Columbine Book Report (1-100)

Columbine by Dave Cullen (pages 1-100) I. Summary Columbine High School (CHS) is a suburban public school located in Jefferson County, Colorado. Frank DeAngelis, a middle aged man who had previously coached football and baseball for sixteen years at Columbine, was the principal of the close-knit high school. He was loved by his students and admired by his staff for his ability to address his students as mature adults. The student body looked up to him and appreciated his truthfulness and lack of sugarcoating when serious topics were being discussed.Three days before prom an assembly was called to strengthen the awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Instead of just lecturing the students Mr. DeAngelis used his own life experiences to teach and guide the students along the safe paths that still allowed for occasional goofing off. The author, Dave Cullen, then jerks the focus of the book to the teenage boys who would later kill twelve students, one teacher, and severely wound twenty-three of their peers.Eric Harris and Dlyan Klebold were the typical high school students, albeit they had some distinctive quirks that set them aside from the rest of their peers. Eric Harris was a psychopath; this fact allowed him to commit a terrible crime without feeling empathy or remorse for his victims. However, on the outside he was anything but antisocial (or criminal). Eric smoke, drank, dated—all within a close circle of friends. Yet, he was excellent at manipulation. His lies were so finely tuned that even his ex-military father suspected nothing. Eric received a slew of A’s from his teachers; every single one of them considered him a â€Å"good kid†.No one ever suspected that anything as devastating or horrifying could erupt from such a well-rounded kid from a nice family. This is why Dave Cullen’s description of Dylan Klebold who â€Å"tried extremely hard to emulate Eric† was not mistaken. Although Dylan was considerably smarter than Eric, Eric seemed to have a hold on Dylan’s authentically shy demeanor. Dylan, being more self-conscious, latched onto Eric’s strong personality that radiated confidence. Moreover, Dylan was suicidally depressed, which left him vulnerable to Eric’s manipulative ways. II. AnalysisUnderstanding who the perpetrators were behind the Columbine shooting continues to be the most compelling theme dictated throughout the entirety of the first one hundred pages of Dave Cullen’s masterpiece Columbine. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were both unbelievably smart teens who had shared an impossible friendship held together by a mutual dislike of society. Although sharing this bond, by no means were they alike—which is why their association with each other astounds investigators to this day. Neither of the boys came from broken families or had diagnosed issues that could have raised a red flag to anyone paying close enough attent ion.Eric had a small police record for blowing up illegal fireworks, but that was the extent of his â€Å"criminal† records. Dylan was even less on the (philosophical) radar. He was naturally quiet, yet more aware of his surroundings. If Dylan had not known Eric, it is guaranteed that the damage he did would only be to himself. Dylan never would have taken the lives of other people if he had succeeded in taking his own life first. This is thoroughly discussed by the author for a significant amount of each chapter. Eric’s initial influence on Dylan drastically increases when they start making plans for the massacre.The now copious amounts of time the boys spent together deepened the influence they had on each other, but Dylan seemed overwhelmed throughout the entirety of the author’s writing. Dylan’s clothing style, taste in music, taste in girls, and his general interests appeared to mirror Eric’s as progression through the hundred page section was made. Dylan inevitably lost what little he had of his individuality. III. Personal Opinion I am thoroughly enjoying Dave Cullen’s Columbine. This book took ten years to write; I completely understand why he waited and appreciate the time he took to methodically research the Columbine Massacre.The way Cullen embeds his research into a fast paced storyline is flawless and it continues to inspire me to learn and use the same technique. By clearly writing â€Å"But nothing separated the boys’ personalities like a run-in with authority. Dylan would be hyperventilating, Eric calmly calculating. Eric’s cool head steered them clear of most trouble†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , Cullen clearly illustrates subtle personality differences in a way that also depicts what kind of lives they led. I'm not saying that run-ins with the police happened frequently (it’s actually quite on the contrary), however the clarity is refreshing.A reader can move along without tripping over words t hat are weakly juxtaposed together. One aspect of Dave Cullen’s writing intrigues me more than anything. The way he smoothly transitions between the past and present allows for careful plot lines to thoroughly develop into an interesting piece of careful, intelligent research that includes incredible diction. In a passage on page nineteen Cullen writes â€Å"Most nights included an open-mike period, where you could watch an aging drunk strum ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ segue into the Gilligan’s Island theme, and forget the words. , Cullen’s dry tone brings humor to the carefully written sentence. IV. Quote Response â€Å"Eric was always a dreamer, but he liked them ugly: bleak and morose, yet boring as hell. He saw beauty in the void. Eric dreamed of a world where nothing ever happened. A world where the rest of us had been removed†¦. Anger turned inwards equals depression. Dylan Klebold was not a man of action. He was conscripted by a boy who was. † (page 45) This quote accurately describes each of the boys’ personalities in a simple yet dignified way.Analyzing the boys themselves becomes easier when you have a glimpse into their psyche. Part of Cullen’s research actually included reading journals written by Eric and Dylan, so theories that are drawn or compiled by Cullen are that much more reliable. Although these are still opinions there is hard evidence that this quote developed from, which is why it is the most important quote within the first one hundred pages. Knowledge that Eric was considered â€Å"a dreamer† is particularly helpful to the reader.Habitually being in your own world (head) leads to some level of development of an antisocial demeanor, however Eric was anything but antisocial. This is an interesting variable that further complicates the question of Why?. Conversely, Dylan was shy and not as confident. Cullen does not state this in the quote specifically. When Cullen writes Dyla n â€Å"was conscripted by a boy who was†, the interpretation is partly left to the reader’s understanding of the phrase â€Å"a boy who was†. Dylan was just there; no purpose or goal, he just was†¦.

Academic Success Essay

A lot of students think that learning is only in class. If students use two extra steps, most students will not forget what they learned in class. To achieve effective learning, students needed to follow two extra steps in the three strategic learning processes. The key to success is by following these three strategies. Review is essential to student success. Unless content is reviewed by students shortly after it is learned, it will soon be forgotten. To avoid forgetting what you learned, it is recommended to review daily. It is also recommended to reduce large volumes of notes into point form and to paraphrase what you have learned. Other helpful tips include creating concept maps and diagrams; creating fact, concept or vocabulary cards and using visualization to better connect to what you learned. These are all important tools to helping students better understand and memorize lesson content. The key to achieving academic success cannot be directly correlated to one specific area. Rather it requires students to be overall rounded in many different aspects. This includes attending class regularly to keep pace with the class. Falling behind in studies or homework can be detrimental to academic success and can induce stress onto students. Participating in class activities and discussions are also vital parts of learning and applying concepts learned. On the other hand, taking good, concise notes will always help in the long run when reviewing for tests and exams. To sum it all up, strategic learning is the password for many academic achievements. Being exposed to knowledge is the first step in the journey, the fact that young scholars can learn and be a part of history is a phenomenal step in furthering their search to success. Reviewing notes, in the way the young individual wishes, by him/herself, or with a good friend, this will help him/her to understand what has been learned in a way s/he understands. Lastly practice is a great way to memorise what has bee n learned, when practice achieves its full potential, the individual won’t only be entitled for a good mark, but also a way to view, under & think of things. Those three attributes will help scholars become more successful, but it’s important to one as it is to the other, and each and every person should find the learning strategies effectual for him/herself, and in extremely exceptional occasions even invent or innovate new strategies. Academic Success Essay Answer each question below in at least 75 words per question, reflecting on your current abilities, and identify resources to strengthen your skills. Refer to the videos, readings, and other weekly assignments to help you compose your answers. Question Your reflection How would you define academic readiness? See more: Examples of satire in adventures of huckfinn essay I would define academic readiness as being ready,willing and able to let yourself learn.Having the mindset to be ready to take on one of the hardest obstacles of your life.Learning new things doesn’t come easy to everyone.Especially me. I graduated high school 16 years ago,and vowed to never continue my education because I was scared and had low self-esteem.I learned over the years that I can do things,even if its hard or uncomfortable,if I set my mind to it.I am ready,academically,and personally to learn and to achieve my goals,because I need to be and deserve to be. What concerns, if any, do you have with academic writing and reading? I’m concerned mainly with writing essays.Since its been many years since I’ve had to write anything lengthy or of any real importance,I’m not very confident about it.I am,however,confident in my spelling and reading skills.I am looking forward to developing new skills in writing and learning how to put a good essay in order ,since there are many resources available to help me. What two university resources will you use to strengthen your writing and reading skills (refer to your Student Resources Worksheet)? The first resource I will be using is the Center for Writing Excellence.I can get live assistance,step by step guide’s and tutorials.I believe this will be a wonderful opportunity to learn different writing techniques and to make sure I am doing it all properly.The second resource I will utilize are the workshops.In my spare time,I will set a goal of at least 2 hours a week participating in a writing workshop to further my learning. What is your personal learning style (refer to the Ch. 1 Aplia homework)? I have learned  that I am kinesthetic.I never knew there were so many different types of learning before I started this class.I always knew,even as a child,that if the subject didn’t appeal to me personally,I couldn’t pay attention or learn anything.Knowing the information I know now,I understand why I always had such a hard tim e with math. I learn by feeling something emotionally or seeing something be done. Seeing and feeling is the way I connect to everything.Numbers is one thing I don’t comprehend easily,but I succeed in reading because I can emotionally get involved in a story. What are two obstacles you might need to overcome (refer to your Life Factors and personality assessments)? Learning how to manage my time more efficiently.I need to figure out how to manage being a wife,mother,employee and student all in one day.Another obstacle is learning how to handle stress.When I feel overwhelmed,It’s normally a very bad thing.I tend to freak out on everyone who means the most to me,which is something I need help with immediately.It’s not fair to my family. I’m going to be under alot of pressure juggling everything and I want to know how to properly deal with it. What strategies can you use to overcome these obstacles and be successful? I will get a calendar and start writing down my to-do l ist daily.I will set a time limit for each thing to manage my time correctly.As for my stress and anger,I will utilize the Life Resource Center. I am willing to take any advice given to me to help me become the best student,wife,mother and employee that I know I can be.I am willing and able to change,with the right guidance and techniques. How does knowing your personal learning style help you be successful? Knowing that I am kinesthetic and that I learn by seeing and feeling,makes me realize that I need to explore the other learning styles.Experimenting in other ways of learning,I may find that now that I’m older and more experienced at life,ways I learned when I was younger,may not be the only way I can learn now. I honestly haven’t had to learn anything academically for so many years,that trying a new style,might not be such a bad idea. Do you feel you are ready for the academic and financial commitment of attending college? Yes.The reason I am ready,is because I have been procrastinating way too long.Life doesn’t wait for you to keep saying â€Å"I’ll do it next month†¦next year,ect.†Life goes on,whether you’re ready or not.I’m 35 years old.My kids are growing up. Days fly by. You don’t know when your last day on Earth will  be.I’m ready. I’m ready to prove to myself and my family that I can achieve my dream. I’m ready to put my all into this,and I’m willing to work as hard as I can to pay for my expenses as well. How can goal setting and time management help you reach your goals? Goal setting and time management is extremely important,and also something I definitely need to improve. It will help me succeed in my dream of graduating and becoming a substance abuse counselor.I’ve never been very good at setting goals properly in the past,or managing my time wisely.Now,after I have read the chapter on the subject,I have learned ways of becoming more efficient with my time. Having goals in life is something everyone needs. Goals give you hope,and something to look forward to.Learning to make the most of your time will help you achieve these goals and make you a more productive person.

Peer pressure at school

The school playground is often a mine field of potential social challenges for many children. While some children thrive in the playground, few are immune to at least some difficulties with their peers. This article highlights seven common peer problems your children may face at school. Teasing and bullying Teasing and bullying are unfortunately still common in the school yard. These issues will often not occur until after age seven or eight, and research indicates that at least three out of five sixth grade students experienced or participated in bullying in schools in New South Wales. See links below for more information. Loneliness Making friends is more challenging for some students than for others. Some parents become concerned if their children do not have a large number of friends. However, research indicates that the number of friends your child has is less important than the depth of the friendships. Better to have a narrow but deep pool of friends than a wide and shallow friendship circle. Good friendships take time, attention, and more time to develop. Get your children together with other kids regularly to solidify their relationships. Ostracism Some children will be intentionally left out of activities. There may or may not be teasing and bullying involved. This is a particular challenge, not just in the schoolyard, but also when birthday party invites are being distributed. Missing out can make a child feel awful. If your child is being ostracised, provide support, encourage alternative friendships, or consider involving your child’s teacher. Gender Issues Boys and girls are beginning to learn about one another throughout primary school. Most of the time boys and girls will choose to play separately. But by around age nine, some children are beginning to have an increasing awareness of the opposite sex and may even start to claim boyfriend and girlfriend status. While this can often be harmless, in many instances having a boy or girlfriend can create significant social challenge. Teasing can occur. Children can be unceremoniously dumped when friends uncover the ‘relationship’ and spread rumours about it. Most teachers and parents will typically agree that boyfriend and girlfriend relationships should be discouraged in primary school years. Many parents would prefer to discourage them until at least age 16! ) Being Cool†¦ or Not By around the age of nine, many children have a keen sense of what is cool and what is not. Much of this is controlled by what they are exposed to via the media (through the Internet, television, and movies). If your child has not got the latest media gadget (e. g. ipod or mobile phone), seen the latest movie, or does not know the words t o the hottest song in the country, they may feel excluded and could be teased or ostracised. This does not mean that children should be indulged or that your personal standards should be altered, but sensitive parents will likely take care to discuss such issues with their children and seek mutually agreeable solutions. Poor performance Children who perform poorly in academic (or other pursuits such as sport) may be excluded or find distance between themselves and their peers. This is a challenge that can be overcome using strategies outlined. Marginalising Minorities Children who present obvious differences to the majority of students, such as race, religion, or even socio-economic status, can often suffer socially because of the perceptions that they are not like everyone else. These issues can be particularly salient for girls once they reach age ten to twelve, although both genders can be affected. Skin colour or ethnicity, like religious habits, cannot and should not be changed to accommodate the majority. Instead, tolerance can be promoted by parents and schools to aid in peer relationships. Peer pressure â€Å"He who saves one life it is as though he saves the world†. You make the call, you have control over what you want to do or not do. Do you really want to do it, or are you too scared to stand up for yourself and just say no? You must stand up for yourself, and be confident with your decision. What if you say yes? What if you decide not to stand up for yourself? What if you are not confident? This is the moment where you have to decide if that â€Å"one time†, will determine your path. But you really have to stop and think for a moment. Is what you are doing a complete and true definition of you? Whose life are you really leading? There are two kinds of peer pressure. The Positive kind, and the Negative kind. The positive kind of peer pressure is, being pressured or convinced to do a certain task that you may not have had the confidence to complete or to do yourself. Another kind of positive peer pressure is when friends convince you not to do something that may not have been in your best interest. Negative peer pressure is just what it sounds like—It is when Peers try to make you think that they know what is best for you. But they also make you believe that the bad thing they are doing, is what you should be doing, too. They try to direct you down a path, which is not the correct one. They push for you to have JUST ONE drink. To smoke JUST ONE cigarette†¦. But, the thing that you can do to save yourself is not always the easiest thing to do– saying NO. But just saying no may or may not be the end of the problem. What it means is that you have to be certain and confident with your choice, and have the inner strength to know that you are doing the right thing. Being accepted by people who want you to be a follower, and to go down what may be the wrong path, is being accepted or thinking that you will be accepted by people who are not really your friends. Many people forget what the true definition of friend is. Peer pressure, is something that is commonly used on teens. Peer pressure is used, both in positive and negative ways, unfortunately it's used more often in negative ways. Because of this, I feel that peer pressure is more harmful than beneficial. Peer pressure can be a very powerful tool against teens. It can be used to onvince peers to drink, smoke, steal and many other things. Too many times teenagers end up in jail, pregnant, or in some other kind of trouble because of something they were pressured into doing. They do things they have never done before like; lying to their parents, drinking alcohol, smoking, and sometimes illegal things. They do all these risky things because they have been pressured into doing what is â€Å"co ol†. It can be very hard to stand up for yourself, as a teen trying to fit in, especially when your being ganged up on by your peers to do something you wouldn't normally do. Peer pressure can also be used by teens to convince other teens to go to church, not party, or hang with the wrong crowd. Although this kinda of peer pressure is rarely used, it's very beneficial. Sometimes when one teen see's another going down the wrong path and making bad decisions, they try to pressure them into doing the right thing. Teens often tell each other to â€Å"be safe† when their; having parties, drinking, or putting themselves into any situation that they could get into trouble. Although this is positive peer pressure, it's normally not as powerful or convincing as negative peer pressure because it implies that what that teen is doing, is okay or safe. Peer pressure is a very diverse tool, that can be used for good and bad, but overall it's a more powerful tool when used in a negative way. Because of this and the fact that negative peer pressure is used more often, I believe that peer pressure can be, but is not, more beneficial than harmful. Peer pressure is the influence of a peer group to an individual, causing them to change their attitudes, values and behaviour. It refers to any individual who is being persuaded in doing something that is against their judgment but does not have the courage to stand their ground and do the right thing. It weakens the sense of an individual because of the saying â€Å"everybody is going to do it† which makes them think that such thing is correct. It causes the youth to strive for social acceptance which makes and individual do something he/she is not comfortable of doing. Peer pressure is most commonly associated with the youth, especially the students, because they spend most of their day in school with their friends and classmates. Although peer pressure does not necessarily have to be negative, it also has some positive sides. It can make a student strive for academic success because of their peers or it can improve the study habits of students. The study habits of students are highly affected by peer pressure. Study habits are the approach on how school works are done and how students budget their time in doing tasks. It is crucial to the performance of students but also easily affected by peer pressure. It may cause some positive or negative effects. Peers may influence their classmates to study or not. Students also study together.

Quiz on Plant Biotechnology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quiz on Plant Biotechnology - Assignment Example In the gene gun (biolistics) method for plant transformation, the DNA is coated specifically on gold particles, so that the gold particles can impact on the Petri-dish, to introduce an interruption of the gel and the callus, so that they are eventually separated from the main DNA components that are within the DNA particle suspension. This disruption is then followed by the migration of the DNA into a plant chromosome derived from the leave, and gets integrated to establish newly genetically modified plant cells, which are then incubated at the right cell growth chambers, to allow the transgenic cells to grow (Clark, n.p.). A reporter gene is the gene that is used to replace the coding region of a DNA sequence, so that it can prevent the normal protein component that is normally fixed in that spot within the gene sequence from attaching at the spot (Plant transformation methods, n.p.). This prevention creates an opportunity for the intended gene to take the spot of the original prote in that needs to be replaced in the gene sequence, eventually producing a new sequence that has the reporter gene as part of the new sequence. ... he ease of introducing a foreign DNA component into an existing plant cell, without the complexity of the process to be followed, which would then introduce more errors, and hinder the successful completion of the process (Clark, n.p.). Secondly, the delivery system should be efficient, meaning that it should consume the least time possible to complete the whole process, considering that the delayed and prolonged process of introducing the foreign gene into an existing plant cell might result to ineffective transformation (Plant transformation methods, n.p.). Finally, the delivery system should be economical both in terms of time and resources consumed, considering that the plant transformation process is a timed process, where there are stipulated time schedules which the process should consume in different stages, being economical in time and resources is key to ensuring that the process is completed within the scheduled time and resource frame. The difference between stable and tr ansient plant transformation is that; in stable plant transformation, the foreign DNA that is introduced is integrated into the plant genome. However, in transient transformation, the foreign DNA that is introduced into the plant is not integrated into the plant genome, and thus the transgenic construct is eventually diluted, and then it is completely lost over time (Plant transformation methods, n.p.). Stable transformation is suitable for application in a situation where there is need to increase the DNA quantity and competence, considering that stable transformation entails the introduction of naked DNA to allow for exogenous uptake of DNA from the environment (Clark, n.p.). On the other hand, transient transformation can be applied where there is no great need for high quantity DNA, and

International Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Sports - Essay Example The review of the literature published in the particular field leads to the following assumption: the educational objectives that Pierre De Coubertin used for reviving the Olympics have been alternated today. This fact does not mean that Olympic values have been extinguished; however, because of the continuous transformation of social and cultural ethics worldwide, Olympic values had, necessarily, to be aligned with existing social ethics and principles. The continuous change of legislation regulating the particular event is the major indicator of this trend. Under these terms, it could be noted that the educational objectives used by Pierre De Coubertin for reviving the Olympics are still critical for evaluating the quality of the Games but the level at which these objectives can affect the structure and the ethics of the Games is not so high as in the past. In order to understand the potential power of Pierre De Coubertin’s educational objectives for reviving the Olympics, it would be necessary to check the criteria on which these objectives have been based. In accordance with Naul (2008) the involvement of Pierre De Coubertin in the revival of Olympics is closely related to his efforts for improving the ‘inflexible French military gymnastics’ (Naul, 2008, p.20). After reviewing the sports activities developed in schools across England, Pierre De Coubertin decided that a new form of gymnastics could be established using the ideas of the Olympic Games – in their ancient form – combined with the values of contemporary sports. This combination has led to the revival of Olympics, in their current form. Today, the above effort of Pierre De Coubertin can be characterized as fully justified. Indeed, any effort for establishing a worldwide sports framework, should refer to the Olympic values and ideas, in the terms that the particular event

Explain and discuss how Globalisation has affected the growth of Essay

Explain and discuss how Globalisation has affected the growth of international business - Essay Example In any case, it has been proved that globalisation can highly affect the growth of international business but the process used for the achievement of this target is not standardized. The involvement of globalisation in the growth of international business has been highlighted in the literature and the empirical research; however, academic researchers have employed in order to justify the power of globalisation on international business. In accordance with Dunning (1999), globalisation offers to businesses the chance to expand their activities in the global market, either physically or through the Internet. Reference is made, for example, to the case of the communications industry where globalisation has given ‘enormous opportunities for expansion and high profits for the industry’s major firms’ (Dunning 141). Another example used in the study of Dunning for showing the relationship between globalisation and international business is that of the financial services firm Merrill Lynch, a firm ‘operating in about 31 countries’ (Dunning 141). In accordance with the view of Dunning, as presented above, globalisation can support the development of businesses internationally; however, such benefit is expected to be available only to large firms, which have the resources necessary for enjoying the benefits of globalisation. Small and medium sizes firms would face many difficulties in entering the global market; moreover, the firms of this size could not compete international firms. In other words, globalisation could support the growth of businesses internationally, but such prospects would involve mostly in firms of large size – as also explained in the study of Dunning (1999) above. A different perspective of globalisation is highlighted in the study of Worthington & Britton (2009); in accordance with the above study, the international market is not related only to international businesses; it is suggested that ‘businesses of all sizes should be aware of their international context’ (Worthington & Britton 45). Moreover, it is made clear that one of the key benefits that globalisation can offer to businesses internationally is the provision of an extended market for their products/ services. In other words, for the above researcher, the concept of globalisation reflects the existence of a market, which is geographically expanded as possible – covering the markets of all countries worldwide. In the study of Wall and Minocha (2009) emphasis is given on the use of globalisation for achieving benefits in a wide area of activities/ areas, including trade, politics and sociology. Regarding specifically trade, globalization is expected to have specific benefits: improvement of the quality and the level of trade developed among states and organizations internationally (Wall & Minocha 2009); moreover, globalisation could help toward the ‘increase of the international capital flows’ ( Wall and Minocha 2009, p. 14). Also, globalization could help towards the increase of ‘capital flows worldwide’ It is expected that businesses, which operate globally, would be also strongly benefited from globalisation. However, an important implication of the view of Wall & Minocha (2009) on globalisation would be the following one: not all firms of large size are able to compete their rivals; the lack of effective management would not allow firms of small/ medium size to get access to the international

Data Collection Tools, Methods, and Challenges Essay

Data Collection Tools, Methods, and Challenges - Essay Example Qualitative and quantitative research techniques are designed for different audiences: policymakers both in private and in government, funding agencies, academicians, various stakeholders and project clients. The following is a discussion of various tools of data collection in both qualitative and quantitative research and challenges faced in each. Qualitative research interview is one of the most commonly utilized data collection tool in qualitative research. Qualitative research interviews can be categorized as structured, semi-structured and in-depth. According to Holloway (2005), the aim of a qualitative research interview is to find out, in the perspective of the insider, their thoughts, feelings, perceptions and feelings. Interviews are flexible and very effective tools when there is need to reveal information on how a single individual views the world. The only challenge with use of interview as a tool of collecting qualitative research data is that it is time consuming thus t here is need for preparation, transcription and scheduling for interview. Focus group is the second tool and it refers to a group discussion often on a particular topic that has been organized for purposes of research and is monitored, guided and recorded by a facilitator, researcher or moderator. Unlike qualitative research interviews, focus groups are best used when researcher wants to generate information on the collective views of a group and what such views mean in real sense (Onwuegbuzie et al 2009). It is time effective but less flexible since the focus group may influence the result from shy individuals within the group. The dynamics of the individuals may also interfere with accurate and complete data (Onwuegbuzie et al, 2009). A standardized test is one of the commonly used tools in quantitative data collection and refers to tests that are administered and scored in a consistent manner.

HUMAN RIGHTS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HUMAN RIGHTS - Essay Example What are Human Rights? Human Rights can broadly be defined as a set of various international norms that have been designed to help in the protection of all people all over the world from any form of severe social, legal and political abuses. Common examples of human rights generally include the right of an individual not to face any torture, the right to have freedom of religion as well as the undeniable right for one to have affair trial in the event that they happen to be charged with a crime (Orend 2002). The main sources of the current versions of human rights include the International Bill of Rights which emerged as the United Nations, 1948b Universal Declaration of Human Rights and various treaties and human rights documents (Mcneill, St. Clair and St. Clair 2009). Various human rights treaties such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) have resorted to creating various treaty bodies to help them effectively monitor the implementation and compliance of these treat ies (Orend 2002). How and why did Human Rights Enter the International Political Process since WWII? After the horrors that were witnessed during the Second World War, there was a broad consensus that emerged at the international level that was keen in demanding that the individual human being should essentially be placed under the protection of the international community. The atrocities that had been committed against certain specific ethic groups as a result of anarchy had shown that it was possible for national governments to gravely fail to protect their citizen’s liberty and lives. As such, since it had been established that the provision of protective mechanisms at the domestic level alone was not enough to provide enough sufficiently stable safeguards, it was thus necessary to entrust the planned new world organization with the role of guaranteeing the enforcement of human rights on a universal scale. Some Latin American countries requested that a full code of human r ights be included in the United Nations Charter at the 1945 San Francisco conference so as to promote the Universalism of these rights. Due to various time constraints it was not possible for the motion to successful at that stage. The commission on Human Rights created a draft of the International Bill of Rights and drafted the Universal Declaration of Human rights, which was adopted by the General Assembly on December 10th, 1948. This Declaration of Human Rights and two UN international treaties are what are collectively commonly referred to as the International Bill of Human Rights (Mcneill, St. Clair and St. Clair 2009). What has Changed about the Character of International Relations since WWII Since the end of the Second World War, there have been rampant changes in the nature and content of international relations. Some of these changes include the fact that the politico-geographic setting of the world has undergone major changes. This factor has been further emphasized by dec olonization that lead to the materialization of an enlarged number of new Sovereign nations that seek to assert themselves in the international community of nations (Fry 2002). After the Second World War, the number of nations that where members of the U.N. was seen to increase from 51

Westfailure System by Susan Strange Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Westfailure System by Susan Strange - Essay Example On social sphere, strong connection of social suffering with economic inequality causes wide gap between rich and poor classes, which potentially leads to uprisings. Thus, current power balance in terms of state sovereignty cannot manage all the domestic and global challenges the world faces today. On another hand, Mearsheimer’s ‘E.H.Carr vs. Idealism: The Battle Rages On’ (2005) discusses the role of power from both realist and idealist perspectives. Precisely, the author wants to draw the line and find possible compromise in describing state’s nature between its realist willingness to obtain power and proclaimed liberal ideals. Moreover, the author raises deep concern on neglecting of realist thinkers in contemporary academic circles. Even though states during post-Cold War world justify their actions by idealist rhetoric, Mearsheimer by citing Carr blames them to hide the real power interests behind them. Thus, explaining contemporary states and their be havior on international stage in only liberal terms is the wrong way of understanding global reality.2. State and power arguments in the presented articles and commonalities between themSpecifically, both authors construct their arguments by using concepts of state and power in different environments. In this section, there is a detailed description of the arguments presented in both researches with summarizing commonalities between them.As for Strange, she sees state in the broader context than only through appearance as political entity.

Reificaition Case Essay Example for Free

Reificaition Case Essay Wikipedia defines reification as â€Å"(Lat. res thing + facere to make) n. the turning of something into a thing or object; the error which consists in treating as a thing something which is not one. Hypostatization, treating an abstract entity as if it were concrete, is a case in point†. In Marxist terms, it is the consideration of a human being as a physical object, deprived of subjectivity. According to Marxists, this is one of the pitfalls of the capitalist system because in such a system the laborers and their work are not valued to their proper extent. Their work is treated as a commodity and is valued according to the unpredictable needs of the market. This concept is closely tied to the Marxist idea of commodity fetishism which Wikipedia describes as â€Å"an inauthentic state of social relations, said to arise in complex capitalist market systems, where social relationships are confused with their medium, the commodity.† Marxist writer, Georg Lukà ¡cs, writes thus: The transformation of the commodity relation into a thing of ghostly objectivity cannot there ore content itself with the reduction of all objects for the gratification of human needs to commodities. It stamps its imprint upon the whole consciousness of man; his qualities an abilities are no longer an organic par of his personality, they are things which he can own or dispose of like the various objects of the external world. Simply put, Marxists criticize capitalist systems for stripping the human person of his social nature. He is transformed into a commodity or a product. One’s labor is transformed into money which is in turn used to purchase the products of other people’s labor. Although this may facilitate the exchange of goods, the problem of the system lies in the fact that because of this abstraction, the use-value (the actual usefulness of the object) is oftentimes totally different from its exchange-value (the value of the object in the marketplace). For example, a person who creates a hammer (which has a variety of uses) will be paid less than a person who makes jewelry (an object which has less use than a hammer). The value given to the work of the laborer is incommensurate to the work and effort that he made in order to produce the good. How can reification be avoided? Marxist measures against reification have proven themselves to be ineffective (including complete control over the market and standardization of wages). This is because these measures tend to remove the element of competition from the formula, thus, causing production to suffer instead. An alternative mode by which reification is avoided is through the respect of human rights. According to John Locke, each person has the natural right to life, liberty and estate which must be protected by the government. These rights must ensure that each person shall be given his due. By treating persons as individuals with human rights and dignity, people will be treated as an end and never as a means. The theory of human rights has been upheld and accepted by most of the world and are embodied in international instruments and conventions, most notable is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In the field of labor and employment, modern societies have integrated this idea of human dignity by setting minimum standards and conditions to be strictly followed by employers under the pain of appropriate sanctions should they be defied. For example, there could be a law saying that any employee who works beyond eight hours in a single day shall be given additional overtime pay. Another instance would be a law that would lay down a minimum wage based on the living standards and conditions of the locality where the worker belongs. By recognizing the human dignity of every person, reification is completely obliteration because persons are then given the respect they deserve. They are no longer treated as cogs in the machinery of production but are considered partners in the enterprise. By holding that each person deserves to be treated with dignity, they are esteemed as subjects never objects, and will be given their due.       Bibliography Lukà ¡cs, Georg. 1967. History Class Consciousness. Translated by Andy Blunden. Merlin Press. Smith, John, Bob Snider, and Diane Hill. 2005. A study of physics. New York: McGraw Hill. Wikipedia. 2006. Commodity fetishism. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_fetishism. Ashcraft, Richard. 1986. Revolutionary Politics and Lockes Two Treatises of Government. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Wikipedia. 2006. Georg Lukà ¡cs. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Luk%C3%A1cs. Wikipedia. 2006. Human Rights. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights. Wikipedia. 2006. John Locke. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_locke. Wikipedia. 2006. Reification. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reification.

We Are Surrounded By Advertisements Media Essay

We Are Surrounded By Advertisements Media Essay The Absolut Vodka advertising campaign has been going on successively from 1981.this has been going on for over twenty years; this is practically forever in advertising. Industry insiders consider it being the most successful campaigns when it comes to the history of advertising. It is not often that one comes across ads which scratch on the copy to center of attention on the visual appeal. Absolut Vodka is one such campaign. More over the star of the ads is constantly the gorgeous, sneaky, chameleon-like bottle from Sweden. It is brilliant as it focuses on the visual to pass the message. The Absolut ads are mainly celebrated for their ingenuity as their longevity. They are full of humor, invention, and thoughts as they deftly talk about the brands values, often containing little confronts to the reader to understand just what is going on inside the ad. Still advertising campaign has gone into a point of wining many rewards, as well as charter membership in the American Marketing Ass ociation. It was initiated into the Hall of Fame in 1992 together with two additional brands: Coca Cola and Nike. The advertising campaign was conceded by TBWA Advertising. In order to ensure this report, there is a need to analyze the turn out ads for this brand to show the role played in shaping the fortune of ABSOLUT. However there are a diversity of themes which the agency worked on in attempt to reveal the fascinating usage of symbols and signs expressing the message of the brand. This include; cities, arts, products and holidays etc. It was necessary to delve into the past of the brand while taking a look at the communication messages so as find its meaning . this help to see how the layers kept increasing to the brand images. Absolut Vodka is a Swedish brand of vodka, produced near Ã…hus, Scania, in southern Sweden . Although, it was not a refined product, it contained world class raw components: uncontaminated Swedish water and wheat . this was referred as Absolut pure vodka . in 1970, the Swedish government had taken control of the production and distribution of the beverage alcohol industry, including Absolut .By the late 1970s, , Abosult would have to become an export product incase the distillery would survive .The brand owners surprisingly knew that they had to tap America as the main market . In the 1970s America reported thatr 60% of the vodka was being consumed in the free world However most of vodka consumed in America was made in America and it was sold cheaply .it was held that all vodka are of th e same quality this was because the production was effortless. Especially when compared with Scotch and other whiskeys .only a few of necessary ingredients were needed and there was no need for aging., as with Scotch and other whiskeys .another reason is that majority of consumers mixed their vodka with tomato juice, orange juice, tonic or other mixers. They didnt much care about the underlying quality of the vodka. The piercing on the bottle is the signifier that has more to do with the norms of the gay and punk communities found in America probably in 1960s. The fashion accessory shown here is symbolic of current upcoming society particularly the gay subculture. That was gaining momentum. The ad was even released through the time. The piercing also symbolizes a non-traditionalist fashion proclamation. Further it is symbolizes use of human body as a image to show the freedom from the community norms or system of behavior Signified. Sincerely speaking about experimenting with your body is the implication that comes visually in the ad. This is shown with the result of glow in the background. It works as a glare of publicity. Well the bottle is no longer just a bottle, but a metaphor of the human body. The identification of people who believed to the concept of being Practical with their body, particularly the gay subculture The upright body language of the bottle possibly has a direct connection to the human posture and demonstrates the boldness of the person to go communicate to the world. The ad gives them this space to voice their openness. This space then becomes their platform of self-expression. Almost as if to say, this is me I am comfortable with myself and the way I want to experiment with my body. The endeavor of the marketer is to no longer keep it restricted to drinking vodka but to make the bottle an icon that is relevant to them. This icon is then anticipated to be holding close by them. Also important to note that the color coding of a black background exaggerates their emergence. Gay as a trend has existed since time memorials. The black background shows how these people may have actually come out from the darkness or the shadows which they were hiding behind to an open platform into the public interest. They can now declare their sexual predilections. The Absolut Vodka bottle over the years has become conventional sign in advertising. It has been branded so well that shape of the bottle itself has turn out to be an iconic figure for designers as well as the general community. Main stress in their ads has paid attention on symbolic descriptions and ideas which most of the time contain a dual meaning. The translation of the meaning is slightly simple though enough for viewers to like because the meaning differs throughout every ad even though the idea is always the same. The ads often relate to ideologies within the society, following general trends, political affairs and art. Due to this, the advertisements do not always focus on audience but slightly expended their boarders to reach different kinds of demographics. By maneuvering the bottle Absolut has managed to clearly bring the meaning of the message through symbols and language from the surrounding For example, introduction of the slogan Absolut Brrr! which was visually fixed with a bottle covered in blizzard. Through this we are able to see the strong relationship that Absolut Vodka ads have with iconicity and how over the years successfully branded the product. The worlds longest and interrupted advertising campaign named absolute vodka was founded in 1879 by Lars Olsson Smith the now forth largest international spirit is now available to more than 126 nations. This is all due to much fame through its advertising campaign that made it win many awards, including charter membership in the American Marketing Associations Marketing Hall of Fame. The original idea for the campaign is said to have come from a South African artist; who claim to have gotten the idea while in his bathing tube.33333333 The magnifying glass is used to emphasize the name and the country from where Absolut Vodka comes. This shows the nervousness in the connection between USA and Soviet Union. This ad was published when the Soviet Union was particularly unpopular in the United States due to its invasion of Afghanistan and also the downing of a Korean jetliner,The time period in which was this ad subtly emphasized the fact that Absolut was made in Sweden, not in Russia. It was common knowledge that Vodka was synonymous with Russia. Despite speaking of its origin from Sweden on the produce itself. Most citizens who consumed the drink did not decode the message directly. Its the same experience of how people at times fill in the gaps as they have embedded in their minds due to sub-conscious conditioning. I draw logic from the research done wherein people look at the first and the last word and are able to understand the word, irrespective of the spelling in between being right or wrong. In the same manner vodka comes from Russia was the accepted belief although one tend to take that in vain. They were to state that the drink actually came from Sweden, but this would not occur to them that it is of great significance. This is because the connection has been well-known in their mind. The promoter was aware of this psychology of the consumer and they deliberately downplayed the Sweden relationship for the brand. This plan was employed until it was perfect time to highlight the truth. Thus during this period of anxiety the Key point delivered was on its Swedish origin. There is a strategic placement of the silhouette of Absolut vodka bottle in the core of the visual clichà © of Christmassy stuffs. Moreover this is a tactful route to turn out to be one of the numerous icons that portray tradition of Christmas celebration. This supply the consumer with what Christmas tradition is all about. The background of a home shows that consumption of Absolut vodka to commemorate Christmas at home is part and parcel of the Christmas tradition. Further a story is being told inside the toy train figure of the bottle. The setting probably explains the descriptions of how a typical American home seems to be during Christmas time. It right away talks to a socio-economic sector of families Theme Absolut Cities: These ads are a sequence of cities-detailed ads Absolut Las Vegas; The idea that classify a city Signifier: Shrimps and sauce in this case, cap of the bottle arranged in the figure of the Absolut bottle Signified: The food relation of Las Vegas as a city disparate to the mental imagery which one would instantly draw for it as a Casino city. Well this ad is well done and of course breaks the illustration clichà © of Las Vegas as a city. It also brings out another surface of it .it raises question why there is roughly purposeful intention not bring out the Sin City image of Las Vegas in the Ad .it is not wise to take vodka without beer. A true specialist will always eat something after downing a glass; hence the above visual-logic would make sense. Though we dint know relationship between shrimps with Las Vegas. Las Vegas is about extremes. This extends to shrimps which are seen as exotic food and probably invokes an elitist consumption attitude. The advertising campaign for Absolut vodka was considered the best of the 20th century. Yet not known whether it was due to the ads, the unique bottle shape that made Absolut the best imported vodka in market. Michel Roux of Carillon Importers spends more than any other label on advertising to ensured that the sales of the Swedish brand increased in declining market. Throw away ads of the industrys typical bottle and glass , Geoff Hayes of the TBWA agency made the first Absolut excellence ad featuring the short, clear bottle putting on a halo. Incidentally this was the same bottle claimed by marketing research to the tune of $ 78 000,that it would fail since it did not have a paper label and also the neck was very small for the bartenders to holt it. In Absolut Original the bottle was fixed in stone as if it was very old. In Absolut Manhattan a satellite photo of New York anticipated central park fashioned like a bottle. In Absolut Seattle a rain pond had the bottle figure and in Absolut L.A. a swimming pool was calculated in the now renowned bottle shape. The city ads have turn out to be among the most admired Absolut ads. In Absolut San Francisco you barely observe the bottle for the fog. In Absolut Chicago the breeze is blowing away the inscriptions from the bottle. In Absolut D.C. the bottle is covered in red ribbon. Most of European towns are featured, for instance, Absolut Copenhagen demonstrate doorway to Tivoli converted to the famous bottle shape. Also Holmenkollen was converted for Absolut Oslo, the locals cried foul, with no will to relate their much-loved game with alcohol. However in Absolut Berlin it was a piece of the wall and in Absolut Naples a lampshade and hanging laundry that wisely copied the shape of the bottle. The greatest release for Absolut emerged when daughter of the Swedish Ambassador communicated to Andy Warhol into painting a celebrity statue of the bottle. The artist was fascinated because he never took alcohol. He only used Absolut as cologne. Absolut Warhol followed by ads comprising many unknown painters, photographers sculptors, but For artists like the Brazilian painter Britto, the Absolut payment was a commercial get through. All the samel Absolut has run almost 500 advertisements most of them featuring artists from varicose places. Up to date art community still talks about the 32-page Absolut Glasnost. Common run have shown South American, African Swedish, American, and other artists. Absolut ads have become a collectors item and many galleries actually sell old cut out ads. There are several books about the ads and the Absolut software (1-800-568-1566) that is a virtual museum of Absolut art. The first seasonal Absolut advertisement extravaganza was a much-talked about microchip playing Christmas carols in 1987. Later ads have included a packet of seeds (Absolut Spring), Donna Karan mittens; designer silk scarves and panty hose all sporting the Absolut bottle. In 1990 the New York magazine had a working forty eight piece Absolut Puzzle. Another Christmas the agency created an ad with a snow flake-filled pouch so that Absolut Wonderland snowed as if it was in a glass ball when you shook it. One year Absolut inserted a sheet of stamps with its Warhol, Haring and Rusha ads with an 80 proof denomination. The stamps were actually accepted by most post offices as legal postage. For an ad in Playboy magazine, Absolut created an Absolut Centerfold with a bottle without any text on it but with an accompanying playmate data sheet complete with things like the perfect night: at home with my closest friends, Sven, Bjà ¶rn, Ingmar, while jumping back and forth between the sauna and ice baths, we exchange our favorite galaxy recipes. If it had not been for Absolut and its extender products Pepper, Currant, Citron and Mandrin, the world may never have realized that Sweden had a substantial liquor production. Thanks to the campaign, Absolut may now be more famous than Volvo. Today it is the House of Seagrams that distributes Absolut in North America, after Michel Roux and Carillon Importers (who took the vodka from nothing to 3 million cases a year) was booted out by the Swedish VIN Sprit monopoly. The successful Absolut marketing formula perfected in the U. S.A. is now practiced all over the world. The advertising campaign has also led to many parodies. Mad magazine ran Absolut Liver with an x-ray of a liver that has a silhouette of guess what? In Absolut Winter you see a virgin snow-covered background on which a man is urinating and thereby drawing a yellow pattern in the snow of you guessed it. When the advertising critical Ad busters ran ads entitled Absolut Nonsense, Absolut Impotence and Absolut Silence, the producers threatened to sue the magazine. The Absolut Nonsense copy stated any suggestion that our advertising campaign has contributed to alcoholism, drunk driving or wife and child beating is absolute nonsense. No one pays any attention to advertising. When looking at a series of ads, we have a better idea of the artistic significance attached seen in the images.it is true to saythat the image of the Absolut bottle is now a cultural icon.it ia aimed to make it identifiable as a distinct sign of class for all who sees it.however the reader should recognise the vodka bottle surrounded by the text to make sense of the ad.   This expectation depends on the network of ads that have paved the way to it.  quick identification of the image qualifies the reader of an Absolut ad to be a member of an private club.   the campaign aims to register everyone to be a member of the group by affirming that their art and the bottle, shows significant cultural reflections of people associated with the upper class that are appropriate to all associates without putting into consideration their actual class status. The different genres of Absolut ads carry distinct cultural messages, and contain a universal class claim that is associated with the image of the vodka bottle.   The ads reinforce the cultural myth that American culture is defined in terms of class structure.   However, it offers a mixed message about class that is clear and liquid: class can be bought. this campaign has the idea that American society is clear in terms of class through setting ,object, , audience, camera angle in the advertisement.   The promotions confront this idea by making it public in most magazines reaching people of all kind.   Moreover they are bridging the gap in cultural class, when authorizing such a various audience connection into an exclusive ad campaign. The advertisement is not only selling the reader vodka, but also selling the false impression of an earned communal place connected with the higher class. The class theme within the Absolut Vodka advertising campaign is demonstrated in one of the most new published Absolut ads entitled, Absolut Voted-Off.   This is very basic ad shows four bottles of seasoned Absolut Vodka put together on the left side of the page.   The bottles are described by bright, yellow, purple and orange.  The original absolute vodka when you look at extreme right side of the page, which is not facing the viewers, is the original Absolut Vodka bottle that is only revealing half of its cold, blue label.   The text, Absolut Voted-Off appears at the bottom of the page.   What does this ad reveal on the surface?   At first glance it seems to be selling the new flavored vodkas, representing them as important and associated with a distinguished category.   However, this advertisement is characteristic of the mixed messages portrayed by the Absolut advertising campaign. 333333 Conclusion: Absolut Vodka ad campaign is unbeatably one of the big thoughts in the ad industry. This is because it has endured the test of time for over twenty years. Having gone through the ad campaign over a period of time, the semiotic the campaign is actually the preliminary years in which the bottle symbolized a person and his humanity. Moreover the campaign has something to do with the world and its inhabitance. The changeover is sparkling. From the marketers approach, these days Absolut is not just about America; it is mounting its reach internationally. Now It is no longer person precise and neither focus on personalitys story of belongingness or nor characteristics. It has more to do with the larger picture. It is the world that is today and what we wish be like. Interestingly the world these days is undeniably beyond America. In my standpoint an additional reason for this move is the heart-to-heart experience. Just to explain further, a kind of homogeneity is seen still in the immeasurable variety which is in existence today. However homogeneity might be; a need for safety from terrorism, the wish for cure to a fatal disease likes Aids, etc. The plan in the larger sense fits a combine aspect for nations, states, society and also persons. Never the less ad campaign concentrate on certain universal matters and for that reason it is trying to raise a global campaign and a innermost idea of what an Absolute World could be.