Rap Music and Youth free essay sample

Gangster rap artists have had many squabbling with the law as well as with patrons. This genre contains multitudinous amounts of Inappropriate themes such as murder, sexual disposition and robbery. Gangster rap music negatively Influences youth through suggesting provocative and violent images. Rap music continually affects Individuals throughout their whole life. Starting at school age. Where studies have associated lower grades with students who listen to rap (Copley) until adulthood. As a result gangster rap begins to affect future identity development.Many youth use rap music as a stress reliever to find someone that understands the struggles they face in daily life. They view rappers as heroes or mom type of luminary. When doing so youth try to find a common link between themselves and the artist who is relaying the music or whatever the song is depicting. Someone who experienced the same issue they are now partaking in and has now succeeded and made it big. We will write a custom essay sample on Rap Music and Youth or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Music is well-known to connect with adolescents and to Influence Identity development perhaps more than any other entertainment medium (Tanner, Worldly and Seabirds).As a result they begin to illustrate and exemplify the things that are portrayed in the music they hear. Thereafter, turning impressionable youth into counterfeit gangsters. Many of the homes that are depicted In rap songs are deemed as negative and Inappropriate. Countless attempts have been made to limit or regulate what can be said In rap songs. Rap is the only music genre to have a musical recording of a song be declared as criminally obscene by a federal judge or have a musical of a song recording boycotted by the law enforcement .Equally Important, the way women are expounded and represented, continues to form violent and demeaning views against women. Considering that women were once glorified and respected,in music now women are depicted as ditches and whores who sere as the sexual object of men or I OFF vocalizes women as worthless and expendable items of trash. Some youth even try to transfer this glorified life of disrespecting women to their own lives. C. Brogan,G Hall, and C Nagoya found that college males who listened to misogynous Rap music were more likely to show assaulting or sexually violent film vignettes to female confederates. This transfigures too whole problem, the use of violence In the past 10 years there has been an increase in youth violence. Which has lead to many tragic school shootings and other violent acts, Rap music is one of the main factors that are being blamed for this problem. Rap artists often depict themselves being very rich and living lavish lives. Many rappers also state in their songs how they acquired their riches through illegal activities such as selling illegal drugs or committing robbery.The listeners often find themselves taking a personnel inventory of their own lives and comparing the differences. What they see is staggering so listeners begin to think of ways the can attain the same bounty. Many choose to do it they easy way, using violence, like their heroes. When other people who listen or are exposed to violent and non-violent rap videos were more inclined to express materialistic attitudes and favor potentially acquiring possessions through crime, as well as holding more negative views on the likelihood of succeeding through academic pursuits (Copley).Instead of going to school and attaining a education they begin to steal and rob people hoping to becoming the tugged out gangsters they respect so much. Studies have long shown that media messages have a profound impact on childhood risk behaviors (Parker-pope). Two of those risky behaviors is underage drinking and drug use. Music represents a persuasive source of substance abuse (Parker-pope). Although society finds drinking and drug use to be abominable, there are laws to specify how old you must be to partake in these activities.Of course the youth, replicating the attitude of the rappers, and their feelings of disrespect toward authority, try it anyway. A large number of rap music patrons fall into single parent or low-income socioeconomic categorization, making them hypersensitive to their social rank. Due to the fact that most youth are being very impressionable, when they hear the same thing repeatedly through song after song they begin to believe it, even more so when it comes from a well known celebrity. These celebrities evolve into their role models, which occasionally are the only role models youth consort with.The average adolescent who listens to Just rap would be exposed to 251 references per day (Tanner, Worldly and Seabirds). Majority of the youth who actually listen to rap music have never been introduced to the drugs sung about in the songs they hear. Youth, trying to take on the whole personification of the artist they may try them. Thus leading them to lives of addiction and possibly imprisonment. Many people can agree t that rap music presents glorified versions of the negative influences, provocative and violent images that many parents try to protect their kids from.Proven in countless studies, rap introduces youth to harmful and risky notions. Countless studies have proven this as well. Rap music becomes increasingly popular with youth as we speak. So how do we regulate rap music? Is it even possible? What about freedom of speech and the first amendment? All we need is for a few strong not into such public demonstrations; you can still help, by refusing to listen to rap music. Whatever the case maybe we need a solution and we need one today.

The Human Condition

The Human Condition Lisa LawHUMAN CONDITIONQuestion: "It means they were human"How have the texts you have studied in Area of Study: the Human Condition contributed to your thinking of what it is human.Word count: 1945The human condition is the experience of all elements of human existence. The susceptibility to endure both happiness and sadness is one of the elements that respond to our questioning of what is human. This is examined by the contrast of exhilaration depicted in both John Keats's poem "On First Looking At Chapman's Homer" and in the photograph "Bondi" by Marc Bok in the stimulus booklet and the depression in the film "Lantana" directed by Ray Lawrence and the poem "Preludes" by T.S. Eliot.John Keats poem "On First Looking at Chapman's Homer" displays the human capacity for happiness through its structure, images and tone. To expose his joy and inspired feelings about Chapman's translation of Homer, Keats had used the form of a Petrarchan sonnet to communicate how profoundly the revelation of Homer's literature had affected him.John Keats, by William Hilton (died 1839). See sou...The use of this structure allows a strong contrast from his neutral tone in the octave to the thrill and excitement in the sestet.In the first line, "realms of gold" symbolise the voyaging of discovery and to the world of literature and imagination, valued as highly as "gold". However, Keats use of the modifier "goodly" reflects his satisfaction only of those "kingdoms" and "states". Keats' tone of neutrality in terms of these experiences is established through the drowsy consonance of the "l" in "travelled in the realms of gold" and the assonance of the long and rounded vowels in "goodly states and kingdoms seen".The responders sense his appreciation of "deep- browed Homer" and his acknowledgment of the "fealty" to such ancient works but...

External Analysis of My Company & PEST Analysis Research Paper

External Analysis of My Company & PEST Analysis - Research Paper Example Economic Factors People’s level of income to choose from cheaper substitutes, prices of raw material Social Factors Taste and demand for chocolates in a particular region Technological factors Introduction of new processes and methods of production The company’s environmental analysis can be undertaken by the help of PEST analysis. Since Hershey operates globally, it is important to emphasize that the local factors affecting the company differ in various regions. However, there are general environmental factors which include political factors. These factors can affect the operations of the company as, for instance, the government of the region where Hershey operates amends its policy relating to export and import strategy or may introduce any other changes ultimately affecting the operations of the company. On the other hand, laws, such as labor or consumer goods laws, in any region can also affect the company. To better illustrate the aforesaid with example, it has to be noted that today Hershey has developed its presence in Canada and Mexico due to NAFTA (Smith 132). Economic factors like any changes in the economy, such as prices of sugar, harvest of cocoa etc., can affect the company as well (Smith 132). The standard of living and the income of the people in the region will also affect the company’s sales; it means that people in less developed countries may consume less chocolate than they used to do before economic changes. Social factors, such as people’s taste (for instance, higher demand for dark chocolate over white chocolate), will affect company’s target in some particular market. Finally, technological factors, such as advancements in technological process and new ways of chocolate manufacturing, can also affect the company (â€Å"Annual Report† 4, 7). Industry Analysis FORCES INTENSITY Threats of new entrants Low Bargaining power of suppliers High Bargaining power of customers Low Pressure from substitute products High Rivalry High Nowadays the chocolate industry seems to be stagnant with insufficient number of powerful players entering the market because of the large capital requirements and strict regulations; however, the existing major players have captured their markets well. There is severe competition among existing giants. High dependency on the suppliers for cocoa beans, which are mostly found in Africa (70%), makes the position of a supplier within the industry stronger. On the other hand, the customers are usually dealt with via retail chains, which doesn’t give them an opportunity to take a strong enough position to control prices (â€Å"Annual Report† 5). Competitor Analysis The competition within the industry is highly intense. In order to win a market share the competitors try to independently expand their markets. In addition to the direct competition from within, the industry has to face indirect competition from outside. Snack foods, cereal, ice cream manufacturers are quite successful in grabbing the same market as well. Some of the competitors of Hershey are Mars, Nestle, General Mills, Hain Celestial Group, and Kraft etc. (Michman and Mazze 205). Market Analysis GLOBAL MARKER SHARE OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES Company Market share Cadbury and Kraft 14.8% Mars 14.6% Nestle 7.8% Hershey 4.6% Ferrero 4.5% Others 4.9% (â€Å"

Accounting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Accounting - Research Paper Example Computer systems have translated all the hand-written statements into systems that can present financial reports from individual transactions. Popular accounting systems are now also available in tailor made form for various companies and industries. This permits organizations to build individual reports easily and quickly manage decision-making. Another change effected by IT on accounting has been the improvement of functionality in accounting departments via increasing accounting information timeliness (Gelinas et al 58). Through improvement of financial information timeliness, accountants are able to prepare for operation and report analysis that can give the management an accurate vision of the current operations. It has also improved the number of financial statements, for example, market share reports, departmental profit and loss, and cash flow statements. Finally, it has allowed accountants to process large financial information data and faster processing of this data (Gelinas et al 58). This has lessened the amount of time required to close each accounting period. Shortening the time helps the organizations in cost control, which, in turn, increases the overall efficiency of the company. Cloud computing and mobile devices are going to be the most important components of Information Technology in the coming decade (Office of Technology Assessment 270). Mobile devices such as ultra-books, tablets, and cell phones, as well as cloud computing, will aid in the further integration of technology into all aspects of accounting on a regular basis. This is referred to as pervasive computing (Office of Technology Assessment 270). With this pervasive computing, accountants will utilize mobile devices in order to access applications that are cloud based, data and communications. The connectivity will aid accountants to work more efficiently and exchange information more

Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker - Essay Example Now, each individual must assess one’s own strengths and working style and match them with potential opportunities of work to find the best fit. In addition, it is important to see if personal values clash with the organization’s value system. Finally, it is important to understand that today’s work environment is a two-way street and that the worker needs to continually see how he or she can contribute positively while communicating well with colleagues. Identifying one’s strengths is a tricky business. People imagine they know what they are good or bad at but they are mostly wrong. Drucker suggests using the feedback analysis to assess one’s strengths by noting expected results at every decision point and then matching them with actual results several months later. Through continued use of this method and assessing the results, it is possible to eventually filter out areas where one is not good at and also to identify the strong areas of oneâ€⠄¢s personality. It is important then to concentrate on improve on one’s strengths and fill gaps in knowledge. In the process, one must differentiate between being intelligent and being knowledgeable. A lot of times, intelligent people place barriers upon themselves against gaining knowledge or communicating with others. Feedback will also reveal areas of improvement by showing why certain bad habits result in unexpected results. Assessment of these factors and strengths can allow one to decide on which type of job one is suited for. The next step is to identify one’s own working style and see if the organization offers a conducive environment for such a style. For example, it is important to know whether one is a listener or a reader – meaning whether it is easier to assimilate information by listening to people or by reading it. President Lyndon Johnson made the mistake of keeping President Kennedy’s staff who prepared briefs for him before any  meeti ng.  

Secondhand Market And Its Future

Secondhand Market And Its Future Literature review is about the background information of my project. I will present the related online secondhand market items in the first part. The second part I will review of 3 existing secondhand systems to find inspiration of my project. At last I will talk about open source software and how they can help me in developing system. 2.2 Secondhand Items A secondhand or used good is one that is being purchased by or otherwise transferred to a second or later end user. In another word it can simply mean it is no longer in the same condition as it was when it was first transferred to the current end user. Secondhand items may be transfer between friends or family for free, or they can be sold at a lower price at garage sales. Many people prefer to buy new goods, since new goods can make them feel safer. A warranty is provided for new goods they can fix for free or simply change a new one, buy new goods also can avoid buying stolen goods. But buy secondhand goods has significant benefits such as prevent them becoming waste and saves costly production of equivalent new goods. It can conserving natural resources and protecting the environment, and may from part of a simple living plan. 2.3 E-commerce E-commerce (Electronic Commerce) is any form of business transaction in which the parties interact electronically over the internet rather than by physical exchange or conduct. The amount of trade conducted electronically has grown extraordinarily with widespread Internet usage. The use of commerce is conducted in this way, spurring and drawing on innovations in electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems. The main business uses of the internet include: The ability to buy, sell and advertise goods and service to customers and consumers. To communicate with businesses and customers around the world To promote products and services by electronically publishing brochures, manuals, product updates etc To give business the competitive edge by researching information on specific industries. E-commerce can be divided into 4 categories which are business-to-business (B2B), business-to-customer (B2C), customer-to-business (C2B) and customer-to-customer (C2C). B2B is conducted between businesses. B2B can be open to all interested parties (e.g. commodity exchange) or limited to specific, pre-qualified participants (private electronic market). Such as manufactures selling to distributors and wholesalers selling to retailers. Pricing is based on quantity of order and is often negotiable. B2C is conducted from businesses to consumers. Business selling to the general public typically through catalogs utilizing shopping cart software. This is the type of electronic commerce conducted by companies such as Amazon.com. C2B is conducted from customer to business. A consumer posts his project with a set budget online and within hours companies review the consumers requirements and bid on the project. The consumer reviews the bids and selects the company that will complete the project. Elance empowers consumers around the world by providing the meeting ground and platform for such transactions. C2C conduct from customer to customer. There are many sites offering free classifieds, auctions, and forums where individuals can buy and sell. Thanks to online payment system like PayPal where people can send and receive money online with ease. eBays auction service is a great example of where person-to-person transactions take place every day since 1995. My Secondhand market system is belongs to C2C category. 2.4 Secondhand market and its future Secondhand markets are used for sell or exchange secondhand items. Secondhand items can often be found for sale in thrift stores and pawnshops, auctions, garage sales, and in more recent times online auctions. Some stores sell both new and used goods, while others only sell new goods but may take used items in exchange for credit toward the purchase of newer goods. These stores are all can be seen as secondhand market. The secondhand market is exciting developing now. Since global financial crisis hit, people turn to shopping in an economy way. So the secondhand trading market benefit from this struggling economy. (Lynn Ducey, 2008) Secondhand markets are busier than ever, it appears a bucking retail trends. (Elizabeth Millard, 2008). Report by CNN 2th January 2009, one of Buffalo (a Manhattan consignment shop) privately held company says it has $50 million in annual revenue and is concluding its third consecutive year of sales growth and also of the resale markets overall performance. Secondhand stores are profiting from the recession. (Maggie Overfelt, 2009) The second-hand trading market is booming as bargain-hunting consumers turn to buying quality second-hand items online, from the latest plasma screens to designer togs. Popular online trading sites like eBay and Trading Post both report a spike in trade of second-hand item. 2.5 Secondhand markets in campus The secondhand market has a huge potential in campus, there are many things can supply such as books, stationery, MP3, computer, etc. These items have the guaranteed quality and in a low price because the buyer and seller are both students easier to monitor. So people like to buy stuff from college students, giving them a high trust. In China annually last-year students spontaneously organize a secondhand market to exchange of second hand school materials. They place stalls along the college street, as long as 100 meters, and becomes a kind of tradition. Even some residents nearby the campus join this team. There is a great deal of graduate students in college every year and they have a lot of things hard to take away but still useful. For the sake of avoiding the waste and recycling, the secondhand market is a good way to solve this problem which can bring some economic benefits at the same time. 2.6 Pros and Cons of online secondhand markets Pros There many advantage to use online secondhand market. Selling and buying secondhand items both become easily. The website allows you to browse through different categories and see the ads posted by other sellers to buy or sell items easily. Use internet we can access more secondhand item resources than traditional shopping method. We can use search function to search product as much as we want without travel here and there. Online secondhand market also can help you save money since you can compare price easily and bargain with seller. Cons Use online secondhand market to search product, user may facing a problem that the quality cannot guarantee. User cannot see, touch and easily ask questions about a real product. Use online shopping decrease the frequency of people get out of the house. This may cause health issue to people. There are some people get cabin fevers in the winter since this situation. Another disadvantage of buy secondhand product online is that secondhand items do not have warranty, if got problem user cannot change a new one or fix for free. 2.7 Review existing system 2.7.1 2nd hand (http://www.2ndhand.com.my/index.php) Introduction 22nd hand is an online second hand market in Malaysia, it allow customer to sell or find request goods online. Key features Register/log in If user wants to post advertisements on this website, he/she need to register on this website. User need to fill up the personal information such as name, gender, contact information (which will display with advertisement together for others to contact with owner) Home page Home page displays the latest sales/request advertisement in sequence. Post sell/request item After user log in they can post a sell/request advertisement at this website. They can post goods photo, edit, update, delete goods information. Search Search function has three classifies: by catalog, by location, by user. User can choose any one of them to process search function. Goods catalog page The website use a whole page to display the entire catalog, user can find all goods classifies here. 2.7.2 Gumtree (http://sydney.gumtree.com.au/) Introduction Gumtree Sydney is a free local classifieds site. Look for items for sale, services, cars, jobs, housing, and more. This site has a large community of individual sellers who put up items for sale. You often can find garage sales here. Its search engine allows you to filter by products and price range. If youre looking for a specific item, you can also sign up to alerts via your email address. Key Features: Post sell/request item Gumtree offer free post advertisement for customer, customer can post an advertisement to sale something or find something they want to buy. Customer first need to select an category that the item they want to post then need to choose they want to buy or sell product then edit product information here, such as price, product name, description and also can post an image of product. Customer need to edit their contact information convenient for others to contact. Promote advertisement Website also provides promote advertisement method which include: highlight advertisement, top advertisement and show advertisement on home page. These functions are charge items. My Gumtree Customer register in Gumtree, they can have an own page for manage their posted advertisement, they can post, promote, edit, delete and have an personal Watch List Discuss area A forum used for user post articles to share their experience of Gumtree and make judgments of service. Help function This web page use a search function to allow user to search questions that they want to ask, see if the question already answered by others. It likes a guideline to guide user use the Gumtree. Other service: Profile, FAQ, search 2.7.3 mySimplifieds (http://www.mysimplifieds.com/) Introduction mySimplifieds is Malaysias Most Comprehensive Classified Listings, All In One Hassle Free Classified Portal To Reach Out Your Largest Buyer Seller Groups Effectively. Key features: Advertisement List your items on mySimplifieds and all our affiliated portals at no extra cost. Post personal classifies: Select a category, edit items information such as: item name, description, price and key word used for search function. Customer even can add an video for posted item to promote it; Fill the form about contact information for others to contact with you; Use the map offered by Malaysia Classifies to show the location of the item; Malaysia Classifies have an special function that report delivered daily or weekly to you email to find out key stats such as unique visitors, total view enquiries so that you can monitor your classifieds performance. Search Search by classifies, and type the key word to search needed items. Tips Buy and sell page got tips to guide customer use the webpage, customer can quickly learned how to use it. FAQ mySimplifieds offer an FAQ to solve frequent question that customer may be ask, if user still get problem, they can send email to mySimplifieds until get satisfied answer Comparison between 3 website website Advantage Disadvantage 2ndhand Simple, easy to use Poor features, not so much functions can choose by people Gumtree Free for post advertisement; Have promote function; Discussion function; Help function User need to charge promote function Web pages are very long need to roll down. mySimplifieds Advertisement function make the post items on its all affiliated portals at no extra cost Products do not display in sequence cannot see latest advertise post by users. Web pages are full of tips, difficult to find process function. 2.8 Overview development tools 2.8.1 HTML HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language, HTML is not a programming language, but is a markup language. A markup language is a set of markup tags. HTML uses markup tags to describe web pages. It provide a means to creat structured documents by denoting structureral semantics for text such as headings, paragraphs, lists etc as well as for links, quotes, and other items. It allows images and objects to be embedded and can be used to create interactive forms. It can include or can load scripts in languages such as JavaScript which affect the behavior of HTML processors like Web browsers; and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to define the appearance and layout of text and other material. 2.8.2 PHP PHP is a widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML. As a general purpose programming language, PHP code is processes by an interpreter application in command-line mode performing desired operating system operations and producing program out put on its standard output channel. It may also function as a graphical application. PHP is available as a processor for most modern web servers and as standalone interpreter on most operating system and computing platform. It is free for use, PHP group provide the complete source code for users to build, customize and extend for their own use. PHP originally designed to create dynamic web page, now mainly focus on server-side scripting. It is similar to ASP and JSP which provide dynamic content from a web server to a client. PHP is a member of the popular LAMP architecture which in the web industry as a method of deploying web application. PHP is representing P in LAMP; other three alphabets represent Linux, Apache and MySQL. Significant website are written in PHP include Facebook, Wikipedia, Yahoo, MyYearbook, Digg and so on. According Wikipedia, April 2007, over 20 million Internet domains had web services hosted on servers with PHP installed and mod-php was recorded as the most popular Apache HTTP Server module. 2.8.3 MySQL MySQL is the most popular open source SQL database management system, is developed, distributed, and supported by Sun Microsystems, Inc. MySQL consistent fast performance, high reliability and ease of use. Its used on every continent, even Antarctica. Individual web developers or worlds largest and fastest-growing organizations both use MySQL to save time and money powering their high-volume Web site, business-critical system and packaged software including industry leaders such as Yahoo!, Alcatel-Lucent, Google, Nokia, YouTube, and Zappos.com. MySQL support most of the function youve come to expect in a commercial RDBMS. It ensures that transactions comply with the ACID Model, allows the building of indexes, supports standard data types, and allows for database replication, among other features. MySQL also provide flexibility put you in control since it can runs on more than 20 platforms including Linux, Windows, Mac OS, Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX. 2.8.4 Apache Apache is public-domain, open source Web server developed by a loosely-knit group of programmers. Apache is generally recognized as the worlds most popular Web server (HTTP server). The first vision of Apache, based on the NCSA http Web server, was developed in 1995. Originally designed for UNIX servers, the Apache Web server has been ported to Windows and other network operating system (NOS). The name Apache derives from the word patchy that the Apache developers used to describe early versions of their software. The Apache Web server provides a full range of Web server features, including CGI, SSL, and virtual domains. Apache also supports plug-in modules for extensibility. Apache is reliable, free, and relatively easy to configure. Apache is free software distributed by the Apache Software Foundation. The Apache Software Foundation promotes various free and open source advanced Web technologies. 2.8.5 Benefits of use open source There are many reason for us to choose open source, here just list several important reasons to review. First of all, the cost will be a very important reason. The open source software is free. You no need to charge anything for it. You just download and install then can do your stuff with the software. Second is open source offer a high level security. Open source software packages are almost always secure than proprietary options. If you read reports from the Dti and Pwc you will found that all known viruses are targeting proprietary software system. It is hard to find any real data on the number of Linux viruses that are in circulation. The last but not least reason I want to write is features, because most open source software is developed by people who use it, so it tends to have more advance features. If theres something you want to do you can either modify the product yourself or pay someone to do it for you. If you wish to, you are free to contribute your modifications back to the community so that the software continues to improve. Most open source licenses only require you to do this if you re-distribute your modified product to others. 2.9 Conclusion From the literature review it can be concluded that secondhand market is appears a bucking retail trends both in campus and society. The secondhand market has a bright future and more and more people turn to buy secondhand items online. The review of exist secondhand system shows that the secondhand system has these common functions: search, browse, post advertisement, category and manage function. I learned advantages and disadvantages from these systems. I can design my system better with this knowledge. I choose Open source software to develop my system since its economy and rich functionality. I can easily use and find help from internet if I get problem cannot solve. Open source software is a good system development tool for the person who wants to develop a system without much money and experience.

Internet: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Essay

What exactly is the â€Å"Internet†? Imagine millions of computers all around the world linked together and exchanging information. The Internet is a global network made up of thousands of smaller networks. The Internet is like a huge town. If you wanted to send or receive mail you have an electronic post office. There are also libraries you can use any time you want, with millions of books and magazines and newspapers. Chat rooms are like the schoolyard or lunchroom except you can talk to people anytime you want. And on the World Wide Web, you can play games and listen to music (What is the Internet?). There are lots of good reasons to use the Internet. You can explore ways to learn and have fun. You can play games with other people anywhere in the world and find out interesting things you never knew before. The Internet allows you to access information anytime, anywhere. You can help plan your family vacation, do research for school projects, and read about your favorite movie star. You can exchange documents, pictures, music, video clips, and even software. You can listen to radio stations from around the world and send family photos. With the Internet you have instant communication with people all over the world. You can keep in touch with your friends and meet new ones, and get experts to answer your questions. But of course the Internet isn’t perfect. It sounds like a dream come true but there are many drawbacks in Internet use. Esther Dyson explains, â€Å"At it’s worse the Internet is like a repository of the most inaccurate, banal and slanderous cocktail-party conversation† (352). Basically anyone can make a website and post something on the Internet. There are no rules or laws about the credibility of the information online. Other problems the Internet has created are fraud and invasion of privacy. A recent survey reported that 143 million Americans are connected to the Internet. That means about 54 percent of the American population have Internet access (Examine Benefits and Drawbacks of Internet Use). The Internet has become one of the most useful and helpful tools available to people today. However, the Internet has pros and cons just like any other type of communication tool. The Internet was initially intended to be used as a network to connect different colleges, universities, government agencies and research centers. The main driving force behind the Internet is information. Someone, somewhere has some information they want to be read, and that there is someone else interested in reading it. And because of the technology behind the Internet and the World Wide Web all this wealth of information from around the globe and is within the reach of many people (Serano). The main benefit we gain from the Internet is information. The Internet is full of information and the fact that the information is available at the touch of a button makes getting information very convenient and easy to use. The Internet is always â€Å"open†. You can look something up at any time of the day. In addition, with Internet service available from home or work, looking for information doesn’t mean you have to drop what you’re doing and you don’t have to leave your office or your house. Also, nowadays there are â€Å"online courses†. Students can now get credit for a course without even leaving their bedrooms! Dyson clarifies that computers and the Internet are very useful but they will never be capable of replacing teachers. Teachers are role models, mentors and motivators to the students and a computer will never have the effect the teacher or the environment of a classroom has on the student (352-53). Currently, there is so much information on the Internet and looking for something can become tiring. People spend hours looking through different web sites before finding exactly what they’re looking for. Misleading information is serious and can lead to fraud. Fraud has turned into one of the most common Internet crimes (Serano). Many people are going to believe what they see or hear and will become the victims of these crimes. I think the consumer’s lack of caution is to blame. â€Å"People not properly prepared for this kind of world will become an increasing problem for themselves and for the rest of society† (Dyson 353). Another new type of crime is hacking. Hacking is illegal and it involves entry into other computers system. This type of crime has also become very  common and could result in great problems worldwide. Once someone has hacked into your computer everything on your computer is at risk. The hackers can snoop through all your information. Laws are in effect to protect against crimes like this, but the knowledge of the hackers grows as fast as the technology, making enforcement very difficult. Even with all of these dangers, there is still one more issue; the most important issue. Whether we like it or not, every move we make while on the Internet is tracked. Even the web sites we visit are followed. The information people get from following Internet users are very useful to companies. They can get your name and address and send you information about their company. Getting your information can really boost a company’s profit. There is no law that prevents the monitoring of Internet usage, so there really isn’t anything anyone can do about it. The Internet was originally created by the CIA in the 1960s and now 4 decades later, almost every household in the world uses it. The Internet was created to link information and to send messages within branches of government, now it’s considered a major mass medium. The Internet has many advantages as well as disadvantages for all its users. The Internet keeps thousands of people communicated and businesses linked together. Also the Internet has united two mass mediums. One example of this convergence is newspapers. The Internet has the advantage that it unites people from all over the world. More and more people each day own a computer and are linked to the World Wide Web. Communication has never been easier with sources like voice chat and instant messaging. Dyson,Esther. â€Å"A Map of the Network Society.† The New World Reader. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. (350-356). Examine Benefits and Drawbacks of Internet Use. 6 Feb. 2002. 2 Nov. 2004 . Serrano, Justin. INTERNET: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. 2 Nov. 2004 . â€Å"What is the Internet?† LEARN THE NET: FAQs for Kids. 2 Nov. 2004 .

How Can Government Support Business Growth in the Uk

How Can Government Support Business Growth in the UK? Judging from major shopping centres and high streets, it is easy to conclude that the UK is dominated by large successful businesses. â€Å"However, Office for National Statistics figures (2008) show that 89% of all UK enterprises have less than 10 employees and 98. 1% have less than 50 employees; the very largest companies account for just 0. 4% of all UK business enterprises† (Birchall, 2009). Although there are several advantages of being a small firm, most businesses want to grow and this inspires the question: â€Å"What is business growth? LinkedIn (2012) defines business growth as â€Å"an innovation that delivers solutions to customers while adding value both internally and externally to our processes as well as increasing customer value while increasing profits†. In less complex terms, a business is said to be growing when it gets a better return on its investment. In this essay, I will be discussing the wa ys the government can support business growth. In doing this research, a question popped in my head, â€Å"Why should the government support business growth? † One of the major problems facing the UK currently is unemployment.Once a business starts growing, it is essential to hire more people to help power the development and ensure stability. As such, the problem of unemployment will be considerably reduced. Secondly, Stokes and Wilson (2006) have argued that â€Å"in recent times, small firms have proved to be an abundant source of very inventive ideas however, they lack resources to put them into practice without external assistance†. They also highlighted the fact that small firms are essential to compete with larger companies by providing alternating sources of supply thereby playing an immeasurable role in the anti-monopoly policy.Insufficient finance is a major cause of business failure and this is one of the major hindrances encountered by businesses in their p ursuit of growth. â€Å"Finance is critical for starting, maintaining and growing small and medium businesses therefore, it is vital that both start-ups and existing businesses have access to the full range of debt and equity financing options† (Department for Business Innovation and Skills, 2010). Cameron (2011) in his speech about the role of small businesses expressed his shock at the way small and medium enterprises are blocked out of procurement and acquisition opportunities.In applying for bank loans, a business is required to possess a form of collateral or guarantee to support the application. Unfortunately for most businesses, they do not have sufficient collateral to back the application. The government can therefore set up schemes to help entrepreneurs obtain finance from financial institutions by agreeing to guarantee loans. For example, in 2011, Hong Kong launched the SME Loan Guarantee Scheme which was aimed at helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) obtain loans from financial institutions and in one year, there has been tremendous growth in several industries (SME Fund, 2012).In addition to guaranteeing loans, the UK government can also help firms or industries attract external investors or experts in specific fields – private individuals and companies. This can be achieved by either providing certain incentives to the investors and experts who will not only provide the funds needed to run the business but possess the knowledge and expertise required to grow the business; or creating a platform for entrepreneurs to present their ideas to these investors. In 2005, the British Broadcasting Corporation, backed by the UK government launched a show, Dragon’s Den (BBC, 2012).This was aimed at giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their businesses to five of the most wealthy business moguls in the UK. Also, in 2005, Mozambique’s government solicited the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to help develop the ir tourism sector and in less than five years after, Mozambique has attracted over $33 million in investment and designated over 13,000 ha of land as sustainable tourism zones (IFC, 2012). The government can help the unemployed and disadvantaged start-up businesses of their own through special schemes.In 1999, the government recognised the need to encourage start-ups in disadvantaged companies so the Phoenix Fund was set up (Open Forum, 2012). The major objective of this scheme was to encourage investment in new and growing businesses. However, the unemployed population are still being ignored and some of them genuinely want to work but have met with one difficulty or another (Open Forum, 2012). The government can help by creating enabling opportunities for people to set up their own businesses at home. They can also set up Enterprise Allowance Schemes which will serve as incentives to these entrepreneurs.Furthermore, the government can interfere with the free market and save failin g businesses. However, there are two sides to this coin. On one hand, government’s intervention through policies would result in a better controlled trading environment and can stabilise faltering economies. An example of this is the 2008 financial crises when the UK government stepped in to help the large banks and struggling automakers. On the other hand, government’s interventions may result in inefficiency such as price floors e. g. EU's Common Agriculture Policy which created huge surpluses (excess butter to make a cube of butter with 125m sides) (Debate Org. 2012) Another way the UK government can support business growth is to lighten the burden of taxation and administrative processes required to start up and run a business. The Bolton Committee suggested that taxation policies should reflect the government’s encouragement of entrepreneurial activity and improve the marketability of small businesses i. e. improving the degree to which an asset can be trad ed in the market without affecting its price (Stokes and Wilson, 2006). The government responded to this suggestion by giving small firms the advantage of benefitting from lower corporation tax rates.For example, a company with profits from ? 50,000 to ? 300,000 has a tax rate of 19%. However, once profits increase above this range, they are liable to the full 30% tax rate (UK Legislation, 2012). Similar to all other businesses, even the very small firms are responsible for health and safety on their premises for all workers and customers. For example, The Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act (1963) give employers thorough responsibilities ranging from machinery safety to even the temperature of the working environment.Another example is the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) which requires employers to take steps to ensure disabled employees are not discriminated against. Small firms have experienced major difficulties in following these regul ations to the letter. The government can help here by reducing its requirements regarding very small firms and by encouraging their inspectors to increase their awareness of smaller firms’ interests (UK Legislation, 2012). The third way in which the government can support business growth is in the provision of information and advice.Of all the factors initiating growth, the most important is luck and the ability to be aware of chance opportunities (Gill, 1985). In 1993, the UK government launched what Stokes and Wilson (2006) refer to as â€Å"a network of independent local business information and advice centres offering a range of services to the business community, designed to enhance the competitiveness of local companies†. This network is known as Business Links. The government can develop this initiative by providing online information and services thereby, reaching a larger range of businesses.However, Office for National Statistics (2008) show that 24% of SMEs lack online presence. Therefore, in addition to providing online information, the government has to encourage these companies to log on to the internet. Business owners and entrepreneurs tend to value advice from experienced business moguls. Therefore, the government can set up â€Å"business mentoring organisations that will provide practical advice and contacts for other businesses, based on hands-on experience† (Department for Business Innovation and Skills, 2010).In 1972, on the recommendation of the Bolton Committee, the Small Firms Service (SFS) was set up to provide information through a network of 13 Small Firms Centres (SFCs); however, this service packed up in 1990 due to the irresponsibility and negligence of the management. In spite of the failure of the service in the UK, other governments recognised that if these organisations were successful, the benefits cannot be over-emphasized (Open Forum, 2012). They therefore set up similar schemes e. g. he United States Small Business Administration, the Australian business services portal of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources and the Small Business Directorate in the Ministry of Economic Development in New Zealand (LinkedIn, 2012). Business growth brings improved survival prospects through larger market shares, diversification into different markets and greater finance. It also brings an increased feeling of status and power. Most importantly, it enables a firm enjoy economies of scale. Wikipedia (2012) defines economies of scale as â€Å"the cost advantages that an enterprise obtains due to expansion†.The common sources of economies of scale are purchasing – bulk buying of materials through long-term contracts, managerial – increasing the specialization of managers, financial – obtaining lower-interest charges when borrowing from banks and having access to a greater range of financial instruments, marketing – spreading the cost of advertising over a greater range of output in media market and technological – taking advantage of returns to scale in the production function. In the 1990s during the Asian economic crises, Tesco saw this as an opportunity to enter the market and once the economies started to recover, they emerged stronger.Today, they are the market leader in Thailand (Floyd, 2011). Whereas growth is encouraged, there are a number of possible problems arising from growth. Firstly, expansion brings pressure on a firms’ liquidity e. g. as a result of offering additional credit to encourage sales, and on its level of gearing. Also, although growth may have been planned efficiently by managers, they may find that this growth makes the firm’s various functions or projects more difficult to co-ordinate and to control, and its communication procedures slower.In addition, there is no guarantee that what is popular in the UK market will become equally popular overseas, because of local and national dif ferences (e. g. due to culture). Control and co-ordination also become more difficult as a result of international expansion. A good example of when business growth has been a huge disadvantage to a company is General Motors Limited in the USA (Open Forum, 2012). In conclusion, the three ways in which the UK government can support business growth are by improving access to finance, making information and advice available to people and by lightening tax and administrative load.However, even though supporting business growth is essential, it is important that this growth be controlled because even though small firms make less profit than the larger ones and have low chances of surviving in the dynamic world of business, they offer a better and more flexible service to customers and their staff often benefit from high levels of motivation. They are also able to exploit their size and take advantage of the opportunities presented by diseconomies of scale suffered by large firms.Most imp ortantly, they play an important role in ensuring the economy remains balanced. Reference List * Birchall, N. (2009) ‘Survival of the smallest’, Business Review Journal, (Sept 2009), pp. 5-7 * British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2012) Dragon’s Den [Online]. Available at: http://www. bbc. co. uk/programmes/p01009mj (Accessed on 13th October 2012) * Cameron, D. (2011) Is the Government serious about supporting small business? [Online]. Available at: http://goo. gl/l2rBl (Accessed on 13th October 2012) * Debate org. 2012) Should the government intervene with the free market and save failing businesses? [Online]. Available at: http://www. debate. org/opinions (Accessed on 1st November 2012) * Department for Business Innovation and Skills (2010) Backing small business [Online]. Available at: http://goo. gl/9gGe9 (Accessed on 13th October 2012) * Drucker, P. (1985) Innovation and Entrepreneurship. London: Heinemann * Floyd, D. (2011) Revise AS ; A2: Business Studie s. London: Letts Educational Ltd. * Gill, J. (1985) Factors affecting the survival and growth of the smaller company.Hants: Gower Publishing Company Limited * IFC (2012) Helping Attract Investment in Mozambique’s Tourism Sector [Online]. Available at: http://goo. gl/wkZqZ (Accessed on 30th October 2012) * LinkedIn (2012) Business Growth [Online]. Available at: http://www. linkedin. com (Accessed on 1st November 2012) * Office for National Statistics (2008) UK Business Statistics [Online]. Available at: http://nationalstatistics. gov. uk (Accessed on 12th October 2012) * Open Forum (2011) Why the Government should help Young Entrepreneurs start business [Online]. Available at: http://goo. l/uYwiZ (Accessed on 13th October 2012) * SME Fund (2012) SME Loan Guarantee Scheme [Online]. Available at: http://www. smefund. tid. gov. hk/english/sgs/sgs_objective. html (Accessed on 30th October 2012) * Stokes, D. and Wilson, N. (2006) Small Business Management ; Entrepreneurship. London : Thomson Learning * UK Legislation (2012) Employment and Tax-related Laws [Online]. Available at: http://www. legislation. gov. uk (Accessed on 2nd November 2012) * Wikipedia (2012) Economies of scale [Online]. Available at: http://www. wikipedia. com (Accessed on 4th November 2012)

Behind Bars essays

Behind Bars essays Capital punishment, better known as the death penalty, is a sentence for many of today ¡s murderers. The death penalty is the most effective way to punish a murderer spite the contradictions of life without parole. The death penalty also is fairer to the victims and their families. It is sometimes less expensive, and does not give the killer a second chance to be back out on the streets. To dispute contrary belief, there is not a very big risk of wrongful death. On the down side there are also morality and Christianity factor involved with the penalty. The death penalty is fairer to the victim and the families of the victim. In a homicide the right to live has been taken away by the murderer. No victim has ever said,  ¡kill me I want to die. ¡ Therefore, it is only proper and fair to the killer to have his life taken away also. Morality also plays a big part in the right of a murderer. Morality is defined as the principles of right and wrong. As human beings, we deserve the right praise of the good deeds accomplished and punishment for the wrong doings. Punishment can range from being yelled at to the death penalty depending on the seriousness of the crime. In the United States if one is sentenced to murder, he or she is actually getting off lighter than in other countries. There are five methods of execution used in the United States: lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas, hanging, and the use of a firing squad. Lethal injection is when a criminal is given a lethal dose of an anesthetic. During this process the victim dies of respiratory and cardiac arrest while he or she is asleep.  ¡The second method used is electrocution. There is an initial blast of 2,300 volts lasting for eight seconds. Followed by a low-voltage jolt of 1000 volts for twenty-two seconds and finally a jolt of 2,300 volts for eight seconds. The murderer is diagnosed unconscious immediately, or within the first eight s...

Abortion the Issue.-(Parallelism) Essays

Abortion the Issue.-(Parallelism) Essays Abortion the Issue.-(Parallelism) Essay Abortion the Issue.-(Parallelism) Essay Abortion Speech Abortion is the deliberate killing of the weakest and most defenseless among us. Unfortunately, the last few decades, the practice has been recognized as a fundamental human right. The act of abortion should be illegal. We cannot keep murdering innocent lives, we cannot keep telling society that it is within their power or right and we cannot keep ignoring the issue. -(parallelism). Abortion is the return of an unwanted gift. -(metaphor). Abortion is wrong for many reasons. The major problem is when the act of an abortion is performed, another child, another human, who could change the future and even make the world a better place, is brutally killed. Our society should be responsible for protecting all life, not destroying it. There are always cases of women who just don’t want their baby, or can’t care for them. If someone doesn’t want their baby or cant care for their child, there is always adoption. There are families out there that can’t have children, so the logical thing to do would be to give their baby to someone who wants them. However, there are some cases that involve rape and or harm to the baby, the mother, or both. In some cases, they should still consider adoption. I would rather say, â€Å"I gave my baby away to have a better life† than say, â€Å"I killed my baby for selfish reasons†. Abortion is not legal or illegal because of the Roe vs. Wade case, but that still doesn’t make it right. – (historical allusion) Abortion symbolizes the bleeding of the heart. -(symbolism). As directed by the top 10, abortion is as wrong and in humane as murder. (biblical allusion and simile). They are killing away a baby from their mistakes. They are throwing away life, something so precious that women who can’t have children envy them. Once they murder their baby, they will have that blood on their hands forever. I will not stop fighting until abortion is illegal. I will not stop fighting until all abortion clinics are shut down. (repetition). How would you feel if you later regrett ed the destruction of your baby and you knew it wasn’t their fault?

Philosophy of Art Monroe Beardsley's Aesthetic Definition of Art Essay

Philosophy of Art Monroe Beardsley's Aesthetic Definition of Art - Essay Example The paper will review the min concepts and definitions of art proposed by Monroe Beardsley, and then, critically review the proposed concepts. In this, its ultimate role is to provide a critique of its own conditions of possibility. And, as is well known, for Beardsley this became a matter of artists acknowledging the flatness of the picture plane as a way of asserting what they took to be the essential fact about the nature of painting. Beardsley defines artwork as: "something produced with the intension of giving it the capacity to satisfy the authentic interest" (Beardsley 57). Beardsley has in mind such audience responses as noticing details, recognizing patterns, making interpretations, filling in the work, etc (Beardsley 55). It is against this understanding of avant-garde art, the genuine art of the contemporary world, that Beardsley articulates his understanding of modern art. Avant-garde art is abstract, whereas modern art ostensibly favors representation. Avant-garde art is reflexive, whereas modern art is generally imitative. Avant-garde art is introverted -- it is about itself (it is about its medium). Modern art is extroverted; it is about the world. Moreover, in being introverted, avant-garde art is detached from practical affairs and disinterested, whereas by representing the world, modern art is implicated in practical concerns (Beardsley 55). In order to accomplish this, genuine art must be difficult, whereas Beardsley believes that modern art can be enjoyed without effort. Moreover, this emphasis on the active response of the spectator in genuine art is what leads Beardsley to nominate avant-garde art as the genuine art of our times, since avant-garde art requires an active spectator to fill in its open structures. Thus, avant-garde art can be said to preserve the central value of art properly so-called. For art properly so-called has always been dedicated to engendering active spectatorship. Indeed, commitment to this role, it would appear, is a necessary feature of art for Beardsley, as it is for many other modern theorists of art. On the other hand, Beardsley maintains that art involves 'unreflective enjoyment'. It abets passive spectatorship -- of the sort putatively evinced by 'couch potatoes' -- whereas Beardsley, with the authority of a long tradition behind him, presumes that a necessary feature of genuine art in volves a commitment to active vowing (Beardsley 56). Avant-garde art accords with this profile. In order to appreciate it, a certain sort of knowledge and background information will have to come into play, if, for example, one is to identify the reflexive comment that an abstract array makes on the nature of painting. Beardsley argues: "once we know what things are artworks in a particular society, we can identify artistic activities by discovering which activities involve interaction with artworks" (Beardsley 57). To interpret such a work one must be initiated into a certain discourse and, even after one assimilates the relevant art discourse, a great deal of cogitation will still be required in order to apply that discourse with understanding to the painting at hand. Such painting demands intellectual work from the spectator because of its hermetic structure, which serves as a difficult obstacle, or puzzle,

The Assault on Reason by Al Gore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Assault on Reason by Al Gore - Essay Example Extrapolating this to â€Å"The Assault on Reason† by Al Gore, the basic premise is essentially the same. The practice of politics that is an affront to reason and instead preys upon my insecurities and fears often leads to sections of society, by their nature of being less privileged, vulnerable to further exploitation. In a society where there is a premium on high skilled jobs filled by people with college degrees and access to sophisticated programs of skill development, the marginalization of certain ethnic communities happens in a â€Å"double whammy† fashion. First, these communities are not able to put themselves through college or pay for acquiring specialized skills. In a further affront, they are pushed down the chain as a result of non availability of jobs that can employ them. Thus, they not only are left out of the race but go down the â€Å"food chain† as well. This is just one instance of how the current political and economic structure favors a pr ivileged few at the expense of the majority. If Al Gore were to re-write his book, he can draw lots of inspiration from Prof. Young’s framework and this paper looks at how the ideas of Gore as well as Young have a certain convergence as far as the theme of oppression is concerned. Essentially, both Al Gore and Prof. Young have the same theme of state power and power of the elite employing the methods of control and influence. While Prof. Young has provided a framework of oppression listing the five faces, Al Gore details the practices of state and elite control over the masses. The difference here is one of theory (Young) and practice (Gore) that may be explained by the fact that while Prof. Young’s was an academic study, Al Gore’s book was made for a wider target audience and written in a style that is easily understood by the lay reader. Each chapter of Al Gore’s book is a detailed description of the ways in which the mainstream media, the