Magazine. (Game Informer Magazine, Gamespot.com) Sanders and Associates gave Baer the thumbs up. They provided Baer with the backing he needed to start development on his beloved idea. Baer successfully created interactive games such as a chase game, a video tennis game, and a game involving a toy gun that could distinguish between different of types light emitted from a television screen. Baer and other engineers on his team begin creating a prototype. In 1968, the Brown Box was created, named for its faux wood-grain housing. All that was left for Ralph Baer was to put his brainchild in the hands of the populous. This was much more difficult than expected. Sanders asked Baer to find a production partner for his invention. Many of the television and entertainment companies that he approached enjoyed the idea but did not want to enter into contractual obligations. Then he found Magnavox. In 1972, the Brown Box was released as the Magnavox Odyssey. One of its first games was the forever famous, Pong. (Game informer Magazine) Before the first home console hit the stage, in 1958 the very first invention to resemble a video game was a table tennis like game played on an oscilloscope. Willy Higinbotham sought to keep visitors to the Brookhaven National Laboratory interested. A year later, he added a fifteen inch monitor to his unique device. He never placed a patent on his machine. (gamespot.com) An MIT graduate by the name of Steve Russel created the first computer game, called SpaceWar. SpaceWar was played on a rigged up Digital PDP-1. This machine spurred the mind of many imaginative thinkers, one such being was Nolan Bushnell. (gamespot.com) During his academic career, Bushnell sees SpaceWar and is left an everlasting impression. While working a summer job at a carnival, he sees the local coin-operated arcade filled with dozens of computer machines. Realizing it is only a dream, he sees that the cost of computers in that day makes this feat impossible. (gamespot.com) In the early 1970s, Nolan, with the help of Ted Dabney, wanted to make an arcade booth with a SpaceWar based game. The result was Computer Space, the first video arcade game. Placed in a futuristic housing cabinet and crowned with a whopping (for those days) thirteen inch television, Bushnell and Dabney immediately gained support from Nutting Associates, an arcade game manufacturer. 1972 heralded the publics mass exposure to video arcades. Computer Spaces success was short lived, as the public found the gameplay too challenging. (gamespot.com) 1972 was a busy year for video games. The dynamic duo Bushnell and Dabney, left Nutting to start Atari, naming it after a word equivalent to ‘check in the Japanese game Go, which is similar to chess. The two enlisted the help of Al Alcom to program the games. Alcom was given a preliminary assignment, and programmed the first ever Pong. A Pong machine was thrown together and placed in a bar, Andy Capps. Less than two weeks later, the machine broke down. The culprit was the coin storage bin, which was flooded with quarters. Pong was a hit, and paved the way for modern day arcade games. (gamespot.com, Game Informer) Years later, Baer took Bushnell, along with several other video game companies, to court for Bushnells version of Pong. A settlement was reached out of court, where Bushnell finally agreed to pay the licensing fees. (Game Informer) Nintendo, a Japanese word meaning, â€Å"leave luck to the heavens,† is one of the oldest gaming companies today. Its roots began in the year 1889, as a Japanese playing card company. Nintendo quickly gained a following, as the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza, began using Nintendos cards in their illegal gaming and gambling dens. This provided a steady income allowing the company to flourish. Nintendo first appeared in the United States in 1907, creating American styled cards. Impressed with Nintendo, Disney approached the company in 1959, commissioning Disney character cards. This brought Nintendo into the home of more upstanding families. In the late 1970s to the early 1980s Nintendo put its foot in the door for electronic gaming, creating sundry unsuccessful arcade games, that is, until Donkey Kong. 1981 saw the flight of Donkey Kong, a game which took the nation by storm. It success was only bested by games with the likes of Pac-man. This movement caused Nintendo to switch gears, and give serious thought to the video game industry. In 1985, it put the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in homes worldwide, giving itself the concrete foothold into the home console market that became the mainstream concept of most gaming companies of the day. (Wii for Dummies, nintendo.com) The other large scale production companies of the day were Sony and Sega, both starting out as electronic repair and development companies. Those companies, along with Atari, Activision, Coleco, Magnavox, Mattel, and Nintendo, produce more than 15 home-based consoles in the span of six years, while gaming was only out of the womb for less than five years. (Game Informer) Original games such as Pong were played on a very limited plane comprised of dots and squares. The first games were also immovable programs that came with the consoles, which usually only had a few games. Optional peripherals could be purchased to slightly increase gameplay. In 1976, cartridges debuted, allowing games and consoles to be purchased separately, and for more games to be created and implemented well after a consoles release. Cartridges, along with VHS tapes, held strong until 1992 when the compact disk killed cartridges for most consoles. Other than computers, the Sega Genesis was one the first consoles to use this form of the medium . Today, handhelds are the only platforms to see their usage, and we are actively watching them disappear and go the way of the VHS. Most games today float through airspace, are on CDs, or flow through cables. (gamespot.com, Game Informer) Games also have under gone massive prosthetic changes. In the days of Odyssey, games were pixilated and simple to look at. In 1981, one of the first three dimensional games was created: Battlezone. It was also one of the first first-person games. One player played as a tank and faced enemies in a battle like simulation. It was met with much success and gratification. It even fell into the lap of the US Army, and an enhanced version was commissioned and used as a battle simulator to train troops. (gamespot.com, Know the Score) Today, games continue to push the envelope. In 2000, Sony placed the Playstation 2 in the market, dazzling gamers with its almost lifelike games. It was met with Nintendos Gamecube and Microsofts Xbox. Four years later, the Xbox 360 hit the scene, with graphics that looked like works of art. A year later the Wii and Playstation 3 burst into the market, after much speculation about both. The Wii falls short of the other two consoles at first because of its graphics, but quickly gains fame do to its new wireless motion sensed controller. By November 16, 2006, it had sold more than fifty million units worldwide; more than that of Sony and Microsoft Combined. However, the undisputed champion of sales, is that of Nintendos first handheld, the Gameboy. The Gameboy sold over one hundred-sixty million units worldwide. (nintendo.com, Game Informer) The gaming phenomenon has reached heights that were never expected, especially given its complicated history. Its memorabilia have gained collective value faster than any franchise before it, with games less than 20 years old being bought and sold for more than three-hundred-fifty-thousand dollars. They are even moving in the direction of removing controllers from gameplay by having cameras capture and process movement and simple or complex gestures to advance the player in the game, such as Project Natal. (Game Informer) This essay has captured the rocky surface of the video game movement. It began with its speculated beginnings, and ended with its present and future outlook. Video games have stretched the relative views of space and time, pointed out infinite possibilities, have been emulated on the ‘Big Screen and allowed expressive outlets for the mind and bodies of my generation, and will continue to dazzle and amaze us for the remainder of our lives. References Corporate history (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2009, from http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp Game Informer. (2009, May). Ralph Baer. Game Informer Magazine, 193, 30-31. Game Informer. (2009, June). The Fate of a Generation. Game Informer magazine, 194, 16-17. Herman, L., Horwitz, J., Kent, S., Miller, S. The history of video games. Retrieved November 13, 2009, from http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/hov/ Orland, K. (2008). Wii for dummies. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing. Skurzynski, G. (1994). Know the score. New York: Macmillian.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower English Literature Essay

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower English Literature Essay Author: Stephen Chbosky was born on January 25th, 1970, in Pitsburgh, Pensylvannia. After growing up in Pensylvannia, Stephen pursued a directing career in movies, but ended up writing books. His first book was The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which was set in his very own home state. Stephen said that he relates to Charlie, but his life in High School was in many ways different. Themes: Like most books about teenage boys, this book encompasses the theme of independence. The main character Charlie had just started High School, a time where you become more independent from your parents, and try new things. Charlie never had many friends previously, and the one good friend he did have comitted suicide the year before, leaving Charlie scared, and alone. When friendship is found among some seniors, Charlie starts his journey to a more independent self. He found himself going to parties, smoking, doing drugs, going out with girls, and even driving throughout the book. Another important theme in the book is of happiness. Whenever Charlie walked down the hallway in the school, he would wonder if a person was really happy. In the hallways, I see the girls wearing the guys jackets, and I think about the idea of property. And I wonder if anyone is really happy. I hope they are. I really hope they are. Thoughts like this would constantly occupy Charlies mind. Many thing s made Charlie happy, wether it was an interesting read, a good song, or an inspiring movie. What made Charlie really happy though were his friends, and when he found himself having a good time with them, he would forget all the bad things in his life and enjoy the moment. Later on though, Charlie found out that he shouldnt put peoples happiness ahead of his own, because in the end, he would end up missing out on the best things in life. Characters: Charlie Charlie was the 15 year old protagonist and main character of the story. Hes a timid and introverted guy whos had way too many bad things happen in his life. His best friend comitting suicide, his aunt getting hit by a car, and being the outcast of the school are only a fraction of the things hes been through. He was very intelligent and loved reading books, but that didnt really help the fact that he was socially awkward to the point where he didnt take part in anything that happened around him. He was an extremely emotional kid, but this was due to the things that have happened in his past, which in a way had traumatized him. He loved music though, and along with movies and books, they were a great getaway from his life. He was an extremely caring person too, and always put others ahead of himself, even if a little too much at times. Patrick Patrick was the senior from Charlies woodshop class who ended up becoming a treasured friend to Charlie. He was one of the few homosexuals in the school and was constantly frustrated at the fact he had to sneak around with another guy instead of being open about it. He was a very good friend, and would always take Charlie to fun places with his Sam. He also accepted Charlie for the way he was and never criticized his actions. Sam Sam was Patricks half sister, and Charlies other best friend, also in senior year. She was a beautiful girl who would not leave Charlies thoughts no matter what. She was a great friend to him though, just like Patrick. Even though Sam told Charlie not think of her in any way more than a friend, near the end of the book itss her who finds she loves him with a passion. She would always give Charlie advice when he needed it, and just like Patrick, accepted him for who he was. Setting: The book is set in the years 1991/92, in Pensylvannia, USA. Plot: When Charlies best friend comitted suicide in 8th grade, his life became a mess, and his one good friend was gone. When he overheard some girls talking about some guy that listened, and didnt try and sleep with some girl he could of slept with, he decided to send letters to him anonymously every few days, to make sure people like this, good people, still existed. So the letters went on, for a year, describing his experience in freshman year. Charlie was no ordinary freshman though. His past left him emotionally crippled and socially awkward. When he finally made some friends, he followed his wise English teachers advice to participate, and stop watching life from the sidelines. So his friends became his best friends, and he went on to participate like he was so wisely told. Thats not where it ended though, because family issues werent too far away, neither was drama with girls, or arguments with friends. Throughout the course of this book, Charlie was forced to learn how to jug gle school, friends, and family, and when some secrets from his past were revealed, it seemed like his life couldnt get any worse. Literary Techniques: The author uses quite a few literary techiniques succesfully in the book. The book is comprised of letters alone sent by Charlie to a friend of his, therefore it is in first person narrative. Early on in the book, Charlie informs the reader that his teacher criticized him for writing run on sentences, and since the book consists of letters written by Charlie himself, some sentences are purposefully run ons, and the reader understands this. Also, since these letters are just a place for him to express his ideas, he doesnt utilize very creative language. He also explained this in the book and said that he found it pointless writing words that one wouldnt even understand. But I just have never heard anyone use the words corpulent and jaundice ever in my life. That included teachers. So, whats the point of using words nobody else knows or can say comfortably? The author also utilized flashbacks by allowing Charlie to share past experiences in his letters. As one woul d expect, no ones life can be interesting all the time, so when Charlies life loses interest, so does the reader in reading about it. Then again, when Charlies life has drama in it, it is almost impossible to put down the book. Target Audience: This book is aimed at an audience of teenage boys and girls. As the main character is a boy sharing his experience in High School, the book will mostly find its way into boys hands who are experiencing the same thing. Although Charlie has a complicated life, readers can easily relate to him and his experience at school and at parties. Its an easy read due to the lack of complicated language and basic plot, so most people can read this book, regardless of interest level. Purpose: The purpose of this book is mostly to entertain its readers. The book doesnt follow much of a plot and seems to include random ideas at times, but somehow the readers find themselves strangely attached to the main character, and feel the need to keep reading about this boys life. This book also opens the readers mind in a way, as to how High School was 20 years ago, and allows them to compare the two.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

How is National Income derived? What is the GDP? What information does

How is National Income derived? What is the GDP? What information does it give us about a nation? What is per capita income? If you wanted to know about the economy of a country, which would you consider more important, and why? (25 points) National Income is derived through the overall income earned by a country’s people, including labor and capital investment. Gross domestic product is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It measures output generated through production by labor and property which is physically located within the confines of a country. The following excerpts are definitions of National Income and GNPas listed on this website http://members.shaw.ca/h-chartrand/Macro%20+%202.0.htm â€Å"National income is the sum of all factor earnings from production of current goods and services. Factor earnings are incomes of factors of production: land (rent), labor (salaries & wages), and capital (interest and investment income)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Gr... How is National Income derived? What is the GDP? What information does How is National Income derived? What is the GDP? What information does it give us about a nation? What is per capita income? If you wanted to know about the economy of a country, which would you consider more important, and why? (25 points) National Income is derived through the overall income earned by a country’s people, including labor and capital investment. Gross domestic product is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It measures output generated through production by labor and property which is physically located within the confines of a country. The following excerpts are definitions of National Income and GNPas listed on this website http://members.shaw.ca/h-chartrand/Macro%20+%202.0.htm â€Å"National income is the sum of all factor earnings from production of current goods and services. Factor earnings are incomes of factors of production: land (rent), labor (salaries & wages), and capital (interest and investment income)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Gr...

Friday, July 19, 2019

Plutonium, Our Countrys Only Feasible Solution :: science

Plutonium, Our Country's Only Feasible Solution Abstract: Should we begin to manufacture one of the most destructive and infamous substances on the face on the Earth once again? The engineers say yes, but the public says no. The United States stopped making this element with the ban on manufacturing nuclear weapons. But with the continuing problem with our ever diminishing energy sources, some want us to begin using more nuclear energy and less energy from natural resources. This paper is going to discuss what plutonium is, the advantages and disadvantages of its use, and why we should think about restarting our production of this useful element. After the United States dropped "Fat Man" and "Little Boy" on Japan ending World War II, the public has had some type of understanding about the power of plutonium and its devastating properties, but that is all anyone heard. After WWII, Americans started to think about what the atomic bomb could do to the U.S. and its people. When anyone mentioned plutonium or the word "nuclear" the idea of Hiroshima or Nagasaki being destroyed was the first thing people thought about. No one could even ponder the idea that it could be used for other more constructive things like sources of energy or to kept a person's heart beating. Then we started to build more reactors and produce more of the substance but mostly for our nuclear weapons programs. Along with reactors, sometimes comes a meltdown which can produce harmful effects if it isn't controlled quickly enough. After such instances as the Hanford, Washington reactor meltdown and the accident in the U.S.S.R. at the Chernobyl site, no one wanted to hear about the use of plutonium. The United States government banned nuclear testing and also ended the production of plutonium.(Ref. 5) Now we are in a dilemma. We are in need of future sources of energy to power our nation. We are running out of coal and oil to run our power plants.(Ref. 7) We also need it to further our space exploration program. People need to understand the advantages to using plutonium and that the disadvantages are not as catastrophic as they seem. With the turn of the century on its way, the reemergence of plutonium production will need to be a reality for us to continue our way of life. In 1941, a scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, discovered something that would change our planet forever.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Critical Review of Carn Essay -- Essays Papers

Critical Review of Carn The novel Carn, by Patrick McCabe, is a thought-provoking tale of people from a town in Ireland. The town, Carn, goes through economic failure, complete industrialization and commercial revival, back to total desolation. As the town changes, so do the main characters, Josie Keenan and Sadie Rooney. Although they do not know each other at the beginning of the novel, after the indulstrialization of the town, their lives eventually intersect. All they want from life is to lead normal lives -- outside of Carn. Even though Carn is now an industrial town, it holds bad memories and a sense of imprisonment for Josie and Sadie. Both their lives become tied to the town of Carn. Sadie plans to move to England, but when she becomes pregnant she must stay in Carn and raise a family. A lack of options forces Josie to remain in Carn, the only home she knows. Eventually, Josie's destructive lifestyle and the political conflicts between England and Ireland result in tragedy for both characters. McCabe does an excellent job at developing the characters of Josie, Sadie, and the town of Carn itself. He shows the futility of their hopes, which ultimately results in tragedy and despair. The reader can relate to the characters, and by the conclusion of the novel, the reader will feel as if s/he knows the characters personally. Josie Keenan lives a life without hope. The author does a good job of providing insight into Josie's life by informing the reader of everything that effects Josie from the beginning of her life, right until the end. Living with an abusive father has made Josie believe that no one is good, and everyone is only looking for what they can gain from others. The only kind words she has ever received are from her mother. Even this source of happiness is taken from her though, because her mother dies when Josie is young. She moves from an orphanage right into the working world, and into a world of men. Because she does not have a strong father figure in her life, she looks for love else where. Men love her body, and she loves the control this gives her. "Josie [sees] now that there [is] nothing she [can't] do with [men] (49)." She takes men's money and does with it as she pleases. She "[takes] the bus to a town across the border where she [sits] on her own in a cafe listening to a jukebox and eating ice-creams (... ...e able to give an inanimate object its own character, and to do it well. Carn is an excellent example of a well-developed character. McCabe's views of life are demonstrated by the lives of Sadie and Josie, and the town of Carn. McCabe's characters' lives are replete with suffering and sorrow, and they all react with bitter resignation. Sadie, Josie, and Carn are resigned to accept their fates - Sadie's, involuntary life in Carn; Josie's, debauchery and death; and Carn's, economic desolation. Carn is very well written and is a wonderful book. However, not everyone will enjoy it. There is a considerable amount of history involved in it, so people who enjoy history will benefit from it. It is also very depressing, so readers who love happy endings will be disappointed with the conclusion of the story. For these reasons I did not enjoy reading this book, however I do understand the literary merit that is displayed by McCabe. The story line and characters are well developed, and it is an interesting story. I recommend it to anyone who is learning about the conflicts in Ireland, or to anyone who likes to get to know fictional characters in a personal way.

My Own Relationship to Pop Culture Essay

Every individual grew up in a particular culture that defines and shapes a person’s beliefs, attitudes and values. We are born in a culture instilled by our parents and by the people around us. Not all people have the same culture that defines his personality. This refers to cultural diversity, which explains the differences in beliefs, traditions and practices of individuals. Due to the rapid advancement of technology and the trend of globalization, they brought about transformation to the existing culture, thus, the emergence of pop culture. Popular culture is the totality of the ideas, behaviors, attitudes and perspectives that are seem deviant to the mainstream cultural norm. This type of culture is heavily influenced by mass media, especially on the latter part of the 20th century as proliferated by the culture’s vernacular language, popular culture permeates the everyday lives of the society. Popular Culture Popular culture has been defined in various aspects ranging from common culture to folk culture to mass culture. After the war in America, popular culture was associated with commercial culture reinforced with the various types of mass media which include movies, television, radio, internet, advertisements, and the various forms of art (University of California, n. d. ). â€Å"Popular culture is all those elements of life which are not narrowly intellectual or creatively elitist and which are generally though not necessarily disseminated through the mass media. † (US Fed News Service, Including US State News, 2006). Every individual participates in the pop culture, no matter how old-fashioned they may seem. Their participation largely depends on the role that they play in the society. Popular culture is manifested in various areas of life and society such as clothing, cooking, music, film and literature. It is an elusive culture that often contrasts with the elitist, high culture that is adhered by most ruling social groups. Popular culture is also coined as mass culture which is easily accessible to everyone. Popular culture is a channel for self-expression and manifestation of style and identity as it is a collection of ideas, principles, perspectives and attitudes that are shared by everyone. An idea or a behavior can be a part of pop culture if it is commercialized through mass media and consumed by a lot of people. That is the reason that youth follow fads and trends that are highly advertised or popularized. Through the expression of style and identity, it shapes and reshapes the existing culture of the society. In the contemporary global society like ours, media industries are also going internationally or globally which makes people from other locality perceive the different facets of another culture. When many media audiences perceive a particular idea or principle and many follow or believe in that premise, popular culture emerged. Thus, popular culture became a good place for cultural diversity, as characterized by diverse cultural traditions and practices, with the help of the global media industries that are able to reach a larger and more diverse audiences residing in different places. The globalization of popular culture opens opportunities to other countries in aspects of proliferating different ideals, principles and perspectives that are important in the global society today. Pop Culture and Communication One of the important parts of a culture is communication for it encompasses the person’s ability to communicate and the method used for communication or conveying the messages. Communication is the process by which we convey messages and meanings in order to share an understanding. Communication requires various skills such as listening, observing and speaking. Communication is a process that plays an important role in various areas such as home, school and community. Cooperation and coordination occurs through communication (â€Å"Communication†). The process of communication is largely affected by the inception of pop culture. The invention and development of modern technologies utilized for communication is the main contribution of pop culture in the field of communication. Pop culture is very pervasive and always present in the society. This no longer a new phenomenon, however, the influence of popular culture had been magnified due to the intensity of the visual modes of communication. Today, the impact of pop culture goes deeper in our simple communication activities like conversation and writing. â€Å"Popular culture also influenced the focus of our discourse. † It shows that today’s conversations focus on rhetoric and on the feelings rather on the concrete facts and information (Best and Lynch). Various tools and gadgets are available in the market used to communicate other people all around the world. We currently lived in a digital society, equipped with various technologies. One of these technologies is the inception of mobile phones that made it easier for a person to contact other people. Mobile phones are products of modern technologies that are convenient because of its portability, economical attribute and other interesting and exciting features. Now, mobile phones are not only for communication but also for fun and entertainment. Most mobile phones are equipped of various features such as MP3 Players, Bluetooth to transfer files and cameras. The internet also transformed our long distance communication and made us feel that distance is no longer a barrier in communication. Computer-mediated communication is a popular form of communication which refers to interpersonal correspondence utilizing computers and the internet. There are various messaging system that can be done using the computer and the internet. There are the electronic mail and instant messaging system that enables a person to communicate faster with others. Most of the social networking accounts are equipped with messaging system to convey personal and public messages. Our mass media has also been transformed by modern technologies which go hand in hand with popular culture. Mass communication is the process of conveying messages and information to a large and diverse audience. Mass media, on the other hand, are the channels of communication where messages intended for large audiences are being conveyed. Because of the inception of various modern technologies, there are more channels or venues for conveying of news and information to a wide, diverse audience. The internet is also a great addition to the latest trend of mass media. The internet is a channel to which it can reach people even in far places with just one click. The contemporary mass media is also more personalized as we can instantly give comments and feedbacks to the news and information rendered to us. This feature is not present in the conventional form of mass media due to the absence of technology that enable people to do such thing. We all use this aspect of popular culture and we all have a personal relationship to it. I personally, utilized and enjoy this aspect of popular culture. The different modern technologies and gadgets used for communication are beneficial to people as it makes correspondence easier. We all perform the process of communication in various ways and methods. We all interact in a culture so it is important to communicate with each other. The inception of the various modern technologies brings more people close together and helps them avoid conflict and misunderstanding. These modern technologies are the beneficial in establishing and strengthening relationships which is also important in a culture. It made our communication and interaction with each other easier and more convenient. Conclusion Everyone is raised in a particular culture with its own set of cultural beliefs, practices and traditions. These precepts of culture define the acquired attributes of a person. A person learns some of his values, behavior and attitude towards something through the embedded culture in his own environment. Culture plays an important role of shaping and reshaping the attitudes and behavior of a person. The current trend of globalization and the rapid advancement of technology, reinforced by the strong influence of mass media gave way to the emergence of the popular culture. Popular culture is a collection of beliefs and principles that is heavily marketed by the mass media. Popular culture is the modern philosophy that embodies the current state of today’s society. One of the important facets of culture is communication which plays an important role in the interaction and establishment of relationships of the members of the society. Popular culture transformed our way of communication in various ways that render benefits to the people by making it easier and more convenient to communicate with others. Popular culture reinforced with the invention and development of different communication technologies altered the way we communicate with other members of our culture even outside of own culture. This develops a new way of achieving harmonious and productive relationships with other people. Works Cited â€Å"Communication. † Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. n. d. 24 April 2009 . Best, Linda and Christopher Lynch. â€Å"Impact of Popular Culture on Communication Skills: A Commentary with Insights for Writing Instruction. † Research & Training in Developmental Education (2006). University of California. Pop Culture. n. d. 24 April 2009 . US Fed News Service, Including US State News. â€Å"Popular Culture Book Chronicles Field’s Coming of Age. † HighBeam Research. 2006. 2 4 April 2009 .