Direct And Database Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Direct And Database Marketing - Case Study Example They are now starting to pursue the natural progression relationship marketing, where their marketing communication to a customer will be defined according to the nature of that customer. Secondly, they sell through an indirect channel, yet their efforts can be defined as direct marketing because it is done to customers with the goal of a direct response in return (Tapp 2004 p4). To reach the wide customer base currently served, Lawson uses indirect sales via 1600 independent sales representatives. As their sales channel is therefore highly granular as well as being independent, information flow back to Lawson is limited, in particular for analysis of customer data or tracking of marketing campaigns. The industry sector is also one that typically does not exploit the possibilities of database marketing, although in the light of the competitive situation, this may change (RRW 2008). The company saw that more effective marketing was required and hired executives with marketing skills to address the situation (Adcock et al 2001). These new members of the company realised that instead of treating all customers as the same, it was necessary to capture customer details in order to build a relationship with that customer and by personalising the treatment given, to maximise the possibilities of repeat business (Tapp 2004 p4). ... The company's data at the time was distributed in an ad hoc fashion between spreadsheets, smaller databases and mailing lists. Although it gave personal customer data and purchase data on what different customers had bought, it lacked the data on what communication or sales campaign history was and what responses the customer might have given. It was in this sense not a full marketing database (Goldwag 2003). A number of related software applications were implemented to address this situation, including applications to cleanse data, analyse it, store it in an SQL database and provide reports. The cleansing of the data is to prevent duplication of records as well as invalid addresses or customers who have requested that no contact be made. The analysis is currently done to assess the effectiveness of Lawson's life cycle marketing with particular emphasis on customer retention. This is a time-series method, which as a short-term measure is relatively fast and precise for the prediction of customer response and sales revenue (Tapp 2004 p59). The conclusions that Lawson has reached so far are that there is considerable turnover of customers and therefore lower customer loyalty, and that customer defection happens rapidly and therefore demands a rapid response from Lawson. This is the short-term answer until the marketing team refines a model that not only let them exploit the end customer's growing wish to have direct contact with the manufacturer of the good that they purchase, but also uses this direct marketing to add value to products such as rivets and screws that are often perceived as a commodity offering (Tapp 2004 p15). A figure for the return on investment on the efforts made so far is unavailable. Lawson's evaluation of the benefits

The history of video games Essay Example for Free

The history of video games Essay The world of video games has played a part in several generations and they have always been entertaining for everyone. They have consistently evolved over the years keeping up with the times always offering gamers the best quality that is available. What started as mainly being played on televisions now is being played in hand held versions in addition to cell phones. Video games are evolving again with the games allowing the chance for everyone to get involved with the fun. From little toddlers to grandparents, there is a game out there all genres. I will explain each next-gen platform and its differences. The first system is the Nintendo Wii, Wii standing for we meaning that this console was built for everybody to play. This is the smallest console to date weighing in at only less than three pounds, over six inches tall, and it plays 12† inch discs in addition to eight inch discs from its predecessor the Nintendo GameCube. This console is motion censored based meaning that you have to move your body with the controller. This is the only that requires a memory card since there is not a lot of internal memory. This console is for everybody and it became instant hit and sold millions of units in a few short months. Next console is the X-Box 360, the second system released by Microsoft offering a more detailed online experience. With the ability to play others online the 360 has a social networking feel where you interact through your game. This console is fairly heavy weighing in at almost six pounds and with the older models the hard drives are detachable offered in 60 and 120 GB. The current model now has a 250GB hard drive and it slimmer lighter model and now it affordable as opposed to release in 2006 and starting price at $400. Then there is the PlayStation 3 perhaps the best console out of three offers their gamers the ability to play blue-ray discs in addition to having web browser option to connect to your internet service through Ethernet connection. With other features like the PlayStation Store where you can purchase your games and download it to your console, and the PlayStation Home where you can interact with others through an avatar. It began with consoles 20 and 60 GB and now it is offered in 160 and 320 GB since its launch in 2006. Each of these video games is unique in their own way but yet it offers the level entertainment that gamers always come to expect. However, they have evolved to target more guys there are games for everybody now. It is amazing how far these video games have come.

Portrayal of Women in Media

Portrayal of Women in Media Are We Seeing Increased Sexualization of Women in Media? Feminists argue that popular media contributes to coerciveness and sexual assault toward women as seen by the dominant presence of violence against women in all forms of media (Linz Malamuth, 1993). Adolescents have been resorting to popular entertainment for information about sex, drugs, alcohol and violence (Kaiser Family Foundation, 1999). Their preference for the more popular and accessible music videos has provides them with such information. Analysis of Music Television (MTV) has shown that men appeared nearly twice as often as women and engaged in significantly more aggressive, dominant behavior and women were shown as engaging in more implicitly sexual and subservient behavior. They were depicted to be frequent objects of explicit, implicit and aggressive advances by men (Sommers-Flanagan, Sommers-Flanagan, Davis, 1993). It is usual for women in these videos to be used as decorative objects, and only a few videos show men and women are treated equally (Vincent, Davis Borus zkowski, 1987). One study of media and sexuality revealed that exposure to MTV among college females was the most powerful predictor of sexual permissiveness (Strouse Buerkel-Rothfuss, 1987). Likewise, in video games, a more sexist orientation and graphic violence against women is getting prevalent. Overall, content in various media such as television, video games, music videos communicates that women are to be objectified, sexualized, dominated, assaulted and even killed (Bretthauer, Zimmerman Banning, 2006). Evolving Standards of Women’s Beauty Standards of women’s beauty keep on changing, with more recent standards emphasizing body proportions that are not normally seen on everyday women. Cusumano Thompson (1997) studied standards of women’s beauty in magazines over a 20-year period. In Playboy magazine, the models were considered to epitomize the ideal female body shape. Bust and hip measurements as well as weights of the centerfolds were taken in the span of 20 years (1959-1978) and mean weight of the centerfolds was observed to be signify antly lower than the average female for the same time period. Another observation is a decrease in the centerfolds’ bust and hip measurements as the heights of the models increased over the 20-year period. Consequently, an increase in the number of diet articles was seen in a number of women’s magazines also in the same time span (Cusumano Thompson, 1997). Along with this, there was also a significant increase in the areas of weight loss, beauty, fitness a nd health. Fashion magazines contained more health and fitness articles than traditional magazines. In terms of body measurements, Thompson and Tantleff (1992) found that women’s ideal breast size to be larger than their own current size. On top of that, women’s and men’s concept of the societal ideal breast size was found to be even larger than the women’s ideal size. This implies that media may have promoted images fostering discrepancies between current and ideal perceptions of societal ideal sizes (Thompson Tantleff, 1992). Print Media Sex sells. That is something being propagated by media. Hence in all kinds of media formats, images of alluring ladies showing much of their skin are being presented together with products being sold in the belief that the product will be more saleable. Magazines, in particular, have significantly increased the amount of sexual content not only in exhibiting sexualized women’s images but also offering explicit sexual advice (Kim Ward, 2004). The message being conveyed by contemporary magazines with more a liberated nature is that sexually assertive women are prized creatures and if women want to be considered as such, they should follow the advice in the magazine articles. This is a time when the sexuality of young girls is being presented in an exploitative manner. Sexual agency and desire is highly promoted to them. In magazines like Cosmopolitan, though, women’s sexual agency and aggressiveness are promoted within the confines of a relationship (Durham, 1996). What is ironic is that there is a strong emphasis for women to be sexually active to please men, but not overtly sexual, as they still need to make men feel in control. They are expected to be sexually attractive to men in a way that promotes sexual desirability, but should keep their own desire concealed as they need to be pursued and not to be the predator (Durham, 1996, 1998; Garner et al., 1998). These magazines, then, can be seen as part of a ‘cultural apparatus that purports to assist women to be heterosexually attractive, to be coy, alluring, â€Å"sexy,† and flirtatious, in order to â€Å"find true love† and to â€Å"catch a man,† and then to maintain his interest’ (Overall, 1999, p. 298). Mass media’s dominant representation of women is that they exist for men’s satisfaction of their sexual fantasies (Wood, 1994). Cleo and Cosmopolitan magazines encourage women to be as ‘sexual’ as they can be, making them available to satisfy men’s sexual fantasies and desires. Although being able to provide sexual satisfaction for men may be a source of pleasure and power for women, it also reflects that women are reliant on men for their own self-image and power (Machin Thornborrow, 2003). Thus, repeatedly reading articles on how to give pleasure to men may promote women’s insecure sexuality (Farvid Braun, 2006). Sex is promoted as a way to keep a man interested in a woman enough to stay in a relationship. Farvid Braun (2006) observe in Cleo and Cosmopolitan magazines that the ability of some women to provide great sex to men is essential in fulfilling not only men’s sexual needs but women’s relational needs as well. Cleo magazine advocates women to leave an impression where it counts†¦ in bed. These magazines project an image of men as potential cheaters and great sex can keep them from straying. That is why women are advocated to learn the art of sexual pleasing to keep their men faithful. Krassas, Blaukamp Wesselink (2001) conclude that women’s magazines communicate a paradoxical perspective of female sexuality in that women are encouraged to shed their traditional roles and become more independent while they are pressured to find and sexually satisfy a man. Women’s bodies are considered commodities and their independence allows them to use such commodities to their advantage and to maximize their market value (Goldman, Heath Smith, 1991). Krassas, Blaukamp Wesselink (2001) also note that Cosmopolitan magazine may be the first to recognize women as sexual, at the same time, they are primarily sexual objects whose desire is fulfilled by allowing themselves to be treated as commodities that are sexually available to men and designed to attract men. How Women are Depicted in Advertising Erving Goffman (1979) has studied positioning of women in advertisements and concluded that it mirrored their role in society. Goffman identified the model’s gaze to be important and suggested that women are usually sights to be gazed upon. How the woman is positioned in pictures have accorded meanings. Stereotypical poses such as the model gazing away from the camera and seem o drift off may be categorized as â€Å"licensed withdrawal†. Goffman describes a pattern in which women more often than men are pictured as â€Å"removed psychologically from the social situation at large, leaving them unoriented in it, and presumably, therefore, dependent on the protectiveness and goodwill of others† (Goffman, 1979, p. 57). Gestures suggesting licensed withdrawal are covering the face, sucking or biting fingers, averting one’s head or eyes, shielding oneself behind an object or person, and leaning for support against another person. Contrarily, when the model gazes into the camera, it is an â€Å"engaging gaze† engaging the viewer with a seductive look (Frith, Cheng Shaw, 2004). Goffman’s category of â€Å"feminine touch† most often depicts women lightly caressing an object while men are depicted as grasping or using an object. Women are portrayed as more likely touching themselves such as resting their fingertips on their chin or neck (Goffman, 1979). Conveying a â€Å"conventionalized expression of sexual availability† (Goffman, 1979, p. 41), women are often pictured reclining on a floor or a bed, or canting a head or knee at an odd angle that can be read as an â€Å"acceptance of subordination, an expression of ingratiation, submissiveness, and appeasement† (1979, p. 46). Other observations of Goffman regarding pictures of women and men together include men positioned as bigger or higher in the frame than women. This communicates differences in social status and dependency of women on men. Also, men are often portrayed as performing a function whereas women are merely decorative (Goffman, 1979). Women’s bodies have been used to sell several advertised products. Walsh-Childers (1996) observed that photos of women in advertising usually focused the reader’s eye on women’s body parts such as the breasts. Soley and Kurzbad (1986) also observed that more and more sexual content became manifest since the mid-1980’s as female nudity and erotic content became commonplace in contemporary U.S. advertising. Ms. Magazine published advertisements that increasingly portrayed women as sex objects in its first 15 years of publication. After it no longer ran such ads, Ms. Magazine upheld a position that explicitly embraced feminist orientation and spurned advertisements which were insulting to women. Ms. magazine â€Å"established itself as an institutional prototype for the appropriate conduct of advertising to women† (Ferguson et al., 1990, p. 41). Still, with this supposed precedent of championing for women in advertising, there persist ads depicting wom en as sex objects (Krassas, Blaukamp Wesselink, 2001). Cultural Differences in the Portrayal of Women in Media Women ‘s depiction in media varies depending on their cultural background. Predominantly, women from western cultures are depicted to be more sexually open and less inhibited in showing their bodies and being associated with more sexually-suggestive themes. Frith, Cheng Shaw (2004) contend that in western cultures, women have acquired rights to display their bodies in public without fear of retribution or condemnation. These women have also claimed their right to take pleasure in their bodies. However, in the Middle East and in many parts of Asia, women are expected to dress modestly and demurely (Cheng, 1997). Portraying women as classic beauty types with â€Å"demure† dress across cultures is shared by Eastern and Western cultures. When it comes to portraying women as sensual or sexy beauty types, though, a noticeable difference emerges. More often, such beauty type is used with western models suggesting that advertisers across cultures present western models as more sexually liberated than Asians (Frith, Cheng Shaw, 2004). The message conveyed is that western models are seen more as sex objects than Asian models. On the other hand, Asian models more likely portray the cute/girl-next-door beauty type (Maynard Taylor, 1999). One outcome of depicting women in such childish manner is diminishing their standing in society as full-fledged adults, thereby pitting them less than their male counterparts. Representations of women as strong, professional and independent individuals may be threatening to men, and since patriarchal ideology is mostly upholded in certain countries, advertisers avoid such portrayal of women (Frith, Cheng Shaw, 2004). In terms of women’s roles, in Sweden, they are frequently portrayed as professionals while in the US, they are used more as â€Å"decorative† elements. Biswas et al. (1992) reported that sex appeal was used more often in French advertising than in the US. Asian women are usually represented as actively working while US women are seen as relaxing at home. For example, Sengupta (1995) observed that in print advertisement, Japanese women were more likely to be shown as â€Å"cooking, cleaning and doing other household chores† (p. 329). However, in Japanese advertising, when women were portrayed in their professional roles, it is more often as entertainers or actresses (Cooper-Chen, 1995). Maynard Taylor (1999) also observed young Japanese models posed as â€Å"cute† or â€Å"girlish† (smiling and giggling), whereas Western models were posed with more serious expressions depicting a more defiant and independent image. This reflects various portrayals o f women as they are seen in their culture. Swedish society may see women as capable professionals. American culture may view women as embellishments to lives made better by men. They may be the recipients of their men’s compensation for hard work as they are shown enjoying life and occupy themselves in remaining beautiful. In Japan, women are seen as lower class citizens compared to men, and this shows in their advertisements. They are portrayed as domesticated and dependent on their men as compared to American women who are portrayed to e more independent. A model’s â€Å"gaze† in ads communicates various messages to readers. Samovar, Porter Jain (2001) claim that intercultural communication researchers found that in Asian cultures, direct eye contact is considered aggressive and unfeminine. However, in cultures such as Singapore and Taiwan, women models tend to look directly at the camera. This may be credited to prevailing standards of appearing attractive or it may suggest photographic conventions led by women’s liberation movement in Western industrialized countries to depict women as confident and expressing themselves with direct eye contact (Frith, Cheng Shaw, 2004). Hovland et al. (2005) conducted a study that found many Korean women experiencing dilemmas between the Westernized ideal images of women conveyed in women’s magazines and their own expected traditional roles in their culture. Western values promoted such as competition, freedom, professionalism and individualism challenge traditional Korean values of harmony, obedience and collectivism. This shows how American magazines can be powerful in unsettling readers’ when they read articles that have ideologies that may not agree with their own. It is interesting to note that American contemporary women’s magazines such as Cosmopolitan magazines have such a wide reach that traverses various cultures and locations, so the ideologies they present may be interpreted in various ways. Contemporary American women’s magazines use a limited range of races of its models. These magazines target a market that is predominantly Caucasian and may not expect to target other races . This may be viewed as ethnocentric (Hovland et al., 2005). Ironically, Asian women’s magazines adopt Western images in their advertising. In both American and Asian magazines, the use of Black models is not too frequent and this may be indicative of the adoption of the Western emphasis on the predominance of a White or European beauty standard (Hovland et al., 2005). Increased Sexualization in Popular Modern Music Genres Heavy metal music, described as the overtly violent and sexually explicit segments of rock and roll music (Lynxwiler, 1988) earned the wrath of Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) and targeted a media campaign against it (Gore, 1987). The organization portrayed heavy metal music as dangerous to young minds because it emphasized the use of drugs, encouraged adolescent sex, endorsed sexist/ pornographic values, instrumental in delivering occult messages and caused violent, lawless behavior (Markson, 1990). Such claims created much controversy that it received national attention when Congressional hearings were held to determine if indeed heavy metal albums and other forms of popular music must be evaluated for their influence in proliferation of â€Å"porn-rock† in the United States (Gray, 1989). The hearings did not produce great changes however, more and more organizations concerned with â€Å"child victims† such as conservative parental, religious and feminist groups pushed for the regulation of heavy metal music (Bayles, 1994). Still others began their own uprising against rap music (Binder, 1993). Jones (1997) claims, that as a matter of definition, rap and hip-hop music are often used interchangeably. However, Powell (1991) defined hip-hop as the beat of the music and rap as the narrative representation, the talking over the beat. Hence, the use of explicit violence and sexual lyrics may be blamed down to rap. Powell (1991) described â€Å"commercial rap† as hip hop or dance rap. Hardcore rap, or gangster rap is the one that raises much controversy. Researchers have suggested that hip hop and rap music, rooted in Black culture can be tools through which Black youth may negotiate their identities to develop an authentic Black identity (Clay, 2003). They see the music as reflective of their lives and to assert that music relates to empowerment, cultural connection and positive identity development (Sullivan, 2003; Berry, 1994). Critics of hip hop and rap, however, have argued that Black youth may be very susceptible to the influences of hip hop role models who promise money, power and status to men who show disrespect for women (Squires, Kohn-Wood, Chavous Carter, 2006). Mahiri and Conner’s (2003) ethnographic study of African American middle school students manifested resistance in the negative images emanating from rap and hiphop. This study suggested the use of rap and hiphop images related to social and gender roles as a point of reference from which participants could verbally evaluate, compare and contrast their own beliefs and attitudes. Adolescents in the study of Squires, Kohn-Wood, Chavous Carter (2006) believed that certain women can be â€Å"nasty† and may â€Å"choose† to be abused, and that abusive men may be products of their environment. Still, they showed dissatisfaction with the representations of Black men and women in hip hop. Their criticisms revolved around women’s individual behavior and style and how outsiders might stereotype Black men as thugs for emulating hiphop fashion. Such perceptions of gender roles based on hiphop seemed to extend to the participants’ evaluations of women’s and men’s responsibility and choices with regards to real world sexual aggression and violence (Squires, Kohn-Wood, Chavous Carter, 2006) The problematic aspects of rap music is usually focused on its most acrimonious strain which is gangsta rap. Narratives in such strain are extremely troubling in their glamorization of violence,, materialism, misogyny and sexual transgression (Mahiri Conner, 2003). However, Dyson (1996) argued that the vulgarity expressed in gangsta rap are strongly linked to dominate cultural constructions of â€Å"the other’ and market-driven strategies for rampant economic and human exploitation. Therefore, Dyson noted, the debate about gangsta rap should be situated in a much broader critique of how these narratives essentially mirror ancient stereotypes of Black identity and sexual proclivity through the society’s circulation of â€Å"brutal images of black men as sexual outlaws and black females as â€Å"ho’s† (1996, p. 178)

War PropagandaPast, Present and Future Essay -- Essays Paspers

War PropagandaPast, Present and Future Part 1: An In-depth Look at War Propaganda Propaganda consists of the planned use of any form of public of mass-produced communication designed to affect the minds and emotions of a given group for a specific purpose, whether military, economic, or political. -Linebarger, Paul Myron Anthony In every aspect of life, there tends to be a desire to have others see things the way we see them. In theory, if we all share the same views and opinions, we can unite for common goals. Propaganda consists of a communicators objective to impose or manipulate a person, or group of people into adopting his ideals. Perhaps the most common place that Propaganda is used is during times of war. Given the choice, most people would most likely not express a love for war. Some are passionately against it, others, though not in love with the idea, support it when it’s necessary. Due to the raw nature of war and people’s reactions to it, there seems to be some force working to mask the negative feelings towards war and unite people in support of it. With regard to war, the purpose of propaganda is to make a particular group of people forget that another group is human. By focusing on a few, simple target ideas that reinforce the notion that another group of people are harmful and inhumane, propaganda is able to unite people in an unrealistic mindset. Understandably, however, governments have a priority to nurture the morale of its people and the armed forces that represent it by intimidating the enemy with the force of natural will. The question of whether or not we choose to accept this harsh reality remains ambiguous, as there will always be two sides to the argument. So as it stands, it is... ...11. Starick, Paul. Iraq War Propaganda; War of Words- the Battle for Hearts and Minds. The Advertiser. March 29, 2003. 12. http://www.disinfopedia.org Propaganda Versus Democracy 13. www.globalissues.org Shah, Anup. War, Propaganda and the Media. August 2004. 14. www.independent.org Horten, Gerd. Radio Goes to War: The Politics of Propaganda World War II. 15. www.medialens.org Miller, David. Eliminating Truth: The Development of War Propaganda 16. www.onlinejournal.com 17. www.propagandacritic.com 18. www.socialistworker.org Pro-war Propaganda Machine. March 2003. 19. www.stentorian.com/propagan.html Levinson, William A. An Introduction to Propaganda. 1999. 20. www.truthout.org Morgan, David. Critic Accuses Media of Aiding US War Propaganda. May 2, 2003. 21. www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk

The True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

In Search of Goal Do you think looking forward and trying to change a bad situation into a good one for having a better life is a wrong decision? The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian is a novel written by Sherman Alexie. The novel is about Arnold Spirit; everyone calls him Junior. He is a teenage boy with a tough life who lives with his family in poverty on a Spokane Indian reservation in Wellpinit, Washington. He hates living in poverty and wants something better for himself. â€Å"I feel like I might grow up to be somebody important.An artist†(6) he claims. His living conditions are horrible; he studies in a school with a lack of resources. He considered the different aspects of moving to Reardan, he struggled about leaving the Rez. In the end Junior decided to leave the Rez and make a better life for himself. He must go somewhere else, somewhere that people have hope. In order to get a decent education he made the difficult decision to transfer to the privileged white school in the town of Reardan. Leaving the Rez for a better life had a negative impact on Junior’s relationship with Rowdy.Junior and Rowdy were friends for a long time. â€Å"He is my best human friend and he cares about me† (16), â€Å"Rowdy has protected me since we were born† (17). Rowdy was the most important person in Junior’s life. By leaving the Rez, Junior lost his friend. When Junior told Rowdy about leaving the Rez he got mad, he hauls off and punched Junior in the face and told him, â€Å"Don’t touch me, you retarded fag† (52). Rowdy was angry with Junior; he thought Junior betrayed him by making this decision.Junior was upset about what happened he felt guilty that their relationship was ruined. â€Å"I knew that my best friend had become my worst enemy†(53). In sum, Junior lost his best friend Rowdy because of the decision that he made for a better life. In addition to losing his old friend making new friends at Re ardan was hard and slow. When Junior arrived in Reardan he was scared. He didn't know what was going to happen with the other students. He was wondering what he was doing in a racist white school. Did you know that Indians are living proof that niggers fuck buffalo? I felt that Roger had kicked me in the face. That was the most racist thing I ‘d ever heard in my life† (64) He tried to protect himself when he hit Roger, and he didn’t understand why Roger didn’t try to hit him back. He was scared about the decision that he made. Arnold was the center of attention and this feeling made him uncomfortable, â€Å"They stared at me like I was Bigfoot or a UFO† (56). Most of the students rejected him, they called him names like â€Å"Chief† â€Å"Squaw Boy† â€Å"Tonto†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (64).It was the loneliest time of his life; â€Å" I just walked from class to class alone; I sat at launch alone; during PE I stood in the corner of the gym and played catch with myself† (83). He thought that he could make friends, but Reardan students didn’t want him in their school. He felt really lonely. As a result, Arnold was lost because everything in Reardan was different from the Rez; he knew that it would be hard for him to find his place in the racist school of Reardan. Although he had a lot of external problems with his new life style in Reardan, it was nothing compared to the internal conflict he suffered.Toward the end of the novel Junior was faced with an abundance of death among his family and friends. After the death of his grandmother, sister and his father’s best friend he was sad, and felt that all the bad things that happened to his friend and family were his fault. As a result he felt helpless and stupid: â€Å"I was mad at God† (171). â€Å"I was so depressed that I thought about dropping out of Reardan. I thought about going back to Wellpinit. I blamed myself for all of the death. I had cur sed my family.I had left the tribe, and had broken something inside all of us, and I was now being punished for that† (173). He carried the guilt of his sister’s death; â€Å"I had killed my sister. Well, I hadn’t killed her. But she only got married so quickly and left the Rez because I had left the Rez first. She had burned to death because I had decided that I wanted to spend my life with white people. It was all my fault† (211). He took on the burden of responsibility for the death of his sister; she was killed in an accident when she was drunk; what happened to her wasn’t Junior’s fault.As result, he was terrified of losing his father, â€Å"Please God, please don’t kill my daddy† (203). Then Junior got some guidance from his father and some words of encouragement from his mother, and Junior began to understand that he made the change in his life for the better. Junior wasn’t the reason her sister died, but he had in spired her to follow her dreams as well. The upshot of all this is that, Junior’s decision about leaving the Rez and moving to Reardan for a better education was tough.He faced lot of problems; he felt lonely because of losing his best friend, and afraid of death of his tribe and family. Although he suffered from the entire bad things that happened to him, it was the best decision that he had made for his life. â€Å"I realized that I might be a lonely Indian boy, but I was not alone in my loneliness. There were millions of other Americans who had left their birthplaces in search of a dream† (217). Work cited Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Little, 2009. Print.

Parenting Skills Essay

What financial needs are parents obligated to provide and which are optional? The financial needs that parents are obligated to provide include nutritious food, shelter, clothing, and health care. The ones that are optional are luxury items such as summer classes, piano lessons, or various electronic items. 3. What other needs might a child have that a parent is expected to provide? Parents are also required to provide safety and security for their child. 4. What are the qualities of a nurturing parent? Qualities of a nurturing parent include retaining a healthy self-esteem so that their child has a basis for self-esteem, a sense of empathy for their child, a way to successfully enforce disciplinary codes, and an understanding of acceptable maturity levels for their child. Critical Thinking Questions 1. What qualities make a person a good parent? A bad parent? The qualities that make a good parent are listening skills, understanding of maturity levels, reasonable mind, and a good education and career. Qualities that make a bad parent include a bad temper or short temper, low education, and ideas of achieving their own goals above their child’s. 2. Which parental responsibilities do you think would be the most challenging? Why? The parental responsibilities that I think would be the most challenging would be having a job that is good enough to afford a child. This is because it is hard to maintain a good job while having a child and still be there for the child emotionally and physically while bringing in a decent paycheck. 3. Which parental responsibilities do you think would be the most interesting to you? Why? The parental responsibilities that I think will be the most interesting to me the education of life skills. It is interesting to think that a child picks up on habits so easily and they can use those skills for the rest of their life. 4. What are some things that people can do to prepare for parenthood? Some things people can do to prepare for parenthood is further their education and get a career. Also, they need to make sure both parties in the relationship want a child. However, no one is ever truly prepared for a child.

Barrack Obama Genogram

Barrack Obama Genogram Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Barrack Obama Genogram specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Genogram Report Introduction The above pictorial illustrates the genogram of the Barack Obama family. It clearly depicts three generations from grandparents to off springs. This report gives a detailed account of each of Obama’s relation. Third Generation At the top left of the genogram are President Obama’s maternal grandparents, Stanley Armour Dunham and Madelyn Lee Payne. They were both born in Kansas and got married on May 5, 1940. Stanley was born on March 23, 1918 and died on February 8, 1992 in Honolulu, Hawaii (Collins, Jordan and Coleman 180). His remains are buried in Punchbowl national Cemetry located in Honolulu, Hawaii. Payne, on the other hand, was born in the year 1922 in Wichita, Kansas and she died 86 years later on November 3, 2008 in Honolulu, Hawaii (Powell 24). The family was blessed with a dau ghter, Stanley Ann Dunham who became President Obama’s mother. Second Generation On the right side at the top of the genogram are Barack’s paternal grandparents, Onyango Obama and Akuma both of whom were of Kenyan origin (Collins et al. 181). Onyango was polygamous and had two other wives, Habba and Sarah who was his third. Onyango is estimated to have been born in 1895 and died in 1979. From his early life, he was a traveler and had been to most parts of the country. He later settled in Nairobi to work as cook for the missionaries who had made inroads into the country. Onyango was then recruited to fight on behalf of England, Kenya’s colonial master during the infamous World War I. He visited countries in Europe as well as India (Collins et al. 179).Advertising Looking for report on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Upon returning from the war, he lived in Zanzibar for sometime. Family members believe that it was during his stay there that he converted to Islam from his former Christian faith impacted by the missionaries. Onyango Obama and his second wife Akuma had children one of whom was Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. However, Akuma left the family while the children was still too young. It was at this time that Sarah took over the responsibility of taking care of the children. She is referred most often by Barack Obama as his â€Å"grandmother.† Sarah was born in 1922 and lives in Kogelo, Kenya. First Generation The next generational level includes President Obama’s parents. Barrack Hussein Obama, Sr. was born in 1938 in a village called Nyangoma-Kogelo which is found in Kenya’s Siaya District (Powell 27). In 1982, he was killed in a car crash in the city of Nairobi. Obama was survived by several wives, Kuzia, Ann Dunham, Ruh, and Jael. With the other three wives, Obama Sr. had seven children. One of the half siblings died in 1981 and is buried in Nyangoma-Kogelo village, Siaya District (Collins et al. 181). The rest of the children live in Kenya, the United Kingdom or the United States. Barrack Obama Jr.’s parents first met while at the University of Hawaii as students (Collins et al. 181). Ann Dunham’s parents had moved there from Kansas City. Ann was born on November 27, 1942 in Wichita, Kansas. On the other hand, Barack Sr. was in Hawaii as student under the international exchange program. Later, Ann became an anthropologist in Hawaii and also worked in Indonesia. Barrack Sr. became an Economist with the Kenyan Government. The two were joined together in marriage in 1960 in Hawaii and bore Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. The marriage did not last long and ended after two years. Ann was married for the second time to Lolo Soetoro who was of Indonesian origin in 1964 (Powell 31). In 1966, Lolo went back to Indonesia after his student visa was revoked due to political instability in his country. Ann and Barack lef t for Jakarta in Indonesia a year later after she had graduated. The marriage produced a half sister for Barrack Jr. She is known as Maya and married to Komal. However, the second marriage collapsed after 14 years. Barrack Jr.’s mother died on November 7, 1995 after suffering from ovarian cancer (Collins et al. 181).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Barrack Obama Genogram specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The first generation of the genogram depicts the immediate family of President Barack Hussein Obama. He was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii at the Kapiolani maternity Gynecological Hospital. His parents are Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. and Stanley Dunham. The parents divorced when Barack Jr. was just two years of age after which the Barack Obama Sr. relocated to Massachusetts for further studies. He later went back to Kenya to take up a job in the government (Collins et al. 181). Barrack Jr. stayed b riefly in Indonesia before he sent sent back to the US to stay with Madelyn Payne, his maternal grandmother in Hawaii. He went on with his studies and later graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School (Powell 36). It was while in law school that President Obama met Michelle Robinson, his wife. They have two daughters, Malia (13) and Sasha (10). In 2008, Barrack Hussein Obama ascended to the presidency of the United States to become the first ever African American President. He will be seeking a second term in office during the next presidential elections. Collins, Donald, Jordan, Catheleen and Coleman, Heather. An introduction to family  social work. Cengage Learning, Inc., 2009, 178-181 Powell, Kimberly. Tracing the ancestry of Barack Hussein Obama. John Wiley and Sons, 2010, 24-37

Free Essays on Aging & Mental Healh

Approaches to Aging & Mental Health The behavioral model will focus on the behavior that the person displays. Smyer and Qualls believe that behaviors are â€Å"†¦under direct control of environmental events and cues†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Behaviors do occur from environmental stimuli, but there are internal events that will influence behaviors as well. The behavior model puts an emphasis on scientific research that assesses the individual. The information regarding the behavioral model and elders is varied. There are topics on self-care, health care, social contact, and depression, ect. The behavioral model uses empirical research to assess the individual. â€Å"The empirical results are clear: many behaviors previously believed to be a normal product of aging have been demonstrated to be modifiable by changes in the environmental context.† The patient can benefit if things in the environment are changed. With aging there may be many adaptations that need to be met. The environment may need to be changed to enhance life. Mental health is greatly effected by the environment that an elder has to live in. â€Å"†¦Adults are likely to live in environments and contingency patterns similar to those of the middle adulthood.† Elders may not be able to adapt physically to things that the young can. Having a change in the environment may either help or harm the older person. They may not be able to compensate for the change, or may adapt quite well. Older adults may modify their behavior without realizing it in order to adapt to changes. Smyer and Qualls bring up the point that nursing homes challenge the adaptability and well being of elders. This happens because activities are so structured that they don’t leave room for change. Assessment is used to help evaluate what kinds of interventions need to be used. The therapist will first look at any medical problems the person may have. This is to make sure the problem is not from a disease.... Free Essays on Aging & Mental Healh Free Essays on Aging & Mental Healh Approaches to Aging & Mental Health The behavioral model will focus on the behavior that the person displays. Smyer and Qualls believe that behaviors are â€Å"†¦under direct control of environmental events and cues†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Behaviors do occur from environmental stimuli, but there are internal events that will influence behaviors as well. The behavior model puts an emphasis on scientific research that assesses the individual. The information regarding the behavioral model and elders is varied. There are topics on self-care, health care, social contact, and depression, ect. The behavioral model uses empirical research to assess the individual. â€Å"The empirical results are clear: many behaviors previously believed to be a normal product of aging have been demonstrated to be modifiable by changes in the environmental context.† The patient can benefit if things in the environment are changed. With aging there may be many adaptations that need to be met. The environment may need to be changed to enhance life. Mental health is greatly effected by the environment that an elder has to live in. â€Å"†¦Adults are likely to live in environments and contingency patterns similar to those of the middle adulthood.† Elders may not be able to adapt physically to things that the young can. Having a change in the environment may either help or harm the older person. They may not be able to compensate for the change, or may adapt quite well. Older adults may modify their behavior without realizing it in order to adapt to changes. Smyer and Qualls bring up the point that nursing homes challenge the adaptability and well being of elders. This happens because activities are so structured that they don’t leave room for change. Assessment is used to help evaluate what kinds of interventions need to be used. The therapist will first look at any medical problems the person may have. This is to make sure the problem is not from a disease....

Effects of Technology on our Daily Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effects of Technology on our Daily Life - Essay Example Computers are used in education and made it easier for students to carry out information about any topic easily. The use of computer and internet has made it easier for businesses and to gather data and information. People are now also free to transfer useful information to each other using this advancement of technology. Hospitals, railway stations, schools, colleges, airports, businesses are all kind of depended on computers these days. Their drawbacks associated with computers include the time that students and young generation waste playing games, chatting, listening to music and net surfing. In addition, the continuously changing software has made it impossible for older employees to continue working with the new technological advancements at their workplaces. This factor has led to an increase in unemployment. However, there is a technique available to solve this issue which involves the participation of employees in training programs but it would lead to higher costs for the b usinesses. The security issues that are linked to the data stored in computers are also counted as a drawback of computers. Cell phones are one of the fastest ways of communication today. They have brought a great change in the communication means. People are now able to communicate with each other from any part of the world.

Nonverbal communication response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nonverbal communication response - Assignment Example Furthermore, I decided even get rid of them in order to dance staying on the ground without my sticks. Moreover, even my jacket and T-shirt were skipped out; but, it was a crime according to Ankara administrative law and Muslim customs of how you must behave yourself in the central streets of the capital, and my behavior was evaluated as deviant one. From the other side, I learnt that such behavior --- dancing in the street without jacket and T-shirt --- is believed to be shameful in Ankara. So, this is one of real life examples of intercultural differences in use of space, touch, time, gestures, etc., because in most of Western cities such deviant behavior could be evaluated as principally normal one. Nevertheless, when you do not understand another cultures difference in nonverbal communication, a conflict may occur; that is why it may be regarded as very wise decision to accept the rules of foreign country with respect to inter-culturality. Therefore, in order to become more aware of how we communicate, it is necessary to at least respect customs of others that may be treated as stupid and idiotic from the other side of nonverbal communication. Moreover, identifying the examples that are above, we could state that a person become more aware of cultural differences when these differences are at least articulated; the more you are competent in intercultural communication, the more you know about these limitations, restrictions, borders, and discources of articulation. Fortunately, I consider myself as being competent in intercultural communication, and this situation from Ankara presumably proves this proclamation. To become more mindful, you need to be immersed into a foreign society to feel yourself totally liberated from the roots and also I must feel anxiety and danger to become more mindful in respect to multi-culturality. Additionally, as for the second paragraph, here in

Personal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Personal - Essay Example For the next three hours, we tried to fix the ATV, while finding some hospitality nearby. Suddenly, as we were driving the ATV broke down as it the bump. No one knew what events were going to happen next. One of my friends was diabetic so we knew that we did not have much time. My friend tried to fix the ATV with many futile attempts. To make matters worse, couldn’t walk, and instead had to shuffle around from a  seated position. In order to gain some relief from the heat, we decided to spray themselves with their truck’ fire extinguishers. Thankfully, we got relief for a few seconds, then developed extremely painful open wounds across their skin from the blasts. The next day people started dying.  He couldn’t get a phone signal before his battery died, and he fell over when he tried to leave his car. He decided to stick with the vehicle, as it would be easier for rescuers to spot. It didn’t take long for him to become thirsty, so he went for the only available liquid—his car’s windshield fluid. However, knowing that he was d iabetic we knew we had no other choice. His lack of insulin was really a problem because we could not afford to lose him. The ATV exploded as my friends watched in vain.   Suddenly, we saw a bunch of men emerging from a view. We began to throw our hands in frenzy asking for attention. It was a very bad decision for many reasons because the men were pirates, kidnapping and stealing things to make money. They tied us up and took to their own cave and demanded us to call our parents to ask for ransom. With type 2 diabetes, we begged our friend to receive some treatment. However, they abductors were pretty much heartless and did not even give us some food/water. With our hands tied down, we tried to get out but it was not working. Our hope was completely dissolved as we thought our fate was sealed. We tried t signaling with his foil blanket, and lit fires at night with

City Development in Northen Virginia and Seoul Essay

City Development in Northen Virginia and Seoul - Essay Example If all the above are available and conveniently, located, then communities may live well. However, if houses are built in such a way that they are dispersed or in isolation, then chances are that local governments/ other stakeholders will have to spend huge sums on this. 2 Additionally, such poor city plans cause excessive consumption of fuel, wastage of time when getting from one point to another and limited productivity. Excess use of resources also aggravates the situation. When Cities or towns build their houses in distant locations, then tax payers will have to spend huge sums of their money in constructing access roads. However, Northern Virginia lacks some of these features. In Accomack County, a whooping eighty percent of the employees in the area work within it. Therefore, the remaining percentage has to travel to other destinations found outside it. On the other hand, thirty four percent of the workers in Prince William County work within it. The remaining workers have to go outside the county. This implies that almost seventy percent of workers in some other county have to move to another county when going to work. 3 The overall result of these changes is... Additionally, poorly built houses are more difficult to maintain because they require high costs per unit. These high costs are eventually transferred to the tax payer and he may find it difficult to ache out a living in such an area. Many administrators in Northern Virginia have made the mistake of assuming that further road construction will solve the problems however, this not necessarily true. The most viable option for Northern Virginia is introduction of smart building plans. If houses were built in convenient locations, there would be a lesser burden on the taxpayer because houses would be constructed in one area and there would be no need for excessive fuel use in transport. This also means that smart city development also prevents pollution since it will be minimizing carbon emission. 4 Northern Virginia has recorded high levels of sprawling houses because the local government has not bothered regulating private developments. This implies that houses are built haphazardly and it becomes increasingly difficult to manage their resource utility. Northern Virginia's buildings are also not functionally planned. For instance, constructions may be done in very fertile soils that are better sources of farmland. Additionally, where houses are concentrated, some of them do not have any form of buffer zones to a low fro differences in functionality. For example, a dairy farm and a town home are located near one another. Perhaps the biggest problem in Northern Virginia is the fact that the local authorities have minimal powers with regard to land use. Most of them lack the ability to plan houses in the Coty. Private developers have the ability to determine which parts will develop and which ones will not. The law specifically

Addictions Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Addictions Theory - Essay Example They facilitate customer case administration and probation supervision for each case. They hold normal audit gatherings and regular court hearings to screen every guilty partys circumstance. They utilize graduated approvals and unmistakable prizes to spur guilty party consistence, and they check for violations by leading various irregular or unannounced medication tests Adult drug courts utilize a project intended to lessen medication utilization backslide and criminal recidivism around litigants and guilty parties through danger and needs appraisal, legal connection, following and supervision, graduated assents and impetuses, medicine and different recovery administrations. Juvenile drug courts apply a comparative system demonstrate that is customized to the needs of adolescent guilty parties. These projects give youth and their families with advising, instruction and different administrations to: push quick intercession, medicine and structure; enhance level of working; location issues that may help pill utilization; assemble abilities that build their capability to lead medication and wrongdoing free lives; fortify the familys ability to offer structure and direction; and advertise responsibility for all included. Family drug courts underline medicine for folks with substance use issue to support in the reunification and stabilization of families influenced by parental pill utilization. These projects apply the grown-up medication court model to cases entering the kid welfare framework that incorporate assertions of youngster ill-use or disregard in which substance misuse is distinguished as a helping element. Drug Court is simply voluntary and individuals alluded to Drug Court are viewed as addicts, not offenders. They are treated with respect and are relied upon to take part in the advancement of medication

Chinas One Child Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinas One Child Policy - Essay Example While both sides have claims, reasoning and evidence, Toulmin’s model of argumentation is not specifically used by either side. The argument is also a very political one. Each side has different cultures and values, and these form a large part of the context that must be considered when examining the claims and context in this debate. Authorities in China say that since 2000, more than 250 million live births have been prevented by the use of this policy. They claim that if these people had been born, the current infrastructure and social structure in China would be unable to support them and that China would be weaker today. This argument goes to the core of the policy and is one of the main reasons it was implemented in the first place by the Chinese government back in the late 1970s following the period of economic opening led by Deng Xiaping. At the time the policy was implemented by the government there were grave concerns about China being overpopulated and being unable to support its own people. This led some politicians to suggest the one child policy. Another cause was the fact that contraception was not widely available back at the time this policy went into effect. It was harder for women to control their own reproduction; instead, the state decided to take control. The state argues this was done out of necessity because of the social and cultural aspects in vogue at the time. But today, several decades later, many wonder if it was even necessary. For example, has it done much to address this state problem?

City Development in Northen Virginia and Seoul Essay

City Development in Northen Virginia and Seoul - Essay Example If all the above are available and conveniently, located, then communities may live well. However, if houses are built in such a way that they are dispersed or in isolation, then chances are that local governments/ other stakeholders will have to spend huge sums on this. 2 Additionally, such poor city plans cause excessive consumption of fuel, wastage of time when getting from one point to another and limited productivity. Excess use of resources also aggravates the situation. When Cities or towns build their houses in distant locations, then tax payers will have to spend huge sums of their money in constructing access roads. However, Northern Virginia lacks some of these features. In Accomack County, a whooping eighty percent of the employees in the area work within it. Therefore, the remaining percentage has to travel to other destinations found outside it. On the other hand, thirty four percent of the workers in Prince William County work within it. The remaining workers have to go outside the county. This implies that almost seventy percent of workers in some other county have to move to another county when going to work. 3 The overall result of these changes is... Additionally, poorly built houses are more difficult to maintain because they require high costs per unit. These high costs are eventually transferred to the tax payer and he may find it difficult to ache out a living in such an area. Many administrators in Northern Virginia have made the mistake of assuming that further road construction will solve the problems however, this not necessarily true. The most viable option for Northern Virginia is introduction of smart building plans. If houses were built in convenient locations, there would be a lesser burden on the taxpayer because houses would be constructed in one area and there would be no need for excessive fuel use in transport. This also means that smart city development also prevents pollution since it will be minimizing carbon emission. 4 Northern Virginia has recorded high levels of sprawling houses because the local government has not bothered regulating private developments. This implies that houses are built haphazardly and it becomes increasingly difficult to manage their resource utility. Northern Virginia's buildings are also not functionally planned. For instance, constructions may be done in very fertile soils that are better sources of farmland. Additionally, where houses are concentrated, some of them do not have any form of buffer zones to a low fro differences in functionality. For example, a dairy farm and a town home are located near one another. Perhaps the biggest problem in Northern Virginia is the fact that the local authorities have minimal powers with regard to land use. Most of them lack the ability to plan houses in the Coty. Private developers have the ability to determine which parts will develop and which ones will not. The law specifically

Chinas One Child Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinas One Child Policy - Essay Example While both sides have claims, reasoning and evidence, Toulmin’s model of argumentation is not specifically used by either side. The argument is also a very political one. Each side has different cultures and values, and these form a large part of the context that must be considered when examining the claims and context in this debate. Authorities in China say that since 2000, more than 250 million live births have been prevented by the use of this policy. They claim that if these people had been born, the current infrastructure and social structure in China would be unable to support them and that China would be weaker today. This argument goes to the core of the policy and is one of the main reasons it was implemented in the first place by the Chinese government back in the late 1970s following the period of economic opening led by Deng Xiaping. At the time the policy was implemented by the government there were grave concerns about China being overpopulated and being unable to support its own people. This led some politicians to suggest the one child policy. Another cause was the fact that contraception was not widely available back at the time this policy went into effect. It was harder for women to control their own reproduction; instead, the state decided to take control. The state argues this was done out of necessity because of the social and cultural aspects in vogue at the time. But today, several decades later, many wonder if it was even necessary. For example, has it done much to address this state problem?

The Choice of Family or Love Essay Example for Free

The Choice of Family or Love Essay Romeo and Juliet is a tragic play that conveys the importance of choices made because of true love. One of the major choices, which is also a theme, it is the decision of choosing family or true love. During William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet make choices that lead up to them ending their lives. During this play Romeo and Juliet, the children of feuding families (the Capulets and Montagues), fall in love and are forced to chose between their families or true love. After they meet at the ball, Romeo makes the choice to trespass on Capulet property to see Juliet again. Shortly after they agree to go and be married. Juliet, who was supposed to marry County Paris but is now secretly married to Romeo, makes the decision to pretend to die so she will not have to marry Paris and can run away with Romeo. Romeo and Juliet make choices that favor each other over love their own lives. The first choice leading to death is Romeo sneaking onto Capulet property to see Juliet after the ball. This choice signifies Romeo’s rebellion on his family because he trespasses on his family’s enemy’s property to see their daughter. Neither Romeo nor Juliet care that their families are enemies for Juliet says, â€Å"Tis but thy name that is my enemy. / Thou art thyself, though not a Monague. / What’s Monague? It is nor hand, nor foot, / nor arm, nor face, nor any other part / Belonging to a man†¦That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet† (Shakespeare 2.2.40-44) to which Romeo replies, â€Å"I take thee at thy word. / Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized; / Henceforth I never will be called Romeo† (Shakespeare 2.2.49-51). Juliet makes a truthful opinion when she says that Montague is just a name and that Romeo, or any other person, is more than a just name. She also states that a name does not describe a person’s personality or appearance; that a name does not change who a person truly is. Romeo is in love and agrees with Juliet; he states, that if she wanted, he would not be called Romeo or a Monatgue any more (Shakespeare 2.2.61). As Romeo and  Juliet fall deeper in love they begin to make more choices that deny their families and put their own lives in danger. Subsequently, the next choice Romeo and Juliet make may have sealed their fate. Shortly after they first meet Romeo and Juliet agree to be secretly married by Friar Lawrence. Juliet has been arranged to marry County Paris, but she loves Romeo so she agrees to marry him in secret with only two other people knowing: Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s nurse. At first Juliet was resistant to be married but after going into her house for a moment she quickly reaches a decision; she says â€Å"Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow†¦ / Where and what time thou wilt preform the rite†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Shakespeare 2.2.144-146). Juliet talks to her nurse while she is in her house and after she return she agrees to be married to Romeo, which he was unprepared for because she had early said, â€Å"I have no joy of this contract tonight† (Shakespeare 2.2. 117). The next day they meet in Friar Lawrence’s cell to be wed, for it is a short, secret wedding. After being married, Romeo and Juliet preserved their fate forever, never to be changed because of the love they feel for each other. The final decision that culminates to Romeo and Juliet both dying is when Juliet takes a potion from Friar Lawrence to make he look dead. Romeo had been banished from Verona and Juliet was due to marry Paris, so in her despair Juliet went to Friar Lawrence. Friar Lawrence came up with a plan: Juliet was to take a sleeping draught that would make her look like she was dead; then Friar Lawrence would send a letter to Romeo telling him to come and see her awaken from the draught. Juliet took the draught but the letter never got to Romeo; one of his servants told him that Juliet was dead. In his misery Romeo returned to Verona. He arrived at Juliet’s tomb and got into a fight with Paris, in which Paris lost and died. Then seeing Juliet dead, Romeo took a poison and committed suicide. Juliet finally awoke to find Romeo dead; and in her pain she tries to poison herself, too. When she hears people arriving Juliet realizes that by the time the poison would kill her it would be to late, so she stabbed herself with Romeo’s dagger (Shakespeare 5.3.169). In conclusion Romeo and Juliet’s love for each other ends up killing them both. William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet is a tragic love story. True love is a virtue every person should experience but in this play it turns into a murderer. Romeo and Juliet’s choices force them to end their lives with suicide whether it was intended or not. In the end Romeo and Juliet’s deaths were good because they can live together, forever; and the feud of the Capulet and Montague families ended. Though true love ended up killing them, Romeo and Juliet made the right choice in picking love over their families because their families were not very loyal in encouraging them making their own choices and having their own life to live and fall in love with whoever they choose.

Religion Essays Buddhism in the West

Religion Essays Buddhism in the West There are multitudinous challenges faced by the contemporary Buddhist, not the least of which includes the fact that he is contemporary in the first place. For, the contemporary world is overcome by numerous characteristics, which arealtogether incommensurate with Buddhism. The world of today, insofar as it has been industrialized and further digitized, is one of runaway technology, sound bites, and ubiquitously sought-after shortcuts to everything. The meditative and contemplative nature of Buddhism is rather at odds with the fast-paced West. However, it could not be said that this is the only, nor even the primary, challenge to contemporary Buddhism. There is also a strong sense of its minority nature in the West. TWO UNFORTUNATE OUTCOMES OF THE FAST-PACED WORLD The Anti-Contemplative Nature of the Fast-Paced World Thetraditions of contemplation/meditation in Buddhism are very basic to thereligion itself. When meditation occurs, contemplation seems to go with alongwith it. Meditation is that instrument which allows a Buddhist to withdrawfrom the ceaseless stream of relentless memories, daydreams, fears, andfantasies, (Jeffery Paine, Re-Enchantment, 132). In other words,meditation takes one out of those events and things (such as memories) whichare inextricably bound up in the world of suffering (i.e., of dukkha).But, upon this withdrawal from the world, one is able to engage in a type ofcontemplation, which can be conceived as the ability to perceive things asthey are in themselves. That is, there is a distinction between reality asit is (which an enlightened person can see) and reality as it seems to us(which is how those who are still in the endless cycle of rebirth, known as samsara,see things).It is the very goal of Buddhism to see things as they are. This is precisely inwhat enlightenment of a Buddha consists. The seeing of the whole of realityas it is is the very moment of enlightenment, the very moment of attainingBuddhahood. Therefore, the fast-paced world being not at all amenable to theslow nature of meditation/contemplation shows its inability to mesh withBuddhism. The Necessity of Samsara in a Fast-Paced World In hisconcluding thoughts on Buddhism in the West, religion scholar Roger Corlesstakes note of the intrinsically samsaric nature of a fast-paced world. The industrialized anddigitized world is one of addiction. This is one thing that characterizes itmost truly. People especially in these types of countries are addicted to allmanner of things sought to provide a quick fix a way out of the misery ofsamsara. Whether the addiction is toward greed for money, toward lust, drugs,alcohol, or even to psychotherapy, it makes no fundamental difference. In animportant way, one should see that Buddhism itself teaches that staying insamsara is like being in an addiction. Corless states, For Buddhism, it issamsara itself that is the basic drug, and addiction to samsara is the basicaddiction, (Vision of Buddhism, 81-2). Inasmuch as the contemporaryworld is overrun by various addictions to all manner of things which merelyhelp one cope with the reality of the harshness of samsara, to that extent itr emains at odds with the fundamental goal of Buddhism, which is release fromall addition-release from samsara itself. CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH A MINORITY POSITION IN THE WEST Trying to Advance or Defend Buddhism in the Theistic West Therecould be no used denying or downplaying the overall theistic nature of theWest. Whereas Zoroastrianism is a theistic religion of the East, which seemsnot to have had a very lasting effect (R.C. Zaehner, Encyclopedia of theWorlds Religions, 200), contrariwise, the there have been three greattheistic religions of the West, and they have all thrived. The most basic ofthe three, Judaism, has thrived amidst enormous difficulties (e.g., by being,like Zoroastrianism, in its origin a national religion). It has notthrived in the sense of vast numbers of converts throughout the ages. Rather,it has endured through the ages and its own several dispersions from theland originally inhabited by the people, and today it has tens of millions ofadherents throughout the world. Christianity, especially the ancientChristianity of Catholicism and Orthodoxy, has thrived in all manner of ways,including vast amounts of converts ever since its very modest beginnings. Todayit remains the largest religion of the world and has a strong foothold in bothWest and East. Moreover, a distinctive characteristic of historicChristianityis its own self-understanding as the completion or fulfillment of Judaism. Islam,being the last of the three great theistic religions, has mirrored much ofChristianitys success in terms of size and growth through the centuries, eventhough it has no such self-understanding.Though its Western influence has not been quite as strong as that of theoverall Judeo-Christian underpinnings of many Western European and North/SouthAmerican countries, it nevertheless has become today a religion that gives afurther bolstering effect to the already strong sense of theism in the West. Sincewe are using this term theism so much, it might prove useful to give aworking definition of it. Two American scholars in a general critique of allthings pantheistic (including Zen Buddhism) offer in their glossary thefollowing as a definition of theism: belief in one infinite, eternal, andpersonal God who as Creator is distinct from but rules over creation; distinctfrom atheism, deism, pantheism, and polytheism, (Apologeticsin the New Age, 242). It is true that all three major theistic religions ofthe West would equally assent to this definition as a working one with regardto their respective religions. That is, it is adequate as a definition of Godin Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Buddhism, by stark contrast, could not atall be said to be theistic. In Buddhism, there is no belief in one, infinite,and personal God who exists, with reference to everything outside of himself,as Creator of it all. Buddhism would probably be best described as eitherstrictly atheistic, pantheistic , or perhaps provisionally polytheistic. Finite gods,known as devas and asuras, are said to exist in various branches ofBuddhism (Roger Corless, Vision of Buddhism, 142), hence itsprovisionally polytheistic nature. However, it seems that these days, giventhat the atheism of the West is nearly always linked in with the scientisticmaterialism of it, one could see how in this situation, a Buddhist woulddistance himself from atheism. The New Age Stigma in America AlanWatts, Marilyn Ferguson, and Harvey Cox have each, though in very differentways, been indicating that ever since at least the 1960s the West has beenturning toward the East.However, since many of those who first were the largest advocates of such a recentturning Eastward were of quite varying faiths themselves and/or wereprogressives in their understanding of the development of religion, all the great faiths of theancient East somehow were combined with the contemporary thoughts of thesepopularizers of Eastern thought and what was born was the New Age. Various media advocates ofEastern thought (e.g., George Lucas of Star Wars and George Harrison of theBeatles) also helped to usher in the New Age movement by lending popularsupport to it and a widespread familiarity with it. Theproblem for Buddhism in this cultural climate is to distinguish itself from NewAge as an overarching umbrella under which it goes. Buddhism faces the acutechallenge of distancing itself from that which first brought it recently and enmasse to the West.Buddhism in America, for example, has no intrinsic core, and it is thus relianton falling into one or another foreign tradition of Buddhism in order forBuddhists to find expressions of their practice. This, perhaps, only tends toobscure in the publics mind just what is Buddhism. There are so manyvariations of American Buddhism imported from so many Eastern countries thatthe tendency is to simplify them all and place them under an Eastern or NewAge heading, just to roughly categorize them. Buddhism thus has a dualchallenge in many countries in the West in which it is still relatively new. Ithas to define itself relative to the culture in which it finds itself, and itfurther has to distinguish itself from any generically Eastern religi oussystem. Reincarnation: a Hard Sell to Some Relatedto the Western propensity to simplify things is the doctrine of continuation insamsara, as either reincarnation or rebirth. First, a brief note on the commonWestern view of the soul is in order. Two corollaries of theism (which again,is firmly entrenched in the West) are the ideas that every human person has asubstantial soul and there is a permanent afterlife awaiting everysubstantial soul, whether an afterlife for the good (e.g., Heaven) or one forthe evil (e.g., Hell). Within such a framework, therefore, reincarnation (whichis the re-birth of an individual soul) does not sit well. In fact, likeBuddhisms inherent non-theism, there is an incommensurability here too. Therecan be no resolution between the theistic idea of one life to live and theBuddhistic/Hinduistic idea of everlasting lives to live. As Scheck andGorgens note, It is important for every Western novice to remember thisfundamental difference: The West has always sought eternal life, the BuddhistEast, the end of t he cycle of rebirths, (Buddhism, 183). The Idea that a Person Does Not Have a Substantial Soul Relatedly,to suggest that reincarnation occurs is to have an idea of a substantial soulincarnating over and over. At least, this is the view in Hinduism, whichSiddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) inherits. However, it seems that the Buddhaadvocated a slightly different doctrine, perhaps better phrased as rebirththan reincarnation. In rebirth, it is true that births of the same personsare occurring repeatedly over time. However, whereas reincarnation presupposesthe idea of a substantial soul which is incarnated repeatedly, rebirth does notnecessarily presuppose the idea of a substantial soul. In fact, it is likelytrue that Buddhism sees the idea of a substantial and individual soul a beliefwhich is inherently samsaric.That is, to think myself as a separated individual, apart from the whole andbasic nature of reality, is to believe something which is an illusion. However,the idea that one is truly an individual person is an extremely strongWestern belief, whether the Westerner who holds the belief is committed to onetheistic tradition or not. Concluding Thoughts Buddhismof today is faced by many and daunting challenges, and several have beenexplored in this paper. Its minority status is certainly something thancontributes to the challenges, but it also helps to foster a misperception ofits identity with other religious traditions or umbrellas under which Easternthought goes (e.g., New Age). Its challenges to not only consist it this,however. We have also explored the inherently opposed characteristics of muchof the affluent world, whether Western or not. Those countries that areindustrialized and digitized have many quick fixes for the masses to providethem with all manner of temporary relief from the suffering of samsara. Theirony for the Buddhist to explain is that these various devices thought tobring relief are the very things keeping the ones participating in them withinthe bonds of samsara itself. WorksConsulted Amano, J. Yutaka, and Norman Geisler. TheInfiltration of the New Age. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale HousePublishers, 1989. Anderson, Norman. Christianity and WorldReligions: The Challenge of Pluralism. Downers Grove,IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1984. Armstrong, Karen. Buddha. New York:Viking Penguin, 2001. Clark, David, and Norman Geisler. Apologeticsin the New Age: A Christian Critique of Pantheism. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. Corless, Roger J. The Vision ofBuddhism: The Space Under the Tree. New York: Paragon House, 1989. Lopez, Donald, ed. A Modern BuddhistBible: Essential Readings from East and West. Boston: BeaconPress, 2002. Ouaki, Fabien, Dalai Lama, and Anne Benson.Imagine All the People: A Conversation with theDalai Lama on Money, Politics, and Life as it Could Be. Boston: WisdomPublications,1999. Paine, Jeffery, ed. Adventures with theBuddha: A Personal Buddhism Reader. New York: Norton,2005. Re-Enchantment: TibetanBuddhism Comes to the West. New York: Norton, 2001. Scheck, Frank, and Manfred Gorgens. Buddhism:An Illustrated Historical Overview. New York:Barrons Educational Series, 1999. Zaehner, R. C., ed. Encyclopedia of theWorlds Religions. New York: Barnes Noble Books, 1997.

UNFORGIVEN Essay -- essays research papers fc

Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As human beings we constantly struggle with ourselves on whether our actions are virtuous or vice. Some of us choose to act in an ethical way when presented with a certain situation, while others choose to act on their desires and therefore act unjustly. This was the struggle that the character, William Munny, faced in the movie â€Å"Unforgiven.† He was unable to control his desires, which resulted in his unethical actions. His actions support Socrates and Plato’s theory that if we let our desires or our emotions drive us we will act unethically when faced with circumstances. In this paper I will show how Socrates and Plato’s philosophy regarding our emotions and desires, explains William Munny’s actions throughout the movie.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Plato’s philosophy in order for human beings to have a healthy â€Å"soul,† our view of the world should not be distorted by fears, insecurities, irrational anxieties, or overpowering desires. He also explains that our judgment should not be blinded by greed or self-interest. Having a healthy â€Å"soul† means having a clear mind and seeing things for what they actually are; this â€Å"soul† is the core of our personality. A person with a healthy †soul† will live a virtuous life by making ethical choices and controlling his or her desires.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Munny was not that type of person, because his mind was clouded by desire and his â€Å"soul† was unhe... UNFORGIVEN Essay -- essays research papers fc Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As human beings we constantly struggle with ourselves on whether our actions are virtuous or vice. Some of us choose to act in an ethical way when presented with a certain situation, while others choose to act on their desires and therefore act unjustly. This was the struggle that the character, William Munny, faced in the movie â€Å"Unforgiven.† He was unable to control his desires, which resulted in his unethical actions. His actions support Socrates and Plato’s theory that if we let our desires or our emotions drive us we will act unethically when faced with circumstances. In this paper I will show how Socrates and Plato’s philosophy regarding our emotions and desires, explains William Munny’s actions throughout the movie.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Plato’s philosophy in order for human beings to have a healthy â€Å"soul,† our view of the world should not be distorted by fears, insecurities, irrational anxieties, or overpowering desires. He also explains that our judgment should not be blinded by greed or self-interest. Having a healthy â€Å"soul† means having a clear mind and seeing things for what they actually are; this â€Å"soul† is the core of our personality. A person with a healthy †soul† will live a virtuous life by making ethical choices and controlling his or her desires.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Munny was not that type of person, because his mind was clouded by desire and his â€Å"soul† was unhe...

Free Essays - Individual vs. Society in Catcher in the Rye :: Catcher Rye Essays

Individual vs. Society in Catcher in the Rye In the novel Catcher in the Rye, many differences exist within the plot and between the characters. This makes the book so interesting. But what interest me, is that the main character, Holden, is the most distinctive example of a difference. Usually, societies approve of a level of uniqueness. But when individuality turns into clear differences of attitude and opinion, conflict starts to arise. Because Holden's morals and beliefs are those different from the society in which he lives in, he can't function in that particular society. Throughout the book, certain values of Holden start to show through. He speaks a lot about how he dislikes "phonies" and tries to separate himself from them. Every time Holden tries to run away from these "phonies," it starts to give you an idea about how he values honesty and his reaction towards people who don't have this particular value. In chapter seventeen, Holden tries to rationalize himself being kicked out of school by saying he wants to accomplish something different and not just be a phony. "It's full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques (Salinger 131)." In life, and as his days go by, he will realize that many people in society and people who run it, are indeed n ot genuine. The reality angers Holden and he fantasizes about running away, escaping from society, and living in a cabin away from everybody. This is a far-fetched idea that is hardly even an option for him. He decides that if he can't fit in a society where he isn't wanted, then he won't be a part of it. This thought would have never come across Holden's mind if he was like everybody else, but he isn't. Holden obviously can't deal with the environment around him and one day may lash out to the elements of life that aren't in agreement with him. Free Essays - Individual vs. Society in Catcher in the Rye :: Catcher Rye Essays Individual vs. Society in Catcher in the Rye In the novel Catcher in the Rye, many differences exist within the plot and between the characters. This makes the book so interesting. But what interest me, is that the main character, Holden, is the most distinctive example of a difference. Usually, societies approve of a level of uniqueness. But when individuality turns into clear differences of attitude and opinion, conflict starts to arise. Because Holden's morals and beliefs are those different from the society in which he lives in, he can't function in that particular society. Throughout the book, certain values of Holden start to show through. He speaks a lot about how he dislikes "phonies" and tries to separate himself from them. Every time Holden tries to run away from these "phonies," it starts to give you an idea about how he values honesty and his reaction towards people who don't have this particular value. In chapter seventeen, Holden tries to rationalize himself being kicked out of school by saying he wants to accomplish something different and not just be a phony. "It's full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques (Salinger 131)." In life, and as his days go by, he will realize that many people in society and people who run it, are indeed n ot genuine. The reality angers Holden and he fantasizes about running away, escaping from society, and living in a cabin away from everybody. This is a far-fetched idea that is hardly even an option for him. He decides that if he can't fit in a society where he isn't wanted, then he won't be a part of it. This thought would have never come across Holden's mind if he was like everybody else, but he isn't. Holden obviously can't deal with the environment around him and one day may lash out to the elements of life that aren't in agreement with him.

Islamophobia Essay

Islamophobia is controversy term that refers to perjudice and discrimination of Islam and muslim. It become more popular after attack of 11/9. Now, i’ll tell you about 11/9 issues, which is the series of 4 suicided attack organised by Al-Qaeda on the United states in 11 of september 2001. In that morning, 19 al-qaeda’s seized four passengers jet. And the hijackers intentionally crassh the 2 plane into PWTC in city of newyork. Thus, this tragedy had killed all passengers and most of the workers in the building involved. Both of towers collapsed within 2hours. Suspicion quickly fell on the al-Qaeda’s leader which is Osama bin Laden at that time. As we know that alQaeda such a muslims organization. Based on what had happened to american in this tragedy made the outsiders phobia to Islam and think that Islam suched a terrorist religion. I can give you one opinion of a British journalis in the indipendent, Johan Harry. He argues that authentic Islamophobia exist and consist of the nation that is a uniquely evil religon, more definitly war, like a fanantical than cristianity or budism or others. For more clear, let me tell you about a hindustan movies My Name Is Khan and I’m sure some of you have heard about this movie. The story about Rizwan Khan charactered by Shah Rukh Khan which is a sindrom Asperger. He’s meet his love in america state with a widow, mandira who is have a son named Sam. When they decided to married. Name’s of Sam should be change to Sameer Khan. And the name of khan create a prejudice Islam-christian. Until sameer Khan had been killed at the middle of the field in america by his friends. This is clearly shown the feelings of scared in american until they have to killed their own friends. In 1997 the British RunnymedeTrust defined that Islamophobia is as dread and hatred of Islam and let to the fear and dislike of all muslims. Stating that it also refers to the practise of discriminating againts muslims by excluding them from economic, social, pilitics and public life of the nation. It includes the perception that Islam has no values in common with other cultures is interior to the west and also is violent political ideology rather than a religion. The Runnymede report contrasted â€Å"open† and â€Å"closed† views of Islam, and stated that the following eight â€Å"closed† views are equated with Islamophobia: 1. Islam is seen as a monolithic bloc, static and unresponsive to change. 2. It is seen as separate and â€Å"other.† It does not have values in common with other cultures, is not affected by them and does not influence them. 3. It is  seen as inferior to the West. It is seen as barbaric, irrational, primitive, and sexist 4. It is seen as violent, aggressive, threatening, supportive of terrorism, and engaged in a clash of civilizations.

Creation Science Should Not Be Taught in Public Schools Essay

Since the first days of religious evolution, religion and science have continuously fought for their place under the sun. The system of public schooling has become the field of the violent bloody conflict between the two different systems of beliefs. While religious fundamentalists sought to use public schooling as the means of religious propaganda, teachers and education professionals were trying to prove the relevance and importance of teaching objective scientific knowledge. Given the tension between science and religion, as well as the overt subjectivity of religious beliefs, religion in general, and creationism in particular, should not be taught in public schools, to provide children with the freedom of religious choice and to expand their intellectual and knowledge opportunities. The national system of public schools was always torn between the two opposite (religious and scientific) educational visions. While children were given a unique chance to look deeper into the essence of scientific knowledge, philosophers, education professionals, and religious adherents were trying to prove that religion did have to be taught at schools. Generally, religion is not a matter of scientific danger; moreover, religion can serve the source of reliable and never changing ethical and moral truths. The problem is, however, in that in its current state religion consciously denies an opportunity to reconcile with the objectivity and relevance of science. Moreover, religion works to deny the relevance of science as such, thus distorting children’s attitudes toward the world and putting them into a controversial environment filled with assumptions, myths, and beliefs. True, creationism and evolution seem incompatible; but while â€Å"many scientists are deeply religious and see scientific investigation and religious faith as complementary components of a well-rounded life† (Ludden 577), it is religion that promotes hostility toward science. Moreover, apart from being spiritual guidance, the Bible in general and the science of creation, in particular provide â€Å"the refuge from the calamities of life† (Green 581), while present day children should be prepared to face the realities of life, instead of trying to escape them. In the light of these hostile intentions and attitudes, it is understandable why education professionals are reluctant to integrate the science of creation with the major curriculum disciplines. Unfortunately, religious adherents do not accept the need for objectivity, which scientific knowledge promotes at schools. Instead of making religion a supplementary element of public education, fundamentalists view religion and the science of creation as instruments of propaganda. As a result, religion imposes narrow (and mostly misbalanced) convictions and opinions on children. As science seeks to reconcile with religion and to accept religion as a different (but not the opposite) scientific viewpoint, religion seeks to deny the relevance of science and does not accept the mere opportunity for science to be the basic element of public school education. The Kansas Board of Education has already limited the scope of scientific education in public schools, and the concept of evolution is no longer taught and explained to children. â€Å"This central concept of biology will be diluted or eliminated, thus reducing courses to do something like chemistry without the periodic table, or American history without Lincoln† (Gould 59). That is why the science of creation should not be taught at public schools – not because it does not have the right to exist, but because it promotes distorted scientific visions, and does not provide children with a chance to embrace the benefits of scientific advancement. The science of creation should not be taught at schools because it narrows the scope of the public schools’ development to absurdity and reveals true scientific ignorance. The science of creation should not be taught at schools because it is not science, but a set of ideas and beliefs that have never been documented or proved. To a large extent, religion should not be the central element of public education, due to the fact that it denies the need for intellectual development; it does not stir children’s imagination and cannot serve the object of scientific inquiry. As a result, the science of creation with its continuous denial of objective scientific achievements in general and evolution, in particular, is nothing more but the instrument of anti-intellectualism (Gould 59) which cannot promote intellectual progress at societal level. Krauthammer states that creationism is not included into any serious curriculum of any serious country, which means that serious countries and serious curriculum designers realize the intellectual threats of which creationism is the source. Moreover, it appears that serious countries are more attentive to the secular and scientific needs of their citizens and actively work to minimize religious fundamentalists’ access to public education. In our country, however, public schools remind a kind of a battlefield, with children being the victims of this secular vs. religious fight. Evolution is the sign of the ongoing scientific and natural progress, while creationism is the science of conservation that denies the need for social progress. Religion is an invaluable element of the social performance in America, but it is relevant to the extent that does not distort the founding principles of public education, with objectivity and freedom of choice in its center. Objectively, it is a matter of ethical tolerance, and in this situation science can teach children to hold and reconcile with contradictory beliefs. Religion has already ceased to be the source of tolerance, and creationism cannot teach children anything beyond unnecessary denial of the major scientific findings. Conclusion Creationism should not be taught at schools. Given the negativity and scientific denial which it promotes, religion will create distorted learning atmosphere and will work to impose religious beliefs on children. Instead of being the source of ethical values, religion has turned into the tool of anti-intellectualism and scientific conservation. As a result, to teach the science of creation at schools will mean to deprive children of the stimuli to search, investigate, learn and promote scientific and learning progress. Works Cited Gould, S. J. â€Å"Dorothy, It’s Really Oz: A Pro-Creationist Decision in Kansas Is More Than a Blow Against Darwin. † Time Magazine, no. 154 (1999): p. 59. Green, P. â€Å"The Battle Over Creationism. † In F. D. White & S. J. Billings, The Well-Crafted Argument: A Guide and Reader, 3rd ed. , Wadsworth Publishing, 2007, p. 580-83. Krauthammer, C. â€Å"The Real Message of Creationism. † 1999. Time. 11 May 2009. http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,992623,00. html Ludden, D. â€Å"Teaching Evolution at a Christian College. † In F. D. White & S. J. Billings, The Well-Crafted Argument: A Guide and Reader, 3rd ed. , Wadsworth Publishing, 2007, p. 576-80.

Brand Background Of Starwood And Marriott Marketing Essay

Brand Background Of Starwood And Marriott Marketing Essay A brand enables customers to remember the core information about a product, and prevents competitors from making imitation. (Aaker, 1991). Successful brand building helps profitability by adding value that entices customers to buy (De Chernatony and McDonald, 1994). It is also becoming clearer that companies creating strong brands can obtain important competitive advantage over those that do no (Kohli and Thakor, 1997). Whenever a marketer creates a new name, logo or symbol for a new product, he or she has created a brand (Keller, 2003). According to the American Marketing Association’s definition, brand is a â€Å"name, term, sign, symbol or design, or group of sellers, and to differentiate them from those o f the competition†. Another definition given by Farquhar (Farquhar, 1989) is â€Å"a name, symbol, design or mark that enhances the value of product beyond its functional purposes†. The brand creates a more favorable view of the product, relative to others in the market. If successfully built, a brand will add value for customers, and is the underlying reason for purchase. This can bring profitability to the firm (Laforet, 1996). In this report, two hotel groups were chosen for analysis and comparison with the perspective of branding: Starwood and Marriott, both are the leader in lodging industry. Starwood Hotels & Worldwide, Inc is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 992 properties in approximately 97 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties (Starwood). Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation ownership, Inc, one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. As one of the largest operators of upper-upscale and luxury hotels, its global portfolio is unmatched. Starwood remains on track to increase its world-wide foot p rint by 20% over the next five years through smart, carefully targeted growth that will expand its presence in the upper upscale and luxury hotel categories, as well as in the vital limited service segment. Exhibit 1 shows all the brands of Starwood, including Luxury full-service hotels, Luxury and upscale full – service hotels, Select-service hotels, extended stay hotels. The company divides its nine brands into four levels: luxury full-service hotels, luxury and upscale full-service, select-service, extended stay. Judging from the room quantity of each brand, the most two popular brands are Sheraton with 392 properties and Westin with 165 properties. The brands with the least sites are St Regis with 19 properties and Element with only 6 properties. It means that there is much less guests knowing St Regis and Elements than the people knowing Sheraton and Westin. Compared with Starwood, Marriott has more than 3150 lodging properties located 69 countries and territories (Marri ott) with 20 brands, including the newest one – Autograph collection, which was announced on 25th January 2010 (hospitalitynet, 2010). Exhibit 2 showed Marriott’s brands, including luxury lodging, full-service lodging, select-service lodging, extended stay lodging and timeshare. Brand has specific purposes, and businesses should invest in it only with specific aims in mind. It is a form of information, and is most valuable where customers have the least specific information, the least ability to obtain information, the least clarity on evaluation criteria, and the least time or inclination to obtain product information (Keller, 2008). Among all the Marriott’s luxury brands, there is only one brand and logo telling people that it is belong to Marriott group. Ritz-Carlton is often thought as an independent company and has no relationship with Marriott. Bulgari is originally a jewelry company and nothing to do with hospitality. It is very creative that the two comp anies became partners and launched a new brand in lodging industry, but it is difficult for people to associate these two brands. And for Edition, it was planned to open the first property in 2010, but so far, the official website (http://www.editionhotels.com) has not launched any new information.