Us Commerce Secretary Stresses Urgency Of Winning Essay Example For Students

Us Commerce Secretary Stresses Urgency Of Winning Essay Support For China In World Trade Organization,Margaret B. LoweryMacroeconomics IBFebruary 1, 2000AFP, (January 26, 2000), US Commerce Secretary Stresses Urgency of Winning Support for China in World Trade Organization, http://www.US.Commerce_Secretary_stresses_Urgency_of_Winning_Support_for_China_in_WTO.htmThe World Trade Organization (WTO) was formed on January 1, 1995, as successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which had regulated tariffs worldwide since 1947. The WTO regulates tariffs on services, intellectual property, food, and government purchasing. The Clinton administration has been working very hard to negotiate a deal with China, a nation we have given Most Favored Nation status to, to enter into the World Trade Organization. After a long negotiation process, we have reached a deal with China. The conditions of the deal require China to open its markets to a wide range of US products and services and to permit increased investment in China by US firm s. Of course the agreement has to be passed by Congress, which is bound to create a lively debate on the matter. We will write a custom essay on Us Commerce Secretary Stresses Urgency Of Winning specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now US Commerce Secretary, William Daley, is trying to convince America that this deal with China is critical to their pocketbooks. He says, If you enjoy this economic success we are participating in, this is an important piece of its future. I have a hard time seeing how things will change if China is admitted to the WTO. We already trade a great deal with China and have given them Most Favored Nation status already. I think there are several reasons why we should not let China into the WTO. There are several political risks involved with this deal with China. Organized labor and environmental groups are using this deal to somehow introduce environmental conditions and labor rights into the WTO rules. Although they are in opposition to the deal right now, they will construct a bargain in which they will trade their support of Chinese membership for the rules to be added. Chinese membership is also a great risk for China. The increased imports from the United States and other countries a nd the production in China by foreign firms will provide strong competition to many of the state-owned industries. I think this will force many Chinese businesses to close down. The only other solution would be to cut back on workers at these companies, which would increase the unemployment rate in China. The resulting rise in unemployment can hurt their economy and cost them a lot of money. The last, and perhaps most important issue in this debate is over Chinas human rights and labor standards. China is a communist country, which is something Americans seem to completely disagree with. If I recall, Little Elian from Cuba (another Communist country) is stuck in the middle of a debate over whether we should send him back to his country because it is Communist and we are so against that form of government. If we are so appalled by Communism, why do we want to give Most favored nation status to one of the few remaining Communist countries? That is why we have an embargo on Cuba. When China is ready to take steps forward in human rights and labor standards, then we can talk about trade agreements. Economics Essays

How to Make Glow-in-the-Dark Drinks

How to Make Glow-in-the-Dark Drinks Have you ever wanted  to make a glowing cocktail? There isnt a safe chemical you can add to make a drink glow in the dark on its own.  There are several edible substances that glow brightly from fluorescence under black light or ultraviolet light. To work the magic, simply add black lights to light your own glowing concoctions. Key Takeaways: Glow in the Dark Drinks There is no chemical that may be safely mixed into drinks to make them glow in the dark.However, many safe liquids glow (fluoresce) under black or ultraviolet light. Of these, the brightest glow is produced by tonic water, which appears blue.Without a black light, drinks may be made to appear to glow using presentation tricks. You can use a glowing glass, ice cubes containing small lights, or use a glow stick as a stirrer. If you want to make glowing drinks, get a pocket-sized black light (ultraviolet lamp) and take it shopping with you. Shine the light on products and look for a glow. Note that the glow may be a different color from the product. Also, you will discover many plastic containers are highly fluorescent. Here is a list of beverages and additives that reputedly glow in the dark under black light. Absinthe and Blue Curacaoâ„ ¢ contain alcohol, but the other items can be used for any occasion. Some fluorescent and phosphorescent substances will glow for several seconds after the light source is removed. Blue raspberry Little Hugsâ„ ¢ (kiddie soft drink)Mountain Dewâ„ ¢ and Diet Mountain Dewâ„ ¢Ã‚  Tonic Water (or any drink containing quinine glow blue)Many sports drinks (especially those with B vitamins such as Monsterâ„ ¢ energy drinks)AbsintheBlue Curacaoâ„ ¢Some bright food colorsCertain flavors of gelatinVitamin B12 (glows bright yellow)Chlorophyll (like from spinach juice, glows blood red)Milk (yellow)Caramel (pale yellow)Vanilla ice cream (pale yellow)Honey (golden yellow) Of these options, tonic water glows the most brightly under black light. Cranberry juice is not fluorescent, but it may be mixed with tonic water to offset the flavor and tint the blue so it appears purple or reddish. Clear soft drinks typically appear to glow under a black light because the bubbles from the carbonation reflect back the visible portion of light from the lamp. Tonic water glow bright blue under black light. Photo by Cathy Scola / Getty Images Make Drinks Appear to Glow You can make any drink appear to glow by using glowing products: Use glow sticks as cocktail stirrers. Simply snap the glow stick before serving the drink. The glow from the stick will illuminate the liquid. Now, while the oily liquid inside glow sticks is nominally non-toxic, it tastes truly awful. Check the glow stick for damage before placing it in a drink. Also, do not microwave the stick prior to use. Some people do this because the heat makes the glow brighter (although it doesnt last as long). Microwaving glow sticks can cause damage to the appliance and may cause the stick to break open.Add a glowing ice cube. If you have a black light, try ice cubes made using tonic water. Tonic water fluoresces bright blue. Another option is to freeze a small light into the water to make a true glowing ice cube. A simple method is to enclose an LED glowie inside a small zipper plastic bag. All you need is a coin battery, an LED (in the color of your choice), and a small bag. Another option is to use a glowing plastic ice cube. These are available in some stores and online. Basically, you chill the ice cube and turn on the light before adding it to a cocktail. Two advantages are that the luminous cubes are re-usable and they dont melt and dilute the drink. Some types of LED glow cubes can display multiple colors or even morph between them. Use a glowing glass. With a black light, simply use a fluorescent plastic glass. These are widely available at grocery and liquor stores. You could also add a light to a regular glass or purchase special glasses that contain lights.Add phosphorescent objects to the drink. There are many plastic glow-in-the-dark objects that may be added to drinks. Stars are the obvious choice! Source Zhejiang Guangyuan Toys Co., Ltd. Glow Stick Light Material Safety Data Sheet.

Analysis and Interpretation of The Cove

Analysis and Interpretation of The Cove That’s what those call it around here, where traveling long distances though wooded scenery is the norm. After a dozen or so miles north of Caribou, Maine, traveling over hill and down into valleys coming around a few wide turns you have only traveled half of your journey to Van Buran Cove. Turning onto a road unpaved by industrial means, through closer knit cedar trees and mud holes that can swallow your vehicle if you are not careful. Only then do you find The Cove, a break of sun in the middle of a forest with slightly murky waters on a rocky beach. It could be a popular place If it was a little easier to get to, though the other side of the lake is dotted with cabins of which you could easily decipher which was from the higher class then others. Though that isn’t the view that really catches your eye, what can really put your mind into wonder are the 7-foot-long skeletons of whatever marine life that hides below the waters of the cove. Ducks peddle along across the top of the water with their duckling seemingly peaceful, and the sound of the waves lapping against the rough shores. You can see children paying across the lake, boat skimming across the top, but by the cove is a graveyard of the mysteries of that same lake. Hidden by the balsam fir and the white cedar, you can be the fly on the wall to the secrets of the lake, or you can take you time enjoying the sun and water in your solitude in a place where no human life treads often. Albeit the bones of the deceased monsters of the deep or rocky path that can ruin a car or truck which leads there, no one seems to come often and it is a place you can really remember.

THE LOTTERY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

THE LOTTERY - Essay Example The purpose of the lottery is not explicitly stated in the story though a more detailed analysis of the story would reveal that the lottery is done to ensure a good harvest the next year. The villagers believed that they have to sacrifice one of their members to ensure enough rain: thus, a good corn crop next June (Tibbett, par.2). In the beginning of the story, there seems to be a very festive mood. It was a sunny day when the lottery was held. Again, Jackson makes use of irony here. A sunny day implies something happy will happen but readers are again misled into believing so (Cummings, par.11). Community members, the old and the young ones all gather together in the town square. The reader gets the impression that this is a grand town activity that is being looked forward to every year. All family members need to be present that the reader begins to wonder what is so special about this event. The kids are innocently gathering stones and having the time of their lives. Who would ha ve thought that the stones gathered by the kids would play an important part in the gruesome ending of the story? The black box used in the lottery is full of symbolism. Jackson could have chosen another color to describe the box, but why black? Black is symbolic of death. It is a premonition of the horrible event that will befall on one of the community members. â€Å"The black box grew shabbier each year †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, Jackson uses the box to represent the community’s adherence to tradition. The lottery began seventy-seven years ago and it became a tradition passed on to several generations. Though the tradition is outdated, the community did not want to make any changes symbolized by their refusal to change the box no matter how deteriorated it is (Blaylock, 2003). Although Mr. Summers talk of changing the box every year, no one really took it seriously. Here we can see that Mr. Summers is caught between tradition and the changing times. The readers may perceive hi m as someone with a weak personality. He represents people who are afraid to break tradition for fear of being criticized and unacceptable to the community members. Since he has no family to be proud of, he values his reputation in the community as shown in his dedication to civic activities. This lottery is of utmost importance to him as it shows his authority over the other members of the town. The name of Mr. Summers implies something sunny or cheerful but is actually the exact opposite of his being evil, him being the leader in this horrible tradition. Another character in the story which shows how the elderly are reluctant to change is Old Man Warner (Byemonday, 1). He even calls the young as a â€Å"pack of crazy fools†. Jackson uses the name â€Å"Warner† to depict someone who â€Å"warns† others not to change, to stick to tradition (Cummings, par. 12). Aside from the black box, another character which foretells of things to come is the postmaster, Mr. Gr aves. The name â€Å"Graves† shows how Jackson puts importance even in the names of the characters that she uses in her stories. The postmaster is a person in-charge of delivering mails. Mr. Graves is portrayed as someone who together with Mr. Summers is part of this conspiracy of â€Å"delivering† someone to his grave. He is the one who prepares the slips of paper and he also brings the stool where the black box is placed. Another symbolic character in the

How service delivery can be improved through better project management Case Study

How service delivery can be improved through better project management - Case Study Example The major facet of the new market trend is that it offers wide ranges of products and services to customers. Since customers get the opportunity to choose from different marketers’ products, in addition to product quality they give emphasis on the efficacy of service delivery. Service delivery system has a considerable significance in South Africa. This paper will focus on effectiveness of South African construction management and consultancy services. What is service delivery? Modern business houses have developed a distinct team called project management team in order to improve various activities associated with service delivery. The efficacy of service delivery can be enhanced through the better project management strategies initiated by such a professional team. Better project management provides improved methodologies and tools for service delivery thereby beneficially accelerating the service delivery (Professional service delivery). The persons involved in project mana gement collect information regarding customers’ necessities or product demand in the market; and try to manage the project effectively to improve the service delivery as a whole. This system has greatly developed in South Africa; the following part illustrates different service delivery activities and their importance in South Africa. ... The customer interaction initiated by the project management team must make good relationship with customers. Many of the market researchers opine that good customer relationship would play a vital role in the overall success of project management and thereby the effectiveness of service delivery. Therefore, as Mehta (n.d.) points out, communication skill and good customer relationship are the basic qualities that a project manager must possess. Through project management, the available resources can be used effectively by team members sharing their knowledge and innovative ideas (Project management course). Market trends are changing everyday and hence service delivery system must par with the latest trends so as to vie with the competitors. The active involvement of project management in market research and demand forecasting activities can add to the updation of service delivery trends. This accessibility of project management team to the current information enables them to identi fy the existing problems and demands of the customers. The collected data should be efficiently processed in order to get meaningful information. After the analysis of the processed data and decision formulation, there are large numbers of phases ranging from planning phase to implementation phase. In each of these phases, the project management has an inevitable role to play. Once a change is implemented, it is necessary to assess it acceptance among the customers (How good are your change management skills?). Since the project management team has a direct contact with market and customers, it is very easy to evaluate the effects of the implemented changes. If the market survey indicates that

Effective Leadership Essay Example for Free

Effective Leadership Essay The delegative leadership style creates a comfortable and inviting work environment, however, the level of authority and boundaries become blurred when the superior does not assert their authority within the office. An analysis as to how I can transcend my leadership skills within a work environment is discussed. And Leader X is offered recommendations on altering her office from one that is geared by the opinions and views of employees, to one that follows and adheres to the direction of one individual; the superior. Introduction In order for one to be an effective and efficient leader, they must possess a variety of characteristics. An effective leader should have vast knowledge of their professional field, superior emotional intelligence, and strong managerial and administrative skills. Extraordinary leaders are not solely expected to guide subordinates in the workplace. Their strengths also rely upon how well they follow the guidance and recommendations of others. Further analysis into the makings of a great leader will explain the importance of these characteristics and how it gears a successful career. Exemplary Leadership Qualities Emotional intelligence, strong managerial and administrative skills are just a few characteristics of a leader. However a leader must strongly have these qualities in order to an exemplary leader and direct their employees to achieve the goals set forth for their positions. As a Secretary, I am in charge of a vast amount of administrative tasks within my office. This is the area in which my leadership skills are put to the test. At any given moment, I could be given three to four tasks that are all important and must be completed in a small amount of time. Prioritizing these tasks can be fairly difficult but I am trusted with this responsibility. Leader X has a strong influence on me and how I wish to conduct myself in a position of leadership. Leader X oversees twenty attorneys and four legal support staff. She has a warm and inviting personality. She is punctual and educated in law and litigation. She encourages her staff to have a lot of input into the day to day decisions made within the office. In the text, Colquitt (2011) defines leadership as the use of power and influence to direct the actions of followers. In order for one to effectively lead, they must possess influence over others. Leader X has been employed within the legal field for more than twenty five years. Her knowledge and experience is what qualifies her as a Senior Counsel within her agency. She possesses all the characteristics of my definition of an effective leader. She has a delagative leadership style which slightly damages her ability to make decisions. Organizational Behavior Another aspect of leadership is the employment of power. Power is the ability to influence the actions and behaviors of others. Colquitt (2011) states an effective form of influence is organizational power. Organizational power consists of legitimate, reward and coercive power. Legitimate power is the â€Å"formal authority† a leader has over others. Leader X is a Senior Counsel and has the ability to direct all the attorneys within our section. Her legitimate authority lies within her position and her responsibility to her employees. Reward power is the capability to compensate others for their work and accomplishments. This power influences others to behave in a manner that will enable them to receive awards. These awards may consist of promotions, pay raises and/or public recognition. Coercive power is not rewarding in anyway. Coercive power is the ability to control another’s actions through the threat of punishment. Colquitt (2011) refers to this method of influence as being founded on fear. An employee can be coerced to behave a certain way if they fear they could be demoted, terminated or suspended for failure to perform to their superior’s standards. Leader X influences her employees to work hard and take responsibility for their actions. Her power creates an increase of productivity from her employees. Contingencies of Power Leaders can often times be hindered within the level of power they possess. Colquitt (2011) labels these situations as contingency factors. There are four factors of contingency that could affect the level and quality of work produced under someone’s command. The four contingencies are substitutability, discretion, centrality and visibility. Substitutability is the availability of alternate resources. When the Leader is the only one with access to the resources, no one will possess a higher level of influence over the subordinates. Leader X has control of her employees’ performance reviews. So, Leader X majorly holds the power to influence the employees work results and behavior. Discretion is the leader’s ability to make decisions regarding any given situation. References Anderson, Mae. (2011). Estee Lauder 4Q up but Shares Fall on Weak Outlook. Associated Press. ABC News. http://abcnews. go. com/Business/wireStory? id=14306228 2011 August 15. Retrieved 2012 April 22. Colquitt, J. A. , Lepine, J. A. , and Wesson, M. J. (2011). Organizational behavior: Improving performance and commitment in the workplace (2nd ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Pennington, Sylvia. (2012). Balancing act at the Top. The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www. smh. com. au/executive-style/management/balancing-act-at-the-top-20120424-1xis4. html 2012 April. Retrieved 2012 April 23, 2012. The Staff of the Corporate Executive Board. (2009). The Increasing Call for Work-Life Balance: Work-life balance is now the second most important driver or employee attraction and commitment, says CEB research. Bloomberg Businessweek. http://www. businessweek. com/managing/content/mar2009/ca20090327_734197. htm 2009 March 27[-gt;0]. Retrieved 2012 April 22. [-gt;0] http://www. businessweek. com/managing/content/mar2009/ca20090327_734197. htm

Distance Learning Essay -- Education Educating Learn Essays

Distance Learning missing works cited Definition and Description of Distance Education Distance education is any academic learning method that lets the teacher and the student participate and communicate in a convenient manner, while sometimes in different places and sometimes at different times. The distance education concept has allowed a diverse set of individuals to continue their education, whether it is for personal or professional satisfaction. The teacher is still able to create, design, and plan with goals and objectives, and the student is able to learn and experience through the distance (Davey, 1999). Another word that is associated with distance learning is multimedia. With the use of multimedia, the learning is literally at the "fingertips" of the teacher and the learner. The long distance allows the multimedia, or the use of video, audio, graphics, images, animation, and text, to let the teacher relay information from one location to the learner in a totally different location. This is a process to use when face-to-face interaction is not possible (H ancock, 1999). A summative definition of distance education is a system of instructional learning in which the student(s), in groups or singly, and the teacher are physically separated. The methods of learning takes place with technology consisting of various combinations of telecommunications, hardware and software (Ely; Foley; Freeman, & Scheel, 1995). This learning promotes change in both business and education. This change has its features, benefits and concerns in both fields, which will be discussed (Holloway, & Ohler, 1999). Business and Instructional Technology Side of Distance Education Inc. magazine reports that in the business and instru... ...mind (Hancock, 1999). Holloway and Ohler suggest to keep talking and reading literature about distance education. Other educational systems and organizations may be willing to share resources and technologies associated with distance education (1995). Also, the technologies need to associate to the learning environment. Blumenstyk, Goldie, and Kelly state that "institutions should not go overboard with technology, but to keep it in perspective as one aspect of a balanced educational philosophy" (1999). At this point, distance education is starting to become an outstanding use of learning in higher education. Distance education can be classified as an innovation that combines theory and implementation in "educational technology", better than other trends (Ely; Foley; Freeman, & Scheel, 1995). Distance education is part of out past, present, and future.

The Harsh Reality of Racism

Black Boy, a novel by Richard Wright, is a heart-wrenching story about the harsh reality of racism, prejudice, and hostility that are revealed through the struggles of one young black boy. The young black boy is desperately trying to understand the cruel and negative world he is living in. This young black boy is on a mission to be educated and be successful. Richard Wright is determined to succeed in life. Richard's success is based on his determination and drive to overcome obstacles that he would face on a day to day basis in all aspects of his life. Richard was growing up in a time period that was both discouraging and hostile to blacks attempting to obtain an education and become successful. Through all of his hardships and obstacles, Richard continued to have a positive outlook on life. A positive outlook kept Richard focused on his dream to leave the south and eventually be free from all racial and prejudice matters. During the early twentieth century, racial issues, along with very strong prejudice feelings ran throughout the south. The Jim Crow laws separated the blacks from the whites and led the blacks to believe they were not important. Seating arrangements on busses, drinking from different water fountains, and even the arrogance of not being allowed to eat at counters in public restaurants were examples of some of these laws. Therefore, very little emphasis was placed on the education and success of a young black boy. In order for Wright to be successful, he had to pursue an education and overlook the strong prejudiced feelings he was faced with. These were hard times for blacks, but he worked hard to overcome his obstacles and reach for what he believed in. He did this during a time when there was no desire to see a colored person overcome the chances and be successful. Richard Wright's determination to succeed, and to overcome the social forces fighting against him was facet of southern culture that was familiar to all who lived, or even passed through the South during this time. The races showed no initiative of coming into contact with one another. However, there was a fear among them. Although he had fear, his curiosity about the races was not eliminated. For example, Richard once ventured into a white neighborhood attempting to sell his dog for money to buy food. On that day, he saw a glimpse of a world he had never seen before. Wright saw things such as I tucked her under my arm and went for the first time alone into a white neighborhood where there were wide clean streets and big white houses. Finally a young white woman came to the door and smiled. I waited on the porch, marveling at the cleanliness, the quietness of the white world. (69) Richard now understood that whites lived so much better and he wondered why he and his brother had spent so many days doubled over in pain from the hunger they had come to know so well. Wright uses prejudice and racism throughout his autobiography to encounter some of the most ludicrous moments that he had to experience while growing up in the South. For example, when Wright responded to the question on what he wanted to do in life, the lady turned to him and told him he was wasting his time trying to become a writer, knowing he was a Negro as stated in this quote: â€Å"Then why are you going to school?† She asked in surprise. â€Å"Well, I want to be a writer,† I mumbled, unsure of myself; I Had not planned to tell her that, but she had made me feel so Utterly wrong and of no account that I needed to bolster myself. â€Å"To write stories,† I mumbled defensively. â€Å"You†ll never be a writer,† she said. â€Å"Who on earth put such Ideas into your head nigger head?† â€Å"I didn†t think anybody ever would,† she declared indignantly (Wright 147). It was unheard of being someone of importance and being black at the same time. Another good example of the prejudiced lifestyle of Wright was when he accepted his first job as a porter for a in a clothing store. Wright was forced into washing floors and was not allowed to come into contact with people who entered the store. In Richard's early life, many social roadblocks threatened to make it more difficult for him to hold on to his dream. Race and prejudice created challenges, but the true challenge came in an entirely different form. The true challenge was to become an accepted black man in a white mans society. Richard Wright became successful in a country that did not encourage him or to create opportunities for blacks. He succeeded in spite of personal hardships, racial adversity, constant hunger, and the lack of educations. Richard Wright fought the battle and came out victorious. Wright became a man who was not defined by his color, but by his talent. His talent was recognized because his strength and determination led him to succeed.

Death in Prime Time

American Academy of Political and Social Science Death in Prime Time: Notes on the Symbolic Functions of Dying in the Mass Media Author(s): George Gerbner Reviewed work(s): Source: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 447, The Social Meaning of Death (Jan. , 1980), pp. 64-70 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. in association with the American Academy of Political and Social Science Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/1042304 . Accessed: 02/01/2012 20:34 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . ttp://www. jstor. org/page/info/about/policies/terms. jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email  protect ed] org. Sage Publications, Inc. and American Academy of Political and Social Science are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. ttp://www. jstor. org ANNALS,AAPSS, 447, January 1980 Death in Prime Time: Notes on the Symbolic Functions of Dying in the Mass Media By GEORGEGERBNER ABSTRACT: The cultural (and media) significance of dying rests in the symbolic context in which representations of dying are embedded. An examination of that context of mostly violent suggests that portrayals of death and dying representations functions of social typing and control and tend, serve symbolic of on the whole, to conceal the reality and inevitability the event.George Gerbner is Professor of Communications and Dean of The Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania. He is a principal investigator, along with Larry Gross and Nancy Signorielli, also of The Annenberg School, in the Cultura l Indicators research project studying television drama and viewer conceptions of social reality. He has been principal investigator on international and U. S. projectsfunded by the National Science Foundation, U. S.Office of Education, UNESCO, the International Sociological Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, The Surgeon General's Scientific advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior, the American Medical Association, the HEW's Administration on Aging, and other agencies. He is editor of the Journal of Communication, and a volume on Mass Media Policies in Changing Cultures. 64 DEATH IN PRIME TIME 65 D YINGin the massmedia-both news and entertainment (a distinction increasingly hard to make) -has a symbolic function different from death in real life but investing life itself-with it-and particular meanings.We can begin to consider what these might be by reflecting on the nature of representation. A symbol system is an artifact par excellence. It is totall y invented to serve human purposes. It can serve these purposes only if those interpreting it know the code and can fit it into a symbolic context of their own. They must share the rules of the invention and the interpretative strategies by which it should be understood. Symbolic narrative, a story, has two basic elements of invention: fictive and selective. Selective invention is factual narrative such as news.Presumably true events (facts) are selected from an endless stream of events. A narrative is invented to convey some meaning about the selected facts as interpreted in a previously learned framework of knowledge. Fictive invention is fiction and drama; the â€Å"facts† are invented as well as the narrative. (Selection is of course involved in both. ) The function of fictive invention is to illuminate (literally to embody and dramatize) the invisible structure and dynamics of the significant connections of human life. It is to show how things work.Invention that can onl y select events but not create them must be more opaque; it can only show what things are but rarely why or how they work. The full development of the connections between events and human motivations and powers requires the freedom and legitimacy to invent the â€Å"facts† in a way that illuminates the otherwise hidden dynamics of existence. In this totally invented world of and fictivesymbols-selective without some purnothing happens pose and function (which need not be the same). Let us use as example the world of television which we have studied for some years. This discussion also applies to other media and cultural forms, with the difference that television is the generally non-selectively used universal storyteller of modern society. It is, therefore, more a symbolic environment than a traditional medium. People are not born into the world of television. They are selected or created for a purpose. The purpose is usefulness to the symbolic world (called news values or st ory values) that the producing institutions and their patrons find useful for their purposes.More numerous in both news and drama are those for whom that world has more uses-jobs, power, adventure, sex, youth, and all other opportunities in life. These values are distributed in the symbol system as most resources are distributed in the society whose dominant institutions produce most of the symbols: according to status and power. Dominant social groups tend to be overrepresented and overendowed not only absolutely but also in relation to their numbers in the real population. (For example, men outnumber women at least three to one in television and most media content. Minorities are defined by having 1. The long-range project was first described in my article on â€Å"Cultural Indicators: The Case of Violence in Television Drama† in the Annals, Vol. 388, March 1970. The most recent report, including a description of methodology, appears in George Gerbner, Larry Gross, Nancy Si gnorielli, Michael Morgan, and Marilyn Jackson-Beeck, â€Å"The Demonstration of Power: Violence Profile No. 10,† Journal of Communication, vol. 29 (Summer 1979). 66 THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY less than their proportionate share of values and resources.In the world of television news and drama, this means lower underrepresentation numbers, less usefulness, fewer opportunities, more victimization (or â€Å"criminalization†), more restricted scope of action, more stereotyped roles, diminished life chances, and general undervaluation ranging from relative neglect to symbolic annihilation. DEATH IN NEWS AND DRAMA Death in such a context is just another invented characterization, a negative resource, a sign of fatal flaw or ineptitude, a punishment for sins or mark of tragedy.It is always a reminder of the risks of life, cultivating most anxiety and dependence for those who are depicted as most at risk. In other words, death is one feature of the more general functi ons of social typing and control. Obituaries are the Social Register of the middle class. Even a â€Å"nobody† of modest status and power (i. e. a person of no symbolic existence in the common culture) becomes a â€Å"somebody† if the flicker of his or her (and it's mostly his) life can leave its final symbolic mark of existence in the obituary column.Death in the news is a tightly scripted scenario of violence and terror. Murders, accidents, â€Å"body counts† and catastrophies scatter a surfeit of impersonal corpses in ghoulish symbolic overkill across the pages of our family newspapers and television screens. By the time we grow up, we are so addicted to this necromania of our culture (and we are not alone), that its constant daily cultivation seems to add to a morbid sense of normalcy. Yet it is all well (if unwittingly) calculated to cultivate a sense of insecurity, anxiety, fear of the â€Å"mean world† out there, and ependence on some strong protec tor. It is the modern equivalent of the bloody circuses in the Roman empire's â€Å"bread and circuses† that were supposed to keep the populace quiescent. At the center of the symbolic structure of death is the world of stories invented to show how things and drama. The most work-fiction massive and universal flow of stories in modern society (and history) is of course television drama, most of it produced according to the industrial formulas developed to assemble large audiences and sell them to advertisers at the least cost.That is a world in which practically no one ever dies a natural death. Assembly-line drama generally denies the inevitable reality of death and affirms its stigmatic character. Violent death, on the other hand, befalls 5 percent of all prime time dramatic characters every week, with about twice as many killers (many of whom also get killed) stalking the world of prime time. The symbolic function of death in the world of television is thus embedded in its structure of violence, which is essentially a show of force, the ritualistic demonstration of power. THE STRUCTURE OF VIOLENCEAND POWERDominated as it is by males and masculine values, much of the world of prime time revolves around questions of power. Who can get away with what against whom? How secure are different social types when confronted with conflict and danger? What hierarchies of risk and vulnerability define social relations? In other words, how power works in society. The simplest and cheapest dramatic DEATH IN PRIME TIME 67 demonstration of power is an overt expression of physical force compelling action against one's will on pain of being hurt or killed, or actually hurting or killing.That is the definition of violence used in our studies of television drama. Violence rules the symbolic world of television. It occurs at an average 10-year rate of 5 violent incidents per hour in prime time and 18 per hour in weekend daytime children's programming-a triple dose. Violen ce as a demonstration of power can be measured by relating the percent of violents to the percent of victims within each social group. That ratio shows the chances of men and women, blacks and whites, young and old, to come out on top instead of on the bottom.Conversely, it shows the risks of each group to end up as victims instead of victors. Table 1 is a summary of these â€Å"risk ratios† based on annual samples of prime time and weekend daytime (children's) programs major dramatic characters, a total of 3,949, from 1969 through 1978. It shows for each of several demographic and dramatic groups the ratio of violents over victims (including killing) and of only killers over killed (or the other way around) within each group. It also shows the percent of characters in each group involved in any violence as either violents or victims (or both).For example, of the 415 children and adolescent characters studied, 60. 5 percent (65. 0 percent males and 49. 1 percent females) were involved in violence. Of the males, victims outnumbered violents by 1. 69 but killers outnumbered killed by 3. 00. In other words, for every 10 child and adolescent violents there were about 17 victims, but for every 10 killed there were 30 killers in that group of characters. Overall, 63 percent of all characters were involved in some violence. For every 10 violents there were 12 victims, but for every 10 killed there were 19 killers.However, as we have just seen, involvement in violence and its outcome-as with values and resources-is not randomly distributed. Some features of the distribution of violence as a demonstration of power can be illustrated by selecting a few risk ratios from the Table, showing how these victimization rates define a hierarchy of risks within which the depiction of dying (and killing) is embedded. A hierarchy of risks Combining prime time and daytime characters, we find that victimization rates define a social hierarchy of risks and vulnerabilities.For e very 10 characters who commit violence within each of the following groups the average number of victims for white men is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. nonwhite men is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. lower class women is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ young women is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. nonwhite women is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. old women is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 13 17 18 18 33 If and when involved in violence, women and minorities, and especially young and old as well as minority women characters, are the most vulnerable. Now let us look at dying (and its dramatic counterpart, killing) in that context.We can compute a lethal pecking order by relating the number of killers to the number of killed within each group. Unlike violence in general, killing eliminates a character and must be used more sparingly, either as curtain-raiser or as the â€Å"final solution. † Therefore, in most role categories, there are more killers than killed. â€Å"Good† m en, the TABLE 1 RISK RATIOS': MAJOR CHARACTERS IN ALL PROGRAMS (1969-197 ALL CHARACTERS INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE VIOLENTVICTIM RATIO KILLERKILLED RATIO MALE CHARACTERS INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE VIOLENTVICTIM RATIO K N NAll Characters Social Age Children-Adolescents Young Adults Settled Adults Elderly Marital Status Not Married Married Class Clearly Upper Mixed Clearly Lower Race White Other Character Type â€Å"Good† Mixed â€Å"Bad† Nationality U. S. Other 3949 415 813 2212 106 1873 987 269 3549 131 3087 360 2304 1093 550 3100 264 63. 3 60. 5 64. 5 59. 8 47. 2 65. 6 45. 5 59. 5 63. 4 69. 5 60. 1 55. 0 58. 4 61. 4 88. 0 58. 1 73. 5 -1. 20 -1. 60 -1. 36 -1. 12 -1. 15 -1. 23 -1. 27 -1. 38 -1. 19 -1. 25 -1. 19 -1. 33 -1. 29 -1. 22 1. 00 -1. 20 -1. 31 +1. 90 +3. 00 +2. 00 +2. 07 -1. 75 +1. 90 +1. 67 +1. 50 +2. 07 -1. 11 +1. 97 +1. 69 +2. 93 +1. 3 +1. 84 +2. 06 +1. 31 2938 297 539 1698 80 1374 626 182 2650 106 2235 280 1659 807 471 2263 203 68. 4 65. 0 69. 6 65. 7 50. 0 69. 7 52. 9 67. 6 68. 3 73. 6 65. 1 61. 1 63. 7 65. 8 89. 4 63. 2 80. 8 -1. 18 -1. 69 -1. 23 -1. 12 +1. 07 -1. 18 -1. 27 -1. 26 -1. 17 -1. 20 -1. 16 -1. 27 -1. 24 -1. 21 -1. 01 -1. 16 -1. 29 + + + + + + + + – + + + + + + + 1Risk Ratios are obtained by dividing the more numerous of these two roles by the less numerous within eac violents or killersthan victims or killed and a minus sign indicates that there are more victims or killed than violent victimsor killersor violents or killed.A +0. 00 ratio means that there were some violents or killersbut no victims or k killed but no violents or killers. DEATH IN PRIME TIME 69 male heroes of prime time drama, are at the top of the killing order. For every 10 â€Å"good† men killed, there are 38 â€Å"good† men killers. Next are young men and American men; for every 10 young males killed, there are 22 young male and American male killers. The killed-killer ratio of all white males is only slightly lower: 21 killers for every 10 whi te males killed.In other words, if and when involved in some fatal violence on prime time television, â€Å"good,† young, American and white males are the most likely to be the killers instead of the killed. They kill in a good cause to begin with or are the most powerful, or both. Women do not fare so well. Their most favorable ratio is 20 killers for every 10 killed, and that goes to foreign women. The second highest female kill ratio goes to â€Å"bad† women: they kill 17 characters for every 10 â€Å"bad† women killed. Next are middleaged women who kill 16 for every 10 killed.Thus women who tend to kill, kill much less than men, have relatively more lethal power when they are foreign, evil, or past the romantic-lead age, than when they are â€Å"good,† American, young, and white, as is the case with men. Their killing is more likely to be shown as unjust, irrational, and â€Å"alien† than is killing by men. At the very bottom of the lethal peck ing order are old women who get involved in violence only to get killed and â€Å"good† women who get killed 16 times for every 10 killers. Old and â€Å"good† women get into violence mostly as sympathetic (or only pathetic) victims, rousing male heroes to righteous (if lethal) indignation.Next in line are lower class men, lower class women, and old men. For every ten killers in each group there are, respectively, 11, 10, and 10 killed. Unlike those of greater ability to survive conflict or catastrophy,older and lower class characters pay with their lives for every life they take. Provocation and retribution In general, then, as can be seen on the Table, the pecking order of both mayhem and killing is dominated by men-American white, middle class, and in the prime of life. At the top of the general order of victimizers are â€Å"bad† women, old men, and â€Å"bad† men, in that order.The presence of evil at the top of the power hierarchy suggests the drama tic role of villains provoking heroes to violent action. Heading the ranking of killers over killed are â€Å"good† and other majority-type males. We can begin to discern not only the provocative role of the â€Å"bad† but also the retributive function of the â€Å"good† and the strong. Lowest on the dramatic scale are women, lower class, and old people. Of the 20 most victimized groups (both total violence and killing), all but three are women. Old women are at the bottom of the heap of both the battered and the killed. Good†women are among the charactersmost likely to be both general and fatal victims of violence ratherthan the perpetrators. â€Å"Good† men have power as indicated by their heading up the killer-killed list; â€Å"good† women, on the other hand, end up near the bottom of the power hierarchy. When it comes to violence, â€Å"good† are the strong men and the weak women of the world of television. Dying on television is a violent retribution for weakness, sin, or other flaw in character or status. It is part of the social typing and control functions of centralized cultural production.Our research has found that heavy viewers (compared to light 70 THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY viewers in the same social groups) derive from their television experience a heightened sense of danger, insecurity, and mistrust, or what we call the â€Å"mean world† syndrome. It can be conjectured that the symbolic functions of dying are part of that syndrome, contributing not only to a structure of power but also to the irrational dread of dying and thus to diminished vitality and self-direction in life.

Free Essays on History Of Civil War Unifrom

â€Å"unus,† one and â€Å"forma,† form, and includes the different styles of dress adopted by the Military services to secure the distinction required (Haythorntwaite 10). Since the military profession has always been an honorable one the uniform has been a badge of honor and a means of improving the morale of its wearers in addition to its original purpose of distinguishing friend from foe. Until the formation of the Continental Army, the troops in the American colonies wore uniforms similar to those of European states to which they belonged. Hence, after the Battle of Quebec, in which the French lost Canada, the British influence in uniforms was paramount in North America. (Troiani 43) After the Revolutionary War the anti-British sentiment combined with the fact that France had been our ally caused the French influence in uniforms to be predominant. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, as the hunting dress was the cheapest and most easily procured, General Washington recommended its adoption by the soldiers of the Continental Army. It was a dress consisting of the shirt, leggings, rifle bag for bullets, and the powder horn. His personal uniform was represented as being a blue coat with red facing, red waistcoat and breeches, although another description of it states the facings were buff, and the waistcoat and breeches buff. He also wore a cocked hat and knee-boots. Congress, by resolution on March 23, 1779, authorized and directed the Commander in Chief, according to circumstances of supplies and clothing, to fix and prescribe the uniform, as well with regard to color and facings, as the cut or fashion of the clothes, to be worn by the troops of the respective States and Regiments, woolen overalls for winter and linen for summer, to be substituted for the breeches. (Davis 47) It should be noted, however... Free Essays on History Of Civil War Unifrom Free Essays on History Of Civil War Unifrom The History and Standard Dress of the Civil War Uniform The word â€Å"uniform† is derived from the Latin words â€Å"unus,† one and â€Å"forma,† form, and includes the different styles of dress adopted by the Military services to secure the distinction required (Haythorntwaite 10). Since the military profession has always been an honorable one the uniform has been a badge of honor and a means of improving the morale of its wearers in addition to its original purpose of distinguishing friend from foe. Until the formation of the Continental Army, the troops in the American colonies wore uniforms similar to those of European states to which they belonged. Hence, after the Battle of Quebec, in which the French lost Canada, the British influence in uniforms was paramount in North America. (Troiani 43) After the Revolutionary War the anti-British sentiment combined with the fact that France had been our ally caused the French influence in uniforms to be predominant. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, as the hunting dress was the cheapest and most easily procured, General Washington recommended its adoption by the soldiers of the Continental Army. It was a dress consisting of the shirt, leggings, rifle bag for bullets, and the powder horn. His personal uniform was represented as being a blue coat with red facing, red waistcoat and breeches, although another description of it states the facings were buff, and the waistcoat and breeches buff. He also wore a cocked hat and knee-boots. Congress, by resolution on March 23, 1779, authorized and directed the Commander in Chief, according to circumstances of supplies and clothing, to fix and prescribe the uniform, as well with regard to color and facings, as the cut or fashion of the clothes, to be worn by the troops of the respective States and Regiments, woolen overalls for winter and linen for summer, to be substituted for the breeches. (Davis 47) It should be noted, however...

Why are destinations so intent on attracting and developing event Essay - 1

Why are destinations so intent on attracting and developing event tourism Discuss their main goals and the associated value of event tourism with reference to corporate and public events - Essay Example important events that include ‘Australian Tourism Exchange’ (ATE) and ‘Queensland Music Festival’ (QMF) are seemed to be important events attracting global tourists immensely. The events assist in developing the economic conditions of the economy along with community. In the present scenario, tourism is determined as an important and rapidly developing industry. The industry is also a significant contributor towards the economic development of a country or region. In this regard, events are identified to play an effective role for the development of other business sectors that include hotel industry, trading operations and restaurant business among others. There are various types of events organised which include festival events, sport events, business events and special events for making destinations attractive. Presently, the people are interested towards events and on the basis of which they travel in different locations. Event tourism is responsible for the meeting different goals of an economy in relation to social, environment and economic aspects (Service Skills Australia, 2011; Stokes & Jago, 2007). In a similar perspective, event tourism is a significant aspect, responsible for the development of the economy of Australia. Organising events in different regions of Australia will assist in promoting products along with services of Australia in an enhanced manner (Stokes, 2003). In this regard, there are various events organised in Australia with the aim of attracting visitors from global context which include the ‘Australian Tourism Exchange’ (ATE) and Queensland Music Festival among others in order to develop the economic conditions of the country. With these considerations, the essay emphasizes the role of community in developing the event tourism in an enhanced manner. Additionally, the goals ad value of event tourism in respect of corporate and public events are discussed. Tourism is one of the most important revenue generating sectors

The role of fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The role of fashion - Essay Example The essay "The role of fashion" discovers the role of fashion. The denotative meaning is also called a principle meaning. Using this perspective, clothes is defined as the protection of our body. However, this level of understanding does not reveal the clothing’s fundamental function in a culture. At the connotative level, fashion is interpreted at a secondary level significant and important within a social and cultural convention. Semiotics plays an important role in visual rhetoric. The signs or codes are transferred from actual conversations (based on intuitive understand developed within the culture). These signs or codes are transferred into actual conversations based on these intuitive understanding that developed within a culture. Society is influential in establishing an individual’s identity through social constructs. What people wear and how we are wearing clothes should not affect the decision and preferences we have. Rather, it should become the basis for co nstructing the individual’s understanding of a belief within the society. Our choice of clothes, then, is not affected by a decision or a choice made by the individual. Rather, it depends on how he understands and believes in what the society dictates. Fashion, then, identifies and constructs one’s identity by using semiotics that developed within a culture. Fashion can also behave as a tool for non-verbal communication in different ways. This includes fashion’s role of suggesting one’s expression, political view.... This includes fashion’s role of suggesting one’s expression, political view, or social status or role. But even if fashion is not used as a definer of social role or expression, it is significant in the expression of one’s personality. These meanings are based on connotation level rather than denotation meaning. The power of semiotics is evident in the study of fashion and youth. This leads us to understand how fashion affects the personality and character of an individual, and vice versa. Even though everyone has the freedom to choose his own style, people tend to judge other people by these preferences. It is not unusual for someone to suspect another person sporting a Mohawk hairstyle or tattoo, and wearing ripped jeans, to be troublesome or delinquent. In the article, Hiding in the Light: Youth Surveillance and Display by Dick Hebdige, one’s appearance can put the young ones under suspicion of a crime. Hebdige asserts, â€Å"Pictures of punks and mods and skinheads, for instance are commonly regarded, even amongst many documentary practitioners, as unproblematic or as distractions from the real issues: visually interesting but ideologically suspect†(Hebdige, 19). This proves that even if the individual is using his fashion as a necessity of man, for the purpose of covering his body, the connotative meaning of his clothing disregards the denotative meaning. One’s clothing and appearance can be changed completely by social expectations and assumptions. Let’s use another example. Two people dress up in different styles. The first one has a punk style and the other has a formal and businesslike look. Because of his appearance and style, the punk would receive grave stares as people suspect him doing criminal acts.