Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 2

2. Test 1. The Countess Abigail Von Normal is: A. Emergency Backup Mistress of the Bay Area Dark. B. A Gothic hottie consumed by the banal hopelessness of existence. C. Not perky, but dark, complex, and trs mysterious. D. All the above, and possibly more. 2. The vampire Flood and his nosferatu maker, the Countess Jody, were imprisoned in a bronze shell in the pose from Rodin's The Kiss because: A. Their love is eternal and their mingled souls will live on in romantic embrace to the end of time. B. Foo and I were pretty sure that the Countess would go FOAKES (Freak Out and Kill Everything in Sight) when she found out our plan to turn the Animals back to human. C. We just like to look at our friends, naked and bronzed, because it gets us all hot. D. I can't believe you picked â€Å"c.† You should get a big â€Å"L† tattooed on your forehead to save people time in figuring out what a ginormous loser you are! You wish that Foo and I needed pervy preludes to stimulate our orgasmic, toe-curling soul-sex. Trust me, the sun weeps that it cannot achieve the blistering hotness of our nookie. 3. Despite myths perpetrated by jealous day dwellers, the nosferatu are only vulnerable to the effects of: A. Garlic. (Right, because pizza and the breath of vegans will quell their ancient power.) B. Crosses and holy water. (Oh right, because creatures of darkest evil are total bitches of the baby Jebus.) C. Silver. (Uh-huh, and aluminum, because that makes sense.) D. Sunlight. 4. My and Foo's greatest challenge as minions is to protect our dark masters, the Countess and Lord Flood, from: A. Cops, specifically Inspector Rivera and his clueless Gay Bear partner Cavuto. B. The most crusty old vampire and his mysterious fashion-vamp posse. C. The Animals, slacker wastee night crew from the Marina Safeway. D. All of the above and whatnot. 5. Our best chance of defeating Chet, the huge shaved vampire cat, is: A. Mouse ninjas. B. A big hug while wearing my most fly UV-LED leather jacket, fashioned for my protection by my aforementioned muffin master, Foo. C. A saucer of tuna blood laced with sedatives and kitty-butt flavor. (I observed in his former mortal form, that Chet loves kitty-butt flavor.) D. Make a vampire Rottweiler to rock Chet's worldview. E. Either â€Å"a† or â€Å"c,† but definitely not â€Å"d† wouldn't â€Å"a† be trs cool? Mouse ninjas! Answers: 1: D, 2: B, 3: D, 4: D, 5: E Give yourself one point for every right answer. Score: 5. You rock my stripy socks. 4. Loser! 3. Trs Loser! 2. Such a Loser that Losers pity you. 0-1. Spare us your contagious loserness. Next bridge you pass? Over you go.

Worship of Nature

The Worship of Nature John Greenleaf Whittier, famous poet in the ninetieth century, has shown throughout the poem, The Worship of Nature, a splendid explanation of how the natural world relates to us in both a physical and a spiritual sense. A spiritual sense that the word â€Å"Worship† deals with the ideal belief that there is or was something in which created all things. Also, society and order can be compared to nature in such a way that nature is everything that is, was, or will be created. Within the rhyme scheme of the Shakespearian sonnet, John Greenleaf Whittier has focused this poem under the theme of Creator and his Creation. Beginning his first stanza with: â€Å"HE harp at Nature’s advent strung† (Nature line 1), Whittier emphasizes â€Å"HE† in which it represents God harp or sculpting â€Å"Nature. † In this sense, Nature represents God’s creations. As you progress farther through the poem some common elements of nature for example: life, death, water, earth, fire, and air. The ocean looketh up to the heaven, / And mirrors every star† (Nature line 7-8). These lines implies that mimicking others is a waist because it impossible for a copy which mirrors another to become the original. Combining God’s creations and mimicking others, John Greenleaf Whittier sets a tone of holy and sanctifying. John Greenleaf Whittier uses the Shakespearian sonnet to his advantage by staging the first two lines into a cause and the la tter into an effect. It may be easiest to relate this theory to the last stanza. Music is a reoccurring component of this poem that refers back to the first stanza about God being the creator playing a harp making a beautiful symphony for all of his creations. Whittier has a very strange order in his poem but it makes sense at the end when he relay all together by implying that everything takes it own course and continues to move forward since the beginning of time which is eternity when talking about God. To put it briefly, John Greenleaf Whittier wants us understand that we must not live others lives, be ourselves and prosperous.

Dunkirk-Not a Triumph? Essay

Many people also believed that Dunkirk was a disaster; it was a disaster in a number of ways. Firstly, there were many casualties in the battle. 68,000 of the British Expeditionary Force perished during the barrage, along with about a quarter of the remaining French military. Along with the loss of vital live came the massive losses of equipment. Overall, nearly 40,000 pieces of equipment were surrendered to the enemy, including 17,000 machine guns, 12,000 field guns, 2,800 anti-aircraft guns and 475 tanks. This was one of the worst losses of equipment ever sustained by the British military. In this part of my essay I am going to prove how the next four sources challenge the interpretation of Dunkirk being a triumph. Firstly, to help the statement that Dunkirk was not a triumph is source B10 as it argues the fact that it was not organised there was a lot of waiting around and the horrific state of the soldiers, â€Å"while among the crowds on the beaches were shell-shocked, dazed so ldiers wandering about trying to find some shelter from the bombing.† The source was created by John Harris, a historian. This source is taken from a book about the great military battles. The purpose of this source is to sell and he wants other people to understand his point of view. This source is very reliable because it is written by a historian, therefore he will be very knowledgeable about the research and he will know what he is talking about, but the source was written in a poetic and dramatic way, so John Harris may be emphasizing the content of this source. The usefulness of this source is very good as it gives us a slight understanding of what state the soldiers were in, and what type of things they would experience whilst on the beaches of Dunkirk, â€Å"some of the men were even bomb-happy and on the edge of hysteria.† Meaning that soldiers were so tired that they were laughing; mentally falling apart and that there was no getting away from the bombs, they were constant. This source is also useful as it gives a soldiers point of view. However, the book is John’s own interpretation, meaning that it could be inaccurate. The next source that does support this statement is source B12 which disagrees that Dunkirk was a triumph as argues at it being â€Å"a military defeat†. However this source does portray across that it was â€Å"a propaganda victory†, this would be because newspapers started this myth of the battle being a victory and the government just let them carry on with it, did not question their decisions. The source was created by a BBC news reporter. The purpose of this was to give out information. This source is reliable as it is by the BBC, which a British news company that is repetitively well respected and trustworthy, the BBC are also criticising reports from starting the Dunkirk myth. However, this source is hindsight. This source would be useful as it helps prove the statement, ‘Dunkirk was not a triumph?’, because it shows that propaganda was used to manufacture of Dunkirk being a victory and almost rule out the negative side of Dunkirk. The third source that I will use that will support Dunkirk not being a triumph is B14. It tells us about a senior army officers experience during Dunkirk, already this source is reliable as Brian Horrocks was there, but he is remembering events that happened, but on the other hand you tend to always remember significant events. The purpose of this officer writing his autobiography is to make money,( to increase sales he has written it in an emotional way that will make it more interesting) celebrate his life story and use it as historical evidence. The author had first-hand experience of these events which makes it so reliable. The source tells us what a soldier would remember about the retreat to Dunkirk, â€Å"shame and exhaustion†- this would be because when the troops had returned to Britain Churchill would not allow them to go back and bring back more evacuees. Brian Horrocks gives us some idea of what the tactics were like for both sides, Nazis used Blitzkrieg and where well prepared, whereas Britain and France where making tactical errors and major flaws. The final source that I am going to use that will back up Dunkirk being a disaster is B16; Lord Haw-Haw is questioning Churchill’s tactics, Churchill being a liar and how many more lives he is willing to sacrifice. Lord Haw-Haw (British citizen, heavily influenced by the Nazis) broadcasted this on a radio hearing on the 17th June 1940. This source shows that not everyone believed in Winston Churchill’s views and therefore where willing to question him. The purpose was to undermine British confidence, so that eventually Churchill will start questioning himself, also undermined British propaganda.

Discuss a dilemma from a legal and professional viewpoint Essay

Discuss a dilemma from a legal and professional viewpoint - Essay Example Assessing Capacity f. Key Points about Mental Capacity Act (2005) g. UK Statutes of Law 3. Professional Implications of the Case a. Mental Capacity in Medical Profession b. Consent to Treatment c. Principles of Medical Laws d. Medical Principles 4. Conclusion Mental Capacity and Consent Scenario in Clinical Practice Alexander James is a 19 years old deaf teenager admitted in a mental institution for paranoid personality. Alexander was born deaf and abused by his siblings and friends because of his disability. He grew up believing that everyone is trying to plot a mischief against him. James’ parents admitted him in the mental institution because his paranoid disorder affected his academics, social life and relationships with other people. While at the mental institution, Alexander’s mental disorder intensified when he saw doctors communicating and laughing. He thought that they were laughing at his disability and were plotting to harmful activities against him with thei r medical practice. James became violent towards the mental health providers and other patients. He was sedated and kept in isolation while his mental health treatment began. During his treatment, James was diagnosed with early symptoms of leukemia. Doctors summoned his parents and informed him that immediate treatment would eliminate the cancer. However, James refused this treatment because he believed that God intentionally planned for his deafness and leukemia, which means that he wanted the cancer to take its own course. The doctors respected James wishes in the presence of an attorney and he received hospice care for the remaining months. In 1994 in England, a similar case of mental capacity and consent occurred when a 68 years old man refused treatment. The case is referred to as Re C (Adult: Refusal of Treatment) [1994] 1 WLR 290, where Mr. C was confined in a mental hospital because of a prolonged paranoid schizophrenia (Tan 4). He further explains that Mr. C had a gangrenou s foot that threatened his wellbeing if untreated by amputation. However, Mr. C refused treatment and filed a case to deter doctors from amputating his foot in future. Justice Thorpe ruled in his favor because his delusions and mental illness did not affect his capacity to listen, understand and make solid judgments about his desires (Tan 4). Legal Implications of the Case In the case of James and the medical professionals in the mental institution, his wishes and beliefs were granted after a thorough consultation. Below is a discussion and analysis of the impact of James’ case on UK’s legal system. Capacity in Law Capacity is legally defined as individuals’ ability and freedom to make their own decisions or take necessary actions that will affect their own lives (Law 2). She further explains that the Law Commission of UK implemented a Mental Capacity Act that empowered and encouraged people to make their own decisions about important issues in their lives. Pati ents in the UK that refuse emergency treatment must be legally competent by exhibiting a high capacity. The wishes of these patients are respected after proving to the court that they have mental stability to reason clearly and deliberate (Buchanan 2). They should hold appropriate objectives and values concerning their refusal of treatment. The law requires patients that refuse emergency medical care to appreciate and acknowledge their current circumstances. Patients are required to understand the information presented by their doctors and finally communicate their desired choice,

Superman in Sixties and Pop Art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Superman in Sixties and Pop Art - Research Paper Example Superman in the Sixties has got both pictures and texts that accompany the pictures. This has made it akin to the "narrative literary texts†. This has been one of the factors that made it popular within young and old aged people. The use of both images and texts make the comic to elaborate the happening efficiently and effectively. Superman in the Sixties is a form of comic that narrates a story to the audience. There is an interconnection of the images and the word in the book. The Superman in the Sixties as a series showcases the work of several artists in the book. The artists identified include the pencillers and the inkers and offers comparison elements with other works. The comic employs the use of speech balloon, caption, thought balloons, tier of panels, balloon tail, and sound effects among others. Furthermore, the readers can see them from the beginning to the end of the comic book. In addition, there is also use of cartooning in the book to pass the information. The authors use cartooning to give the information in relation to the characters: Jonathan and Martha, Clark, and Lana Lang among others. This made it possible to include non- diegitic symbols. There is also use of caricature in the comic book, for example, the authors describe Superman as someone with huge chest as a symbol of his strength. The comic also promotes the use of feathering in some parts. The book also entails the use of various inflicted lines in different areas of the book. There is also use of emanate in the comic book.

PABLO PICASSO, Les Demoiselles dAvignon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PABLO PICASSO, Les Demoiselles dAvignon - Essay Example Picasso made use of different shades of color to bring out harmony within the brothel. For instance, the use of the light blue color is used to bring out the light and curtain and clothing the women are using to cover their bodies. The use of color is used in bring out the differences in the way these women look and the feel of the surrounding. The dark brown colors in some of the women shoe that they are darker than other women. While, two women behind the curtains are shown to have dark faces and this shows they are indigenous women. The colors used in the painting are a hue of light brown, brown and blue colors used to bring out the features of all the five women. These colors complement each other and they are used in perfectly showing the looks of all these women. In terms of space, Picasso did a great job in reducing the space within which the subjects of the painting were placed (Apollinaire 147). The foreground, he made use of dark colors and lighter in the middle ground while at the back, dark colors were also used. The figures of the women were modeled using different hues of light with women in the foreground having light features and those in the background having dark features. The perspective that we get from the picture is that, Picasso gives an expression of women who were standing close to one another. This is because; the light and color of all the women are nearly all the same. Picasso made of straight edged lines and cube like features to show the poor state in which the women were in (Bohm-Duchen 207). The first picture that a person gets when he sees the picture is that the artist has the intention of painting a certain scene in an enclosed room. This is because Picasso does not draw the whole room and only centers on the five women in the brothel (Apollinaire 165). Moreover, Picasso made use of two dimensional figures to

TV Character Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

TV Character Evaluation - Essay Example The ego operates as a psychic mechanism that is partially conscious partly preconscious. It controls pour thinking, reasoning, judging and evaluating functions. The super ego functions like a moral controller that is not present at birth. Because, children do whatever which is pleasurable to them. Super ego controls ego’s activities as well (Morris and Maisto, 2002, p 419-420). Morris and Maisto (2002) stated that Carl Jung’s analytical psychology concept agrees with some of the tenets of Freud’s theory, but, it is still different in many other ways. According to Carl Jung’s most original concept Collective Unconscious, the memories and behavior pattern are inherited from past generations and hence it is shared by all humans (p.424). Carl Jung’s theory emphasizes that human mind creates a common set of concepts or ‘archetypes’ like ‘mother’ and ‘hero’ and these have almost same images throughout human minds and these appear in our mind as typical mental or mythical images. He recognized people as either extroverts who concern the external worlds or introverts who concern more about their own private worlds. He also divided people as rational individuals who regulate their things by thinking and feeling and irrational individuals who do things based on their perceptions (Morris and Maisto, 2005, p 424-425). Carl Roger theorized that people develop their personalities in a positive service goal. Carl Roger identified ‘self actualizing tendency’ which is the tendency of human mind to become the best of what ever a particular person’s innate capacities born with. He argued that self actualization characterizes animals and plants as well (Morris and Maisto, 2002, p 424-425). According to him, when one’s self actualization is fully matched with innate capacities, he is fully functioning person. People tend to become fully functioning when they are more likely to be treated with

Gender Disparities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gender Disparities - Essay Example Their preference for the son superseded their preference for their son’s happiness. One can only imagine what a woman feels when she realizes that because she is a daughter, she is less than a son. The love of her parents will always be inferior. Then when she grows, she becomes aware that this problem goes beyond her house. It affects the entire society, or rather, it infects the whole civilization. Being a daughter is her first state of defeat; it is the defeat of being a daughter, which will eternally turn her into a second-class citizen.Gender discrimination produces unfair gender norms and expectations that delimit women’s capacity for self-development. Mrs. Pritchett wants to feel loved, but she feels it is too late for she married a self-centered man who is unaware of her needs as a woman. She has not developed her personhood because of her restrictions as a woman. These experiences are unique to women because of their womanhood. Their patriarchal society produce s unfair perceptions of women. Gender prejudice drives discrimination that turns women into slaves of men, and as wives, they are slaves of their husbands. Those who are poor are worse off. Mangalam experiences sexual harassment, though this gives her power over a life of poverty. Nevertheless, her experience shows that because she is poor and a woman, she cannot attain the kind of life she wants to have. Sexual harassment is common in patriarchal countries, especially among the working-class women, since they are often powerless.... One can only imagine what a woman feels when she realizes that because she is a daughter, she is less than a son. The love of her parents will always be inferior. Then when she grows, she becomes aware that this problem goes beyond her house. It affects the entire society, or rather, it infects the whole civilization. Being a daughter is her first state of defeat; it is the defeat of being a daughter, which will eternally turn her into a second-class citizen. Gender discrimination produces unfair gender norms and expectations that delimit women’s capacity for self-development. Mrs. Pritchett wants to feel loved, but she feels it is too late for she married a self-centered man who is unaware of her needs as a woman. She has not developed her personhood because of her restrictions as a woman. These experiences are unique to women because of their womanhood. Their patriarchal society produces unfair perceptions of women. Gender prejudice drives discrimination that turns women int o slaves of men, and as wives, they are slaves of their husbands. Those who are poor are worse off. Mangalam experiences sexual harassment, though this gives her power over a life of poverty. Nevertheless, her experience shows that because she is poor and a woman, she cannot attain the kind of life she wants to have. Sexual harassment is common in patriarchal countries, especially among the working-class women, since they are often powerless against these male sexual predators (Gupta 95). Being a woman and being poor are the worst human conditions because they prepare women for a life of servitude, and with servitude, disappointment looms. Middle-class women are trapped in middle-class norms. They are afraid of what their society will think of them if

Intertextual examination of two texts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intertextual examination of two texts - Essay Example Based on Bricklayer’s Boy, it is clear that the pressure put on the youths by their parents and the older generations damages the relationship between these two groups, often resulting in conflicts. In the Bricklayer’s Boy, one aspect brought out is that many young people, especially men, are required to do what their parents want them to do. This is often against the wish of the young people, and ends up straining their relationship with their parents and older generations. In this literally text, the narrator says that his father, a bricklayer, did not like his idea of becoming a newspaper reporter. According to his father, newspaper reporting paid â€Å"just a little more than construction does† (Lubrano, 5). He wanted to his son to pursue a more lucrative job like being a lawyer. This was the sole reason why his father worked so hard to educate him in college. This predicament, which most young people face, is also brought out in the article by Bruno Bettelheim (1968). In his article, Bettelheim notes that there is a conflict of generations because of â€Å"the parent who sees his child’s main task in life as the duty to execute his will or justify his existence† (Bettelheim, 74). When the child fails to honor or follow the parent’s wishes, as the narrator in Bricklayer’s Boy did, then the relationship between the parents and children is damaged. Bricklayer’s Boy story also points to the belief held by most parents: their children have to succeed where they failed. Throughout the story, the narrator’s father wanted his son to become a better person because he had failed to live up to his dreams. In the story, it is noted that the â€Å"father wanted to be a singer and actor when he was young...† (Lubrano, 20). However, he had to do what was available in order to support his parents at the time. In the end, he expected his son to do something that could earn him bigger money just as singing and acting would have earned him money. As the

Probability and poker Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Probability and poker - Research Paper Example One of the common card games people engage in today is poker. It is played with a deck of fifty two cards. The ranks of a player’s cards and the combinations of these cards help determine the winner. In order to win big, players risk larger sums of money, hoping that they do not loose. Therefore, poker, just like any other gambling activity, is purely based on chance. In mathematics, one of the widely covered topics is probability, which is the study of the likelihood of an event occurring. For this reason, poker is directly related to this mathematical concept because outcomes are based on chance. Although most people question the importance of studying mathematics in school, the application of mathematical concepts in the real world are varied. Probability, which is a branch of mathematics, is one of the most used concepts in the world. This research aims at demonstrating how probability is used in gambling by focusing on the game of poker. For most poker players, there is strong belief in experience, skill and luck. Most players have an illusion of control in which a person beliefs he has the ability to understand and determine the outcome of uncertain events. Professional poker players are seen as those who have the ability to read their opponents with a high level of accuracy based on tiny or non-existent clues (Istrate, 55). Experienced players are those that have the ability to make accurate predictions, thereby increasing their chances of winning. In approaching the game of poker, most players look at their opponents to identify certain flaws or features that will help them to win the game. These flaws will tell them the weaknesses of their opponents, and thus capitalize on these weaknesses to win games. For this reason, players look at the position the opponents occupy on the table, their timings and pace, and the way they behave and move

El Lissitzky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

El Lissitzky - Essay Example He designed several exhibition display and propaganda for the Soviet Union and experimented with several techniques and styles that set him apart from other artist, in creativity, and later paved a niche for him through the 20th century (Lissitzky-Kuppers, 1980; Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum and El Lissitzy, 1990). Lazar Markovich Lissitzky, a Jew, started as an artist early in life copying and illustrating Yiddish children's books. His efforts were basically aimed a promoting the Jewish culture in Russia, in line with the several changes taking place after the country's anti-Semitic laws were repealed. Starting at the age of 15, he began teaching, a duty that he never strayed far away from, for the most part of his life (Friedberg, 1987). He taught in a variety of positions, schools, and artistic mediums, spreading and exchanging ideas at a rapid pace. The ability to imbibe people's ideas and at the time same influencing them, was his unique trait. This trait was exhibited when he met and worked with Malevich in heading the suprematist art group UNOVIS, when he developed a variant suprematist series of his own, Proun, and further still in 1921, when he took up a job as the Russian cultural ambassador in Weimar Germany, working with and influencing important figures of the Bauhaus and De Stijl movements during his stay (Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum and El Lissitzy, 1990). Also, in his later days, he significantly influenced and brought several innovations to the fields of typography, exhibition design, photomontage, and book design. He produced several internationally recognised works. This continued until his deathbed, where in 1941 he produced one of his last known works - a Soviet propaganda poster rallying the people to construct more tanks for the fight against Nazi Germany (Lissitzky-Kuppers, 1980). However, the entire career and works of El Lissitzky was inspired by his belief that art should serve the needs of the society and that the artist should be an agent of change. From this perspective, it can be argued that his innovations in the world of art were driven by his resolve to serve societal needs, or affect the lots of the people, giving his devotion to the communist movement (Lissitzky-Kuppers, 1980; Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum and El Lissitzy, 1990). This essay therefore, intends to examine the life and work of El Lissitzky with a view to analysing the impacts and effects that the ethical and ideological views prevalent during his days, especially during the Russian Revolution had on his approach to art and design. To achieve this purpose, this essay will be structured thus: the first section of this essay shall briefly describe the history of El Lissitzky and the rise of the Proletarian Culture to provide a background understanding of his early days and perhaps his motivation. The second section will describe the several popular works of this artist and attempt to critically examine the influence of the prevalent soviet ideological of the time, on such work of art. Also, by looking at how his approach to art and design metamorphosed from the early days of illustrating Yiddish books to his later days in typography, on would gain an insight into how prevalent ethics and ideological perspectives influenced his approach to, and

Magazines play in womens lives Essay Example for Free

Magazines play in womens lives Essay The womans magazine came into existence in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century (Margaret Beetham, 1996 pg 6). They were generally aimed at the upper and middle class ladies, as these were the only women who had spare leisure time and the disposable income to purchase luxuries such as weekly magazines. During 1949-74 there were two extremely dominant themes in womens magazines. First there was the overwhelming star billing given to love and marriage- and the family. Second there was the heavy emphasis placed upon the Self, and the responsibility ethic laid upon every woman to be the self staring, self finishing producer of herself (Marjorie Ferguson 1983 pg 44). It is clear from the beginning that womens magazines promoted a picture of a perfect woman, which still exists today. One could argue the continued success of womens magazines is due to the development of the magazine as a commodity. They have also become a crucial site for the advertising and sale of other commodities, whether nightgowns or convenience foods (Margaret Beetham 1996 pg 2). Womens magazines play a vital role in many readers lives. But do they wrongly portray a perfect woman? Many women struggle to maintain a perfect home, their children and a happy marriage. One could argue womens magazines both add to this pressure, and act as a form of advice to women unable to cope with what is expected from them according to the media and gender stereotyping. In the early years of womens magazines the emphasis was put upon providing entertainment and practical advice. In this case the magazine fulfilled a role of a reference text, which women could refer to for recipes and other advice. The entertainment factor meant the magazines were viewed as a bit of light relief for women with busy lives. Janice Winship portrayed the role of womens magazines in the eyes of the existing culture extremely differently. Men do not have or need magazines for A Mans World; it is their world, out there, beyond the shelves: the culture of the workplace, of politics and public life, the world of business, property and technology, there they are all boys together. Women have no culture and world out there other than the one which is controlled and mediated by men (Janice Winship 1987 pg 6). In this respect womens magazines provide an insight into the Womans world. The womans world which womens magazines represent is created precisely because it does not exist outside their pages (Janice Winship 1987 pg 7). Therefore the role which magazines play in this respect is of high importance to women. It acts as an escape into their own world which suggests why womens magazines have been so popular in the past and continue to be as successful today. Marjorie Ferguson argued that womens magazines collectively comprise a social institution which serves to foster and maintain a cult of femininity (Marjorie Ferguson 1983 pg 184). She puts forward a much more positive view of womens magazines and feels that the magazines purely identify their target market and then aim to provide their readers with encouragement and entertainment to do with the business of being a woman (Marjorie Ferguson 1983 pg 184). It is clear from the above that in the past when women had little rights the role of the womens magazines had a great importance to women. It enabled them to have a world of their own almost, a world which was not purely occupied with males. In todays society where women have equal rights to men (supposedly! ) the role of their magazine is not nearly as important in their lives. It does continue to provide the same features although there is a world out there not purely controlled by men, therefore the role of womens magazines is slightly less important in the day to day activities of women. One could claim it acts as light relief although the images portrayed in these magazines can lead to this portrayal of the perfect woman. In todays society, it is difficult not to examine ones body and feel a sense of discontent if it doesnt mirror the lanky images one sees in not only fashion magazines, but also all areas of advertising (Annie Doig 1998). Women are increasingly faced with images of the perfect woman. The portrayal of women in womens magazines all follow the same pattern, they have a well-groomed appearance and a slim body image. Media such as television, movies, and magazines are considered to be among the most influential promoters of the thin standard, given their popularity and accessibility to the people (Anne Marlowe1998). As womens magazines have a massive influence on womens self-concept many women quickly become dissatisfied with their body even at an early age. Ironically the ideal of feminine beauty which is being promoted is impossible for the average woman to achieve. This level of unhappiness can lead to an eating disorder in an attempt to conform with the publicised norms. Between 1970 and 1990, there was an overall increased emphasis on weight loss and body shape in the content of a popular womens magazine (Anne Marlowe 1998). This concludes that the roles of womens magazines changed from traditional and entertaining values into portraying women as consumers and directly targeting womens own anxieties to make money. Interestingly there is evidence to suggest that eating disorders, especially anorexia and bulimia, are most prominently seen in white women (Molloy 1998). One could claim a high proportion of womens magazines are aimed at white females. They are not directly discriminative but you rarely see a black cover girl with features on how to cope with African hair types for example. This example outlines the impact these magazines have upon womens self-perception. Males are also less likely to suffer with an eating disorder. This can be directly linked with the fact that male magazines are primarily concerned with leisure, pleasure and activities, in contrast as discussed womens magazines focus on beauty, dieting and domesticity. Women are under massive pressure to conform to these unrealistic pictures of beauty. That in turn results in many women in narcissistic absorption with oneself- with ones physical appearance (The image of femininity in womens magazines 1998).

SUPA Accelerators Overview and Applications

SUPA Accelerators Overview and Applications Aimee Hopper November 28, 2013 1 Briefly describe the differences between the following ac-  celerators and give their advantages and disadvantages (54 Marks) Accelerates Protons/Ions with a Kinetic Energy of 20-35 MeV. The work done on the particle is proportional to the voltage of the terminal. (W =qVterminal). The voltage of the terminal is dependent on the height of the device (V _ kQL ) where Q is the total charge of the particles, k is the Coulomb constant and L is the total length of the accelerating chamber, i.e. the total height of the device through which the  ion falls. Advantages very simple to make, and the principles behind the acceleration are very well understood. easy and cheap to maintain Disadvantages very difficult to get to very high energies, as the only way to do so it so make a very high, stable structure. only allows one route for particles to travel. Betraton (6 Marks) Accelerates electrons with a kinetic energy of 10-300 MeV The betatron is a type of accelerator which uses an induced magnetic field to accelerate electrons to high energies in circular orbits. Uses solenoids with an electric current passing through to produce large magnetic fields to bend the particles. Advantages Simple design solenoids and their properties are well understood and can easily be tested and manufactured. Disadvantages Requires a huge amount of coils to get the induced magnetic fields required – therefore very heavy and costly. As the coils arent superconducting, this system is also very lossy, and so wastes a lot of energy. Cyclotron (6 Marks) Figure 2: [3] Accelerates Protons/Ions with a kinetic energy of 10 100 MeV. A circular device which operates using large magnets to bend the particles. Two semi-circular plates are connected to an AC source, applying a voltage across a gap between the plates. This applied voltage causes the particle to accelerate. However, as there is also a large magnetic field present, the particle is forced to bend its path as it accelerates, following a circular path. The more energy the particle gets, the larger its radius becomes until eventually it is extracted from the device. (v = qBr m where q is the charge of the particle, B is the magnetic field strength applied across the plates, r is the radius of curvature of the particle and m is the mass of the particle.) Advantages The same gap can be used for all energies of particles, as the kick that is received will always be in-phase with the kick produced by the AC source. This is because as the particles speed up, they have a longer path, therefore take longer to arrive to the same point they were originally. Disadvantages To have a small device, large magnetic fields are required, which could pose a hassle to the set-up and cost of the project. As the particles become relativistic, the AC source lags behind, therefore not producing the correct kick to the particles, possibly removing energy from the system. Synchro-cyclotron (6 Marks) Accelerates Protons/Ions with a kinetic energy of 100-750 MeV Special form of cyclotron takes into account relativistic lag from the AC sources. Advantages There is no need for a narrow gap between the plates as in the case of conventional cyclotron, because strong electric fields for producing large acceleration are not required. So, only one plate is required instead of two, the other end of the oscillating voltage supply being connected to earth. The magnetic pole pieces can be brought closer, thus making it possible to increase greatly the magnetic flux density. The frequency valve oscillator is able to function with much greater efficiency. Disadvantages The machine produces high energy ions with a comparatively low intensity. Synchrotron (6 Marks) Figure 3: [?] Accelerates either electrons (kinetic energy of 1-10 GeV) or protons/ions (kinetic energy of 1-1000 GeV). Utilises a number of different types of magnets dipoles (bend the beam), quadrupole (focus the beam), sextupoles (account for chromaticity of the beam) etc. Uses RF cavities to insert energy into the particle beam to account for synchrotron losses and increase the energy of the beam Advantages Can generate a high luminosity beam at very high energies. The Synchrotron radiation lost can be used for other applications which require a very specific wavelength, such as medical applications. Disadvantages Suffers from radiation losses A synchrotron cannot use relativistic particles, as RF lag would become an issue. Storage ring (6 Marks) Accelerates electrons with a kinetic energy of 1-7 GeV [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility]. A storage ring is a particle accelerator that keeps a particle beam at a certain energy for a long period of time. This is useful, especially in synchrotrons, as the beam can be kept at a certain energy ensuring that a specific frequency is emitted in the form of radiation. Advantages Stores a particle beam at a certain energy, so dont have to increase beam energy from 0 (time consuming). Disadvantages Systems have to be very precise and stable – costly Collider ring (6 Marks) Accelerates electrons (kinetic energy of 10-100 GeV) or protons/ions (kinetic energy of 1-7 TeV [Large Hadron Collider]). Particles of a particular energy are injected into the ring and stored there until they are forced to collide at set points throughout the structure. Advantages Can reach higher energies than in a LINAC at much lower cost due to giving each beam half the required centre of mass energy. if using particle-antiparticle, then the same equipment will accelerate the two beams in opposite directions (due to difference in charge) Disadvantages Beam pipe needs to hold 2 beams, which need to only interact with each other when required need very accurate equipment to ensure beam stays separated. Linacs (6 Marks) Accelerates electrons (kinetic energy of 20 MeV to 50 GeV) or protons/ions (kinetic energy of 50-800 MeV [Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility]) A Linear Accelerator accelerates the particle beam along a straight line as opposed to a circular path. Advantages No energy loss due to particles accelerating in a curve. Can accelerate heavy ions to far higher energies than possible in the circular accelerators. Can produce a continuous stream of particles as opposed to bunched particles present in circular accelerators. Disadvantages Need to be very long to get up to high energies. A high number of AC driver sources are required, which is both costly and introduces possible errors due to out-of-phase issues. Linear collider (6 Marks) Accelerates electrons from 50-1000 GeV. A linear collider is used to collide particles in a straight line towards one another. Advantages No energy needs to be pumped into the beam to account for radiation losses. beams will never be able to interact with each other before the collision points, therefore can use smaller beam pipes. can accelerates heavier particles since they dont need to be bent. Disadvantages   For collisions with the highest possible energy, two linacs producing beams with the same energy headed towards each other, the complete machine would need to be very long! 2 Explain the advantages of using a collider rather than  a single beam for collision experiments. Illustrate your  answer by considering 7 TeV proton beams. (10 Marks) By using 7 TeV proton beams in a collider, a centre of mass energy of 14 TeV can be achieved by sending both beams in opposite directions to collide. This is obviously very useful when probing matter, as a higher energy will result in higher mass particles / more low mass particles being produced, therefore available for analysis. The single beam would only be able to reach 7 TeV, and so has a limited range by comparison to the collider. To obtain a centre of mass energy of 14 TeV in a single beam is also incredibly difficult to produce, both due to the cost and the size of the equipment required. Therefore a 14 GeV beam isnt feasible to produce. Whereas 7 TeV is relatively easy. Also, when 14 GeV does become easy to produce, a centre of mass energy of 28 GeV would then be possible, which is far more attractive for high energy energy studies. 3 Explain briefly how a laser-plasma wakefield accelerator  works. What determines the limit in energy for a uniform  plasma density? (13 Marks) In laser-plasma wakefield acceleration, a laser pulse is used to excited very high electric fields in a following plasma wave. Efficient energy transfer is made between laser pulse and plasma wave if both the wave and the pulse are travelling at the same speed, with a high energy gain being obtainable in low-density plasmas, in which the phase velocity of the laser-plasma is equal to the laser pulse group velocity, which is very close to the speed of light. This allows the longitudinal electric fields associated to the fast plasma wave to accelerate relativistic particles within the plasma, and can even trap the particles to the electrostatic wave. This allows particles to be boosted to very high energies in a very short distance. It is important that the density of the plasma is below the critical density (nc =1:1 _ 1021=_20 _m)[5] We know that the maximum energy of a wave is related to the 2g of the wave by the equation E _ epn _1g (1) where g is the lorentz factor associated with the group velocity of the laser pulse which is equal to g =!0!p (2) So the more dense the plasma, the lower g is, and therefore the slower the wave travels. If the wave travels too slowly, then the particles will move away from the wave faster. 4 Briefly describe how a FEL and synchrotron radiation  source works. What is the advantage of a free-electron  laser? (10 Marks) A free-electron laser utilises both undulator and radiation fields to produce ponderomotive (essentially a light-radiation pressure) on the particles. This forces the electrons to oscillate at the fundamental frequency. If the electrons can be forced to bunch together on a wavelength scale (given by equation 3), then the electrons emit coherently. _ =_u22_1 +a2u2_ (3) Synchrotron radiation works by accelerating a particle in a circular path, therefore producing radiation. This generally gives an incoherent beam of radiation, as any discrepancies in the individual particle energies will result in a slightly different frequency radiation coming o_. It is caused by undulators, wigglers and bending magnets, and due to the high speeds of the particles, comes out the acceleration device in a cone, with an opening angle equal to _1 . The benefits of the free-electron laser are that it produces a much higher brightness due to the coherence of the wave, therefore producing a significantly higher photon flux for a given energy, as compared to the synchrotron. Synchrotrons currently produce an average brilliance of 1011. The FEL is able to produce a brilliance of up to 6 orders of magnitude higher, however there are currently issues with regards creating coherence throughout the whole length of the laser pulse. 5 Describe how particles and X-rays can be used to treat  cancer and give the advantages and disadvantages of the  different radiation types used for radiotherapy. (13 Marks) With regards to cancer, the aim is to damage or destroy the DNA of the tumour to kill it by disrupting the cell cycle of the tumour in one way or another. X-Rays produced in 5-20 MeV linacs are currently used to treat most patients. They can cure up to 45% of cancers, 50% of which is by radiation therapy alone, or combined with chemotherapy and/or surgery. This is achieved by using 3D Conformation therapy, where multiple X-Rays are used to concentrate the beam energy onto the tumour, whilst minimising the damage caused to surrounding cells. Particles that can be used to treat cancers include electrons (positrons), protons, neutrons and ions. These can either be used directly, or can help in producing radio-isotopes to also assist in treating cancer through Positron Emission Tomograohy (PET) or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). If used directly, then the particles are _red at the tumour. Charged particles interact with electrons in the body, and a vast majority of the energy of the particle is deposited according to its Bragg Peak (energy loss vs distance plot of the Bethe-Bloch formula). The aim is to get this depth to correspond to that of the tumour, so the energy deposited causes maximal damage to the cancer whilst causing very little damage to surrounding tissue. The advantages of particle therapy are All (most) energy deposited where required, with little to no damage of surrounding cells. Very few side effects Seems to have a higher cure rate with certain types of cancers (i.e. uveal melanoma). Massively reduces the damage done to children sufferers as less of their healthy tissue is effected, reducing the chances of side-effects caused by traditional methods. Particles can be accelerated to whatever energy is required to reach the tumour. The disadvantages of particle therapy are: It requires a huge capital investment, and is massively expensive by comparison to X-Ray treatments. Requires hospitals to have room for a large particle accelerator to accelerate the ions, which isnt always possible. Expensive to run, due to energies required. References [1] http://www.lbl.gov/abc/wallchart/chapters/11/2.html  as viewed on the 25/11/13 [2] http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wideroe linac en.svg  as viewed on the 25/11/13 [3] http://images.yourdictionary.com/cyclotron  as viewed on the 25/11/13 [4] http://www.schoolphysics.co.uk/age16-19/Nuclear physics/Accelerators/text/  Synchrotron /index.html  as viewed on the 25/11/13 [5] V. Malka, J. Faure, Y. Glinec, A. Lifschitz, LASER-PLASMA WAKEFIELD AC-CELERATION: CONCEPTS, TESTS AND PREMISES, EPAC, 2006

Is Globalization A New Phenomenon?

Is Globalization A New Phenomenon? Globalization is a very complex subject matter that ignites many heated debates among geographers, researchers and the general public alike. Although it may be interlinked with many phrases such as global interconnectedness an attempt to define this in one sentence would be futile, as even with much discussion; the diversity of aspects that this term encompasses is too wide of a spectrum for anyone to come to a single conclusion. There are many concepts of globalization and as Aart-Scholte (2005) has clearly attested most existing analysis of globalization is flawed due to redundant concepts interlinked to the idea. Universalization represents the most general outlook of globalization, where the exposure of foreign ideals and cultures worldwide blur the boundaries separating nations and diminishes a nations very uniqueness. Internationalization, liberalization and westernization are also concepts commonly linked to globalization, which deal with the more social, economical and polit ical impacts of this process. As the subject matter in question revolves more around the economic and political power of globalization much more emphasis will be nucleated within these boundaries. The age-old question many authors seem to dispute about is the history of globalization. Is globalization a new phenomenon? Authors who affiliate globalization to internationalization and liberalization find this process to be one that had lingered since the early colonialist eras. Zevin (1992), Wade (1996), Hirst Thompson (1999), ORourke Williamson (1999) through research have obtained circumstantial evidence that levels of trade, migration and investment between countries were already prominent in the late 19th century. Hence making their point that there is nothing new in contemporary globalism much more convincing. On the contrary other authors find that global relations only bloomed after advances in technology that simplifies the accessibility of people and the media across great distances with technological innovations such as the invention of the jet aeroplane and computer network, with what has been deemed the first global revolution and new realities by authors such as Dr ucker (1989) and King Schneider (1991). More realistically, I find the points brought up by authors like Roland Roberts (1994) to be much more compelling as the idea that globalization begun with what has been said to be a germination phase in the 15th to the mid 18th century and inevitably take off within the period of the mid 19th century makes perfect sense. At this point in time the globalization rate is astounding, where branches such as Walmart, Sony and even Tesco are branching out from their mother countries to nation states. As these massive corporations are starting to dominate the more politically and socially submissive smaller areas the economic control lays in the hand of these multi national corporations. Further debate can bring the conclusion either way, whether it may benefit the nation states with job opportunities and exposure to modern technology, yet the idea of exploitation must always weigh heavily in the back of ones mind. As economic benefit will undoubted ly seep from the nation states to where the main branch may be located. The statist mode of governance was greatly practiced before the boom of globalization. When globalization began to broaden its scale this diminished what used to be a more independent form of governance. As not only were most nation states dominated by polycentric regulations they were also given the opportunity to engage overseas, countries they may not have been able to connect with before. The suprastates and global law may have a certain amount of control over the smaller areas however with the development of global currencies, even the most powerful state has no authority over money supplies and exchange rates. International relations theorists discuss what was called the Westphalian mould, brought about in the 1600s. The peace of Westphalia formalized the modern concept of a system of sovereign states. With this sovereignty, much like colonialism, each state would exercise and dominate their territorial jurisdiction. Due to accelerated globalization the Westphalian practices had fallen into disuse. Large-scale globality made it impossible for statist constructions of sovereignity to keep its governance over the designated territorial space. Again as mentioned before, the government is unable to keep track with the electronic money transfers and documented workers in a world of rapidly developing technology. One of many problems afflicting the world today is poverty. World Bank figures (2001) regarding the population that live on less than the equivalent of $1 per day dropped from 1.4 billion persons in 1980 to 1.2 billion in 2001. Critics though have argued that the methodologies used in these calculations have changed over this period, so the figures cannot be safely compared (Wade, 2002). Global trade better the situation of poverty as NICs increase exports of global goods and services. For instance China tripled between the years of 1978 and 1993 with the opening up of global commerce. This is not always the case as very few countries reach NIC status and global trade rules as well as global financial crises bring dreadful impacts to the poor people. According to Coote (1996) primary commodities have poorer countries relying on exports yet even with an increase in globalization there was a steady decrease in profit from trade in the 1970s. World prices of primary commodities in mid 1 990s stood at its lowest level since 1930s (ul Haq et al. 1995:29). It is clear that the problem of poverty even with the promises that come with globalization, for instance job employment and the growth of industry, has not been completely been eradicated. There are many concerns that globalization has made its impact upon. One of which being crime. Globalization creates more opportunities to combat crime. Advanced technology increases the efficiency of surveillance and counter terror units hence theoretically making the crime rate decrease. However, looking at it in a different perspective globalization provide criminals with important tools to commit unlawful acts as does networking, introduced with globalization, strengthen the bond of powerful criminal organizations. Money laundering now stands at levels equivalent to 2-5 per cent of the world GDP per annum (FATF, 2004) Peace on the opposite end of the spectrum is also heavily affected by globalization. Global connectivity introduces disincentives for war among OEDC states. The signing of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty regime, established in 1968 through the IAEA, discouraged the spread of nuclear weapons to more state arsenals. This treaty, however unsuccessful, was an attempt to control the arms rate of which global governance makes more manageable. Global reach, however, can send military interventions from north to south with ease. The advances in technology also help raise the destructive capacities of war. As mentioned before having media so easily accessible the profile of terrorist politics will be greatly highlighted hence leading to feelings of uncertainty and insecurity amongst the general public. Social cohesion is an important point of interest within the field of globalization. Neoliberalism exploits the social relation and looks at it as a competition for a place in the global marketplace. Which leads to a lack of cooperation and no collective interest. However a guaranteed state-nation-country-society-unit built up with large-scale growth of global spaces makes this very cohesion unfeasible. Globalization though maybe advantageous to the uprising of social cohesion may cause the complete opposite. As brought up by Scholte (2004) of how the global civil society has often undermined rather than forward social integration. Global relations may lead to a lack of intimacy as technological advances would promote web conferences and personal meetings would but be a thing of the past. Companies hold on to limited long-term commitments and workers have restricted opportunities locally before the labor market calls them. Ecology plays a major role in the topic of globalization as the relationship between humans and the environment is just as important as the relationship between nations. Nature is highly unpredictable and with technology linked to globalization prediction of natural disasters is possible with satellite surveillance and digital processing. Having advanced media coverage can reduce the disastrous outcome of a natural disaster and also raise awareness for aid across nations. Take Haiti for example, a highly telecasted disaster of which media is playing a large role for relief, the Hope for Haiti benefit. There is also a downfall to the advancements of technology as pollution is generally the outcome of new innovations. For instance, aeroplanes and motorships pose great threats to the sea and air with the amount of waste it produces. Also as globalization has successfully made the world smaller with advancements in the transport system, some companies; mainly those that produce highly to xic waste products, have gone global in part to relocate at sites where environmental regulations are less stringent (Heerings and Zeldenrust, 1995). Hence foreshadowing a slowly deteriorating environment. As globalization is a particularly broad subject matter it is difficult to restrain myself into a certain parameter. The process of globalization touches on most aspects of human geography, as it affects not only the social and political aspects of a country and its relationship with the world, but also environmental issues. There is no way in halting this process, as it is one for inevitable development hence supervision is key to determine positive results. Total: 1521 words

A Nation of Murderers or a Nation of Freedom: Abortion in 2003 Essay

A Nation of Murderers or a Nation of Freedom: Abortion in 2003 On January 22, 1973, in addition to disease, murders, and other tragedies, the probability of every person’s existence in America became even more jeopardized. That winter day was the date that abortion became legal by the Supreme Court in the case â€Å"Roe vs. Wade.† Since then, a decision had to be made during each pregnancy whether or not to terminate the growing fetus, resulting in the possibility of someone’s life never existing. One of the main problems today is determining at what point during the pregnancy constitutes a living being and not just a fetus inside the womb. During the first trimester there are too many aspects interpreted as religious, political, and medical opinions rather than scientific facts to determine whether or not the fetus is a living being. Consequently, the argument with the most substance is whether or not a woman should have the right to choose a termination of pregnancy during the second and third trimester and should it be legal. One of the standpoints of defense for abortion is that if medical abortions were outlawed, women would seek illegal, more dangerous methods of terminating a pregnancy. As a website on Planned Parenthood describes, â€Å"In the two decades before abortion was legal in the U.S., it's been estimated that nearly a million women per year sought illegal abortions. Thousands died. Tens of thousands were mutilated† (Abortion 2). The demand for abortions even under these extreme circumstances is because of the threat of injury to the woman if the baby is born, as well as inability to provide the baby a healthy and financially stable childhood. For tens of thousands of women with heart disease, kidney disea... ...over the exact point during the pregnancy a fetus is alive and laws can be made accordingly. Until then we remain a society of diverse opinions. Works Cited - â€Å"Abortion.† Planned Parenthood Organization. 26 October 2003. - Hymowitz, Kay S. â€Å"Who Decides?† Commentary October 2003: p82-86. - â€Å"NARAL.† National Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League. 26 October 2003. - Nash, Madeline. â€Å"Inside the Womb.† Time 11 November 2002: p34-36. - Ranalli, Paul. â€Å"Knowledge of Fetal Development and Fetal Pain Grows Over Last 10 Years†. Helping to Change the Climate of Opinion. 26 October 2003. . - Taillion, Marcel. â€Å"Abortion.† 26 October 2003 .

Philosophy :: social issues

Philosophy â€Å"Theories of Connectivity† paints a picture of our tomorrow. It names some of the advancements that we have made in technological areas. Everyday computer companies and universities are devising ways to insert computer systems into every facet of our lives. They have made GPS systems for our cars, palm pilots for easy Internet access, and digital jewelery for easy communication and information storage. We are in an age of network. â€Å"The average American house already contains more than 40 computers. Last year alone, eight billion new microprocessors came into the world.† Gleick traces our path of the present and future of technology. He simply lays out our undeniable urge to invent. When we were children, we played with our toys and loved to explore. Now that child-like motivation has evolved to a greater maturity, and toys are becoming our future. These devices may be complex, but it seems that the goal of electronic companies is to shrink the product in order to make it simpler to handle. Our technology, pervasive computing, seems to be taking over our world today. It seems that we are trying to eliminate human thought and, replace it with computers made by limited human minds. I will focus on Heidegger’s, Habermas’, and Marcuse’s philosophy and their response to today’s technology. Each philosopher has their own philosophy on technological advancements. They do not have the advantage of witnessing some of these new advancements and innovations, but their writing will shed some light on their thoughts. Heidegger believes that technology could be our greatest danger. It has caused such problems as ecological destruction, nuclear danger, and consumerism, and it is using technology to solve these problems, which is even worse. Our society seems to be taking away ration thought and diving deeper into technology to fix our problems. Heidegger will present a possible solution called the saving power. Habermas asks the question, â€Å"How is it possible to translate technically exploitable knowledge into the practical consciousness of a social life-world? He explains where technology should evolve and the power that it holds. He sees technology as a whole new way of life, but it must be applied to the life-world. He will present the knowledge –constitutive interest theory, which will better describe his stance on modern technology. Marcuse follows a thinking that â€Å"the machine†, industry, becomes the center of society. He is an instrumentalist, a view in which technology is neutral and it adds nothing to the ends it serves.

Extended families are making a comeback in many countries around the world Essay

Family is one of the most valuable and irreplaceable things that one is blessed with in a lifetime. A family is the foundation to everyone’s life. The outcome of your life is dependent on your family. Morals and values are obtained from your family circle. There are many types of family that exists in today’s society, each important to the upbringing of children. The most common type of families found in Maldives are extended family and nuclear family. Nuclear family is a family unit consisting of a mother and father and their children. Extended family is a family group that consists of grandparents, parents, children, siblings and their immediate family, uncles and aunts living together in the same house. According to Population and Housing Census, 2006 (2007), roughly 80 percent of Maldivian households consists of a single nuclear family composed of a married couple and their children rather than an extended family. Nevertheless, Male’ city, the capital of Maldives is flourishing with more extended families living in the households. In fact, this development is due to people migrating to Male’ for better health facilities, quality education, job opportunities and many more luxurious facilities. However, extended families living together in Male’ has many benefits and drawbacks. Many people who have extended families find that due to several generations living under the same roof, there are plenty of role models for the children of the household to look up to and learn from, with many elder family members being able to pass down certain traditions to the younger members. In today’s world where people talk about equal opportunity as well as high living costs, where both parents have to work in order to provide all the necessities for the children, grandparents take care of the younger children. They see to that the child has nutritious food and keep an eye on them thus preventing them from getting into bad habits. Also they talk to the children or share stories from their past which develops a strong bond between them. Being in a bigger family with more people to talk to help a child develop quicker. For example, with more voices in the house, toddlers may start talking quicker, also this helps children their language development. According to What influences child development? (2012), the family that invests time, energy and love in raising a child will see the most positive growth. On the other hand, different experiences and beliefs each generation grew up create barriers between generations. Grandparents have difficulty enjoying grandchildren’s fashion, works situations, future plans or use of new technology. Grandchildren have difficulty in understanding their grandparents because they feel that their privacy is being invaded, and their grandparents intervene in their life by setting limits. Hence it develops conflict among the old generation and the young generations. Furthermore, living in Male’ very expensive. According to the Vulnerability and Poverty Assessment 2004, renting households across all income groups paid around 45 percent of their income on rent. Thus sharing the rent and expenses among all the members resulted in many family members living in small households congested with a lot of family members. Even though expenses of rent, utility bills and foods is shouldered by all members, misunderstanding and conflict arises on how members contribute to foot the bills and how they get to maximize the use of things which are bought to the household. For example, a computer system bought by one sibling may be used more by a child of another sibling and may not be available for use when in need. These kinds misuse of facilities available create sibling rivalry. These kinds of conflicts leads to fallout among members which take longer to forgive and arguments can reignite very easily. On the other hand in an extended family you can find a stronger feeling of security being surrounded by family and knowing that there will be someone to support you when in need. Like everyone being able to support one another through a crisis such as one of the family members losing their job. In these cases, all extended family work together to support each other until a new job can be found. Extended families also give the feeling of belonging because we see people who have a link to us through origin, making them feel something bigger than just themselves. According to Population and Housing Census 2006 (2007), the capital Male’ with an area of about 2 sq. km. accommodates 35 percent of the country’s population of 298,968. In short this means that Male’ which has always been the center of all development in the country results in overcrowded housing units. Vulnerability and Poverty Assessment 2004 explains that between 1997 and 2004, the proportion of people living in houses with 40 square feet or fewer of housing areas per person has increased from 17 to 22 percent and the percentage of houses with a compound has decreased from 57 to 39 percent hence making the capital city much more crowded. As a result members living in a household have less personal privacy and weak family relationships. Most of the time during weekends people want to be on their own, but in an extended family these types of freedom are not possible. It is certainly disturbing that somebody is playing cards or PS-3 or watching television while others are working at home or studying for exam or just relaxing. If kids are fighting and elders have a misunderstanding then in these families people will not have a peaceful environment. Parents find it difficult to spend quality time with their children on an individual basis and also find it impossible to have private time away from them. Lack of privacy is linked to depression and other negative psychological outcomes like physical health. First household crowding can produce stress that leads to illness. Second, through shared physical proximity, household congestion contributes to the spread of communicable disease. A significant body of research, conducted primarily in affluent countries, has documented the unfavorable effects of housing conditions on a range of illnesses, including various contagious diseases. On the other hand, where most of the family are working to earn a better income, household chores becomes easier as it is shared among all members. Humans are social, in terms of nature and thus they cannot live alone. Therefore, people’s character and ethics are grown and strengthened through family. It is proven that an extended family is a better economic unit because it consumes lesser resources and provides more role models for behavior of values. In conclusion living in extended family is tough because you lose a significant amount of freedom and is forced to sacrifice a lot for your family. But realize the value of having family to help and support when in need. Taking the country as a whole extended families will out win advantages over disadvantages. But regard to the capital city, Male’, disadvantages outweighs advantages of extended family.

World Cities and Sustainable Development

World Cities and Sustainable Development Subject: Sub-divided units in Hong Kong ( 1487 words ) Hong Kong has been celebrated for its sky-high belongings monetary value which has been a concern to both the policy shapers and the populace in recent old ages. Apart from the unaffordable belongings monetary values, Hong Kong besides faces societal issues like the sub-divided units, accidents such as the 2011 Fa Yuen Street fire [ 1 ] and the prostration edifice at Ma Tau Wei Road [ 2 ] in 2010 have roused public consciousness towards the issue. In this essay, I will foremost explicate the relationship between lodging and sustainable development. Then I will present the jobs of sub-divided units in Hong Kong and its influence on residents’ quality of life. Finally, I will measure the key challenges faced by the Hong Kong Housing Authority in turn toing the lodging jobs. Sustainable lodging dramas an of import function in sustainable development. Harmonizing to theSustainable Housing Policyissued by the United Nations Human Settlements Program ( UN-Habitat ) in 2012, lodging is one of the basic standards to mensurate the quality of life of people, which besides connect to environmental, societal, cultural and economic facets in the community [ 3 ] . The construction of lodging creates a great influence on both the current and future coevalss due to the life-long lastingness of edifices. Housing besides requires a considerable sum of natural resources, such as H2O, electricity, land and edifice stuffs as input, where lodging produces sewerage, municipal solid waste and other sorts of pollution that create negative impact to the natural environment. Hence, sustainable lodging is the key to travel a measure frontward sustainable development. UN-Habitat defined sustainable lodging as ‘genuinely sustainable houses are those that are inclusive and low-cost for all†¦and yet affordability is non plenty, because the alleged low-cost place can non be considered sustainable if they create negative impacts on the environment or societal life.’ [ 4 ] Harmonizing to the US-based consultancy Demographia, Hong Kong ranks the first among 360 metropoliss for the ‘most unaffordable’ lodging for the 4th consecutive twelvemonth. Hong Kong’s one-year average family income is merely one-fifteenth of the average place monetary value, therefore being rated as ‘severely unaffordable’ . [ 5 ] In 2013 Policy Address [ 6 ] , lodging jobs ranked foremost in the government’s precedence, particularly aimed at helping the grassroots into public lodging and in-between category households to home ownership. [ 7 ] However, the job could non be solved nightlong, the increasing figure of sub-divided units suggested that the authorization failed to help the grassroots and in-between category households in run intoing their basic demands to alleviate the poorness job. After the Fa Yuen Street fire and the collapsed edifice incident at Ma Tau Wei Road, safety of sub-divided units has raised the public concern. Among all lodging jobs, the state of affairs of sub-divided units is critical. The life environment of these sub-divided units are by and large little in size, but are poplar because of their affordability. Harmonizing to a research conducted by the University of Hong Kong, about 63 % of sub-divided units occupants lived at units which country are less than 160 sq. pes, where the smallest unit is about 70 sq. pes. Respondents reviewed that they were discontented about their life environment, particularly in fire safety, air circulation and security. Over two-third of the respondents stated that there were jobs such as H2O escape, home base exposure, concrete spalling and mussy electric wires, which imposed psychological force per unit area to them as they were worried about the building’s construction of their units particularly after the incidents. [ 8 ] The study besides stated that occupants were worried about their security in the sub-divided units, approximately 44 % reviewed that stealing occurred in their unit, followed by robbery ( 33 % ) , drugs covering ( 29 % ) , incendiarism ( 25 % ) and sex discourtesies ( 22 % ) . In footings of societal life, merely 5 % of occupants were familiar with their neighbours and maintained a friendly relationship with each other, while 60 % of respondents were non familiar or did non acknowledge their neighbours. At the same clip, approximately 77 % of occupants did non fall in or affect in any community activities. [ 9 ] Over half of the sub-unit occupants reflected that their greatest want is to acquire a public lodging colony, one-third wished to better their life environment. Furthermore, the greatest concern of the occupants is the sanitation job of the life environment, followed by security and the safety of the building’s construction. In footings of psychological well-being, occupants reflected that they were worried about the lifting rent and frequently felt laden due to the narrow and bantam life status. These jobs of sub-divided units have been earnestly impacting the residents’ quality of life as they struggled hard to keep a life. [ 10 ] Furthermore, the bulk of occupants felt detached, unhappy and have low sense of properties to the society as they seldom communicate with each other and rarely involved in their community, which would impact their physiological well-being. In footings of life environment, they were discontent about the sanitation and safety jobs, and the bulk wished to travel into the public lodging every bit shortly as possible. There are three challenges faced by the Hong Kong Housing Authority in turn toing the job of sub-divided units. First, Hong Kong faces the job of limited land supply. Presently 23 % of land has been development, and 7 % is allocated for residential land usage. The deficit in land supply will further take to the lifting monetary value of belongings monetary values. [ 11 ] To turn to this job, renewal is frequently used since the 1970s. [ 12 ] In 2013, development curate Paul Chan Mo Po even suggested constructing estate by uncluttering an country in the state park [ 13 ] or construct places on the golf nine site, [ 14 ] these steps and suggestions faced strong expostulation in the society. Second, the authorities failed to command the belongings monetary values. Under the sky-high belongings monetary values, the authorities eventually attempted to interfere the market by presenting the dual cast responsibilities to relieve the state of affairs. [ 15 ] However, the program failed to command the belongings monetary values and the belongings monetary values in Hong Kong reached new highs in August 2014, entering the highest belongings monetary value in Hong Kong’s history. [ 16 ] Third, the job of ‘sub-divided units’ jobs involved the work of different governments and the division of duties is non clearly defined. Therefore, different sections may decline to take the duties. The job non merely related to edifice and fire safety, but besides other issues such as edifice direction job, urban reclamation job and lodging job. [ 17 ] Sustainable lodging should non be measured merely in footings of affordability, and should means more than a roof over one’s caput. A sustainable lodging system should be able to supply abode with: equal basic substructure, privateness, infinite, handiness, safety, security, dependability, sanitation and waste-management installations, suited environmental quality, accessible location to make basic installations and work topographic point, accessible and equity transit system, while all these standards should be brought with low-cost monetary value. [ 18 ] These factors are what Hong Kong presently lack and should be taking into history in doing lodging policies and determinations. Mention â€Å" 2011-12 Policy Address – Policy Address. †2011-12 Policy Address – Policy Address. 12 Oct. 2011. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.policyaddress.gov.hk/11-12/eng/p190.html & gt ; . â€Å" 2013 Policy Address by Chief Executive ( 3 ) . †2013 Policy Address by Chief Executive ( 3 ). Hong Kong Government Press Release. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201301/16/P201301160282.htm & gt ; . â€Å" State Park Carve-up the Worst of All Land Options. †South China Morning Post. 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/1311176/country-park-carve-worst-all-land-options & gt ; . â€Å" Easing of Double Stamp Duty Another Example of Leung ‘s Failed Housing Policy. †South China Morning Post. 16 May 2014. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1512772/easing-double-stamp-duty-another-example-leungs-failed & gt ; . â€Å" Land Utilization in Hong Kong. †Land Utilization in Hong Kong. Planning Department, 16 July 2014. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/info_serv/statistic/landu.html & gt ; . Li, Yiu-wa. â€Å" Public Rental Housing for Young People. † ( 2012 ) .HKU Scholars Hub. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //hdl.handle.net/10722/174578 & gt ; . Li, Yvonne. â€Å" Hong Kong Ranks World ‘s No 1 for ‘most Unaffordable ‘ Housing. †Property. South China Morning Post, 22 Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/1410730/hong-kong-ranks-worlds-no-1-most-unaffordable-housing? page=all & gt ; . Mok, Siu-fan. â€Å" Searching for Improvements: An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Public Rental Housing Policy in Hong Kong since 1998. †HKU Scholars Hub. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //hdl.handle.net/10722/131428 & gt ; . Ngai, Edward. â€Å" Defying Gravity: Hong Kong Property Prices Reach New Highs. †The Wall Street Jorunal. China Real Time Report RSS, 8 Aug. 2014. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/08/08/defying-gravity-hong-kong-property-prices-reach-new-highs/ & gt ; . â€Å" Paul Chan Should Revive His Plan for Homes on Golf Club Site. †South China Morning Post. 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1308854/paul-chan-should-revive-his-plan-homes-golf-club-site & gt ; . â€Å" Reclamation Is One Option. †South China Morning Post. 24 Apr. 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1221671/reclamation-one-option & gt ; . South China Morning Post. Police release more images of fire suspects. 5 December 2011. Print Sustainable Housing for Sustainable Cities. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Human Settlements Programme ( UN-Habitat ) , 2012. Print. Wong, Man-kin, James. â€Å" Domestic Sub-divided Unit of measurements in Urban Areas in Hong Kong: A Study of Policy Problems and Solutions. † ( 2012 ) .HKU Scholars Hub. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //hdl.handle.net/10722/184387 & gt ; . Youth Hong Kong Editorial Team. â€Å" Housing Dilemmas – Give the Young a Future. †Education Post. 17 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.educationpost.com.hk/resources/youth/140117-housing-dilemmas- give-the-young-a-future & gt ; . Yuen, Ming, and Joy Lu. â€Å" HK Building Collapse Kills Three ; Two Missing. †HK Building Collapse Kills Three ; Two Missing. China Daily, 30 Jan. 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-01/30/content_9401882.htm & gt ; . â€Å" ? ·Ã‚ ±? °?aY-a?ˆe?Sâ€Å"a?-a °?ec †c ©Ã‚ ¶ . † a? ¤eˆsa?Sa ±Ã¢â‚¬ ¹a?†¹a†¹Ã¢â€ž ¢a §Ã¢â‚¬ aâ€Å" e?„a?†¹c §?aâ€Å"a ®Ã¢â‚¬ ¡a ·?aa °?c µÃ¢â‚¬Å¾ . e ¦Ã¢â€ž ¢ a ¤Ã‚ §a ­?c §Ã‹â€ aeˆ?ac †c ©Ã‚ ¶a? ­aa?S ?†?c ­-aaa?ˆâ€ °eâ„ ¢?a†¦Ã‚ ¬a , 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 13 Dec. 2014. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.cityu.edu.hk/hkhousing/r & A ; c/ssp_last.pdf & gt ; . 1

Forest life changes the characters Essay

In Shakespeare’s As you like it, we find the characters attempting to escape the court. What they specifically are escaping from are the ‘briars’ of the ‘working day world’. The imagery of briar bushes specifically enacts a form of entanglement; that the world of the court is entrapping and the people in it are reflected as such. What is ‘comely envenoms him that bears it’, highlighting a reverse polarisation of morality, that what is good is a hindrance in the world of the court. This is paralleled by what Touchstone (who represents the court as a jester, whom were always in the service of the court) says; ‘The sweetest nut hath the sourest rind’. Indeed, the usurper is viewed as the rightful ruler of the court whereas the rightful ruler is branded an outlaw. So the characters escape to the forest in order to cleanse themselves of ‘th’infected world’ (Playing upon the previous mention of ‘envenoms’ as a form of physical affliction that requires cathartic release). One can argue that the characters do respond to the forest, and their characters change as such. One particularly significant example is how Shakespeare constructs the forest as a place of alternative knowledge; Duke Senior finds that the ‘winds are his councillors’ and that the ‘trees shall be my (his) books’, that they find ‘sermons in stones’. This highlights the homiletic edification that occurs when one engages with nature, and indeed, this is paralleled by the discourse expressed between Rosalind and Celia in Act I, where they comment on how fortune (A product of the court) and nature (Of the forest) are at odds with one another; ‘Fortune reigns in gifts of the world/not in the lineaments of nature’. The escapism of the forest is further expressed when the gentlemen become ‘merry men’ and ‘brothers in exile’ highlighting how they are able to ‘fleet time as they did in the golden age’, with the ‘merry men’ alluding exclusively to the notion of ‘Robin hood’, who represents an active rebellion against the court, suggesting an underlying romanticisation of what it is to be an outlaw. Indeed, defying social norms appears to be what the forest epitomises, and as such, Rosalind even changes all perception of her by becoming ‘Ganymede’, she essentially dresses up to become someone different. Finally, we find the two main ‘villains’ of the story; Duke Frederick and Oliver have a very quick change of heart from the forest, which in both cases turn out to be spectacular examples of Deus Ex Machina, both being equally contrived but portrayed as legitimately woven into the story. So in that sense, the forest is a healing force. However, there is an argument for the opposite; that the forest is exactly the same as the court and no significant change occurs. One of the biggest examples of this lies in the speech of Lord 1 regarding the murder of a deer. The deer are portrayed as ‘native burghers’ in their own ‘desert city’, who retreat ‘from the hunters aim’ into a ‘sequestered’ ‘languish’. Jaques remarks then about how the foresters are the ‘mere usurpers’ who ‘kill them up/in their assign’d and native dwelling place’. This is particularly significant because a parallel is drawn between the deer and the foresters, the deer is escaping usurpation in much the same way the foresters are, this is further enhanced by the fact that the deer has a ‘leathern coat’, a deliberate wording by Shakespeare to highlight the parallels it has with its human usurpers. This usurpation is shown elsewhere in the book, Rosalind who buys the shepherds ‘passion’ (Livelihood) because it is ‘much upon her fashion’, suggesting a transitory or arbitrary desire, devoid of consideration for the fact that the shepherd derives his survival from his flock. Indeed, she wishes to ‘waste her time’ here, rather than use it for any meaningful purpose. Other aspects of the court are also filtered into the forest to enact a distinct lack of change. The notion of the ‘merry men’ and ‘brothers in exile’ is immediately undermined by the fact that the duke is referred to as ‘your grace’, implying that the hierarchy of society is still in place, despite their attempts to gloss over it. Indeed, the very nature of them dressing up as foresters when they are in fact ‘gentlemen’ enacts the nature of the ‘painted pomp’ that is alluded to when referring to the court. The word ‘pompous’ implies a level of self-importance and unnecessary grandiose, which is ever present in the forest; ‘to blow on whom I please’ (IE, to do as I wish). Conventionally in the pastoral, the return to ‘reality’ (In this instance, the court) is forced due to the ephemeral nature of Arcadia. However, at the end of the play here, we find that the characters easily cast off their ‘disguises’ as if they had never left, willingly returning to the court, signifying that there must have been little difference between the two worlds, and emphasising the fact that the court has been a constant throughout the play. One of the most famous quotes of the play, ‘All the world is a stage’ is particularly significant here also. Throughout the story, the ‘motley coat’ (Emblematic of the fool) has been alluded to, and it represents the ‘players’ and by extension, the audience as a whole. If we are all ‘players’ as in a play, with ‘their exists and entrances/and many parts’, then we are all fundamentally acting like the foresters all the time, we all are part of the same outcome. Indeed, at the very end, we all are ‘sans teeth, sans taste, sans everything’, emphasising the fact we all end up subjected to time and age, no better for our experiences in life. This is particularly ironic of course, because earlier on in the story, the forest is described as having ‘no clock’, but it is infact time that undoes all as expressed in this passage, enacting the futility of escape and the absence of any change in outcome from action. Finally, we have the ephemeral nature of the escape for the audience. As alluded to in the preceding paragraph, the audience are ‘players’ and actors in the play to, but do they change? At the very end, within the epilogue, Rosalind breaks the fourth wall, essentially undermining the experience of the play, returning the audience from the ‘forest’ (The imaginative space of the play) to the ‘court’ (Reality). She directly remarks upon the fact that it is a play, that it is a constructed narration and further commends it to be watched by the friends of the audience (Cementing the notion of ‘realism’ in the fact that the play is a commercial enterprise at heart, not a creative escape).

Nike Marketing Essay

Introduction Former University of Oregon track coach and co-founder of Nike Bill Bowerman once said: â€Å"If you have a body, you are an athlete!† (Nike Inc., n.d.) It is this way of thinking that describes the root of Nike’s approach to marketing. Every person is a potential athlete or â€Å"consumer†. This is a common thinking in the realm of athletics but when Bill Bowerman said this, it was in direct reference to the shoe industry. From their marketing strategies to their selling philosophies, Nike has developed one of the most recognizable and demanded names and logo ever. Nike, which is the name of the Greek Goddess of Victory, was born in 1972 when Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) launched its first branded shoe at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials. A former University of Oregon track team member Phil Knight created Blue Ribbon Sports. At Oregon, Knight was coached by the legendary Bill Bowerman and then went on to become alumnus of the Stanford School of Business. BRS was crafted in 1962 when Knight made a deal with Onitsuka Tiger Company, a Japanese shoe company, to import their shoes to the United States. Knight had the idea to sell a low cost shoe with a very high quality, with high aspirations of taking Adidas out of the top spot in the athletic shoe market. In 1964, Bill Bowerman decided to join Knight as a partner at BRS to create a joint quest to be number one. Bowerman redesigned the Tiger shoes while Knight acted as the accountant/personal seller and the two went on the road to sell their newly crafted sneakers at track meets and local shoe stores. By 1966, Blue Ribbon Sports opened its first store in Oregon, which is where Nike is still currently headquartered. Knight and Bowerman managed the store with the only one employee, Jeff Johnson. By 1972 BRS was able to subcontract its own shoe line and began selling Nike Brand shoes. Over the next decade Nike expanded almost double its size each year from the previous year. BRS officially became Nike in 1978 and opened manufacturing plants all over the U.S. Nike was a household name for most athletes by early 1980’s. Today, Nike is the world’s leading designer, maker and distributor of athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a series activities, as well as sports-inspired civic shoes. The company’s target market is in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, with its headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Nike employs around 38,000 people to produce footwear for running, training, basketball and  soccer use. The company also sells tennis, golf, baseball, football, bicycling, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, aquatic activities, hiking, outdoor activities and other athletic shoes. The company provides these products for men, women and children. As the leading global footwear brand, Nike reported revenues of $7.0 billion for first quarter, 2014. Identification of Target Market(s) In its beginning Nike’s focus was primarily on track and field, and for the most part track athletes were their target market. One of the first individuals to endorse a Nike product was a man who exemplified their style and way of conducting business, Steve Prefontaine. Prefontaine was a household name in the late seventies and has gone down in history as one of the best American track and field athletes ever. Prefontaine was a friend of Knight and had been coached by Bowerman at the University of Oregon. Prefontaine embodied what Nike wanted as its differential advantage of other companies, due to his brash attitude, high talent level, and cavalier mentality. This is why Steve Prefontaine and Nike were a tremendous tandem in the early years of Nike’s existence. Athletes are still currently the majority consumers of Nike’s products. This is because of the usefulness that goes along with the items. Nike focuses on these consumers by means of agreements with sports team, college sponsorships, and endorsement with individual athletes. Through this, Nike is able to reach an extensive number of consumers and clients who are likely to purchase their products. Nike pays particular focus on the athlete more than other individual consumers. However, a secondary market came to light in the 1980s. During the period from 1985-1987, Nike dropped back down to number two in the running of the shoe market. Sales had dropped off because the running boom of the late 70’s and 80’s had begun to diminish, the NBA was becoming increasingly marketable, and consumers tended to wear their court shoes on the street. (Katz, 1993) Nike began to notice an entire market that the company had been avoiding, everyday athletic activities. These activities were things done by everyday people and not just the serious athlete. Fortunately for Nike, in 1985 their star was brought to light by a rookie basketball player with amazing talent and a nice smile, his name is Michael Jordan. Jordan came to Nike at a time when the marketability of the NBA was increasing. NBA games  were being nationally televised during prime time television hours and weekends. This gave Nike the perfect platform to develop and market their new star and the products that he endorsed. During the first few years Nike introduced Jordan to the public and Jordan familiarized himself with the American public. Nike ran a series of ads with Jordan and film director Spike Lee. These ads were aired during prime time television hours and were solely targeted for pre-teen school students. These ads displayed an expressed message to â€Å"Stay in School.† The ads presented kids with a national figure that was selling both school and Nike’s products, how could parents deny their children the shoes of such a virtuous spokesman? Jordan was a figure that children adored, looked up to and tried to the best of their ability to copy. Nike used this to display a positive image for their company and to sell their products. Consumer Decision Making Process â€Å"Consumers believe that the firm makes better shoes. Whether or not that is true, Nike has been a magician as a marketer.† (McIntyre, 2011) When a consumer purchases a product, usually there is a five step process in making a decision. The steps are need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase, and post purchase behavior. (Perreau, 2013) Nike tries to make this decision process easier with their advertisements. For example, the Nike fuel band is one of Nike’s newest products and people didn’t know much about it when it came out so Nike used an ad that caught ones attention, but that’s not all. Nike’s commercial explained what this product is in great detail. Just by watching the commercial, Nike completed the first three steps for you, making your life a bit easier. In many cases consumers skip steps one through three and buy products on impulse, as Nike would put, they â€Å"just do it†, but in this case Nike does the â€Å"leg† work for you. This is an example of the magic in Nike marketing. However, it’s obvious that Nike hasn’t actually used a wand on its customers and there is no proof which can measure that a Nike pair of shoes is better than an Adidas pair of shoes or another brand, so it must be magic, right? The answer is â€Å"No†, it’s the brand image and product position that is the driving force being Nike sales. The two concepts are why we buy Nike rather than another brand. Brand image refers to the schematic memory of a brand. (Hawkins, 2012, p. 335) Simply, it is what people think of and feel when  they hear or see a brand name and is the set of associations consumers have learned about a brand. (Hawkins, 2012, p. 335) Product positioning is a decision by a marketer to try to achieve a defined brand image relative to competition within a market segment. (Hawkins, 2012, p. 335) Lastly, the ability to benefit from a brand image is called brand equity. (Hawkins, 2012, p. 335) According to Aaker (2013) â€Å"brand equity has four dimensions – brand loyalty, brand awareness, brand associations, and perceived quality, each providing value to a firm in numerous ways.† The core of building the equity for Nike is brand association. Nike associates its brand with famous athletic celebrities that exemplify the personality of the brand; they are achievers, winners, determined, accomplishment oriented, and nontraditional. The most famous example for brand association ever was the collaboration between Nike and Jordan. This association personified Nike as a superior top performing brand. The depth of this personification became permanent, even after Jordan was no longer there. Also, Nike associates with top sport events by sponsoring many major league sports, including the National Basketball Association. Through its brand association, Nike increased its brand awareness. Nike communicated its celebrity associations through TV ads, which increased their sales dramatically. In addition, one of the most important sources of Nike brand equity is the high perceived quality. Although, in today’s market, most of Nike’s consumers are the public that use their shoes just for walking, Nike is committed to design their shoes according to the high standards of professional competition. Seeing a winning athlete wearing a Nike shoe in a professional competition authenticated the quality perception in the minds of the customers. Lastly, Nike has a good relationship with its customer, which creates s ome sort of brand loyalty. Recommendations Nike’s ideals and goals remain the same as those of the days of Steve Prefontaine and Bill Bowerman. Nike’s Phil Knight is not slowing down as he continually signs new colleges on as Nike endorsed schools, even purchasing a portion of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. Nike has reached a point where they can count on the Nike name promoting itself, and yet they continue to produce innovative ideas. These ideas have been productive and entertaining promotional tools. In the case of Nike, it should continue to market itself  towards people of all ages who wish to be active and still comfortable. This marketing strategy has been particularly successful as its capability to reach many athletes, and according to Nike that is anyone with a body. Nike focuses on the consumers who embrace product understanding and closeness, which allows the company to set a higher cost than its competitors. This is a marketing strategy of Nike which calls for superior pricing points in order to push the supposed value of the product. This strategy has also proven successful for the company. Lastly, the more reliable the distribution of the product is improves the sales and results in more profits. Product delivery at the required time to the consumer not only affects usefulness it also results in a high level of customer’s satisfaction as well as loyalty. It goes without saying that Nike’s customers are satisfied and loyal. References Aaker, D. (2013, September 13). What Is Brand Equity and Why is it Valuable? | Aaker on Brands | Prophet. Retrieved from http://www.prophet.com/blog/aakeronbrands/156-what-is-brand-equity-and-why-is-it-valuable Hawkins, D. (2012). Mp Consumer Behavior With Ddb Data Disk (12th ed.). Irwin Professional Pub. Katz, D. (1993, August 16). Triumph of the Swoosh. Sports Illustrated, 53-73. McIntyre, D. A. (2011, March 18). Nike’s Brand Strength: A Round Of Prices Increases – MarketWatch. Retrieved from http://www.marketwatch.com/story/nikes-brand-strength-a-round-of-prices-increases-2011-03-18 Nike Inc. (n.d.). NIKE, Inc. – About NIKE, Inc. Retrieved from http://nikeinc.com/pages/about-nike-inc Nike Inc. (n.d.). NIKE, Inc. – History & Heritage. Retrieved from http://nikeinc.com/pages/history-heritage Perreau, F. (2013, October 25). The 5 stages of Consumer Buying Decision Process. Retrieved from http://theconsumerfactor.com/en/5-stages-consumer-buying-decision-pro cess/