Globalization Drivers Essay

Globalization drivers Ultra luxury car industry Luxury car industry There are four different kinds of levels in the luxury car industry. The levels divide the actors of the market into different levels depending on their grade of luxury. We have chosen to focus on the highest level of luxury cars; the ultra luxury cars. The main players of this level are companies such as Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, but the level also includes the not as big companies as Cadillac, Aston Martin and Maserati 1. All these companies have in common is that they are international companies with a two-way communication between the head quarters and the different desks scattered around the world. The head quarters develop and supplies the desks with main car models while the desks receives the customers preferences so they together can produce custom made cars 2. Segment The companies in the Ultra Luxury Cars industry directs to a narrow group of costumers, which belongs to the upper class or upper middle class all over the world. They are all sharing almost the same main needs, which consists of status, speed and transportation. The customers achieve these needs by buying the ultra luxury cars because they represent a very high level of exclusivity, individuality and craftsmanship 3. Since the customers share the same needs overall, it could be termed as Levitt’s (1983) convergence perspective. Where the needs of customers all over the world are becoming more converged, which is typical for the market of luxury goods. Since the customers in the segment, which the ultra luxury car companies focus on, share overall the same needs and then they are localized all over the world, the industry considers a globalized market. Most companies that are involved in buying heavy machinery or other large purchases have high fixed costs and the automobile industry is no exception to this. However there are still differenes within the whole industry, for example the demand and production of a Porsche may not be as huge as with Toyota for example, which essentially means that a luxury car’s fixed cost per unit is higher than an ordinary family car’s. The rent of a factory and all the other different expenses to keep the production running form the fixed costs. As the labour expenses for example are a lot cheaper in Asia, most car companies, including the luxury ones, have migrated their production there. The pressure for globalization is clear, but still there are some luxury automobile companies that have stayed loyal to manufacturing the cars in their country of origin, such as Aston Martin. (https://www. honk. com/aston-martin) Experience curve Most luxury automobile companies have many decades of experience in manufacturing their cars, which means both skilled expertise in technology as well as years of building a strong and distinguished brand. In luxury cars especially the significance of the brand is very important as many of the customers purchase these cars only for the status symbol that they give its owner. Building a solid brand usually takes years of work in exceeding the customers expectations, it demands strong-willed marketing, filling a specific niche at a right time. Sourcing Luxury automobile companies usually favour centralized purchasing which means that they buy the parts that they need from one location for all the locations within the organisation. This provides standardization of a product which is quite essential in luxury cars, as well as some cost-savings. Automakers universally outsource production of parts or sections of vehicles, and for example Porsche is known to use a Finnish company, Valmet Automotive, to assemble its two main product lines, the Cayman and the Boxster. (http://www. just-auto. com/news/porsche-to-outsource-boxster-production-to-osnabrueck_id121470. aspx)Product development costs Because of the nature of the product, the development and research of new technologies can be quite costly within the automobile industry. Technological changes The last decades the technical development for luxury automobiles has gone very quickly. For example the first luxury automobiles were noted as luxury just by having seat heating or high beams. Nowadays luxury is more about buttons for technological equipment’s, voice command, fuel efficiency and safety for the car driver. With having this thoughts in aspect, you can considerate the technical changes in the luxury automobiles industry as a pressure for globalization. Of course there are still some exceptions, for example Rolls Royce that is having a more of a British approach in their cars, with less buttons and simpler interior and equipment. These things can point against a more localization approach. Favourable logistics The logistics for the luxury automobiles depends for how long distance they have to be transported, so for the consumers it will be cheaper if they can find an automobile as close as possible. Another aspect is that depending from which country the automobile is imported from you have to pay a different amount of taxes and insurance fees and even other regulations can appear. Therefore the companies will have an advantage if they are locally settled, even though the really rich clients won’t care about the cost for the transports. Actually this may be why many automobile companies has started factories in Asia, though for example the German automobile companies had made a between 30-40 % sale growth in China. They may by this decision not only gain low labour costs but also lower transport costs. Country specific differences If you look at last year’s statistic for automobiles producing, low labour cost countries like China, Japan, South Korea and India is all in the top five, the other country in top five is Germany. This shows that many automobile brands have factories in these countries just for the low labour costs. In Germany the automobile industry is one of the biggest employers in the country, one reason is that Germany have many famous car brands and they have a lot of experience in the country. Between the different luxury automobile brands it differ a lot from where they are produced, like Mercedes-Benz have factories in a lot of different countries, Ferrari is only produced in one city and like for example Aston Martin is only produced in cities in UK. Therefore you can say that there is different kind of localization and globalization approaches. Competitive globalisation driver The next driver concerns the competitive environment, eg the amount of competition from other countries and continents as well as if there is any interdependence between countries. According to Yip (2003), globalised competitors and country interdependence are pressures for globalization. Globalised competitors In the luxury car industry, there are competitors from for example the US (Cadillac), Germany (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, Audi), Italy (Maserati, Ferrari), Japan (Lexus, Acura) and England (Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce). According to Stonehouse et al (2004) a company that faces global competition has to compete on global terms as well. Therefore these facts indicate that this specific industry has become or are becoming globalized since there, given the examples above, are competitors from Europe, Asia and North America. Interdependece of countries In today’s economy and as a result of specialization, companies are focusing on their core competences. For example, the German brand Mercedes are mainly focusing on innovation and design (Mercedes. com) while Acura have environmental friendly performance and innovation in the center of attention (acura. com). The headquarter of Mercedes is placed in Stuttgart and the production is taking place in Germany, Japan, USA, France, England and

Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland ! Stephen Grover Cleveland was born on March 18, 1837, in Caldwell, New Jersey. Cleveland's father was a minister, originally from Connecticut, and his mother was from Baltimore. He was the ? fth of nine children, named Stephen Grover, but he did not use the name â€Å"Stephen† in his adult life. ! In 1841, his family moved to Fayetteville, New York where he spent most of his childhood. In 1850 Cleveland's father took a pastorate in Clinton, New York , and the family had to move to accommodate for his job. They moved once more in 1853 to Holland Patent, New York. Soon after the move Cleveland? s father past away. After the death of his father Cleveland dropped out of school to help support his family. A elder in his church offered to pay his college tuition if he promised to be a minister like his father, Cleveland declined, and instead decided to move West.On his way West, Cleveland stopped by his uncles house in Buffalo, New York. While there he was given a clerical job at his uncles law ? rm. Cleveland uncle was an important person in New York, and he would introduce him to a lot of in? uential men there. Cleveland later took a clerkship with the ? rm, and then became a certi? ed lawyer. Leaving his uncle? s ? rm in 1962 to start his own ? m. He built a reputation for himself as being committed and dedication to hard work. ! Cleveland stayed out of politics until 1970, where he ran for sheriff of Erie County, which he won. After his two year term as sheriff he returned to the ? eld of law, opening law ? rm with his two friends. There he found himself at the top of Buffalo's legal community. !In 1881 the democratic party leaders approached Cleveland and asked him if he would like to run for Mayor of Buffalo, he took of? ce January 2, 1882. His term as mayor gave him the reputation of being an honest politician, the reputation soon spread beyond Erie County. As Cleveland? s reputation grew, the democratic party began to consider him a p ossible nominee for governor. When the democratic convention could not decide between their two leading candidates Rosewell P. Flower, and Henry W. Slocum, Cleveland emerged as the compromise choice, and on January 1st 1883, he took of? ce winning the election by a landslide. Cleveland's blunt, honest ways as governor won him popular acclaim. ! In 1884 Cleveland was seen as a leading contender for the presidential nomination. And due to failing health of other contenders he was nominated to be the democratic nominee for the 1884 election.While the popular vote was close, with Cleveland winning by just one-quarter of a percent, the electoral votes gave Cleveland a majority of 219–182. And is sworn in as president of the United States on March 4th, 1885. ! Cleveland's ? rst term was uneventful, but was marked by ? rmness on his part to the principles which he deemed productive to the nation. He made large use of the veto power upon bills passed by Congress. On June 2, 1886, Cle veland married Frances Folsom, in the Blue Room of the white house. He was the second president to be married in the White House. After his ? st term was up the democratic party renominated Cleveland, but he lost the election, receiving 168 electoral votes, to Benjamin Harrison? s 233 votes. Even though Cleveland had lost the electoral votes, he had won the popular vote by more then 100,000 votes. Cleveland retired to private life and resumed the practice of the law in New York. ! In 1892 Cleveland was nominated for president a third time in succession. He won receiving 277 electoral votes to Harrison? s 145 (22 were cast for James B. Weaver of Iowa, the candidate of the â€Å"People's† party). Cleveland's second term included some important events.The most important was the repeal of the silver legislation, which had been a growing menace for ? fteen years. ! Cleveland's second term expired on the 4th of March 1897, and he then retired into private life. He was well respecte d, and constantly consulted on his knowledge. He was a trustee of Princeton University and Stafford Little lecturer on public affairs. And lived in New Jersey, until his death on the 24th of June 1908. Major Event During Administration ! Grover Cleveland? s ? rst term (1885-1889) was uneventful.Cleveland used his veto power sparingly. Vetoing 413 bills in his ? st term, more than two-thirds of which were private pension bills. Cleveland reduced taxation upon American citizens, due to the growing surplus of money in the United States Treasury. Cleveland was also a advocate of the tariff reform. He believed that the tariff should be reduced, this con? ict was never resolved in Cleveland? s 1885-1889 term, and would remain a problem for the upcoming elections. During his ? rst term, Cleveland appointed two justices to the supreme court. The ? rst, Lucius Q. C. Lamar in 1887, and the second Melville Fuller a few months later. ! Grover Cleveland? s second term (1893-1897) contained some notable events.The most important was the repeal of the silver legislation, this had been creeping up for the past 15 years. People would turn their coin notes in for gold, instead of silver, causing a depletion of the United States gold reserve. Cleveland repealed the act to prevent the depletion of the country's gold reserves. The problems for Cleveland didn? t stop there though. A strike began against the Pullman Company (manufacture of railroad cars) against low wages and long work hours, and by June 1894, 125,000 railroad workers were on strike, paralyzing the nations trade. Cleveland felt that a federal solution was needed.So he sent federal troops to the rail centers to insure the commerce of the united states continued. ! Having reversed the silver legislation, Cleveland? s next goal was to reverse the effects of the McKinley tariff. The Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act was ? nally passed in 1894 after many reforms by the house, this slightly reduced the United States tariff rates, and imposed a 2% income tax. Cleveland was outraged with the ? nal bill and criticized it as disgraceful product of the control of the Senate. Still he believed it was an improvement over the McKinley tariff and allowed it to become a law without his signature.Goals and Initiatives Election of 1884 ! Cleveland? s campaign for his 1884 election was focused mainly on the corruption in politics. His reputation as an opponent of corruption proved to be one of the Democrats strongest asset for the 1884 election. His opponent James G. Blaine was known to be a corrupt politician, he would corruptly in? uenced legislation in favor of the success of companies , later pro? ting on the sale of bonds he owned in them. This level of corruption made some people crowd over to Cleveland? s side, because they were more concerned with morality than with party. ! Cleveland preached honesty and ef? iency in government. Even when Cleveland was charged with fathering an illegitimate child, he immediately admitted the possibility of himself being the babies father.Election of 1888 ! Cleveland? s renomination in 1888, against Republican nominee, Benjamin Harrison, was focused mainly on the Wilson–Gorman Tariff Act. The republicans aggressively defended protective tariffs, where as Cleveland felt the tariff cost? s should be reduced. ! Cleveland was certain that he would be able to pull another victory in this election, and even though he had won the popular vote 48. 6 percent to Harrison? s 47. percent he lost the electoral vote due to slightly losing in the major game changing states. ! Election of 1892 ! The election of 1892 was a rematch of the year before, with the democrats nominating Grover Cleveland, and the republicans nominating Benjamin Harrison.Additionally, a third party had emerged on the scene: the People's Party, they had given their nomination to James B. Weaver of Iowa. ! This election was according to Cleveland biographer Allan Nevins, â€Å"the cleanest, qu ietest, and most creditable in the memory of the post-war generation† this was mostly due to the fact that Harrison? wife was dying of tuberculosis. Harrison did not personally campaign, and Cleveland followed suit out of sympathy to his political rival as not to use Mrs. Harrison's illness to his advantage. ! The issue on tariffs had worked to the republicans advantage the election before, but over the past four years the price of imported good had gotten higher and higher. So many voters who sided with Harrison the year before had turned their views to either Cleveland or Weaver of the People? s Party. In the end Cleveland won by wide margins in both the popular and electoral votes, and was elected the 24th president of the United States.Achievements ! Grover Cleveland had many achievements during his presidential career. He stopped the abandonment of the gold standard, saved land from Hawaii and to this day is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms. Cleveland had earned the trust of the people due to his struggles to remove corruption from the political system. He is also one of the eight presidents of the United States to be printed on a bill (Paper Currency, $1,000 Bill) Evaluation ! Grover Cleveland seem? s to be the perfect politician. He was honest, fair, and experienced. I am not the only one who thought so as well.In the three times Cleveland had run for president, he had won the popular vote every time. The choices he made seemed to be very smart and evoked little hostile actions from the people of the United States.Bibliography â€Å"American President  Reference Resource: Campaigns and Elections. † Millercenter. org. The Miller Center, n. d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"American President. † Millercenter. org. The Miller Center, n. d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Grover Cleveland. † Www. nndb. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Presidents On All US Dollar Bills, Presidents On Money. † Www. marshu. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. .

Causes of Prejudice

Prejudice is an opinion that is not based on actual evidence or experience. In â€Å"Causes of Prejudice,† Vincent Parillo describes the psychological and sociological reasons of prejudice. Among these causes, frustration is defined to produce a prejudicial attitude towards others. Parillo explains in his work that throughout history, minority groups have been used as scapegoats to take the blame for certain events. He clarifies that scapegoating is the act of blaming others for an incident that is not their fault. This idea is also visible in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, in the part where a lawyer named Atticus tries to prove an African American innocent who has been falsely charged with raping a white woman. Therefore, both Parillo’s â€Å"Causes of Prejudice† and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird support that frustration is a cause of prejudice because of an increase in aggression towards a scapegoat. To begin with, frustration is caused by relative deprivation, which is the lack of resources in an individual’s environment when compared to others. This results in aggression towards a scapegoat in order to relieve this tension. â€Å"Frustrated people may easily strike out against the perceived cause of their frustration. However, this reaction may not be possible because the true source of the frustration is often too nebulous to be identified or too powerful to act against† (Parillo 583). His view is also seen in To Kill a Mockingbird, when Mayella Ewell claims Tom Robinson has raped her. Atticus tries to prove to the jury that Tom Robinson in fact did not rape Mayella and that she, a white woman, kissed Tom, a black man. Mayella is an Ewell; a very poor family in the town of Maycomb and therefore she has to live through tough conditions which include living behind the garbage dump, barely having any money to support her dad and seven siblings, as well as being beaten by her own father. Most importantly, she is frustrated that she always feels dissatisfied with her life since she was never able to experience any happiness by being isolated from the rest of the world. Therefore, she tries to at least kiss a black man to feel some sense of happiness. When she realizes it is condemned by society, her frustration increases partly because society is not allowing her to have a small amount of happiness, and so she shows her aggression by blaming Tom Robinson for raping her. In addition, aggression resulted from frustration is pinpointed towards scapegoats because they share similar characteristics of being vulnerable to blame. â€Å"The group must be (1) highly visible in physical appearance or observable customs and ac ¬tions; (2) not strong enough to strike back; (3) situated within easy access of the dominant group . . .† (Parillo 584). To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in southern Alabama in the 1930’s. This was the time period where prejudice against African Americans was present. Segregation was present because having white skin was seen to be better than having black skin. This simple difference in skin color resulted in an unfair treatment of African Americans. Separate bathrooms, drinking fountains, churches, and schools resulted for African Americans and whites. Also, since whites felt that the blacks were inferior to them, they tended to assume all blacks were unintelligent. When Mayella copes with her frustration of being isolated from the rest of the world by blaming Tom Robinson, the court looks at his skin color instead of the evidence given for this case. Even though Atticus provides plenty of evidence that proves that it was impossible for Tom to commit the rape of Mayella, Tom is still found guilty because even if Mayella is part of the lower class of Maycomb, she is still a white woman, making her superior to Tom Robinson. It is evident that frustration plays an important role in determining prejudicial attitudes. Both the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and â€Å"Causes of Prejudice† by Vincent Parillo, agree that frustration is caused by relative deprivation and when aggression forms, the blame is placed on scapegoats. These scapegoats share similar characteristics which allow them to be vulnerable to the blame that falls upon them.

Individual Project 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Project 3 - Research Paper Example This technical lapse has in many instances been attributed to use of outdated tender award techniques that fail to take into account the principle of equal opportunity for all. As such, it became necessary for the government to outline clear guidelines to address injustices committed to bidders, and also ensure clear methodologies of sealed bidding, competitive acquisitions and strategic planning are followed at all times. The Government Accountability Office has hence become essential in reviewing tender award complaints and consequently curbing Organizational Conflicts of Interest (Koprince, 2007). In this case, the GAO Air Tanker contract decision will be critically reviewed. Owing to the many contract standoffs that were constantly rocking the US economy, it was deemed right to develop clear-cut procedures to govern contract advertisement and awards. These legislations, commonly referred to as the FAR Part 15 model are aimed at governing the source selection process, information exchange and proposal evaluation processes. One fundamental factor in FAR Part 15 model stipulates that all competitors must submit complete proposals which will consequently enable the selection panel to asses all the bidders on the basis of all the requirements, thus ensuring that the best, more experienced bidder has higher chances of winning the contract. In many instances, it is observable that a contractor may be best suited in one area of requirement of the contract, but may at the same time be poorly placed to handle other technical areas of the same contract. Therefore, the overall best bidder should be selected. The guidelines also advocate for contract negotiations with multiple bidders. This allows the evaluation panel to asses a wider range of information, which will be essential in decision making process. Following the award of a contract to a firm, competitors are mandated to challenge the decision if they feel the contract was not awarded

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

Project 2 - Essay Example Therefore in order to save the ecology of our environment it’s essential to keep a limit on the deforestation operations, even if it leads to losses for the business and corporate sector. Deforestation Deforestation takes place when a large area of the forest is cleared for the purpose of construction of new residential buildings, industrial hubs or for other business purposes. Once the area gets deforested, trees are never re-planted. This results in gradual reduction of forests which has now become an important global issue. If the current rate of deforestation is continued, the world’s rain forests would completely disappear within hundred years. One of the major reasons of deforestation is agriculture. The second most accepted reason includes the logging operation that supplies the wood and paper to the whole world. Rapid urbanization and increased number of constructions can be regarded as the third most logical reason of deforestation. The other minor reasons incl ude wildfires and overgrazing. The effects of deforestation can have various negative effects on the society. The most crucial one is the loss of habitat for innumerable species. Data says that around 70% of the earth’s animals and birds live in forests, which won’t be able to survive when deforestation would take place. Deforestation also causes climatic changes giving rise to soil erosion, decrease in rainfall and temperature swings. Also trees are known for absorbing greenhouse gases that supports global warming. Fewer trees means huge amount of greenhouse gases entering the environment which in turn fuels the severity and magnitude of global warming. Solution to deforestation The secondary research techniques have been used for finding the solution to the problem of deforestation. These types of data are collected from research conducted by other people or organizations. The World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) has started forest conservation approach that aims toward preventing deforestation starting from the rainforests to the temperate forests. They had already started their work towards the protection of forests half a century back and now they have proudly announced the accomplishment of their efforts towards the conservation of the ecosystem. The fastest and simplest solution to deforestation would refer to simply restrict the cutting down of trees. However implementing this solution needs a more organized approach. We can opt for a careful management of the forest resources by the elimination of clear-cutting to ensure that the environment of the forest remains intact. It’s evident from the rate of deforestation that cutting down of forests is unavoidable for the survival and growth of humans. Therefore the solution should try to balance the rate of cutting trees and the rate of planting new ones. Although this solution would start to replenish the loss of forest in recent years, we need to plant more and more trees for settling the damage caused in the past. If we look closely towards our environment, we will find that not only deforestation but also several other factors causes the imbalance of the biodiversity. In our day to day life, we can contribute towards the safety of our eco-system by taking little measures like planting and maintaining trees, avoiding unnecessary usage of

Australian Industrial relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Australian Industrial relations - Essay Example However, industrial relation examines several employment situations. This essay will describe three major approaches or perspectives of industrial relations like unitarism, pluralism and radicalism. Unitarism highlights the organization as the rational team united by several common purposes. On the other hand, pluralism observes the organization as the amalgamation of various homogeneous groups within different kinds of dynamic equilibrium (Wilton, 2013). Lastly, radical perspective depends upon the class conflict and class analysis in a particular society. Several authors have stated that an organization is perceived as the harmonious and integrated corporation under the unitarism perspective. In Unitarism, the management and employees work collaboratively for a common purpose. In terms of Australian industry relation, majority of the industries follow paternalistic approach in under the unitarism perspective. This approach demands the loyalty of all the employees. Consequently, several trade unions are believed as unnecessary as the loyalty between the organizations and employees are measured mutually exclusive. In this situation, both these parties cannot be considered as the two separate sides of the industry. In unitarism, conflict is generally perceived as the pathological and disruptive result of interpersonal functions, communication breakdown and agitators. In pluralism perspective, the organizations generally perceived as being made up of divergent and powerful sub-groups (Lucas, 2004). All of these groups have own legitimate loyalties. Moreover, they individually set their objectives and select leaders. Particularly, management and trade unions are considered as the predominant sub-groups. In this pluralism perspective, the management of the organization does not heavily focus on the controlling and enforcing. The management try to focus on the co-ordination and persuasion. Trade unions are

Job Anaylsis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Anaylsis - Assignment Example the interviewer and interviewee is at two different locations at the time of the interview. 2. The major challenge with one to one interview is that the in most cases the interviewer is only conversant with a limited scope of knowledge which is in line with his/her line of career or day to day duties which they tend to concentrate with during the interview. This is always a disadvantage to the interviewee more so when one is conversant with the line of interest of the interviewer because they don’t get to be tested in other areas that one may be good at but the interviewer don’t ask because they are not conversant with (Armstrong, et al.2012). 3. For the case of one to one interview, I would suggest that they have a panel instead of one panel so that each member of the panel will have a chance to ask a question in line with their area of competence. This will work to the advantage of both parties since they will be able to examine the applicant one most of the areas of their interest and the interviewee will also get a chance to prove that he/she has a line that is best in or they may prove to be good at different areas. In the telephone interview, I would urge the company to communicate early enough the exact date and time of the interview so as to enable the interviewee to do prepare and thorough research for the interview and one can also control his/her environment before the interview so as to avoid poor communication during the interview. 4. It is very important to carry out a background investigation for a job. This is necessary since it will enable you to really understand the company you want to work for better. It also helps one to make intelligent guesses of the questions one is likely to expect during the interview or at least one will be able to know which sections the employer might be really interested with. The interviewer may also ask a question about the company to determine if one is

Literature Review Memo Proposal (formative assessment)

Memo Proposal (formative assessment) - Literature review Example Furthermore, through the literature review memo, the choices and applications of the words could be understood better, especially in relation to the framing of scientific research. Simultaneously, the literature review memo also assisted in understanding the pattern of writing and strategies in the selection of languages during the framing of scientific research. One of the parameters to compare the selected articles in this literature review is the writing style followed by the authors. Considering this particular parameter, Stephen Peckham and Niyi Awofeso, authors of the article â€Å"Water Fluoridation: A Critical Review of the Physiological Effects of Ingested Fluoride as a Public Health Intervention†, have applied present indefinite tense and present perfect tense throughout the article; for example ― â€Å"Fluorine is the world’s 13th most abundant element and constitutes 0.08% of the Earth crust† (Peckham and Awofeso, 2014). The authors hardly applied past tense while describing preceding occurrences. Both the authors have applied passive voice sentences in order to express their thoughts, as can be observed with reference to their statement ― â€Å"Despite this community water fluoridation is endorsed by the World Health Authority, the US Public Health Agency, and most dental and public health org anisations as a safe and effective method of reducing dental decay (i.e., caries), a major global public health problem affecting 60–90% of schoolchildren and the vast majority of adults† (Peckham and Awofeso, 2014). On the other hand, Ling et al. (2013), in the article titled â€Å"Evaluation of the Toxicity of Fluorine in Antarctic Krill on Soft Tissues of Wistar Rats†, have attempted to inform audiences about the toxicity of fluorine in Antarctic krill. Considering the writing style followed by the authors in this article, it can be observed apparently that the authors have applied the present

Introduction to Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Introduction to Nursing research - Essay Example In this context, research findings have demonstrated that the noticed genetic conflict came about because of certain aspects of relationships between parents themselves, parents’ genes and their offspring. Meaning that mothers can contribute to this condition in case they are polyandrous, if they provide higher amount of biological resources to fetus as compared to fathers, and when there is extensive utilization of resources from the maternal as determined by the genes (which are pleiotropic) from both paternal and maternal. Looking at the whole hypothesis therefore, very clear links are seen to be in existence between the general human mate and the eventual risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus on the offspring. Petry C. J. and Seear R.V., et al (2011). Maternally transmitted fetal H19 variants and associations with birth weight. Hum Genet. 2011 Nov; 130(5):663-70. Doi: 10.1007/s00439-011-1005-x. Epub 2011 May 15. Pub Med PMID: 21573965. Literature review Insulin-like growth factor 2 and H19 genes are very close links and reciprocally imprinted. The Insulin-growth factor 2 encodes a fetal growth-factor while at the same time predominantly expressed from the paternal allele. According to Petry C. J. and Seear R.V., et al (2011) however, H19 which encodes a transcript that can down regulate cellular proliferation is expressed from the maternal allele. This study, hence, was carried out with a view of testing the hypothesis which has propagated an idea that polymorphic variation in maternally transmitted fetal H19 alleles has an association with offspring size during birth and changes in maternal glucose concentrations at the time of pregnancy. Data collected showed that fetal rs2071094 allele that had its inheritance from the mother had influence on the increased birth weight that was fiddled with the gestation of ages, sex and parities. On the contrary, no fetal alleles had any associations with the offspring’s birth weight. After data coll ections and analysis, considerable consistencies with denting as a common polymorphic variation in fetal H19 alleles transmitted solely from the maternal have association with the birth weight and other attributing markers of offspring size at the time of birth. Tentatively, no associations exist between the polymorphic variation in H19 and significant alterations in the maternal glucose tolerance within the third trimester of mother pregnancy. Knoll N., Jarick I., and Volckmar A.L., et al. (2013). Gene set of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial regulators is enriched for common inherited variation in obesity. PLoS One. 2013; 8(2):e55884. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055884. Epub 2013 Feb 8. Pub Med PMID: 23409076; Pub Med Central PMCID: PMC3568071. Literature review Obesity has been described by medics as a medical condition of excess accumulation of body fats; creating adverse effects on an individual’s health, leading to reduced life expectancy and increased health complications/ p roblems (Knoll N et al, 2013). In essence, the condition

Autism and Social Skills Essay Example for Free

Autism and Social Skills Essay Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that ranges from mild to severe impairments in communication, social interaction, and repetitive pattern of interest. Children with autism need early social skills support to develop their social interactions and understanding. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and socialization among young children and adolescence is one of the major impairments, along with language individuals have. Social skills groups are prearranged groups with, a direct goal orientated to engage young children and adolescences with the appropriate support, in the development of social skills. Social skills groups for young children and adolescences can be a viable tool, in helping children with ASD to learn how to socialize appropriately. The Socialization of young children with a diagnosis of ASD has shown some positive results. This pilot study was conducted in response to the heightened awareness and the need for young children with ASD to learn social skills. The parents of autistic children, the children that have a diagnosis of ASD and the facilitators of the groups, will engage the children in social sessions, in hopes to build social relationships. The parents will fill out questionnaires as to the progress they see their children making. This pilot study sets out to answer the following two questions. Is participation in a social skills group beneficial for young children / adolescence with ASD from the child’s, Parents and the facilitator’s perspectives? The second question posed was, is there any improvement in the autistic child’s ability to communicate or interrelate socially. Methodology Based on a review of literature on Autism, a psychologist and a clinical psychologist planed a structured 5-week program, for one-hour sessions, one day a week. Only children with a diagnosis of ASD were invited. The children’s ages ranged from seven to 18. Using the qualitative method, the parental focus group was used to gather data and answer two research questions. Each parent received three questionnaires developed for the purpose of this evaluation. One was a pre- questionnaire, to be completed at the beginning of the groups, the post questionnaire, at the end of groups, and a review questionnaire, to be completed six months following the social skills groups. The questionnaires were used for the parents to rate their child’s current level of difficulties. Results and Discussions The high cost of one on one therapy for autistic children has become too high for caregivers and the need for alternative approaches was necessary. Evidence suggested that social skills groups for autistic children would be an alternative Dunlop, Knott and Mackay (2000). The information gathered from parent questionnaires and through observations from the facilitators and the higher functioning adolescents with ASD showed there was a need for social skills programs. Some parents felt their children benefitted and others seen no change. The feedback was very positive and most of the participants would like the social skills groups to continue. There were several areas identified within the program that needs fine-tuning such as, smaller groups, the level or severity of ASD the children have, longer duration of sessions without summer breaks and addressing how to manage the challenging behaviors some of the autistic children displayed, which prevented them from engaging socially within the groups. There was no time for one on one interaction, to encourage those children that did not socialize during the five-week program. The facilitators observed this and felt that it was an important issue to address along with the other recommendations above, when planning social skills programs. I choose this article because I am a parent of an autistic child and I am always looking for new treatment methods. I like to stay informed of all the new research on autism to share with my son. I think there is a need to socialize all persons with autism and the ideal of social skills groups cannot hurt; it can enhance the quality of life for the autistic child.

Society of the Spectacle and War Photography

Society of the Spectacle and War Photography Discuss contemporary war photography in relation to Debords work on the Society of the Spectacle. Society of the Spectacle written by Guy Debord and published in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam war argues that the world has been overtaken by the notion of spectacle. Debord describes what the spectacle comprises of (in several numbered paragraphs); he says that, â€Å"In societies dominated by modern conditions of production, life is presented as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has receded into a representation.† (#1) Debord is stating that life in the modern age has become fixated on reality as representation (i.e. by the media) real life experiences have been substituted for experiences that are digitally lived. Debord goes on to say that â€Å"the spectacle presents itself simultaneously as society, itself as part of society, and as means of unification. As part of society, it is the focal point of all vision and all consciousness. But due to the very fact that this sector is separate, it is in reality the domain of delusion a nd false consciousness: the unification it achieves is nothing but an official language of universal separation†¦the spectacle is not a collection of images; it is a social relation between people mediated by images.† (#3-4) With the rise of new media and the explosion of 24-hour news and reality television, it would seem that the existence of the spectacle becomes self-evident. Mass amounts of human beings are directed to gaze at what has become a global common culture, news and entertainment. For Debord, the spectacle is a tool of pacification and depoliticization; it is a â€Å"permanent Opium war designed to force people to equate goods with commodities and to equate satisfaction with a survival that expands according to its own laws†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the spectacle distracts from the most urgent task of real life. (#44) Debord argues, our sense of reality is nothing more than an immense accumulation of spectacles. All that was once lived becomes mere representation . Debords theory of the sectacle is similar to that of Baudrillards theories which concentrate on the ideas of a hyperreality. He considered a photograph to be a replacement for the real object. The lines of reality and non-reality have become so blurred in our society that a photograph can replace the real. Like Debord Baudrillards believed we live in a mediated reality, which prefers the symbol of reality rather than the thing itself. We are constantly bombarded with images form mass media that our own lives are own reality becomes entwined with the images we see. The boundary that should exist between reality and fantasy is erased. A consequence of the age we live in. Images depicting the gruesome nature of war are constantly available on television and in newspapers and magazines; every page turned reveals a new atrocity. We have been flooded with these images for so long that they no longer have an affect on us, instead on inspiring empathy and sympathy we are more passive to them a feeling of indifference. In the mass media if there is a story about celebrities or lifestyle it would surpass gruesome photographs of war. As a society weve almost grown accustomed to these types of images, seeing them everyday. In an essay entitled Photographs of Agony John Berger also argues that society has become immune to images depicting suffering saying that †¦ â€Å"In the last year or so, it has become normal for certain mass circulation newspapers to publish war photographs which earlier would have been suppressed as being too shocking. One might explain this development by arguing that these newspapers have to come to realise that a large section of their readers are now aware of the horrors of war and want to be shown the truth. Alternatively, one might argue that these newspapers believe that their readers have become inured to violent images and so now compete in terms of ever more violent sensationalism.† (ed Wells L, The Phtotgraphy Reader, chapter 27) Berger is questioning the effectiveness of the violent or shocking war photograph arguing that maybe the public have become immune to images of horror and the newspapers are competing to show ever more horrific images in order to gain pubic attention. We look around us and see a world beyond our control. Relying on advanced technologies to conduct war and to replicate it on film and TV has diminished our ability to distinguish between reality and entertainment, turning our experience of war into a mere spectacle. In regarding the Pain of others Susan Sontag Describes societies attraction to violent images†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Everyone knows that what slows down highway traffic going past a horrendous car crash is not only curiosity. It is also for many, the wish to see something gruesome†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ there does seem to be a modern need fro the consumption of images of suffering. And this abundant supply of imagery has dulled our senses and created a new syndrome of communal inaction, we look around us and see a world beyond our control, which is what Debord was describing in society of the spectacle. In her early book On Photography Susan Sontag writes that â€Å" War and photography now seen insperable†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg167) and as war evolves and continues so has the photographers response to the effects of conflict. The Bulky large-format cameras of the 19th century prevented the first war photographers such as roger Fenton from capturing the action of combat instead their photographs concentrated on the aftermath of the battlefields. With the technological advancement of cameras and not needing to haul darkroom equipment with them the first world war photographer could get closer to combat and then during the 2nd world war the introduction of the 35mm camera increased the intimacy of the cameras eye, enabling photographers to become part of the action, in a way the first exponents in the 19 century could never have dreamed. During the Vietnam war photographs could now been seen within days of them being taken, the immediacy making the images relevant and challenging the inevitability of war the viewer was now looking at something which is part of the present, and which carries over to the future. For a century and a half the camera has been witness to events that have shaped and shocked the wor ld, capturing these images forever. We might now live in a world of multi channel television, 24-hour news coverage and instant his on the Internet, but it is the still image that provides the most powerful record of our history, good and bad. The still image seems to hold so much power over us, they last, television is passing and goes by quickly, photography lasts, imprinted on paper and in the mind. War and the effects of warfare have always been explored throughout history in literature, poetry, art, film and photography. Before the first world war the depiction of battles by artists were often of soldiers and generals depicted as heroes, in their uniforms adorned with medals but during the first world war when artists were sent to the front line to record the scene, what they saw there defied their imagination. It soon became clear that the traditional painting couldnt capture the full horror of warfare. The modernist painters began to look at the universal grimness of war, the harsh reality of the world and painted not what they saw but what they felt. For example the artists Paul Nash who served as a solider, portrayed the battlefield in a painting titked Menin Road in 1919, what he depicted was the aftermath of war, a barren scene of an almost alien world the surreal colours a purple blue sky the mutilated bare trees, bursts of smoke rising from the debris strewn ground and blue light filtering through the clouds completely empty apart from four lonely figures in the background. Nash wanted rob warfare of its last shred of glory and its last shine of glamour. Francisco Goyas series of etchings Disasters of War depicts the horrors of the Napoleonic invasion of Spain in 1808 during which French soldiers brutally tortured the Spanish peasants and the Spanish responded with their own acts of cruelty. The works were withdrawn and withheld from publication during Goyas lifetime because of their controversial and disturbing qualities. Susan Sontag writes of Goyas etchings in Regarding the Pain of others, â€Å"†¦Goyas art seems a turning point in the history of moral feelings and of sorrow-as deep, as original, as demanding. With Goya a new standard for responsiveness to suffering enters art Goya was witness to these events during the war, but the etchings depict imagined scenes of the atrocities of violence where the lines between real events and imagined ones blur creating a unique reality that is complimentary yet distinct from the historical realities of war. As the viewer is not lead to believe the images are exact reproduction of act ual events the effect is one of a sincere meditation on the terrifying potential that resides in all humans. The images dont specify who the people are-the soldiers could be French or Spanish, the dead tortured bodies could be those of civilians or soldiers giving the viewer a more open interpretation bringing images to life in a way that relate to personal experience. Goyas images are constantly being revisited looking at Francis Bacon triptych Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion 1944 the twisted screaming distorted creatures depict mans inhumanity to man and capture the fear of the future mood after the second world war and still our mood today, bacon like Goya still has a hold over our imagination, for example the Chapman brothers reconstructed the Disasters of war in 1991 using miniature plastic figurines. Painting and sculpture are clearly viewed as interpretations of the effect and consequences of war, with photography the assumptions is that images are seen as a document they appear real, even when we know photographs can be faked and subject to the photographers view of events. In On Photography Susan Sontag wrote†¦ â€Å"War and photography now seem inseparable.† In On Photography Sontag explains what she saw as the sad state of a society that lived at a more and more voyeuristic distance to the first hand experience of reality. In accordance with this Sontag describes the photographers whose personal concern was apparently with finding out and understanding, were doing no more than satisfying the human thirst for sensation and driving this to extremes by ever more sensational images, until ultimately all feeling was lost. In the book The photograph as contemporary art†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦describes the contemporary war photographer†¦ â€Å"The use of medium-and large-format cameras (as opposed to 35mm format), not normally seen at the sites of war and human disaster-not at least, since the mid-nineteenth century-has become a sign that a new breed of photographer is framing the social world in a measured and contemplative manner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She goes on to say†The subject matter has been different, too; rather than being caught up in the midst of an event, or at close quarters to individual pain and suffering, photogrphers choose to represent what is left behind in the wake of such tradegies, often doing so with style that propses aqualifying pperspective.† It is clear to †¦Contemporary war photographers have in the main taken anti-reportage stance; slowing down image making, remaining out of the hub of action, and arriving after the decisive moment to allow the viewer a more contemplat ive look at war and the effects of war. Using Photomontage Martha Rosler infiltrates our comfort zones and reveals the dangers involved in an illusionary distance often created by the mass media between war and ourselves. By using images from magazines of advertisements combined with military images of soldiers and weaponry she transforms the notion of the safety of a home into one under assault. Her intent is to project the terror and atrocity of war into the comfortable place in which we live. She employs devices that work against the seduction of advertising and consumer imagery, the process of photomontage allows her to expose the gaps between image and reality, and ultimately make the viewer aware of an out of place presence. She addresses the impact of the mass media who according to Debord make the images of horror seem mundane and remote by pointing out the implicit presence of militarism in our daily lives, by juxtaposing popular lifestyle magazine images with stark images of war. The French Photographer Sophie Ristelhuber Photographs depicts the aftermath of war they are usually un peopled with no survivors and no dead, concentrating on the spaces of war rather than its participants, the scars and burns are found on buildings and landscapes rather then the people. Her photographs of the Kuwaiti desert, entitled Fait were made shortly after the end of the first Gulf War. Many of the photographs from this series were taken from a ariel viewpoint This elevated angle creates a distorted abstract view of trenches, tank tracts, bomb craters, blazing oil wells and battlefield detritus. You have to look carefully and closely at the photographs to discover that the lines and tracts objects engulfed by the sand are the results of war scarring the landscape emphasising how vast and sprawling the effects of war can be. Sophie Ristelhueber describes the effects of scale and perspective in her work: †¦.†The constant shift between the infinitely big and the infinitely small may disorientate the spectator. But its a good illustration of our relationship with the world: We have at our disposal modern techniques for seeing everything, apprehending everything, yet in fact we see nothing.† Ristelhueber recently won the Deutsch Borse Photography prize 2010, which included set of images titled eleven blowups, a series of images of huge craters made by bombs In Beirut and Iraq, again the y describes the devastation war leaves behind both on the earth and the body. Paul Seawright photographs the traces of destruction that war leaves behind in a place The solitary places in Seawrights photographs seem to be concealing something they require the viewer to look beneath the surface of the image the isolated barren areas reveal hollows where mines have been cleared or left unexploded, or the subtle rubble of military debris strewn across the desert landscape. The quiet subtlety and blankness of the desert distances them from the spectacle associated with the medias representation of war, there is an unknown tension in the images Seawright generates a view of the futility of war. One of his photographs is almost identical to that of Fentons photograph of the Crimean war depicting empty cannon balls in a valley illustrating the fact that despite its technological advancements war is fundamentally always the same. In his book Hidden Seawright says that he has†¦ â€Å"always been fascinated by the invisible, the unseen, the subject that doesnt eas ily present itself to the camera.† Landlands And Bell were commissioned in 2002 by the imperial war museum to make an artwork in response to a two-week visit to Afghanistan and what they experienced there. Landlands and bells work characteristically focuses on the interconnected relationships linking people and architecture. They say: ‘were totally surrounded by architecture. It is the most tangible record of the way we live because it describes how we relate to socially, culturally and politically. It is the most persistent of the way we live-our aspirations and beliefs.† The result was among other video based works The House of Bin Laden. Presented as an interactive piece similar to a video game the viewer is in control via a joystick to explore a reconstruction of Osama Bin Ladens barren hilltop bunker. The viewer can virtually travel through a bleak set of derelict houses, surrounded by burnt-out cars and debris. Langlands and Bell took thousands of photographs of the house near Jalalabad, The eerie interactive digital exploration of Osama bin Ladens house offers an unsettling experience, and engages with the viewer in a totally new way regarding war photography. The houses surprisingly small and basic. Piles of blankets and clothes are strewn in the rooms elsewhere a single string bed is isolated in a dark corner. Outside there is a series of strangely constructed bunkers and a small mosque. Being in control of looking at the work almost feels like observing a crime scene. The buildings and grounds are absent of any human presence thought signs of people who were once there are constant, although the elusive bin Laden is nowhere to be seen, his presence can still be felt in this mesmerizing and ancient environment. It brings us disturbingly close to him, even as it emphasizes his continuing ability to evade capture. The House of Bin Laden becomes a metaphor for the elusive presence Bin Laden maintains by the very fact of his disappearance. By presenting this piece as an interactive game like simulation Langlands and Bell are actively engaging in the idea of the spectacle by using what is essentially and entertainment based media and allowing the viewer to control their viewer using a joystick, it could be argued that by combing entertainment and unreality with real life situations speaks more to a generation obsessed with mass media. They do not attempt to make the 3d environments look realistic like the photographs they took instead it looks constructed exactly as a computer game would look, angular and flat. I personally experienced this work when I saw the Turner Prize in 2004, and it is clear that their intention was for this piece to be viewed and experienced like a computer game. Violent warfare is sold as entertainment in the form of computer games whose manufactures claim to make them as realistic as possible. Thus reflecting modern societies engagement with entertainment as opposed to real life issues. There seems to be a move in contemporary war photography to a more contemplative and abstract approach, maybe this is as Debord describes because we are use to the violence and horrors the ‘spectacle of war presented in the media, and have become almost immune and unmoved by these images. we can never experience the true horrors of war unless from first hand experience but photographers seem now to be taking the stance of the modernist painters of the first world war who painted what they felt rather than what they saw. Contemporary photographers are interpreting these events rather than documenting them, in a way that enables the viewer a more contemplative approach to the contemporary war photograph.

How the Authors of The Signalman and The Red Room Use First-Person Narrative :: Charles Dickens H.G. Wells Narratives Essays

How the Authors of The Signalman and The Red Room Use First-Person Narrative In this essay two novels will be compared. The first written by Charles Dickens entitled, `The Signalman` and the second is H G Wells’ `The Red Room`. I seek to find out how first person narration is used to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of the readers and how the two are similar. The two poems are both similar in that they are both pre 1914 prose about ghosts and are based on the supernatural, the two tales also create suspense and tension in the atmosphere surrounding the characters. The stories are written in first person native for example, the authors of `The Red Room` and `The Signalman` both tell the story using speech as the main technique telling the story through the narrator, â€Å"Is there any path by which I can come down and speak to you?† this makes the reader feel closer to the character due to his personal experience. The Signalman ============= At the start of `The Signalman` the atmosphere is bizarre. The story begins in a deep, damp cutting adjacent to a tunnel with a railway running through it, which is described as `barbarous`, `depressing` and with `forbidding air`. The scene is set at twilight therefore because of the darkness the two men don’t get to see each other properly and this enhances the mysterious element of the story. At the point in which he’s just about to go down `the cutting`, a vibration shakes the ground, Dickens writes, `vague vibration in the earth and air`, which describes the movement, he also uses a lot effective adjectives like, `violent` and `pulsation`, which conveys fears and adds to the tension which is building up, but this time it was just a train passing and the tension is lost. Dickens describes the cutting as being, â€Å"Extremely deep and unusually precipitous† and â€Å"Solitary and dismal†, he uses the detailed description to give the setting an eerie edge. The story only takes place within the cutting. The two men meet at the cutting at night, â€Å"I will come at eleven†, Dickens says, this sustains the tension due to the darkness and our own knowledge that the supernatural experiences always occur at night. The narrator feels very sympathetic towards The Signalman, as he keeps revisiting him to find out more about his life and his experiences, â€Å"But I expressly intend to make you another visit†, the narrator also talks about an â€Å"infection in the mind† and â€Å"deception of his sense of sight† and recommends `The Signalman` to see a doctor, when he sees the ghost, which reveals his level of concern for his new

Influence of Indian Warfare on the Development of the United States Arm

Influence of Indian Warfare on the Development of the United States Army Throughout history, when two or more armed groups oppose one another in battle, certain tactics are transferred from one to the other. These tactics are usually perceived by either group as superior to their own. This process of transferring tactics often occurs over a length of time, and usually encompass a number of conflicts between the groups. This is a natural phenomenon for armed forces that mimics the Darwinian Theory of Evolution; the strongest survive, the weak die. For a group to become the strongest in armed conflict, it must employ superior tactics and doctrine over its enemy. One method that an armed force uses to become stronger is to adapt the superior tactics of its enemy, incorporating them into its own doctrine. Today, the United States Army is undoubtedly the strongest armed force in the world. This has not occurred without the Army also adapting tactics used by forces which opposed it throughout its development. One such opposing force were the American Indians. The history of opposition between these two groups can be traced back to the conflicts that occurred between the Amerindians and the English Colonists, whose militias were the ancestor of the U.S. Army. The colonial militia was an institution of the English that was imported to their colonies in the New World in the sixteenth century. The colonial militias thrived, however, as those of England faded into relative non-existence in the seventeenth century while a new, professional army was developed in their place. No colony could afford to develop a professional armed force because every able-bodied man had to devote all his energy to the economic survival of the colony. ... ...ll, William G., et al, comps. American Military History. Army Historical Ser. Washington: GPO, 1989. Coakley, Robert W., and Stetson Conn. The War of the American Revolution. Washington: GPO, 1975. Fennell, Jr., Charles C. "The Civil War: The First Modern War." The American Military Tradition. Ed. John M. Carroll and Colin F. Baxter. Wilmington: Scholarly Resources,Inc., 1993. 3-22. Mahon, John K., and Romana Danysh. Infantry Part I. Army Lineage Ser. Washington: GPO, 1972. Overy, David H. "The Colonial Wars and the American Revolution." The American Military Tradition. Ed. John M. Carroll and Colin F. Baxter. Wilmington: Scholarly Resources,Inc., 1993. 3-22. United States. Dept. of the Army. Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks - Skill Level 1. Washington: GPO, 1990. Weigley, Russell F. History of the United States Army. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1984.

Last Exit to Brooklyn :: essays papers

Last Exit to Brooklyn Last Exit to Brooklyn is a very violent film. In fact, the film’s purpose is to have the audience look at the whole question of violence. The film shows, in a very realistic way, the psychological, verbal and physical violence that permeates a Brooklyn neighborhood in the midst of a bitter strike during the 1950s. The film is based on the book, Last Exit to Brooklyn, by Hubert Selby, which was banned for its violent and sexually explicit content. Verbal violence is very prevalent in this film. People swear at and verbally abuse one another throughout the movie. Everyone seems angry. There are several causes for their anger. First the film takes place during a strike. Many of the characters are unemployed and have little money. They resort to drinking and drugs that feed into their society’s violent tendencies. In one scene, the workers who are on strike are screaming obscenities at the scab workers and the boss. But in virtually every scene there is verbal violence. In every scene someone is being threatened, belittled, embarrassed or humiliated. The verbal violence is so punishing because behind it is the possibility of physical violence. Physical violence is also very common behaviour in the movie. For example, the very first scene shows a violent altercation between three soldiers and a gang of local thugs. Physical violence is the fundamental way in which the whole society behaves. The men use it to show that they are â€Å"macho,† so they beat up those who are weaker than they are, especially women. For example, Vinnie, the leader of a street gang, physically and verbally harasses a young prostitute named Tralala. In the most violent, nasty, and horrible scene in the movie, Tralala is gang raped and beaten by over a hundred men in a garbage dump. Many of the men in the film are homophobic and sexually insecure, and they act out their hostility and insecurity by beating up gays. They have problems at work and go out on strike. But their strike is full of violent incidents: they get into fist fights, they blow up trucks, they beat up cops. Whenever they have a problem, they use violence to deal with it. Psychological violence, that is, intimidation or the threat of violence, is also an important element of this film. Vinnie is a gang leader who uses psychological violence to control and manipulate his gang and other people in the neighborhood.

“As For Me and My House” by Sinclair Ross Essay

Isolation and depression are constant throughout â€Å"As For Me and My House not only in the storyline, but in character development as well. Sinclair Ross creates believable characters by using the climate and weather as a way to emphasize their feelings and emotions. Depression and isolation are the obvious themes that emerge but through out the story a want for more is evident. It is not merely a desire for material possessions but more the desire for an emotional void to be filled. Mrs. Bentley displays strong feelings of the need for material belongings but it is only a mask to hide the love that is lacking in her life. Through the material things she believes she can close the gap between her and her husband. Ross uses the weather and climate to construct characters that his audience can relate to. Both Mr. And Mrs. Bentley have the same characteristics, but the ways in which they are displayed differ. The Bentleys live on the parries where the climate is very dry, and Ross uses the dryness of the land to accentuate what is found in them. They are comparable because the dry weather affects many parts of daily life, and their dryness is a hindrance to each other’s lives. When the weather is dry it affects all parts of life, and it affects the moral of all involved. At church Mrs. Bentley notices that the people are not listening to what the preacher is saying but rather: † they were listening to the wind†, when they listened it was as â€Å"if they were trying to read the sky†(58). The dryness that is felt in the weather is only a reflection of what Mrs. Bentley feels on the inside. Physically she is dry because she is unable to have children. This puts a damper on her spirit because she thinks that if she could have her husbands’ baby he would l ove her and give her the respect that she needs and deserves. She believes that in time she could convince herself that her husbands and Judith’s baby would be hers: â€Å"that in time his son would become my son too†(214). Her dryness can also be perceived in the way she does not see herself as important. She believes that without Philip she is nothing: â€Å"if I lost Philip what would there be ahead of me?†(212). Her failure to see the worth that she possesses brings out the dryness because she cannot fathom that she can accomplish anything on her own. Mr. Bentleys’ entire character can be seen as dry, and even the simplest parts of him are dry. His actions towards everybody, especially his wife, are cold and hurtful, and he does not allow anybody the  chance to get close to him. The way in which he is grown is like that of a cactus, with out much care and thrives in a dry environment. He has thorns to keep anybody from getting close to him, and he does not needs little love to survive. He withdraws from his wife at every chance he gets especially when they are at home alone. He uses his study as a shelter, and the door as a barricade so he does not have to deal with anything but himself. When Mrs. Bentley tries to make him open his door and allow her to be a part of his life he shuns her: â€Å"‘You’d be better with the door open, getting a little breeze’ I ventured, but he sipped his coffee and said ‘I like it shut'†(63). He is dry in the way he talks to the people, and this makes it hard to relate to him. The way he presents his sermons on Sunday mornings have no emotions put in them they are only words coming out since he has no interest in what he is doing. The relationship that the Bentleys have is extremely dry and no matter how hard Mrs. Bentley tries there is nothing she can do to make it better. From the time the couple arrives in Horizon the strain on their marriage is obvious, so Mrs. Bentley is always trying to make Philip as happy as possible. When there is extra money she does not spend it on herself or even on the things that the house needs but instead she spends it on paints for Philip: â€Å"ten dollars toward the horse – our little budget will have to stand it one way or another anyway, so I might as well start out with a flourish of magnanimity – and the other fifteen will go to paints†(106). She hopes that if Philip had something to paint with again he would get out of the mood that he has been in for so long. The Bentley face isolation in a number of ways. They are isolated because they live on the prairies where they land is so vast, and they feel that they do not fit in anywhere. They keep moving from town to town with no real difference being made in the their lives: â€Å"his sermons become tedious, he hasn’t the interest of the community at heart, I turn out to be a snob and trouble maker. Eventually they make it clear to us. We crate our furniture again and go†(14). From their past experiences they do not see a point in trying to make themselves liked by the community because in the end nobody cares about them. Mrs. Bentley is isolated because she does not fit in with the community members. The people are pretending to be something they are not and they have to put up false fronts as a shield to their true selves. This not only isolates Mrs. Bentley from others but from her self because she feels the need to â€Å"erect a false front of [her] own†(13). When she pretends to be something she is not, even if it is to protect her self, it only brings her further away from her true self. Even though they face isolation from others around them it does not bring them closer together. Although they have been married for twelve years they are still like strangers to each other. In Mrs. Bentleys eyes it is all her fault that her and her husband are not close to each other, and she is constantly trying to make herself be an important part in Philips life. At times she feels that she is getting closer to him, but at other times she feels that everything she has done has been done in vain,  "sometimes I feel it a kind of triumph, the way I won myself in his life despite him; but other times I see his eyes frustrated, slipping past me, a spent, disillusioned stillness in them, and I’m not so sure†(44). Mrs. Bentley cannot figure out whom she is if she feels that her husband does not know her and what she stands for. The only thing that she wants is for her husband to be able to share their lives together, and she wants her joys to make him happy as well. Mrs. Bentley does not allow the isolation to conquer her life like it does her husband. The isolation that Philip feels has been with him since he was a boy, and he treated his unwed mother similarly to the way he treats his wife: â€Å"he recoiled from her with a sense of grievance and contempt†(40). From the beginning of his life he always thought there was something better for him that was just out of reach, and when he was a boy it was his father whom he idolized, â€Å"his father all this time belonged to the escape world of his imagination, and his mother to the drab†(41). Unlike his wife it is his choice to be alone. He pretends that he does not need the affection that she does, but he is unwilling to give her what she wants and needs. He cuts himself off from the world by retreating to his art, and through his art he is able to further isolate everybody else by not sharing it. When his wife tries to share his work he becomes angry and even more distant from her, he turns the situation against her: â€Å"I don’t speak well enough for myself. That’s right isn’t it?  You have to put a word in for me – impress them – let them see that your small town preacher husband has more to him than they can see on the surface†(117). Through his selfishness and insecurities he isolates himself in a way that nobody can reach him. Ross creates drastic seasons making it extremely cold in the winter and when it is dry out it is incredibly dry. Mrs. Bentley shows how drastic she can be when she is trying to save one thousand dollars; every thought is spent thinking about it. She is determined to save the money not only to get out of town, but to save her relationship with her husband as well. She realizes that the ‘Horizons’ that they have been living in have destroyed the good man that lies beneath the preacher that she sees everyday. If they could only get out of the town and the life that they are leading the true Philip would emerge, the Philip who is free: â€Å"It makes the thousand dollars important again. If he can draw like that when he’s all shriveled up inside with the guilt of his hypocrisy, what won’t he do when he’s free of it as, able to respect himself again†(183). During the hard times of cold or drought there is relief to free them from their pain temporarily. When it finally rains after months of with out it, it does not just rains but rather it storms. They had wanted rain for so long, but when it finally comes it is not what they thought it was going to be: â€Å"the eaves already flooding over. We stood in the door way with some of the splashes on our faces†(155). The relief that the rain does not last long, and like the brief relief of the rain, Ross uses secondary characters to relieve the Bentleys of their pain. Steve comes into their lives and helps release some of the strain on their marriage, but like the rain he brings more than originally thought with him. At first it seemed like he would bridge the gap between them, but during his stay he ends up separating them even more. Philip has longed for a child of his own, but he turns Steve into a competition between him and his wife. This in turns makes Mrs. Bentley feel awful about herself when Steve would rather be with her: â€Å"It makes me feel a little uneasy, the way we get along so well together. I have a guilty feeling that our companionship is rapidly becoming a conspiracy†(95). Mrs. Bentley believes that change would be good for their  relationship, but in reality it has done more harm than good. With the incorporation of the weather and climate to character development the characters become more realistic. Ross is able to create characters that are believable when he presents their personalities similar to the setting he is using. Through the use of isolation the reader has more empathy towards the family and the hardships that they have faced. Not only does the theme of depression become vivid because of the Bentleys, but also because the time in which it is set is during the depression. The yearning that is had for material things is typical of the time, but for the Bentleys it means much more. The lack of concrete possessions is amplified by the lack of emotional wealth. The well written novel enables the reader to have sympathy towards all characters involved in this work.

Emile Durkheim Essay

Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist who is considered to be the founding father of sociology. His contributions were in sociology, Anthropology and religions studies. He published and lectured sociological studies in topics like education, crime, religion, suicide and division of labor. Durkheim was born in Pascoag province of Lorraine, formerly in Germany but presently in France, in 1859, April 15. His family line was of rabbi but he rebelled against this title while still a kid. Much of his work was to show that religions bases were from social issues and not a divine issue. Though he rebelled against his family rabbi tradition, his relationship to the family and the Jewish community was still intact. Most of his collaborators and students were drawn from the Jewish community and was even confirmed under the Jewish traditions at the age of thirteen. He followed the regular system in the secular school and at the same time studied Hebrew, Talmud and Old Testament. He at one time acquired some numinous skills in Catholicism from his female teacher who was a catholic herself. However, soon after, he developed some doubts in religion and withdrew his involvement in it. In the college d’Epinal, he was a precocious scholar and this earned him some prizes and honors. This motivated him towards his ambition and transferred to Lycee Louis-le-Grand, a French high school in Paris. Later in 1879, he joined Ecole Normale Superieure a training institution for French scholars. In the ground, he met some major scholars marking French intellectual life. These were; Henri Bergsona a vitalism philosopher, Jean Jaures a social leader, Rauh, Golot and Blondel all philophers and Peirre Janet a psychologist. His interest is a scientific view to society earned him some opposition towards Ecole Normale academic system. It contained no social science which was Durkheim interest. Instead, humanistic studies dominated the academic system. He rebelled against a course that privileged reading of Latin prose and Greek verse and felt recent scientific discoveries and philosophical doctrines should have been the privileged. He was for a solid and structured learning rather than elegant dabbling system which was even rewarded. In 1882 he finished 2nd last in his graduation class. Despite his rebel nature, he had some good friends like Jean Jaures – a socialist leader. He was known to be intelligent, dedicated, a good moral and scientific instructor. (Caser 143) After spending a year in Germany studying sociology, he returned to Bordeaux where a teacher’s training school had just been started. There, he taught social sciences and pedagogy. He was credited for introducing social sciences in the French curriculum. However, his argument that social science could easily explain morality and religion was criticized. Thereafter in 1890s, it became Durkheim’s period of his significant contribution. In 1893, he published his doctoral dissertation â€Å"The Division of labor in Society†, which was a study of how social order was maintained in differing societies. 1895 published â€Å"Rules of the sociological method† manifesting on sociology definition and how it is supposed to be done. One the same year, 1895, he founded Department of Sociology at the University of Bordeaux. In 1898 he published his increasing students and collaborators works in â€Å"LAnnes Sociologuque† a journal he had founded. In 1897, he published â€Å"Suicide† a study providing examples of what the sociological monograph might look. He used quantitative methods in criminology to explore the different crime rates among Protestants and Catholics. He found the strong social control among catholic reduced suicide rates. In 1902, Durkheim was the permanent chair of education and sociology. In the same year 1912, he published his major work â€Å"The elementary forms of Religious life† During the world war which was characterized by propaganda, Durkheim dropped his position on politics which was patriotic rather than internationalism. His former students had died in the war including his own son. This caused Durkheim mental blows. He had lost his son and his rational secular life had been affected by the war. In 1917, he suffered a stroke from emotional strains and exhaustion, recovered months later and resumed to work but later on the same year died. Emile Durkheim was laid to rest in Paris. (Emile Durkheim) His theories and ideas mainly focused social structural assertions of human social tribulations. He covered the social facts, division of labor, education, crime, punishment law and suicide. In social facts, Durkheim felt that the society is much more than what it meant. He incorporated issue like ethnic and religion background. His priority was not on what influences individuals behaviors or acts but in social facts. His argument about social facts is that its existence is more objective and greater than individual’s actions and who makes a society. He argued that only if people in a society were oriented to a common symbolic representation sets, to a common assumption about the environment, could moral unity prevail. Without them any society irrespective of its modernity or primitive nature would degenerate and decay. (Coser 144) In religion, his views are that it is a pervasive aspect in social structure. It is more human oriented aimed at uniting communities. He looks at it effect on an individual and the way they behave, how it can divide a community and its role in the society. Durkheim defines religion as a cultural system of commonly shared beliefs and rituals that provides a sense of ultimate meaning and purpose by creating an idea of reality based on super natural powers (Giddens 534) In division of labor, he argues that despite it aim for material and intellectual development in the society; it has a moral factor more important in that it enhances social unity among people. He argues that people have something in common. This is what binds them together along traditional lines for they are more or less the same. The highly complex division of labor in modern communities was influenced by ‘organic’ solidarity. Specialization and social roles tie individuals to one another. He argues law is a major symbol in the social unity. Punishments acts in it are meant to sustain the unity. Law is not meant to punish but restrain the existing unity. Durkheim called the breaking of social norms state of anomic. (Calhoun 47) He tried to argue suicide by comparing its rates among the Protestants and Catholics. There was less suicide cases in catholic than in protestant. According to him this was as a result of catholic strict norms. His work has influence control theory of sociology. His view on punishment is that it is important in the society setting. He argues social solidarity can only be maintained through punishment. To avoid law breakers who in turn threaten the social unity in a society, punishments act as a threat. However, he calls for a relevant punishment amount claiming it threatens immorality. On crime, he feels it is useful as it leads to reform. It is a response to a pressing social tension and therefore flushes out the pressing issue off the society. (Parsons 32) As a teacher, he had interest in education. He felt it is an important entity in the social structure as it strengthens social cohesion, maintains social roles and maintains division of labor. Emile Durkheim has over the years influenced sociology scholar. In most cases, they have based their studies in his arguments. In most education curriculum, his sociology initiative has been incorporated. His arguments in almost all the areas in social structure have influenced the modern society. Major education institutes offers courses on sociology all over the world. The study of criminology has based its findings in Emile’s ideas. His sociological theories and ideas have been used to explain the causes of crimes in a society. Policy and law makers have used Durkheim’s ideas in making the law. Courts too in their making of judgments they have based it on his ideas. For example cases of suicide and crimes. His findings have been very significant in trying to understand terrorism and terrorism acts. In the modern society, this has been a major threat to the international unity. Religion has been known to be the root cause of such terrorism acts. The 9/11 us terrorism act was by Islamic extremists. The social control in Islamic does not restrict this and therefore it may not look more of a crime to them. Religion has influenced the society greatly, from politics, rituals and practices. On the religion set social norms, members have behaved and acted according to them. Civil wars in most of the word nations are as a result of social norms conflict among different societies. Most of the crimes against humanities have been important in that it has influenced reforms as per Durkheim ideas. Many societies have learnt from past experiences and have significantly reformed to be stronger and united. However, some societies have released social tensions through criminal activities like wars and the end result have been improved unity. This justifies Durkheim’s idea on crime that it is important in reformation. The United Nation body is significant in the world’s unity. The social norms outlined in its organization have a great influence in controlling the world’s societies in their actions. Exploitation is now reduced and independence has prevailed. On the other hand, the larger community i. e. the world is now much more united. Division of labor which is an evident entity in the modern society is more than just sharing responsibilities and roles. It is very significant in social unity. The coming together of specialists from different background has enhanced interaction and understanding among a larger population. In the labor firms, acts that govern a company have been made by their respective policy makers and are significant in the social unity and in role sharing. Durkeim’s scientific views on the society, his contributions and influences are very visible in the modern society.Therefore, he deserves acknowledgment as the founding father of sociology. Work cited: Coser, . Emile Durkheim the Person: sociology at hewett 1977. Retrieved on Friday, October 17, 2008 from http://www. hewett. norfolk. sch. uk/curric/soc/durkheim/durkper. htm Emile Durkheim Site: Emile Durkheim biography: mosaic Retrieved on Friday, October 17, 2008 from http://www. emiledurkheim. net/ Giddens, A& Griffiths, S . Religion in the modern society: Polity, 2006. 138- 148 Parsons, T. et al . Theories of Society, New York: Free Press, 2006, 33-48 Calhoun, et al: Classical Sociological Theory . Blackwell Publishing, 2007. 45-66

God Loves Uganda Response Paper Essay

I was aware of strong anti-homosexuality prejudice in Uganda from discussions with friends and some news coverage I saw on the internet. However, I was unaware of the influence of U. S. evangelical missionaries until I saw the documentary God Loves Uganda. The film’s director, Roger Ross Williams, illuminates how American missionaries in Uganda campaign to condemn homosexuality and ban condoms as part of their abstinence only education. Missionaries in the film hail from the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, Missouri. They take direction from the charismatic Lou Engle, who is a prominent leader of the evangelical Christian right. Throughout the documentary, these missionaries speak candidly about their core religious beliefs without coercion or the trickery of film editing. The American pastor behind the anti-gay vitriol spread by these â€Å"well-meaning† IHOP missionaries is Scott Lively. It is important to note that Scott Lively is quite the conspiracy theorist and anything he says should be taken with a grain of salt. He co-founded the anti-gay group Watchmen on the Walls and authored books such as The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party, 7 Steps to Recruit-Proof Your Child, and The Poisoned Stream: â€Å"Gay† Influence in Human History (Scherr). Lively has forged relationships with Ugandan religious leaders, who preach his toxic message to their congregations. Two of the biggest myths that Lively and IHOP missionaries teach in Uganda are that homosexuality is a Western import trying to recruit children and that homosexuals can choose to be heterosexual. In Uganda, Same-sex relations have been deemed â€Å"unnatural† and laws against it have been in place forever. However, in 2009, anti-gay fervor reached new heights when the Ugandan Anti- Homosexuality Act was introduced to parliament. The bill criminalizes homosexual relations, which are punishable by life in prison or even death for serial offenders. Inspiration for the AntiHomosexuality Act directly stems from Scott Lively’s seminar titled, â€Å"Exposing the Truth Behind Homosexuality and the Homosexual Agenda†, which he presented before Ugandan Parliament. (Lapin) In conjunction with anti-homosexual propaganda, the missionaries preach that condoms should be banned, as abstinence is the key to lowering the HIV rate. The Ugandan government supports this flawed abstinence only policy. As a result, both hetero and homo sexual relations are stigmatized and condoms are not used. Therefore, disease continues to spread and wreak havoc on Ugandan society. Race and colonialism are not explicitly mentioned in the film but they are undeniable factors. Race has been beneficial to the missionaries. As ex-communicated, Bishop Christopher Senyonjo says of Ugandan’s relationship to the missionaries, â€Å"Because they are white, people believe them. † Colonizing of values is certainly happening. Africa has always been a place in which colonial aspirations come to fruition. Rather than exporting a way of governing to the colonies, missionaries are exporting religious governance. In addition to building orphanages and other good works, IHOP missionaries have exacerbated the anti-gay climate in Uganda. These people infiltrate Uganda in the name of God, demonize homosexuality as part of Biblical law, and then leave citizens to take the real law into their own hands. Consequently, LGBT people in Uganda fear for their lives. Now I must ask, is this what Jesus would want? Bibliography Lapin, Andrew. â€Å"God Loves Uganda. † The Dissolve. The Dissolve, 9 Oct. 2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2013. Scherr, Sonia. â€Å"U. S. Anti-Gay Activists Under Fire for Role in Uganda. † Souther Poverty Law Center. Intelligence Report, Apr. -May 2010. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.

Mcbride Financial Service Essay

The purpose of this paper is to develop a marketing plan for McBride Financial Service. The paper will include what type of market research McBride should undertake. The various types of media Mcbride should use in the marketing plan. This paper will cover McBride’s target markets and explain why they are targets for McBride Financial Service. This paper will also cover what the considerations are for McBride to conduct a portion of their marketing on the Internet. Market research is a technique used to determine the acceptance of a product or service within different demographics. In the book Marketing: An Introduction market research is defined as [a systematic design, collection, analysis, and reporting of data relevant to a specific marketing situation facing an organization](Armstrong, 2011). A company can use market research to develop a target audience to help them pinpoint a specific demographic to market in. There are several forms of market research that McBride can use to help develop their marketing plan. The first would be online market research that will consist of Internet surveys and online focus groups. Online market research is easy for people in every demographic to participate in from home eliminating the need to travel to participate in focus groups. Internet surveys are taken online and the person filling out the surveys avoid the hassle of mailing the surveys back by simply clicking submit. Telephone interviewing is one of the fastest ways for a company to gather information for market research. Telephone interviewing is more personable than mail or Internet surveys and would be recommended for McBride Financial Services. An effective marketing plan should include using various types of media to advertise the goods or services a company offers. Types of media include radio, television, outdoor media, Internet, magazines, and newspapers. McBride Financial Service has many options to choose from concerning marketing media to advertise their organization. Television ads are seen by the most people, but they are also cost the most money to obtain a prime spot. Radio can target specific audiences at a lower cost but a company needs to buy time on several stations to obtain good reach. It is recommended that McBride incorporate a mixture of media in their marketing plan. These following types of media will be included television, radio, Internet and, magazines. Television as mentioned earlier in this paper is the best form of advertising so McBribe cannot hope to have a good marketing plan without it. Television ads will not be the main form of media because of the high cost. Because one of McBride’s target markets is retirees they will be buying ad space in retirement magazines like AARP. This will allow McBride to focus in on retired people or are getting close to retirement. Newspapers are a dying form of media so McBride will avoid buying ad space in any of them. This section of the paper will focus in on why Mcbride should consider conducting a major portion of their marketing via the Internet. The Internet is a major influence in society today with millions of people surfing the web every hour. This is an opportunity that McBride needs to take advantage of to capture the attention of an ever-growing population on the Internet. Buying ad space on a website is inexpensive compared to television and radio that is a major advantage for McBride. Ad space on major Internet sites is a â€Å"double edge sword† for McBride’s marketing plan. The first is that people will see the ads every time a person opens his or hers favorite website. The second would be a direct link to McBride’s website allowing even more exsposer for the company’s services. This section of the paper will cover McBride’s target market. Entrepreneur. com defines a target market as a specific group of consumers at which a company aims its products and services (â€Å"Target Market†, 2011). The site continues to write that target customers are those most likely to buy from a company. McBride has a target market shown on the home page of their website and it consists of professionals purchasing primary or secondary properties, retirees purchasing primary or secondary properties and families or individuals purchasing recreational properties. It seems like every adult in the world would fit into McBride’s target market that is not a bad target market, but it may be a wise move to narrow it down. Sticking with retired and professionals purchasing property would allow McBride to maintain a manageable target market. If the target market is too big McBride would have to cater their marketing media budget to too broad a campaign. McBride’s target market is anybody who is looking to buy property whether it be primary or secondary. In conclusion this paper has described a marketing plan that can be implemented by McBride Financial Service. The marketing plan will include market research strategies such as Internet surveys and telephone interviews aimed at collecting information. The media will play a part in McBride’s market in the form of television, radio, and Internet ads. The considerations for McBride to conduct a portion of their marketing online were covered in this paper. Finally the target markets for McBride Financial Service were discussed at the end of this paper.

Argument research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Argument research paper - Essay Example This is harmful for teenagers in many ways as it obscures their vision of reality and social relations as they exist. According to Danielle Dai and Amanda Fry, the average teenager spends around fourteen hours a week playing video games. They argue that this takes away time that could be used for studies and for developing their social skills (n.p.). The time that teenagers spend on video games does in fact, reduce the amount of time that they would be able to devote to their studies at an age which is crucial in deciding which school they would be able to attend. It therefore, influences teenagers for the rest of their lives in very significant ways. This time, even if it is spent playing video games together with friends, would not be able to create social bonds as the game occurs not at the level of reality but at a virtual plane. This would mean that the kind of social bonds that are created during outdoor games are all but lost while teenagers are engaged in such an activity. Such bonds would have the power to influence the teenager in the direction that the rest of his or her life is to take. In other words, teenage years are very crucial in the life of a person and should not be squandered with video games. On the other hand, researchers have also suggested that video games have in certain elements in common with traditional games that would fulfill the functions that traditional games are expected to play. The child would develop, according to these researchers, an ability to communicate and engage with peers at a social level. They have gone on to also argue that video games may not have any effect at all on the cognitive development of a child or teenager (Shapiro n.p.). This, however, makes the argument a tenuous one, at best. The kind of social skills that may develop as far as the teenagers are concerned would aid them only in the virtual world that is created by the video game. This world