Pans Labyrinth Analysis

Visual Cues, Harassed Symbolism and the Grim Fantasy Unlike other blissfully enchanted film genres, this evocative fairytale becomes a surreal escape into the work of Guillermo Del Toro. This chilling story confines make believe verses reality through the eyes of a young girl. Two worlds are represented within Pan’s Labyrinth, a cold hard fascist regime in Spain, and a captivating fantasyland both conveyed through visual story telling.The striking surrealism of the fantasy world becomes reflections in reality, providing small visual cues that increase as the story unfolds, unveiling a grim interaction between Ophelia and the new world she has encountered. The style becomes the narrative within the film, and the use of mise-en-scene assists the films explicit meaning, by providing connections between the merging worlds. Del Toro uses standard and non-standard approaches in film, which speaks to the audience either intentionally or through the sub conscious, so the contrast of r eality and imagination is rendered.The style throughout Pan’s Labyrinth is essential for creating dramatic dynamic throughout the film; the attention to detail becomes a fierce component to mise-en-scene, and harasses symbolism. In the beginning of the scene, Ofelia walks toward the camera in pursuit of the little creature she seen during her travels. The facial expression is bewildering, however she wants to learn more. The aspiration to study new ideas can be seen physically while she seizes onto her books, meanwhile helpers unload her other items. The grasp on her books becomes the distinguisher between make believe and reality.As Ofelia moves towards the camera, she drops her stack of books, implying that she has let go of her reality to track the small inquisitive creature. During this, men are walking around in uniform, emphasizing the strict, bleakness and harsh reality of Ofelias new circumstance. Men lined in a row suggest that this new place is in order, with routin e that shall not be disturbed and certainly no place for a wandering imagination. As Ofelia runs toward the forest, she is running towards her new destiny, juxtaposing her willingness to escape, fleeing her new reality.Upon her arrival into the forest, the labyrinth is introduced for the first time. Dark shadows are casted among the rock representing the certain unknown that will be faced. The first pathway leading into the Labyrinth is brightly lit, as to appear welcoming and warming. The dissimilarity between the darkness of the gateway and the lightness of the path can be inferred as a certain warning, some danger will be introduced before the underworld can be reached. As Ofelia walks towards the entrance, taking small, slow steps, the feeling becomes an automatic switch from reality to fantasy, and a sense of falling down the rabbit hole arises.The entrance into the Labyrinth appears untouched, with moss and shrubs growing over the walls, a clear contrast from the cruel sadisti c community ran by the Captain. The walls appear to be weathered and diminishing in time, the time it has taken to find the lost princess. The serenity of the space develops into a piece of tranquility from the outside world paired with an illusion of hope for Ofelia, a new escape she will soon learn of. Throughout Pan’s Labyrinth, shallow color is used with a lot of grey and neutral tones casted in the real world, compared to the rich feast of colors in the underworld.During this sequence however, the two worlds have not yet been distinguished, so the color differentiation is subtle, warm colors are used that provide a sense of comfort. Dark shadows are casted among the walls making the unknown prevalent to the viewer, directing our eye down the dark path that leads further into the Labyrinth. These colors suggest a belonging for Ophelia, a place where she is wanted back. This feeling never goes away for Ofelia, she engages in different levels to get a chance at her new life in the fantasy world.Becoming homesick for a place she has never been or remembers. The clothing plays a role in sustaining the mise-en-scene in this film. Ofelia is dressed in drab clothing along with her mother. Fabricating the lifestyle from which they came from, and a disparity that is latched onto them when being brought to this new home. They instantly become the outsiders from the beginning, largely recognized during the panning shot of the camp while Ofelia becomes more intrigued by the fairies return. Tight, uniformed men lined up in a row contrasted against a young curious, dowdy girl.The style of clothing not only distinguishes the relationship between the newcomers, Ofelia and her Mother, to the military camp, but also positions an extra connection between Ofelia and Mercedes. As Mercedes arrives to explain the Labyrinth to Ofelia, her clothes are ordinary and dull much like that of Ofelia. The dissimilar impression that Mercedes has from the camp appeals to Ofelia, and a relationship is bonded. The clothing becomes a staple into the closeness that these two characters will later share.This relationship is not only choice of style, rather the desire for an escape. When the solider comes up and asks for Mercedes, despair reaches across her face as she turns around, placing Ofelia in the background of the shot, but quickly the young girl reaches back up to Mercedes, sustaining their relationship has began. Trust has started to build when Ofelia explains the relationship or lack of one with the Captain, as Mercedes wraps her arm around Ofelia, completing the security of their relationship.These small visual cues help the viewer establish ideas, which the Story may soon lead into. Becoming aware of these chosen elements can help viewers foresee story components. Mise-en- scene formulates the style as a form of story telling. Guillermo Del Toro approach is surreal and provides a lot of stylistic choice in compelling this masterfully crafted fairytale. Pan’s Labyrinth becomes less about the explicit meaning; yet rather the implied visual indicators leads the viewer to reflect more about the significance then the story.

Training in the Workplace

My research report is based around a questionnaire designed to analyse employee’s opinions on work based training. In particular apprenticeships, these are widely used by the government to increase knowledge and to train the current workforce in the work place increasing standards. Their aim is to raise the standard of education within the work place. â€Å"However research has shown that the UK lags behind other advanced countries in the quality and quality of the vocational skills held by its workforce† (Greehalgh 1999). Aim and description of mini project Does age affect employee’s perception of training?This research will show if the age of the employee has an effect on how they see the training, will the younger employees value the training more because they can see the benefits of possible career progression, training does increase the chances of promotion and job opportunities. The organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD) supports that training does increase prospects. †Education and training may enhance the potential benefits that individuals can reap from participating in the labour market† (Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development 2004).Will the older staff feel this is a waste of time, they are coming towards the end of their careers and may not want to change? Will the answers help support the policy in France were they start the training at an early age. The research by (OECD) also suggests that training the young and highly educated demonstrates a clear impact on their wages and the older employees this helps in sustaining employment prospects. Are the skills learned actually transferred into the working environment? Using the qualitative approach (Grbich 2013) Carol suggests this is primarily an inductive approach.The data I will be using in my research to obtain the employees opinions on what has been gained from the training and what they feel are the major benefits. Do the employe es feel that there is a benefit at all? The government’s policy in increasing training is supported by Reith L, (2000) she reports that a significant improvement has been reported by several high street chains. Who benefits from apprenticeship training program? Although these staff have all undergone the apprenticeship training, will they use the training in their workplace? Is the training of the correct quality?This research will show if these employees believe if their training is relevant to their roles and if they feel they will be using it during their working day and how often they feel they will use it. The research process The first stage in my research process was to calculate what I wanted to find out, what were my aims and could I achieve them using a small research sample which may be too small to gain a true picture. I decided as all of the distribution staff who had undertaken the training should be asked to participate, thus giving me an accurate sample within our workplace.This however could not be multiplied to form an opinion of the whole population as the training provided to our employees was specific to our field and with such a wide range of course type’s opinions could vary extensively from sector to sector. I have considered a range of research ethics when compiling this research, confidentiality was a one of my main concerns however by informing each participant verbally and also writing a statement at the top of the questionnaire reminding them that this was anonymous.I considered age and as shown in the image 1. 1a I have a spread of age groups. All participants are male, the reason for this is that no females are employed within the sampled department. The reason I personally handed out the questionnaires was to encourage their return, each participant is a member of my distribution team and research has shown that the return rate can be very low unless monetary incentives are used. (Yu, Cooper 1983). I was not in a p osition to offer payment or reward.I provided a sealed box with a cut out so each employee could hand it in without me having the ability to read the questionnaires as they were handed in which would have removed the anonymity. By using a paper version this makes it accessible for all participants to take part and the immediate return to me via the box, thus removing the need to use a return date. This also gave me a 100% return rate and no one how was asked to complete the survey refused to do so although all participants were given a choice. Although I debated using a computer based questionnaire, with built in software to analyse the results automatically.This would have made the analysing part of my research easier, however may not have provided me with a true sample because the older generations within the proposed sample base are not as familiar with computers as the younger staff members. Thus increasing the possibility in their ability and willingness to take part. A report in Sweden suggests Technological advances tend to exclude older adults who grew up without these facilities (Berner, Rennemark et al. 2013) The use of dichotomous questions has allowed me to ask the question and get a distinctive response allowing me to analyse my questions easily.Likert scale questions have enabled me to gather responses based on the scale of opinion with more choices than either or, yes or no. One of my questions for instance is â€Å"How will your training be used in your day to day work? † this is impossible to gauge without the use of the scale. I would have had to rephrase the question and only had the option of used or not used. The dichotomous and likert scale questions have provided all of the information which is used in the results section of this report. All of my graphs and charts have been produced from these questions.The use of the open ended questions has provided me with qualitative responses which are not necessarily useful to create statis tics or prepare graphs, however they do allow me to get feedback and opinion I may not have been able to gather using other forms of questioning. Pilot Study I conducted a pilot study of my questionnaire with 3 other members of staff who would not be participants in the real questionnaire. This gave me the opportunity to evaluate my questionnaire, is it coherent and that the type and way I asked the questions could be understood.De Vaus (1993:54) cited in (VanTeijlingen 2001) suggests using this pilot study provides advance warning and this have proved to be the case so served its purpose exactly. One point that was highlighted was the question on educational levels, I was trying to gather what was their previous levels however the tester found this question was not clear and I amended the final version to include the word previous. A very simple mistake but would have rendered that section of the questionnaire useless, as I would have been unable to differentiate who had answered t he question based on previous or present after the training.Results and finding Image 1. 1a shows the age demographics of the sample As shown in image 1. 1 above there is a random spread of age groups within this sample. I do not have any employees in the department sampled under 18 years of age which would have affected the ethics. No employees are over the age of 65 which also gave me 0%. However the largest age group within the sample are between 26 – 33 years old, a 12% increase on the nearest group. Image 1. 1b below shows the mean, mode and median of the age sample. Image 1. 1b Mean Mode Median 4. 2 26- 33 4 Image 1.2 below shows that 52% have answered very relevant when asked about the relevance of the training in their employment. The mode shows that this is positive and the answers indicate that the training is worthwhile. 16% (4 responses) indicated that the training was not relevant, this can partially be explained by the fact that 2 members of this team are curren tly helping out within another department and most of the training is not suitable. None of the sample who indicated that the training was not relevant was from a particular age bracket, therefore suggesting that there is no correlation between the two and answering my first objective.From the sample used neither the younger or older age groups answered in one particular way. Had the sample been in the thousands this may have yielded a clearer correlation. Image 1. 2 shows the percentage on how relevant is the training. Image 1. 3 demonstrates how the employees feel they will use their training Image 1. 3 above suggests that the training received would be used more often than not. Again the 16 percent can be attributed to those who are currently carrying out other roles. The mode is I will use it every day. Altogether 84% are positive about the training and when they will use it.Not one respondent felt they would not use the training provided. Image 1. 4 below is very surprising, on ly 4 participants (16%) have indicated that English and Maths training would help them in their work. Thus suggesting that most employees already had the required standard and possibly suggesting that the government training is too low of a level for the majority and should be tailored to suit the individuals needs more specifically. (Steedman 1990) argued that NVQ level 1 is too low to constitute an adequate measure of skill for a worker in an advanced industrial economy.However the City and guilds training body states â€Å"Maths and English skills are surely the most valuable vocational skills of all† (City and Guilds 2013) 3 of the 4 (75%) who indicated that this training was useful also answered that they did not have any previous qualifications. Image 1. 5 shows all respondents previous level of education. Image 1. 4 Has English and Maths training helped you in your work? Previous Level of Education Answer Tally Frequency Percent Answer Tally Frequency Percent Degree hi gher education 1. 1 2 8. 00% A Level 0 0. 00% 0 Level 1. 1. 1. 1 4 16. 00% GCSE 1. 1. 1. 1 416. 00% Apprenticeship 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1 8 32. 00% NVQ 1. 1. 1. 1 4 16. 00% No Qualifications 1. 1. 1 3 12. 00% 25 25 100. 00% Mean Mode Median 3. 6 Apprenticeship 4 With the exception of English and Maths training my findings show that the training was positive and that this will be used within the employee’s duties and will be useful in the workplace. This indicates that further investment in employee training would be of benefit. This provides the answers to my second and third objective. The question what is most important to you was seeking to clarify the employees main motivation.60% chose self-satisfaction in their ability to complete a qualification as their first choice. While showing your employer you are capable was their second choice and thinking they may get a pay rise was the last option for 87%. (Kovach 1987) supports my theory that monetary reward is not the highe st motivator. Abraham Maslow (Maslow 1948) hierarchy of needs also supports my findings as he demonstrates that self-esteem and self-actualizing needs are in the top layers of the hierarchical pyramid, personal worth and fulfilling one’s own potential are high on people’s needs.The majority also answered the question on whether their employer was correct to invest in staff training answered yes. Reasons provided for answering yes to this questions were provided from my open ended questions which provided me with qualitative data. Respondent A â€Å"because better drivers mean less crashes, so better for the insurance and also reduces fuel consumption† I felt this was answering the question as taught on the training, this is what it set out to achieve in part. Respondent B â€Å"investment in the future of the company†None of the above have mentioned the benefit to themselves and the possible motivational value. Reflection The initial intention of handing out the questionnaires would have worked to my initial planning had in not been for a last minute change to my working patterns. Although this could not have been foreseen, planning for any future questionnaire would now be altered and I would distribute these in the staff pigeon holes and the use of a return date would help, this might have reduced the responses hoverer it would have proved a faster return and not relied on me personally seeing each member of the team.The sample used was selected by me and therefore is classed and non-probability because this was not a random sample and could be a bias sample because of my position within the company I cannot verify if the answers are a true reflection and truthful, I did however allow these to be handed in anonymously and told each participant to be honest. Combining a mixture of qualitative and quantitative provided me with some advantages, the ability to obtain answers from different perspectives and enhancing the validity of my findings, this is suggested by (Grbich 2013).The use of the non-probability sample means that this research cannot be used as a representative sample for the population. Although I found this part of the task easier than expected I feel because of the all-male environment and the small research sample I would like to conduct the same research across multiple companies undergoing the same training and also with mixed sex. It would also be useful to compare my findings alongside those of the management. ConclusionMy conclusion on this research is that from those sampled I cannot find any trends that would suggest from an employee point of view, that the apprenticeship training has a higher value to the younger staff or the older staff. This includes who gains from the training, the employer or the employee. The main motivational reason was self-satisfaction, Demonstrating financial reward is low on most people’s agenda as previous research has shown. The research suggests that from an employee’s point of view the training is relevant and most would use it in the day to day roles within their work place.This is however with the exception of English and Maths, it identifies that the group who found this part of the training useful were the staff with no previous qualifications, the other 84% did not feel it would not help them in their work. This demonstrates that one solution does not fit all and a more tailored training approach with different levels offered to each employee this may benefit and offer a more suitable training approach in the future. To gain accurate results this study would need to be carried out on all apprenticeship trained employees and if done insubject areas this would provide a clearer understanding within a subject area. Does level 1 in maths suffice for a hairdresser who rarely counts compared to a warehouseman who counts daily? Their response to the maths question could have the potentially to vary. References BERNER, J. S. , RENNEMARK, M. , JOGREUS, C. and BERGLUND, J. , 2013. Factors associated with change in Internet usage of Swedish older adults (2004–2010). Health Informatics Journal, 19(2), pp. 152-162. CITY AND GUILDS, July 2013, 2013-last update, Putting Maths and English learning into context [Homepage of City and Guilds], [Online]. Available: http://www.cityandguilds. com/About-Us/Broadsheet-News/July-2013/Maths-and-English-in-context [24th Novembber 2013, 2013]. GRBICH, C. , 2013. Qualitative data analysis : an introduction. 2 edn. London: Sage. GREEHALGH, C. , 1999. Adult vocational training and government policy in France and Britain. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 15(1), pp. 97-113. KOVACH, K. A. , 1987. What motivates employees? Workers and supervisors give different answers. Business horizons, 30(5), pp. 58-65. MASLOW, A. H. , 1948. â€Å"Higher† and â€Å"Lower† Needs. The Journal of psychology, 25(2), pp. 433-436. ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION & DEVE LOPMENT, 2004.OECD Employment Outlook 2004. Revised edn. Org. for Economic Cooperation & Development. STEEDMAN, H. , 1990. Improvements in in workforce Qualifications. Improvements in in workforce Qualifications: Britain and France 1978 – 88, pp. 129. VANTEIJLINGEN, E. , 2001. The Importance of Pilot Studies. Social Research Update, 35, pp. 1-2, 3, 4. YU, J. and COOPER, H. , 1983. A Quantitative Review of Research Design Effects on Response Rates to Questionnaires. Journal of Marketing Research, 20(1), pp. 36-44. Appendix The Questionnaire Training In The workplace I would like to thank you in advance for participating in my questionnaire.You have been selected to take part because you have undergone apprenticeship training within the last 12 months. The reason I am asking you to complete this is to aid my research at Hull University where I am a part time student. The information provided is anonymous and confidential and will not be shared with any part of the business, you r responses will have no effect on your employment and I would appreciate if you could be as honest as possible with your answers. Age Group (circle one age group) 18 – 2526 – 3334 – 41 42 – 4950 – 5758 – 6565+ Gender (tick one answer) MaleFemaleWhat is your highest level Education / Qualification? (Tick one you’re highest only) Degree Higher Education A Level O level GCSE Apprenticeships NVQ No Qualifications How would you rate the following in the order of what means the most to you. 1 being the most important to you and 5 least important to you. (Please write the numbers 1 to 5 in the boxes next to each option). A Qualification that is transferable in the workplace Self-satisfaction in your ability to complete a qualification Showing your employer you are capable of passing A qualification which enables you to perform better at workThinking you may get a pay rise for passing How do you rate the relevance of your training in respect of your employment? (Tick one answer) Very relevant Somewhat Relevant Relevant Not Relevant How will your training be used in your day to day work? (Tick one answer). I will use it every day I will use it most of the time I will use it some times I may use it sometimes I will not use it Part of the training involved key skills maths and English, do you think this element of the training should be included? (Tick one answer). Yes No Would you want to undertake further training? (Tick one answer) Yes No Why did you attend the training?

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 146

Discussion - Essay Example form of confessional poetry rich in poetic styles and brought out the sensational part of her life and the real life of many individuals (Burdescu, 2013). Although there are some ethical issues in Anne’s bibliography, Anne’s work can help many people who are in a similar state of depression and on the verge of committing suicide. In fact, the biography has increased the significance of her artwork and many people are interested in reading and understanding her work more than before. The description of Anne’s hard work as she writes a poem after another is quite encouraging to readers and other people as it stresses the value of hard work. Anne turned to writing to avoid killing herself something that is quite interesting to readers and other people in a similar situation. Engaging in something useful helps one to avoid engaging in certain vices, which has led to greater appreciation of her work. Despite the evils of her sexual and alcoholic life, her book won many praises and a national book award in the biography category as it depicted the actual life experiences that many people go through. Anne’s bibliography increased her creative endeavors and influenced many to read her poems appreciating the poetic

Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Anthropology - Essay Example The main reason why mating between different species is not encouraged is because the resulting offspring is usually not as fit as the parent species. However, this is not always the case if we take an example of the ancient man where the Homo sapiens and the Homo erectus interbred to produce viable offspring with a higher brain capacity (Douglas). Reproductive isolation mechanisms that exist make some individuals incapable of fertile interbreeding. This occurs when the interbreeding leads to offspring that are not viable. The word capable here means that the organisms are free and willing to mate naturally to reproduce. It is true that the anatomy of many organisms qualifies their ability or inability to mate. However, if there is no reproductive isolation, organisms of different species are capable of fertile interbreeding. The dog and the wolf are both from the same group, Canis, and they have the capability and desire to interbreed because they are closely related and their offspring are viable. For instance, taking the German Shepherds as an example, they are cross breed of dogs and wolves and they are known for their high intelligence, strength, and obedience training. An example of an infertile offspring is the mule- a result of the interbreeding between a horse and a donkey. This clearly shows that, fertile interbreedi ng between two distinct species should not be considered a surprise. This is because it does not matter whichever species two organisms come from as long as a fertile offspring is

Human trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Human trafficking - Essay Example World governments, UN, Council of Europe, NATO and NGOs are making efforts to combat it. The U.S is leading efforts with efforts to combat it domestically and internationally. The U.S Trafficking and Violence Protection Act 2000 {TVPA} has defined human trafficking as comprising severe crimes: sex trafficking and forced labor. It defines sex trafficking as a crime where â€Å"a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age.† TVPA defines forced labor as â€Å"the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery (http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82902.pdf). Human trafficking is a transnational activity that does not consider boundaries or borders. Profits from human trafficking go into the strongboxes of international organized criminal outfits. Human trafficking is supported by other global crimes like money laundering document fraud and human smuggling (ht tp://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/crimjust/human.htm). Human trafficking has a common denominator with all other forms of trafficking, i.e., reducing human beings to forms of property over which an unlimited power is exercised (Savona & Stefanizzi, 2007, p.10). Human trafficking is the ‘perfect’ crime because the risks of being caught are very less, negligible punishment awaits those unlucky enough to be apprehended, exorbitant profits are easily made and the whole business feeds on a traded item {human beings} that can be used and reused, marketed and exchanged (King & Clift, 2004, p.21). Human trafficking is the third most lucrative global illegal activity, surpassed only by illegal arms sales and illicit drugs. The human trafficking trade is widely and

Business Policy & Strategy Portfolio Project Essay

Business Policy & Strategy Portfolio Project - Essay Example The business will provide these students with door to door collection and distribution of the torn cloths and cloths that require laundry services. The Laundry and cloth repair business will solve problems such as saving University Students time, saving the Environment from degradation, and boosting Food Security among other others. The business is also sustainable in that it boosts food security, conserve our environment, as well as solving some of the Problems University Students face among others. In to prove the feasibility of the business, market research, and SWOT and Value chain analyses were carried out. The SWOT analysis was carried out in order to identify the expected Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that the business may face. The Laundry and cloth repair business Idea In today’s economy, people are normally busy (they always work, they always learn, committed in entertainment, and in schools and among others) such that they do not get time to do ce rtain basic things of their lives such as laundry services and repair of their torn cloths. ... However, not all of them offer door to services to these busy students. Therefore, students had to waste their precious time taking their cloth for laundry services or to be repaired in case they are torn (U S Bureau of the Census, 2002). Some students may also love some of their cloths such that they may not wish to dispose them off in case they get torn. Therefore, my business will be engaged in providing laundry and cloth repair services for University students in the United States of America. The business will provide these students with door to door collection and distribution of the torn cloths and cloths that require laundry services. Rationale for the Business Idea Entrepreneurs by nature are individuals who solve problems, as wells as opportunity oriented; these are just a few of the many characteristics of entrepreneurs (Hunter, 2000). Therefore, as an entrepreneur I thought it wise to come up with the business idea so as to be part of those who solve problems that normally face our society today. My business, therefore, aims at solving several problems which face our society today. Problems Laundry and cloth repair business will solve Saving University Students time The target customers (target group) for the business are University Students across the United States of America. Just as earlier mentioned, these students are so committed to their studies, research and entertainment activities such that they have very little amount of time to concentrate on the basic aspects of their lives; they hardly get time to do their laundry services or even repair services for their torn cloths. The business also intends to further offer free collection and distribution services to these

Economics goverment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Economics goverment - Essay Example While the partnership entailed several economic benefits such as enhanced efficiencies, it became problematic because of the perceived coordination of pricing and other behavior that were feared to lead to anticompetitive practices. Joint ventures are investigated by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) based on the provisions of the Hart-Scott-Rodino pre merger notification act of 1976. The said investigation was a requirement before the venture was finally consummated. There was not court proceeding, without any formal depositions or accounts by both parties of their positions before the court, as well as public disclosure of documents. The investigations merely involved the examination of a huge number of documents. After this type intensive antitrust investigation, FTC finally provided the stamp of approval and the joint venture proceeded, although with some modifications. The first legal issue in the GM-Toyota joint venture pertains to its impact on the market. Particularly, there is the perceived likelihood of cooperative behavior wherein the parties - both dominant players in the auto industry - would cooperate that can disadvantage the position of the consumers (Kwoka, p.50). For example, the level of partnership provides an opportunity for both companies to fix pricing. Ultimately - in this respect - the investigators were concerned that the venture would adversely impact the competition in the market or moderate competitive behavior if a complete consolidation of operations between these two companies was realized. The second and final issue in the investigation concerns the appropriate treatment of Japanese production. Under the so-called â€Å"voluntary restraint agreement or VRA, Japanese car import is subject to a quota: 1.68 million car export to the United States within the period of two years (p. 51). The legal implication of the joint venture is numerous. First, there is the debate whether the

Process of exploring acomplex situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Process of exploring acomplex situation - Essay Example Technology is one particular element in the current human culture that connects every nationality together in the present system of things. The material culture that it opens up to the current human generation actually increases the capability of the people to relate to each other even beyond understanding the cultures and values of each nationality through the existence of language. Likely, the idea is that technology becomes an undeniably fine link between people around the world today especially because of the advancement that it implies on every group of people regardless of their culture and values as members of the human society. Certainly, although different, people are made one with the help of the recognition and understanding of different norms and regularities in the human society. Meanwhile, perspective naturally refers to individual belief. It may or may not be accordingly related to the worldviews accepted by the society, but it certainly is based upon one's own understanding and beliefs. For instance, such matter could be identified through the understanding of one's culture. Elements of culture are significant in explaining the differences of people in the different areas of the world. Understandably, such elements make a certain implication on how and who a certain group of people is depending on their perceptions of life, their language and their historical background as well. Likely, such elements of culture are used to identify people regarding their lifestyle and how they are actually able to contribute to the development of the society at present. Value conflict usually occurs when a person's ideas of something or someone does not connect with that of the others. Likely, in terms of language, such situation occurs when one does not understand a language based on the perception of others. If one foreigner does not understand the way English should be understood, comprehension of the conversation becomes impossible. Perspective is then based upon the belief of a person and the basic understanding that he has upon himself and the society that he lives in. 3. (a) Read through the article of The Environmental Crisis (at the end of TMA 01).As you read through the article create one summary spray diagram to illustrate the main ideas you obtained from the article material. (15% marks) (b) Then create a rich picture for the article. The rich picture should capture both what you have read about and what you personally think and feel about this issue. (15% marks) The environment exists in connection with the kind of society that lives in it, everyone living in it then should recognize the responsibility they have towards protecting the resources provided by the environment to them. (c) Determine if this issue is a mess or a difficulty. Give justification for your choice (not more than 200 words). Your justification should indicate that you have understood the concept of these situations. (20% marks) At the present, the society is critically involved and focused with the rapid industrialization and the technological advancement in every field that is connected

The Role of Family and Women in the Short Story Everyday Use by Alice Essay

The Role of Family and Women in the Short Story Everyday Use by Alice Walker - Essay Example For this to be possible, the author in her story employed powerful literary techniques resting upon concepts of setting, symbolism, and irony, which are important for any piece of literature. In the particular case of Walkers short story, this set of literary tools is combined to provide an examination of the role of family and women in society. In fact, Walker typically emphasizes in her works struggles of African American women who are shown in their opposition to racism and sexism, often in their violent manifestations, that are still present in the modern world. At the same time, she also often traces in her writings roles that women of color have played in history and culture, and ponders over their understanding of those roles (White 2005, pp.455-464). In this light, it would be even more interesting to take a closer look at how the ever urgent theme of the role of family and women in society is covered by the writer and the feminist activist Walker in this short story. First of all, the plot of the story should be overviewed in order to understand what story line, setting, and characterization of the protagonists the author chose as the means to present and develop her ideas. The events in "Everyday Use" take place in the end of the sixties or the beginning of the seventies between members of an African-American family consisting of mother and her two daughters. In this regard, it is important to remember that this period of time was marked by widespread social debates about the need for African-Americans to redefine their personal and cultural identities. It was at that time that old terminology was being replaced by politically correct words, such as the substitution of the term Negro with black, and, correspondingly, new notions like black nationalism emerged. At that time many African-Americans rushed to find out about their African origin and cling to it instead of being defined solely by their past life in America that was rife with episodes of injustice and suffering (Van Deburg 1993). So, an attentive reader should from the very beginning of the story keep in mind the atmosphere that dominated in the American society during the time to which the narrative refers. The story itself is basically the account of an episode of life of the mentioned family which depicts the difficult and even strained relationship between a mother and children. The mother, named Mrs. Johnson, is living with one of her daughters Maggie, and is visited by her another daughter Dee along with her boyfriend or husband Hakim-a-barber. As Dee spends time with them, readers witness the open opposition between two sisters, and a latent opposition between Mrs. Johnson and Dee, which in the end breaks into Mrs. Johnsons protective support of Maggie. More specifically, as the stumbling block serves the bold striving of Dee to take away with her some family artifacts that are very dear for both Mrs. Johnson and Maggie. For

Vehicle Car service models for DMS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Vehicle Car service models for DMS - Essay Example This use case has presented the main business operations performed all through the business. In this use case it is outlined how car servicing business will perform different operations. These operations include the appointment taking, servicing and payment. In this overall system working and handling we need to take different decision and assessment for giving appointment and dealing payments. These use case will offer a better insight into different business operations while development. In this diagram the main procedure and flow of business operations are shown. These diagrams have elaborated the main sequence of operations and procedures that have been performed through the overall business processes regarding the car servicing. This is a decision and action based approach that demonstrates the overall behaviors of the business dealing and operational handling. 1- In this BPMN diagrams for the business use cases I have presented the same scenario of operations as presented in the use case diagram. Here I have outlined the main decision points and areas where we can take the decision before moving to the next level. In the vehicle servicing process the initial step or decision is taken on the basis that the customer is new or old. If customer is old one then we assign him log no and issues the appropriate appointment. In case of new customer we need to take his complete information and feed it into main database and then issue the log and registration number. Then we take the next decision regarding the available working slot. Means time slot for servicing the vehicle. In case of available slot we issue the appointment otherwise we issue next date or time. 2- The scenario is about the detailed analysis of vehicle servicing and estimation of the cost. When a car is serviced and some new components are added in this scenario a

Virgin America Essay Example for Free

Virgin America Essay With the foundation of Virgin Records in 1970, The Virgin Group is one of world’s largest business entities, which in 2009 comprised 300 companies under its structure, in businesses as diverse as space travel, mobile telephony, transportation, travel, financial services, media, music and fitness. The image and culture of the Virgin Group is tied to the image and personality of its founder Sir Richard Branson. The company’s fundamental values foster many of the dimensions of culture, which are highly internalized within the organization. Mr.  Branson realizes the potential and importance of those who work for him and therefore creates a structure, which is decentralized, through empowering his employees and providing them with autonomy. This paper aims at providing a critical view over the Virgin Group’s corporate strategy, in terms of strategic thinking and diversification, as well as a closer look at the business strategy of one of the Group’s businesses, the Virgin America. The Virgin Group is a company that encourages employees to use their awareness to make decisions rather than the standard quo. Because of the company’s corporate culture and structure, Virgin has successfully forecasted possible issues and has dealt with them in a timely manner. Many other organizations have a formalized structure and the Virgin Group is anything but formal and other companies may look at this as an area of concern but not for Sir Richard Branson, the ways he communicates and the way he leads is testament to why he and his companies are very successful and Virgin America will follow suit. Virgin America One of the most recognized name in the world, Virgin, created in 1970 by Sir Richard Branson a leading venture capital organization, is one of the worlds most recognized and respected organizations in the business enterprise. The Virgin Group is a diversified grouping of more than 300 privately held companies, employing approximately 50,000 people, in 30 countries. Revenues around the world in 2009 exceeded 18 billion (http://www. virgin. com/about-us/). The Virgin Group has become one of the most successful businesses in industries ranging from mobile telephony, transportation, travel, financial services, media, music and fitness. Of Virgin’s 300-plus companies, the majority are operating companies that own assets, employ people, and offer goods and services. These operating companies are owned and controlled by some 20 holding companies; most of these own several operating companies within the same line of business. For example, Virgin Travel Limited owns Virgin Group’s investments in Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Blue, Virgin America, and SN Air holdings. Overall ownership of most of the Virgin Group lies in the hands of Virgin Group Investments Limited a private company registered in the British Virgin Islands. The corporate strategy of the Virgin Group is to operate like a venture capital firm based on the Virgin brand. This strategy involves diversification at the individual business unit level and meanwhile, collaborations are created from hierarchical relationships and the interaction of the corporate head office with individual business units. By leveraging the Virgin Brand which has established a reputation in the customer minds of the unique Virgin culture and also allows Virgin to break into new markets and execute its ventures very effectively. Virgin Atlantic Airways is the largest of the Virgin companies and the number two airline in the United Kingdom, with this said Mr. Branson wanted to branch out of the UK to build his airline image to the United States. In 2007, San Francisco became the headquarters for Virgin America. Virgin America which has flown mostly trans-continental routes in the U. S. since its launch in 2007, has expanded to Canada with flights to Toronto and plans to begin service to Mexico. Sir Richard Branson vision was to have a â€Å"topnotch service† (http://www. irgin. com/company/virgin-america/), for the U. S travelers, with the exceptional service that is known on Virgin Atlantic flights. It has not been an easy road to get into the airline industry in the United States. Because of The Federal Aviation Act of 1938, which restricts foreign ownership of domestic airlines, Mr. Branson would had to partner with another American carrier, example Southwest Airlines and would have to turn over the business to the American carrier. Due to this, he eventually waited until the laws could change into his favor which it did not and decided to follow another avenue. He viewed some finance options that would be enough to satisfy the laws about foreign ownership restrictions. There were other American domestic airlines that viewed Virgin as a threat and tried to block the certification. This lasted for a year and half with Virgin America planes parked and not being flown. It was time and money being wasted because of the fear from the domestic carriers that Virgin may take some of their travel customers. Sir Richard Branson had some laws and political warfare going against him and his Virgin Group because of fear of being challenged and to enter a market dominated by U. S carriers. The Virgin Group sent many of millions of dollars in lawsuits, time and man power to establish a foothold into the U. S territory. Sir Richard Branson has a charismatic style and talent which is a strength that other companies are unable to reproduce, and which describes the Virgin label. The Virgin culture is what Sir Richard Branson has built over decades and that distinguishes the work environment within Virgin Group from other companies. It is a culture that is ‘not looking for clones,’ that is ‘like a family’ and is one that requires employees to have the ‘Virgin Flair. ’ (Branson, 2010) Because of these qualities which have created a corporate culture that is unlike in any organization and has become the way at The Virgin Group. Sir Richard Branson’s personality is the culture at Virgin and like he mentions and has been heard before from other leaders yet he is the only one that adheres to this motto that a companys employees are its greatest asset, particularly in service-based operations where your people are your product. You here this all the time in many organizations and yet you have cultures that are in flux with management, you hear many complaints from the front line to mid-level managers that do not trust or believe the upper management. But you can also say the same from the Executive level that the employees are not listening, what this is, is poor communication, the leader has to establish the culture for the company and Sir Richard Branson has done this time and time again, with over 300 companies. With Virgin America coming to the U.  S, the culture is going to be one that will challenge the likes of Southwest Airlines where the culture of this airline is fun and exciting. Sir Richard Branson talks about the Virgin culture and provides an example that when building a new cabin for one of their aircraft that he invites certain departments from inception so they work together so they all can be responsible for the failure or success of the new project. This also invites all to ask questions as a team so everyone input is valid and that which makes the endeavor more enjoyable and the work fun. It’s all about communication, no matter what the culture is and in the Virgin companies it’s all about customer service, and in the U. S, Mr. Branson will know that Americans are a low context culture that communication is important and is precise. The culture barriers will be minimal for Virgin America since California has a diverse cultural background. Why did Sir Richard Branson want to enter in the United States especially the low cost airline industry? Virgin Atlantic is an international company that has flights all around the world but not based in the U.  S. and with the heavy hitters of the airline industry, example, Delta, United, and Continental, Sir Richard wanted to get into the business that he sees that could be successful like Southwest Airlines. But like this paper mentions, this has been fraught with challenging issues and times (current economic conditions) and the time and money of negotiating with lawyers and political upheaval from other airlines. The goal of Virgin America is to provide the exceptional customer service and the brand of the Virgin name to the United States. In 2010, Virgin America had yet another setback, trying to get a gate at one of the busiest airports in the country, Chicago O’hare. Now the new low cost airline will be looking towards to Dallas, this is a blow to the many Americans looking for another option to flying in and out of Chicago and all because of the two major airlines United and American who control more than 90% of the gates. (Low-cost airlines would land for city-owned gates. 2010). I believe it’s a waiting game, another carrier, JetBlue had to wait of over year to get a gate at the O’Hare airport, patience will be the key to Virgin America and that does not bode well with Sir Richards standards even though he has played this game for some time. What Virgin America can do is work with other cities that are willing to work and make the financial numbers feasible for both parties and in time gate availability for Chicago O’Hare will eventually be available. The Virgin Group organizational structure is quite complex, with over 300 companies that operate in all unique industries. But all of these companies fall under the Virgin brand. The brand is similar or identical within each separate operation. This image is one of quality and innovation and by creating an exceptional brand; the company is able to create a high level of loyalty within its customer base. The diversity of businesses operated by Virgin Group helps the company maintain a high level of loyalty in many different industries. With the Virgin America company, this would fall under the Virgin Travel umbrella, (see chart) and would have a separate management hierarchal structure, almost like a franchise organization. References http://www.virgin.com/about-us/ http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2010/08/11/sir-richard-is-finally-linking-together-the-virgin-airlines/

Food Inc, opinion paper Essay Example for Free

Food Inc, opinion paper Essay Question 1: Based on your viewing of Food, Inc., how does your view of â€Å"farm-fresh† and other marketing messages that suggest a more organic flow of food products relate to the realities of 21st-century marketing channels for food? The American Marketing Association defines marketing as â€Å"the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large† (https://www.ama.org/AboutAMA/Pages/Definition-of-Marketing.aspx). The marketing mix consists of product, price, place, promotion, which means that a company needs to sell the right product at the right price and in the right place, using the best promotion. Because of all of this, â€Å"farm-fresh† and organic foods must fight in the marketplace against traditionally farmed foods. Looking at the product: what exactly makes a food organic? Organic can mean different things to different people, and even has a different meaning between companies. According to organic.org, the USDA defines organic food as that which is produced with emphasized use of renewable resources, plus conservation of soil and water. Organic food is produced without conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetics or waste, bioengineered, or ionized radiation. â€Å"Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones† (http://www.organic.org/home/faq). A government-approved certifier must inspect farms where organic foods are grown to assure that the farmer follows all USDA rules and meets organic standards. Price is a large factor when most people go grocery shopping, especially during these tough economic times. Many, including myself, can argue that organic or â€Å"farm-fresh† foods are just too expensive to buy on a regular basis, or even at all. Personally, I will buy whichever brand is cheapest, without paying attention to where or how it is produced. According to organic.org, one should consider the following facts when wondering why an organic product might cost more than it’s traditionally grown counterpart: Conventional farmers receive federal subsidies, while organic farmers do not, so the price of organic food reflects the true cost of growing. Environmental cleanups, that we pay for with our tax dollars, is not reflected in conventional food. Organic production is more labor and management intensive. And finally, organic farms do not benefit from the economies of scale that larger, more conventional farmers receive. The placement of organic foods is generally next to conventional foods in most grocery stores. Some stores may have a separate organic section, or the organic product could be placed next to its conventionally grown counterpart. Some grocery stores, such as Natural Grocers, only sell USDA approved organic or naturally grown produce and meat, and would not be concerned with placement. Organic foods are generally promoted as being more nutritious than conventional foods. Although, organic.org admits that there is not research to back this claim, at this time, there are studies that show that organic food has a higher nutritional value. This makes since, considering they are grown more naturally, with less chemicals. This film does expose something about organic or â€Å"farm-fresh† foods: the American food industry is supposed to be protected by the USDA and FDA, but they have been allowing these suppliers to focus on profit and put aside consumer health, the environment, and worker safety. Question 2: Based on your answer to Question 1, are you likely to change how and where you procure your foods (i.e., grocery stores, farmers’ markets, fast-food outlets)? Please explain your reasons. I have never been concerned about how my food was made or where it came from. I have never paid attention to organic foods, GMOs, all-natural, or anything related to the production of the foods I eat. As far as I know, my parents never paid attention to these things either. Because of this, â€Å"farm-fresh† and other marketing of organic foods has not affected me. I just purchase the foods that I want and pay no attention to whether they are â€Å"farm-fresh†, organic, locally grown, etc. I will buy whatever is cheapest,  not whatever is healthiest, most natural, or whatever. My opinion and food purchasing habits will most likely not change after viewing this movie. This question reminds me of high school health class, where we had to watch â€Å"Supersize Me.† Everyone started saying how gross it is, that they are never eating at McDonalds again, or whatever other promises they were making. All I could think was that I could totally go for some McNuggets after school that day! I guess it is just because I have never worried about where the food I eat comes from. However, I have always paid attention to salmonella and E. coli recalls. I remember not eating beef or spinach or peanut butter when there was an outbreak in their plants, because why would I want to get sick? So, I would say no, I will not change where or how I procure my groceries. I will not say that I did not get sad watching those little baby chicks die, or the chickens getting slung around. And those poor cows getting slaughtered, and that one that had that hole and the guy was digging around in her stomach, and said that she was not in pain†¦how does he know?! He’s just cut a big hole in her and is sticking his hand in her stomach, and she cannot tell you that she is in pain! Question 3: Finally, do you think there are any ethical and/or social responsibility issues that confront marketing channels for food distribution? Chicken are manipulated to grow bigger breasts, tomatoes are genetically engineered to not go bad by being picked while they are green, then ripened with chemicals. Tens of thousands of Americans get sick from new strains of E. coli every year. Levels of obesity are shooting upwards, and diabetes in adults and children have reached epidemic proportions. If Americans knew how corporations used subsidies and exploited laws to make more money, would they think more carefully about what they are eating? The truth is, most people have no clue where their foods come from. Below, I will list secrets and other things that the public should know about the food that they are putting into their bodies. I found a list on www.takepart.com (http://www.takepart.com/photos/food-inc-facts/the-impact-of-food-inc-lives-on-) of 18 â€Å"Food, Inc.† facts that everyone should know, which I have compared  with my notes and compiled the following paragraphs. I feel that if everyone was aware of these facts, it would increase the social responsibility of these companies, and people would have trust in them. These facts pertain to the slaughterhouses and meat packers. In the 1970s, the top five beef packers controlled about 25% of the market, while today, more than 80% of the market is controlled by the top four. In the 1970s, there were thousands of slaughterhouses producing the majority of beef sold, while today, there are only 13. In 1972, the FDA conducted 50,000 food safety inspections. Approximately 32,000 hogs a day are killed in Smithfield Hog Processing Plant in Tar Heel, NC, the largest slaughterhouse in the world. In 2006, the FDA only conducted 9,164. These facts pertain to Monsanto and the USDA. Prior to renaming itself an agribusiness company, Monsanto was a chemical company. In 1996 when Monsanto introduced Round-Up Ready Soybeans, the company controlled only 2% of the U.S. soybean market. Now, over 90% of soybeans contain Monsanto’s patented gene in the United States. In 1998, the USDA implemented microbial testing for salmonella and an E. coli strain so that the USDA could shut down the plant if they repeatedly failed these tests; the USDA no longer has this power after being taken to court by the meat and poultry associations. These facts pertain to the FDA, USDA, and congressmen. During the Bush administration, the head of the FDA was the former executive vice president of the National Food Processors Association. Also during the Bush administration, the chief staff at the USDA was the former chief lobbyist for the beef industry in Washington. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was an attorney at Monsanto from 1976-1979; after his appointment to the Supreme Court, Justice Thomas wrote the majority opinion in a case that helped Monsanto enforce its seed patents. The SB63 Consumer Right to Know measure, requiring all food derived from cloned animals to be labeled as such, passed the California state legislature before being vetoed in 2007 by Governor Schwarzenegger, who said that he couldnt sign a bill that pre-empted federal law. The rest of these facts are just interesting. The average chicken farmer (with two poultry houses) invests over $500,000, but only makes $18,000 a year. The average American eats over 200 pounds of meat each year. The modern supermarket stocks, on average 47,000 products, most of which are being produced by only a handful of food companies. About 70% of processed have some genetically modified ingredients. According to the American Diabetes Association, 1 in 3 Americans born after 2000 will contract early onset diabetes. Among minorities, the rate will be 1 in 2. E. coli and salmonella outbreaks have been more frequent in America. In 2007, there were 73,000 people wicked by the E. coli bacteria. Organics is the fastest growing food segment, increasing 20% annually.

Colonialism in Ireland and Australia

Colonialism in Ireland and Australia A CRITICAL COMPARISON OF THE HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHIES OF COLONIALISM IN IRELAND AND AUSTRALIA Table of Contents (Jump to) Introduction Background Historical Geography Colonialism Post-Colonialism and Said’s ‘Orientalism’ Similarities between Australia and Ireland Differences between Australia and Ireland The notion of ‘discovery’ Conclusion Works Cited Introduction This essay will compare the historical geographies of colonialism in Ireland and Australia. First, it defines what we mean by ‘historical geography’ as this is fundamental to how this analysis will be made. Second, it discusses what we mean by colonization and why it plays such a central role in historical geography. Third, it discusses the work of Edward Said, and in particular Orientalism. It compares and contrasts the colonial experiences of Australia and Ireland within this context. Fourth, it explores the notions of ‘exploration’ and ‘conquering’ using early maps of Australia and Ireland. Ireland and Australia are both post-colonial nations and there is a multitude of similarities in their historical geographies. Yet Ireland and Australia were fundamentally different places in the pre-colonialism era and remain so in the era of post-colonialism. This essay will compare and contrast the similarities and differences of their colonial histories. Background Historical Geography For the purposes of this essay, ‘historical geography’ is defined as a division of geography that concerns itself with â€Å"how cultural features of the multifarious societies across the planet evolved and came into being† (Wikipedia, 2006b). The discipline has traditionally considered the â€Å"spatial- and place- focused orientation of geography, contrasting and combining the spatial interests of geography with the temporal interests of history, creating a field concerned with changing spatial patterns and landscapes† (Guelke, 1997: 191). As Donald Meinig, one of the most influential American historical geographers once stated: â€Å"I have long insisted that by their very nature geography and history are analogous and interdependent fields† (1989: 79). Colonialism Any discussion of colonialism also requires a definition of what we mean by the term. Colonialism is one of the most important features of ‘modern’ history and, some might argue, the undertaking that led to the birth of ‘geography’ in the first place. To define colonialism we must first define two other key terms in history: empire and imperialism. The historian Michael Doyle defines empire as â€Å"a relationship, formal or informal, in which one state controls the effective political sovereignty of another political society. It can be achieved by force, by political collaboration, economic, social, or cultural dependence† (in Said, 1993). Imperialism is broadly the practice, the theory and the way of thinking of a dominating centre that controls a far-off land (Said, 1993); as Doyle states, â€Å"imperialism is simply the process or policy of establishing or maintaining empire† (in Said, 1993). Within this context, colonialism can be defined as the â€Å"implanting of settlements on distant territory† and is virtually always a result of imperialism (Said, 1993). To analyse and contrast colonial experience, as well as to understand why colonialism figures so prominently in the discourse of historical geography, one must try to understand the sheer scale of colonial expansion. As Said (1993: 1) explains: Western power allowed the imperial and metropolitan centres at the end of the nineteenth century to acquire and accumulate territory and subjects on a truly astonishing scale. Consider that in 1800, Western powers claimed fifty-five percent, but actually held approximately thirty-five percent, of the earth’s surface. But by 1878, the percentage was sixty-seven percent of the world held by Western powers, which is a rate of increase of 83,000 square miles per year. By 1914, the annual rate by which the Western empires acquired territory has risen to an astonishing 247,000 square miles per year. And Europe held a grand total of roughly eighty-five percent of the earth as colonies, protectorates, dependencies, dominions and Commonwealth †¦ No other associated set of colonies in history were as large, none so totally dominated, none so unequal in power to the Western metropolis†¦ The scale of British colonialism in 1897 is visible in Map 1, marked in pink. Map 1. The British Empire Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire Map 2 shows all territories ruled by the British Empire (1762-1984) and England (1066-1707) – Ireland and Australia are coloured orange to signify that they were ‘Dominions’ of the British Empire. Map 2. All territories ruled by England and the British Empire Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire Post-Colonialism and Said’s ‘Orientalism’ One of the most influential texts on post-colonialism discourse is undoubtedly Edward Said’s book Orientalism, originally published in 1978. ‘Orientalism’ is, in essence, the ‘study of Near and Far Eastern societies and cultures by Westerners’ (Wikipedia, 2006c). Since the publication of Said’s book, the term became (rightly) laden with negative connotations; Said’s book was at heart a critique of Orientalism as â€Å"fundamentally a political doctrine that willed over the Orient because the Orient was weaker than the West, which elided the Orient’s difference with its weakness†¦As a cultural apparatus Orientalism is all aggression, activity, judgment, will-to-truth, and knowledge†. The book serves as the basis for one of the primary dichotomies in the study of human geography: ‘us’ and ‘other’ (or the ‘Orient’/‘Occident’ distinction). Similarities between Australia and Ireland It is in this context that we can identify the primary similarity between the historical geographies of Ireland and Australia. If within this context we are meant to define the ‘colonisers’ as ‘us’ (i.e., those involved in Western geographical discourse) and the ‘colonised’ as ‘them’ or ‘other’, we reach a crucial problematic area with regards to the two nations at hand. Ireland and Australia are both nations left out of the post-colonial dialogue even though they are undeniably post-colonial. However, discussing these two nations within the dialogue of post-colonialism would ignore the fact that they are both relatively wealthy nations, members of the First World, with few similarities to the nations that are generally being discussed within the sphere. Yet, within the framework of ‘other’, they do share many similarities mainly because they are both peripheral from a Euro-centric viewpoint (Litvack, 2006: 2) – though this, economically at least, is increasingly untrue concerning Ireland. Macintyre (1999: 24) writes with regard to Australia: The Orient came to stand for a whole way of life that was inferior to that of the West: indolent, irrational, despotic, and decayed. Such typification of the alien and other, which the critic Edward Said characterizes as Orientalism, had a peculiar meaning in colonial Australia where geography contradicted history. Fascination and fear mingled in the colonists’ apprehension of the zone that lay between them and the metropole. As a British dependency, Australia adopted the terminology that referred to the Near, Middle and Far East until, under threat of Japanese invasion in 1940, its prime minister suddenly recognized that â€Å"What Great Britain call the Far East is to us the Near North†. Slemon has argued for a discussion within post-colonial discourse of a â€Å"Second World† to accommodate those nations that cannot place themselves â€Å"neatly on one side or the other of the ‘colonizer/colonized’ binary† (Kroeker, 2001: 11). After all, both nations could be considered not just ‘victim’ but also ‘accomplice’ and ‘beneficiary’ of colonialism (Litvack, 2006). Slemon’s idea is helpful in creating an alternative for the â€Å"difficult examples of post-colonial, white, settler cultures† like that of Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Though Ireland is different, one could easily argue that the ‘Second World’ is a better fit than the ‘Third’. In short, Ireland and Australia’s position in between these two very separate worlds of ‘colonizer’ and ‘colonized’ is an underlying similarity in their historical geographies of colonialism. Differences between Australia and Ireland There is an important discrepancy within the context of ‘Orientalism’ between Australia and Ireland. Abiding by the rules of historical geography, just as humans make their cultures and ethnic identities we also make our own histories. More often than not, memory is matched to history but as Collingwood (1970 in McCarthy, no date: 13) states â€Å"memory is not history, because history is a certain kind of organized or inferential knowledge, and memory is not organized, not inferential at all†. Though undoubtedly ‘memory’ impinges on Irish history the same as any other, Irish history at least seems to have some type of consensus. On the other hand, there are two distinct versions of Australian history: one that begins when the British landed in Botany Bay in 1788, and one that begins at least 40,000 (and possibly 120,000) years before that. Conventional Australian history to this day remains the version that begins with the arrival of the British â₠¬â€œ as the old African proverb goes: only when lions have historians will the hunters cease to be heroes. Key to the differences between Australia and Ireland in this context are issues of ‘domination’ and ‘race’. The underlying argument here is that whilst the Irish were undoubtedly oppressed by British rule, it was a fundamentally different kind of oppression than that faced by Australia’s Aboriginals. The domination and repression of the Irish during British colonial rule was done in the context of engagement. The ‘native’ Irish were certainly disadvantaged by the British, and this was a typical feature of colonialism – Meinig has long drawn attention, within his geographical analysis of imperial expansion, to the employment of supreme political authority by the invaders over the invaded (Meinig, 1989). The relationship between the British and the Irish fits very neatly into Meinig’s theories of subjugation. One of his arguments is that the goal of imperial expansion was to extract wealth and in doing so to forge new economic relationships to reach these ends. The political authority of the British (invaders) over the Irish (invaded) is illustrated by the manipulation of ethnic and religious identities that occurred â€Å"in order to keep the subject population from uniting against the occupying power† (Wikipedia, 2006a). Economic exploitation und er British rule had an â€Å"ethnic (and latently nationalist) dimension because it was expressed through religious discrimination† (Komito, 1985: 3). The legacy of this ‘divide and rule’ strategy (as well as the link between religion and nationalism) remains in Ireland today. The Great Irish Famine remains, to this day, â€Å"the defining moment in Irish†¦history† (Kenny, 2001). Between 1840 and 1850, the Irish population was reduced from 8.2 million to 4.1 million – including out-migration as well as deaths from starvation (Guinnane, 1998). Irish land was by and large owned by English landlords and worked by Irish tenants; at the time of the famine, these peasants had to choose between paying the rent for the land with their other crops (and possibly starving), or eating their rent and being liable to eviction. The British government first ignored the famine and when relief effort was made it was erratic and unreliable. â€Å"Many had died from starvation; those who emigrated, and those who survived in Ireland, remembered the inadequate and uncaring response of Britain. More than any other single event in history, the Famine came to epitomize, for many Irish people, the quintessential example of British attitudes to its neighbour† (Komito, 2006: 3). On the other hand, the policy of the British towards the Aboriginals in Australia was not one of subjugation but extermination. Whereas most of the Irish in Ireland (as well as the estimated 80 million Irish that live abroad) proudly claim Celtic ancestry, the natives in Australia suffered a dramatic decline with European settlement, brought on by the â€Å"impact of new diseases, repressive and often brutal treatment, dispossession, and social and cultural disruption and disintegration† (Year Book Australia, 1994). Conservative estimates of the Aboriginal population pre-1788 place the figure at somewhere around 300,000, though many anthropologists now believe there were probably closer to one million Aboriginals in 1788. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that in 1966 (approaching the ‘bicentennial’ of the ‘founding’ of Australia that was so widely – and rightly – protested by the Aboriginal population) there were onl y 80,207 ‘indigenous’ members of the population. Even if one assumes (or accepts) a figure of zero population growth, this figure is still only about 26 percent of the original population. Whilst the Aboriginal population continued to expand at the end of the 20th century – an ‘estimated resident Indigenous population’ of 469,000 is projected for this year – it is clear to see that it came close to being exterminated. This increasing number of indigenous people still represents only about 2.4 percent of the total Australian population (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). And so comes the issue of race. Much of Said’s work, for example, deals with the ‘white’ man’s oppression of the ‘brown’. Whereas the Irish were certainly subjugated, they were viewed simply as inferior. The Aboriginals, in contrast, were viewed as subhuman, â€Å"and as animals they possessed no rights, nor any claim to morality† (Pilger, 1989: 27). Australia, here, seems to have more in common with the ‘Dark Continent’ than with any imperialism within Europe. Some colonial nations, often referred to as ‘settler countries’, had the same attitude towards the natives as that in Australia. In Canada, New Zealand, and even Latin American settler countries’ Argentina and Uruguay, little effort was made by the colonist to maintain the existing order, to establish commercial (or other) relations with the inhabitants, or even to recruit them as labour. Instead of involving themselves with the native populations, these lands were simply cleared and settled as â€Å"fresh field of European endeavour† (Macintyre, 1999: 20). Again, this is not to argue that the Irish were not oppressed during English dominion but simply to state that they were at least acknowledged in a way that the Aboriginals were not. One might even venture to argue that the treatment of the Aboriginals in Australia was so horrific that it has led to their virtual writing out of traditional Australian memory and consequently history. In The Fatal Shore, Robert Hughes’ describes what he calls ‘a national pact of silence (Pilger, 1989) over the Aboriginal issue. There is no topic more sensitive in Australia than that of the Aboriginals. This aspect of the British colonial legacy has certainly constructed a version of history that, as many Australians say, is â€Å"missing something† (Pilger, 1989). Burgmann and Lee make clear at the beginning of their book, A People’s History of Australia, th at their aim is ‘not merely to compensate for past neglect, but to assert that we can only understand Australia’s history by analysing the lives of the oppressed’ (in Pilger, 1989: 3). After all, â€Å"a nation founded on bloodshed and suffering of others eventually must make peace with that one historical truth† (Pilger, 1989: 3). In short, the history of the colonizer and the colonized in Australia and Ireland is enormously different. Australia has, for the last few decades, seemingly been coming to terms with their national past and incorporating the near total-destruction of Aboriginal life and culture into their accepted version of history. Ireland, of course, maintains a history as ‘constructed’ as any other nation’s – theirs, unlike that of the Australians, does not seem to be ‘silencing’ any important truths. The notion of ‘discovery’ In the early nineteenth century, the primary aims and concerns of Geography were: to collect and publish new facts and discoveries, to develop instruments of use to travellers, and to accumulate geographical texts, in particular maps. Geography was, in many ways, an instrument of the empire, an impression that is illustrated well by the number of military men that were members of the Royal Geographic Society in the early nineteenth century. Topography and mapping by and large went hand in hand with notions of colonialism and expansion. Wood wrote that maps ‘work’ because they â€Å"give us reality, a reality that exceeds our vision, our reach, the span of our days, a reality we achieve no other way† (1993: 4-5). In short, maps â€Å"manage to pass off for evident truth what is hard won, culturally acquired knowledge about the world we inhabit; a reality unverifiable by the naked eye† (Klein, 1998: 1). This section will argue that early colonial maps of both Ireland and Australia used cartography to meet their colonial desires. The key difference was that early maps of Australia displayed a land ‘unconquered’ and ‘uninhabited’ whereas colonial maps of Ireland represented a land very much ‘conquered’. Early maps of colonial Australia and Ireland also illustrate another key difference: the British believed they had discovered Australia, whilst they never assumed to have discovered the Emerald Isle. In reality, they had not ‘discovered’ Australia either – â€Å"the very fact that Cook discovered Australia strikes many today as false as the British claim to sovereignty over it† (Macintyre, 1999: 25). After all, â€Å"how can you find something that is already known?† (Macintyre, 1999: 25). The conception of ‘unconquered’ and ‘vacant’ land figures very prominently in the geography of discovery and colonialism. The sheer size of Australia allowed its settlers to believe they had found a previously unconquered, uninhabited landmass. Clearly, there is an element of sheer size. The Australian continent has an astronomical area of 7,682,300 square kilometres, compared to Ireland’s 70,300. Early maps of Australia often displ ay an indeterminate continent, and â€Å"decorated it with lush vegetation and barbarous splendour† (Macintyre, 1999: 25). Other maps often neglected the south coast entirely, and left a vacant (or unexplored and therefore non-existent?) centre, as seen in Map 3, which is believed to date from the 1800s. Part and parcel of colonial imagination has been to make out no territorial limits in its desire for the unknown and the unconquered. Map 3. Early Map of Australia Source: MSN Encarta. Map 4. Early Map of Australia Source: http://www.chr.org.au/earlymapsofaustralia/Images/Map%20before%20captain%20cook%201753%20Jacques%20Nicolas.jpg Map 4 further emphasizes the unconquered aspect – by leaving great tracts of the continent blank on maps it was easier to believe that those very tracts were untouched and uninhabited. The vast emptiness of early Australian maps can also be viewed as a reactionary defensive mechanism. Numerically, the colonizers in Australia were (initially) a minority. In colonial theory in general, this was problematic because minorities were established as ‘outsiders’ in society. It was doubly problematic in Australia because of its role as the ‘dumping-ground for convicts’ (Macintyre, 1999: 18) in its early English settlement. To conceptualise and construct a large vacant space allowed for the idea of an uninhabited continent to flourish, and allowed the early colonizers to reject the idea of being a minority. In contrast, early maps of Ireland try to conceptualise a country that is controlled and conquered. In a study of the English construction of Irish space in a series of Elizabethan and Jacobean maps, Klein (1998: 4) found that most â€Å"do little to hide their involvement in the colonial politics of their historical moment. In gradually redefining the ‘savage’ Irish wasteland as a territorial extension of the national sphere, they are quite openly engaged in negotiating the political accommodation of Irish cultural difference into a British framework†. Baptista Boazio’s Irlande (Map 5) is believed to be the first map of Ireland, dating from 1559. Today, this map does not meet with much approval – â€Å"the lavish ornamental flourish, the purely fictional character of some of the map’s topographical details and †¦ the extravagant use of colour are all features that suggest that precise geographical information was not the map’s principal objective† (Klein, 1998: 15). Map 5. Boazio’s Irlande Source: Klein, 1998. The Kingdome of Ireland (Map 6) was the standard representation of Ireland for the first half of the 17th century. This map portrays a â€Å"neat and perfectly controlled area; a peaceful and quiet expanse†. The â€Å"pictorial surface of the map achieves both homogeneity and balance, suggesting a spatial harmony devoid of conflict† (Klein, 1998: 17). Moreover, the ‘wild men and women’ of Ireland depicted on the map seem to register a cartographic â€Å"transfer of political authority in Ireland from native Irish to English colonizers† (Klein, 1998: 17). Map 6. Speed’s Kingdome of Ireland Source: Klein, 1998. In short, early maps of Ireland and Australia made great attempts to represent (and reaffirm) colonial ‘truths’. As Klein (1998: 1) states, â€Å"it should be noted that some eyes are as blind as others are observant, and contemporaries also recognized that the abstraction of geometric scale may quietly conceal rather than openly disclose geographical information†. Representation of these two nations were different in that Australia was represented as unconquered and ready for the taking, whereas Ireland was represented very much as ‘conquered’. This had to do with both the differences in size of the two nations at hand, as well as with their proximity to England. Conclusion This essay has attempted to analyse the historical geographies of colonialism in Australia and Ireland. It has shown that though the two nations share some overriding similarities (many simply attributed to being post-colonial), there are also a multitude of differences in their historical geographies. The comparison was made in two basic contexts. First, the analysis was made within Said’s Orientalism. It argued that both Ireland and Australia were stuck between the binary of ‘us’ and ‘other’, between the First and Third Worlds. However, it argued that due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, race, proximity, and area, their experience of ‘Orientalism’ was fundamentally different. The second sections analysed the representation of colonialism in early maps of Australia and Ireland. Here the countries again displayed significant difference: Australia was depicted as a land waiting to be conquered, and Ireland as ‘neat’ and ‘controlled’. A further general note can be made in that this essay demonstrated the power of memory and history on geography, and vice versa. Having analysed the historical geographies of Australia and Ireland, one would certainly agree that geography and history are â€Å"analogous and interdependent fields†. Works Cited Australian Bureau of Statistics (2004) Yearbook Australia: Population – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population, available from: www.abs.gov.au Guelke, L. (1997) ‘The Relations Between Geography and History Reconsidered’, History and Theory, 36 (2), pp. 191-234. Hughes, R. (1986) The Fatal Shore: The epic of Australia’s founding, New York: Vintage Books. Klein, B. (1998) ‘Partial Views: Shakespeare and the Map of Ireland’, Early Modern Literary Studies, Special Issue 3, 1-20. Kroeker, A. â€Å"Separation from the World: Post-colonial aspects of Mennonite/s wiring in Western Canada†, Winnipeg, Manitoba: University of Manitoba. Litvack, L. (2006) Theories of Post-Coloniality: Edward W. Said and W.B. Yeats, available from: www.qub.ac.uk/en/imperial/ireland/saidyeat.htm Macintyre, S. (1999) A Concise History of Australia, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. McCarthy, M. (no date) ‘Historico-Geographical Explorations of Ireland’s Heritages: Toward a Critical Understanding of the Nature of Memory and Identity’, available from: http://www.ashgate.com/subject_area/downloads/sample_chapters/IrelandsHeritagesCh1.pdf McCarthy, M. (2003), ‘Historical geographies of a colonized world: the renegotiation of New English colonialism in early modern urban Ireland, c. 1600-10, Irish Geography, 36(1), 59-76. Meinig, D. W. (1982) ‘Geographical analysis of imperial expansion’, in Baker, A. R. H. and Billinge, M. (eds.) Period and place: Research methods in historical geography, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Meinig, D. W. (1989) ‘The Historical Geography of Imperative’, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 79, 79-87. Pilger, J. (1989) A Secret Country, Sydney: Random House. Said, E. (1979) Orientalism, New York: Vintage Books. Said, E. (1993) Culture and Imperialism, lecture given at York University, Toronto, Canada, 10 February 1993. Wikipedia (2006a) British Empire, available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire Wikipedia (2006b) Geography, available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography Wikipedia (2006c) Orientalism, available from: http://en.wikipedia/org/wiki/Orientalism Wood, D. (1993) The Power of Maps, London: Routledge

Hybrid Cars Essay -- Gasoline Electric Hybrid Automobiles

1 Introduction A healthy and prosperous society is based on a healthy and prosperous economy. And during the last century, following the economic growth, the social networks expansion and the geographic dispersion of economic activities, transport became the spinal column of commercial and industrial interaction. The capacity of individuals as well as firms to exchange goods and services became crucial not only for economic purposes but also for better life quality. Unfortunately, the drawback effects of transport have an important impact on the natural and human environments on one hand, and on the growing fuel consumption accompanying the current oil crisis on another hand. Fossil fuel combustion associated to urban transport conditions lead to serious damage to fragile ecosystems and human health as well as contributing to climatic changes and global warming. This leads to the call of the environmental protection agencies and market competition all over the world for significant improvement of fuel economy of all the different classes of vehicles. Meanwhile, studies have confirmed that in recent years, fuel consumption from heavy duty vehicles has grown at a much faster rate then that of passenger cars due to an increase in the demand for transportation of goods [2]. In addition, heavy trucks and buses are normally equipped with highly efficient diesel engines, which limit the opportunities for improvements in fuel economy through studies on the engines efficiency. Consequently, hybrid propulsion systems can be critical solutions to achieve future fuel economy goals for heavy duty vehicles [3]. 2 What is a Hybrid Car. A hybrid car is a vehicle that uses a combination of at least two different fuel sources for its prop... ...ice for Hybrid Powertrain Applications†, SAE paper 2005-01-0810, 2005 . [2] – Wu, Lin, Filipi, Peng, Assanis, â€Å"Optimization of power management strategies for a Hydraulic Hybrid Medium Truck†, the university of Michigan, Advanced vehicle control conference, Hiroshima, Japan, September 2002. [3] – Buchwald, Christensen, Larsen and Pedersen, â€Å"Improvement of City bus Fuel Economy Using a Hydraulic Hybrid Propulsion System – a Theoretical and Experimental Study†, SAE Paper 790305, Warrendale, 1979. [4] – Filipi, Louca, Daran, Lin, Yildir, Wu, Kokkolaras, Assanis, Szkubiel and Chapp, â€Å"Combined optimization of design and power management of the hydraulic hybrid propulsion system for the 6x6 medium truck† , Automotive research center, University of Michigan, National Automotive Center, US Army RDECOM, 2004. [5] – www.hybridcars.com [6] – www.consumerreports.org

Bricolage: A Womans Use of Canonical Ideology :: Canonical Ideology Literature

Bricolage: A Woman's Use of Canonical Ideology le bricolage: travail dont la technique est improvisà ©e, adaptà ©e aux materiaux, aux circonstances.[1] In chapter one of The Savage Mind, Claude Levà ­-Strauss explains bricolage as a way of understanding the structure of mythical thought in "savage" societies. The term bricoleur can be used practically, to represent a kind of craftsman though Levà ­-Strauss brings the word to an analytical level, and it is with this level that we are concerned. The bricoleur's "universe of instruments is closed and the rules of his game are always to do with `whatever is at hand'"[2] so, as a craftsman, he is conservative and ecological. He works from within a structure in order to build out of it: "the materials of the bricoleur are elements which can be defined by two criteria: they have had a use.... and they can be used again either for the same purpose or for a different one if they are at all diverted from their previous function."[3] For more information on this chapter, "The Science of the Concrete", click here. In this paper, I will examine this concept as it applies to certain patterns an d ideas that exist in canonical American ideology and literature in the nineteenth century and how its double nature presents an opportunity for those "marginal" or "other" Americans. In examining this, the American writer will be considered a sort of craftsman. The concept of bricolage resonates strongly in the American literary tradition that is constructed alongside the nation itself. T.S. Eliot and Octavio Paz both support its prevalence in the tradition. They conceive of the literary canon as an ivory tower, "a closed edifice... that cracks open to allow entrance only to the work of genius - by implication, to a gifted man."[4] As Eliot perceives this monument as necessarily alterable, one which allows a new work to enter upon it if "the relations, proportions, values of each work of art toward the whole are readjusted,"[5] Paz presents a similar, though significantly radicalized view of the "constant revolt" of tradition" rather than its "continuity."[6] Paz's "tradition against itself" extends Eliot's with the notion that "what constitutes the modern tradition is the constant renewal of literary forms, as contemporary textual practices."[7] However divergent, both of these theories rely on a similar concept which shapes an American li terary tradition according to Levà ­-Strauss' bricolage: "in order to belong to tradition...

Media Snatching :: Kidnapping Baby Snatching Essays

Media Snatching Baby snatchings and kidnappings have gotten popular attention in the past decades. Through media exploitation, safety awareness and fear inside of parents have heightened. No longer has an isolated case of a baby snatching become the scare of the day-it is the scare for a child’s first years. Are baby snatching and kidnapping a reality to everyone? Should everyone with a child fear that child’s abduction, or is it only a made up reality within the media? The fear of a baby or young child being abducted is natural and understandable. It is otherwise unfortunate that the media is able to use its power to purport a crime wave on a seemingly low-rate crime. Through extensive media coverage, parents and the world can perceive any place as a possible risk for child abductors. This point is expressed by Furedi when he states, â€Å"The intense level of media attention paid to the rare instances of baby-snatching has contributed to widespread demands for hospital security.† Frank Furedi is not the only person to comment on media coverage spreading angst. One article talks about Guatemala and its people’s fears of baby snatching and then the baby’s body parts being sold in the United States. Even after years of rumors of this type of believed behavior had subsided, a new wave of fear had returned to hit a group of people. â€Å"†¦Rumors about body part sales tap into ‘deep reservoirs of fear and anxietyâ€℠¢ among parents and are widely believed ‘despite total lack of evidence’.† Obviously, this statement is a clear example of how easily the public’s fears are created and manipulated by the media. Once an article or a telecast of some story is released, a public’s perception is changed, no matter if the intent of the media is to caution or to merely inform. This demonstrates the media’s power and how easily the public is a victim whether or not it is the media’s intention. Newspapers, television, magazine articles, and movies are all forms of communication that have contributed to spreading the baby snatching alarm. Not all times are these types of media correct with informing the public viewer. Sometimes the media can be so personable that it is made to seem like it could be happening everywhere and right under the noses of parents. This is an absurd but subtle accusation made by media coverage. For example, the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems put out an article on a way of thwarting baby snatchings.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been

The dramatic irony of â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? † conveys the tone of warning about temptation. Connie’s situation is that she does not feel appreciated at home and uses her looks and actions to get attention and appreciation from boys even if it is short-term. She is self-conscious about her looks and is constantly worried about how other people perceive her. Friend’s fantasy is that Connie will willingly go with him and be his â€Å"lover† (605) even before he officially met her.The reality of the situation is that she does not want to go with this strange man, but is being forced into it because of her fear, which makes her weak and submissive. Connie is fifteen years old and obviously self-conscious because of the love that she never receives at home. Her whole life revolves around attention from boys since she does not feel loved at home. Her sister June appears to be the favorite in the family, as she receives all of the positiv e attention. Connie's mother doesn’t speak kindly to Connie or about Connie, and Connie doesn't think well of her mother either.Her father does whatever he can to please Connie but doesn’t seek for a good father-daughter relationship. They never talk about what is happening in their lives and act as if they are only acquaintances. Connie wants to appear older and wiser than she actually is and her head is always full of meaningless daydreams to help her cope. Her promiscuity leads to attraction from boys and older men where she becomes terrified and realizes that she is not as grown up as she thought.Connie comes face to face with the harshreality of being forced into adulthood at the age of fifteen because of the special attention of Arnold Friend. 2 Arnold Friend is a smooth talker and has a great influence on the actions of his victims. His word choice appeals to teenagers as does his clothing. He is a short and stocky guy who stuffs his boots to make him seem talle r and wears a leather jacket to look young and desirable to teenage girls. The fact that his feet do not touch the bottom of his boots alludes to the devil’s hoofs, significant in that he resembles the devil’s ability to deceive. Don’t hem in on me. Don’t hog. Don’t crush. Don’t bird dog. Don’t trail me† (608) are slang that he rattles off because he momentarily forgets what sayings are popular so he reconciles by making them up on his own. He has a moment when he breaks down in front of Connie and starts to lose his cool, calm, and collected personality showing his panic in possibly not being able to get his way. This shows that he is narrow-minded and does not settle for anything that he does not approve of.His main focus is on retrieving girls for rape and murder and always goes for the attention-seeking personalities to make it easier to reach this goal. Friend is living a fantasy, while Connie asserts the reality of the sit uation. When these worlds mix, it is obvious that Connie does not have control and Friend becomes dominant. Friend’s alternate world is made up of his desire to have â€Å"dates† and â€Å"lovers† (605) when in actuality, he forces women to show him affection by kidnapping them, raping them, and then killing them.Friend’s forceful words show how he is caught in this dream of what Connie is going to do with him and how perfectly it will all work out in the end when in all actuality, Connie has no intention of willingly going with him. He continuously harps on the fact that he is going to get his way because he insists that his dreams are true. Every time he talks about his fantasy, Connie has a bold statement declaring that she is willing to fight against his dream and 3 bring it back down to a reality as she tries to reason with him. Friend has the gift of persuasion where his greatest tools for manipulation are his words.He â€Å"promises† (607) t hat he will not harm Connie as long as she does not follow through with what he considers threatening. Connie separates her mind from her body because she suddenly loses control. She is used to being on top and empowered but Friend comes along and takes over. The dramatic irony, during the course of their conversation, implies that Connie was in control of the situation to begin with, but Friend managed to obtain ultimate control of the situation by having her succumb to his power. Modern culture promotes having fun and doing what feels good in the moment.Connie has poor communication with her family, shown by her rebellious behavior and lack of respect for her parents. She chooses to distance herself from her family which results in them not being there when she needs them the most. Parents are supposed to be protectors and leaders in their children’s lives and when these key aspects are not present, a window is opened for the victimization of youth. The consequences of such situations result in a predicament like Connie’s and becomes an immense concern for the effects that modern culture has on youth. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been â€Å"Where are you going, Where have you been:† The Media’s effect on youth In this 1966 short story written by Joyce Carol Oates, fifteen-year-old Connie is a self-absorbed teenager who spends her time fantasizing about romance and searching for attention from men. While out with a suitor, a strange man promises her, â€Å"I'm gonna get you, baby† (2). Connie doesn't think much of the incident until one day while alone at home; the man comes to â€Å"get† her. The assailant, Arnold Friend, is kind at first then progressively becomes aggressive and violent towards her.Though at first she enjoys Arnold’s attention, once his demands become sexual and violent, her confidence diminishes. While Connie attempts to evade Arnold’s commands, she becomes powerless against the man and eventually follows him to â€Å"go for a ride† (3). While â€Å"Where are you going, Where have you been,† appears to simply be a tragic story about the abd uction and rape of a young girl, it is more importantly a statement of the time on the over-sexualization in the media.From the time period the story was written, the 1960’s, we know that society as a whole was exploding with counter-culture and rebellion. In response to the Vietnam War, for the first time in history, music rapidly became highly influential and that of a sexual nature. This first wave of over-sexualized media is what influenced Connie and millions of the time to exploit their sexuality. The youth of the time period are commonly thought of as being extremely responsive to the world around them.With music being more suggestive than in the past and young people being more expressive and experimental, Connie grew up in a drastically changing world complete with the need to be sexual and to really stand out in order to be noticed. Media became more widespread and important in the 60’s than it had ever been before. When the TV and radio weren’t focusi ng on the war efforts in Vietnam, they showed the youth’s protest, and push to â€Å"Make Love, Not War:† an iconic phrase that illustrates the push towards sexuality during that time.Connie, an adolescent of this explosive period, is a prime example of sexualization in the media having a detrimental effect on a person. It is her need to be desired that makes her appealing to Arnold Friend, and leads to her demise later in the story. Music is a major theme in the story: Connie constantly listens to music and associates music with pleasure in multiple instances. At one point, she even says she â€Å"listened to the music that made everything so good† (2). Upon Arnold’s arrival we see that he is listening to the same music as Connie, which serves as a way to connect them.Since music plays such a prevalent role in Connie’s life, we can conclude that music is the media that influences her to behave in a sexual manner. From the music that she listens to , Bobby King, we get the impression that she links her idea of romance (that derives from the music she listens to) to the confidence and maturity she pretends to have when it comes to boys. Music plays in every situation where she intends to be sexually desired; while out with boys, out with her friend searching for attention, while laying out in her backyard, and even at the beginning of her conversation with Arnold.Music and Connie’s sexuality are inextricable tied together–once Connie becomes frightened of Arnold and is no longer exploiting her sexuality, there is no further mention of music in the story. While it is understood that Arnold will most likely harm Connie, he also is whisking her away (or saving her) from a morally loose society–that very same society that made her the over-sexualized girl we see in the beginning of the story.Everything about Connie indicates that she has been socialized into how the media thinks a young girl should be–fr om her suggestive clothing to her desperate attempt to be sexually desirable to the male population. Despite what she leads on, Connie is actually sexually innocent. Her innocence is echoed by her child-like naivety of opening her front door to a complete stranger while alone, as well as the fear that consumes her while she could have been calling the police to prevent her murder.Arnold’s desire for the young Connie may be Oates’ way of portraying how perverse the media’s ploy to sexualize America’s youth is as well. The â€Å"Lolita Effect† is even a relatively recent concept. A â€Å"lolita† is a young girl who is viewed in a sexual manner, while the â€Å"lolita effect† is not only the corruption of a child by an adult, but exploiting an adult by a child that has been corrupted by society. Connie exploits her sexuality so well in the beginning of the story. It is her sexualization at such a young age that causes Arnold to find her attractive and is the real life tragedy that comes from the story.By the end of the story, as the title suggests, Connie undergoes a major change. She ties to be an adult, but when Arnold challenges her with sexual advances, we see the frightened child she is. Arnold is merely an agent to portray the evils that exist in the media. He illuminates the fact that our culture’s media gives young girls the unattainable idea that they must behave in a certain way in order to be attractive, and that a man finding them sexually attractive is of upmost importance even as a pre-teen.The sexualization of young girls causes adult men to be attracted to them, creating an even further over-sexualized society. A young girl’s sexuality is such a vital aspect of the maturation process: a process that is malfunctioning or happening far too soon because of the media. It is the evil in the media that causes Connie to fall victim to the media’s harmful portrayal of femininity. Media teaches us that being a typical young woman in today’s society is contingent on the amount of sexuality her appearance exudes.Connie so perfectly replicates how young girls in America that are being over-sexualized through music or television without even being aware of it. The tragic way that Connie is stripped of her childhood suggests that â€Å"where you are going,† is dependent on where you have been. In â€Å"Where are you going, Where have you been? † Oates’ does a terrific job of hyperbolizing the affects of the media’s influence while pointing out the very unexaggerated truth that over-sexualization in the media is detrimental to all aspects of society.