Business Ethic related to Kraft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Ethic related to Kraft - Essay Example Making enticing advertisements for children about unhealthy eating is unethical. This, in essence, is taking advantage of the minors to achieve business objectives. Several moral principles are relevant to the case study analyzed in this paper. According to Weiss (24), moral principles can play a great role in enabling a business to make informed choices that balance economic interests and social responsibility. A major moral principle that is related to the case study is the principle of common good and community. This moral principle indicates that individuals grow and achieve fulfillment in a community setup. As a result, their social life is greatly influenced by their relationship with other individuals in the community. Giving of wrong or inadequate information to people in the society violates this moral principle. This is because it is an exploitation of the other people in the society for one’s own benefits. The company in this case study violates this moral principle by giving wrong or inadequate information in its advertisements. Children below a certain age are not allowed to make major decisions about their lives. Parents or guardians are the ones who are supposed to make decisions on their behalf. The other moral principle relevant for this case study is treatment of every individual in the society with honor and dignity he/she deserves. Advertising to little children below the age of twelve is failing to treat them with dignity and honor. This is because children are not able to make good decisions related to their health. Therefore, advertising foods to them is like taking advantage of their state and position. This is contrary to the requirements of the Catholic Social Teaching (CST). Moreover, it is contrary to the expectations of the society. Therefore, this is a moral principle that is frequently violated by organizations like

The Art of Persuasion Essay Example for Free

The Art of Persuasion Essay In his video, â€Å"The Science of Persuasion† Wiesel uses persuasive techniques by persuading one to use his techniques in their papers. Wiesel explains and goes into detail about how and when to use the six steps of persuasion which are reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking, and consensus. Wiesel says in his video that authority is one of the steps of persuasion and by doing so uses his techniques on the viewer because he comes off as an authority figure because he is the teacher in this video thus making him an authority figure. Since Wiesel is coming off as an authority figure, one would be more likely to be persuaded and do what he is saying, which in this case is to use his persuasive techniques. Wiesel uses his persuasive techniques of reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking, and consensus to persuade others to use his persuasive writing techniques in their papers.

The International Style in Architecture

The International Style in Architecture From the 1920s until 1930s, the international style has gained its popularity globally, and it is expressed in all kinds of expressions, including the expression of volume rather than mass, where the spaces have more priority than the solidity of the building. There is also a stress on balance rather than symmetry, where the function of different parts of the building is arranged in balance, and the shape and form of the building is unlikely to be in symmetry. The international style also presents itself by regular and basic geometric forms, open interiors and the choice of materials such as glass, steel, and reinforced concretes. It is read as the style that broke free from the conventional style of architecture, where the buildings are of simplicity and without decorations and ornaments without specific function. The style is most adopted in the design of skyscrapers, where the faà §ade is made up of structural steel and glass as the envelope. The floor plans are always logical, functional and balanced in the sense that the whole building has the same usage rate all over. Few of the most pioneering architects in international style are Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe himself. One thing that relates closely to the international style is the modern architecture, or known as the modern movement. Modern architecture uses materials similar to the international style, which is mostly of steel, glass and concrete. It is also a style that explores more abstract forms of a building, and always played with space and light to enhance the quality of space. Buildings of this kind of architecture also favor the use of only grey, black, white and off-white in their facades. Form follows function is one of the famous maxims that follow the modern movement, which stressed the utility of the building rather than just on the exterior aesthetic. It was said that, the aesthetic from the simplicity in design is more significant than those with unnecessary ornamentations. Ludwig Mies van der Rohes biography Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was born the youngest of five children in Aachen, Germany on March 27, 1886. He did an apprenticeship as a bricklayer and worked in his fathers stone-cutting shop, gaining valuable experience that later on helped him much in doing architecture. Before leaving his family and hometown, Mies worked for several local design firms and gained some experience. At the age of nineteen (1905), he moved to Berlin and worked under Bruno Pauls interior design office. It was then he was exposed to and worked on furniture designs. Miess architectural career started at the age of 22 when he enroll himself as Peter Behrens apprentice (1908-1912), learning together with Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier. An architect specialized in designing factories and houses, Peter Behrens taught Mies through exploring modern design theories and exploiting his own talent in doing architecture. It was during this time Mies received his first commission, a private residence for a professor at the university in Berlin. After his apprenticeship was finished, Mies worked for the German Embassy in Saint Petersburg, Russia as one of the construction manager. Soon, his talent was recognized and steadily embarked on his own professional career in architecture. To celebrate his rapid transformation from a craftsman to an established architect, he adopted his mothers surname van der Rohe which is what people known of him now. 1912-1914, Mies worked as an independent architect until he was called to serve the army. Mies was enrolled into the military service during the World War One (1915), only to participate in construction companies and exempted from all the battles. The war changed how Mies perceive architecture, and how he conveys it in his designs. Previously designing more towards neoclassical approach, Mies then has the intention to express his ideas of the modern era and revolution through architecture. Still designing conventional residential units in Germany, Mies started to explore futuristic and modern design approach, producing several proposals that made him recognized as one of the most potential progressive architect, although the proposals were not built at all. Examples of the proposal are the competition proposal for the FriedrichstraÃŽÂ ²e skyscraper in 1921 and the Glass Skyscraper in 1922, both with ornaments totally ripped off from the faà §ade. Soon, he also adds in futuristic furniture into his designed spaces to create a modern environment as a whole. In August 1930 Mies became the director of Bauhaus in Dessau upon the request from Walter Gropius. The Nazis then forced him to end the government-financed institute. Felt restricted from furthering his intention in architecture, Mies moved to United States in 1937. Living in Chicago, Mies was offered and served as the head of department for the Illinois Institute of Technology. There, he had the chance to further develop his own steel and glass structure style by designing the new buildings and master plan for the department building. Mies became an official American citizen at 1944. His architectural ideas and projects soon gave impact to the locals and with the20th century new style of expressing architecture, Miess idea eventually merged into the local Americans culture, and soon the global culture. His style was imitated extravagantly but none of it is compatible with his original creation. Some of Miess crowing works during his lifetime are the Barcelona Pavilion the Tugendhat House, the Crown Hall (home of the architecture department, IIT), the Farnsworth House, 860-880 Lake Shore Drive, the Seagram Building, the New National Gallery, the Toronto-Dominion Centre and etc. Miess pioneering intention and project works were also been recognized officially by several awards, namely the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1959, the AIA Gold Medal in 1960, and the J. Lloyd Kimbrough Medal in 196. The American Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 was awarded to Mies, and he was the first architect to receive that award in history. Mies lead some other awards too, they are the prizes from the city of Munich and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and from the Bund Deutscher Architekten in 1966. Mies was the first recipient of the prizes. Mies passed away at the age of 83 in Chicago, on August 17, 1969. After cremation, his ashes were buried in the Chicagos Graceland Cemetery. Ludwig Mies van der Rohes philosophy I felt that it must be possible to harmonize the old and the new in our civilization. Each of my buildings was a statement of this idea and a further step in my search for clarity. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe For over the first half of the 20th century, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was famous for his philosophy less is more, and his skin and bone style of building design. Mies favors the use of simple rectilinear and planar form in his building designs. He is not interested in inventing new forms, rather, preferred to present buildings as clear and simple structures in terms of construction and the current technology. He expressed these ideas in these words: It is absurd to invent arbitrary forms, historical and modernistic forms, which are not determined by construction, the true guardian of the spirit of the times. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe To him, attention should be put on the construction of structure itself, and that structure is composed of elements that relates to each other, or a form constructed with all details perfectly planned. Mies is very concern about the properties of building materials, and favors the use of luxurious and expensive materials in expressing his simplicity and elegancy in building design and despised ornamentation that are functionless and deceiving. These intentions can be further traced from his words: The unswerving determination to dispense with all accessories and to make only what is essential the object of the creative work, the determination to confine oneself to clear structure alone is not a limitation but a great help. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Ludwid Mies van der Rohes lifelong effort had developed a new era in architecture world. Along with le Corbusier and Walter Gropius, the international style became an identity of the times. Besides that, Mies also experiments with new materials and their potentials. He favors the use of materials which can be industrially manufactured, light weight, weatherproof, soundproof and insulating. Mies also opt to produce all parts of building material in factory so that he can save construction cost. Less manpower is needed on site as compared to the traditional construction method because only the assembly of precast parts takes place on site. As one of the pioneer in developing and introducing the Modern Movement, or so called the International Style, Mies did not discover this piece of theory or principle over night. Through experience and his own perception or point of view towards the conventional design styles, along with some inspiration from other architects ideas and opinions about the traditional architecture, Mies soon developed his own style in expressing his favorite quote, less is more. Several expressive art and design thinking that broke out at the time also influenced how Mies sees and conveys his own style in architecture. One of the most prominent is Adolf Loos, who declared that ornament is a crime, similar to what Mies had in mind. Adolf Loos too, despised the unnecessary and meaningless ornaments that hide the true beauty of a building. Adolf Loos also has the idea that, out of the most simple and humble forms of modern building, we can find the elegancy and nobility that are most outstanding of all. This particular piece of idea was what Mies admired and impressed of. Some other conceptual influence such as the Russian Constructivism and the Dutch De Stijl group with their principle in using industrialized modern materials in constructing a structure and using simple rectilinear, straight forward combination of planes and openings, and simple use of pure colour in design too, impressed and affected how Mies do in architecture. The Seagram Building The Seagram Building Less is more. It is Mies van der Rohes functional architecture philosophy, potrayed in the Seagram Building. Many people, including Mies himself, assume the Seagram Building as one of his crowning masterpiece. The Seagram Building is a more complete and refined piece of work as compare to the in Chicago finished in 1951. Mies van der Rohe adopted most of the latters design element and reassemble them, creating a better planned and more detailed building out of the Seagram Building. Both buildings have glass enclosed lobby, raised tower, slab marquee, and continuous pavement, only that they are more refined in the Seagram Building. The Seagram Building was designed in collaboration with Phillip Johnson, a well known American architect. Phillip took care of most of the interior designs in the building and even their material choice. The Severud Associated was the structural engineering consultants while Kahn Jacobs were the associate architects, in charged of the technical drawings. The building is designed for office use, with the design concept of minimalism, simplicity and honesty based on the technology of the time. Being the most expensive building at the time, the Seagram Building cost a total of 4.1 million pound plus a 5 million for the building parcel. The fact that Mies dislikes unnecessary ornaments to the building, he put a lot of attention material wise, which cost a 3.2 million pound. Upon completion, the building used up some 1500 tons of bronze and other expensive materials of high quality such as marble and travertine. The interior was extravagantly decorated too, designed to have glass and bronze finishing and decoration scheme to express the building as a unified whole. Located at 375 Park Avenue, New York City, the 516-foot (517m) tall, 38-storey Seagram Building was design as the new headquarter for the Seagrams Company Ltd, replacing the old one at Montreal, Canada. Samuel Bronfman, the owner of the building, was persuaded by his daughter, the architect Phyllis Lambert to commission Mies for the project. Phyllis said, Mies draws you in. You have to go deeper. You might think this is austere strength, this ugly beauty, is terribly severe. It is, and yet all the more beauty in it. Architecture And true enough, the Seagram Building, upon its completion of construction in 1958, immediately gained its fame globally, for the outstanding international style, and how Mies express his idea of modern architecture so detailed and sophisticatedly. Built out of the International Style, the characteristic of the building is to express the structure of the building externally. This style then influenced the American architecture style greatly, leading to mass production of similar skyscrapers in the area. The strength of the style is that the functional utility of the buildings structure elements, when made visible as the facade, are able to express greater aesthetic value than any additional building embellishments. A buildings structural elements should be visible, Mies thought. The Seagram Building was built put of steel frame structure and non-structural glass walls hung in between. Mies preferred the stee l frame to be visible, but the American building codes required all structural steel to be covered in fireproof materials, usually concrete, because improperly protected steel columns or beams may soften and fail in confined fires. To add in the concrete part totally opposes Miess design intention, thus he came out with the idea of using non-structural bronze-toned I-beams to create a sense of structure from the facade. Thus, the facade shows the mullion-like beams running vertically surrounding the large glass windows. People from the street will see the unreal tinted-bronze structure, which covers the real one. Since then, the method of construction using an interior reinforced concrete shell to support a larger non-structural covering has been widely used in other buildings. Corner detail of the Seagram building Mies wanted the facade to look organized and to have a uniform appearance, thus the interesting window blinds he installed. He designed the window blinds in a way that they can only be adjusted into three positions, that are either fully closed or opened, and half way opened. This design overcame the problem of the irregularity seen from outside the building, which Mies dislikes. The Seagram Building combines a steel moment frame and a steel and reinforced concrete core for lateral stiffness. The concrete core shear walls extended up to the 17th floor, and diagonal core bracing extending up to the 29th floor. According to Severud Associates, the structural engineering consultants, the Seagram Building is the first tall building using high strength bolted connections, the first to combine a braced frame with a moment frame, one of the pioneers to use a vertical truss bracing system and the first skyscraper adopting a composite steel and concrete lateral frame. The Seagram Building is set back from the street by ninety feet and thirty on the side, the setting back of the building from the street creates a granite forecourt which eventually became an urban open space in town, achieving Miess initial intention of doing so. The forecourt is decorated by reflecting pools and low boundary in green marbles, which are designs taken from Miess previous Pavilion of Barcelona (1929). The low polished granite north and south walls made of dark green marbles that slopes gently towards Lexington Avenue are one of the favorite seating place in that area. The two rectangular reflecting pools are located at the north and south ends of the plaza. Previously, a huge Henry Moore sculpture was placed off-center, and then replaced by several sculptures one after another. View to the west from the lobby of the seagram building, showing the Racquet and Tennis Club across Park Avenue The Seagram Buildings plaza is believed to prompt the enacting of the 1916 Zoning Resolution of New York City. Seeing the success of the plaza as a popular gathering place for the public, the government encourages the installation of privately owned public spaces by offering incentives to the developers involved. However, the resolution did not show much success. William H. Whyte, an American sociologist, took the Seagram Buildings plaza as his site for a landmark planning study. Produced in conjunction with the Municipal Art Society of New York, the film Social Life of Small New York plots the daily routine of the public socializing and using the plaza area. The objective is to compare how the public use the space and the intention of the architect that designs the space. Designed by Philip Johnson, the Four Seasons Restaurant was one of the most elegant design and one of the citys most expensive restaurants, competent enough to locate itself in the Seagram Building. All of its retail frontage was designed to face the avenue and suggests discretion. Thus, the building appears more personalized yet institutional, disagreeing speculations and commercialism. The restaurant has a large entrance. Upon entering, a staircase then leads to a dining room at the south, and a bar in the south base wing of the building. A corridor stretches the restaurant to the north base wing. There, a huge work of Pablo Picasso is hung, namely The Three-Cornered Hat. The walls and floor are made up of travertine. The upper part of the wall of the dining room is decorated with expensive French walnut panels with high quality. A Richard Lippold brass sculpture found in the room appears floating in the space. A dining balcony and a private dining room can be found in the east end of the restaurant. The north dining room has a different approach as compared to the south dining room. It has more landscaping elements and a large square pool at the centre. Similarity is that both rooms have large windows, along with long chain curtains that highlights the glistening of the water pool and the Lippold sculpture. However, the south dining room is comparatively more popular among visitors than the north dining room, which is relatively more nicely decorated. Some said that it is simply because; visitors have to pass through the south wing to reach the north dining room. Thus most people prefer the south dining room so that they can see everyone entering the restaurant, provided they stayed long enough. The restaurant has gained its fame as the citys most expensive and high class dining place. It is also its highlight that the restaurant changes its menu seasonally. An Abstract Expressionist painter, Mark Rothko was initially commissioned to draw murals for the restaurant, but he decided to give up on the project because he felt that his art is not suitable for the space. Another restaurant is found in the basement, namely the Brasserie Restaurant. The entrance is on the 53rd street. This restaurant claimed its name that it is opened for 24 hours a day. This restaurant is relatively more affordable than the Four Seasons Restaurant, and it offers a nice experience at its entrance. Going down a flight of stairs, the visitors can enjoy the whole brightly lit space with many Picasso art pieces. Seagram Building Commentary The inescapable drama of the Seagram Building in a city already dramatic with crowded skyscrapers lies in its unbroken height of bronze and dark glass juxtaposed to a granite-paved plaza below. The siting of the building on Park Avenue, an indulgence in open space unprecedented in midtown Manhattan real estate, has given that building an aura of special domain. The commercial office building in this instance has been endowed with a monumentality without equal in the civic and religious architecture of our time.The use of extruded bronze mullions and bronze spandrels together with a dark amber-tinted glass has unified the surface with color.The positioning of the Seagram Building on the site and its additive forms at the rear, which visually tie the building to adjacent structures, make for a frontal-oriented composition. The tower is no longer an isolated form. It addresses itself to the context of the city. -A. James Speyer. Mies van der Rohe. p30. The Creators Words Skyscrapers reveal their bold structural pattern during construction. Only then does the gigantic steel web seem impressive. When the outer walls are put in place, the structural system, which is the basis of all artistic design, is hidden by a chaos of meaningless and trivial formsInstead of trying to solve old problems with these old forms we should develop new forms from the very nature of the new problems. We can see the new structural principles most clearly when we use glass in place of the outer walls, which is feasible today since in a skeleton building these outer walls do not carry weight. The use of glass imposes new solutions. -Mies van der Rohe. from Martin Pawley, introduction and notes. Library of Contemporary Architects: Mies van der Rohe. p12. Conclusion It is no doubt that the Seagram Building is one of the most iconic indications of the success of the international style and its architect, Mies van der Rohe. Thoughtout his life, Mies explored and introduced his construction method in skyscrapers and successfully gained the fame for his courage and innovation. Following this is the imitation of his skin and bone construction all over America, and then globally and the construction of glass and steel structures. Yet, none of the latter creations are compatible with his work in terms of detailing and functional planning of the space. This can be traced form one of his famous quotes, God is in the details. To him, design simplicity and structural detail is the perfect combination to convey his style in architecture. Mies also favor the use of expensive and top grade materials such as bronze, travertine, marble, plate glass, steel and etc. Thus his buildings are all elegant and classy although the design might be as simple.

slavery :: Slavery Essays

Many of us thought slavery was a thing of the past. But from the way I see it, sweat shops aren’t that much different. "I spend all day on my feet, working with hot vapor that usually burns my skin, and by the end of the day, my arms and shoulders are in pain," Alvaro Saavedra Anzures, a Mexican worker, said to the Global Exchange. "We have to meet the quota of 1,000 pieces per day. That translates to more than a piece every minute. The quota is so high that we cannot even go to the bathroom or drink water or anything for the whole day without risking our jobs." NIKE; in El Salvador women work all day for 4.80†¦. The countries with sweatshops are better because of them.. But does that make it ok to treat the people like slaves? Gap, Forever 21, Old Navy, Target, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Sears and J.C. Penney Don’t boycott completely, just be a little more aware. Thirteen hours a day, six days a week - sometimes seven Wal-mart, K-Mart, J.C. Penney; Tommy Hilfiger, the Gap, Banana Republic. Old Navy, Fruit of the Loom; Ann Taylor, Esprit, The Limited, Guess, Victoria's Secret; Nike, Reebok, Adidas; Aztek, Apple, IBM; Zenith, Panasonic, General Electric; General Motors; Disney. Hollister, Abercrombie and Fitch, Levi’s We can’t stop buying from these companies. Because not buying anything at all would cause the sweatshops to shut down. But buying something from there would cause the sweat shops to hire more people for small pay. So protest, tell your friends, you are now aware so make others. Children as young as the age of 5 are working in these inhumane factories. Some factories are nice and let you go to the rest room twice a day.

Ethics in Contemporary Society

Presently, Americans are comfortable relating ethics to individuality. Often times, American citizens expresses their right of freedoms to enhance their own sense of ethics or relativity. In defining relativism, moral principles are a matter of personal feelings and individual preference. As for individual moral relativism, figuring out what is moral and immoral in specific circumstances differs according to the person. On another note, moral relativists have a disbelief in universal truths or common law. This essay will examine and highlight major details about problems surrounding individual moral relativism and cultural moral relativism.It will reflect post-modern and modern methods of belief in order to exhibit its valuableness in ethical decision-making in overcoming problems (Owen, 2011). In particular, it argues that abstract theories of either individual or subjective moral relativism are fruitless for understanding humans. What's more, it tends to limit humans to egocentric people or hamper the development of distinctiveness through division and relativism. It is disputed that innovativeness excludes other styles of understanding. It utters reverence and celebrates the variance; it has rendered the pursuit for any kind of meaning inaudible (Reno, 2012).To bypass these restrictions and to extend the resistance of ethical relativism this article draws substantially from the research of Lawrence Kohlberg. He is a well-known psychologist that is recognized for the moral stages of development. Moreover, his research theory moves closer by claiming cultural relativists are individuals trapped in the conventional stage of ethical development (Garz, 2010).This ethical development model greets and enriches narrative understanding. As this essay continues to explore the world of  ethical/moral relativism, it will summarize topics like cultural moral relativism, individual and subjective relativism. In addition, it will review Kohlberg’s moral stages of development and why he believes that many cultural relativists are trapped in a particular stage. As a final touch, this essay will discuss personal beliefs and experiences in relation to each topic, and why I agree or disagree with these reasoning. What is more moral relativism? Previously moral relativism was defined as being right or wrong, and the second deals with the difference between an objective and a subjective truth.Thinking that ethical truth is biased, moral relativists often react to moral conclusions about homosexual behavior (Klikauer, 2011). To these individuals, the term homosexual is rubbish because everyone's morality is equivalent. In short, nobody has a right to a morality that is incumbent on others. Being objective (individual) honest is recognized as the best choice; however, it is not the easiest decision (Owen, 2011). For example, parents or educators do not chastise students merely for getting their answer wrong in Math problems. For many students, their mistakes would be coherent, not moral.Another example would be a husband beats his wife is simply indecent; therefore, he' is considered as being immoral. Based on Quintelier & Fessler (2012) findings, cultural relativism is considered as an interpretation that all views, customs, and ethics are comparative to the individual within his or her own societal environment. Therefore, individuals put their cultural beliefs at the front of comparative ethical decision-making. Basically, right and wrong are culture-specific; however, what is right in one culture may be considered as corrupt in another culture (Owen, 2011).Being there is no universal code of morality, individuals does not have the right to judge another societal traditions. At the conventional stage of ethical development, each person respects the beliefs of his or her group, family, or nation, as important, despite of the abrupt and apparent concerns (Klikauer, 2011). This stance is not just conformity to subjective expecta tions and social order, but also one of loyalty. According to Kohlberg, cultural relativist is often stuck in this stage due to their beliefs and cultural upbringing. Furthermore, I support this stance for different reasons.For example, I was raised to believe in Christianity is the right path to follow because my parents instill that religion into me as a child. In conclusion, many philosophers have both defended and opposed moral relativism. Recent research argues that normative moral theories should be controlled and explore by psychologists to grasp a more in-depth understanding (Quintelier & Fessler, 2012). Researchers questioned the thought that individuals are or can be moral relativists. If so, can being a moral relativist affect can an individual's moral functioning.This research is underutilized in theorists' normative philosophies of relativism; all together, the pragmatic work is abstractly incoherent (Quintelier & Fessler, 2012). The main objective of this assignment is to assimilate ethical and practical work on limitations about normative relativism. From my perspective, I support the individual and cultural relativity. As an African female, customs, traditions and religions played an essential role in my childhood as well as my growth. Biblical teachings were molded into my mind, heart, body and soul. My grandparents are the root to my development and ethical beliefs.

Understanding Japanese Writing in Spirited Away

Understanding Japanese Writing in Spirited Away Hayao Miyazakis critically acclaimed movie Spirited Away (Ã¥ Æ'㠁 ¨Ã¥ Æ'Ã¥ °â€¹Ã£  ®Ã§ ¥Å¾Ã©Å¡  Ã£ â€") won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film at the 75th Annual Academy Awards ceremony. It tells the story of 10-year-old Chihiro, who is accidentally thrown into another dimension, a spirit world. While working at a bathhouse catering to spirits and gods, she tries to rescue her parents from a spell that transformed them into pigs. It is the highest grossing film in Japanese box-office history, surpassing Titanic. When it was shown on TV in January 2013, it had the highest audience rating ever for a movie. 46.2% of households in Japan tuned in. Reading subtitles would distract viewers from the amazing visuals, and the English dubbed version features a voice cast and translators who did their jobs with sensitivity. Although the overall atmosphere of the film endures, Spirited Away is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, so something gets lost in translation for viewers who miss out on the sounds of Japanese in the original Japanese dialogue. Understanding the Japanese language a little better can help you better appreciate certain aspects of the film. Understanding the Japanese Title The Japanese title is Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi. Sen (Ã¥ Æ') and Chihiro (Ã¥ Æ'Ã¥ °â€¹) are the names. To (㠁 ¨) is a particle which connects nouns. It translates into and. Kami (ç ¥Å¾) means god or spirit, and kakushi (éš  Ã£ â€") is the noun form of the verb kakusu (to hide). Kamikakushi (ç ¥Å¾Ã©Å¡  Ã£ â€") means hidden by spirits, hence the English wordplay of Spirited Away. How Does Chihiro Become Sen? When Chihiro is forced into slave labor at the bathhouse which Yubaba rules, she writes down her name, Ogino Chihiro (è  »Ã©â€¡Å½Ã¥ Æ'Ã¥ °â€¹) in the contract. (In Japanese the family name comes first.) Yubaba steals three characters from her name. The one character left (the third one) becomes her new name. The reading of this kanji character is sen (Ã¥ Æ') as well as chi. Translating Significant Japanese Characters The character written on the curtain at the front gate of the bathhouse is the hiragana yu. It means bath. The kanji character for yu is also seen on the chimney of the bathhouse. The bathhouse is called Aburaya (æ ² ¹Ã¥ ±â€¹). (Abura means oil, and ya is the suffix used for a store.) The kanji sign Aburaya is seen above the gate of the bathhouse. The flag on the bathhouse also has the kanji character for abura (æ ² ¹). The Theme Song, Itsumo Nandodemo Here are the lyrics of the theme song â€Å"Itsumo Nandodemo (㠁„㠁 ¤Ã£â€šâ€šÃ¤ ½â€¢Ã¥ º ¦Ã£  §Ã£â€šâ€š) for the movie. â€Å"Itsumo† means â€Å"always,† amd â€Å"nandodemo† means â€Å"any numbers of times.† å‘ ¼Ã£â€šâ€œÃ£  §Ã£ â€žÃ£â€šâ€¹ èÆ' ¸Ã£  ®Ã£  ©Ã£ â€œÃ£ â€¹Ã¥ ¥ ¥Ã£  §yondeiru mune no dokoka oku de 㠁„㠁 ¤Ã£â€šâ€šÃ¥ ¿Æ'è º Ã£â€šâ€¹ Ã¥ ¤ ¢Ã£â€šâ€™Ã¨ ¦â€¹Ã£ Å¸Ã£ â€žitsumo kokoro odoru yume o mitai 㠁‹ã  ªÃ£ â€"㠁 ¿Ã£  ¯ æ• °Ã£ Ë†Ã£  Ã£â€šÅ'㠁 ªÃ£ â€žÃ£ â€˜Ã£â€šÅ'㠁 ©kanashimi wa kazoekirenai keredo 㠁 Ã£  ®Ã¥ â€˜Ã£ â€œÃ£ â€ Ã£  §Ã£  Ã£  £Ã£  ¨ 㠁‚㠁 ªÃ£ Å¸Ã£  «Ã¤ ¼Å¡Ã£ Ë†Ã£â€šâ€¹sono mukou de kitto anata ni aeru ç ¹ °Ã£â€šÅ Ã¨ ¿â€Ã£ â„¢Ã£ â€šÃ£â€šâ€žÃ£  ¾Ã£  ¡Ã£  ® 㠁 Ã£  ®Ã£ Å¸Ã£  ³ 㠁 ²Ã£  ¨Ã£  ¯kurikaesu ayamachi no sonotabi hito wa 㠁Ÿã   Ã© â€™Ã£ â€žÃ§ © ºÃ£  ® é â€™Ã£ â€¢Ã£â€šâ€™Ã§Å¸ ¥Ã£â€šâ€¹tada aoi sora no aosa o shiru æžÅ"㠁 ¦Ã£ â€"㠁 ªÃ£   é â€œÃ£  ¯Ã§ ¶Å¡Ã£ â€žÃ£  ¦Ã¨ ¦â€¹Ã£ Ë†Ã£â€šâ€¹Ã£ â€˜Ã£â€šÅ'㠁 ©hateshinaku michi wa tsuzuite mieru kedo 㠁“㠁 ®Ã¤ ¸ ¡Ã¦â€°â€¹Ã£  ¯ 光をæŠ ±Ã£ â€˜Ã£â€šâ€¹kono ryoute wa hikari o dakeru 㠁•ã‚ˆã  ªÃ£â€šâ€°Ã£  ®Ã£  ¨Ã£  Ã£  ® é â„¢Ã£ â€¹Ã£  ªÃ¨Æ' ¸sayonara no toki no shizukana mune ã‚ ¼Ã£Æ' ­Ã£  «Ã£  ªÃ£â€šâ€¹Ã£ â€¹Ã£â€šâ€°Ã£   Ã£ Å' è€ ³Ã£â€šâ€™Ã£ â„¢Ã£  ¾Ã£ â€ºÃ£â€šâ€¹zero ni naru karada ga mimi o sumaseru 生㠁 Ã£  ¦Ã£ â€žÃ£â€šâ€¹Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦â‚¬ Ã¨ ­ ° æ ­ »Ã£â€šâ€œÃ£  §Ã£ â€žÃ£  Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦â‚¬ Ã¨ ­ °ikiteiru fushigi shindeiku fushigi èŠ ±Ã£â€šâ€šÃ© ¢ ¨Ã£â€šâ€šÃ¨ ¡â€"ã‚‚ 㠁 ¿Ã£â€šâ€œÃ£  ªÃ£ Å Ã£  ªÃ£ Ëœhana mo kaze mo arashi mo minna onaji

Case Study JetBlue Airways Corporation

Case Study JetBlue Airways Corporation Introduction JetBlue founder David Neeleman announced his plans for a new airline in early 1999. After acquisition of 75 Airbus A320 and allocation of slots at JFK, the airline’s maiden flight took off in early 2000 destined for Fort Lauderdale in Florida.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Case Study: JetBlue Airways Corporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company would later fly other routes to Tampa and Orlando, among others, in the same year. During the 2011 final year results, the company announced that it flies more than 70 states and 12 countries. Additionally, it announced that it flies into New Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean and Latin America (JetBlue 2012). The company recorded good results in the early years of its operation until 2005 when it acquired a new Brazilian jet. This slowed progress for the two consecutive years. JetBlue prides itself for providing cheap flights that offer i n-flight additions such as television, which was a first in the industry. In early 2012, the company was operating more than 700 flights in a day with a fleet of over 120 A320 Airbuses and slightly more than 50 EMBRAER 190 aircrafts (New York Times 2012). Mission, Policy and Vision JetBlue strives to offer its customers value, style, service and low costs. This is part of its policy and mission that includes offering customers hosts of other in-flight entertainment options. This propels its brand image to the customers. For example, it offers branded popcorns, a JetBlue spa among others (JetBlue 2012). As part of its policy, the company offers only one-way tickets and flies short destinations.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It has a policy of assigning all seats and having ticketless travels. Additionally, the company has documented ‘customer-protection bil l of rights’, which details a host of many options as pertains customer needs and complaints. The company’s vision is to offer safety at all times, care for its customers, propel its integrity and guarantee all customers fun and low costs (JetBlue 2012). Objectives and Strategies Founder David Neeleman had the idea that humanity had been forgotten by the available airlines. From that, he decided to bring humanity back to air travel. This formed part his innermost objective. He would do this by focusing on short travels and offering the best services and entertainment on-board. He wanted to do this while offering value for the shareholders. Hence, in the early years (2000 up to 2005), he recorded commendable results. As part of the company strategy, Airbus A320 was the main aircraft. However, the company made a strategic error in 2005 when it contracted a Brazilian aircraft manufacturer for acquisition of EMBRAER aircrafts that would carry 100 passengers (JetBlue 2012). This enabled it to travel international destinations. However, it created an operational problem at airports both in New York and in other destinations. The company strengthens its brand by offering branded products in the aircrafts. This includes foodstuff and pleasure products. As part of its strategy, the company has plans to add 35 aircrafts to its fleet every year.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Case Study: JetBlue Airways Corporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This was hatched in 2010 by the board as part of the company’s expansion plans (New York Times 2012). The 2007 Fiasco Prior to 2007, the company had been recording excellent returns raking in millions of dollars. This was up to 2005. That year, the company obtained new jets that would carry more passengers. However, the company ignored the operational realignment that was needed to ensure continued smooth runs in airports (JetBlue 2012). Most of the airports would not offer new slots. As a result, in 2005 and 2006 the company recorded sharp declines in profits. This was largely blamed on the CEO and founder David Neeleman. JetBlue’s problems spilled over into 2007. In February 2007, the national weatherman had issued a warning to airlines regarding a possible snowstorm in the western coast. This was JetBlue’s main operating route and it was a busy season owing to the fact that it was a favorite Valentine’s destination. Consequently, the company would offer a late and inconsequential warning to customers. The airlines had severely been overbooked leading to large numbers of stranded passengers at various airports. Additionally, most of its operations had grinded to a shameful halt. The company was forced to make refunds and compensations amounting to over $30 Million. Its leadership was criticized and pilloried in mainstream media, which led to resignation of David Neeleman as CEO mid that year ( New York Times 2012). Another notable situation that JetBlue grappled with in 2007 was a sudden surge in the cost of fuel world over. In the previous five years in operations, its business model had allowed price-cuts for its passengers because of the manageable fuel costs.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, this was bound to change (JetBlue 2012). The company had to increase its average travel rates from $100 by over $10 to remain afloat. This was coupled by tightening spending habits from Americans because of the beginning of the economic crisis, which was more pronounced in 2008. Hence, the unmatched success the company had recorded would stumble in 2005, 2006 and 2007 as the company tried to grapple with the above factors (New York Times 2012). Current Situation Currently, the entry advantage the company enjoyed has been greatly reduced. During entry, majority of the airlines were making loses while it instantly enjoyed tremendous success raking in billions of profits for the first five years. However, it has had to increase its travel rates by an average of $10 which has almost stripped it of the low-fare status it had acquired (JetBlue 2012). However, the popularity it had acquired still remains the main competition point. Although it continues to spread its operations wi de through acquisition of 35 aircrafts every year and new international destinations, its profits have not changed much. Strategically, it continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers such as South West Airlines, Delta and United by offering unique in-flight services. This includes comfortable chairs, entertainments systems (with live multi-channel television) and branded blue corn chips (JetBlue 2012). Recently, it has collaborated with Korean Air to allow combination of legs on a single ticket on both airlines. This will make booking seamless and hence improve operations and customer service. Other partnerships announced in 2011 include the Qatar Airways and Virgin Atlantic agreements. This shows that the company has suffered a major autonomy crisis, which may be harmful to its original brand. It indicates that management is trying hard to satisfy shareholders who constantly demand more. Lastly, it is a pointer to the hard economic times, which has greatly reduce d overall American and world spending habits. These agreements were meant to enhance more profitability and share resources for mutual benefits. JetBlue’s customer treatment is one of the best in the industry with a policy guideline called ‘customer bill of rights’ that gives customer so much leeway (JetBlue 2012). References JetBlue. (2012). Company History. Web. JetBlue. (2012). About Us: Customer Protection. Web. New York Times. (2012). JetBlue Airways Corporation. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/topic/company/jetblue-airways-corporation

Value Analysis Research Paper

Value Analysis Research Paper Value Analysis Research Paper Introduction Employees should undertake their tasks with integrity and honesty. By taking the role of the two virtues, they invoke the respect and trust from their employers. Levy (2000) regards honesty as the best policy at the workplace. An employee should endeavor to be valuable to the company. One needs to be trustworthy and dependable if the employer is to value them. Employers completely lose trust in their employees when they steal from them; stealing can be in terms of money and time. Money theft is however taken with seriously than that of time. Telling lies to the employer or to a senior person at the workplace destroys an employee’s image; this is because employees misrepresent themselves. Working for Revol Wireless was one of the most has been very pleasant experience for me. As a sales manager, my work was to oversee all the operations in the sales department. As a sales manager I had the power to recruit and hire sales staff for the company. I recruited, trained and later on hired my cousin as a sales associate. We had a healthy working relationship until I discovered that he had been giving exaggerated figures on the sales so that he can get a higher commission. He could forge receipts and afterward use then as ‘evidence’ of the sales made. I had built trust on him hence I did not bother to critically analyze his activities. Sometimes he would just use word of mouth to tell me about his progress, I took his word not realizing that he was a con. When the inconsistencies were large enough, his dirty acts were finally exposed. It was very disappointing to discover that the person I had put my trust on had betrayed my trust. This affected me since this incident could have incriminated me given that he is my cousin. Somehow, this thought made me to feel as if I was responsible for his mistakes; I kept on telling myself that I was to blame. It was even harder to imagine that the person I had worked so hard to train has been taking me for a ride. Looking back, I should have been more careful since some weeks before this shocking revelation, I had noticed some discrepancies but I ignored. This had been going on for some time and it took a while before I discovered his mischief. This act had gone against the company’s ethical code. This completely broke the trust I had in him. Dishonesty destroys a good working relationship between an employer and an employee; it breaks the trust that the employer had on the employee. Different beliefs and their attempt to solve the problem Confucianism holds that not all lying is bad; there are good and bad lies. Confucius states that it is okay for a son to protect his father during trial of a non-violent offense through lying (Murphy 2004). Sometimes lying can be regarded as a noble act. These are the kind of lies that people tell to protect loved ones from getting hurt. Supporters of this belief would not forward the sales associate since this would only present a bad image. A straightforward person does what is believed to be right but ends up hurting other people. Covering up for someone we hold dear is the main teaching of this beliefs system. Protocol would have demanded that such a person to be forwarded to the authorities. Using Confucianism arguments, the sales associate should not be taken to the authorities. The management is not aware of this fraud hence it will be easy to fix the problem at the sales department level. Covering up for the sales person would be the ultimate solution for this case. Confucian ism will regard this as a good lie. Upanishadic teachings emphasize on the importance of working earnestly. There is emphasis on the need to undertake all work to our best while we leave God to do the rest. Man is expected to play his role in a proficient manner but no one should try to undertake God’s work. There is need to approach the sales associate and ask him to explain the reason for his dishonesty. It is unwise for man to judge since this is the work of God. The associate need to seek spiritual proficiency since this will help him to become proficient in his work. There is need for spiritual nourishment since this will form the basis for self-assessment. There is no need to worry about the punishment of such an individual since this is the work of God. This is God’s part and He is the only one who can perform it perfectly (Scarry Scarry 2010). Hinduism is a belief that teaches people on the importance of integrity. It is believed the dishonest can never escape punishment. Human beings may view dishonesty as a violation of law but time comes when the offenders pay for their mistakes. Every person has a duty to tell the truth if they are to avoid the wrath of Goddess Parvathi. Every dishonest act that we as human being do is legible to punishment. Covering up for the mistakes of the sales associate will mean that the witness is a sinner too and judgment shall fall upon him. Punishment for dishonesty does not have to follow a legal proceeding since a spiritual power makes those who were involved in such acts to suffer for their sins. Dishonest people can never get away with their crime. Confession and telling the truth about what happened can help in solving the problem. The victim should not deny his involvement in the crime since this will only invoke punishment (Hollinger 1999). The Bible teaches Christians that God hates a tongue that lies. In Christianity lying is defined as deliberate falsehood. Christianity teachings state that God hates a lying tongue and a witness who tells false lies. The sales associate has committed a sin according to these teachings because he has been pretending to be something he is not. The Bible recommends that such a person needs to confess his sins so that forgiveness can be granted. If he fails to confess that he has sinned, he cannot be forgiven. The Bible would require the associate to humble himself while asking for forgiveness. Condemnation will fall upon him on the judgment day if he fails to repent his sins. Hypocrisy and deceits are linked together and praying for forgiveness is the only way that the sinner can escape God’s wrath. Marxism envisages morality as a very important aspect in a society. It regards a society as having transcended morals (Greenberg 2010). A society can only be regarded as moral if the people living within it take their roles seriously. This belief system however holds that there are no rules that can be used to judge morality. The crime in question cannot be regarded as serious or not. There is no scale that can be used to gauge the kind of punishment that is appropriate for certain crimes. The sales associate went against the rules of the company but this should not be used as a basis for judging him; this is not enough reason to prove that he is immoral. This belief system suggests that the rules of morality keep changing hence there is no one definition of morality. There are no rules that can be used to determine the degree of crime that the sales associate has committed. However, there is need to analyze the situation further since the perception of the crime may be different to both the management and the sales director. Existentialism holds that actions have an inherent moral attribute. There is a common belief among the proponents of this belief that people need to behave appropriately if they are to be regarded as good people. Doing what is right has some advantages since it make us feel valuable. We need to do what is right if we are to be regarded as morally upright. The sales associate should be reported to the concerned authorities since he has broken the rules. Going against the rules of the company is wrong hence it is important for the sales manager to deal with the case in the most appropriate way; this should obviously be guided by the rules and regulations of the company. There is need to do what is expected hence the sales associate’s mistake should not be overlooked because he is the sales director’s cousin. The law should take its course in this case since this is what protocol demands. Personal basic belief system The Hinduism belief system is my basic belief system. This belief system gives nature a chance to take its course. Evil doers may escape with impunity but they can never escape the wrath of the supernatural being. The legal processes are an important part of the judicial system but their powers are limited. It is impossible for someone to go through this life doing what is wrong and then live a happy life. Nature has a way of ensuring that such people receive their punishment before they land six feet under. Someone may be jailed for some few years and once they are released, they go back to their former ways of life. The punishment from the Holy one cannot be overlooked since it bears effects that cause much suffering. Whenever someone wrongs others even if it is through stealing from an employer, this selfish act is punishable (Gaskin 2002). There are various ways in which people can escape such punishment, confessing and asking for forgiveness saves the people from punishment. Deliberate sins are very serious and assailants should be heavily punished. Hinduism acknowledges the power of the Holy one and it is their belief that He is able to revenge for them. Judgment and punishment is God’s work and He is the only one who can undertake his responsibility well. When one’s conscience is dead, it is only the punishment of a supernatural being that can reverse things. Dishonesty is one of the vices that Hinduism opposes and its judgment is serious since one can even die. The court processes are important in ensuring that justice prevails but they are not the ultimate solution to all criminal offenses such as employee dishonesty. Most basic descriptive value Honesty and dependability helps to build a strong character. Honesty ensures that many problems within the working environment are solved appropriately. It is an important aspect in business in the same way it is to our personal lives. When someone is honest at work, they tend to win the trust of their employers after a short period of time. Honesty makes one to gain respect and trust within the company. If the sales associate has not lied about the sales, he would not have tainted his name hence the sales director would have continued to respect him. Honesty enables employees to work according to the values that they have set. This is an important aspect since it helps to guide those in lower positions how to conduct themselves. When one is honest at the work place, he or she acquires a clear understanding of the important things and this is a very useful aspect in decision making. In a work environment, dependability entails giving the employer a reason to trust the employee’s ability to undertake a certain task (Paloutzian Park 2005). This is an important aspect since it ensures that the employee can be entrusted with certain tasks. When someone is dependable, there is no need to have a supervisor since such people can perform their roles with minimum supervision; their proficiency does not depend on whether they are being watched or not. People need to be honesty and dependable if they are to escape the punishment of the supernatural being. The two values are emphasized in the Hinduism belief system since they form character. The most basic moral values The most basic moral values that emerge from Hinduism concerning the issue of honesty are the need for patience and man’s acknowledgement that God is the ultimate judge. There is no way that man’s judgment can compare to God’s. I am a relativist since I believe that it is my personal traits that enable me to judge situations. In this case, it is advisable to let God play his role since He is the overall determinant of how our lives will be tomorrow and the days to come. He has the power to decide the most appropriate time to punish wrongdoers. Human beings may rush to judge these people but this judgment may not have a huge impact as that of God. Supernatural powers are not to be joked around with since their punishment is real. As a deontologist, stealing from an employer is wrong not because the employer is unknowing but because stealing is a vice (Waardenburg 1999). The moral rightness of an act is considered in terms of the outcomes it brings about. It is wrong to steal from an employer even if the salary or commission is low; there are better ways to solve such an issue such as engaging in a dialogue. It is wrong for man to undertake God’s role in judgment since He is the only judge who is allowed to make final judgments. Local tribunals may try criminals but God’s punishment is ideal. It has the power to make an individual to make a u-turn in his life. Deontologists define morality in terms of following the set rules and regulations. The rules establish actions that have been recognized as true. Since the sales associate’s act deceived the sales director intentionally, this person is moral wrong. It is important to follow a set of rules so that rightness can be upheld. Teleology does not present convincing arguments. The arguments that someone can just endeavor to be happy for no reason at all is illogical. People strive to be happy for various reasons. A person can work hard to attain financial independence so that they can enjoy the fruits of their hard labor later in life (Gaskin 2002). We all strive to be happy for various reasons and among them is attaining a sense of belonging. The sales executive did not just steal for the sake of it; he had an undisclosed reason for stealing from the employers. Resolving the problem Dishonesty at the workplace is one of the vices that break the good working relationship between employers and employees. Ethics is a very important part of the workplace. In resolving this problem appropriately, to start with it is important to get the sales person to confess the sins he has committed. Next, it is important to get into the bottom of the problem by asking the sales associate why he was dishonest. The reason provided will form good grounds for proper judgments to be made. If the reasoning is not convincing, the person needs to face the law. It is important to note that it would be unwise to refuse to listen to the reasoning given since it may point to some loopholes within the organization. Listening helps the employer to critically analyze the situation; this helps in determining the kind of decision will be made to determine the fate of the suspect. Conclusion At the work place, honesty forms the basis of a good working relationship between the various staff of different levels. The moment dishonesty sets in; the good working relationship is destroyed. Stealing from the employer is one of the most common mistakes that employees make. Most of them steal with the hope that the employer will never find out. When discrepancies are discovered, the trust that employers had on employees is destroyed. The case in question involves a sales associate who steals by lying about the amount of sales made with the aim of earning a higher commission. There are several religious beliefs that have attempted to solve this problem depending on the unique beliefs of the religious group. The ideas of world views such as Marxism and Existentialism have also been applied in solving the case. My basic belief system is Hinduism, its way of dealing with the issue of honesty reasonable. This beliefs system presents such moral values as the importance of allowing God to be the overall judge and the fact that God’s judgment is inevitable. The ethical problem in the case can be solved best if the reason behind such misconduct is identified. This will ensure that the sales director will decide on the way forward. custom writing service can provide you with a high-quality custom research paper on any topic and in any subject you need. Feel free to order your paper online.

“authority”, “responsibility” and Essay

â€Å"authority†, â€Å"responsibility† and â€Å"accountability† - Essay Example One of the candidates who were contesting for captainship of school head girl, due to her wealth and power was stating that the other girl was wasting her time campaigning, for she was sure to win the elections. The second contestant was conducting a fair campaign. When asked as to why was the powerful girl not elected, the teacher replied that she had the authority to choose what was best for the future of the school, not forgetting the welfare of the students as portrayed by the second contestant over power thus enhancing the word, ‘authority’. Responsibility is another part of the process of delegation. Allen states that â€Å"responsibility is the work assigned to a position. Responsibility refers to the mental and physical activities which must be performed to carry out a task or duty†. (Arora, 1985) Responsibility may be continuing or it may terminate with the accomplishment of a single action. The essence of responsibility is obligation. Responsibility, being an obligation to perform, is owed to one’s superior and no subordinate can reduce his responsibility by delegating to another the authority to perform the duty. As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth.   Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.   However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold Xs and then putting a big F at the top of his papers. His third grade teacher wrote, His mothers death has been hard on him.   He tries to do his best, but his father doesnt show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps arent

Free will V.S. determism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Free will V.S. determism - Essay Example However, this can have repercussions as individuals following their own free will do not tend to listen to others around them and do as they please. This does not always work out cordially within a society full of different kinds of people because of varying needs that each person has from the other. Most people are under the impression that every individual has their own personal free will according to which they make choices and decisions. However, people often forget to understand that sometimes these choices come from the values and morals that have been imposed upon them as they grow up. In that case, these beliefs are not mapped by their own free will, but are determined in the manner that they are raised. My take on freewill is based upon an individual’s own disposition of which is derived from their possessions, such as possessions of social environment, religion and of family’s general views of life. We all come from families with views on religion or at least of life itself, through these possessions we develop subconscious bias opinions or tendencies, which are the foundation of an individual’s decision making. However, as we get older we become aware of other views or perspectives of life, and can choose to implement them in a way that is conducive to what we want to become. You cannot determine where or how you are born, as that is determined for you, nor can you determine who raises you and what bias views they pass on to you. Nonetheless, as a person gets older they can choose to retain all of the previous convictions passed down to them or can chose to see things in a different manner - though, it will still be from the same mind that has possession of influences that are particular to his or her life, even if they may be subtle. Every man is born under certain circumstances and conditions which remain constant at his birth. He does not have the power to change that certain thing about his life and he has to take whatever co mes his way with regard to that aspect of his life. However, once a person starts to grow up, things start to change for him. He sees different things and experiences different aspects of his life and starts to perceive them according to his will. The will starts to develop at the age of 8-9 and continues till the death of human beings. The will of a human being is developed throughout his life. Once a man is able to see the world from his own eyes, he starts to analyse his life with respect to his personal beliefs rather than the beliefs of other people being imposed on him. Most people are raised believing that their religion is the best one and that they should be happy they do not belong to any other. When a child is born, he is made to undergo certain rituals and rites according to the religion that his family is in. Throughout the course of his life, he is told things and led to believe that his religion is the sole guiding principle that will help him achieve whatever he want s in life. However, very few parents and families provide leverage to the child by making him aware of all the different religions in the world and letting him choose his own faith. In some families, children turn rebellious and begin to adopt a new way of life, by accepting the rites and rituals of a different religion as per their own free will. Every time a person adopts something within him, according to his own beliefs and faith in things, he is taking to free will rather than having his life being determined by

The cardiovascular system Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The cardiovascular system - Assignment Example Consequently, blood goes to both directions in the body for each pump. The four major chambers of the heart are; the left atrium, left ventricle right atrium, and right ventricle. The deoxygenated blood that is from the body is usually pumped into the right ventricle and the right atrium through to the lungs (Evans & Sutton 2012, p. 13). On the other hand, from the lungs, the oxygenated blood is pumped into the left ventricle and the left atrium into the body. Both left and the right parts of the heart functions together to ensure the flow of blood all over the body. From the right part of the heart, blood enters the heart via the main vena cava and the inferior vena cover hence emptying the deoxygenated blood coming from the body into the right atrium. While the right atrium contracts, blood flows from the right atrium to the left ventricle via an opening called the tricuspid valve. However, when the ventricle is filled with blood, the valve shuts hence prevents the backward flow of blood into the atria as the ventricle contracts. Due to the contraction of the ventricle, the heart releases blood via the pulmonic valve then to the pulmonary artery and eventually to the lungs where it gets oxygenated (Evans & Sutton 2012, p. 34). On the left side of the heart, pulmonary vein empties the blood rich in oxygen from the lungs to the left atrium. Due to contraction of the left atrium, blood flows from the left atrium then into the left ventricl e via an opening called mitral valve. The valve then shuts once the ventricle is filled preventing the flow of blood backward. With the contraction of the ventricle, blood flows out of the heart via the aortic valve through aorta then into the body. The rhythmic contraction of the heart occurs spontaneously, even though the rate of contraction may be changed by the hormonal or nervous influences. For instance, the

A Vanished World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A Vanished World - Essay Example Visigoths had swept over the old Roman Hispania in the fifth century and similarly Islamic Arabs led by Tarriq stormed over Iberian Peninsula just as Carthaginians conquered centuries earlier. The Christian kingdom of Visigoth’s fall was dramatic, swift and complete that it appeared no reversal could be brought about for several centuries later. Conquest of Spain by Muslims started in July 710 when Tariq ibn Ziyad, the governor of Tangier was deputed by the Governor of the whole Maghrib (presently Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) to invade the Christianized Visigoth kingdom ruled by the Visigoth king Rodrigo (Roderic) whose forces were defeated at the Battle of Barbate (Wadi Lago) on 19 July 1971. Visigoth lost to Tariq forces because of their loosely administered kingdom. King Rodrigo who had clashed with Basques rushed to Cordoba where he kept his army in the waiting to oppose Tariq’s forces. Tariq chose to wait at Algeciras instead and by then strength of his army incre ased to 12,000 men. While the war was on, Witza’s sons Sisbert and Oppa who had been commanding Visigoth’s army abandoned the king owing to some secret arrangement with the enemy and allowed themselves to be routed. King Rodrigo disappeared and only his white horse and a golden saddle were found by the victors. Tariq’s original intention was only to reconnoiter but he could easily take over the kingdom. Surviving Christians attributed the fall of Visigothic kingdom due to the vices of Witiza or Rodrigo. Still others felt that the fall of Spain to Muslim rulers was a divine punishment for the sins committed by Visigoths. The last thirty years of Visigothic Empire had been characterized by warring factions. As there was no hereditary monarchy, the kingdom had been subjected to constant conspiracy and civil war. At the time of Tariq’s invasions, Visigoth king had not cared to settle the consequences of rivalries within the kingdom at the time of Tariqâ€℠¢s invasion. Visigoths had not cared to secure control of ports and adjacent regions. It emerges therefore that minority Muslims could take over majority Visigoths (Christians) dominated Spain by their sheer brilliance and because of the inefficient administration and preoccupation in worldly pleasures by the Christians (O'Callaghan),(Lowney 29-42). Christian Martyrdoms Christian martyrdom began with the beheading of Euologius who was a martyr activist. He denounced Islam and harbored a Muslim apostate in 859. Islamic culture flourished in Cordoba and some Cordoban Christians violently reacted to the situation. Eulogius and his co-activists wanted to awaken the conscience of their fellow Christians who were attracted to Islam. Lowney draws a parallel to the present situation of Muslims embracing martyrdom against Christians. Isaac, a Christian scholar who was mediating between majority Christians and minority Muslims and in a prestigious Government job for tax collections suddenly r esigned for unknown reasons and pursued Christianity more vigorously. In that connection, in 851 he deliberately blasphemed

Nutri Natural, Herbal, and Vitamin Supplements Research Paper

Nutri Natural, Herbal, and Vitamin Supplements - Research Paper Example The competition is what poses the greatest threat to entrants in the market as they have to consider bridging any gaps between what the consumer wants and what is being provided for them in the market. Unfortunately, more organizations in the market translate to the consumer having more bargaining power, which is never a good thing for the company. The paper seeks to identify the competition that will face Nutri Natural, Herbal, and Vitamin Supplements as it enters the market. It is fair to say that there is no single market that is not prone to competition. Naturally, an investor identifies a consumer need and develops a product that will satisfy the need. Later, the demand for the commodity increases and the company makes increased profits. As other investors note the growing demand, they develop their own version of the products. More investors join the market flooding it and bringing more choices to the consumer. Eventually, only those manufacturers that have a competitive edge r emain in business or make any profit. Nutri’s entry to the market will face stiff competition from popular manufacturers of food supplements and vitamins. These competitors include but are not limited to Bayer, Seven Seas, Bayenica, and Boots (Leah 10). Internet use has become widespread over the past decade. However, not every company has utilized the full potential of using the internet to market its products. The advent of social media has made online marketing more effective as a platform for companies to use to create awareness of the products offered. A company that takes advantage of every opportunity they have to market their goods becomes the best possible way to remain competitive and thus profitable. Nutri is aiming to take full advantage of what technology offers companies and will be using an online platform to sell the supplements.  

Contemporary Theories of political Economy Essay - 1

Contemporary Theories of political Economy - Essay Example his writings was that the shift of power and the resultant emergence of liberal democracy stifles further growth and advancement in human political organization. He contended to the notion that liberal democracy leads to the onset of the end of history as proposed by the nineteenth-century German philosopher Georg Hegel. He studied Hegel extensively by way of Alexandre Kojà ¨ve and came to the conclusion that the revolution of 1989 to 1990 proclaimed the end of history in the shape of triumphant liberal democracy (Kimball). By suggesting that the end of the Cold War marked the end of history, Fukuyama did not mean that it was an end to the big events; rather, his perspective bolstered the argument that the end of history was â€Å"an end to humanitys long ideological evolution toward a stable form of political organization† (Crawford 415). According to Fukuyama, if there is a growth of liberal democracy, coupled by its successful implementation in different places and acceptance by a wide range of people, and if human societies move â€Å"towards or converge on a single form of socio-political organisation like liberal democracy†, with no practical substitutes for liberal democracy, then the â€Å"[ideological] dialogue† has come to an ultimate and perfect conclusion. Fukuyama agrees with Kojà ¨ve that the end of history implies an end of wars and blood revolutions since humanity will not have any large causes to fight for (Forrester 28). The outcome of the Cold War was that liber al democracy was to become the sole form of government for all countries. In my opinion, the end of the Cold War did not mark the end of the history. The events that have unfolded during the subsequent years do not establish the Western liberal democracies as the absolute rulers of the world. Samuel P. Huntington came out as a direct opponent of the End of History. He was of the view that although liberal conflicts will not occur after the Cold War, there is a possibility of the occurrence

Foundations of Criminal Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Foundations of Criminal Law - Assignment Example Jail for Sainsbury's IT boss who stole 17 million Nectar Points’. This case talks about James Stevenson who was an IT manager liable of stealing 17 million Necta points was found guilty and jailed for 20 years. According to the United Kingdom Federal Law addressing the concept of theft, it was very right to take that legal action because Mr. Stevenson served the IT Company with self-centeredness, where he never minded about the firm or the involved parties. The UK Federal Law clearly states that nobody should serve personal interest or engage in some form of corruption when working in a public office, company or private sectors. In this case, justice was acquired to the firm and the involved parties because Stevenson deserved the sentence. The court found him guilty of having stolen the IT Company’s money by serving his own interest. The legal issue here is that Stevenson had stolen millions of Necta Points that belonged to the Company and the fact that he was jailed se rved him right. The father of two, of Muswell Hill, north London, confessed employing some of the money to buy ?8, 120 – worth of products from the store. However, after calculations were carried out with all the evidences analysed keenly, Mr. Stevenson was found guilty and that was a fare judgment particularly when examined from the sentence point of view. The UK Fraud Law was keenly observed and justice done to the firm. The identification of this case by this article is accurate, clear and complete in the sense that it explains all concepts openly and clearly in a way that one can understand well. Policeman stole ?70,000 in banks fraud to fund affair with fellow officer... but walks free from court’ (Daily Mail On-Line 22 February 2012) This case involves a police officer who financed an extramarital affair using fraudulently raking in ?70, 000 in bank loans. After the judged heard his cases keenly, he branded him as emotionally fragile and the man just walked free from the court. PC Jamie Hillman who is 37 swindled more than 6 different high street banks, engrossing Northern Rock and Barclays, through application for loans and credit cards (McQueeeney, 2012). According to me, this judgment was wrong in the sense that what Hillman was doing is totally stealing from banks. This is because the legal issue outlined is theft because taking a person’s property or item without his or her knowledge is stealing. It does not matter who he served or how he used the money but the bottom line is that he was stealing. According to the United Kingdom Fraud law, any form of stealing from a business individual or organization demands that the individual involved be jailed because that is against the law. The fact that Hillman used false claims at the application of these loans including an open lie that he was a sergeant in the Metropolitan Police and even that he was a soldier serving in Afghanistan, makes him guilty and he deserved to be jailed (McQu eeeney, 2012). Despite the fact that he might have used the money to finance ‘double life’, he used a certain portion of it to serve his own interest what makes it clear stealing intentions. Therefore, this judgment was not right because the banks from which he stole never received justice they deserved. The legal issue, which is theft, was not attended to. Moreover, the judge sent him to prison for 12 months; if indeed he was

Contemporary Theories of political Economy Essay - 1

Contemporary Theories of political Economy - Essay Example his writings was that the shift of power and the resultant emergence of liberal democracy stifles further growth and advancement in human political organization. He contended to the notion that liberal democracy leads to the onset of the end of history as proposed by the nineteenth-century German philosopher Georg Hegel. He studied Hegel extensively by way of Alexandre Kojà ¨ve and came to the conclusion that the revolution of 1989 to 1990 proclaimed the end of history in the shape of triumphant liberal democracy (Kimball). By suggesting that the end of the Cold War marked the end of history, Fukuyama did not mean that it was an end to the big events; rather, his perspective bolstered the argument that the end of history was â€Å"an end to humanitys long ideological evolution toward a stable form of political organization† (Crawford 415). According to Fukuyama, if there is a growth of liberal democracy, coupled by its successful implementation in different places and acceptance by a wide range of people, and if human societies move â€Å"towards or converge on a single form of socio-political organisation like liberal democracy†, with no practical substitutes for liberal democracy, then the â€Å"[ideological] dialogue† has come to an ultimate and perfect conclusion. Fukuyama agrees with Kojà ¨ve that the end of history implies an end of wars and blood revolutions since humanity will not have any large causes to fight for (Forrester 28). The outcome of the Cold War was that liber al democracy was to become the sole form of government for all countries. In my opinion, the end of the Cold War did not mark the end of the history. The events that have unfolded during the subsequent years do not establish the Western liberal democracies as the absolute rulers of the world. Samuel P. Huntington came out as a direct opponent of the End of History. He was of the view that although liberal conflicts will not occur after the Cold War, there is a possibility of the occurrence

Part1. Physical items Essay Example for Free

Part1. Physical items Essay Goods: Physical items produced by business organizations. Operations Management: the management of systems or processes that create goods and/or provide services Process: One or more actions that transform inputs into outputs Services: activities that provide some combination of time, location, form, and psychological value System: a set of interrelated parts that must work together. Technology: the application of scientific discoveries to the development and improvement of goods and services Operations management requires: both knowledge of the facts and how to interpret that info in order to produce and deliver Requires constant improvement: due to competition in the marketplace and advances in technology Good process design is: customer driven. What questions What type of process is best suited that will fulfill our customers needs What is the goal in selecting a supplier? To find the best product available for the best price you can The global market enables the operations manager: the flecibility to choose the most cost effective supplier Honda’s relationship with their suppliers is based on: trust Why did Hillrich Bradsby implement ERP system?: to simplify their processes When do hillrich bradsbey start their production process?: when an order is entered into the system What was the purpose of Disney’s Fast Pass?: remove the need to wait in line by using a virtual queue Measuring is an important method. Monitoring the consistency and repeatability of a process is called: statistical process control What technique does Gortac use to support continuous improvement: in manufacturing, try to be more efficient, improving quality: continuous improvement: record the days productivity numbers and compare – daily production meetings. How did ABTCO increase capacity without adding space or investing capital? : using fundamentals of operations mgmt., reorganized the manuf process to improve quality and efficiency. Closed lines producing unfrofitable products and started idle lines to fill shortages, as a result, their siding unit increased prod capacity w out adding space or capital expense.

Marketing Strategies on Social Media: Fast Food

Marketing Strategies on Social Media: Fast Food Introduction Social media has become one of the channels with the highest impact of advertisements in the last decade. This is primarily because of the widespread reach of the internet and social media tools through all locations. The principles based on which any marketing communication strategy is defined are as follow Create attention among the people. The marketing communication strategy should be such that it is highly visible and capture immediate attention of the viewers. The communication strategy should be relevant to the target market and arouse interest to meet the needs of the customers. It should convince the customers to the extent that people want to try the new product or service. The communication strategy should be simple, quick and make the customer confident to act on the information and go ahead to buy the product or service. Because of the increase in the online traffic in social media sites every day, with millions of new users signing up, all organizations would only be at ease to reach out to more people and customers through social media communication. This platform would unlike other advertising mediums such as billboards, televisions etc. be a two way channel of communication instead of one. So it could also couple as a point of contact for grievance and complaint management, besides the promotional activities. Also using the social media tools for marketing communication would make it more dynamic and real time, where pictures and videos of events happening presently can be shared immediately. These are some of the advantages that all companies wish to reap by using such tools. MacDonalds and Burger King are two such organizations which have started using social media communication strategies. McDonalds McDonalds was started in 1940 as a barbeque joint in California. However later on it was changed into hamburger and fast-food catering stand. This was the first fast- food chain to use the principles of a production line in its stores. Over many decades the popularity of McDonalds has grown and now it roughly serves around 68 million customers every day. It has its presence across 120 countries, and has almost 40,000 outlets throughout the world. The Revenue generated by MacDonalds is around $25 billion. McD has a multinational strategy where it caters to the different culinary needs of different geographical regions based on the demographics and culture. It has a diverse menu across different locations using different ingredients suited to the particular locality. Burger King Burger King was started in the year 1953 as a fast food and hamburger restaurant chain in Florida. The organization has changed hands quite a few times. Presently 3G Capital has a majority stake in Burger King. Burger King essentially served only the America and Canada region until last decade where it expanded into more international countries for better opportunities. Burger King has revenue of $ 4.1 billion. The Offerings of Burger King were comparatively less and inflexible. However after the restructuring of the organization image by 3G Capital, Burger King made more adjustments in its offerings to cater to a wider target market. Burger King in the 1970s was at the peak of advertisements; however that lost focus in a decade. Presently Burger King has around 15000 outlets throughout the world. Almost 47.5 % are in the USA itself. Comparison of the two organizations. McDonalds and BK have had a different approach to reaching out to the target market and there is some difference that is also reflected in the social media platform communication strategies. Let us check these out in details. McDonalds has a different menu at different locations taking into consideration the culture and food habits of different areas. All such geographical locations are equally important. So essentially McDonalds follows a global strategy. Burger King on the other focuses more on the USA outlets and tries to target the local audience more than the international market. As a result McDonalds social media page will have more information regarding the store openings at various locations and pictures if various people at different locations enjoying their food. Burger King on the other hand focuses more on the promotion of new products. The page will contain more information about the features of new products and the price. McDonalds has a marketing communication strategy with a global identity and so it focuses more on the soft factors such as different people at different location enjoying their meal, different events where customers are participating. So there would be more content to make the customers involved. Burger King on the other hand plays more on the hard factors by describing the new taste and ingredients used and the reasonable prices. Burger King Page also couples up as a customer complaint portal where people can state their grievance and the customer support team reaches out to them. However, since there are hardly any product features in the MacD page, there are fewer incidents of customer complaints in these pages. Conclusion The social media communication strategy clearly depends on the target market that is being catered to and the factors which are being marketed. A local strategy which focuses more on the products that is being served will have a direct promotional strategy which showcases the product features. A global strategy would focus more on the soft factors that involves more customer participation, opinion polling etc. References Marketing communications by Oyujimi Kayode Strategic marketing communications by Paul Smith, Alan Pulford Marketing Communications by Lynne Eagle

Cause and Effect in David Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understand

Cause and Effect in David Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding In An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, David Hume states, â€Å"there is not, in any single, particular instance of cause and effect, any thing which can suggest the idea of power or necessary connexion† (Hume, 1993: 41). Hume establishes in section II that all ideas originate from impressions that employ the senses (11). Therefore, in order for there to be an idea of power or â€Å"necessary connexion,† there must be impressions of this connection present in single instances of cause and effect; if there are no such impressions, then there cannot be an idea of â€Å"necessary connexion† (52). To illustrate his statement, Hume examines four situations: bodies interacting in the world, mind causing actions of the body, mind causing ideas of ideas, and God as the source of power. I will highlight Hume’s reasons and outline his arguments to establish that there is no â€Å"connexion† between cause and effect on the basis of singl e instances. Hume’s first reflection focuses on worldly bodies. Assuming that a â€Å"necessary connexion† exists between cause and effect, this effect could be determined, without prior experience, through reasoning, upon observation of the cause alone. We, however, observe the body and we observe the effect on the body or system but â€Å"the power or force, which actuates the whole machine [universe or chain of effects] is entirely concealed from us, and never discovers itself in any of the sensible qualities of body† (42). Hence, this situation demonstrates no impression of, and therefore no idea of, â€Å"necessary connexion† in â€Å"single instances of their (bodies) operation† (42). The second reflection in... ...out being ever able to comprehend any thing like connexion between them† (46). He expresses that this conjunction through similar experience is what allows us to relate cause and effect relatively accurately. On the other hand, Hume entertains the situation that â€Å"it is God himself, †¦ which we erroneously attribute to our own power and efficacy† (47). Hume argues that â€Å"there must arrise a strong suspicion †¦ (when we arrive at) conclusions so extraordinary, and so remote from common life and experience† (48). Further, Hume illustrates that no matter how ignorant we are â€Å"of the manner in which bodies operate on each other† we are equally ignorant of the supreme mind; we should reject the more unintelligible prospect (48). Works Cited Hume, David. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. 2nd edition. Hackett Publishing: Indianapolis. 1993. Cause and Effect in David Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understand Cause and Effect in David Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding In An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, David Hume states, â€Å"there is not, in any single, particular instance of cause and effect, any thing which can suggest the idea of power or necessary connexion† (Hume, 1993: 41). Hume establishes in section II that all ideas originate from impressions that employ the senses (11). Therefore, in order for there to be an idea of power or â€Å"necessary connexion,† there must be impressions of this connection present in single instances of cause and effect; if there are no such impressions, then there cannot be an idea of â€Å"necessary connexion† (52). To illustrate his statement, Hume examines four situations: bodies interacting in the world, mind causing actions of the body, mind causing ideas of ideas, and God as the source of power. I will highlight Hume’s reasons and outline his arguments to establish that there is no â€Å"connexion† between cause and effect on the basis of singl e instances. Hume’s first reflection focuses on worldly bodies. Assuming that a â€Å"necessary connexion† exists between cause and effect, this effect could be determined, without prior experience, through reasoning, upon observation of the cause alone. We, however, observe the body and we observe the effect on the body or system but â€Å"the power or force, which actuates the whole machine [universe or chain of effects] is entirely concealed from us, and never discovers itself in any of the sensible qualities of body† (42). Hence, this situation demonstrates no impression of, and therefore no idea of, â€Å"necessary connexion† in â€Å"single instances of their (bodies) operation† (42). The second reflection in... ...out being ever able to comprehend any thing like connexion between them† (46). He expresses that this conjunction through similar experience is what allows us to relate cause and effect relatively accurately. On the other hand, Hume entertains the situation that â€Å"it is God himself, †¦ which we erroneously attribute to our own power and efficacy† (47). Hume argues that â€Å"there must arrise a strong suspicion †¦ (when we arrive at) conclusions so extraordinary, and so remote from common life and experience† (48). Further, Hume illustrates that no matter how ignorant we are â€Å"of the manner in which bodies operate on each other† we are equally ignorant of the supreme mind; we should reject the more unintelligible prospect (48). Works Cited Hume, David. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. 2nd edition. Hackett Publishing: Indianapolis. 1993.

How to Purchase a video recorder? :: Digital Video Camera

How to Purchase a video recorder? A video camera can be a very useful tool in recording milestones in your family, or just something that you would like to see again. Unfortunately there are so many factors that can make purchasing a video camera a very difficult task. If you don’t do your research on the types and features of video camera you may have gotten yourself into some deep trouble. Looking for camera’s in the store before doing some research is extremely troublesome. The store has a number of features listed that aren’t extremely important, and others not listed that are very important. Also at a store with sales people, often time the salesman knows very little about the cameras and tries to convince you that the most expensive is the best for you. Reading this paragraph has shown that there are many factors included in making this decision. After reading this paper you will be better equipped to go out and to choose the camera that is best suited for you. The two most popular types of video cameras on the market right now are DVD camcorders and Mini-DV Camcorders. The average price of a DVD Camcorder is between â€Å"$550 and $600† (http://www.camcorderinfo.com/). The average price of a Mini-DV camcorder is â€Å"under $500, with many models under $300† (http://www.bestbuy.com). The main reason that the DVD camcorder is more expensive is because it is more convenient to the average user. The average camcorder user will not use his camcorder very often, and will not do much if any video editing. The DVD camcorder records all of the video directly onto a DVD that you placed in the camcorder. This enables you to be instantly able to watch the movie on a television using a DVD player, thus making it more convenient. Mini-DV camcorders are the mainstream camcorder for the novice to the more experienced user. This is because of their low price and large functionality. Mini-DV camcorders record movies onto a digita l tape rather than a DVD or an analog tape. If you are a video-editing enthusiast you may want to be much more selective about the camera you purchase. Video editing is the process in which you capture video using a camcorder, and then transfer the video from the camcorder to your pc.

Cyberpunk and Science Fiction Essay

Cyberpunk and Science Fiction in the Information Age Cyberpunk science fiction is considered to be the â€Å"literary manifestation of postmodernism† (Elements149). According to McHale, as a sub-genre of science fiction, cyberpunk stands as the product of the convergence between â€Å"science fiction poetics and postmodernist poetics† (Elements 149). In Constructing Postmodernism, McHale states â€Å"cyberpunk†¦as science fiction derives certain of its elements from postmodern mainstream fiction which itself has†¦already been ‘science-fictionized’ to some greater or lesser degree† (229). The correlation of cyberpunk and postmodernism however is not limited to the existence of cyberpunk as a coagulation of the different factors within science fiction tales. Postmodernism, as a school of thought and as a movement in the different arts, may be characterized by its â€Å"incredulity toward metanarratives† (Lyotard xxiv). Metanarratives refer to the â€Å"‘grand narratives’ or stories that go to legitimize particular practices† (Warren and Warren 78). In the same manner that postmodernism debunks the idea of grand narratives, cyberpunk debunks such grand narratives by placing emphasis on the construction of a separate individual reality within the sphere of cyberspace. Works considered as a part of the sub-genre of cyberpunk are named as such due to their focus on â€Å"technological revolution and its social and psychological implications†¦on online publication† (Stierstorfer 109). The correlation between cyberpunk and postmodernism may thereby be traced to the existence of various worlds within cyberspace presented within cyberpunk texts. It is important to note that the importance of cyberspace is attributed to the space that it provides the individual user for the creation of fictional production. Cyberspace, within these works, stand as a space which is in continuous creation. The creation is determined by each individual and hence it provides the individual with both the freedom and the power to create and determine the worlds created by other individuals within the cyberspace. Within the aforementioned context, reality stands as an individual construction determined by a set of rules for how such a creation may occur. These rules however are not moral rules but merely substantive rules. In a sense, one may thereby state that ‘reality’ within these texts is in continuous flux since what is ‘real’ is determined by one’s point of view, one’s perspective of the world. The act of reading these texts are in a sense determined by the sequence in which these texts are presented however within the context of the assumptions of reality within the text it is possible to imagine a space wherein all acts do not merely interact or collide but occur at the same time since cyberspace is a boundless space and such is the world presented by the texts within the genre of cyberpunk fiction. In line with this, what follows is a discussion of William Gibson’s Neuromancer and Spook Country and Stanislaw Lem’s Imaginary Magnitudes. Online communication creates a space of social contact out of intertextual materials that may end up relying on the very conventional social narratives that many participants hope to escape. These hidden conventional structures within social interaction are the subject of the novel that gave us the term ‘cyberspace’ that being William Gibson’s Neuromancer. A discussion of Gibson’s novel not only provides a glimpse of the very different understanding of identity that results from this intertextuality but also suggests how best to negotiate these narratives. At the most general level Neuromancer is the story of Case’s quest to be re-integrated with cyberspace and the information that it possesses. The story opens with Case’s nervous system intentionally harmed in subtle ways by a past employer so that he is unable to access cyberspace and perform his past role as a ‘cowboy’ who infiltrates computer networks and steals information. Case is mysteriously offered surgery to repair his system if he participates in a complicated scheme to free an artificial intelligence named Wintermute from the limitations placed on it by its creator. Gibson describes Case’s experience of cyberspace in terms of the pleasure of reintegration. The experience is described in the following manner. Found the ridged face of the power stud. And in the bloodlit dark behind his eyes, silver phosphenes boiling in from the edge of space, hypnagogic images jerking past like film compiled from random frames. Symbols, figures, faces, a blurred, fragmented mandala of visual information. Please, he prayed, now†¦Expanding- And flowed, flowering for him, fluid neon origami trick, the unfolding of his distanceless home, his country, transparent 3D chessboard extending to infinity†¦And somewhere he was laughing, in a white-painted loft, distant fingers caressing the deck, tears of release streaking his face. (Neuromancer 52) In the aforementioned passage, Case’s movement into cyberspace is a kind of homecoming that brings him back into contact with a network of human information. Given the lyrical tone of this passage, it is not surprising that interpreters of Neuromancer have concluded that the connection to networks of human information that Case pursues is a uniformly positive thing. Cyberspace subculture frequently takes the disembodied integration into electronic information systems quite literally as a next stage in human evolution. Rather than asserting the value of social integration for its own sake, this story treats such connections as merely showing the protection and evolution of individuals. The links between individuals are similarly ambivalent in Neuromancer. Probably the novel’s clearest statement of the ambivalence of social connection comes late in the novel when Case reflects on his involvement with unseen ‘bosses’. Case has been hired by the mysterious Armitage, who turns out to work for Wintermute. As Case realizes the degree to which Armitage is a puppet or even a construction of Wintermute, he reflects on his involvement with larger political and social powers. It goes in the following manner, Case had always taken it for granted that the real bosses, the kingpins in a given industry, would be more and less than people†¦He’d always imagined it as a gradual and willing accommodation of the machine, the system, the parent organism. It was the root of street cool, too, the knowing posture that implied connection, invisible lines up to hidden levels of influence. (Neuromancer 203) Case’s reflections about the nature of social connection suggest both its positive and negative qualities from the perspective of the individual. Positively, these connections position the individual as a kind of parasite within the ‘parent organism’, sheltering the individual who may not share the goals of the larger system to which he or she belongs. Within this context, one might perceive individuals as pieces of a larger puzzle whose form is partially known but whose image is only available through the different vantage points available to different individuals. Such vantage points however are only accessible or can only be known to one individual unless it is penetrated and in a sense controlled by another one. Knowledge within this space is thereby continually in flux as a result of the power struggles of the entities within it. Imagining people as ‘assemblages’ whose subjectivity is constructed from sources of which they are rarely aware and whose elements do not necessarily cohere certainly seems unappealing at first glimpse since it works against traditional ideas of self-consciousness and personal coherence. However, Neuromancer also suggests that much more dangerous than this disunified subjectivity is the attempt to deny multiplicity and to hide behind some apparent unity. Precisely this tension between unity and incoherence is at issue. One might state that cyberdiscourse enables individuals to raise their consciousness about their own identity however it is also possible to state that it is nothing more than an intertextual concoction of mass media cliches and stereotypes. Gibson’s other novel Spook Country also raises these issues. Spook Country stands as a continuation of Pattern Recognition. As opposed to the futuristic setting of Neuromancer, the later novel is set within the current century. It presents the story of a former rock singer named Hollis Henry who turned into a freelancer researching about locative art for Node magazine. In the process of the research, Hollis discovers that locative art is an art form that combines virtual reality with GPRS technology. As a result of this combination, an individual is able to replicate the events occurring within a particular place thereby allowing the spectator of the artwork to participate within a different reality. This is evident in the following passage from Spook Country. As Hollis and Chombo discuss locative art, they specify the experience that one may achieve in it. They state We’re all doing VR, every time we look at a screen. We have been for decades now†¦VR was an even more specific way we had of telling us where we were going. Without scaring us too much, right? The locative, though, lots of us are already doing it. But you can’t just do the locative with your nervous system. One day, you will. We’ll have internalized the interface. It’ll have evolved to the point where we forget about it. Then you’ll just walk down the street†¦ (Spook 65). In the aforementioned excerpt, one sees the tension between unity and coherence not only in the definition and specification of reality as a result of technological innovations but also the tension that it creates in the process of determining individual identity. This tension is apparent if one considers that an individual’s conception of the ‘self’ is partially dependent upon his surrounding environment. Within the virtual space of locative art, one may thereby create and in a sense develop one’s own space separate but at the same time placed within the sphere of immediate reality. The tension brought about by the existence of the various possibilities of reality within these cyberpunk texts is also evident in Stanislaw Lem’s Imaginary Magnitude. Lem’s Imaginary Magnitude is composed of different introductions and prefaces to non-existent books. The various texts serve satirize the current trends and movements within literature and the other arts. An example of this is evident in the following passage. He states, In an extreme instance, in which there is a Propervirt of less than 0. 9%, the TEXT OF THE PRESENT PROSPECTUS may likewise undergo an ABRUPT change. If, while you are reading these sentences, the words begin to jump about, and the letters quiver and blur, please interrupt your reading for ten or twenty seconds to wipe your glasses, adjust your clothing, or the like, and then start reading AGAIN from the beginning, and NOT JUST from the place where your reading was interrupted, since such a TRANSFORMATION indicates that a correction of DEFICIENCIES is now taking place. (Lem 86) The aforementioned passage may be seen as alluding to a period in the future when it is possible for human beings to directly interact with their reading material. In another context, one might also see it as a parody of the impositions regarding the proper position and manner that individuals ought to read texts. Either way, the book in itself as well as its content of imaginary texts presents the reader with yet another conception of reality that allows the fluidity of experience. Within the aforementioned contexts, one considers how one is to understand the concept of reality, self, and knowledge within the context of cyberpunk science fiction. Within this genre, one sees reality, the self, and knowledge in itself as continuously in flux. Within a text which creates worlds determined by intertextuality, the process of reading the text becomes an act of recognizing the interrelation of its parts to the extent that one is willing to recognize that the events within it and in a sense the realities within it may all occur within the same time and space. Works Cited Gibson, William. Neuromancer. Np: Ace Books,1984. ___. Spook Country. Np: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2007. Lem, Stanislaw. Imaginary Magnitudes. Michigan: U of Michigan, 1984. Lyotard, Jean Francois. The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. Minnesota: U of Minnesota P, 1984. McHale, Brian. Constructing Postmodernism. London: Routledge, 1992. ___. â€Å"Elements of a Poetics of Cyberpunk. † Critique 33. 3 (Spring 1992): 149-75. Warren, William and Bill Warren. Philosophical Dimensions of Personal Construct Psychology. London: Routledge, 1998. Stierstorfer, Klaus. Beyond Postmodernism: Reassessments in Literature, Theory, and Culture. Np: Walter de Gruvter, 2003.