Could broadband be the benchmark for globalization’s progress and adoption?

Though there have been considerable advances in the field of internet technology, not all problems are addressed to reach globalization’s progress and adoption. This is in contrast to the steady and rapid advances in semiconductor technology, information storage, networking, and applications, the interaction of IT with various elements of society is more complex. Although IT performance in many cases improves exponentially, the utility to users in many cases improves more slowly (Chandra et al. 2000).For example, a doubling of computer processing speeds may bring only small improvements in the most widely used applications, such as word processing or spreadsheets. Furthermore, although it is common to talk about the â€Å"impact† or â€Å"effect† of IT or the Internet—implying a one-way influence—the interaction of IT with society is multidirectional and multidimensional. Over the past two decades, many studies have explored how organizations use IT . Cumulatively, these studies have found that a simple model of IT leading to social and organizational effects does not hold (Kling 2000).Instead, IT is developed and used in a social context in which organizations and individuals shape the technology and the way it is used. The implementation of IT is an ongoing social process that involves changes in people's roles and in organizational procedures. Incentives and trust are important factors in the success of IT implementation. And broadband proliferation is an important ingredient of globalization. The public debate in this country on the War in Iraq has been the most hotly contested issue in recent history and shows no sign of letting up.Through all the policy proposals, failures and triumphs many positive viewpoints have emerged about how to address the most distressing issues related to United State's new found global role: exporter of security. Dr. Barnett believes this is positive trend overall: â€Å"That is why the public debate about this war has been so important: It forces Americans to come to terms with what I believe is the new security paradigm that shapes this age, namely, Disconnectedness defines danger. † I think that last statement is an apt template for understanding the daunting task facing the broadband era: the age of transactional transformation.It is in the disconnectedness that defines the danger for our productiveness and growth, and hence our economy as a whole. The disconnectedness from novel approaches, the disconnectedness from relevant value models, disconnectedness from persistent progression to universal broadband access. Perhaps there is a need to view broadband technology adoption as a historical process in the same vain as globalization. Unfortunately, for many, this leads to a nasty polemic on it's relative merits. Barnett has this to say on this issue: The problem with most discussion of globalization is that too many experts treat it as a binaryoutcome: Either it is great and sweeping the planet, or it is horrid and failing humanity everywhere. Neither view really works, because globalization as a historical process is simply too big and too complex for such summary judgments. Instead, this new world must be defined by where globalization has truly taken root and where it has not. Barnett goes on to say: Show me where globalization is thick with network connectivity, financial transactions, liberal media flows, and collective security, and I will show you regions featuring stable governments, rising standards of living, and more deaths by suicide than murder.These parts of the world I call the Functioning Core, or Core. But show me where globalization is thinning or just plain absent, and I will show you regions plagued by politically repressive regimes, widespread poverty and disease, routine mass murder, and most important the chronic conflicts that incubate the next generation of global terrorists. These parts of the world I call the Non -Integrating Gap, or Gap. Could broadband be the benchmark for globalization's progress and adoption? It can be, I believe the more the connectedness to the Functioning Core the greater the value rendered.Broadband access providers whether wireline or wireless will have to holistically reconsider the ramifications of globalization in this context. They can do much to advance it positively or hinder it destructively. The lessons for content providers may seem less obvious but in a globalize economy the more connectedness the richer the value doesn't always resolve neatly. Microsoft, Google, Cisco, Apple, Oracle, Yahoo, eBay and IBM to name a few, have all handle this transition quite nicely. And if supporting and expanding the core is what the new economy is all about then I can think of no better marker for globalization than broadband.This proposed study will try to find out if indeed broadband can be the benchmark for globalization’s progress and at the same time, will it b alance with societal impacts? Will the globalization’s progress and adoption will take into consideration the affect on the people as whole? REFERENCES CHANDRA, B. , DAHLIN, M. , GAO, L. , AND NAYATE, A. 2001. End-to-end WAN Service Availability. In Proc. 3rd USITS (San Francisco, CA, 2001), pp. 97–108. Kling, R. (2000). Learning about information technologies and social change: The contribution ofsocial informatics. The Information Society, 16(3), 217-232. Sawyer, S. and Rosenbaum, H. (2000). Social informatics in the information sciences: Current activities and emerging directions. [Electronic Version] Informing Science. 3 (2), 89-95 available Suchman, L. (1994). Supporting articulation work: Aspects of a feminist practice of office technology production. In R. Kling (Ed. ), Computerization and Controversy (pp. 407-423). San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Williams, R. , & Edge, D. (1996). The social shaping of technology. Research Policy, 2

Ethics Aids Patients

Can he refuse to assist in this procedure? The dental assistant cannot refuse to assist in this procedure. Besides it being unethical to refuse helping this patient solely because he has AIDS it is also illegal (Anderson, 2009). Dental assistants are bound by a code of professional conduct, adopted in August 2007 by the Dental Assistants National Board. Justice and fairness is one of the codes of conduct. This states the dental assistant has a duty to treat people fairly, behaving in a manner free from bias or discrimination on any basis.All DANB individuals must abide by the code of professional conduct and must maintain high standards of ethics and excellence. Violating this code may result in disciplinary actions and imposition of sanctions as listed below. (DANB CC, 2007) a. deny or revoke the Respondent’s eligibility, certification, or recertification b. suspend Respondent’s certification for a period of time; c. require the Respondent to engage in remedial educati on and/or training, or to perform community service; d. require the Respondent, if Certified, to participate in a mandatory audit of continuing education for a period of time; e. ecommend that DANB take legal action against the Respondent; f. assess a disciplinary fine; or g. take a combination of any of the above actions or such other action that may be deemed appropriate in the particular circumstances. (DANB DP, 2007) The dental assistant has a moral obligation to the patient and his colleagues to treat this patient as he would any other patient. The golden rule is always a good motto. Do unto to others as you would have them do unto you. His professionalism will be questioned as well.If he refuses to assist in the procedure, he puts the dentist and the dental practice in a position where they also could be sued for discrimination under the ADA Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 2. What role would risk-management play in this case? â€Å"Risk management would play t he role of identifying, analyzing and evaluating the risks and selecting the best method to deal with them†(Towsley-Cook, 2007). In this case, identifying there may be a risk of transmitting AIDS along with the chance the patient may not receive high quality patient care.Taking this into account the risk manager must make sure that staff is educated and trained in universal precautions (standard precautions). Staff that is educated is less likely to have misconceptions about HIV, the transmission of it and have a more positive response to those with HIV. Standard precautions are a set of infection control practices used to prevent transmission of diseases that can be acquired by contact with blood, body fluids, non-intact skin (including rashes), and mucous membranes.These measures are to be used when providing care to all individuals, whether or not they appear infectious or symptomatic (Borlaug, 2010). Universal (standard) precautions involve hand washing and the use of prot ective barriers such as gloves, gowns, aprons, masks, or protective eyewear which can reduce the risk of exposure of the health care worker's skin or mucous membranes to potentially infective materials (Department of Health, 1999). Practicing standard precautions addresses the risk of transmitting AIDS and making sure the patient receives high quality of care along with avoiding losses that may incur from either of these issues.Using these precautions assures all patients, regardless of whether they have an infectious disease or not, receive the same high quality of care. Patients that receive quality health care are more likely to be satisfied and remain patients at the facility and not sue the facility. 3. How does the† antidiscrimination statute† apply to this case? The antidiscrimination statute in this case refers to AIDS discrimination (refusing to treat a person with AIDS) being illegal throughout the United States under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973(Towsley-Cook, 2007).Antidiscrimination statutes are in place to make sure that no person on the grounds of race, color, national origin, disability (AIDS is considered a disability); socioeconomic status, religion or creed will be denied the benefits of medical treatment or be subjected to discrimination(Towsley-Cook, 2007). This doesn’t just apply to medical treatment but for this case it does. 4. Describe which ethical† school of thought† you would subscribe to as it relates to this case and why. I would subscribe to the virtue ethics school of thought in this case.Choosing to assist in the procedure is the morally right thing to do. We know that using standard precautions virtually eliminates any chance of getting AIDS in this case. By eliminating the fear of getting AIDS, the concentration can now be on helping the patient. Also, the consequences for not helping could be detrimental to the patient, the dental assista nt, the dentist and the facility. So it is â€Å"incorporating both teleology and deontology to solve this ethical dilemma†(Towsley-Cook, 2007).We choose to do the right thing and also take into consideration the long term consequences of the action.Anderson, B. A. (2009). Op-ed hiv stigma and discrimination persist even in health care. Virtual Mentor american medical association journal of ethics, 11(12), Retrieved from http://virtualmentor. ama-assn. org/2009/12/oped1-0912. html DANB. (2007). Retrieved from http://www. danb. org/PDFs/CodeofConduct. pdf DANB. (2007). Retrieved from http://www. danb. org/PDFs/DisciplinePolicies. df Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1999). Universal precautions for prevention of transmission of hiv Atlanta,GA: USA. Gov. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/ncidod/dhqp/bp_universal_precautions. html# Borlaug, G. (2010, July 12). Standard precautions. Retrieved from http://www. dhs. wisconsin. g ov/communicable/InfectionControl. htm Towsley-Cook, D. M. , ; Young, T. A. (2007). Ethical and Legal Issues for Imaging Ethical and Legal Issues for Imaging, (2nd ed. ), St. Louis: Mosby, Inc. ,

Market Structures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Market Structures - Essay Example There are many firms. Each firm owns a percentage of the total market share. Furthermore, products are differentiated in pricing strategies, style, brand name, advertisement, and packaging. Here are no barriers to entry and exit. Monopoly There is a single seller such that the industry and firm are synonymous. Monopoly markets have unique services and products that do not have close substitutes. The firm in a monopoly market is the price maker and has considerable control over the price as it can control the supply of the product. Monopoly markets have barriers to entry and exit. Oligopoly There few large firms with each firm considerate of their rivals’ decisions and reactions to its decisions regarding output, advertising, and prices. Products in an oligopoly market are differentiated. There are barriers to entry in this market due to the requirement of huge capital investments and economies of scales. Demand Perfect Competition Individual firms in a perfectly competitive ma rket view their demand as perfectly elastic that is a horizontal line at the market price level. However, the industry demand curve is not perfectly elastic. The demand curve is perfectly elastic for individual firms because they are price takers regardless of the quantities they produce. This explains why the demand curve for firms in a competitive market is a horizontal line at the market price. Monopolistic The demand curve of firms in a monopolistic market is highly elastic, but not perfectly elastic.

Factors Contibuting to Individual Differences in Stress Response Coursework

Factors Contibuting to Individual Differences in Stress Response - Coursework Example Suffering from some chronic illness may be a source of stress for many people. It is important to understand how to respond to these stresses and factors contributing to differences in individual responses to stress. For instance, while alcohol proves effective in managing stress in some people, it has contradicting results in others (Sher & Walitzer, 1986). Stress response is the natural coping mechanism of the body to respond to stressful events and it involves the release of ‘hormones and glucose into the bloodstream to provide extra energy and alertness’ (Gilles, 2009). Researchers in response to stress often employ different approaches such as a consideration of the stimulus, the response, or the transactional perspective. However, regardless of the approached used, it is generally recognized that the individuals exhibit differences in the ability to respond to different stressful events. The differences can be attributed to the environmental, socio-cultural, and ge netic factors specific to the individuals. Some of the individual factors include personality traits (Kazmi et al, 2009), gender, social class, culture, ethnicity, age, and genetic composition (Davidyan, 2008). This paper examines the background of these observed individual differences with a focus on three contributing factors namely the environmental, cognitive, and genetic factors. ... mographic or historic developmental factors include gender, age, ethnicity, genetic predisposition, history of trauma or abuse, and the individual medical history (Davidyan, 2008). The psychological factors include whereas the social factors include acculturation, social support, socio-economic and educational status, leisure time activities (Davidyan, 2008). Environmental factors Various studies on human epidemiology have indicated that the early life experiences contribute significantly to the development of differences in how the individuals respond to stressful events in later stages of their lives. The differences that are observed in the psychological environment in which a physical stressor occur account for the variability in stress response (Sapolsky, 1994, p.263). The researches on the developmental programming of the stress system have examined the roles played by the environmental stressors or the exogenous glucocorticoids in the development of sensitivity to stress by an individual (Claessens et al, 2011). It must be noted that these factors do not stand alone in providing the influence. The environmental factors interplay other factors like the gene combination to define the differences. The outcomes of early experiences do not determine precisely the fate of an individual in the later stages. A class of environmental, cognitive, and genetic factors takes part in molding the overall outcome of the early life experiences. Personality traits and other dispositional traits have a stake in explaining the stress responses (Avitsur et al, 2006, p.289). However, there are cases in which the environmental factors are powerful and can override other factors like the genetic factors (Claessens et al, 2011). Various aspects of the environment working at specific

Return on Investment - Education Funding Coursework

Return on Investment - Education Funding - Coursework Example Secondly, the MBA course offered has an international outlook for students. Essentially, it fosters diversity of the students within their careers across the world enabling them to tackle global and local challenges facing the businesses that they work at. Lastly, with the wide variety of students from across the world, an MBA course at the university enables students to develop lasting lifelong networks across the world. The executive MBA program in Health Administration at the University of Colorado Denver is paramount towards my career development. The MBA program gears towards imparting health care professionals with excellent health management skills. As a student of the course, I will be able to develop management skills that are practical and real time. The skills will enhance my ability to respond to developments within the workplace and health care as an industry. Being more attune to these developments as well as having the knowledge to develop solutions to the challenges occurring will enable me to optimize the performance of the workplace. Overall, the course will improve my skills, confidence and career as a health care administrator. The two-year course is offered on and off campus. Regardless of the schedule of choice, the basic costs incurred are within the same range. The total cost of tuition is $53,000. Other costs incurred include a onetime non-refundable deposit of $1,000. Additionally, food and housing will amount to $27,008 and personal expenses amount to $8672. Miscellaneous expense will amount to $2,000 for the two-year program. The total costs of the program will amount to $89,680 (University of Colorado, 2014). Given the investment of $89,960 in the Executive MBA in Health Administration, the course was able to generate a Net Present Value of $ 49,372.9. Further, the Executive MBA in Health Administration was able to deliver an internal rate of return of 14%. The internal rate of return of

Argentina Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argentina - Essay Example The leader of grew up on the estancia in the province of Buenos Aires. Rosas led the Argentinean nation for 17 years from 1829 to 1852. Most historians describe his rule as tyrannical while others commended his contributions to the political structure and governorship of Argentina. The Rise of Juan Manuel de Rosas A significant proportion of Rosas youth was spent as a gaucho (cowboy) in the cattle country where he accumulated his fortunes. Rosas political ambitions began in 1820, as a caudilio when he led a section of gauchos in support of federalism. In the same year colonel Manuel Dorrego, the Buenos Aires governor, assigned Rosas to direct the provincial militia. In 1828 after the deposition of Manuel Dorrego, Rosas became the federalist leader (Lewis 46). Rosas confronted the Juan Lavalle, the new governor in 1829, and defeated him. After this, he became governor of Buenos Aires and became notorious for repressing his political opponents to quell competition. Political Exploits o f Juan Manuel Historians continue to argue over Rosas significance in Argentina’s development. Sarmiento, Mann and Stavans (9) indicate that Rosas was seen as a tyrant that was ignorant of existent laws and freedoms of liberals. To decrease the political wars he saw it sufficient to create an authoritarian regime. He negotiated with the native tribes to pacify their disagreements. In the beginning of 1830’s, Rosas was focusing on destroying the unitary (centralists) movement in Entre Rios and Cordoba. Rosas military friends Estanislao Lopez and Juan Facundo Quiroga were also emerging as political leaders (Lewis 45). Their accumulative military strength was allowing them to control activities in provinces and build local regimes. In 1831, after neutralizing the opposing force especially of Unitarios, he focused on the issues of Buenos Aires. Rosa used was ruling on behalf of wealthy ranchers and landowners. According to Lewis (46), Rosas policies promoted the policies o f these landowners. Rosas promoted the policies of estancerios. This was oppressive to the common citizens. As a caudilio of the western province, Facundo Quiroga political views were reflective of the conservative ideology (Sarmiento, Mann & Stavans 23). Quirogas early childhood is similar to Rosas since he had little formal schooling. He was short, well built with broad shoulders compared to Rosas who was moderate. Additionally, Quiroga has a shrewdness of character since he gambled his father’s proceeds in 1806. Quiroga did not appreciate the discipline and structure of military life, unlike Rosas. His military exploits depict him as being a fierce caudilio and won respect from exemplary battlefield performances. Both Quiroga and Rosa were strongly against the unitarist movement and formed military expeditions against them. Rosa had a low view of women and children especially of the unitarist movement. He was eminent for his intimidation tactics especially on the common fo lk as this was his technique of stamping authority. In contrast, Quiroga was very diminutive of the children and women of the unitarios but was more interested in the men (Sarmiento, Mann & Stavans 36). He saw the men could raise significant opposition against his rule and then saw it appropriate to execute them. This portrays that the two leaders had divergent opinions of women and children of the unitarist movements. A letter that Quiroga sent his wife, Dolores, shows he was considerate of the affairs

Canadian stock market Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Canadian stock market - Assignment Example Consistent management of active mutual bonds increases the level of professional investment management. The investment decisions are made by experienced experts who have dedicated their efforts and time to following the stock markets and assessing the investments to determine consistency and viability. Different assortments of mutual bonds provide opportunities for individuals to at least meet their desired goals and objectives. I have realized that I can capitalize on the different investment options to meet a variety of needs include making savings for education, retirement or buying a house. The major problem in investing in equities and bonds is that it is not possible to diversify and distribute investment risks. Diversification has been proved to minimize risk in investment. A diversified investment mix of equity and bonds in an assortment provides more expected return than a 100% bond selection with a lower risk than 100% investment in world equities. There are several reasons why I chose investing in the four listed companies: Goldcorp Inc.,Bank of Montreal, Apple Inc., and Tim Hortons Inc. One of the major reasons is that the companies have been making efforts to expand their markets and increase in sales. Increase in sales and profits leads to increase in the prices of stock prices. According to an economic outlook, investors project that the stock prices will increase. This implies that the prices of the stocks invested in the companies will increase. Some of the reasons behind the increase in stock prices in these companies include: Sales increase, New products and expansion to new areas and markets. The companies I chose have been making efforts to increase sales by relocating to bigger locations and offering different pricing offers and improved marketing techniques to encourage customers to purchase their products. Apple for instance has significantly

2.Housing association governance puts the interests of the Essay

2.Housing association governance puts the interests of the organisation above those of residents. Discuss - Essay Example is community boasts that they have moved ahead of government by being able to enforce these restrictions through the contracts signed by the homeowners that in the public sector might run afoul of constitutional restrictions and statutory limitations. This particular circumstance underscores a dimension in housing associations – whether its administration puts the interests of the organisation above those of its residents. The very name, housing association, is misleading. Housing associations or homeowners associations are often not association in the sense of an expression of organisc life as the center of communal perceptions and common activities, nor, in many cases, are they controlled by homeowners. Nathaniel Gates (1997) argued that the inhabitants of these communities, drawn from many different backgrounds, often have little in common, and the developer nearly absolute control over the community. (p. 253) In a way, housing associations became some sort of private governments that could one day overshadow cities in significance. The rules of the housing associations, no less than cities, define political spheres. An association, like any community with the power to preserve and perpetuate itself, is coercive. This paper will argue that because of this fact, it must assert its own interests against the interests both of outsiders and, at times, of some of its own members. The basic idea for a home association with common ownership and upkeep of open space started with Leicester Square in London in 1734, which was governed by restrictive covenants. The legal concept was exported to the New World when in 1831, Samuel Ruggles drained a swamp in New York City and built a block of homes around a park. This community was called the Gramercy Park and it consisted an eight-foot high fence. Each resident had a key to a gate in the fence for access. The residents held title to the park in trust. These gated or so-called garden communities did not really become

Reading a Health Record Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading a Health Record - Coursework Example Abdomen: Benign, Genitalia: normal with red sacral area. Extremities 3+ pitting edema to the knees. Neurological: good and on track. The patient doesn’t sleep well, has increased pedal edema and no symptoms of coughing or fever. X-ray displays Left pleural effusion, congestive heart failure and pneumonia. In the case of patient assessment with cognitive heart failure, left pleural effusion and pneumonia a dosage of Diurese was administered, four antibiotics, blood cultures and sputum test. The patient is admitted and put on bed rest with oxygen mask. Behavioral problem – patient constantly complaining of poor living conditions of the facility, staff and food. She doesn’t want to sleep in her room. Causal factor appears to having trouble with anger or adjustment problem and severe end-stage cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is caused by hardening of the arteries responsible for bringing blood into the heart. As the arteries narrow the heart lacks oxygen and gradually it becomes difficult for the heart to pump blood. This condition is diagnosed when heart has irregular heartbeat and fractional ejection is lower. Fractional ejection can be tested through MRI of heart, echocardiogram, cardiac blood pooling image and gated SPECT. Change of certain lifestyle habits that lead to heart failure. Introduction of a Pacemaker to help the heart beat slow down or beat normally. There are surgery procedures like angioplasty and cardiac catheterization that helps good flow of blood in the veins. If a patient fails all treatment then heart transplant would be the only alternative left. (Libby & Braunwald, 2008) The patient was put under the right diagnosis given her symptoms and the treatment of the disease. The patient tested positive for Ischemic cardiomyopathy. The patient displayed all symptoms as projected in the hospital records that matched the

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Globalization - Essay Example Armed Forces. He took part in the hostilities in Vietnam. In the 70-ies Al Gore worked as a manager of the company Tangle-wood Note Builders Co. in the state of Tennessee, and was a columnist for The Tennessean. In 1977 he was elected to the House of Representatives of the 95th Congress convocation, and was re-elected in 1979, 1981 and 1983. In 1985 he was elected to the U.S. Senate from the state of Tennessee, and reelected in 1991. In 1991 he announced his candidacy for a U.S. presidential candidate of the Democratic Party. At the Democratic National Convention he became a candidate for vice president. In November 1992 he was elected vice president of the United States and re-elected to that position in 1996. Al Gore is married and has one son and three daughters. He lives in Washington, DC. The book â€Å"Earth on the Balance† (1992) was written at a time when Al Gore was the chairman of the Senate committee on ecology and environmental protection. In it in an accessible an d vivid form the problems of maintaining global ecological balance in the current situation are considered. According to many critics, it is one of the most professional researches on environmental problems, ever issued from the pen of political activist. This certainly gives the book a special flavor and keen reader's interest, especially in the third part, where the author offers a number of specific practical measures to improve environmental law and keeping the natural balance in third world countries. The book consists of three parts. In the first part called â€Å"Balance at Risk† the specific examples of ecological imbalance in the different regions of the planet are viewed. In the second part â€Å"The Search for Balance† which, from my point of view, is the most conceptually rich, the author analyses the social, economic and ideological reasons that have made a destructive attitude to the environment possible, which was until recently characteristic of the ind ustrialized world and which even today distinguishes the policy of most developing countries. The third part â€Å"Striking the Balance† is devoted to assessing the ways out of this situation. The book combines a deep analysis of economic and social causes of the current ecological crisis and the great factual material with, in my view, idealistic notions about the possibility of consolidating the efforts of developed countries in the fight against the impending danger. In particular, considerable attention is given to the propaganda of â€Å"a new Marshall Plan† as the author names it, i.e. the reallocation of national product of developed countries (amounting to 100 billion dollars per year) in favor of environment-oriented programs in third world countries. I can’t help noting that even much more modest financial measures approved by the World Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, have not been implemented up to now as well as the fact that the volume of U.S. aid to developing countries in this area was significantly reduced during Bill Clinton and George Bush’s presidency. Meanwhile, a book by A. Gore remains highly relevant as an example of a deep analysis of the origins of the ecological crisis and reflection of the concerns of political circles in the West. â€Å"Earth on the balance† over its four hundred pages undoubtedly gives us a lot of hard-to-dispute empirical facts about the Earth on which we live, about the environment.

Gangs in Rio Essay Example for Free

Gangs in Rio Essay Gangs have always been a challenge to a states government. In Rio de Janeiro slums have always been dangerous because of the amount of the amount of gang members going around with guns, knives and many other weapons. There are many ways to understand these gangs; many believe that they do it for respect while others believe they do it because they have no other choice. In the movie â€Å"City of God† we can see the lives of many gang members that live in the slums. With many different sociologist perspectives we can comprehend various aspects of these gangs. Symbolic interactionist, Conflict theorist and Feminism theory are all different sociological perspective that will be discussed in this essay. First of all, Rio de Janeiro is known for their dangerous slums. Many would automatically think violence when It comes around that neighbourhood. To begin with, Symbolic interactionist focus on the subjective aspect of the social life, they base their perspective on the image they have of humans rather than the image they have on the society. One of the key aspects of the perspective is; we are influenced by culture and social processes, such as social norms. In the movie â€Å"City of God†, we can see that many people join the gangs because it has almost become part of their culture to be gang members. Symbolic interactionist would be interested in the way the gang grows very quickly. We can see in â€Å"City of god† or even in â€Å"News from personal war† that kids join the slums army at a really young age because of the amount of people that are part of it. Taking example on the Runts in the â€Å"City of God† movie, we can see that these young kids are mostly influenced by the older dealers fame and money. I believe that symbolic interactionist would be interested in how the kids from the movie â€Å"News from the personal war† don’t see anything wrong in their violent acts. They believe that they are doing nothing but positive for their society. By bringing back medicine, food and clothes to the population they picture themselves as Hero’s and has great citizens. The society encourages them to continue with these violent and dangerous acts by praising them because of the things they give back to their people. This is a major fact of the gangs growth in these low class countries. In this perspective there is also an important aspect that says; we act towards other based on the meaning that those other people have for us. For example, if we look at Knockout Ned’s murderer, he was just an innocent boy that was trying to get revenge for his father’s killer. Not knowing the consequences that this would have on his life he joined a gang to give honour to his father. Symbolic interactionists believe that our social structure is based by our social interactions with others. In other words, symbolic interactions would believe that hood boys had reason and justifications to why they were part of a gang. The crew tremendous growth is because of the social structure that they have in Rio de Janeiro. Secondly, conflict theories would portray the situation in Rio de Janeiro completely differently. Conflict theorists believe that societies are composed of groups in power, status and influence. For example, in the film Lil Ze and his crew would be considered as the group in power, status and has influence on kid. In the movie, Lil Ze makes a rule of no hold ups or anything in the slums by runts. This proves that Lil Ze has complete control on the community because he sets any rule that he desires, we can basically call him a president. Conflict theorist would also argue that the powerless are more prone to break the rules. We can take example on the Runts once again; they robe stores knowing that it is against the societies rules. In the film, Lil Ze seems to blame victims when he would commit violent crimes. He was convinced that people that break rules should pay for their actions. He found happiness in killing people for no absolute reason. Most times, the neighbourhoods and societies are the subjects of study, the battle between rich and poor. Poor people seem to not be able to escape the streets of the city of God, the opportunities to get out of the slums are really slums. In the beginning of the movie you see homeless people walking on the streets and the narrator mentions that these people have nowhere to but to stay on the streets. It is really hard for the poor to avoid doing crimes because of their low level of education, money and opportunity. At last, Feminist theory is known to discuss the importance of gender inequality. For the movie, I believe that the women are experience all the stereotypes we can imagine. In the movie we can see that women are completely used as object and are not respected. In the scene where Lil Ze rapes Knockout Ned’s girlfriend we can see that it is just because to show how he can get whatever he wants, whenever he wants from any women. He uses the girl as an object as if she wasn’t worth anything. This could be considered as gendercide in other words, he raped her as a war crime. The feminist theory also argues the fact that women are completely ignored in societies. Looking at the â€Å"City of God† film, the scene where the two women are talking about their sex experience and one of them mentions how her husband would beat her for asking such things. This shows how women do not have their word to say about anything in the movies. That same women get beat and barried alive because of her unfaithfulness towards her husband but yet, police are more preoccupied into catching Shaggy. This shows us how important the women’s death is to people. Women are mistreated and ignored from society because they are considered to be housewives by stereotype. To conclude, there are different ways of looking at the movie â€Å"City of God†, Symbolic interactionist can look at it has the subjective aspect of the social life, the look at people’s image instead of people image on society. However, Conflict theorist are interested in the people who basically run the streets, the people in power with status and influence. Finally, Feminism theorist are mostly interested in the gender inequality that we can see in societies. All these theories help us have different opinions of people who live in slums like the movie â€Å"City of God† and may bring to and understanding the people who actually live in them

Techniques Used By Advertisers To Influence Consumer Behaviours Media Essay

Techniques Used By Advertisers To Influence Consumer Behaviours Media Essay The development of modern advertising from the late 19th Century was driven and heavily influenced by psychological advertising and the technological changes of the time. Inspired by World War I propaganda and behavioural psychology, psychological advertising aimed to build upon consumer fears, needs and desires to promote and sell goods. It is fundamentally the grounds from which modern advertising was built upon. Technologically, The Depression had ended and with it saw the beginning of mechanised production. This led to the introduction of corporate manufacturers who turned to advertising to create a demand for their products and services. Other influences that advertisers used to promote consumerism were the use of the breakdown of social barriers, building on and creating needs for consumers (whether this be material or social), creating images and ideals related to products and market targeting. It was a time of social change influenced by these new technologies and forms of ad vertising which saw traditionalistic standards and morals be replaced by a materialistic and consumer driven culture particularly in womens role in society. Of all the forms of advertising the insurgences of nationally branded goods have had the most impact in shaping a consumer driven culture. After the depression, which spanned between 1870 the late 1890s production became mechanised which inturn allowed for the mass production of goods. The changing nature and significance of consumption grew not from the autonomous changes in the life of the citizen or the family but from the intersection of such changes with the emergence of large scale consumer goods industries.  [1]  However, the industry began to overproduce and therefore advertising was required to encourage consumers to buy the products the manufacturers began creating their own demand for their products. They were the first to have large scale national campaigns with a strong emphasis on branding and product identification and many of the enterprises still maintain strong market domination (in the United States) and continue large-scale advertising campaigns. These inc lude: Proctor and Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Campbell Soups and H.J Heinz.  [2]  With this influx of branding came a new style of advertising, there was less emphasis put on informing the consumer it was now about grabbing their attention making them feel like they need your companies product over the competition. As Schudson states eye catching appeal became a more vital attribute of a product, examples of which are; Good morning! Have you used Pears Soap? And National Biscuits, Lest you forget, we say it yet, Uneeda Biscuit. Slogans lead to the differentiation of almost identical products, creating a synonymous relationship in consumers minds. The late nineteenth century saw the introduction of the department store, this was a turning point for consumer industry as people were now shopping in a setting driven by choice and competition -one simply did not enter a shop and askà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦for an item. In the department stores, things were displayed and the shopper had a range of things to observe.  [3]  Due to this increase in consumer choice it fuelled an influx of advertising in newspapers as the department stores competed for the consumers attention. The need for product differentiation and therefore the advertising industry was evident. From the late 1880s techniques in advertising began to change. Editorial space in newspapers was dropped from seventy percent to fifty percent to allow more space for adverts and of this, twenty three was department store advertising  [4]  . Department store advertising was also responsible for pressuring newspapers to adopt new techniques in printing processes drawn from the poster. From 1867 large lithograph could be printed, allowing for larger type, illustrations and colour to be used in advertisements. Eventually they gave in and at the turn of the nineteenth century newspapers began dropping their column limitations allowing for the introduction of pictorial advertisements. This caused traditionalistic standards of advertising to disappear and give way to the vigorous inventiveness of advertisers as they sought new ways to promote goods and services.  [5]   One of these new ways of promotion was that of radio advertising. Radio had a strong presence in Britain due to the popularity of the BBC. However advertising through this medium had a negative stigma attached to it due to radio being viewed as a fundamentally cultural and entertaining medium. Radio advertising in Britain had begun with subliminal or sponsorship advertising in its cultural and entertaining programs with products and services being introduced through its radio dramas and entertainment (much like product placement in modern day television and films.)  [6]  Advertisers feared that there would be a negative reaction by the radio listeners for intruding in a medium that provided cultural, entertaining and educational resources. However once radio gained national coverage in the United States advertisers could not resist in the new medium to grab consumers attention. One of the main persuasions was radios ability to override consumers choice in viewing an advertisement , in comparison to print media if the consumer were tuned in to the radio they would hear the advertisement regardless of their interest in the product or service. The other persuasion was its ability to reach women during daytime programs. During this time, in the early 20th Century women were the decision makers when it came to consumer choices, they carried out the household shopping, and so there was an influx of advertisements appealing to the typical housewife. Radio as an advertising medium began to flourish during the 1920s and many of the large companies assisted their print ads with radio advertisements. Once advertising in radio was established there was now no media that was free of advertisings influence driving the notion of the 1920s as a consumer driven culture. Advertising techniques also included the endorsements of products by industry professionals. These advertisements normally featured some kind of medical professional or ministers testimony and they played on the idea of influencing the consumers emotions, creating an idea in their mind of the need for the product. At the turn of the 19th century patent medicine, like department stores were a fundamental part of the advertising. Essentially patent medicine advertising sought out to establish a comprehensible and memorable name for their product one which the consumer could remember and feel comfortable with. Secondly was the promise that the medicine was intended for, for example they promised to cure womens illnesses, colds and flues and various sexual ailments.  [7]  However, almost all of these products were unreliable and did not follow through with their promise and so advertising was needed in order for the products to be successful. Transportation, particularly the introduction of intraurban rail lines changed the spatial possibilities of daily life  [8]  . It allowed for people to work and shop further away than walking distance. It was an inexpensive and reliable transportation method and it caused a breakdown of social barriers the rich and the poor began travelling together.  [9]  These social barriers were also broken down through the portrayal of America as an affluent, classless society  [10]  in the advertisements of the early 1900s. The ads strived to convey the message that equality could be achieved as the middle-class could purchase the same product or service as that of the very rich. This was emphasised through slogans such as any woman can and every home can afford.  [11]  Domestic products were portrayed in a luxurious fashion and they borrowed characters and images from that of royalty in Europe. After the establishment of the mechanisation of production and new technologies were being supported, an influx of new inventions was released onto the market. Manufacturers identified that extensive advertising was required in order to create a demand for the products. These advertisements not only had to inform the consumer of the new technologies but they played upon new social standards particularly that of the modern day woman as many of the new inventions were electronic domestic appliances, for example; sewing machines, vacuum cleaners, washing machines and electronic stoves and ovens. The manufacturers aimed to demonstrate that by using these appliances more time would be left for the most fulfilling reward leisure time.  [12]  And so, advertisers placed less emphasis on the actual product and portrayed the housewife carrying out leisurely activities, as reinstated by Marchand The desirability of the depicted substitute activity was the very essence of the ads appeal.à ‚  [13]  In most of these types of advertisements the actual product was absent or inferior to the activity that resulted due to the use of the product or service. Evidence of this can be seen in the advertising campaign during the 1920s of the American Laundry Machinery Company. This campaign, which was printed throughout numerous mass-circulation magazines, accentuated the pleasures that would arise from sending the family washing to a commercial laundry service. These ads showed women enjoying sociable and entertaining activities as opposed to slaving away with the washing. A quote from an advertisement published by the Association of the Laundry Owners National asks women the question Does the weekly washday take its heavy toll of hours that you could spend so joyously, so profitably in other ways?  [14]  Apart from the associations logo, the actual task of washing is not illustrated in the advertisement. The advertisements of this time, in comparison to those prior to th e turn of the nineteenth century, emphasised less on factual information and more on the actual consumer. This emphasis on the consumer led to, what academics refer to as a consumer culture. Traditionalistic values of the morals and ethics of hard work and self-denial were being replaced by an emphasis on materialism and individual pleasures as the way of leading a happy and fulfilling life and many conservative critics believe that advertising was responsible for this new consumer driven culture.  [15]  In 1890 Weber wrote material goods have gained an increasing and finally an inexorable power over the lives of men as at no previous period in history.  [16]  Evidence of this can be noted from the success of the Listerine advertisements of the early 1920s where consumers were persuaded to use Listerine mouthwash to combat the so-called disorder of halitosis. At the time of these ads going to press sales of Listerine dramatically increased. The advertisements drove the consumer to discover a new need  [17]   something that without the advertisements the consumer would not ha ve strived to fulfil. Therefore it can be concluded that the success of these types of advertisements, whether it be creating a new disorder, as in the Listerine ads, or telling women that wash day will steal their youth and beauty play upon influencing the emotions of the consumer and creating in their minds a false need.  [18]   There are many arguments regarding advertisings influence on the society and culture during the first half of the twentieth century. Changes in the market due to new technologies and the increase in production created a need for advertising that prior to the time was not required by manufacturers. Techniques used to sell this influx of merchandise were effective and somewhat immoral in cases. There is no argument however to ignore that on a whole, particularly in the United States that the society of the time had become more material dominated and traditional standards of living were becoming less dominant. However there is not enough evidence to suggest that advertising caused a consumer culture but rather both the technological advancements and the influence of advertising and other mediums of the time drove the social change.

Political Representation in Everyday Life: Feminism

Political Representation in Everyday Life: Feminism Expanding upon Pitkins Concept of Representation in Everyday Life:  Feminist Politics and the Feminist Movement in United States History Background The notion of â€Å"political representation† is one that is misleadingly simple. In viewing this type of representation, it is clear that many people, including scholars, fail to come to an agreement as to a particular definition. Political representation seems to occur when political actors: speak, advocate, symbolize, and act on the behalf of others in the political arena, offering individuals a type of political assistance which they would otherwise lack.[1] However, much research notes that this understanding is not as straightforward as it may seem at first glance. Rather, it leaves the concept of political representation underspecified with â€Å"multiple dimensions competing† with on another.[2] In attempting to close the gap on this overarching definition, Hanna Pitkin offers a comprehensive discussion of the concept of political representation in her work: The Concept of Representation. Pitkin established four distinct theories of representation: formalistic representation, including authorization and accountability; symbolic representation; descriptive representation; and substantive representation. [3] One can begin to view real-life historical examples under the lens of Pitkins theory in order to see if these examples fit into Pitkins overall view. One example that seems to fit Pitkins theoretical model is that of feminism and the ongoing feminist political movement in the United States. But, in viewing Pitkins theories, it becomes clear that Pitkin is vague in certain areas. In viewing certain accounts by researchers on the topic of feminism, it appears that Pitkin doesnt bring her definitions together in the manner that is necessary. Rather, it appears that feminists who cite Pitkin in their assertions, find her to lack the real descriptive representation that feminism requires in the realm of U.S. politics. Political Representation in Everyday Life: Feminism Pitkins four types of representation, formalistic representation, including authorized, deals with a situation in which a representative is legally empowered to act for another. Symbolic representation, occurs when a leader stands for national ideas. Descriptive representation occurs in situations when the representative stands for a group by virtue of sharing similar characteristics such as race, sex ethnicity or residence. And, substantive representation takes place in situations when the representative seeks to advance a groups policy preferences and interests. [4] In understanding this theoretical basis in terms of the feminist movement throughout United States history, one can see that until fairly recently, â€Å"the assumed political actors, both represented and representative† were male.[5] And, at the core of feminism is the issue of representation itself. As seen in the aforementioned notion, feminism from an historical standpoint has always involved the â€Å"prope r representation of women,† and postmodernism itself tends to question this agenda, questioning â€Å"the very identity of womanhood itself† in its wake. [6] As such, the starting place for a discussion regarding feminist engagement within the realm of political representation can be dated back to Pitkins theories, as Celis and Childs claim that for Pitkin, the â€Å"crucial dividing line in forms of representation is the distinction between standing for and acting for representation. Pitkins argument is seen in feminist involvement in politics in the U.S., as only recently in U.S. history, have women been able to both stand for and act for themselves.† [7] Celis and Childs note: â€Å"Many feminist scholars emphasize a relationship, albeit half-fastened, between the descriptive and the substantive component of representation; being female – or standing for – is conceived as an enabling condition for the substantive representation of women – or acting for. Thus, the argument here is simple: women, when present in politics, are more likely to act for women than men. Crucially, though, this is not a guarantee that they will. Moreover, this relationship is underpinned not by sex, but by gender – womens shared experiences.†[8] As such, the idea of being a women equates to standing for women and more generally pushing for the representation of women within a larger group equates with acting for women, and this notion of the quest for extended feminism in the U.S. fits into the model that Pitkin has set forth in terms of representation. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy notes that for Pitkin, disagreements about representation can be â€Å"partially reconciled by clarifying which view of representation is being invoked (formalistic, descriptive, symbolic and substantive), as each view provides a clearly distinctive view for examining representation. [9] In citing Pitkins theories in the realm of feminism, i.e. establishing citizenship for women and giving women the vote, the public has sought to establish a means of political representation that allows the people to decide, by establishing â€Å"fair procedures for reconciling conflicts, which provides democratic citizens one way to settle conflicts and issues about the proper behavior of their representatives.†[10] The U.S., as a nation, fueled by the will of its citizens, advanced the feminist movement by allowing women to achieve a status equal to their male counterparts. In many ways, the feminist movement in the U.S. falls in line with Pitkins overarching theory, making it easy to understand and apply, thus allowing her theories to be utilized by people whom they govern – women in particular. And, in this capacity, the notion of â€Å"acting upon† comes directly into play when viewing the female population in the U.S. and their historical fight for equality. Pitkin notes that a representative democracy, which is used in the United States, is based upon the principle of elected officials representing a group of people, and the two models that are often used to describe representative democracy are the â€Å"trustee model† and the â€Å"delegate model,† which are both present in Pitkins democracy. [11] The trustee model allows representatives â€Å"greater autonomy,† permitting them to make the decisions â€Å"actually going against the interests of their constituents,† other than the delegate model, which â⠂¬Å"requires representatives act as a mouthpiece for the wishes of their constituency.†[12] And, as these two models clearly place contradictory demands upon elected officials and political representatives, the journey to change the way representatives act upon and for the substantive representation of women has been a rocky one. Additionally, there is much to learn from the example of feminism as it relates to Pitkins definition of political representation, especially in terms of what Pitkins definitions leave out. Pitkin argues that formalistic (emphasizing institutions that facilitate representation – namely the rules that govern how representatives make decisions on behalf of others) and substantive (which includes all of the ways in which representatives â€Å"act for† or on behalf of the represented) representation are the most significant types, believing that a representatives identity is only relevant when it is related to his or her actions, noting: â€Å"A representative must first of all be capable of effective action, otherwise he or she is no representative at all.†[13] However, Childs and Lovenduski note: â€Å"The relative importance, indeed the practical applications and interactions of two of Pitkin’s concepts of substantive and formalistic have come under close feminist scrutiny. There is relatively little feminist scholarship, theoretical or empirical, on authorized representation. Conceptual, and to a lesser extent, empirical research on symbolic representation is also somewhat limited. For Pitkin, symbols are often arbitrary with no resemblance to the represented. Assessing the adequacy of symbolic representation relies on whether the representative is believed in, a criterion Pitkin found wanting. For feminists the notion that women are symbolically represented when they believe they are, even if all the representatives are men, is intuitively unsatisfactory.†[14] Additionally, as the feminist movement â€Å"vehemently argues for the importance of adding the who to the liberal notion of democracy, often criticizing the how, many have sought to genderize Pitkins categories in an attempt to connect the who to the what to the how and the where or representation.†[15] As such, there is a myriad of research which seeks to stretch Pitkins theories in order to better define them in the realm of womens substantive representation and the enhancement of the feminist movement. As many of the definitions of â€Å"womens substantive representation† seem to revolve around being a â€Å"representative of women† as well as a pillar of â€Å"womens interests† or working â€Å"on behalf of women,† studies that use the term â€Å"womens substantive representation† often take as their point of departure, Pitkins concept of â€Å"representing as acting for . . . in the interest of.†[16] This concept was developed in Pitkins text as â€Å"one of four different concepts of representation,† but many argue today that Pitkin never fully explained how these four different views of representation fit together, and as such, the question has become â€Å"central to the study of gender and politics today.† [17] Conclusion As seen, while Hanna Pitkins concepts of representation are applicable in viewing the history of feminism and the rights of women in the United States, there are certain facets of these concepts which must be adjusted in order to define the representation of women in the most accurate way and make Pitkins assertions less vague. In viewing Pitkins theories in relation to feminism and the feminist movement within the United States, it becomes clear that Pitkin is vague in certain areas. In viewing the aforementioned accounts by researchers on the topic of feminism, it appears that Pitkin doesnt bring her definitions together in the manner that is necessary. Rather, it appears that feminists who cite Pitkin in their assertions, find her to lack the real descriptive representation that feminism requires in the realm of U.S. politics. The question that arises then is how Pitkins notion of representation can be adjusted in order to provide women with the descriptive representation necessary. As with any definition comes certain limitation and questions that surround the finite nature of a term. This is applicable in viewing Pitkins theories in relation to feminism. References Celis, Karen and Childs, Sarah. â€Å"The Descriptive and Substantive Representation of Women.† Parliamentary Affairs. Vol. 61. March 2008. 419-425. Childs, Sarah and Joni Lovenduski. â€Å"Political Representation.† 2012. In Waylen, Georgina, Celis, Karen, Kantola, Johanna and Weldon, Laurel (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Gender and Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Escobar-Lemmon, Maria and Michelle Taylor-Robinson. Representation: The Case of Women. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. 2014. Print. Lovenduski, Joni, ed. State feminism and political representation. Vol. 315(1). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Pitkin, Hanna. The Concept of Representation. Oakland, CA: University of California Press, 1972. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. â€Å"Political Representation.† Stanford University. January 2, 2006. Web. Retrieved from: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/political-representation/#PitFouVieRep on 4 March 2015. Tisosky, Chelsea. â€Å"Is a Womans Place in the House? An Analysis of Shared Gender and Political Representation.† Cornell University Department of Policy Analysis and Management. May 7, 2014. 15. Web. Retrieved from: https://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/ 1813/36336/2/tisosky_thesis.pdf on 4 March 2015. [1] Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. â€Å"Political Representation.† Stanford University. January 2, 2006. Web. 1. [2] Ibid. at p. 1 [3] Pitkin, Hanna. The Concept of Representation. Oakland, CA: University of California Press, 1972. [4] Pitkin, Hanna. The Concept of Representation. Oakland, CA: University of California Press, 1972. [5] Childs, Sarah and Joni Lovenduski. â€Å"Political Representation.† 2012. Waylen, Georgina, Celis, Karen, Kantola, Johanna and Weldon, Laurel (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Gender and Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2. [6] Lovenduski, Joni, ed. State feminism and political representation. Vol. 315. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. [7] Celis, Karen and Childs, Sarah. â€Å"The Descriptive and Substantive Representation of Women.† Parliamentary Affairs. Vol. 61. March 2008. 419-425. [8] Celis, Karen and Childs, Sarah. â€Å"The Descriptive and Substantive Representation of Women.† Parliamentary Affairs. Vol. 61. March 2008. 419-425. [9] Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. â€Å"Political Representation.† Stanford University. January 2, 2006. Web. 1. [10]Ibd. at p. 1 [11] Pitkin, Hanna. The Concept of Representation. Oakland, CA: University of California Press, 1972. 67. [12]Tisosky, Chelsea. â€Å"Is a Womans Place in the House? An Analysis of Shared Gender and Political Representation.† Cornell University Department of Policy Analysis and Management. May 7, 2014. 15. [13]Pitkin, Hanna. The Concept of Representation. Oakland, CA: University of California Press, 1972. 67. [14]Childs, Sarah and Joni Lovenduski. â€Å"Political Representation.† 2012. Waylen, Georgina, Celis, Karen, Kantola, Johanna and Weldon, Laurel (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Gender and Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2. [15]Escobar-Lemmon, Maria and Michelle Taylor-Robinson. Representation: The Case of Women. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. 2014. Print. 62. [16]Ibid. at p. 62 [17]Ibid. at p. 62

Liberal Bias of Journalism Essay -- Media News Bias Journalist Essays

Liberal Bias of Journalism "Dear Ann: I have a problem. I have two brothers. One brother is in television, the other was put to death in the electric chair for murder. My mother died from insanity when I was three years old. My sisters are prostitutes, and my father sells narcotics to high school students. Recently I met a girl who was just released from a reformatory where she served time for smothering her illegitimate child to death, and I want to marry her. My problem is—if I marry this girl, should I tell her about my brother who is in television?† (Goldberg 117) Bernard Goldberg’s book, Bias, reveals the truth of journalism, rather than its art. He pinpoints the inevitability and reasoning behind the majority of the media, the nation’s informant, slanting the news in a liberal direction. Clear examples and statistics highlight the condition; denied by the media moguls, already identified by the country. The problem with the media, as Goldberg points out, is the unintentionally manipulative liberal vernacular employed without fail by the leading news anchors. For instance, â€Å"right-wing† and â€Å"conservative† are commonplace vocabulary for introducing a politician, activist or public figure not liberally aligned. If balanced by labels like â€Å"left-wing† or â€Å"liberal†, this would not be an issue. However, even the far-left figures are viewed and portrayed as â€Å"middle of the road†. CBS News anchor Dan Rather labeled the New York Times editorial page the same way, despite the constant partiality to letters in favor of abortion, strict gun control and affirmative action; all clearly liberal standpoints. In reporting national issues, objectivity should be priority number one for the media. Instead, the stories ... ...y view the world. Given the duration of time over which this has occurred, the lens has morphed into a kaleidoscope, skewing objectivity with deceptive speech. To be fair, if conservatives controlled the networks as the liberals do, a conservative bent would be just as evident. Webster’s denotes what journalism should be: the style of writing characteristic of material in newspapers and magazines, consisting of direct presentation of facts or occurrences with little attempt at analysis or interpretation. The media connotes what journalism is: a presentation of the news, following its passage through a sieve of obstinate and influential liberal viewpoints, and removing the excess pulp of impartiality from the scene. Works Cited Goldberg, Bernard. Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News. Washington D.C.: Regnery Publishing Inc., 2002.

Essay --

Kate Thoma Position Paper In John Caputo’s book, What Would Jesus Deconstruct? Caputo discusses his views on the world’s actions and whether or not they are reflective of what Jesus wanted. Caputo believes that society is not just falling short of what Jesus wanted but in many cases failing entirely to follow Jesus’ orders. Caputo discusses several important issues including war and abortion. However, Caputo concludes that everyone, including devout Christians, need to realize the world is not living according to the teachings of Jesus. An important issue that Caputo discusses is wars. To be more accurate, the idea of ‘just wars.’ In Caputo’s opinion Jesus would hate that wars are happening throughout the world and find the idea of a ‘just war’ as ludicrous. In fact, it is explained that the concept of a ‘just war’ was not even created until four centuries after the death of Jesus in order for Christians to maintain power over Rome. As Caputo puts it, â€Å"The only just war is the war against war† (Caputo pg#). Additionally, Caputo keeps mentioning this idea of a ‘just war’ being justified as a lesser evil, but that does not make it just, so to speak. Caputo argues that if Jesus were to be considered a political thinker then Jesus would be a pacifist, as depicted in the New Testament. This means that under no circumstances would war be considered as an option to Jesus. Rather, every conflict would be settled through peaceful negotiations. Caputo goe s even further explaining that if Jesus held political power in today’s day and age, then the U.S. Department of Defense’s budget would be nonexistent because there would be no need to fund their cause. However, the Christian Right continues to support the U.S. in going to war. Furthermo... ... against making abortion illegal. The Christian Right are mostly opposed to increasing taxation, however if abortion were to be made illegal, then the government would need to get the money to pay for these children somehow. I also found it interesting that the reason Catholics restrict the use of birth control is due to a threat to the population that does not even exist anymore. It makes no sense for the Catholic Church to continue ruling out the use of contraception, especially because Jesus never even talked of this issue. However, that is the issue. Jesus never talked about the issue of abortion either. I must agree with Caputo though, Jesus would not be preaching against abortions but rather taking in both perspectives and seeing the difficulty in the situation. Just like Caputo I find that much of society is not living by the rules Jesus told us to live by.

Letters to a Young Poet

Late in his life, the Czech great poet Rainer Maria Rilke maintained a correspondence with a young poet, Franz Xaver Krappus through his well-known ten letters.   While in military academy, Young Franz full of passion and deep-seated appreciation for good poetry, on reading a collection of Rilke's poetry, decided to send Rilke some of his poetry for Rilke to read and offer some advice in form of commendations and criticisms. The correspondence was thoughtful and filled within insight in various life themes, with profound messages for every one. It began in lasted from 1902 to 1908 and in June, 1929 three years after Rilke’s death, Franz gathered and published the letters in Berlin. Frank’ introduction of the letters detailed his encounter with the writings of Rilke while he was in the Military Academy, Vienna. He interacted with Professor Horacek who talked to him about the life of Rilke as a gifted serious gentle calm and introverted fellow while in the same academy who was dedicated to his training; Rilke continued his education at home in Prague when he could not cope in his new school away from the military academy. Through this correspondence, one understands the life of Rilke within the sentences he sent to this young poet. There is a hint to the transformation that he undergoes the principles that guide his life and how these changes influence his writing. The progression in the life of Rilke is visible in the letters sent to this 19-year old poet: his life is based on the finding of the direction of the inner pursuit; answering the basic question of life and then wait until the inner voice speaks with a bold answer. This is his opinion of the foundation of a viable career. He believes in the power of reading to build a strong writing career: good writers read and good readers write. To approach productive reading, it is important to come with an open mind and be ready to love the work. This is how best to understand writings and be in the best position to criticize them if need be. The central theme is love. He understands the difficulty associated with loving. He tells the young poet about the travail of learning how to love. He leaves him with the advice: keep learning. Sadness, aloneness also show in his write-up. This conflict with love may reflect the hitches he experiences in his family life, and why he seldom mentions his family. As an introvert, this is allowed. Rilke’s search for solitude is important in discovering the pace and direction of the inner man: this is a major theme of his life. This also keeps him away from the pressures of the outside world and its attendant conflicts. Let’s take a look at the letters: Letter One: ‘There is only one way: Go within. Search for the cause, find the impetus that bids you write.’ He writes this to advice Franz about life career starting with an introspective search for discovery of the true reason for essence in life. This letter shows the basis for his life pursuit and advice for the young poet on career choice. Letter Two: Live awhile within these books.   Learn of them, whatever seems worth the learning, but above all,  love them.   To live within the books is to be able learn, and to love them is the way to be open to its lessons and make appropriate life changes as required. Letter Three: Let me ask you right here to read as little as possible of aesthetic critiques.   It shows his distaste for criticisms that are not appreciative of the exclusive work of arts. Love is a prerequisite for true criticism. Letter Four: Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language.   Do not now look for the answers.    They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them.   The questions that arise in life do not come with answers by merely asking but until the questions are incorporated into daily living; that’s where they get answered. Letter Five: There is much beauty here because there is much beauty everywhere. Life is beauty, it al depends on what you see not where you are. Letter Six: Why don't you think of him as the coming one, who has been at hand since eternity, the future one, the final fruit of a tree, with us as its leaves? Live your life knowing there would be pain, but you still joy. Letter Seven: To love is also good, for love is difficult. For one human being to love another is perhaps the must difficult task of all, the epitome, the ultimate test. This letter was explicit on love, and detailed the enigmatic way he sees and experienced love. Letter Eight: And this is the reason the sadness passes: the something new within us, the thing that has joined us, has entered our heart, has gone into its innermost chamber and is no longer there either– it is already in the blood. Letter Nine: Your doubt can become a good attribute if you discipline it. It must become a knowing; it must become the critic. This gives advice on how to turn doubt to a useful tool in life and career. Letter Ten: Art also is only a way of life, and we can, no matter how we live, and without knowing it, prepare ourselves for it. He admonishes the Young Franz about the existence of art; he asserts that that art is part of us and our lives whether we accept the fact or not. REFERENCE Rainer Maria Rilke. Letters to a young poet Letters to a young poet. Accessed from www.sfgoth.com/~immanis/rilke/letter1.html Letters to a young poet. Accessed from www.carrothers.com/rilke_main.htm Rilke’s writing. www.floozy.com/allison/rilke/r.index.html    Letters to a Young Poet Brenda Benson Letters to a Young poet by Rainer Maria Rilke Letters 1-5 Letters to a Young Poet, letter 1: â€Å"No one can advise or help you- no one. There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself. † I believe this advice goes for anyone, but I can identify with this. The reason is that you really can’t depend on anyone, because the other person will not care for the situation or whatever the way you do. Many of times, where I thought I could seek for other for help, they hadn’t come through for me.Even though, it is something disappointing, but it is life, we must deal with disappointment constantly. In the end, what doesn’t kill will only make you stronger, how true those words are. For when you are at your lowest point, that is when your strength shines through. Letter to a Young Poet, Letter 2:† Learn from what you feel is worth learning† Learning is not just learning from a book, it can also be about life, the experiences that a person has gone through.People have often advised me what I should do with my life and how I should live about it. It’s always difficult because we all are manipulated by society, and the slightest difference in personality makes for the biggest commotion. Well anyways, you can be told so many things, what is right and what is wrong. Sure, you listen to them, some of the advice you’ll take in and others just let it drift away. All in all, it doesn’t matter what people may say, it’s what you feel what is right.Letter to a Young Poet, Letter 3: â€Å"Always trust yourself and your own feeling, as opposed to argumentations, discussions, or introductions of that sort† This I believe is the hardest situation, which is being able to trust yourself. We always have doubts if we’re ever good enough, and always making things into a competition. Where we should make things into a learning experience, and appreciate others wisdom. When I began this sch ool I would say that I was intimidated by the students the class, they were so talented.I doubted if I could really accomplish my goals that I had here in New York and in Parsons. Later that day, I spoke to special people; they lend me their ear and some advice. All I needed to do, all I still need to do is believe in myself, trust myself, know that my abilities are exceptional, and keep moving forward. Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 4:†Don’t hate anything† Hating is a very strong emotion, hating consumes the heart and you don’t feel much. Your mind when preoccupied by hate has nothing much to offer. It’s an emotion that tiring, and hard to let go.When you learn you stop hating, your feel so relieved, and is at peace with the world. As a young girl, I hated many things, and I had let it consumed my heart. When you hate you feel very alone, and you feel that no one is there for you, nor do you believe they will understand you. When I grew older I rea lize how much energy it took, how much it keeps you in the past. To move forward you must forgive, and relinquish your hatred towards things. If I hadn’t my situation would be a lot different where life would probably be miserably for me.Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 5:† But there is much beauty here, because everywhere there is much beauty† In all the chaos of the world, in all the imperfections in the world, there is still beauty. I feel that people have to go through some tragic situation; for once they encounter something different, they can find and appreciate the beauty that is presented to them. At least that’s how I look at it, life is full of different shapes and colors, it’s very much easy to miss, but when I slow down time, I’m able to see things that I couldn’t see before.

Describe Your Role in Delivering Learning Class Lessons Essay

I would plan activities in various ways such as an informal discussion with the teacher about what weekly and daily activities will be taking place. You are aware in advance of what you are required to do. There are clear roles and responsibilities for you working together with the teacher to support the pupils. Planning activities is also based on pupils individual needs, abilities and interests hence the importance of accurate pupil observations and assessments also the continuous cycle of identifying leaning needs, preparing, organising and implementing learning activities. The work you are covering fits in with the activities and topics which have been planned for the term. The objectives of the learning activity and the type and level of support the pupils may need. The teacher may put some time aside to discuss each week’s activities with the teaching assistant. This would allow for any suggestions to be made on how to improve or change things. Teaching assistants should have a clear understanding of the learning objective for each activity and know what they should be doing to help the children achieve this. There could be some children with special needs in the class and so will have different aims to the other children and may also require more support. The teaching assistant can plan setting up the room with the correct resources before the lesson takes place and laying out the tables and chairs etc, also support may be needed for some pupils, this should have been discussed before the lesson. The teaching assistant could work with one specific table or group of children or just go around the classroom and be available if any of the children ask for help and to identify future learning needs.

Chemistry Is Everywhere Essay

Everything you hear, see, smell, taste, and touch involves chemistry and chemicals (matter). And hearing, seeing, tasting, and touching all involve intricate series of chemical reactions and interactions in you body. With such an enormous range of topics, it is essential to know about chemistry at some level in order to understand the world around us. In more formal terms chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it can undergo. Chemists sometimes refer to matter as ‘stuff’, and indeed so it is. Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Which is to say, anything you can touch or hold. Common usage might have us believe that ‘chemicals’ are just those substances in laboratories or something that is not a natural substance. Far from it, chemists believe that everything is made of chemicals. Although there are countless types of matter all around us, this complexity is composed of various combinations of some 100 chemical elements. The names of some of these elements will be familiar to almost everyone. Elements such as hydrogen, chlorine, silver, and copper are part of our everyday knowledge. Far fewer people have heard of selenium or rubidium or hassium. Nevertheless, all matter is composed of various combinations of these basic elements. The wonder of chemistry is that when these basic particles are combined, they make something new and unique. Consider the element sodium. It is a soft, silvery metal. It reacts violently with water, giving off hydrogen gas and enough heat to make the hydrogen explode. Nasty ‘stuff’. Also consider chlorine, a green gas when at room temperature. It is very caustic and choking, and is nasty enough that it was used as a horrible chemical gas weapon in the last century. So what kind of horrible mess is produced when sodium and chlorine are combined? Nothing more than sodium chloride, common table salt. Table salt does not explode in water or choke us; rather, it is a common additive for foods we eat everyday. And so it is with chemistry, understanding the basic properties of matter and learning how to predict and explain how they change when they react to form new substances is what chemistry and chemists are all about. Chemistry is not limited to beakers and laboratories. It is all around us, and the better we know chemistry, the better we know our world.

Analysis on All the pretty Horses Essay

The title of Cormac McCarthy’s novel – All the Pretty Horses, reflects the significance and variance of roles that horses play in this coming-of-age story, as they relate to John Grady Cole who is the focus of the novel. The horse, which was the social foundation of Western American culture then, is described as an economical and practical asset to the boys – John Grady and Lacey Rawlins. However, the author also describes horses’ abstract qualities using idyllic and impassioned diction, depicting them as animals of a highly advanced spiritual nature, similar to humans in some ways. John Grady has an intimate relationship with all horses and understands the world of horses extraordinarily well. On his journey from Texas to Mexico, he learns that the world of men is very different from that of horses and is forced to rethink about the relationship between humans and horses. John discovers that his preconceived notions about men and human society are false. He finds that they do not live in a romantic world, as he had believed. Therefore, the title that McCarthy has chosen is ironic and symbolizes the change that John experiences. The author uses the title to represent John’s initial perspective on the world, which turns out to be the opposite later on. John’s life, like all of Western American society during the timeframe of the story, revolved around horses. In fact, I think that he is able to understand the horses more than he does about men. The horses in the novel represent strength, untamed passion, and most importantly, freedom of spirit. The veneration that the vaqueros have for horses is apparent in the tales Luis tells the boys. â€Å"†¦ the old man only said that it was pointless to speak of there being no horses in the world for God would not permit such a thing† (111). I feel that this quote demonstrates to the readers very well on the strong feelings of passion of the vaqueros, cattle-ranchers, that they value horses so highly that they are able to regard themselves as nearly divine. It also reinforces John’s romantic notion that horses are highly spiritual beings. Like the vaqueros, the boys respect the horses, and these animals play large roles in their lives. The boys use horses in many ways throughout the novel, such as companions and as means of transportation or escape. John even has dreams about horses, as â€Å"his thoughts were of horses†¦still wild on the mesa who’d never seen a man afoot and who knew nothing of him or his life yet in whose souls he would come to reside forever† (118). This style of expression used in referring to horses here â€Å"wild† and â€Å"souls† is idealistic and almost poetic. Furthermore, the fact that John dreams about horses in this way and that he wants to â€Å"reside forever† in their souls shows that he, like the vaqueros, thinks of them very highly. Throughout the novel, the author does not fail to use romantic and emotional language to describe horses and their connections to humans. By using venerating diction in describing the horses, the author portrays these animals as noble being with wild spirits. Besides that, with vivid imagery, the author is able to paint us a poignant picture of horses. â€Å"The painted ponies and the riders of that lost nation came down out of the north with their faces chalked and their long hair plaited and each armed for war which was their life†¦When the wind was in the north you could hear them, the horses and the breath of the horses and the horses’ hooves that were shod in rawhide† (5). This introduction of horses in the beginning of the novel demonstrates the passion and dedication that the author attributes to horses. The mood created by words such as â€Å"painted ponies† and â€Å"the breath of the horses† is passionate and emotionally charged. The author also continues to describe the raw energy and life that flows through the horses. â€Å"John Grady†¦was holding the horse†¦with the long bony head pressed against his chest and the hot sweet breath of it flooding up from the dark wells of its nostrils over his face and neck like news from another world† (103). These metaphors such as â€Å"the dark wells of its nostrils† and â€Å"news from another world† create a forceful likeness of mysterious animals with a nature that is foreign to humans. The horse’s â€Å"hot sweet breath†¦flooding up† displays the life and energy that fill the horses. This mysterious energy is also apparent later, when the author writes, â€Å"He rode the last five horses†¦the horses dancing, turning in the light, their red eyes flashing†¦they moved with an air of great elegance and seemliness† (107). This imagery of â€Å"red eyes flashing† and â€Å"horses dancing† is very mysterious yet still striking. The descriptive detail is very cinematic, and any of these scenes could easily be made into a movie. These extremely in depth  descriptions are so exaggerated that they are almost unrealistic, but they are able to create the desired effect in making horses seem mystical and bizarre. These are the romantic creatures that John sees, the â€Å"pretty horses† that can be taken off the title. John Grady’s connection with horses is as mystical as the horses themselves. He is one way or another, able to communicate with all horses on a deeper level than any other character in the story. This is evident on the Hacienda in the scene in which John and Rawlins are breaking some new horses. John â€Å"cupped his hand over the horse’s eyes and stroked them and he did not stop talking to the horse at all, speaking in a low steady voice and telling it all that he intended to do and cupping the animal’s eyes and stroking the terror out† (103). John’s ability to â€Å"stroke the terror out† of the horses is just like in a case of a parent calming a frightened child. Obviously, he must have some natural tie with these animals if he is able to do this. Indeed, the author has already unambiguously stated that such a bond does exist between John Grady and the horses earlier on when he writes, â€Å"The boy who rode on slightly before him sat a horse not only as if he had been born to it which he was but as if were he begot by malice or mischance into some queer land where horses never were he would have found them anyway† (23). This passage shows that John’s relationship with horses extends into the metaphysical range, a view that is reinforced throughout the novel as more is revealed about John Grady and the horses. As Luis says, â€Å"the horse shares a common soul†¦if a person understood the soul of the horse then he would understand all horses that ever were† (111). It seems like as if the author is trying to tell us that John Grady has this ability to be familiar with the soul of the horse, and that is why his relationship with horses is so unique. John’s reliance on his knowledge of horses as a guide in the world of men eventually reveals to him that the two species are actually very different. When John starts out on his journey, he has very little knowledge about the inner workings of the human society, but he has superficially assumed men and horses to be similar. As the author writes in the opening of the novel, â€Å"What he loved in horses he loved in men, the blood and the heat of the blood that ran them. All his reverence and all his fondness and all the leanings of his life were for the ardenthearted and they would always be so and never be otherwise† (6). John knows that horses are â€Å"ardenthearted† and believes that men must be the same too. He thinks that his journey will be a romantic and passionate one, like the horses he loves, and will strengthen his view of the world. However, he soon learns that his assumption is not what the reality is. Before anything unfortunate happens to him, John hears from Luis that â€Å"among men there was no such communion as among horses and the notion that men can be understood at all is probably an illusion† (111). The first doubts then began to creep into John’s mind, and eventually, he finds out about this personally. Instead of â€Å"pretty horses,† John’s journey is filled with murder and stealing, prison and broken hearts. His ill-fated journey proves clearly about Luis’ point, and totally destroys John’s belief that the world of men is at all an understandable thing. Finally, when it is all over, he returns home disappointed, only to find that both his father and his Abuela have died. John’s fanciful concept of the world of men now has been completely replaced by a â€Å"world that†¦seemed to care nothing for the old or the young or rich or poor or dark or pale or he or she. Nothing for their struggles, nothing for their names. Nothing for the living or the dead† (301). The world of â€Å"all the pretty horses† is nothing to him now but a distant memory. This reveals the title’s irony, a story titled All the Pretty Horses would apparently never involve the death and violence that is included in John’s travels. Indeed, John has come â€Å"full circle† and realized that his original assumptions about men were false. The title of McCarthy’s novel All the Pretty Horses is not meant to be taken literally. Before he runs away, John Grady believes in the world of â€Å"all the pretty horses,† because he has never known anything else. However, his time in Mexico disheartens him and forces him to believe otherwise, that the real world is not so simple, carefree, or innocent. John learns that the romanticism that he ascribes to horses cannot be applied to men. John respects horses and experiences the praise of these animals in the folklore of the day. His relationship with horses exists on many levels, by being his  transportation, his friends, and his spiritual companions. Furthermore, the author illustrates the horses with emotional diction creating almost a motif of passion whenever horses are described. John’s unusual understanding of the fervent spirit of horses leads him to believe that men are the same. However, on his bleak and disappointing journey, he learns that men do not have the same passion of spirit as horses. Instead, they are unpredictable, violent creatures, and their world is certainly not always pretty. I think that it is utterly important for us as readers to understand what the author is trying to tell us by looking at the title and try to understand deeper with the details that the author provides us. Initially I thought that this novel is just going to give details of various horses that man uses in many different ways. However, I was completely wrong on making the judgment by its cover – title. This novel teaches us about the reality in human world that no one will be able to predict what is going happen. He illustrates the morals and ethics that have survived throughout the ages, while ending up with nothing else is left, leaving only memories to be reminders of the mysterious and naturally beautiful time period. I am sure after reading this novel, one would never be able to forget the pain, suffering, romance, and above all loyalty inscribed on its pages or in the memories of those who lived through it.

Winter’s Bone

Essay Assignment 2 October 7th, 2012 Draft 2 (Final) Winter's Bone I would like to start off saying I really enjoyed this book so far. I really like the text, and description it shows. There is a lot of realistic experience in the book that helps me create my visual of the book. â€Å"They didn’t do nothin’! They didn’t do a goddamned thing! What the hell’re you tryin’ to pull? † Most books are cheesy written, and worded. This book was different, and really fit into my interest. I usually find it hard to get into a book, an reading a lot of the time makes me sleepy.I was able to adapt to this book quickly to gain a lot of questions an wondering what was going to happen next. The Ozarks is a interesting place that helps shape the lives of anyone who lives there. Ree finds herself, her family, all on the bad side of the law since illegal activities are done to support themselves in such a harsh environment. These illegal activities of her fathe r start Ree on a journey. She has to find her father with only the help of family to save her family’s house and land. Jessup, Ree’s father, is the most important cause of her journey.He comes home and leaves â€Å"promising he’d be back soon as he could with a paper sack of cash and a trunkload of delights. † Ree is left with the tasks of chopping wood and making sure there is food on the table for everyone, which is usually the man of the house’s job. He had told her to not even look for him until â€Å"you see my face. † (Chpt 1) Then, when the kids get home from school riding in Sheriff Baskins’ patrol car, the sheriff asks her if she has seen Jessup and informs her that he put the land and house up for the bail.If Jessup didn’t show up for court, they would be poor and homeless. Ree also has to be a mother to the kids, because her mom is pretty much useless. Something happened, whether it was drug or her lifestyle while Je ssup had been imprisoned before, and the medicine that she is on is not helping. Ree had to get Sonny and Harold ready for school even if the clothes were dirty and there was no butter to go with the grits. The kids show up home having hitched a ride from the deputy up to the Dolly’s house for which they were reprimanded by Ree to not ven associate with â€Å"the law. † Ree later makes sure to put them under her wing so that they could learn to hunt and cook if there was ever a need for them to take care of themselves. She starts showing them how to make deer stew and how to shoot and clean squirrels. The next day, when they got home. Teardrop came over. When he realizes he needed to help his brother’s family. He lets Ree know that the police found Jessup’s car burnt, but he wasn’t in it. He also gave them more money to help out.He then also gave her the advice of selling of the timber on their land before the bail bondsman came to throw them out o f the house, but Ree still thinks that it won’t happen. Teardrop starts talking about times before when things were good and family all got along. Ree goes to town to get some groceries and is getting to the point of believing her father is dead but trying to figure out why. â€Å"Either he stole or he told. Those are the things they kill you for. † Gail told her. Chpt 15) Bringing back to my thoughts, where I had a dead beat father who ran off, and never came back home. Which made my mom have to do everything for us alone. It's always weird how the books you read can sometimes relate back to you in ways you never thought they could. I then know I'm not the only one who had that experience. Which then as well helps me cope with my issues an understand better. I really like that about a book when I can relate to some of the things going on in the story.