Chaikovsky on Inspiration and Self-Expression essays

Chaikovsky on Inspiration and Self-Expression essays Chaikovsky viewed his art as a kind of autobiography or confession. He gave this belief a famous expression in the letter we have read, which concerns his fourth symphony. He is asked whether the symphony has a definite program. He replies that whenever he is asked this question he always no, but in fact he also says it is not that a simple question to be answered. The second paragraph of page 398, is the one that captures most of my attention in this letter. He talks about how a composer while is in that magical state of mind of inspiration gets disturb from different things, such as a call from someone, the clock will strike to remind you that you must go about your business, etc. The last part of this paragraph though is the most important to me. What is says is that only one thing is important when you are in the state of inspiration. That thing is that the main ideas should appear without being sought, but rather spontaneously, as a result of that supernatural force we call inspiration. He then describes all the movements of the symphony. But again, a small sentence such as the last one in this article strikes my attention. Where words fail, music speaks. I love this phrase because I believe all the meaning of instrumental music can be found in here. You go to hear an instrumental concert for several reasons. The most important one for m e is because I believe that listening to music with words is too real. When I go to a concert I want my mind to be free and be able to travel anywhere. How can you do that freely when the performer tells you where to travel with your mind? ...

The Oxford Short List 2015

The Oxford Short List 2015 The Oxford Short List 2015 The Oxford Short List 2015 By Maeve Maddox As I pointed out in a recent post, the Oxford â€Å"Word† of 2015 is a pictogram. In this post, I’ll take a look at eight other words that placed in Oxford’s annual list of frequently used English words and phrases. Of the eight, I had heard of three of them, had written about two of them, and had never heard of five of them. sharing economy Merriam-Webster has an entry for the phrase and defines it as â€Å"economic activity that involves individuals buying or selling usually temporary access to goods or services especially as arranged through an online company or organization† and gives 2007 as the date of its first-known use. Wikipedia defines it as â€Å"peer-to-peer-based sharing of access to goods and services (coordinated through community-based online services).† The phrase does not yet appear in my subscription edition of the OED. It seems to mean â€Å"online bartering.† they The appearance of this ancient word on the 2015 list is in the context of its growing use to refer to a person of unspecified gender. See Gendered Pronouns for a discussion of this usage. on fleek I couldn’t even guess at what this one could mean. According to the Oxford site’s explanation, this phrase originated with the user of a social media called Vine. She uploaded a video in which she displayed her eyebrows and described them as â€Å"on fleek.† The phrase is now taken to mean â€Å"extremely good, attractive, or stylish.† ad blocker This is a type of software that prevents ads from popping up on a web page. I had heard of this one. refugee This has been an English word since the seventeenth century. The renewed interest derives from the frequency that refugee and migrant have appeared in the news this year. I recently wrote about the words in Migrants vs Refugees. Brexit This creation- a combination of Br(itish)+exit- is a term for â€Å"potential or hypothetical departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union.† Dark Web I’d heard of the Deep Web, but not the Dark Web. The Deep Web refers to parts of the Internet that can’t be accessed in the usual way with browsers and search engines. The Dark Web â€Å"refers specifically to websites which use encryption tools to hide the identities of hosts and users of a site, often in order to facilitate illegal activities.† lumbersexual I guessed this one to mean the type of man who imagines that beard stubble looks attractive. I was close. It merges lumberjack with metrosexual and refers to urban males who sport checked shirts and facial hair. Mind you, I like beards; it’s the not-quite-shaven-but-not-really-a-beard look that gives me the fantods. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Compared "to" or Compared "with"?7 Tips for Writing a Film Review20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

Exemplification Essay, Kozol, Zinsser, and MacFarquhar Essay

Exemplification , Kozol, Zinsser, and MacFarquhar - Essay Example In my teens, I helped unearth mysteries and solve crimes with the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Later on, I sat in the courtroom and watched Atticus Finch deliver a riveting closing argument in defense of Tom Robinson in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Recently, through Freakonomics by Steven Levitt, I learned that what passes for conventional wisdom in the society is not necessarily truth. This reading albeit for fun was quite instrumental in laying a foundation for more serious academic work as well as arming me with knowledge that helped me make sense of the various issues I encountered in life. Having profited from the knowledge I gained, I second Mark Twain in his classic assertion that he who cannot read good books has no advantage over him who cannot read at all. College students today are more concerned with grades than they are with acquiring knowledge. Students have realized the importance of having good papers in order to succeed in the outside world. They therefore endeavor to ensure that the grades they get are spick and span, which is often in great detriment to the knowledge gained in the courses that they pursue. As a result, untold hundreds of students roll out of campus half-baked but with excellent grades at which most employers cannot help but marvel. Zinssner quotes a fellow professor who bemoaned that in previous years, the key question he would get from students was on how they could make a difference in the world. However, over the years, this question changed to the kind of subject combinations that would be favorable to enable one to pursue a particular kind of course. Such students almost certainly end up not benefiting the society one single bit since all they did was to cram for the sake of passing an exam. He further highlights such problems by pointing out to students pursuing reputable courses such as

Management of the recruitment, selection and induction of employees Essay

Management of the recruitment, selection and induction of employees - Essay Example IBM, having one of the most professional workforces in the world, employs approximately 329,000 employees and operates business in 170 countries around the globe (IBM, 2009). They employ staff worldwide across different disciplines ranging from technical IT areas to the non-technical disciplines of Sales, Finance, HR and Legal (Monster, 2008). Being a globally integrated company, they need to keep changing their business model radically and shift its value proposition. Thus, attracting and developing individuals is critical to IBM’s success (Schmidt, 2005). There are three main steps in the recruitment process – identification of the requirements, attracting the right candidates and the selection from the applicants. The right job description and the job specifications help to attract the right candidate and eliminate unwanted work involved in the selection process. IBM has the reputation of being the resilient to market forces and strong leadership. They strongly follow the online recruitment process and it is their key recruitment strategy. Online recruitment includes their own website www.ibm.com apart from key online recruitment websites such as monster.com (Monster, 2008). Online recruitment supplements and complements other forms of recruitment. Online recruitment enables reaching a wider audience, and being in the IT industry, this reflects its nature of business. Besides, online recruitment process is cost effective and it also allows continuous improvement of the process. Online recruitment and selection process has saved time spent by as much as 25 percent (Kumar, 2003). They accept applications online as well as through emails. In addition, they adhere to the traditional forms of recruitment such as sourcing through headhunters and recruitment fairs. Thus, they outsource recruitment as well as keep it in-house their website. For graduate trainees they have a different strategy. Their inclusive work environment makes every

Air Pollution Essay Example for Free

Air Pollution Essay BEIJING — Outdoor air pollution contributed to 1.2 million premature deaths in China in 2010, nearly 40 percent of the global total, according to a new summary of data from a scientific study on leading causes of death worldwide. Figured another way, the researchers said, China’s toll from pollution was the loss of 25 million healthy years of life from the population. The data on which the analysis is based was first presented in the ambitious 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study, which was published in December in The Lancet, a British medical journal. The authors decided to break out numbers for specific countries and present the findings at international conferences. The China statistics were offered at a forum in Beijing on Sunday. â€Å"We have been rolling out the India- and China-specific numbers, as they speak more directly to national leaders than regional numbers,† said Robert O’Keefe, the vice president of the Health Effects Institute, a research organization that is helping to present the study. The organization is partly financed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the global motor vehicle industry. What the researchers called â€Å"ambient particulate matter pollution† was the fourth-leading risk factor for deaths in China in 2010, behind dietary risks, high blood pressure and smoking. Air pollution ranked seventh on the worldwide list of risk factors, contributing to 3.2 million deaths in 2010. By comparison with China, India, which also has densely populated cities grappling with similar levels of pollution, had 620,000 premature deaths in 2010 because of outdoor air pollution, the study found. That was deemed to be the sixth most common killer in South Asia. The study was led by an institute at the University of Washington and several partner universities and institutions, including the World Health Organization. Calculations of premature deaths because of outdoor air pollution are politically threatening in the eyes of some Chinese officials . According to news reports, Chinese officials cut out sections of a 2007 report called â€Å"Cost of Pollution in China† that discussed premature deaths. The report’s authors had concluded that 350,000 to 400,000 people die prematurely in China each  year because of outdoor air pollution. The study was done by the World Bank in cooperation with the Chinese State Environmental Protection Administration, the precursor to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. There have been other estimates of premature deaths because of air pollution. In 2011, the World Health Organization estimated that there were 1.3 million premature deaths in cities worldwide because of outdoor air pollution. Last month, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, based in Paris, warned that â€Å"urban air pollution is set to become the top environmental cause of mortality worldwide by 2050, ahead of dirty water and lack of sanitation.† It estimated that up to 3.6 million people could end up dying prematurely from air pollution each year, mostly in China and India. There has been growing outrage in Chinese cities over what many say are untenable levels of air pollution. Cities across the north hit record levels in January, and official Chinese newspapers ran front-page articles on the surge — what some foreigners call the â€Å"airpocalypse† — despite earlier limits on such discussion by propaganda officials. In February, the State Council, China’s cabinet, announced a timeline for introducing new fuel standards, but state-owned oil and power companies are known to block or ignore environmental policies to save on costs. A study released on Thursday said the growth rate of disclosure of pollution information in 113 Chinese cities had slowed. The groups doing the study, the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, based in Beijing, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, based in Washington, said that â€Å"faced with the current situation of severe air, water and soil pollution, we must make changes to pollution source information disclosure so that information is no longer patchy, out of date and difficult to o btain.† Chinese officials have made some progress in disclosing crucial air pollution statistics. Official news reports have said 74 cities are now required to release data on levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller, which penetrate the body’s tissues most deeply. For years, Chinese officials had been collecting the data but refusing to release it, until they came under pressure from Chinese who saw that the United States Embassy in Beijing was measuring the levels hourly and posting the data in a Twitter feed, @BeijingAir. Last week, an official Chinese news report said the cost of environmental degradation in China was about $230 billion in 2010, or 3.5  percent of the gross domestic product. The estimate, said to be partial, came from a research institute under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and was three times the amount in 2004, in local currency terms. It was unclear to what extent those numbers took into account the costs of health care and premature deaths because of pollution. National Park Service Air Pollution Its Nature, Sources, and Effects http://www.nps.gov/shen/naturescience/airpollution.htm Last Updated: 04/09/2014 Summer View, mountains in the distance from Skyline Drive. John F. Mitchell NPS Volunteer Introduction Air pollution occurs in many forms but can generally be thought of as gaseous and particulate contaminants that are present in the earths atmosphere. Gaseous pollutants include sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOC), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), hydrogen fluoride (HF), and various gaseous forms of metals. These pollutants are emitted from large stationary sources such as fossil fuel fired power plants, smelters, industrial boilers, petroleum refineries, and manufacturing facilities as well as from area and mobile sources. They are corrosive to various materials which causes damage to cultural resources, can cause injury to ecosystems and organisms, aggravate respiratory diseases, and reduce visibility. Particulates come in both large and small or fine solid forms. Large particulates include substances such as dust, asbestos fibers, and lead. Fine particulates include sulfates (SO4) and nitrates (NO3). Important sourc es of particulates are power plants, smelters, mining operations, and automobiles. Asbestos and lead affect organisms, while sulfates and nitrates not only cause health problems, but also contribute to acid rain or acid deposition and a reduction in visibility. Particulate matter, a term sometimes used instead of particulates, refers to the mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Toxic air pollutants are a class of chemicals which may  potentially cause health problems in a significant way. The sources of toxic air pollutants include power plants, industries, pesticide application, and contaminated windblown dust. Persistent toxic pollutants, such as mercury, are of particular concern because of their global mobility and ability to accumulate in the food chain. More research is needed to fully understand the fate and effects of mercury and the many other toxic pollutants. Primary pollutants are those that are emitted directly into the air from pollution sources. Secondary pollutants are formed when primary pollutants undergo chemical changes in the atmosphere. Ozone is an example of a secondary pollutant. It is formed when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are mixed and warmed by sunlight. Ozone (O3) is a major component of what is often referred to as smog. The ozone which is present in the troposphere, or the atmosphere that is close to the ground, should not be confused with beneficial ozone that is located in the stratosphere or upper atmosphere. This beneficial ozone in the stratosphere helps protect the earth from harmful ultraviolet light from the sun. Sources of Air Pollution Stationary and Area Sources A stationary source of air pollution refers to an emission source that does not move, also known as a point source. Stationary sources include factories, power plants, dry cleaners and degreasing operations. The term area source is used to describe many small sources of air pollution located together whose individual emissions may be below thresholds of concern, but whose collective emissions can be significant. Residential wood burners are a good example of a small source, but when combined with many other small sources, they can contribute to local and regional air pollution levels. Area sources can also be thought of as non-point sources, such as construction of housing developments, dry lake beds, and landfills. Mobile Sources A mobile source of air pollution refers to a source that is capable of moving under its own power. In general, mobile sources imply on-road transportation, which includes vehicles such as cars, sport utility vehicles, and buses. In addition, there is also a non-road or off-road  category that includes gas-powered lawn tools and mowers, farm and construction equipment, recreational vehicles, boats, planes, and trains. Agricultural Sources Agricultural operations, those that raise animals and grow crops, can generate emissions of gases and particulate matter. For example, animals confined to a barn or restricted area (rather than field grazing), produce large amounts of manure. Manure emits various gases, particularly ammonia into the air. This ammonia can be emitted from the animal houses, manure storage areas, or from the land after the manure is applied. In crop production, the misapplication of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides can potentially result in aerial drift of these materials and harm may be caused. Natural Sources Although industrialization and the use of motor vehicles are overwhelmingly the most significant contributors to air pollution, there are important natural sources of pollution as well. Wildland fires, dust storms, and volcanic activity also contribute gases and particulates to our atmosphere. Unlike the above mentioned sources of air pollution, natural air pollution is not caused by people or their activities. An erupting volcano emits particulate matter and gases; forest and prairie fires can emit large quantities of pollutants; plants and trees naturally emit VOCs which are oxidized and form aerosols that can cause a natural blue haze; and dust storms can create large amounts of particulate matter. Wild animals in their natural habitat are also considered natural sources of pollution. The National Park Service recognizes that each of these sources emits gases and particulate matter into the atmosphere but we regard these as constituents resulting from natural processes. Air Pollution at Shenandoah Sources of air pollution that affect Shenandoah National Park are largely outside of the park. These include industrial facilities located throughout the mid-Atlantic region and the Ohio River Valley as well as urban centers in this same region. Because most areas adjacent to the park are rural and agricultural, it is clear that transport of pollutants from distant  locations is an important element upon which park air quality hinges. Even some agricultural activities, such as ammonia from the poultry industry and pesticides that are applied to adjacent fields, may contribute to air pollution in the park. In-park emission sources are relatively small, but do include motor vehicles, maintenance equipment, small boilers and generators. The relative contribution from the in-park sources is very small compared to other sources. In a July 2002 report describing an emissions inventory for Shenandoah National Park, it was determined that less than 1% of emissions were produced from in-par k sources. How does air pollution move? Air transport is the term used to describe the mechanism by which air pollution moves from an emissions source to a receptor. A source is a location (i.e., smokestack, chimney, exhaust pipe) from which the pollutant emanates and a receptor is the place (i.e., soil, vegetation, waterbodies, human lungs) where the pollutant is deposited. The atmosphere itself is the transporter of pollutants from sources to receptors. If the wind carries the plume of pollution high enough in the air, it may travel for hundreds of miles before being brought to earth. This is known as long-range or long-distance transport. Air Pollution Effects The air is an important component of the natural system of a park in its own right. The presence of pollution in the atmosphere results directly in air quality degradation. Air pollution is also a critical factor affecting the quality of other environmental resources as well as the human-made structures and facilities in the area. Polluted air can and has harmed park resources in a variety of ways depending upon the chemistry of the pollutant, weather and environmental conditions, and the nature or sensitivity of park resources. Examples of this harm include vegetative discoloration and growth disruption from ozone, loss of aquatic species from stream acidification, shifts in nutrient availability from acid deposition, and erosion of building surfaces and rock formations. Air pollution impairs visibility and contributes to climate change. Air pollution can also be detrimental to human health. Shchooltoday Your Cool Facts and Tips on Air Pollution What causes air pollution? Air pollution can result from both human and natural actions. Natural events that pollute the air include forest fires, volcanic eruptions, wind erosion, pollen dispersal, evaporation of organic compounds and natural radioactivity. Pollution from natural occurrences are not very often. Human activities that result in air pollution include: 1. Emissions from industries and manufacturing activities Have you seen a manufacturing company before? You will notice that there are long tubes (called chimneys) erected high into the air, with lots of smoke and fumes coming out of it. Waste incinerators, manufacturing industries and power plants emit high levels of carbon monoxide, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air. This happens almost everywhere that people live. Petroleum refineries also release lots of hydrocarbons into the air. 2. Burning Fossil Fuels After the industrial age, transportation has become a key part of our lives. Cars and heavy duty trucks, trains, shipping vessels and airplanes all burn lots of fossil fuels to work. Emissions from automobile engines contain both primary and secondary pollutants. This is a major cause of pollution, and one that is very difficult to manage. This is because humans rely heavily on vehicles and engines for transporting people, good and services. Fumes from car exhauts contain dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and particulates. On their own, they cause great harm to people who breath them. Additionally, they react with environmental gases to create further toxic gases. Click here to see the effects 3. Household and Farming Chemicals Crop dusting, fumigating homes, household cleaning products or painting supplies, over the counter insect/pest killers, fertilizer dust emit harmful chemicals into the air and cause pollution. In many case, when we use these chemicals at home or offices with no or little ventilation, we may fall ill if we breathe them. What are the common air pollutants around? Carbon Monoxide (CO) Fuel combustion from vehicles and engines. Reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the body’s organs and tissues; aggravates heart disease, resulting in chest pain and other symptoms. Ground-level Ozone (O3)  Secondary pollutant formed by chemical reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and NOx in the presence of sunlight. Decreases lung function and causes respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and shortness of breath, and also makes asthma and other lung diseases get worse. More on Ground Level Ozone Here Lead (Pb) Smelters (metal refineries) and other metal industries; combustion of leaded gasoline in piston engine aircraft; waste incinerators (waste burners), and battery manufacturing. Damages the developing nervous system, resulting in IQ loss and impacts on learning, memory, and behavior in children. Cardiovascular and renal effects in adults and early effects related to anaemia. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Fuel combustion (electric utilities, big industrial boilers, vehicles) and wood burning. Worsens lung diseases leading to respiratory symptoms, increased susceptibility to respiratory infection. Particulate Matter (PM) This is formed through chemical reactions, fuel combustion (e.g., burning coal, wood, diesel), industrial processes, farming (plowing, field burning), and unpaved roads or during road constructions. Short-term exposures can worsen heart or lung diseases and cause respiratory problems. Long-term exposures can cause heart or lung disease and sometimes premature deaths. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) SO2 come from fuel combustion (especially high-sulfur coal); electric utilities and industrial processes as well as and natural occurances like volcanoes. Aggravates asthma and makes breathing difficult.It also contributes to particle formation with associated health effects. What are the effects of air pollution? Acidification: Chemical reactions involving air pollutants can create acidic compounds which can cause harm to vegetation and buildings. Sometimes, when an air pollutant, such as sulfuric acid combines with the water droplets that make up clouds, the water droplets become acidic, forming acid rain. When acid rain falls over an area, it can kill trees and harm animals, fish, and other wildlife. Acid rain destroys the leaves of plants. When acid rain infiltrates into soils, it changes the chemistry of the soil making it unfit for many living things that rely on soil as a habitat or for nutrition. Acid rain also changes the chemistry of the lakes and streams that the rainwater flows into, harming fish and other aquatic life. Eutrophication: Rain can carry and deposit the Nitrogen in some pollutants on rivers and soils. This will adversely affect the nutrients in the soil and water bodies. This can result in algae growth in lakes and water bodies, and make conditions for other living organism harmful. Ground-level ozone: Chemical reactions involving air pollutants create a poisonous gas ozone (O3). Gas Ozone can affect people’s health and can damage vegetation types and some animal life too. Particulate matter:  Air pollutants can be in the form of particulate matter which can be very harmful to our health. The level of effect usually depends on the length of time of exposure, as well the kind and concentration of chemicals and particles exposed to. Short-term effects include irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis and  pneumonia. Others include headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions. Short-term air pollution can aggravate the medical conditions of individuals with asthma and emphysema. Long-term health effects can include chronic respiratory disease, lung cancer, heart disease, and even damage to the brain, nerves, liver, or kidneys. Continual exposure to air pollution affects the lungs of growing children and may aggravate or compli cate medical conditions in the elderly. Air pollution prevention, monitoring and solution. Solution efforts on pollution is always a big problem. This is why prevention interventions are always a better way of controlling air pollution. These prevention methods can either come from government (laws) or by individual actions. In many big cities, monitoring equipment have been installed at many points in the city. Authorities read them regularly to check the quality of air. Lets see more below: Government (or community) level prevention Governments throughout the world have already taken action against air pollution by introducing green energy. Some governments are investing in wind energy and solar energy, as well as other renewable energy, to minimize burning of fossil fuels, which cause heavy air pollution. Governments are also forcing companies to be more responsible with their manufacturing activities, so that even though they still cause pollution, they are a lot controlled. Companies are also building more energy efficient cars, which pollute less than before. Individual Level Prevention Encourage your family to use the bus, train or bike when commuting. If we all do this, there will be less cars on road and less fumes. Use energy (light, water, boiler, kettle and fire woods) wisely. This is because lots of fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity, and so if we can cut down the use, we will also cut down the amount of pollution we create. Recycle and re-use things. This will minimize the dependence of producing new things. Remember manufacturing industries create a lot of pollution, so if we can re-use things like shopping plastic bags, clothing, paper and bottles, it can help. Basic Air Pollution Facts Below are some random facts and info on environmental pollution. Air pollutants (dangerous things that make the air unclean)come in the form of gases or particles. In March 2011, a very powerful earthquake in the sea (tsunami) hit the Japan coast. The sea level rose and water came into the land, damaging 4 of the 6 reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. World Health Organisation (WHO) experts confirm that there is slight increased risk of some cancer types for some people who were exposed to the radiation. These included people living in that area and some workers at the plant. Below is a peice of the information given on BBC website: The biggest lifetime risks were seen in those exposed as infants, compared with children or adults. For girls exposed to radiation from the accident as infants, the report found a 4% increase above the lifetime expected risk of solid tumours and a 6% increase above that expected for breast cancer. Boys exposed as infants are expected to have a 7% increased risk of leukaemia above that expected in the normal population. The biggest risk was seen in thyroid cancer, which for infant girls could be up to 70% higher than expected over their lifetime. BBC Website: /news/health-21614722 It is estimated that you breathe 20,000 liters of air each day. This means the more polluted the air is, the more we breathe into our lungs dangerous chemicals. Air can be polluted both indoors and outdoors. Tobacco and other kinds of smoking are examples of indoor air pollution. Sick Building Syndrome is a health condition related to pesticides, insecticides and chemicals we use at home and offices. In the great Smog Disaster in London in 1952, four thousand people died in a few days due to the high concentrations of pollution. Air pollution affects kids more than adults  because, for their body size, kids breathe more air and spend more time playing outside. More hazardous pollutants are discharged into the air each year than are released to surface water, ground water, and land, combined. Motor vehicles produce more air pollution than any other single human activity. One full commuter bus can mean 40 less cars going through your neighborhood. In America, vehicle exhaust contributes roughly 60% of all carbon monoxide emissions nationwide, and up to 95% in cities. Indoor air pollution and health Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and leaky stoves burning biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal. Nearly 2 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use. Nearly 50% of pneumonia deaths among children under five are due to particulate matter inhaled from indoor air pollution. More than 1 million people a year die from chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) that develop due to exposure to such indoor air pollution. Both women and men exposed to heavy indoor smoke are 2-3 times more likely to develop COPD Source: WHO Ozone Depletion: Losing Earth’s Protective Layer National Geographic The ozone layer is a belt of naturally occurring ozone gas that sits 9.3 to 18.6 miles (15 to 30 kilometers) above Earth and serves as a shield from the harmful ultraviolet B radiation emitted by the sun. Ozone is a highly reactive molecule that contains three oxygen atoms. It is constantly being formed and broken down in the high atmosphere, 6.2 to 31 miles (10 to 50 kilometers) above Earth, in the region called the stratosphere. Today, there is widespread concern that the ozone layer is deteriorating due to the release of pollution containing the chemicals chlorine and bromine. Such deterioration allows large amounts of ultraviolet B rays to reach Earth, which can cause skin cancer and cataracts in humans and harm animals as  well. Extra ultraviolet B radiation reaching Earth also inhibits the reproductive cycle of phytoplankton, single-celled organisms such as algae that make up the bottom rung of the food chain. Biologists fear that reductions in phytoplankton populations will in turn lower the populations of other animals. Researchers also have documented changes in the reproductive rates of young fish, shrimp, and crabs as well as frogs and salamanders exposed to excess ultraviolet B. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals found mainly in spray aerosols heavily used by industrialized nations for much of the past 50 years, are the primary culprits in ozone layer breakdown. When CFCs reach the upper atmosphere, they are exposed to ultraviolet rays, which causes them to break down into substances that include chlorine. The chlorine reacts with the oxygen atoms in ozone and rips apart the ozone molecule. One atom of chlorine can destroy more than a hundred thousand ozone molecules, according to the the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The ozone layer above the Antarctic has been particularly impacted by pollution since the mid-1980s. This region’s low temperatures speed up the conversion of CFCs to chlorine. In the southern spring and summer, when the sun shines for long periods of the day, chlorine reacts with ultraviolet rays, destroying ozone on a massive scale, up to 65 percent. This is what some people erroneously refer to as the ozone hole. In other regions, the ozone layer has deteriorated by about 20 percent. About 90 percent of CFCs currently in the atmosphere were emitted by industrialized countries in the Northern Hemisphere, including the United States and Europe. These countries banned CFCs by 1996, and the amount of chlorine in the atmosphere is falling now. But scientists estimate it will take another 50 years for chlorine levels to return to their natural levels. Clean Air Kids The Earth is wrapped in a blanket of air called the atmosphere, which is made up of several layers. About 19-30 kilometres above the Earth is a layer of gas called ozone, which is a form of oxygen. Ozone is produced naturally in the atmosphere. WHY DO WE HAVE AN OZONE LAYER? The ozone layer is very important because it stops too many of the suns ultra-violet rays (UV rays) getting through to the Earth these are the rays that cause our skin to tan. Too much UV can cause skin cancer and will also harm all plants and animals. Life on Earth could not exist without the protective shield of the ozone layer. WHAT IS THE OZONE HOLE? Every spring, a hole as big as the USA develops in the ozone layer over Antarctica, in the South Pole. A smaller hole develops each year over the Arctic, at the North Pole. And there are signs that the ozone layer is getting thinner all over the planet. Scientists have discovered that the ozone hole over Antarctica started in 1979, and that the ozone layer generally started to get thin in the early 1980s. The loss of the ozone layer occurs when more ozone is being destroyed than nature is creating. WHAT CAUSES THE OZONE HOLE? One group of gases is particularly likely to damage the ozone layer. These gases are called CFCs, Chloro-Fluoro-Carbons. CFCs are used in some spray cans to force the contents out of the can. They are also used in refrigerators, air conditioning systems and some fire extinguishers. They are used because they are not poisonous and do not catch fire. Most countries have now stopped using new CFCs that can be released into the atmosphere, but many scientists believe we must stop using old ones as well. THE OZONE HOLE AND OUR HEALTH The ozone layer is like a sunscreen, and a thinning of it would mean that more ultra-violet rays would be reaching us. Too many UV rays would cause more sunburn, and because sunburn causes skin cancer, this too would increase deaths. These UV rays are also dangerous for our eyes and could cause an increase in people becoming blind. That is why sun cream and sunglasses are very important. THE OZONE HOLE ON ANIMALS AND PLANTS UV rays can go through water and end up killing small water animals or  plants, called plankton which form the base of the food chain in oceans and seas. Whales and other fishes have plankton as their main food, and if plankton die because of these UV rays, whales will start dying too, because they will not have anything to eat. Large amounts of UV rays could damage all green plants. If the ozone layer keeps getting thinner, there could be fewer and fewer plants on Earth, then there would be less food in the whole world. THE TWO-FACED OZONE GAS Ozone found between 19 and 30 kilometres high in the atmosphere is one of the reasons why we are alive on Earth. But when the gas ozone is found lower down where we can breathe it in, it becomes very dangerous for our health. This ozone is caused by a reaction between air pollution and sunlight and can cause modern-day smog. This is different to the smog that formed in the early 20th century from smoke and fog. What can you do: There are many things we can do to help reduce air pollution and global warming. Use buses and trains instead of cars, as they can carry a lot more people in one journey. This cuts down the amount of pollution produced. Walking or cycling whenever you can will be even better, as it does not create any pollution. It will also be good for your body, as regular exercise will keep you fit and healthy. If your parents must use the car, ask them to avoid using it for very short journeys if possible, as this creates unnecessary pollution. Try to encourage them to share their journeys with other people, for example when they go to work or go shopping. Also encourage them to drive more slowly as this produces less pollution and less carbon dioxide. Energy is produced to generate electricity and to keep us warm. Most energy is produced by the burning of fossil fuels, like coal, oil and gas, which release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Fuel burnt in our cars also releases carbon dioxide. As an individual, you do not have a lot of control on how your energy is produced. However, you can control the way in which you use that energy. Using less energy means less of it needs to be produced. So less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. We can also help prevent pollution from our own homes which may contribute to acid rain and poor air quality, and increases emissions of carbon dioxide in the  atmosphere. Turning off lights when they are not needed and not wasting electricity will reduce the demand for energy. Less electricity will need to be produced and so less coal, oil and gas will have to be burnt in power stations, which means less air pollution and less carbon dioxide! Pollution formed indoors can be reduced by ensuring that all gas appliances are working correctly. Good ventilation will improve indoor air quality by dispersing biological pollutants like dust mite, and other pollutants such as cigarette smoke. Most of the rubbish we throw away can be recycled, such as glass bottles and jars, steel and aluminium cans, plastic bottles and waste paper. Recycling used materials uses less energy than making new ones. Composting fruit and vegetable waste reduces the amount of rubbish buried at rubbish dumps. What are the Governments doing? Governments throughout the world have already taken action for these different environmental problems (i.e. Acid Rain, Air Quality, Ozone Hole, Global Warming). In their plans they hope to reduce the amount of emissions of greenhouse gases produced by man. About half of the greenhouse effect is caused by our use of energy, especially from fossil fuels. Other sources of energy could be used which do not emit carbon dioxide, e.g. wind power, solar (sun power) and wave power. In the home and at school, we must learn to use energy efficiently and not waste it. Rain is very important for life. All living things need water to live, even people. Rain brings us the water we need. But in many places in the world even where you live, rain has become a menace. Because of pollution in the air, acid gases from factories, cars and homes, the rain is becoming dangerous for the life of every living creature. This rain is known as acid rain. WHAT IS ACID RAIN? Acid gases are produced when fossil fuels like coal and oil are burned in power stations, factories and in our own homes. Most of these acid gases are blown into the sky, and when they mix with the clouds it can cause rain or snow, sleet, fog, mist or hail to become more acidic. The opposites of  acid are alkalis; for example, toothpaste and baking powder are both alkalis. Strong alkalis can also be dangerous, such as ammonia and bleach. Lemon juice, vinegar and cola are all acidic. Rain is naturally acidic, but acid gases make it even more acidic, sometimes as acid as lemon! Nature can also produce acid gases, such as volcanoes. When they erupt, the smoke that comes out of the crater is also full of acid gases. HOW DO WE MEASURE ACIDITY? There is a special scale called the pH scale that measures the strength of acids and alkalis. A low pH number means something is acid. A high number means something is alkali. And something in the middle is called neutral. Acidity can be tested using litmus paper. Usually rain is a little acidic, and has pH of about 5.5, if the pH of rainfall is less than 5.5, then the rain is probably polluted by acid gases. Acids turn litmus paper red, and alkalis turn it blue. With a special paper called universal indicator, you can test levels of acidity. WHAT ARE THE MAIN GASES THAT CAUSE ACID RAIN? When we burn fuels, chemicals called sulphur and nitrogen are released into the air. Once in the air, they mix with water in the air rain, snow, etc and are transformed into different chemicals called sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which can be very dangerous for plants, animals and people. Most of the sulphur comes from power stations, which make electricity, and also from volcanoes. Most of the nitrogen oxides come from car and truck exhausts. We call air pollution the bad gases that we produce and release in the air. Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are the most important causes of acid rain. A PROBLEM ALL OVER THE WORLD Air pollution can be carried over long distances. When acid gases are released, they go high up in the sky, and then they are pushed by strong winds towards other countries. The acid rain in Sweden is caused by air pollution in Britain and other countries of Europe. The pollution produced in Britain ends up mostly in Scandinavia countries in northern Europe  including Sweden, Norway and Denmark. In the USA, the winds blow the air pollution to certain areas in Canada. HOW BAD IS ACID RAIN? When rain is acidic, it affects what it falls on: trees, lakes, buildings and farmland. Sometimes rain is not very acidic and does not cause a lot of problems, but when it is acidic, it can be very harmful to the environment. TREES AND PLANTS Acid rain can have terrible effects on a forest. The acid takes away important minerals from the leaves and the soil. Minerals are like vitamins for trees and plants. Without them, trees and plants cannot grow properly. They lose their leaves and become very weak. They are no longer strong enough to fight against illnesses and frost. They become very ill and can even die. Some soils are alkaline, when acid rain falls on them the acid becomes neutral. Plants and trees living on these soils are not in any big danger.. LAKES AND WATER LIFE Acid rain has a terrible effect on water life. Even if the acid rain does not fall straight into the lake, for example, it may enter from rivers and streams. Some of the life in the lake such as fish and plants may end up dying, because they cannot survive in acidic lakes. Thousands of lakes in Scandinavia have no more life in them. They have received so much acid rain for so many years, because of the winds pushing the acid gases, that nothing can survive. You can recognise a lake dead from acid rain by its clean and crystal clear water. But they look clean because there is very little living in them anymore. Tiny plants and animals are mostly unable to survive.. OUR HEALTH Particulates very small particles of debris found in some of the air pollution are one of the main causes of health problems. In towns and cities, these are released mainly by diesel engines from cars and trucks. When we breathe in air pollution, these very fine particulates can easily enter our body, where they can cause breathing problems, and over time even  cause cancer. Water we drink from taps can be contaminated by acid rain, which can damage the brain.. BUILDINGS Acid rain can also ruin buildings because the acid eats into metal and stone. It also damages stained glass and plastics. Some types of building materials are softer than others, and it is the softer ones which are most affected by acid rain. Sandstone and limestone are examples of stone which are fairly soft and are damaged easily. Granite is an example of a harder stone that can resist the effects of acid rain. In many places in the world, ancient and famous buildings and monuments are affected by acid rain. For example, the Statue of Liberty in New York, USA, has had to be restored because of acid rain damage. Buildings are naturally eroded by rain, wind, frost and the sun, but when acidic gases are present, it speeds up the erosion.

Beowulf - The Ideal Hero Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays

Achilles, Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Samson and Heracles can all be characterized as heroes. However, each of these characters embodies different attributes that earn them the heroic distinction. This paper will seek to show that Beowulf is the â€Å"most† heroic figure based on his adherence to the heroic ethos. Also, the character of Gilgamesh will be used as a means of comparison to further showcase the heroic nature of Beowulf. The heroic ethos is a set of values that prioritize and glorify the valor of an individual. The motivation of the hero is to garner fame and immortality in legend, resulting in feats of excellence. Characteristics of the heroic ethos include service to people in the upper level of the hierarchy (e.g. relationship between lord and thane), a special relationship to god (special does not necessarily mean positive as in the case of Heracles and Hera), greatness in warfare/slaying, loyal, courageous, indispensable, and (almost) invulnerable. For the hero, the highest good is glory and the highest evil is shame. Beowulf, the son of Ecgtheow and Hygelac’s thane is introduced by Heaney as a valiant warrior. The reader immediately notices that Beowulf is well respected. The tone of the work suggests that even the narrator holds him in high esteem, â€Å"the man whose name was known for courage, the Geat Leader† (Heaney, 11) (the chapter is entitled â€Å"The Hero comes to Heorot†). Beowulf is introduced with grandeur. He is allowed to mention his own name and goes on to describe some of his feats, â€Å"They had seen me boltered in the blood of enemies, when I battled and bound five beasts, raided a troll nest and slaughtered sea – brutes† (Heaney, 13). Before actually seeing him in action, the reader is aware that Beowulf is a great warrior whose father is well respected. From the initial introduction, it is expected that Beowulf will be able to accomplish super human tasks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Similarly, Gilgamesh is also given a grand introduction. He is described as, â€Å"the strongest one of all, the perfect, the terror† (Ferry, 4). However, the overall view of Gilgamesh is not as honorable as Beowulf. The people of Uruk are lamenting to the god Aruru: (Ferry, 5) â€Å"Neither the father’s son nor the wife of the noble is safe in Uruk; neither the mother’s daughter nor the warrior’s bride is safe. The old men say: Is this the shepherd of the people? Is t... ...fraid of its magnitude. In Gilgamesh, the Gods are humanized. They succumb to desire (as seem with Ishtar when she is lusting after Gilgamesh) and revenge (the flood). In Gilgamesh, the Gods are directly involved in some of the action. In Beowulf, God is a verbal presence. In both Gilgamesh and Beowulf, the heroes had a relationship with God/Gods. However, as outlined above, these relationships were very different. Beowulf had a direct spiritual connection while Gilgamesh questions the actions and even opposes one of them (Ishtar).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Beowulf and Gilgamesh are both deemed heroes. According to heroic ethos, Beowulf proves to be the more valiant, law abiding one. He embodies the necessary characteristics of the Anglo – Saxon/Germanic hero (courage, loyalty, and greatness in warfare/battle). However, it can also be argued that Gilgamesh is a great hero because of his divergence from the classical heroic model. Many readers are able to connect more with Gilgamesh because of his â€Å"humanness†. In the end, he comes to understand that death is a part of life and that one can still live on forever through their accomplishments (for him, it would be through Uruk).

Red Bull versus Coca Cola Sport Sponsorship from a Sponsor’s Perspective Essay

Involved in this money is planning the sponsorship deal, carrying it out and last but not least evaluating the whole process and engagement (Hermanns 2003). So according to this the strategic planning process is crucial in order to communicate effectively and achieve the desired outcome. It has become more professional and the amount of money and time spent on this process has increased over the last years. Furthermore, Buhler and Nufer (2010) see mutual understanding, a long-term perspective and trust as important to satisfy the needs of both parties. Hence there are a lot of different perspectives that need to be considered during the strategic planning of a sponsorship deal and different types of strategies can be followed. The comparative case study of Coca-Cola and Red Bull’ sport sponsorship strategy relies on extensive secondary data, from newspaper coverage and official websites from Abstract In 2010, 18. 2 billion US-$ were spent on sponsoring in North America of which 68 per cent are spent on sport sponsoring, by far the leading form of sponsoring (Streng 2010). The area of Sport Sponsorship is immensely important in the sport business. In the major sport leagues sponsorship makes up at least a third of the overall turnover (Ludwig and Schneider 2010). However, the way in which sport sponsorship is dealt with has changed dramatically in recent years. The time where a sponsor just kindly signed a contract to support the local club is gone, especially when it comes to global operating organizations. On the one hand companies are willing to spend more on sport sponsorship. On the other hand they want to gain more in return. In 2010, 63. 7 per cent of the companies have a written strategic and operational planning before starting the sponsorship (Hermanns and Buschner 2010). The question that occurs is therefore how companies strategically plan their sponsorship activities. To respond to this question, this paper analyses the sponsorship strategy of two major sponsors from the beverage industry, Coca Cola and Red Bull. Coca Cola is the best known brand in the world and was one of the first sponsors in sport in the early 20th century. Red Bull is a new company which is highly involved in sport sponsorship. Their approaches however are different. While Coca-Cola is investing huge amounts to sponsors majors events with a global reach, such as the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup, Red Bull initially invested in lesser known extreme sports with a very specific target audience. Moreover, contrarily to Coca-Cola, Red Bull does not limit itself to buying sponsorship rights. In most cases, it also took over the control of the sponsee. Red Bull runs competitions in extreme sports, organizes events, and owns its own Formula 1 team and three football clubs (Salzburg, Leipzig and New-york). Red Bull’s strategy, now the fourth biggest sport sponsor in the world, is thus different to other global sponsors. In literature it is argued that implementing and using the gained rights costs the sponsor three times the money that they have spend on both the sponsors and their sponsees. To gain an additional insight, interviews with the sport sponsorship department of both organizations are planned to better apprehend their strategy and see what their plans are/were and what actually was achieves. These interviews will explore their target group(s), reason for this target segment, activities, general understanding of sponsorship, importance of sponsorship within the company etc. Preliminary results show that there are big differences in the sponsorship strategy of Red Bull and Coca Cola. While Coca Cola seems to be a partner of the sponsee, Red Bull is using a more aggressive style of sponsorship. Red Bull tends to take control of the whole situation in order to ensure the success and the direction of the event. The whole Red Bull company has implemented its sponsorship activities. An example is Red Bull TV, the company owned TV channel, which further broadcast the sponsees. Sponsorship is part of the company philosophy and irrigates its whole marketing strategy. The core product and the sponsorship area are closely linked. Though different, these two cases both demonstrate that strategic planning is getting more important in global companies. There are certain patterns which can be found as well as differences which are due to the different approaches and culture of the company. The implications for the future are more professionalism and concentrating on the own culture rather than trying to copy the strategy from another company. Strategies need to be unique and specifically created for the organisation.

Review Of Herman And Chomsky Essay

The ‘Manufacturing Consent’ of media operations written and applied by Edward Herman and   Noam Chomsky say   that elite mass media are united and interlocked with other institutional sectors in ownership, management and social circles. In democratic societies mass media plays an important role. They respond to public concerns and create awareness to the state policies important events and view points. The fundamental principles of democracy depend upon the notion of a reasonably informed electorate   that reflects   public opinion and respond to public concerns Media is an integral part of the society, media need not be controlled or set to a pattern they work united with other sectors.(European Journal of Communication; 2002, pg.147). Herman and Chomsky’s propaganda model has been named as ‘conspiracy theory’ because of its determined view of media behavior, according to them mass media are instruments of power that mobilize support for special interests that dominate the state and private activity and mass media acts in unison with other sectors, i.e. the academy, to establish, enforce, reinforce and police corporate hegemony. (European Journal of Communication 2002, pg148) .   Herman and Chomsky reject the ‘conspiracy label’ however ‘the Manufacturing Consent’s emphasis is on motives of media behavior, in relation to institutional controls.(Herman and Chomsky ;1988,pg 1-35). The model assumes that media designs should be explained in structural terms. According to Herman and Chomsky there are five major ‘filtering’ mechanisms which structure the news content. The authors admit that propaganda model cannot give every detail of such a complex matter as the working of the national mass media, the model does not assume that news reporters, editors and other workers are instructed or typically compelled to omit some voices and emphasize others, the model outlines circumstances under which media will be comparatively ‘open’ or ‘closed’. As micro-analysis is not the task of the Propaganda Model, it only provides an overview of the system at work, making sense out of a confusing picture by removing the main principles of the system, the basic argument in this context   is that meanings are easily ‘filtered’ by restrictions that are made in the system. The authors argue that meanings are formed at odd levels, as the decisions are understood to be natural and sensible, however the authors do not imply that newsroom workers always make decisions to align themselves with the interests of the dominant elites.(Rai,1995:pg46) Herman and Chomsky write that all news material goes through five inter related filter restrictions. Leaving only cleansed residue fit to be printed.(Herman and Chomsky;1988:pg 3-14). The five filter elements are: (1) the size, concentrated ownership, owner’s wealth, and profit orientation of the dominant mass-media; (2) advertising as the primary income source of the mass media. (3) the reliance of the media on information provided by government, business, and experts funded and approved by the primary sources and agents of power. (Martin and Knight 1997,pg 253-254). (4) Opposition as means of disciplining the media; (5) anti-communism as a national religion and control mechanism.(Herman ,cited in Wintonick and Achbar,1994:pg108). The first filter restriction emphasizes that media are closely interlinked and share common interests with other dominant sectors as corporations, the state, and banks. The dominant media sectors are large firms with large businesses; they are controlled by very wealthy people or by their managers who are subject to sharp restrictions by the owners. The second filter emphasizes that the news production process is highly influenced by advertising values ,most media must sell markets(readers) to buyers(advertisers).This dependency can directly influence media   performance, Chomsky   remarks   that media content reflects the interests of the sellers, the buyers, and the product . Herman contends that the application of the first and second filters of the   propaganda model has greatly influenced the economy the communications industries, and politics went through dramatic changes the two filters ,ownership and advertising have become even more important. The third filter is the news gathering process, the dominant elite provide press releases, copies of speeches, periodicals, photos, and thus government and corporate sources are attractive to media only for economic reasons. The third filter stresses that the opinions by corporate and state sources are adapted to class interest and market force. Herman and Chomsky stress that the nature of the mutual relationship between media and sources directly affect the media performance. The powerful can use personal relationships, threats, rewards, to influence media. The media under obligations may carry untrue stories in order not to offend their close relationship with the sources. The fourth filter, flak, means the state the dominant social institution which has power and resources to force the media to play a propagandistic role in society Herman and Chomsky explain that flak refers to negative responses to media statement, it may involve individuals or independent action, and the authors contend that preferred meanings are structured by dominating official sources, in this way news may be skewed in the desired direction. The fifth filter, the anti-communism has been replaced by ‘otherness’ It’s the idea of scaring people, creating fear, hatred, and discontent aroused by social and economic conditions, to prevent them from realizing to what is really happening to them.(Chomsky 1998: pg48).The authors maintain that media shapes public opinion by controlling how ideas are presented; the five filters curb the flow of the news as it passes through its gates and can easily limit what can be big news. Herman and Chomsky state that these five filter constraints are the essentials of propaganda model, the members of the power elite try to shape the beliefs and attitudes and opinions of the people through the media, free and open discussions are part of the process but leaders utilize deceit and violence to combat individuals and institutions as the public does not agree with the opinion of the power elite. The world politics has seen radical changes since the demise of communism in the former Soviet Union as mentioned in the Manufacturing Consent. The fifth filter is termed ‘the dominant ideology ’through out this book, however,   anti –communism   has been emphasized as the ideological elements that are most important in terms of discipline and control mechanisms. The Manufacturing Consent, gives a vague description of the fifth filter its ideology helps to mobilize people against an enemy it can be used against any policies that threaten property interests or support the communist states and radicalism, the model presumes that media performance is understood as the outcome of market forces, the dominant media are deeply and firmly imbedded in the market system, the main information sources ,the media depends on   are the government and major business firms. Herman and Chomsky view media as dominant ideological apparatus same   as mentioned in the thesis by William Domhoff in his book ,The Powers That Be: Processes of Ruling Class Domination in America. (Domhoff 1979,pg 169). Domhoff contends that the   four basic processes through which the ruling class ‘rules’ are (1)the special interest process;(2)policy formation process;(3)candidate selection; and(4)the ideological process, the Herman and Chomsky’s theory is the mirror of Domhoff’s theory of ideological apparatus for dominant elites.(Domhoff;1979,179-183). The Canadian sociologist Wallace Clement writes about the ruling class of Canada, he states through observation that the ruling elite have remained consistent over the past century. The institutional links within Canada are at elite level, ownership of capital is highly concentrated.(Canadian Corporate Elite;1975). Another Canadian sociologist Patricia Marchak (1988;pg122),stresses that the main question is under what conditions the state would be obliged to act only with reference to the interests of the capital. When such conditions are obtained universally, and when they do, the validity of Propaganda Model is likely to increase.(Patricia Marchak;1988,pg34). Herman and Chomsky do not claim that media acts only to circulate propaganda. The Propaganda Model   Ã‚  describes ‘the forces that cause the mass media to play a propaganda role’ they also argue that media not only serve the political and economic interests of dominant elite but also of the state. The authors admit that the propaganda model does not explain everything in every context it deals with the patterns of media behavior and performance. The elite media decides what topics, issues, and events that are to be considered ‘news worthy’ by the lower-tier media and establish the general discourse, they determine, they select,   they shape,   they control, they restrict in order   to serve the dominant elite groups in the society. This system is at odds with reality as the powerful are able to decide what the general public is allowed to see, hear, think and create public opinion by regular control. Individual powerlessness grows in the face of globalizing market; support organizations as the labor unions are weakened .In the final pages of Manufacturing Consent Herman and Chomsky acknowledge that the system is not all powerful, the domination of media by government and the elite have not overcome Vietnam syndrome and public hostility to direct US involvement in destabilization and over throw of foreign governments.   Herman and Chomsky took the phrase ‘manufacturing consent’ from the influential American journalist Walter Lippman who advocated consent engineering. He said common good should be managed by small specialized class. The creation of consent is not a new art, it was supposed to have died out with the birth of democracy but it is very much alive, it is now based on analysis rather than on rule of thumb. The engineering of consent is the essence of democratic process, (Bernays; 1947, cited in Wintonick and Achbar, 1994; pg41). the freedom of speech, press, petition, and assembly; the freedoms to make the engineering of consent possible are the most cherished guarantees of the Constitution of the United States.(Lippman, cited inRai,1995;pg23).   John Jay was the first chief justice of the Supreme Court he said ‘those who own the country ought to govern it’ in other words it is necessary to ensure that those who own the country are happy or else all will suffer, for they control investment and determine what is produced and distributed and what benefits will trickle down to those who rent themselves to the owners when the y can. The propaganda model contends that media content is organized to manufacture consent and to prevent opposition media content serves political ends the media makes choices that establish and define ‘worthy’ and ‘unworthy’ causes. The news coverage devoted to government(state)policy in general(foreign and domestic) by the elite to generate audience interest and sympathy in some stories while directing attention away from other stories Media take close interest in the Third World and their interconnections with the   government.(Herman and Chomsky,1988;pg13-14). The authors write that media treats victims of oppression and state terrorism differently, depending on the perpetrators. The ‘unworthy victims’ (victims of oppression and /or state terrorism perpetrated by us (Canada, the US and the other capitalist democracies), and ‘worthy victims’ (victims of oppression and/or state terrorism perpetrated by official enemy states).Different treatment is observed in sourcing and evaluating stories, full swing investigation in search of villain and of high officials, to humane treatment more prominent coverage. In case of ‘unworthy victims’ of enemy crimes, allegations are simply invented they have to rely on official US. sources unless they prove it wrong in which case they are avoided(Cambodia under Pol Pot is a case in point).It predicts that the victims of state terrorism/violence that is perpetuated by the democracies or client states will be given treatment that can be seen to serve political ends (Chomsky, 1988; pg34). The writers as moral agents are trying to bring the truth about matters of human significance to an audience that can do something about them. My personal view is that citizens of democratic societies should take a definite course of self- defense to protect their rights with the help of radio and television, advertising and public relations to safe guard their rights from being manipulated. The Independent mind must be allowed to develop and grow in a free society it is a difficult task as in today’s free society, consent is manipulation of public opinion. I do agree with the writers, in my view the young minds should separate themselves from the official manipulative system. Thus the writers are invested with a moral responsibility to tell the truth, it is a very difficult task to perform today even in our free society. Works Cited Clement, W. (1975) Canadian Corporate Elite: Analysis of Economic Power. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. Domhoff, William G. (1979) The Powers That Be: Processes of Ruling Class Domination in America. New York: Vintage Books. European Journal of Communication (2002) SAGE Publications (London, Thousand Oaks, CA and New Delhi), Vol 17(2): 147–182. [0267–3231(200206)17:2; 147–182; 023691] Martin, Michele with Graham Knight (1997) Communication and Mass Media: Culture, Domination and Opposition. Toronto: Prentice-Hall. Wintonick, Peter and Mark Achbar (1994) Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media. Montreal: Black Rose.

The Classical Western Essays

The Classical Western Essays The Classical Western Essay The Classical Western Essay Essay Topic: Classical Film genres vary from a range of different aspects such as categories, classifications or groups of films that are persistent and have similar or common identifiable patterns. For example syntax, filmic techniques or conventions. This includes one or more of the following setting, content and subject matter, theme, period, plot, central narrative, motif, styles, structures, situations, recurring, icons, stock character and stars many movies overlap quite a few film genres. Westerns are the main significant genre of the American film industry. They are one of the oldest, generally lasting genres with extremely recognisable plots, elements and characters, (Six guns, horses, dusty, towns and trails). Since the olden days, western have been reconstructed in many ways and drawn out. It portrays the conquest of the wilderness and nature. Western movies also refer back to the colonial period, this gives us a chance to interpret different context and develop our own view of modern movies to western. It is most definite one of the most artistic exploration of the Western time, as it redefines its past aspirations and ideas. High Noon One of the most popular, carefully shot and highly stylised movies is High Noon .It owes its popularity to suspense in the real sense which is very extraordinary and appealing to audiences and also its theme tune. The cultural form of this movie symbolises the western atmosphere. Features such as the photograph of the old civil war are a sign of reflecting the historical subjects of western time. The Pro-Filmic Codes are everything that happens in front of the camera. Such as the setting of the scene and features which are included in the scene. In High Noon the pro filmic codes include the tumbleweed, which is a representation of how deserted the area was in western times. It highlights the fact of isolation. Guns portrayed the action/violence of the characters and everyone was influenced of the fact that if you possess a gun you are a cowboy. So, there were basically influenced by wanting their position in society and reputation. Dress Code included the typical cowboy hats, boots and coats. The heros will wear light colours and outstanding ones however villains will be in darker colours to outline their negative role. Women wore dresses covering themselves mostly, however they had a very forward and bold look to them as of their tight braziers, which reflected more of an open look towards them. I think their look was the first change since the Elizabethan women and what the y used to wear. Saloon was one of the most socializing places of western towns. As the men used to drink, play cards, fight and pay visits to the whorehouses mostly situated upstairs. Church is the place of worship, which existed for Christians. The people in High Noon would mostly use it for confession and to wash away their sins. In High Noon, the sheriffs office was one of the most seen places in the movie as it came into a lot of use because of the villains. Also because the Sheriff was the hero and everything mostly revolved around his actions. Stables, horse posts and coaches were the most used transportation in the Western times. Another main place in High Noon is the train station every larger city had a station. The barbershop and general store are not shown in the movie much but was essential to a westernised movie. It was more of a socializing place as people used to gossip about others. In the movie Kanes wife Amy awaits her husband in the hotel, where she find out more gossip about her husband from one of the hotel workers. High Noon has one hero, one main villain and his helpers. Filmic Codes are technical Codes such as dialogue. One of the interesting techniques used in this movie was in fact to have the sequence of events occur in the real time. When a clock is shown in a scene, an event the audience expects to occur at another given time will occur that number of minutes later in the movie. This particular factor time is a filmic code of the movie. The colour of the movie, which is Black and White, is there to capture the atmosphere of old civil war photographs. The Theme and the music are based on the western image. It has a theme tune which persistently whines its way into the subconscious. The Southern Dialogue is an identifying tool of the characters; it helps us understand the nature of the people and their upbringing. A further filmic code shines all the way through at the station, when Helen Wills mature mistress boards the train. She notices the coming of Frank Miller-first seen from behind to build curiosity and enlarge tension and anticipation an d then seen with a close-up of his acne-scarred face. Establishing shots includes the crane shot, just before the final gunfight. The shot backs up and raises, and we see the character totally alone and isolated on the street. The entire town has deserted him. Through this event normal life has been disturbed .All of the given technical Codes are organised one after the other to create an abrupt feeling of a westernised movie. They all follow through an important role to fulfil a western genre. It probably works best as a thriller as it builds to a climax, but the ending of this is a bit unsatisfactory. The Theme of this movie includes the basics of a western movie. Violence, conflicts, marriage, sacrifice, death and love. The Sheriff gets married but after feels that he wants to give up his status as he wants to move on in life and enjoy his life. He is to weak to fulfil this wish, it is a story of a man who was to proud to run .The Villains get out of prison and after the sheriff is isolated as the town folks want him to leave. However, he cant because he has got responsibilities like his own wife and the societys protection. Many of the frightened, self-servicing and gutless townspeople are leaving in order to be absent when Miller shows up. The Showdown includes the high-awaited climax, which was a bit disappointing. The Hero wins, he disdainfully looks around reaches for his tin badge, takes it ff and drops it into the dusty street and turn to leave. He not only throws way his badge but his responsibility of the people. Magnificent 7 The Story of this movie is very similar to a Chinese film called Seven Samurai. A peasant village in Northern Mexico hires American gun fighters to fight off Calveras forty thieves. Pro-filmic codes, its a village, which is set in Mexico. There are Farmers who are dressed in white to show their innocence and no mean for harm to others .A Church, which is worn out, and old just like the rest of the village. This shows the poverty and their living standards. A pub, which is not like a saloon in the normal westerns. It was more like an open aired space, where people could sit anywhere in peace mostly outside on the terrace. Only the Magnificent 7 or the bandits used horses. Then we have the dress code of the Magnificent 7, which were all different as it reflects their individuality. Yul Brynner (Chris) is dressed in black portraying his dark past. Vin, dressed in white/ brown clothes showing more of a positive background. There are 7 heroes and one main villain with his fellow bandits. Filmic Codes, the movie is in colour. The wide shot used at the start of the introduction of the village is very informative as it shows what the features are of the village and gives us a clear idea of the village. Spanish language, this reflects the context and the dialogue. The theme music is by Elmer Bernstein. There is one theme tune played for the heroes and a different one for the villains, this reflects the difference of character. Chris, a leader, probably a noble fighter who comes across danger a lot. This is why he has earned the confidence in understanding his emotions and problematic situations. Vin, a competent person with a weapon he is defiantly similar to a cowboy. He likes the fact of being independent but wants to settle down and live his own way. Chico, he is the youngest of the seven also the most innocent and inexperienced. He wants to forget his past, which revolved around farming and wants to prove himself of being a fighter like the others. Bernardo, is a brawny solitary man that is a lot like Chris however does not seem to be as eager to lead. He is a very intriguing character and very unique. He has earned a bit of money from his past but has nothing now. The concentration he gives to the local community gives us an idea of his goodness and that he can part both violence and decency. This is what becomes a very important issue near the end as he runs to save the village children but unfortunately is killed by doing so. Lee is a very tricky character to understand. He seems to be the hard and strong gunman who used to be selfish and arrogant. But after so many years having understood life in a different way makes him realise his weaknesses. He really wants to do the right thing but finds it so hard to do it when it comes to the time. Britt is an outsider who is plainly misunderstood. He is someone whos thinking remains to him. Harry is a decent man but lets tings influence his decisions easily. He is like someone who is so close to get what he wants but always makes the mistake to step back. Its always like he has got it but refuses to take it. The chief of the bandits is Calvera who is not a contrasting fellow. He believes that his job is to steal and rob in order to provide himself and his men. The theme of this movie is a conflict between farmers and bandits, the farmers hire gunfighters. Seven heroes are hired to protect the village, first invasion of bandits is not successful and the heroes succeed. Bandits find another access to the village. The Bandits prepare a trap, which the heroes fall for. Heroes pride is hurt. This encourages them to fight back; it leads onto the showdown in the village. The Heroes win although 4 die and 3 survive. Village is saved, and then we are portrayed with the theme of love. As one of the heroes, Chico stays as he has fallen in love with one of the farmers daughters. Chris and Vin leave the village. Once upon a time in the West It is a spaghetti western as it is influenced by an Italian culture. The director himself is Italian too. It tells a story of five characters all entangled by possessions just prepared valuable by the railroad. Pro-Filmic Codes. Deserted Train Station this is ironic as it is a public place and hardly ever is deserted. There is a house, which is situated away from the town itself, The McBain property. Which the villains, Frank and Morton plan to take it. Harmonica and Cheyenne are the two heroes, as Harmonica is trying to get revenge on Frank and Cheyenne is blamed for killing the McBain family and for its own goodness he wants to try to find out who the real killer is. The real hero of the movie is in fact Jill McBain who is the beautiful prostitute who married Bratt McBain. To take revenge for her familys outcome she stays in the house and does not leave the town. She even has sexual contact with Frank but only to get closer to her enemy. Filmic Codes, this movie is in colour. The cinematography is excellent. Wide shots of the stunning, open rural area lends to the impressive classical feel. To portray feelings and emotions, close ups were used rather than dialogues. The movie travels very gradually and in a very spectacular and heroic way. We are presented with 3 men with weapons s the train station with backgrounded noises for example the creaking of the windmills. There is a zoom in on the mens faces as the train arrives at the station. The theme music include the Harmonica, this again outlines the western influence also the guitar, banjo and romantic theme. The use of natural sounds is very good for example the flight of birds and the horses. The theme includes death, revenge and nature. Long opening scene introducing the 3 villains and 1 hero. Villains kill McBain family except the wife who is not present. After death, the townsfolks gather around the McBain property. Jill McBain arrives at her house seeing the people of the town surrounding the dead bodies. She swears revenge. Cheyenne is introduced as the second hero and he encounters with Jill at her house. He also meets Harmonica. They think of a plan to save the property, this links onto the showdown where eye shots are used frequently. Heroes win and the 2 villains die. Revenge comes to an end. Over the time, we have developed our understanding of movies which are very different in many ways whether it be the way the characters are introduces, how long the introductory scene is and what other things such as noises we should take into consideration. There is something in every movie, which is unique; there is always one aspect of what difference it makes to others. That is why every movie varies because they advance from each other, which develops, into a more and more altered way of viewing cinema. The Generic Conventions and themes influence the characters, plot and themes. It is what makes the movie, a movie. Without these things there wouldnt be an understanding between the features so it wouldnt flow. This develops through language, music, characterisation and classifications.

Battle of Princeton in the American Revolution

Battle of Princeton in the American Revolution Conflict Date: The Battle of Princeton was fought January 3, 1777, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Armies Commanders: Americans General George WashingtonBrigadier General Hugh Mercer4,500 men British Major General Lord Charles CornwallisLieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood1,200 men Background: Following his stunning Christmas 1776 victory over the Hessians at Trenton, General George Washington withdrew back across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. On December 26, Lieutenant Colonel John Cadwaladers Pennsylvania militia re-crossed the river at Trenton and reported that the enemy was gone. Reinforced, Washington moved back into New Jersey with the bulk of his army and assumed a strong defensive position. Anticipating a swift British reaction to the Hessians defeat, Washington placed his army in a defensive line behind Assunpink Creek to the south of Trenton. Sitting atop a low string of hills, the American left was anchored on the Delaware while the right ran east. To slow any British counterattack, Washington directed Brigadier General Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy to take his brigade, which included a large number of riflemen, north to Five Mile Run and block the road to Princeton. At Assunpink Creek, Washington faced a crisis as the enlistments of many of his men were set to expire on December 31. By making a personal appeal and offering a ten dollar bounty, he was able to convince many to extend their service by one month. Assunpink Creek In New York, Washingtons concerns about a strong British reaction proved well-founded. Angered over the defeat at Trenton, General William Howe cancelled Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis leave and directed him to advance against the Americans with around 8,000 men. Moving southwest, Cornwallis left 1,200 men under Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood at Princeton and another 1,200 men under Brigadier General Alexander Leslie at Maidenhead (Lawrenceville), before encountering the American skirmishers at Five Mile Run. As de Fermoy had become drunk and wandered away from his command, leadership of the Americans fell to Colonel Edward Hand. Forced back from Five Mile Run, Hands men made several stands and delayed the British advance through the afternoon of January 2, 1777. After conducting a fighting retreat through the streets of Trenton, they rejoined Washingtons army on the heights behind Assunpink Creek. Surveying Washingtons position, Cornwallis launched three unsuccessful attacks in an attempt to take the bridge over the creek before halting due to growing darkness. Though warned by his staff that Washington may escape in the night, Cornwallis rebuffed their concerns as he believed the Americans had no line of retreat. On the heights, Washington convened a council of war to discuss the situation and asked his officers if they should stay and fight, withdraw across the river, or make a strike against Mawhood at Princeton. Electing for the bold option of attacking Princeton, Washington ordered the armys baggage sent to Burlington and his officers to commence preparation for moving out. Washington Escapes: To pin Cornwallis in place, Washington directed that 400-500 men and two cannon remain on the Assunpink Creek line to tend campfires and make digging sounds. These men were to retire before dawn and rejoin the army. By 2:00 AM the bulk of the army was quietly in motion and moving away from Assunpink Creek. Proceeding east to Sandtown, Washington then turned northwest and advanced on Princeton via the Quaker Bridge Road. As dawn broke, the American troops were crossing Stony Brook approximately two miles from Princeton. Wishing to trap Mawhoods command in the town, Washington detached Brigadier General Hugh Mercers brigade with orders to slip west and then secure and advance up the Post Road. Unknown to Washington, Mawhood was departing Princeton for Trenton with 800 men. The Armies Collide: Marching down the Post Road, Mawhood saw Mercers men emerge from the woods and moved to attack. Mercer quickly formed his men for battle in a nearby orchard to meet the British assault. Charging the tired American troops, Mawhood was able to drive them back. In the process, Mercer became separated from his men and was quickly surrounded by the British who mistook his for Washington. Refusing an order to surrender, Mercer drew his sword and charged. In the resulting melee, he was severely beaten, run through by bayonets, and left for dead. As the battle continued, Cadwaladers men entered the fray and met a fate similar to Mercers brigade. Finally, Washington arrived on the scene, and with the support of Major General John Sullivans division stabilized the American line. Rallying his troops, Washington turned to the offensive and began pressing Mawhoods men. As more American troops arrived on the field, they began to threaten the British flanks. Seeing his position deteriorating, Mawhood ordered a bayonet charge with the goal of breaking through the American lines and allowing his men to escape towards Trenton. Surging forward, they succeeded in penetrating Washingtons position and fled down the Post Road, with American troops in pursuit. In Princeton, the majority of the remaining British troops fled towards New Brunswick, however 194 took refuge in Nassau Hall believing that the buildings thick walls would provide protection. Nearing the structure, Washington assigned Captain Alexander Hamilton to lead the assault. Opening fire with artillery, American troops charged and forced those inside to surrender ending the battle. Aftermath: Flush with victory, Washington wished to continue attacking up the chain of British outposts in New Jersey. After assessing his tired armys condition, and knowing that Cornwallis was in his rear, Washington elected instead to move north and enter winter quarters at Morristown. The victory at Princeton, coupled with the triumph at Trenton, helped bolster American spirits after a disastrous year which saw New York fall to the British. In the fighting, Washington lost 23 killed, including Mercer, and 20 wounded. British casualties were heavier and numbered 28 killed, 58 wounded, and 323 captured. Selected Sources British Battles: Battle of PrincetonBattle of Princeton

Develop an Export Strategy for an Organisation Essay

Develop an Export Strategy for an Organisation - Essay Example These processing industries need huge supplies of cocoa, a factor that makes an opportunity for developing countries to explore the market. Consequently, with Ghana being among the leading world producers of Cocoa beans, this marks an opportunity for the exploration of international markets by local companies (Pinnamang & Armah, 2011, p 34). The Cocoa Marketing Company limited in Ghana is among the leading dealers in cocoa. Thus, the factor of discussion remains to establish international ties between the companies in the Netherlands and CMC to facilitate export of Cocoa to Netherlands. The international trade options of the company include venturing into the market through either direct or indirect exporting strategies. In an analysis of the temperament of the market in the Netherlands, in this case CMC should adopt the direct export strategy to allow it to engage the international market extensively. The Netherlands is a member of several trade organizations and it incorporates several free trade and movement regulations for exporters and importers, a factor that liberates the markets (Country Intelligence Report Netherlands, 2014, p 11). Therefore, with Ghana being a developing country CMC will benefit accordingly in engaging the market directly. The company should lay strategy on the contacts to establish and leading figures and offices in the Netherlands to ensure they engage the market extensively and reap the trade benefits in a leading world market. Food processing is a leading industry in Netherlands. The foods that Netherlands processes originate from within and imported products. These industries incorporate the leading industries of processors of cocoa beans to produce various products. There are leading companies within the country, such including Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate company among others (Parker, 2010, p 17). Moreover, the country processes the Cocoa into powder among other products, creating a