BMW business model crunches gears as models expand, profit falls Essay

This article discusses the recent changes in sales, earnings, and profits of BMW, the German based manufacturer of luxury automobiles. The article opens by proposing five market scenarios that may affect the way BMW conducts business and earns revenue. The scenarios include changes in laws, consumer desires, auto financing availability, political climate, and consumer buying habits. Recently, earnings have declined by 63 percent and further losses are anticipated. Company executives and industry analysts note that earnings on certain models has declined while sales have increased over a 10 year period. The change is attributed to a lower demand for the high end performance cars that have been BMW’s core product. In response BMW has sold more smaller less expensive cars as a way to respond to changing market demands. This article demonstrates several factors that affect a company’s profitability: competition in the market, consumer demand and habits, and the company business model. In the case of BMW these changes were prompted by legislation regarding gas prices and environmental concerns which changed consumers’ driving and car buying habits. BMW responded to this change by switching to a different line of cars including SUVs and compact cars. They sold more units at lower prices compromising the overall profitability of the company instead of conforming their high performance base model to be fuel efficient. â€Å"Intel’s shock warning sounds alarm for tech sector† This article discusses the issues that led Intel to cut its revenue and profit forecasts for upcoming periods. Intel has reduced profit forecasts and their stock prices have declined by seven percent. Other technology companies including Microsoft, which uses Intel microchips, and competitors such as National Semiconductor Corp have also lowered their profit forecasts. These reports have spread fear across the industry that consumer spending will continue to decline. Intel also cited the credit crisis as an issue affecting demand for products and the ability of suppliers to provide services that Intel needs in its manufacturing process. Industry analysts note that Intel’s slow performance is normally indicative of early spring results, but do not speculate on how the current outlook may affect the coming spring results. This article demonstrates how one factor can have an adverse and possibly unnecessary negative affect on profitability: speculation. As mentioned in the article speculation alone caused stock prices to tumble. Investors assume that profits will be low and will either divest or not further invest affecting the company’s ability to finance production operations. Suppliers assume the worst and make it difficult for the company to obtain materials they need to manufacture and get chips to the market. End users like Hewlett Packard and Microsoft may purchase chips from competitors on the assumption that Intel will not be able to deliver. In other words, a grim forecast can become a self fulfilling prophecy. The difference in the two articles is that the BMW article demonstrates a verifiable and valid set of issues that can and do affect the profitability of the company and the automobile industry as a whole. The Intel article demonstrates how speculation can affect consumer confidence in a way that can reduce profitability. BMW has analyzed the real issues that have reduced their profitability and are in a position to change their business model to respond to the situations identified in the article. Intel, on the other hand, has subjected itself to speculation and must wait to see how the market environment plays out. They can change their forecast but that is not a solid guarantee that consumers will respond positively to the change.

Cultural Immersion Essay

Culture has been characterized as the beliefs, arts, morals, customs and traditions exhibited by a group of individuals within a particular society (Langness 1987). It has long been believed that culture has been associated with one’s ancestry. My trip to Jamaica has made it evident that this entirely is not the case. There are a number of other factors that could cause two groups of individual from the same ethnical background but living in different societies. My paper will be discussing my experiences and realization during my short but meaningful trip to the island of Jamaica. My Cultural Background In order to show that people who come from the same ethnical background do not necessarily have to have the same culture, I will first provide information regarding my own personal background to serve as the basis. Although I am an American living in California, my ethnical descent is African. The roots of my family are embedded in Mississippi. It is for this reason why the food and way of life I have been brought up with resembles those that live in the southern part of the country. In fact, even if I do come from a single parent household, our traditions are very much Southern from the food we eat, the importance we give to our religion and spending time with the family. Day One of My Trip This trip was not just my first time to Jamaica, but my first trip outside of the United States. The moment I had gotten out of the plane, I could say that I was immediately shocked with what greeted me. When I left California for Jamaica, I went through an airport that was air-conditioned and my full of the latest security precaution devices and machines to pass through. I did not see anything of this sort when I arrived in the airport at Jamaica. No high-technology security equipment and no air-conditioner running in the airport. I was greeted by a man named Darwin Mills who was going to drive me to the house of Mr. and Mrs. James, my host family. Mr. Mill’s disposition was as warm as the weather. He was more than happy to drive me first around the Montego Bay area of the island to show me around. Although he was extremely enthusiastic about everything in Jamaica, I could not help but notice how different it was from my hometown in California. It was if I was in another world. For starters, the vehicle used by Mr. Mills to bring me to my destination was right-handed, which was why they were driving in the opposite lane than I would back in California. I also saw people walking on either side of what was supposedly their main highway. When I meant that they were walking on either side of the highway, I am not talking about them walking on sidewalks on either side of the highway. They were literally walking on the side of the highway. What really caught my attention was how underdeveloped the area was. It was not anything like what you would see in tourist brochures and magazines. The streets were filled with pot holes. Houses were small and the fences were poorly made. There were no skyscrapers or large business establishments back home. It made me realize just how fortunate I was living in a sturdy well-built house with a sturdy fence and driving on a well-paved road, despite the horrendous traffic. My first taste of authentic Jamaican cuisine was at lunch time when Mr. Mills brought me to the Rock House Hotel. I was blown away on just how fresh the food was. It tasted deliciously different. After which, I was taken to Rick’s Cafe, which is known more for the daredevils jumping over the cliffs into the wide blue ocean. At the background was a steel drum band playing Reggae music, which is one of the signatures of Jamaica. I was fascinated on how something so simple could be able to develop wonderful, upbeat music. When Mr. Mills dropped me at Mr. and Mrs. James’ house, I nearly jumped at the sight of the dogs that Mr. James keeps loose at the front yard. He apologized for them and explained to me that their dogs were allowed to run loose for their own protection. Although their homes were equipped with two air-conditioners, he explained to me that this is rarely used since electricity is rather expensive in Jamaica. This is the reason why they only use electric fans. As I retired for the night, I kept reminding myself not to immediately judge my life back in California and what I have initially seen in Jamaica so that I would be able to fully understand more about living in Jamaica. Day Two of My Trip The highlight of the second day of my trip was when Mr. and Mrs. James introduced me to Mr. James’ uncle, Charles and his cousin, Brenda. It was through my conversation with them that I begun to slowly learn more about Jamaica. According to them, for a long time, Jamaica had been a colony of England. It only gained its independence in 1962. Majority of the inhabitants of the island were predominantly of African descent, like I was. Although they live far away from Africa, they still hold dearly to their African traditions and customs. Celebrations of the various African festivals are held annually. Despite its booming tourism industry, Jamaica remains to be a third world country. This conversation had answered a lot of my questions when I had first arrived in Jamaica and it had opened my eyes and my mind and developed an understanding and appreciation to the people living in Jamaica. Despite everything surrounding them, they remain to be warm and extremely accommodating to me and more than willing to help me learn as much as I can about Jamaica and Jamaican’s way of life. Day Three of My Trip My last day in Jamaica happened to land on a Sunday. The day started with a day at the beachside which Jamaica has long been known for. But I did not go there to swim, because I do not know how. Instead, I had been taken by Mr. James to the beach to do some shopping. Unlike in California where everything is bought in the local grocery or seafood market, here in Jamaica, it only takes a matter of a few hours for the food to be caught, picked, cleaned, cooked and served. Speaking with meals, my last meal in Jamaica was something similar that one that I would usually have back home. We were served a feast of greens, jerk chicken, rice and peas. Just like back home, Sunday was a time when families get together and enjoy each others’ company over a wonderful spread of home-cooked favorites. Reflection Taking the road less traveled by American tourists in Jamaica, I was able to learn so much about their way of life. Back home, I have been fortunate to have access to a number of amenities and privileges that most Jamaicans would only dream about. Yet, their situation has not diminished their warm and sunny outlook towards life. Despite their limited resources, Jamaicans are able to make the most of what they have and keep a positive outlook. For instance, some African Americans to this day hold a grudge against Caucasian Americans for the prejudice, racism and oppression the older generations have experienced since the time of the slave trade. While Jamaicans had also experienced the same oppressive treatment in the hands of the English, they have placed the oppression behind them and instead celebrate on the fact that they are now free from the oppression. Reference Langness, L. L. (1987). The Study of Culture. Novato, CA: Chandler & Sharp.

Franz Schubert

It was Franz Peter Schubert, who said to a friend â€Å"I have come into the world for no other purpose but to compose†. For someone to be so certain, focused and dedicated at such a young age with extraordinary talent and promise, finding out more about Schubert’s life and astonishing music was a must for me. Franz Peter Schubert was bone in Vienna, on January 31, 1797 to his father, Franz Theodor Schubert and his mother, Elisabeth Vietz.Because Schubert father was a schoolmaster, he began receiving lessons from his father at an early age, as early as age five. A year later Schubert was enrolled in his farther school and taking lessons not only from his farther but also piano lessons from his brother Ignaz. Schubert was very talented and gifted, there were times when his instructor would try to teach him new things which he already had knowledge of. It was at age eleven when Schubert became a choirboy in the court chapel and won a scholarship to the Imperial Seminary.I t was at the Imperial Seminary that Schubert was introduced to the symphonies of Mozart and visits to the opera that strengthen his musical knowledge. At an early age Schubert played the viola and also wrote many of his early string quartets in the family string quartet, with his brothers Ferdinan and Ignaz on violin and his father on the cello. Schubert composed many masterpieces in his late teens while teaching at his father’s school. While teaching Schubert also continued private lessons in composition from Salieri which had a huge impact on Schubert’s musical training than any of his other teachers.By the time Schubert was eighteen he composed 143 songs including The Erlking, which grabbed my attention. The Erlking is rich with emotions and has a physically powerful dialogue. When listening to The Erlking you can visualize the movement and passion so well that it gives you chills. Schubert’s Erlking is one of the earliest and finest examples of musical roman ticism. In Schubert’s Erlking, there is the narrator, father, son, and the Erlking, which is all song by one person. Because the Erlking s done by one person, that one singer is to deliver each character in its fitting tone. The frighten child is song in a high register in minor, while the father is sung in a low register that distinguishes with the high pitched of the son cries, and the Erlking has modest melodies in major keys. The Goethe’s ballad tells a story of a father riding on a horseback through a storm with his ailing child in his arms, as the child is being followed by the Erlking which denotes death.At the very beginning of the Erlking, the piano begins with rapid octaves. It is said that the triplet rhythm unifies the occurrence of the song and suggests that it represent the horse’s dash. The narrator then paints the perfect picture so that you are able to perceive this wild late ride as the farther holds his unwell son so tight and closely to him. As the Goethe ballad continues the son cries out to his father, my father in a forte tone to inform him of the Erlking and his presents.The father, who uses a lower register tone, try to consol the boy and keep him calm by suggesting that the Erlking is a streak of mist and the whispering promises from the Erlking was only wind rustling in the dead leaves. After the son cried out for the last time to his father even louder than before, â€Å"My father, my father, now he is taking hold of me! The Erlking has hurt me! † The piano stops and the father reach the courtyard weary and anxious with his child dead in his arms. It was on You Tube where I first had the pleasure of seeing and not only hearing the performance of The Erlking.Jessye Mae Norman the soprano Opera singer performed The Erlking. Jessye Norman was born in Augusta, Georgia on September 15, 1945 to Silas Norman an insurance salesman, and Janie King Norman. Norman is one of the most admired contemporary opera singer s and recitalists, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music. Jessye Norman is also known for the direct and emotionally expressive qualities of her singing and for her formidable intellectual understanding of the music and its style.During the performance of The Erlking, Jessye Norman gave great passion thought the recital with her body movement and facial expressions. The distinctions between the narrator, son and father were very obvious and the tones were delivered well. In a New York Times article, Norman explained to John Gruen, â€Å"As for my voice, it cannot be categorized and I like it that way, because I sing things that would be considered in the dramatic, mezzo or spinto range. I like so many different kinds of music that I’ve never allowed myself the limitations of one particular range. Although Norman decides not to label her voice, there are some vocal critics that feel that she is not a dramatic soprano, but deem her to be more of a rare s oprano voice type known as a Falcon. The Falcon voice is an intermediate voice types between the soprano and the mezzo soprano that is similar to the dramatic soprano but with a darker color. Norman, nevertheless, refuses to position any label on her voice. Although Franz Schubert died at such a young age he was able to write over 600 songs, he composed symphonies, string quartets, operas, art song and piano pieces as well.Schubert was recognized to be more than a great song composer only after forty years after his death when the Unfinished Symphony was performed. It was in 1828 when Franz Schubert die, he was only thirty one years old. The cause of his death was said to be typhoid fever, which is a worldwide illness, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person that contains the bacterium salmonella enterica. Later it was said that Schubert’s cause of death was syphilis.To recognize Schubert a memorial was built in Viennaâ €™s Stadtpartk to honor and always remember his greatness. Schubert’s grave was move to Zentralfriedhof the largest and most famous cemetery in Vienna, where it is now near Beethoven whom he admired deeply.REFERENCEhttp://www. charlierose. com/view/interview/10121http://www. classicalarchives. com/composer/3308. htmlhttp://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Iz5TV8LWbrohttp://www. bach-cantatas. com/Bio/Norman-Jessye. htm Franz Schubert Franz Schubert (1797-1828), the earliest master of the romantic art song, was unlike any great composer before him: he never held an official musical position and was neither a conductor nor a virtuoso; his income came entirely form composition. â€Å"I have come into the world for no other purpose than to compose,† he said. The full measure of his genius was recognized only years after his tragically early death. Schubert was born in Vienna, the son of a schoolmaster. Even as a child he had astounding musical gifts. If I wanted to instruct him in anything new,† recalled his amazed teacher, â€Å"he knew it already. † At eleven, he became a choirboy in the court chapel and won a scholarship to the Imperial Seminary. Schubert managed to compose an extraordinary number of masterpieces in his late teens while teaching at this father's school, a job he hated. His love of poetry led him to the art song; he composed his first great song Gretchen am Spinnrade (Gretchen a t the Spinning Wheel), when he was seventeen, and the next year he composed 143 songs , including The Erlking.When he was nineteen, Schubert's productivity rose to a peak; he composed 179 works, including two symphonies, an opera, and a mass. At twenty-one, he gave up teaching school to devote himself to music. He associated with a group of Viennese poets and artist who led a bohemian existence; often, he lived with friends because he had no money to rent a room of his own. Working incredibly fast, from seven in the morning until early afternoon, he turned out one piece after another.He spent his afternoons in cafes and many of his evenings at â€Å"Schubertiads,† parties where performances in the homes of Vienna's cultivated middle class; unlike Beethoven, he did not mingle with the aristocracy. The publication and performance of his songs brought him some recognition, but his two most important symphonies–the Unfinished and the Great C Major–were not performed in public during his lifetime. Schubert died in 1828, age thirty-one. His reputation was mainly that of a fine song composer, until the Unfinished Symphony was performed nearly forty ears later and the world could recognize his comprehensive greatness. Schubert's Music Along with over 600 songs, Schubert composed symphonies, string quartets and other chamber music, sonatas and short pieces for the piano, masses, and operas. The songs embrace an enormous variety of moods and types; their melodies range from simple, folk like tunes to complex lines that suggest impassioned speech, and their piano accompaniments are equally rich and evocative. Schubert's imaginative harmonies and dissonances provide some of the most poetic moments in music.The spirit of song pervades his instrumental music, too, and his longer works often include variation movements based on his own songs; his famous Trout Quintet in A Major (1819) is an example. Many of the symphonies and chamber works have long, lyr ical melodies, and a number of them–especially the Unfinished Symphony (1822) and the Great C Major symphony (1825-1826)–are comparable in power and emotional intensity to Beethoven's. The Unfinished was written six years before Schubert's death; no one knows why it has only two (rather than four) movements. The Great C Major was discovered ten years after his death by Robert Schumann.

English Language Learner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English Language Learner - Essay Example In addition, ELL students tend to be nervous and anxious about interacting and addressing these issues to their teachers. In some cultures for instance, it is considered a taboo for a male, Middle-Eastern student to ask for help since it is considered to be â€Å"unmanly.† Issues such as these are prevalent in all cultures. The fear of participation and interaction with mainstream students for international students is even harder when interacting with NES. International students are intimidated as the possibility of mispronouncing or misinterpreting a certain words can be extremely humiliating. Undoubtedly, ESL students feel constrained to communicate effectively in a social environment due to their accents. All these factors accumulate to create a barrier towards developing interpersonal relationships. 2. What are the socio-cultural characteristics of young English Language Learners? What are the educational backgrounds of the families whose home language is other than Engli sh? Gather information about demographics in your state, and discuss how this can impact your work as a teacher.   Young English language learners are hardworking, determined and enthusiastic about learning the English language. Most students that are international students are middle-class and are highly educated. ... For instance, researchers suggest that developing critical skills for international students stem from analyzing magazine and radio advertisements. With this creative approach, students tend to modify their attention between subject matter and language data. 3. How do young ELL children acquire a second language? What is your current ability in supporting acquisition of second language for young ELL children?   Based on careful analysis, everyday conversational skills such as writing, reading and collaboration can truly solidify the foundation of the student’s cognitive and linguistic skills. In the process of learning an additional language, ESL students must keep up with the daily strains that are placed in their program of studies. Furthermore, ESL students must learn to excel in time management skills. Indisputably, each student has a unique set of literacy development needs. Most ESL students have a strict schedule and must be accommodated with personalized program of a ctivities that is managed by the staff itself. Lastly, the implementation of workshops with groups can tremendously enhance the process of acquiring a second language. As of now, we conduct workshops and conduct role playing, in which students are always engaged in a learning environment. 4. Describe how young ELL children’s cultural communication styles and learning styles affect the learning process. Refer to your observation of a young ELL child, during your Family Workshop. How did the family / teacher respond to the child in context of his/her communication style and learning style?   Without a doubt, different cultures possess different

Financial analysis report- APDM pillbox logger Essay

Financial analysis report- APDM pillbox logger - Essay Example The following table highlights the breakup of all these costs. The sales are forecasted for three years for the period of 2012 till 2014. It is assumed that in the year 2012, the number of units sold would be around 100 units at the selling price of $1,000. The number of units sold is expected to increase by 50 units every year. There are also expectations that the prices of the electronic pillbox logger will be increased by 10% due to inflation. The detailed sales projections are outlined in the following table. The projected income statement of APDM has been formulated on the basis of its performance in the years 2011. All the items of income statement has been increased by 5% under current assumption which states that the performance of APDM will remain stagnant throughout the period of next three years as currently there are no bright hopes for the company to perform on a good note. The main area of concern for APDM is the level of discount that they offer to their customers. The amount of discount simply erodes the earnings and causes the company to suffer losses. If company somehow manages to reduce the level of discounts from thee customers, then there are chances that the company start performing operations with better profits and come out of the current depressing situation. The current income statement shows a net loss of $8,695 which is expected to be carried over for the next 3 years as there are no indicators which suggest that there are chances for the company to grow stronger. Under current assumptions, it can be said that the financial performance of APDM will consistently display the similar disappointing results. Even with the launches of new devices, the performance of the company would remain below par. The highlights of the income statement are given below: If the breakeven analysis of the product is taken into consideration, then it can be observed that under the current assumption of having 100

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 9

Leadership - Essay Example as observed that , transformational leaders who may happen to have narcissistic tendencies can apply a very powerful influence over followers, who may give them trust and respect (Stone, Russel and Patterson, 2003, p.4) as to manipulate the latter. Manipulating followers may actually be violating the latter’s very freedom as the act would amount to misleading them to choosing what is proper as free human beings. These followers may virtually submit their wills to their leaders. The possibility of this argument is due to the appeal to emotions which a key ingredient to practice transformational leadership. The source of the first criticism is the fact that there are allegedly people who were transformational leaders who led their people to destruction. Used as examples are the cases of Rev Jim Jones and Hitler. In the case of Jones, the leader caused massive Jonestown suicide after convincing his people of the value of his proposition no matter how evil it may be (Krans, B. 2007). Which could be more evil than taking one’s life by the instigation of a leader who is supposed to espouse and value life and on the greatest values on human being? The case of Hitler is too familiar to escape mentioning the same when it comes to leaders who could move their followers to attainment of objectives and goals of the group. Who could imagine that Hitler was able to have the command of his followers to exterminate millions of Jews as to offend the sensibility of human kind? Hitler and Himmler, his fanatical racist and ultimate bureaucrat what able to take control of anti-Jewish initiatives and Hitler was the ideological and political author of the Holocaust (Farmer, 2010). The reasoning behind the criticism is assumption that there is a tendency by the transformational leaders to take advantage of the emotions of the followers who may forget about the supremacy of reason because they have virtually submitted their beliefs and wills to their leader because of their

The Story of Foreign Trade and Exchange case Essay

The Story of Foreign Trade and Exchange case - Essay Example Competitive advantage is acquired once a business diversifies its products and ensures that they are of higher quality, fair prices and is locally and internationally available compared to their competitors. This strategy suggested by the story of foreign exchange and which has been adopted by Nestle has made this company attain a competitive advantage in the consumer healthy foods market where there are many giants. Its diversification into not only beverages and snacks but also baby food and the availability of the products worldwide has made it gain more and dominate the market. Its absolute advantage is derived from its corporate social responsibility which is giving back to the community as much as possible for sustainability purposes. Nestle is one of the companies that formed World Cocoa Foundation whose aim is to integrate with cocoa farmers all over the world and assist them on increasing their productivity, supplying their products and even dealing with the adverse environmental effects. It has also invested more than $500 million to deal with health problems like diabetes and obesity among

An ethical analysis of the September 11 attacks Essay

An ethical analysis of the September 11 attacks - Essay Example These attacks were however carried out by Muslim extremists whose ideals were not representative of the Muslim sentiment as a whole. Nevertheless, this attack created a significant rift between the US and the Muslim community. There are various explanations which have been suggested in order to make sense of this attack. These explanations always return to the core issues of terrorism and Muslim extremism. This analysis shall now consider two approaches (Marxism and Realism) to the incident, evaluating the ethics of the situation. The US policy in relation to the developing world soon after the 9/11 attacks shall be the main focus of this analysis, utilizing Marxist and Realist approaches to ethical assessment. The 9/11 terrorist attack and the subsequent War on Terror and the Iraqi War led to instances of western bigotry against the east (Bai). Based on the need to react to the atrocities perpetrated by the Muslim followers, the attacks might be understandable, however, such racism is often carried over to designate Marxism (MacGregor and Zarembka). Some analysts have mentioned, without any sufficient reason for religious fundamentalism in the East, they labeled such religions and practices as the source of crazy fundamentalism, labeling Marxism with the same negative connotation (MacGregor and Zarembka). The 9/11 report on the attacks also established similar connotations, and blamed all the problems on the underachievement and jealousy issues of eastern working class citizens. There are arguments which hold Marxism to task for being too western a philosophy (MacGregor and Zarembka). Edward Said (p. 153) claims that Marxism views Asia as a group entity, not as a plurality of individuals with varying and diverse identities. He does not acknowledge that Marx seems to apply the same ideals to England and India (Said, p. 154). Such criticism may also be based on Marx’s perception of the working class and the bourgeoisie of England where they are grouped to gether based on class. While Said might justifiably accuse Marx with an overall view of class struggle, Marx would likely agree to these same precepts (Said, p. 153). The Marxist theory often supports leftist ideals and has always acknowledged that states operate to protect the interest of the economic working class (Owusu, p. 3). Marxist commentators agree to the outcomes of the 9/11 attacks, most of them are not willing to agree that 9/11 in a manner which was not validated by the US officials; in effect, they discount the possibility of conspiracy of capitalists (Owusu, p. 3). Although the attack established a means for the US to undertake military action, no thought was given to the fact that the attack may have been based on state actions (Owusu, p. 3). However, in general, the Marxist connotations do not support a planned and convoluted action by the US. Marxism is based on economic and sociopolitical ideals which highlight the materialist evaluation of history, and a critique on the development of capitalism (Callinicos, p. 5). In reviewing the 9/11 attacks, terrorism was built on economic hardships, mostly exacerbated by the dominance of capitalism and Western capitalism in the developing countries (Carmody, p. 85). These terrorists believe that their economic

Media items related to gender, sexuality and the body Essay

Media items related to gender, sexuality and the body - Essay Example Sexuality is anchored on physical and biological differences that make males and females different. The media use their content with sexuality and gender to influence, educate or inform their audience. Sexuality in advertising entails the use of erotic or sexual words or phrases, images in advertising to appeal to buyers and increase the chances of selling the product. Analyses of media content indicate that most of the content presented portrays issues relating to gender, sexuality and the body with all of these displaying sexual activities explicitly or implicitly. For example, over 80% of all movies from a cable TV stations have sexual content. Over 50% of the music shown in the television portray sexual feelings and impulses with minority displaying provocative clothing and body movement that are sexually arousing. Sexual messages in most television shows are universally presented in a positive light towards gender and sexuality. In most media gender and sexuality has been exploi ted consciously and unconsciously in media items such as; advertisements, promotions, magazine articles, newspaper articles, blogs, and websites. The gist of this paper is to collect and analyse media items related to gender, sexuality and the body. Blog sexinadsmedia.blogspot.com, 2009, Sexuality in media/advertisement , viewed 18 April 2012, . This is a blog article which details the media use of sexuality in advertising, and it discusses a study carried on the use of sexuality in media. It is now news that sexuality had been used in advertising as early as 1800s when physical attractiveness and sexuality started having a great impact on society. Sexuality was used in advertisements in forms of wood carvings and other illustrations of attractive naked women, from the waist up. In 1885 W. Dukes & Sons Tobacco Company could insert trading cards featuring attractive and provocative women into tobacco packages (sexinadsmedia.blogspot.com. 2009, p. 1). Sexuality has from then proved to be substantially effective tool that can change the sales trend in many companies. The blog article refers to the most striking twentieth century advertisement by Woodbury’s Facial Soap, which was based on sexuality. The history of this company has it that in early twentieth century, its sales were plummeting, and it used a doctor’s face on wrapper as its advertisement tool. Later, the company switched to sexuality advertisements by inserting romantic paintings of, young appealing women, and immediately the sales escalated for the following years. Coupled with these images of sexuality was the sexual slogan â€Å"A Skin You Love to touch†, which has attraction and appeal to sexy women (sexinadsmedia.blogspot.com. 2009, p. 1). The blog article agrees with the fact that sexuality is a transforming tool depending on which product is being advertised. The study on the effect of sexuality in advertisements proves that sexy ads attract more people than nonsexual ones . In most sexuality advertising, 51% females are used, and only 15% males are used (Huston, Wartella & Donnerstein 1998). The twist of the writer is the fact that sexuality in general has become a controversial issue in print media advertising

Summarizing Enter Right,Exit Left By Joshua Foer Essay

Summarizing Enter Right,Exit Left By Joshua Foer - Essay Example One of the recent surveys conducted by CNN/USA Today/Gallup, a majority of 18- to 29-year-olds thought the war worthwhile. Moreover, the same survey also found that President Bush had a 9 percent higher approval rating among people under 30 than he did among older respondents. Even the majority of the younger supporters of Democrats supported the Iraq during its initial phase because of the trauma developed after 9/11 incident. Most of the political organizations on campus irrespective of their political ideologies have supported Iraq war earlier. The attack on Twin Towers and Pentagon was considered as an attack against the sovereignty of Americans and President Bush got immense support from the younger generation at the time when the Iraq war started. President Bush’s arguments in favour of the Iraq war, like the possession of weapons for mass destruction by Saddam and the accused links between Saddam and Al Qaeda, have inspired the younger generation a lot and around 50 percent of those surveyed under 30 said they trusted government to do the right thing whereas only 36 percent of the older Americans kept the same views like the younger generation. Many of the younger generation in America thought that America was a force for good in the world and Americans are more aware of international affairs. The opinions of the American public about the Iraq war has changed drastically as conditions in Iraq have grown more chaotic. The younger generation slowly realised that why the older generation was reluctant in extending lavish supports to the Iraq war. The revelation that American government exaggerated claims about the possession of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq has taught the younger generation that one cant always trust authority. The photos of Abu Ghraib and flag-draped coffins have taught the younger generation that the authorities were executing their hidden

Neural Networks Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Neural Networks - Movie Review Example able to check their payload; the load capacity they can contain in any operation and there be able to know the maximum load beyond which it fails or develop dramatic loss in accuracy. In the story, it is very clear that through neural networks robots can be controlled remotely through gestures and be directed to perform some tasks depending their interpretation of those gestures or symbols shown. Neural networks have been used for robot control over long time now and have evolved to high levels of control that are intricate. Firstly, a robot can be learn through the neural networks; this is achieved a neural network brain for the robot. An example of a good robot learning task is navigational tasks that may include learning to detect objects or obstacles like a wall and to move about a space in a defined path. Through the learning, the robots can develop maps in their ‘brains’ for the environment they are in after being taught. This includes recognizing as well as being able to predict behaviors and upcoming obstacles on their paths through voice recognition and may be light detecting sensors within them. Critical decision-making can be inculcated in robots by neural networks where it is supposed to weigh the negative and positive effects of its actions depending the outcomes of the action it is about to take. This shows the analytical characteristics involved and measurement of the levels of effects caused by the activities undertaken by the robots. For example, given more than one task to perform which have different slack times to be finished on their due dates, the robot will determine the best option by choosing the task with the least slack times to be performed first. Another area where the neural networks have been used is in the control of the robots movements in the joints as it performs it tasks. It can offer a continuous movement or a discontinuous movement that is stepped. Depending on the pace of the tasks it is expected to perform the robot is

Ilya Repins Volga boatmen Essay Example for Free

Ilya Repins Volga boatmen Essay â€Å"Painting is a branch of the visual arts, in which color is applied to various surfaces to create a representational or abstract picture or design† (Vishny, 2003). A painting can represent an artist’s ideas or reflect the condition of a society. Some of the great masterpieces in art history include Peter Rubens’ The Battle of the Amazons, Frederic Church’s Heart of the Andes and Ilya Repins Volga boatmen. The Battle of the Amazons was painted by Peter Rubens during the Baroque epoch in 1616-1618. The painting employed the Flemish Baroque Style while the theme represented a battle scene from Greek mythology. It showed a violent struggle between Theseus (King of Athens) defense force and a group of women warriors commonly known as Amazons. In this graphical depiction of Rubens, he made use of strong dark colors of red, black and yellow that exemplified belligerence. â€Å"The glowing color and light that flickers across limbs and draperies gave a sense of movement and tactile strength† (Davison, 2006). For me, this piece of art showed that in a game of war nobody wins and everybody looses. No matter what the motivation or the cause of the conflict, war can’t still be justified because in reality lives are being taken and that is contradictory to human’s purpose which is to live. On the other hand, Frederic Church’s Heart of the Andes is a pleasant landscape illustration of a scenic view in Ecuador along the Andes Mountains. His delicate fusions of water, light and air and his seemingly infinite vistas emphasized an accurate depiction of an unspoiled and picturesque environment. This painting gave many Americans during the late 19th century their first glimpse of the tropics, which is rendered as exotic and as an underdeveloped terrain (Smith, 1989, pp-1-2). I think that the â€Å"Heart of Andes† reflected the artist’s love for nature. Meanwhile, Ilya Repins Volga Boatmen is a painting about bargemen which were called â€Å"burlaki† harnessed together along the shoreline of Volga River in Russia. Repin was able to convincingly depict the status of the working class during that period. He treated the main elements of his painting with dark colors to represent weariness, melancholiness and captivity which is contrasted by the light yellow and blue hues that showed nature’s beauty. Furthermore, Volga Boatmen became the model for mid-20th-century Soviet socialist realism that honestly and realistically demonstrated the social condition of Russia during that period (Davison, 2006). These three art works are representational paintings. The Battle of the Amazons, Heart of the Andes and Volga Boatmen represented a particular event, a definite place and a specific social condition. Ruben, Church and Repin used the same medium but they pointed out three different views. In the case of Ruben, he gave a glimpse of the Greek mythology, which is a commonly used theme in the Renaissance era, to his viewers. Beneath the nudes, animals and mythological creatures, issues on the effects of war and subordination of women were raised. For Church, he used his artistry to showcase an unspoiled landscape and stressed that places like this do exist outside their own backyard. The natural effect of the painting gave its viewers an organic feeling which is in opposite with Ruben’s somber depiction of the Battle of the Amazons and Repin’s gloomy rendition of the Volga Boatmen. Meanwhile, Repin showed in his painting his advocacy for socialist realism. He depicted a social scene with a realistic detail to impart to his viewers his social conviction. Overall, these paintings may differ in subject matter, color or styles but the only common thing in these masterpieces is that these are not only art works but are also considered as historical documents that tell a story of a certain period or time. More so, these paintings exude a serious mood with the common theme of battle. It is seen mostly in the small detailed elements that were carefully placed by the artists in their respective paintings. In the Battle of the Amazon, the use of dead nudes dramatizes the plight of women against the Greek men. The painting emphasized the social status of women as inferior to men but the battle scene depicted the attempts of the amazons to prove to the Greeks that they are not weak. Meanwhile, in the Heart of the Andes, it shows a different kind of battle. The presence of the white cross and open-root tree on the riverbank suggests the vulnerability of the environment. Church intended this element to show the fight to preserve and protect the pristine beauty of nature from the opportunist hands of man. As for Repins Volga Boatmen, the sea elements on the shoreline accentuates the barrenness of the place that heightens the unfavorable condition of the boatmen. This painting represents the conflict between workers and the upper class. It shows the class struggle of the masses against the privilege. References Davison, B. (2006). A Painting Critique: The Battle of the Amazons, Heart of the Andes, and Volga Boatmen. Associated Content Inc, pp. 1-2. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from http://www.associatedcontent. com/article/93533/a_painting_critique_the_battle_of_the. html. Lerkins Global Ltd. (2003). Rubens, Peter Paul The Battle of the Amazons. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from http://oldmasterpiece. com/rubens,peter,paul,the,battle,of,the,amazons,738. html? PHPSESSID=ed5695e80ea4b61861f84e53e04b9c7a Smith, R. 1989 October 30. Review/Art: Poetry and Showmanship of Frederic Church. New York Times, pp. 1-2. Vishny, M. (2003). Painting. Microsoft Encarta Reference Library. Microsoft Corporation.

The Competitive Strategies Of Coca Cola Economics Essay

The Competitive Strategies Of Coca Cola Economics Essay This paper is discussing about the economic market structure, especially for imperfect competition market which are monopolistic competition market and oligopoly market. There will be explanations about definition, characteristics, and examples of monopolistic competition market and oligopoly market. There is Dunkin Donuts Inc. for the monopolistic competition market and Coca Cola Co. for the oligopoly market. This paper also will discuss about competitive strategies of Coca Cola. Introduction In economy study, people know that there are view types of market in the existence. These market types are differentiated according to number / distribution of firm(s) in the market. According to Sloman Norris (2002), there are four types of market structures in the practice, which are perfect competition, monopoly and monopolistic competition, oligopoly markets. Perfect competition market is a market with the most sellers and buyers in transaction. In this type of market, the products that provided are mostly homogenous. To get in into this market, there are no barriers. Both of the buyers and sellers is price taker (OSullivan et al, 2008), so in this market price is not the factor that could affect the sales, instead of it service is much more attractive. Monopoly market is a market with a single firm that provide product that has no close-substitutes. This condition clearly shows that this type of firm has power that will allow them as the price maker, since there are no close-substitutes that can be chosen by consumer to replace the use of the service or goods provided by the firm. In this monopoly market there is entry barriers such as patent, government policy, etc. Perfect competition and monopoly market are the extreme condition in market. The other two market structures which are monopolistic competition and oligopoly market is more common type of market that we can see in the real life situation if they are compared to perfect competition and monopoly market. This paper will discuss more on imperfect competition market that are the including the monopolistic competition market and the oligopoly market, which are more relevance to the practice with the relevance and appropriate examples. Contents Theory Monopolistic Competition Market Monopolistic competition was developed by an American economist named Edward Chamberlin in 1930s (Sloman Norris 2002). Monopolistic is a type of monopoly market; there are quite number of firms running in the industry, but they produce a differential product which distinguish them from other. In monopolistic market, a firm is independence; means that firm in this market are hardly affected with their competitors act or decision, or vice versa (Sloman Norris 2002). Firms in the monopolistic market are offering their products through different things from their competitors; appearance, levels, technology, quality, price, etc. These differentiations of product are also known as Product differentiation (Parkin,2000). There are no entry barriers to get in into this monopolistic competition market. Barrier such as patent or government regulation is not applicable in this market (OSullivan et al, 2008). According to Parkin (2000), firms have the free entry and exit in monopolistic market. Normally if the condition of this market is highly profitable there will be a positive signal that invite numbers of firm to come in and the distribution of profit will be divided to the firms in market, but when they performance of market is low, there will be number of firm as well leaving this market. The below tables show monopolistic market in profit and loss time (Case Fair, 2008): However, in the long run there will be no super abnormal profit for firms in monopolistic market, since because of the signaling, firms are freely enter and exit from the market. Here is the long term condition graph (Case Fair, 2008): Oligopoly Market Oligopoly is a term that derived from the term of the Greeks which are oligos meaning little or few and polein meaning to sell. Oligopoly refers to a market where there are only few firm running the business in the field. (Tucker, 2005). Not the same with monopolistic, to enter into oligopoly market is not easy to be done, since oligopoly market has the entry barrier as monopoly market (Sloman Norris 2002). According to OSullivan et al (2008), government has intervention in this market, making sure there is no bunch of firms operating in the oligopoly industry by issuing controller such as patent and business licenses. Besides that, firms in oligopoly market are majority competing also by advertising campaign. The expenditure budget for advertising in this market is very high. Not similar with monopolistic competition market, oligopoly market is interdependent. The decision that made by firm that operating in oligopoly will affect the other firms that operating in the same market. In this market there will be no firm that does not consider the action taken by their rival. Most of the companies in oligopoly firm compete through non-price competition. By practicing non-price competition, each oligopolist create barrier for competitors to combat an important product improvement. Here are some examples of non-price competition (Riley, 2006): Free deliveries and installation Extended warranties for consumers and credit facilities Longer opening hours (e.g. supermarkets and petrol stations) Branding of products and heavy spending on advertising and marketing Extensive after-sales service Expanding into new markets or diversification of the product range In oligopoly market, the graph of demand will shows a kinked curve. The kinked demand curve model happen because of two assumptions that made in oligopoly market, which are: If a firm rising the selling price, the other firms remain (not follow to increase the price) If a firm cutting the selling price, the other firms will follow to cut down their selling price as well Kinked demand curve in monopolistic market (Anonymous, n.d) Oligopoly market has a tendency to thinks what is their competitor reaction to their new policies. To examine this oligopolist behavior can be done with the Game Theory. Game Theory is a study to analyze the strategic behavior depends on the reaction of the competitor into the new policies (Sloman Norris 2002). As outlined by Samuelson and Nordhaus (2005), some general findings of game theorist in the area of imperfect competition are: As the number of non-cooperative oligopolists becomes large, industry price and quantity tend toward the perfectly competitive outcome. If firms decide to collude rather than compete, the market price and quantity will be close to those generated by monopoly. But experiments suggest that as the number of firms increases, collusive agreements become more difficult to police and the frequency of cheating and non-cooperative behavior increases. In many situations, there is no stable equilibrium for oligopoly. Strategic interplay may lead to unstable outcomes as firms threaten, bluff, start price wars, capitulate to stronger firms, punish weal opponents, signals their intentions, or simply exit from the market. In this Game Theory, there is also a term called Prisoners Dilemma that illustrate the difficulties in maintaining a cooperation (Mankiw, 2004). According to Parkin (2000), there are 3 things that need to be paid attention in Game Theory, which are rules, strategies and payoffs. The game theory will be illustrated as following: A and B are caught stealing a car, both of them were interrogated by the polices and they will sentence for 2 years in prison. The police suspect that A and B is involved in recent robbery, but they have no evidence to prove it. Rules: A and B were put in different cabin, each told they are suspected involve in robbery. If both of them confess they did it, they will sentence into 3 years prison, however if one of them confess and the other one does not, the first one will only sentence for 1 year prison and the other one 10 years. Strategies: the possible action that can be taken by A and B are , Confess or denied they involved in the robbery. Payoffs: because there are two players and two strategies, there are four possible outcomes, which are: Both confess, both denied, A confesses B denies, and B confesses A denies. 10 Years 1 Year 2 Years 2 Years 3 Years 3 Years 1 Year 10 Years Prisoners Dilemma Payoffs Matrix (Parkin 2000) Company in Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly Market Monopolistic competition market can be entered easily, even though there are many competitors in the industry competing in it. Food and beverage industry is also included in monopolistic competition market. In example Starbucks, McD, KFC, and Dunkin donuts are well known in the franchise business in food and beverage industry. Dunkin donuts is a beverage industry firm that provides donuts and the regular coffee. Founded in 1950, today Dunkin Donuts is the No. 1 retailer of hot and iced regular coffee-by-the-cup in America (Miranda, n.d.). In beverage industry like Dunkin donuts we can see there is quite numbers of firms are operating in the same industry such as Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, etc. Each of these companies has their own characteristic that differentiate them with their competitors; such as Krispy Kreme is more concentrating in the production of donuts, while Starbucks are providing more various blended coffee. However, Dunkins donut also has its own characteristic which is providing the regular coffee with the delicious donuts or cakes. According to Miranda (n.d.), Dunkin Donuts in Florida are doing very well and doing better than the other franchises in other states. Dunkin Donuts sells 52 different donuts and more than a dozen coffee beverages as well as bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and other baked beverages. Dunkin donuts is having a powerful market position. It has become the No.1 in regular hot coffee sales, No.1 in bagels, No.1 in donuts and No.3 in breakfast sandwiches, and Dunkin donut is developed with a strong and profitable franchise business model (Goumas, 2006). There is no entry barrier for those firms that wanted to come into beverage market, such as J.Co in Malaysia; its a new comer in the beverage industry. For Oligopoly market there is Coca Cola Co. which is leading in the carbonated beverage industry for years. There are only a few producers in carbonated beverage, this makes carbonated beverage industry included in oligopoly market. Coca Cola Co. are included in oligopoly market, even though in the real life there is quite a lot carbonated drinks available (which can be categorized into monopolistic competition), such as FN in Malaysia. But in the practice, these carbonated beverages industries were dominated by Coca Cola Co. and Pepsi Co. for decades, this beverage industry become oligopoly. Thus, for the smaller firm such as FN in beverage industry has their sales in a little share and cannot be compared to the sales of Coca Cola and Pepsi. The main rival of Coca Cola is Pepsi Co., which has been decades competing in the Coke industry. In the carbonated soft drink industry today, Coco-Cola dominated 43.7% of the market, followed by PepsiCo. occupied 31.6% and Cadbury-Schweppes 15.8% (In January 1999, the smallest oligopolist Cadbury Schweppes PLC, sold part of its international business to Coca-Cola Co.) ( oligopolywatch.com, 2005). The branding and advertisement effort for Coca Cola and Pepsi are also competitive and they have their own characteristic. For Pepsi, they always hire well-known artist such as Britney Spears, Beyonce and Pink to advertise their Pepsi Coke. In the other side, Coca Cola always use a creative advertisement. They never stop their advertisement, even though they know that both of them is the leader in the industry, because they never want to lose to one another. From the number of firms in the market, the tendency that firms can go in into market and the branding advertisement effort, makes the carbonated beverage industry become an oligopoly market rather than monopolistic competition market. Competitive Strategies of Coca Cola Co. Advertisement and Sponsorship Consider the long-running Coke-Pepsi feud, both Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo. are trying to made a useful foil for advertising, and company created product distinctions during the competition. During the Beijing Olympic in 2008, again Coca Cola has been the official partner for this event in past 80 years. For Coca Cola there is never too early to do promotion, it proven by the launching of limited edition Coca Cola Olympic edition with various languages (Baar, 2008). In December 2008, Coca Cola running a new mobile marketing campaign in Germany and also they did advertise in television that showing the Coca-Cola truck driving through a snowy landscape. (Khan, 2008). Expand in Market and Product Range Recently, Coca Cola put more effort in expanding their production in China. Coca Cola Co. has built 2 production plant in the less developed central and west China (The Coca Cola Company Press, 2009). Since Pepsi sales compare to Coca Cola sales in China is larger, Coca Cola does not stop expanding their target which is China market. Coca Cola Co. has variety products which have been introduced as the needs of the customer. As stated in The Coca Cola Company Press (2009), Coca Cola has more than 3,000 beverages, from diet and regular sparkling beverages to still beverages such as 100 percent fruit juices and fruit drinks, waters, sports and energy drinks, teas and coffees, and milk-and soy-based beverages, our variety spans the globe. Keep Innovative and Efficient over the Long Run Oligopolistic competition is proved to be beneficial, because it provides continuous improvement, and ensures that managements would keep their organizations innovative and efficient over the long run. Argued by Zachary (1999), market leaders need challengers to keep them on their toes. According to Weier (2009), Coca Cola Company plant to lunch out Freestyle drink dispenser, in the US nationwide. This dispenser have the concept of fulfill customer choice to new heights, the most interesting aspect is the technology its built on. Cutting Price By doing innovation such as lunch out Freestyle drink dispenser, it will help Coca Cola Company to do price cutting. Freestyle will become Cokes front-line robotic army for business intelligence, sending massive amounts of consumption data back to the beverage companys Atlanta headquarters. The dispensers collect data on what customers are drinking and how much, and transmit that information each night over a private network to data warehouse system in Atlanta. Unique byproduct of this BI enabled dispenser is that Coke can try out new flavors and get back almost real time feedback on the viability of its success.   It will no longer have to ensemble Customer focus group and try it out in a lab.   The real world becomes the lab and the marketing department at Coke can watch consumers vote yea or nay on the viability of new product instantaneously.   This not only improves the speed of feedback but also makes the entire test marketing process cheaper.   Conclusion There is perfect competition market and imperfect competition market. Perfect competition markets are including perfect competition and monopoly market. However, imperfect competition markets are monopolistic competition market and oligopoly. From the overall analysis, it shows that the oligopoly is the most difficult competitive structure to evaluate than other market structures, because the intensity of competition is high whereby oligopolists battle for market share. Each and every move by a player attracts retaliation. And many market structures tend towards being an oligopoly as time progresses. In oligopoly market effort such as branding, advertising, business expansion is very core. Since the price battle cannot be done in oligopoly market, a firm must be able to make moves in non-price battle. To gain the competitive advantages in the long run, Coca Cola need to take care about their advertisement and sponsorship program, developing the research and development, keep expanding their market; specially the location where Pepsi Co. gain more sales compare to Coca Cola. Coca Cola Company is one of the successful firms in oligopoly market, their effort to be existence in the market has leaded them to the top of beverage market until now.

How Music Changed In The 20th Century Music Essay

How Music Changed In The 20th Century Music Essay The Romantic Period (1800-1910) saw music evolve from the formats, genres and musical ideas established in preceding periods such and went further in expressing different forms of art with music. However, the 20th century saw the rise of great composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, Charles Ives and Igor Stravinsky whose contributions to the world of music brought dynamic changes. In the twentieth century music was no longer constrained to opera-houses, clubs, and concerts and this freedom brought experimentation with new styles of music that went against the conventional music practices. Discussed below are the contributions of the aforementioned composers and their influence on 20th century music. Arnold Schoenberg Schoenberg, an Austrian born composer is widely celebrated for the developments that he brought into the musical arena. His music from his early years was filled with rich harmonies that evolved from the innovative style of Richard Wagners operas. He is also credited with extending the works of Brahms. By 1913, Schoenberg was exploring a new musical language. This had started in 1908, with his string quartet whose first two movements were written in a complex tonal style -the central organizing principle of western music in that period. However, with the third and fourth movements Schoenberg bid goodbye the world of tonality. As such, he pioneered an innovation in atonality which became the most polemical characteristic of twentieth century art music. In the 1920s, he developed the twelve tone technique (dodecaphony) which is a widely influential compositional method of manipulating an ordered series of all twelve notes in the chromatic scale. He also coined the term developing varia tion and was the first composer to discover new ways of developing motifs without resorting to tonality. With this discovery, he worked at enabling the texture of his music become simpler and much clearer. The twelve-tone technique in effect provided control over the melodic and harmonic aspects of a composition. Schoenbergs dodecaphony eventually became one of the integral and polemical issues among European and American musicians until late twentieth century. To date, composers have been extending his legacy in increasingly radical directions. Charles Ives Ives, one of the first American composers of international renown combined the American church music with European art music and was among the first composers to engage in a systematic program of experimental music with musical techniques like polytonality, polyrhythm, and tone clusters among others. He was an accomplished pianist and many of his publications had piano parts that were similar to modern movements in Europe, including bitonality and pantonality. He is best known for his orchestral music and he composed two string quartets and other works of chamber music. Ives music possessed a number of unique features. He applied unconventional approaches to rhythm and harmony away from the salon styles of the nineteenth century that were dependent on European models. He wanted a music that reflected his view of America: rugged, individualistic, and unafraid to experiment. His music contains a mixture of hard-hedged dissonance and quotations from his favorite hymn tunes. Ives composi tional career came to an end in 1918 when he succumbed to health complications. Over the duration of time that he had been actively composing, he managed to create a body of work that was unique and ahead of his time. His works were not celebrated as much during his early days but later on in his life his music began to be taken seriously. In 1947, he received the Pulitzer Prize for his Third Symphony and since then, his works became an integral part of the classical repertoire and he has been recognized for being a fine composer. Igor Stravinsky This Russian-born composer, pianist and conductor is widely acclaimed as one of the most important and influential composers of 20th century music. Stravinskys compositional career was notable for its stylistic diversity. Unlike Arnold Schoenberg who abandoned the world of tonality, he sought to retain tonality by advancing it to its very limits. Stravinsky first achieved international renown with three ballets: The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring. The Rite was based upon harsh dissonance, motor rhythms and ambiguous harmonies that drove tonality to its brink. It transformed the way in which subsequent composers thought about rhythmic structure, and was responsible for his enduring reputation as a musical revolutionary, extending the boundaries of musical design. After this Russian phase, Stravinsky joined the Orthodox Church in 1926 and turned to neoclassicism. During this period, his works made use of traditional music forms (concerto grosso, fugue, and symphony) and wer e all striking in their austerity and experimental tonality. For this neoclassical style, he abandoned the large orchestras required by the ballets and only used wind instruments, the piano and choral and chamber works. In 1952, Stravinsky began using serial compositional styles, including dodecaphony, the twelve-tone technique originally designed by Schoenberg. Stravinsky earned the title of one of musics truly epochal innovators because of his technical innovations and the changing face of his compositional style while still maintaining identity. He drew his inspiration from different cultures, languages and literatures therefore his influence on composers to date is considerable. Apart from his distinctive use of rhythm, he continued to compose pieces which elaborated on individual pieces by earlier composers. He was also a wonderful conductor of his own and other peoples music and led hundreds of concerts worldwide. In different ways, Igor Stravinsky rewrote music history. His brilliant, demanding orchestral scores carved the path for the superstar conductor. Years later, his works continue to play a dominant role in the programming of symphony orchestras, ballet companies and increasingly, major opera houses. Conclusion Each of the composers discussed above have in their own way greatly influenced the musical circles. Their works and innovation continue to inspire new talent and form the basis of research and expansion of the breath of knowledge as pertains to composition

Nishida Kitarôs Studies of the Good and the Debate Concerning Universal Truth in Early Twentieth-C :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Nishida Kitarà ´'s Studies of the Good and the Debate Concerning Universal Truth in Early Twentieth-Century Japan ABSTRACT: When Nishida Kitarà ´ wrote Studies of the Good, he was a high school teacher in Kanazawa far from Tokyo, the center of Japanese scholarship. While he was praised for his intellectual effort, there was no substantive agreement about the content of his ideas. Critics disagreed with the way he conceived of reality and of truth as contained in reality. Taken together, I believe that the responses to Nishida's early work give us a window on the state of Japanese philosophy in the early twentieth century. In what follows, I give evidence for the existence of such a debate about the nature of truth and reality. After a sketch of Nishida's position (in which scientific truth is made subordinate to an all-encompassing divine truth), I outline the positions of two other contemporary thinkers: Katà ´ Hiroyuki and Takahashi Satomi. With respect to Nishida, they offer markedly different takes on the question of universal truth: Katà ´ favors an antireligious, scientific positivism w hile Takahashi accepts an existentialist notion of radical human finitude, in which human access to any certainty is denied. I conclude that one is confronted with a lively debate by Japanese philosophers inside Japan about the definition of truth and consequently about the nature of reality. Nishida Kitarà ´ (1870-1945) wrote the essays that make up Studies of the Good while a high school teacher in Kanazawa, in the hokuriku region on the Japan sea, far from the center of scholarship in Tokyo. The essays originally appeared separately in various journals and in 1911 were published in book form. From the publication of the first essay, "Concerning the Nature of Reality", in Tetsugaku zasshi, the journal of the philosophy seminar at Tokyo Imperial University, Nishida faced a number of direct and indirect critiques. While his intellectual effort was highly praisedone person proclaiming that such a level of accomplishment . . . would have been unattainable for anyone but a true scholarthere was no such agreement about the content of what Nishida had written. Critics disagreed with the way he conceived of reality and of truth as contained in reality. Taken together, I believe that the responses to Studies give us a window onto the state of philosophizing in Japan in the earl y twentieth century. The responses show that four decades into the program of opening up to the West, philosophers in Japan were in full-scale debate about the nature of truth and reality.

Just Another Day at the Office :: English Literature Essays

Just Another Day at the Office Personal computer (pc) repair technicians and doctors have a lot in common. Patients arrive at the doctor’s door bearing all manner of complaints or problems. I am sure doctors have seen and heard about every type of ignorant stunt a person can think of or do. My name is Skeeter Jones, and I have been a pc repair technician for approximately fifteen years. Like a doctor, I thought I had seen and heard of every crazy stunt imaginable until I received a call from Headaches, Incorporated about a computer crash. When I arrived at the job site, Lola and Chase, the office and terminal managers, greeted me. â€Å"Boy! Are we ever glad to see you,† they both cried in unison, â€Å"We have completely screwed up the computer.† â€Å"Well, show me the computer that is down while you tell me what happened,† I replied. â€Å"Linda, Lola’s co-worker, told us upgrading our computer system from Windows 95 to 98 would be easy for us to do ourselves. All we had to do was purchase the Windows 98 upgrade compact disc (CD),† Chase said. â€Å"Except, we could not find the CD.† Lola chimed in, â€Å"We picked out this CD instead. The salesman at Office Depot said, ’It would work just as well to upgrade our system.’† I looked down at the box she was holding in her hands. The words â€Å"Windows 2000 Upgrade† stared back at me in big, white letters. I just stood there for a minute shaking my head, and I silently groaned to myself. â€Å"Oh God! How could anybody be that stupid,† I thought. With an audible sigh, I said aloud, â€Å"Let me run a few diagnostic tests. I will be able to tell you how much damage has occurred in a couple of minutes.† I started with the basic stuff like making sure the computer would boot up. Then, I progressed layer by layer to the heart of the system. The tests took me nearly three hours to complete. As I dug deeper and deeper into the computer, I was utterly amazed at how much damage they had wreaked in such a short amount of time and with only an upgrade software kit. â€Å"Well guys, it looks as if you have managed to confuse the hell out of this computer,† I told them, â€Å"You have two different types of file systems on it now.

Markting Mix

Marketing Mix Activity 2. Zara's Objectives, Strategies and Problems. 2. 1 Objectives The first objective for Zara is to continue their expansion in countries like Switzerland, Italy, and Czech Republic and also on other continents: Latin America and Asia. A second objective is to continue their stores' growth in the countries where already exists in order to consolidate its position and increase its market share. By the accomplishment of the two objectives Zara is looking to create enduring profitable growth. 2. 2 StrategiesI will start with the product market penetration used by Zara and more precisely with the product line stretching (one of the tactics allowed by the product market penetration) and we can see in OUR MISSION STATEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Through Zara’s business model, we aim to contribute to the sustainable development of society and that of the environment with which we interacts. The company's commitment to the environment is included in Inditex Groupà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Corporate Responsibility Statement, published on our website: www. inditex. com.The following are some of the objectives and actions included in the framework of the group's environmental commitment and have a direct impact on our shops and customers: AT THE STORE * – We save energy. * – The eco-friendly shop. * – We produce less waste, and recycle. * – Our commitment extends to all our staff. * – An environmentally aware team. We save energy. The eco-friendly store.? We are implementing an eco-friendly management model in our shops in order to reduce energy consumption by 20%, introducing sustainability and efficiency criteria.This management model sets out measures to be applied to all processes, including the design of the shop itself, the lighting, heating and cooling systems and the possibility of recycling furniture and decoration. We produce less waste and recycle. Recycling hangers and alarms, which are picked up from our shops and processed into other plastic elements, is an example of our waste management policy. Millions of hangers and alarms are processed each year and both the cardboard and plastic used for packaging are also recycled. Our commitment extends to all our staff.Increased awareness among our team members.? We hold In-company awareness campaigns and specific multimedia-based training programmes to educate our staff in sustainable practices, such as limiting energy consumption, using sustainable transport and modifying behaviour patterns. WITH THE PRODUCT * – We use ecological fabrics. * – Organic cotton. * – We manufacture PVC-free footwear. We use ecological fabrics. Organic cotton.? Zara supports organic farming and makes some of its garments out of organic cotton (100% cotton, completely free of pesticides, chemicals and bleach).They have specific labels and are easy to spot in our shops. We produce PVC-free footwear. No petroleum derivatives or non-biodegradable mater ials are used in the production of our footwear (PVC free). IN TRANSPORT We use biodiesel fuel.? Zara's fleet of lorries, which transport more than 200 million items of clothing a year, use 5% biodiesel fuel. This allows us to reduce our CO2 emissions by 500 tons. Zara’s Marketing Strategy Posted on September 16, 2011 by Conrad Chan The fashion company Zara has a marketing strategy that is quite unique. Zara only spends about 0. % of their revenue on promotion. This would be the reason Zara does not appear on television or poster advertisements. Zara focuses heavily on their product, place and pricing as opposed to promotion. Zara rarely advertises any store sales or   have sales promotions other than sale items unlike other retailers. It is also interesting to note that Zara never places their brand or logo on their products. In contrast to local retailers like J2 Clothing, Zara’s sales associates do not need to focus on personal selling. Their customer service with in the store is rather weak.It is their innovative products and affordable pricing that keeps customers returning to their store. Their products seemingly advertises itself. In addition, Zara has remarkable logistics and they are able to get a product from design to the shelf in just two weeks. With such efficiency, they are able to produce thousands of new designs a year. In fact, Zara produces new products every week as said on their website. Zara is known for their fast fashion, which means popular products may disappear off the shelf within days, forcing customers to constantly check for new items.Zara also markets it’s brand through rapid expansion. With more than 1,500 stores around the world in over 70 countries, they open around 150 new stores every year. With the brand becoming world renown, the company is also focusing on sustainable marketing by opening stores which consume 30% less energy compared to the average conventional store. The new stores also save 50% of water consumption and maintains their CO2 emissions below 150 toms a year. It is no wonder  a  Louis Vuitton  spokesperson described Zara as â€Å"possibly the most innovative and  devastating  retailer in the world†.Zara’s Success Strategy for Dummies Zara, or more precisely its parent company Inditex, has become the world’s largest retailer. Here is how they did it in 3 steps! But first, just a few impressive numbers†¦ * Annual sales: â‚ ¬13. 8 billion (? 11. 2 billion) * Garments produced in one year: 840 million * 5,900 stores in 85 countries * Zara has become a renowned fashion phenomenon with its ability to provide stylish interpretations of catwalk trends at a reasonable price and at exceptional speed. So how do they do it? STEP ONE: Find out what customers wantIt all starts with the store staff†¦ â€Å"What if this dress was a little shorter? Would you like this jumper in another colour? What if we added zippers at the ankles? â⠂¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ These are questions you often hear at Zara. This is because Zara’s store staff has been trained to find out what you want. Store managers are really motivated to do this because as much as 70% of their salaries can come from commissions. When the day is over and the store is closed, the staff turns into a sort of investigation unit, searching for clues in the pile of unsold items that customers tried on.They look for any evidence of colour, style and fabric trends. Geeky computer stuff†¦ Then, armed with Digital Assistants, they store their report on a very intelligent information system and combine it with the hard data captured at the cash register. Zara’s Headquarters in Spain can then access this information to find out current trends in what customers want. STEP TWO: Offer what customers want Designing†¦ From their Headquarters in La Coruna (Spain), designers and product developers look at all the data collected from the stores to create clot hes we have shown interest for.By the way, they design over 30,000 items a year versus only 4,000 by H;M†¦ WOW! Zara has often been accused of copying high-end brands, but always got away with it because they always change their design just enough to escape copyright laws. Producing†¦ The average time for a Zara concept to go from idea to appearance in store is 15 days, while it takes H;M about 3 to 5 months! This is because Inditex runs a vertical supply chain, which means that it possesses its own manufacturing and distribution capabilities.A Dolce ; Gabbana dress photographed on fashion week takes months to arrive on the shop floor, but Zara manages to produce something awfully similar in just a couple of weeks! How infuriating for designers?! By making roughly 40% of its own fabric and purchasing most of its dyes from its own subsidiaries, Zara gains a lot of flexibility and saves a lot of time. It actually dyes its cloth in its own factories as late as possible so it can react more quickly to any trend shift that might occur mid season. ? STEP THREE: Attracting customersFrequent and limited production†¦ Zara stores receive deliveries of new clothes twice a week. This constant arrival of new, limited-run items encourages us to visit Zara much more often and has created an urgency to buy. I definitely feel this. If I see a jacket I really like from Zara, I know I have to buy it now, or it will probably be gone by next week. No advertising†¦ it’s all about location! You will never see a Zara flashy campaign, that’s because Inditex doesn’t advertise. In fact, it barely even has a marketing department!As Mark Tungate describes it, â€Å"The secret to Zara’s appeal is that, although shopping there is cheap, it doesn’t feel cheap†. This phenomenon is due to Inditex’s heavy investments on the beauty and historical appeal of it’s stores. It wants its stores to look and feel like a luxury s hop. Zara will place its store very close to luxury brands, targeting each city’s smartest shopping areas, and then buy a grand, modern and spacious store. In fact, Zara bought the most expensive building ever sold in Manhattan: 666, 5th Avenue for the modest sum of $324 million!

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 12

Elena checked the edges of the hotel room's draperies for signs of dawn. Bonnie was curled up, drowsing in a chair by the window. Elena and Meredith had been up all night, and now they were surrounded by scattered printouts, newspapers, and pictures from the Internet. â€Å"It's already spread beyond Fell's Church,† Meredith explained, pointing to an article in one of the papers. â€Å"I don't know if it's following ley lines, or being controlled by Shinichi – or is just moving on its own, like any parasite.† â€Å"Did you try to contact Alaric?† Meredith glanced at Bonnie's sleeping figure. She spoke softly, â€Å"That's the good news. I'd been trying to get him forever, and I finally managed. He'll be arriving in Fell's Church soon – he just has one more stop first.† Elena drew her breath in. â€Å"One more stop that's more important than what's going on in that town?† â€Å"That's why I didn't tell Bonnie about him coming. Or Matt either. I knew they wouldn't understand. But – I'll give you one guess as to what kind of legends he's following up in the Far East.† Meredith fixed dark eyes on Elena's. â€Å"Not†¦it is, isn't it? Kitsune?† â€Å"Yes, and he's going to a very ancient place where they were supposed to have destroyed the town – just as Fell's Church is being destroyed. Nobody lives there now. That name – Unmei no Shima – means the Island of Doom. Maybe he'll find something important about fox spirits there. He's doing some kind of multicultural independent study with Sabrina Dell. She's Alaric's age, but she's already a famous forensic anthropologist.† â€Å"And you're not jealous?† Elena said awkwardly. Personal issues were difficult to talk about with Meredith. Asking her questions always felt like prying. â€Å"Well.† Meredith tipped back her head. â€Å"It isn't as if we have any formal engagement.† â€Å"But you never told anybody about all this.† Meredith lowered her head and gave Elena a quick look. â€Å"I have now,† she said. For a moment the girls sat together in silence. Then Elena said quietly, â€Å"The Shi no Shi, the kitsune, Isobel Saitou, Alaric and his Island of Doom – they may not have anything to do with each other. But if they do, I'm going to find out what it is.† â€Å"And I'm going to help,† Meredith said simply. â€Å"But I had thought that after I graduated†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena couldn't stand it anymore. â€Å"Meredith, I promise, as soon as we get Stefan back and the town calmed down, we'll pin Alaric down with Plans A through Z,† she said. She leaned forward and kissed Meredith's cheek. â€Å"That's a velociraptor sisterhood oath, okay?† Meredith blinked twice, swallowed once, and whispered, â€Å"Okay.† Then, abruptly, she was her old efficient self again. â€Å"Thank you,† she said. â€Å"But cleaning up the town might not be such an easy job. It's already heading toward mass chaos there.† â€Å"And Matt wanted to be in the middle of it all? Alone?† Elena asked. â€Å"Like we said, he and Mrs. Flowers are a solid team,† Meredith said quietly. â€Å"And it's what he's chosen.† â€Å"Well,† Elena said drily, â€Å"he may turn out to have the better deal in the end, after all.† They went back to the scattered papers. Meredith picked up several pictures of kitsune guarding shrines in Japan. â€Å"It says they're usually depicted with a ‘jewel' or key.† She held up a picture of a kitsune holding a key in its mouth at the main gate of the Fushimi Shrine. â€Å"Aha,† Elena said. â€Å"Looks like the key's got two wings, doesn't it?† â€Å"Exactly what Bonnie and I thought. And the ‘jewels'†¦well, take a close look.† Elena did and her stomach lurched. Yes, they were like the â€Å"snow globe† orbs that Shinichi had used to create unbreakable traps in the Old Wood. â€Å"We found they're called hoshi no tama,† Meredith said. â€Å"And that translates to ‘star balls.' Each kitsune puts a measure of their power into one, along with other things, and destroying the ball is one of the only ways to kill them. If you find a kitsune's star ball, you can control the kitsune. That's what Bonnie and I want to do.† â€Å"But how do you find it?† Elena asked, excited by the idea of controlling Shinichi and Misao. â€Å"Sa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Meredith said, pronouncing the word â€Å"sah† like a sigh. Then she gave one of her rare brilliant smiles. â€Å"In Japanese, that means: ‘I wonder; hmm; wouldn't want to comment; my gosh, golly, I really couldn't say.' We could use a word like that in English.† Despite herself, Elena giggled. â€Å"But, then, other stories say that kitsune can be killed by the Sin of Regret or by blessed weapons. I don't know what the Sin of Regret is, but – † She rummaged in her luggage, and came up with an old-fashioned but serviceable-looking revolver. â€Å"Meredith!† â€Å"It was my grandpa's – one of a pair. Matt's got the other one. They're loaded with bullets blessed by a priest.† â€Å"What priest would bless bullets, for God's sake?† Elena demanded. Meredith's smile turned bleak. â€Å"One that's seen what's happening in Fell's Church. You remember how Caroline got Isobel Saitou possessed, and what Isobel did to herself?† Elena nodded. â€Å"I remember,† she said tautly. â€Å"Well, do you remember how we told you that Obaasan – Grandma Saitou – used to be a shrine maiden? That's a Japanese priestess. She blessed the bullets for us, all right, and specifically for killing kitsune. You should have seen how spooky the ritual was. Bonnie almost fainted again.† â€Å"Do you know how Isobel is doing now?† Meredith shook her dark head slowly. â€Å"Better but – I don't think she even knows about Jim yet. That's going to be very tough on her.† Elena tried to quell a shudder. There was nothing but tragedy in store for Isobel even when she got well. Jim Bryce, her boyfriend, had spent only one night with Caroline, but now had Lesch-Nye disease – or so the doctors said. In that same dreadful night that Isobel had pierced herself everywhere, and cut her tongue so that it forked, Jim, a handsome star basketball player, had eaten away his fingers and his lips. In Elena's opinion they were both possessed and their injuries were only more reasons why the kitsune twins had to be stopped. â€Å"We'll do it,† she said aloud, realizing for the first time that Meredith was holding her hand as if Elena were Bonnie. Elena managed a faint but determined smile for Meredith. â€Å"We'll get Stefan out and we'll stop Shinichi and Misao. We have to do it.† This time it was Meredith who nodded. â€Å"There's more,† she said at last. â€Å"You want to hear it?† â€Å"I need to know everything.† â€Å"Well, every single source I checked agrees that kitsune possess girls and then lead boys to destruction. What kind of destruction depends on where you look. It can be as simple as appearing as a will-o'-the-wisp and leading you into a swamp or off a cliff, or as difficult as shapeshifting.† â€Å"Oh, yes,† Elena said tightly. â€Å"I knew that from what happened to you and Bonnie. They can look exactly like someone.† â€Å"Yes, but always with some small flaw if you have the wits to notice it. They can never make a perfect replicate. But they can have up to nine tails, and the more tails they have, the better at everything they are.† â€Å"Nine? Terrific. We've never even seen a nine-tailed one.† â€Å"Well, we may get to yet. They're supposed to be able to cross over freely from one world to another. Oh, yes. And they're specifically in charge of the ‘Kimon' Gate between dimensions. Want to guess what that translates to?† Elena stared at her. â€Å"Oh, no.† â€Å"Oh, yes.† â€Å"But why would Damon take us all the way across the country, just to get in through a Demon Gate that's run by fox spirits?† â€Å"Sa†¦But when Matt told us you were headed to someplace near Sedona, that was really what decided Bonnie and me.† â€Å"Great.† Elena ran her hands through her hair and sighed. â€Å"Anything else?† she asked, feeling like a rubber band that had been stretched to its utmost. â€Å"Only this, which ought to really bake your cookies after all we've been through. Some of them are good. Kitsune, I mean.† â€Å"Some of them are good – good what? Good fighters? Good assassins? Good liars?† â€Å"No, really, Elena. Some of them are supposed to be like gods and goddesses who sort of test you, and if you pass the test they reward you.† â€Å"Do you think we should count on finding one like that?† â€Å"Not really.† Elena dropped her head to the coffee table where Meredith's printouts were scattered. â€Å"Meredith, seriously, how are we going to deal with them when we go through that Demon Gate? My Power is about as reliable as a low battery. And it's not just the kitsune; it's all the different demons and vampires – Old Ones, too! What are we going to do?† She raised her head and looked deeply into the eyes of her friend – those dark eyes that she had never been able to classify as this color or that. To her surprise, Meredith instead of looking sober, tossed back the dregs of a Diet Coke and smiled. â€Å"No Plan A yet?† â€Å"Well†¦maybe just an idea. Nothing definite yet. What about you?† â€Å"A few that might qualify for Plans B and C. So what we're going to do is what we always do – try our best and fall all over ourselves and make mistakes until you do something brilliant and save us all.† â€Å"Merry† – Meredith blinked. Elena knew why – she hadn't used that diminutive for Meredith for more years than she could remember. None of the three girls liked pet names or used them. Elena went on very seriously, holding Meredith's eyes, â€Å"There's nothing I want more than to save everybody – everybody – from these kitsune bastards. I'd give my life for Stefan and all of you. But†¦this time it may be somebody else who takes the bullet.† â€Å"Or the stake. I know. Bonnie knows. We talked about it while we were flying here. But we're still with you, Elena. You have to know that. We're all with you.† There was only one way to reply to that. Elena gripped Meredith's hand in both of hers. Then she let out her breath, and, like probing an aching tooth, tried to get news on a sore subject. â€Å"Does Matt – did he – well, how was Matt when you left?† Meredith glanced at her sideways. Not much got past Meredith. â€Å"He seemed okay, but – distracted. He would go off into these fits where he'd just stare at nothing, and he wouldn't hear you if you spoke to him.† â€Å"Did he tell you why he left?† â€Å"Well†¦sort of. He said that Damon was hypnotizing you and that you weren't – weren't doing all you could to stop him. But he's a boy and boys get jealous – â€Å" â€Å"No, he was right about what he saw. It's just that I've – gotten to know Damon a little better. And Matt doesn't like that.† â€Å"Um-hm.† Meredith was watching her from under lowered eyelids, barely breathing, as if Elena was a bird that mustn't be disturbed or she'd fly away. Elena laughed. â€Å"It's nothing bad,† she said. â€Å"At least I don't think so. It's just that†¦in some ways Damon needs help even more than Stefan did when he first came to Fell's Church.† Meredith's eyebrows shot up, but all she said was, â€Å"Um-hm.† â€Å"And†¦I think that really Damon's a lot more like Stefan than he lets on.† Meredith's eyebrows stayed up. Elena finally looked at her. She opened her mouth once or twice and then she just stared at Meredith. â€Å"I'm in trouble, aren't I?† she said helplessly. â€Å"If all this comes from less than one week riding in a car with him†¦then, yes. But we have to remember that women are Damon's specialty. And he thinks he's in love with you.† â€Å"No, he really is – † Elena began, and then she caught her lower lip between her teeth. â€Å"Oh, God, this is Damon we're talking about. I am in trouble.† â€Å"Let's just watch and see what happens,† Meredith said sensibly. â€Å"He's definitely changed, too. Before, he would have just told you that your friends couldn't come – and that was it. Today he stuck around and listened.† â€Å"Yes. I just have to – to be on my guard from now on,† Elena said, a little unsteadily. How was she going to help the child inside Damon without getting closer to him? And how would she explain all she might need to do to Stefan? She sighed. â€Å"It'll probably be all right,† Bonnie muttered sleepily. Meredith and Elena both turned to look at her and Elena felt a chill go up her spine. Bonnie was sitting propped up, but her eyes were shut and her voice was indistinct. â€Å"The real question is: what will Stefan say about that night at the motel with Damon?† â€Å"What?† Elena's voice was sharp and loud enough to awaken any sleeper. But Bonnie didn't stir. â€Å"What happened what night at what motel?† Meredith demanded. When Elena didn't answer immediately, she caught Elena's arm and swung her so that they were face-to-face. At last Elena looked at her friend. But her eyes, she knew, gave away nothing. â€Å"Elena, what's she talking about? What happened with Damon?† Elena still kept her face perfectly expressionless, and used a word she'd learned just that night. â€Å"Sa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Elena, you're impossible! You're not going to dump Stefan after you rescue him, are you?† â€Å"No, of course not!† Elena was hurt. â€Å"Stefan and I belong together – forever.† â€Å"But still you spent a night with Damon where something happened between you.† â€Å"Something†¦I guess.† â€Å"And that something was?† Elena smiled apologetically. â€Å"Sa†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'll get it out of him! I'll put him on the defensive†¦.† â€Å"You can make a Plan A and Plan B and all,† Elena said. â€Å"But it won't help. Shinichi took his memories away. Meredith, I'm sorry – you don't know how sorry. But I swore that nobody would ever know.† She looked up at the taller girl, feeling tears pool in her eyes. Can't you just – once – let me leave it that way?† Meredith sank bank. â€Å"Elena Gilbert, the world is lucky there is only one of you. You are the†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused, as if deciding whether to say the words or not. Then she said, â€Å"It's time to get to bed. Dawn is going to come early and so is the Demon Gate.† â€Å"Merry?† â€Å"What now?† â€Å"Thank you.†

First Impressions Essay

First impressions are very important to every day life. They are the basis of how relationships start and how perceptions are formed. The opinions could begin many things and lead towards success or these opinions could be ones that are misleading and have a negative impact on how people relate to you. First impressions are very important on people’s social life, in your education and in employment. In your social life, first impressions come from your friends, family, and even new people who come into your life. First impressions on employment go from your current co-workers, boss, and former employers. They are very significant in job interviews. First impressions are important, but are not always the final word. First impressions from the social perspective is the issue at hand, when viewing the importance of first impressions, and then taking in account the environment that one is in, then lastly viewing the important role that first impressions play throughout the course of a relationship such a friendship. The importance of first impressions is essential to the development of relationships be it for a friendship or just merely business acquaintances, the role of first impressions is resounded throughout the course of that relationships. How you are perceived has a very basic bearing as to how you are treated. Your outward appearance plays a pivotal role in the compiling of a first impression, when you are viewed by others, a snap decision is made about you that people will hold in their minds whether subconsciously, or conscientiously that first moment that they laid eyes on you. Also the way that you portray yourself comes into play at this point, your social skills are the main focus of the first impression after the mental image of you is implanted in the person’s mind. Studies have shown that humans have developed the ability to quickly decide whether a new person will hurt or enrich us. First impressions or what are called â€Å"thin slices† are generated in the most primitive areas of the brain, where feelings are processed. It’s a very primal process and has evolved from our ancestors as a way to protect themselves. Applying both the thin slices theory, along with our own values and beliefs, it appears that first impressions are processed from the feeling part of our brains, as a way to protect or safeguard our belief and value structures. Research also shows  that the power of knowledge to organize, select, learn and judge comes from values and beliefs as much as information and logic. Attitudes also enter into our calculations of first impressions. While subtle, they can cause real world damage, that’s why it’s imperative to nature relationships with others. People who spend time observing and listening tend to ha ve a higher percentage of correct snap judgments. While first impressions can never be changed, we can allow movement in our processing and value systems. To contribute effectively to society we must evaluate who we are as individuals and how we form judgments.