Industry Music Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Industry Music - Research Paper Example industry has also been contributed by the low talent power and personality which has led to the poor morals and disappearance of the traditional roles which play a key role in the growth of the industry. In addition, the industry lacks the role models for the upcoming songwriters and singers to copy their secrets. All these factors are contributing to the falling out of the industry. Music industry comprises of the songwriters, singers and the companies that make money through selling of music to their target audience. The process involves professionals among them being record labels who have always been the key priorities in the selling of music in 1970’s when the music industry was at its peak, record labels put much effort in ensuring that the labels on each music media were unique interesting and attractive to the audience. This attracted many customers that promoted and enhanced more profits due to much selling out of their products (Hamilton, 2009). In addition, the industry of label records has grown not to promote upcoming music but to make more money within a small period. This has led to decline in their creativity lowering the demand in some music and lead to their decline since 1990’s. During the era of shifting to amore digital state in 2000, the record label started copying other labels, which had already been used within the industries both in material and in artists (Berlatsky, 2012).This has created boredom to the audience and made it more difficult for them to identify their tastes. Also in 1970’s, radio was the most commonly used medium for the audience outreach .Their mode of expression was more clean and unique than the current radios and this has made it the most ignored medium in U.S ( Tschmuck, 2006). The current industries lack these individuals who are well talented and endowed with the personalities like their processor. The artist who contribute most in pursuing existence of the music industries have low creativity as compared

Immanuel Kant Essay Example for Free

Immanuel Kant Essay A. Kant’s ethical theory Standard rationality is the major foundation of Kant’s ethical theory. Moral requirements are also associated with the standard rationality but this standard could be based on instrumental principles of rationality or based on the sui generis rational instinct. A conventional conformity could be achieved through the analysis of rationality with instrumental principles. Kant argued that conforming to instrumental and non-instrumental principles (â€Å"Categorical Imperative†) will both be justified to rationality (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). Kant supported his arguments that being rational reflect free will, law of autonomous will. Each of us is accepted based on our self-governing reasons and gain equal respect from other people. According to him, the standard of rationality is the key foundation of moral requirements. Violation of such rule is thereby irrational. Kant believed that a â€Å"good will† is the highest notion of being such ‘good person’, or ‘a person of good will’ (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). There are no other qualifications of being ‘good’ other than ‘good will’. Basically, the notion of ‘good will’ is the possession of a will that is consistent and on the basis with the notion of the moral law. A person of good will is the one who make decisions, do good things in such a way that he/she told to be morally and taking moral considerations According to Kant, the outcome for search for the inherent and fundamental ‘good’ was not inherently good. Happiness and pleasure could be the result from most evil acts. In fact, he use the term good to describe the ‘good will’ – the resolution in accordance with duty. He believed that reason would give individuals to work out what one’s duty was. Kant also criticized the notion that we are free. According to him, we can’t be described as free if our actions are just circling around a defined boundary. He also stressed that following the belief that god and life is existing, morality would make no sense. The principle that one should act in accordance with such truths was criticized by Kant for this principle says that we would perform these actions of which it is true that they are right and ought to be performed. Wolff’s principle tells that actions must be performed if it falls under the concept ‘to be done’. Autonomy and Heteronomy In philosophical perspective, autonomy refers when a person/individual acts by himself/herself based from his/her internal drives, needs and ideals while heteronomy is defined when an individual acts based upon outside forces and responsibilities. According to Kant, â€Å"Autonomous agents† acts to what their instinct tell them (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). In addition, they act in accordance with the categorical imperative of willing what is univerzable to be known and consistent with moral law. â€Å"Heteronomous agents† think first to the possible consequences of their actions as affected by their environment (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). They derive principles of actions from outside by putting into consideration the consequences of their action or the perception of others towards one thing or object. In a narrow perspective (person), autonomy reflects to selecting right decisions for one-self. In broader sense (political perspective), autonomy reflects the right of self-determination (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). A heteronomous will lies its rules of actions that have been legislated externally to it while autonomous will is completely self-legislating. Kant’s Categorical Imperative Kant is known form his theory called the ‘categorical imperative’ rooted from the idea of duty. According to him, categorical imperative is a principle that is essentially and fundamentally legitimate; universally good to him and to others; it requires to comply with when the situation is associated with the moral law.   Ã‚  Ã‚   His theory is the fundamental foundation at the basis of all our moral values and duties. If we observe, it coined the word â€Å"imperative.† His theory is an imperative for it is a command. It informs and commands us to exercise our wills in a particular way, and not performing the opposite of the theory. Kant distinguished another form of ‘oughts’ other than our moral duties. This principle is so called â€Å"hypothetical imperative† (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004) which is being based on a quite different kind of principle. Like categorical imperative, hypothetical imperative is also a command that also applies to us in virtue of having a good will. However, it is not simply a virtue for we have need of to exercising our wills. Hence, this theory is a command in a conditional form. Kant listed three formulation of the categorical imperative which he believed to be   almost equivalent Formula of Universal Law (First Formulation), Formula of the End in Itself Second Formulation), and Formula of Autonomy (Third Formulation). The Formula of Universal Law simply states that the maxim should be selected. A supreme law guides this formulation – to do deeds in harmony with that maxim. The first formulation is interpreted as â€Å"universality test† having five steps: (1) finding the agent’s maxim; (2) putting oneself in a parallel circumstance on the real world agent followed that maxim; (3) decide on contradictions; (4) if there’s contradiction, acting on that maxim is not permissible in the real world, and (5) if there’s no contradiction, acting on that maxim is allowed. The second formulation simply says to respect for humanity. Don’t put an end to a certain situation by doing bad deeds just to serve as a getaway. According to him, we must all act accordingly to every rational being and to place restrictions on the acts we adopt on the search of our ends, do not accept it. Kant enumerated two kinds of imperative – hypothetical and categorical. Hypothetical imperative requires an immediate action because it is a necessity and a requirement. In example, if I am hungry, then I must eat something. Categorical imperative refers to an unmodified, categorical prerequisite that is both a requirement and justified. In Kant’s hypothetical imperative, he believed that it would not be accepted. Hypothetical moral systems cannot be as bases for moral judgments since imperatives are subjective. What is morally accepted in an individual may not be absolutely true for others. Consequently, the categorical imperative was presented as an option to the inconsistency of hypothetical imperative (Kant’s Moral Philosophy 2004). Categorical Imperative: Autonomous Ethical Choice The foundation of Kant’s theory states that human wills are self-directed. He believed that we could understand and justify moral requirements if we could be self-governing. Freedom is not merely consisting of any law that everyone is liberated to perform a certain actions. However, freedom is consisting of a law in such a way that this law, in some sense, would allow individuals for one’s own making. The idea of freedom as autonomy is where a person has laid down laws where he has also the decisive authority. Kant explains that free will is naturally inexplicable. A rational person would base his/her decisions on reasons and justifications of his/her act. Categorical Imperative is met when a person justified his/her acts. Thus, reflecting to autonomous ethical choice of a person. With our free will and/or autonomous ethical choices, we act on it objectively. B. Kant’s Ethical Theory: An Analysis For me, I support Kant’s theory on ethical decision-making. Kant pointed-out, we cannot exceed to the limitations of our thinking. Based from our line of reasoning, we justified things objectively. We make decisions based on our understanding. I think these statements are true and absolute. Kant’s argued that categorical imperative must reflect on our free will. He argued that instrumental and non-instrumental principles are necessary to meet the categorical imperatives. General facts may or may not be true for a person who do not understand its concepts or understand it on the other perspective. Good will responds to the universal moral law and we follow these laws according to our autonomous acts. We accept humanity, rational agency as represented by our understanding.

Public Schools Mandatory Uniforms :: Education

The debate about public school uniforms in America has been around for a very long time. This issue was even mentioned by President Bill Clinton in a State of the Union address in 1996. In his 1996 State of the Union Address, President Clinton decreed,† I challenge all of our schools to teach character education, to teach good values and good citizenship and if it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms† (Clinton 1996). Public schools requiring mandatory uniforms for their students are a major topic as it deals with moral and economic concerns about how America’s public schools are operated. Lack of parents support is the most significant reason for schools failing to implement any sort of school uniform code. Parents, teachers, and students should support the need for school uniforms in public schools so that they may be able to achieve higher educational goals. This paper will discuss many of the pros to the debate on uniforms in public schools as well as touch on some of the cons on the subject. After weighing the two sides, it will demonstrate how the pros are a more sensible alternative and why schools should require mandatory uniforms for their students. Supporting a school uniform policy would help to raise the academic performance level. Students normally wear a variety of clothes that are a distraction in the classroom for a variety of reasons i.e. sports logos, political messages, personal interests, etc. School uniforms would remove this distraction along with the stress of a student having to choose what to wear to school each day. Students that are less worried about their fashion will tend to be more focused on their school work as Helen Woods states, â€Å"Research studies included in this research shows that parents have opinions favoring a uniform dress code with the two foremost reasons being competitiveness among the children and their peers to wear the latest designer fashions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Woods 1992). School uniforms would remove the friction between students that do not wear the style clothes that fit in with their peers. Students that cannot wear competitive designer clothing will, in the name of competition, be c onsidered a loser and no student wants to be considered a loser just because they cannot afford expensive designer clothing. The cost of the uniform depends upon what type of uniform is required.

Narrative and Narration Essay

Narrative and narration in films are the way in which the audience follows the plot. The difference between narrative and narration is only really clear when both are understood properly. Narrative is basically the way we see all the events in a film unfold. E.g. ‘Blair Witch Project’. A group of film students go into the woods to film a documentary about the myth of the Blair Witch. What we see is the people film everything that they do. We see (in a nutshell) them get lost, get scared and then looking at a wall. Narration is the process through which a film conveys or withholds narrative information, the way the story is told. Narration concerns the actual arrangement and presentation of the story in the film, the way the film distributes story information in order to achieve specific effects. E.g. in the ‘Blair Witch Project’ the story conveys the idea that there is ‘something’ out there, but it withholds all the information on the thing by never showing anything out of the ordinary. Once these two are understood we have to look into the two other effects to do with narration. These two are omniscient and restricted narration. Omniscient narration is where the audience is subjected to information from many sources such as ‘Lock Stock and two Smoking Barrels’. The film switches from one character to the next all the time, thus we never get to know one character more that any other. Plus it gives the audience more information than any of the characters, so we have an advantage over them all, which creates a feeling of suspense because the viewer is on the edge of their seat wondering if a certain character will find out a specific piece of information. Restricted narrative is where the film conveys the narrative to the viewer via one character. E.g. ‘Get Carter’. In this film we get almost all of the information from Jack Carter. He is in almost every scene. The advantage of this is that you know everything Jack knows, also everything that he doesn’t know. This is used in the British gangster genre film because is ads mystery to the question what will happen to our man (Jack  Carter) next. Tzvetan Todorov’s theory of narrative structure is a very simple way of explaining filmic narrative. The following is a point from the theory followed by an example of this from the film ‘Armageddon’. â€Å"A state of equilibrium†. Everything in the world is fine. People getting on with their run of the mill lives. The main star is seen grafting on an oil rig. â€Å"A disturbance of that order by an event†. NASA discover a big ass rock coming to earth at an enormous speed. We also see New York get hit by a meteor storm which emphasises the enormity of this event because the rock was able to squash such big and strong city like New York. â€Å"A recognition that the disorder has occurred†. NASA devises a plot to stop the rock ending all life on Earth, by sending a bunch of drillers to land on it, dig a hole, set of a nuclear bomb and come home heroes. â€Å"A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium†. The rock is blown to shreds and th e world is saved, so that now everyone can continue grafting for pittance just like before. The new equilibrium is emphasised by the shot of the wedding at the end with the photo of the people who died during this event, so there is less characters so its different from the original equilibrium. This new equilibrium is necessary or otherwise there would be no difference between the start and the end of the film so it would be pointless to watch it if nothing interesting has happened in the main event. So when a film is viewed in this way we get a better understanding of the plot because we realise that its not a straight linear concept, but a circular one. Otherwise how do we get back to the equilibrium if it goes straight. But it can also be argued that it is not a circular process because its not going back to a equilibrium like before but back to a new equilibrium so effectively its going in a linear structure. The narrative in the film is driven by attempts to restore equilibrium. But Todorov’s theory does not end there. Oh no. Todorov also argues that narrative involves a transformation. The characters or the situations are transformed through the progress of the disruption. E.g. Halloween. In this film Laurie Strode starts out as a geeky teenager who is more concerned with her lessons than boys. â€Å"Shit, what, I forgot my chemistry book†. â€Å"Hey Laurie I just got you a date with that boy you like. Oh no please tell me you didn’t. I sure did. OK th en you gotta ring him on  the morning and cancel the whole thing†. But then at the end of the story (which concludes at the end of the sequel Halloween 2) she is a much stronger character. This is emphasised with the character in Halloween H20 where we see how much she has moved on from geeky teenager to a confident, strong, energetic mum. Vladimir Propp believes that the characters in a film have a narrative function in the text. Characters are there to help provide a structure for the text. He found eight basic characters who perform a certain function. Following are the eight characters and with examples of their counterparts in some famous films. The HERO. In ‘The Matrix’ Neo is the person who on a quest for something gets drawn into a world of UN-reality and comes out the unlikely hero after being trained to realise the truth. This is a common action/thriller genre film technique, because it helps the audience feel related in a way to the hero because you realise that it could happen to anyone of us. This is used in ‘Enemy of the State’. Will Smith is the usual nothing and ends up learning how to outsmart the American Government, which are so hard to outsmart apparently. The VILLAIN. In Halloween the villain is the maniac killer Michael Myers. As with most horror films at least the villai n (a killer more times than not) is a psychopath. E.g. ‘Friday the 13th’, Mrs Voorhees is the shock killer, her son was killed in the opening of the film. ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’. Freddie Kruger is the mysterious killer who slashes people up in their sleep. In ‘Night of the Living Dead’ zombies are the weird dead things that try and kill everyone. In ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ its a family of freaks that lure people in and then kill’em. These are the films that scare people. The Villains that shock people are the ones that you cant see. Such as the devil in ‘The Exorcist’ or the witch in ‘The Blair Witch Project’. The reason why the films worked was because the viewer was taken into a world of un-reality and this scared people. It let them be witness to what reality would be like in a unreal society. But more recent horror attempts such as the ‘Scream’ trilogy and ‘Children of the Corn’ use real people as the freaks who go on killing sprees. This kind of film scared film fans because it gave the impression that anyone can turn into homicidal maniacs. These film’s wer e not as praised as the old fashioned films by big horror fans such as myself because  it tries to play the audience into believe something which is already happening in the world, whereas most people go to see films to get away from reality, the new sort of horror film just shows you real life situations. The DONOR. In my view the donor in 90% of films is the narrative. The reason being that in most films the plot is for the good guy to defeat the bad guy. This can be by arresting them, killing them etc., but it doesn’t really matter. The donor provides the object for the hero to go for, or the heroes goal, and this in most films is the neutralisation or stopping of the bad guy. So when looked at like this we see that its the films presentation that provides the goal for the hero. The DISPATCHER. The dispatcher in a film is the person who sends the hero on their way. In the film ‘The Lion King’ the dispatchers are Nala and Moustapha. The reason why it’s these two is because they persuade Simba to go after Scar and regain his kingdom as the king. These are one of the key characters in the story because if it wasn’t for them the hero would no nothing to try and fix the situation. The FALSE HERO. The false hero in the film ‘The World Is Not Enough’ is the character Electra. She appears to be on the side of the hero (James Bond) but then turns against him. She provides him and M with informati on that appears helpful to their cause but we then realise that its part of a trap, between her and the bad guy. This character is very important to the flow of a film because it provides the viewer with a reason to then go on and hate that character, because we relate to the hero and as that person has screwed the hero we therefore feel that she has screwed us to. So in a way it personalises the character with the audience. The HELPER. The helper in a film is the person that seems knowledgeable in a certain aspect of the plot and then goes onto help the hero. The helper in ‘Halloween’ is Sam Loomis. This character is usually a person who for some reason knows the actions of the bad guy. In the case of Sam Loomis he is the doctor of Michael Myers. This helps him know what the killer will do next. He tells the sheriff that the killer will return to Haddonfield to try and kill his one surviving relative Laurie Strode. If it wasn’t for this character the hero would have no chance of stopping the bad guy because he knows absolutely nothing about it. Its also the same in ‘E nemy of the State’. The helper Gene Hackman (Brill) is the person who knows all about surveillance, the US governments capabilities, so therefore can help the hero (Will Smith) overcome the  challenge that the narrative of the film has set out. The PRINCESS. The princess in a film is the sexual reward for the heroes good work. The princess in ‘Armageddon’ is played by Liv Tyler and is the reward for the partial hero’s (Ben Afflleck) hard work in saving the planet from total destruction. The princess character is very important to the conclusion if the film because it is possible for the men to relate to it. The way is that the typical family picture in the world today still is that man goes out to work, women cleans the house and kids go to school. The man comes home from work and gets some sex for all his work, just like the hero in the film. Also like in ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’, Angelina Jolie is the reward for Nicholas Cage’s efforts at stealing 50 cars in one night. The FATHER. The father in ‘Armageddon’ again is Bruce Willis. The role of the father is to reward the hero for a job well done. In ‘Armageddon’ the reward for good work is being able to live with the fathers daughter, because the father rewards him for good work by staying on the rock and choosing to die himself. The father in the film also acts as the man with all the knowledge that holds the group together. In ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ the father Auto (Robert Duval) acts as the all powerful, all knowledgeable person who’s been there before and therefore is the person who can guide all the younger ones in the right direction. All of these eight points of characters carry the film. Not just one but all of them. When looked at in greater detail Propp’s theory we realise that its the way we sub-consciously look at the characters that makes the viewer thank anything of a certain film. In conclusion narrative and narration are the key elements that make a film what it is. All the above theories are vital, when it comes to reading a film in detail. These theories are useful because they make us view the film in a different way than you normally would. They help you to understand what the importance of certain characters and effects are. They help the viewer view key elements in totally different ways and to understand them in a much deeper detail than before. E.g. When I first saw ‘Halloween’ I saw Sam Loomis as an old doctor who seems a bit crazy upstairs. I thought his importance in the film was minimal and that he was only there to involve a British dude; and now when I watch the film I can realise how important his character is to Laurie Strodes quest to kill the Shape. If it was not for  him no one would have any idea of his intentions and that he would return to Haddonfield. So basically you’re decision as to weather you like a film or not can be identified by breaking down the certain aspects of a film down into questions. I.e. How do the films narrative functions effect you’re overall perception of the film.? How does the films narration effect the way you perceive the film. When you look at Todorov’s theory of narrative structure how does your view of the film change from the one you had of it before you compared it to the points Todorov makes in his theory? How does Propp’s theory of characters and narrative function make you look at the characters when you also look at the eight points outlined in his theory? All this along with all the stuff to do with camera movement, use of sound, use of lighting, use of Mise-en-scene and the way the plot is portrayed all help you understand a film in a deeper way than before.

Gender Sensitivity Essay

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is direct investment into production or business in a country by a company in another country, either by buying a company in the target country or by expanding operations of an existing business in that country. Foreign direct investment is in contrast to portfolio investment which is a passive investment in the securities of another country such as stocks and bonds. Contents [hide] * 1 Definitions * 2 Types * 3 Methods * 4 Importance and barriers to FDI * 4.1 Foreign direct investment and the developing world * 4.2 Difficulties limiting FDI * 5 Foreign direct investment by country * 5.1 Foreign direct investment in the United States * 5.2 Foreign direct investment in China * 5.3 Foreign direct investment in India * 5.3.1 2012 FDI reforms * 6 See also * 7 References * 8 External links Definitions Foreign direct investment can take on many forms and so sometimes the term is used to refer to different kinds of investment activity. Commonly foreign direct investment includes â€Å"mergers and acquisitions, building new facilities, reinvesting profits earned from overseas operations and intracompany loans.†[1] However, foreign direct investment is often used to refer to just building new facilities or greenfield investment, creating figures that although both labeled FDI, can’t be side by side compared. As a part of the national accounts of a country, and in regard to the national income equation Y=C+I+G+(X-M), I is investment plus foreign investment, FDI refers to the net inflows of investment(inflow minus outflow) to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. [2] It is the sum of equity capital, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown the balance of payments. It usually involves participation in management, joint-venture, transfer of technology and expertise. There are two types of FDI: inward and outward, resulting in a net FDI inflow (positive or negative) and â€Å"stock of foreign direct investment†, which is the cumulative number for a given period. Direct investment excludesinvestment through purchase of shares.[3] FDI is one example of international factor movements. foriegn direct investment is nothing but inrease the country’s economy . Types 1. Horizon FDI arises when a firm duplicates its home country-based activities at the same value chain stage in a host country through FDI.[4] 2. Platform FDI 3. Vertical FDI takes place when a firm through FDI moves upstream or downstream in different value chains i.e., when firms perform value-adding activities stage by stage in a vertical fashion in a host country.[4] Horizontal FDI decreases international trade as the product of them is usually aimed at host country; the two other types generally act as a stimulus for it. Methods The foreign direct investor may acquire voting power of an enterprise in an economy through any of the following methods: * by incorporating a wholly owned subsidiary or company anywhere * by acquiring shares in an associated enterprise * through a merger or an acquisition of an unrelated enterprise * participating in an equity joint venture with another investor or enterprise Foreign direct investment incentives may take the following forms: * low corporate tax and individual income tax rates * tax holidays * other types of tax concessions * preferential tariffs * special economic zones * EPZ – Export Processing Zones * Bonded Warehouses * Maquiladoras * investment financial subsidies * soft loan or loan guarantees * free land or land subsidies * relocation & expatriation * infrastructure subsidies * R&D support * derogation from regulations (usually for very large projects) Importance and barriers to FDI The rapid growth of world population since 1950 has occurred mostly in developing countries. This growth has not been matched by similar increases in per-capita income and access to the basics of modern life, like education, health care, or – for too many – even sanitary water and waste disposal. FDI has proven — when skillfully applied — to be one of the fastest means of, with the highest impact on, development. However, given its many benefits for both investing firms and hosting countries, and the large jumps in development were best practices followed, eking out advances with even moderate long-term impacts often has been a struggle. Recently, research and practice are finding ways to make FDI more assured and beneficial by continually engaging with local realities, adjusting contracts and reconfiguring policies as blockages and openings emerge. Foreign direct investment and the developing world A recent meta-analysis of the effects of foreign direct investment on local firms in developing and transition countries suggests that foreign investment robustly increases local productivity growth. [5] The Commitment to Development Index ranks the â€Å"development-friendliness† of rich country investment policies. Difficulties limiting FDI Foreign direct investment may be politically controversial or difficult because it partly reverses previous policies intended to protect the growth of local investment or of infant industries. When these kinds of barriers against outside investment seem to have not worked sufficiently, it can be politically expedient for a host country to open a small â€Å"tunnel† as a focus for FDI. The nature of the FDI tunnel depends on the country’s or jurisdiction’s needs and policies. FDI is not restricted to developing countries. For example, lagging regions in the France, Germany, Ireland, and USA have for a half century maintained offices to recruit and incentivize  FDI primarily to create jobs. China, starting in 1979, promoted FDI primarily to import modernizing technology, and also to leverage and uplift its huge pool of rural workers. [6] To secure greater benefits for lesser costs, this tunnel need be focused on a particular industry and on closely negotiated, sp ecific terms. These terms define the trade offs of certain levels and types of investment by a firm, and specified concessions by the host jurisdiction. The investing firm needs sufficient cooperation and concessions to justify their business case in terms of lower labor costs, and the opening of the country’s or even regional markets at a distinct advantage over (global) competitors. The hosting country needs sufficient contractual promises to politically sell uncertain benefits—versus the better-known costs of concessions or damage to local interests. The benefits to the host may be: creation of a large number of more stable and higher-paying jobs; establishing in lagging areas centers of new economic development that will support attracting or strengthening of many other firms without so costly concessions; hastening the transfer of premium-paying skills to the host country’s work force; and encouraging technology transfer to local suppliers. Concessions commonly offered include: tax exemptions or reductions; construction or cheap lease-back of site improvements or of new building facilities; and large local infrastructures such as roads or rail lines; More politically difficult (certainly for less-developed regions) are concessions which change policies for: reduced taxes and tariffs; curbing protections for smaller-business from the large or global; and laxer administration of regulations on labor safety and environmental preservation. Often these un-politick â€Å"cooperations† are covert and subject to corruption. The lead-up for a big FDI can be risky, fraught with reverses, and subject to unexplained delays for years. Completion of the first phase remains unpredictable — even after the contract ceremonies are over and construction has started. So, lenders and investors expect high risk premiums similar to those of junk bonds. These costs and frustration have been major barriers for FDI in many countries. The value of FDI with some industries, some companies, and some countries much greater than with others; like most markets, valuations can be mostly perceptual. It is in the interest of both investors and recipients to dissemble the value of deals to their constituents, so the market on  what’s hot and what’s not has frequent bubbles and crashes. Because local circumstances and the global economy vary so rapidly, Because valuations can shift dramatically in short times, negotiating and planning FDI is often quite irrational. Foreign direct investment by country There are multiple factors determining host country attractiveness in the eyes of large foreign direct institutional investors, notablypension funds and sovereign wealth funds. Research conducted by the World Pensions Council (WPC) suggests that perceived legal/political stability over time and medium-term economic growth dynamics constitute the two main determinants[7] Some development economists believe that a sizeable part of Western Europe has now fallen behind the most dynamic amongst Asia’semerging nations, notably because the latter adopted policies more propitious to long-term investments: â€Å"Successful countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and South Korea still remember the harsh adjustment mechanisms imposed abruptly upon them by the IMF and World Bank during the 1997-1998 ‘Asian Crisis’ [†¦] What they have achieved in the past 10 years is all the more remarkable: they have quietly abandoned the â€Å"Washington consensus† [the dominant Neoclassical perspective] by investing massively in infrastructure projects [†¦]: this pragmatic approach proved to be very successful.†[8] The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said that there was no significant growth of global FDI in 2010. In 2011 was $1,524 billion, in 2010 was $1,309 billion and in 2009 was $1,114 billion. The figure was 25 percent below the pre-crisis average between 2005 and 2007. Foreign direct investment in the United States Broadly speaking, the U.S. has a fundamentally open economy and very small barriers to foreign direct investment.[10] The United States is the world’s largest recipient of FDI. U.S. FDI totaled $194 billion in 2010. 84% of FDI in the U.S. in 2010 came from or through eight countries: Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Canada.[11]Research indicates that foreigners hold greater shares of their investment portfolios in the United States if their own countries have less developed financial markets, an effect whose magnitude decreases with income  per capita. Countries with fewer capital controls and greater trade with the United States also invest more in U.S. equity and bond markets. [12] White House data reported in June 2011 found that a total of 5.7 million workers were employed at facilities highly dependent on foreign direct investors. Thus, about 13% of the American manufacturing workforce depended on such investments. The average pay of said jobs was found as around $70,000 per worker, over 30% higher than the average pay across the entire U.S. workforce.[10] President Barack Obama has said, â€Å"In a global economy, the United States faces increasing competition for the jobs and industries of the future. Taking steps to ensure that we remain the destination of choice for investors around the world will help us win that competition and bring prosperity to our people.†[10] [edit]Foreign direct investment in China FDI in China, also known as RFDI (renminbi foreign direct investment), has increased considerably in the last decade, reaching $59.1 billion in the first six months of 2012, making China the largest recipient of foreign direct investment and topping the United States which had $57.4 billion of FDI.During the global financial crisis FDI fell by over one-third in 2009 but rebounded in 2010.[14] [edit]Foreign direct investment in India Starting from a baseline of less than $1 billion in 1990, a recent UNCTAD survey projected India as the second most important FDI destination (after China) for transnational corporations during 2010–2012. As per the data, the sectors that attracted higher inflows were services, telecommunication, construction activities and computer software and hardware. Mauritius, Singapore, US and UK were among the leading sources of FDI. Based on UNCTAD data FDI flows were $10.4 billion, a drop of 43% from the first half of the last year.[15] India disallowed overseas corporate bodies (OCB) to invest in India.[16] 2012 FDI reforms See also: Retailing in India On 14 September 2012, Government of India allowed FDI in aviation up to 49%, in the broadcast sector up to 74%, in multi-brand retailup to 51% and in single-brand retail up to 100%.[17] The choice of allowing FDI in multi-brand retail up to 51% has been left to eachstate. In its supply chain  sector, the government of India had already approved 100% FDI for developing cold chain. This allows non-Indians to now invest with full ownership in India’s burgeoning demand for efficient food supply systems.[18] The need to reduce waste in fresh food and to feed the aspiring demand of India’s fast developing population has made the cold supply chain a very exciting investment proposition. Foreign investment was introduced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he was finance minister (1991) by the government of India as FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act). This has been one of the top political problems for Singh’s government, even in the current (2012) election. [19] [20] Definition of ‘Foreign Direct Investment – FDI’ An investment made by a company or entity based in one country, into a company or entity based in another country. Foreign direct investments differ substantially from indirect investments such as portfolio flows, wherein overseas institutions invest in equities listed on a nation’s stock exchange. Entities making direct investments typically have a significant degree of influence and control over the company into which the investment is made. Open economies with skilled workforces and good growth prospects tend to attract larger amounts of foreign direct investment than closed, highly regulated economies. Investopedia explains ‘Foreign Direct Investment – FDI’ The investing company may make its overseas investment in a number of ways – either by setting up a subsidiary or associate company in the foreign country, by acquiring shares of an overseas company, or through a merger or joint venture. The accepted threshold for a foreign direct investment relationship, as defined by the OECD, is 10%. That is, the foreign investor must own at least 10% or more of the voting stock or ordinary shares of the investee company. An example of foreign direct investment would be an American company taking a majority stake in a company in China. Another example would be a Canadian company setting up a joint venture to develop a mineral deposit in Chile.

Mercy Among Children

Mercy Among Children Mercy Among Children tells the story of Sydney, a man who was separated from his family for various reasons and who had to find ways and means to fend off the loneliness that was beginning to consume him. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mercy Among Children The Story About Homesick specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He had a sense of sadness that comes from the pit of the stomach, that aching for familiarity that he knew to be homesickness. It was difficult for him to be away from his family for so long. It was later on that he discovered that by reading books, he could feel that he was no longer alone. He was a proud man. He would never admit to others that he missed his family, nor that he wanted to go home. Instead, he hid his homesickness by reading books. The books broke his sense of isolation. His character explained within the story that when one is reading books: you are not alone even along this broken tra ctor road. You need to know nothing else. (Mercy Among The Children) Whether he admitted it to himself or not, he missed his family. To quote from the story itself: he was ready to go home. He would walk nine miles out to the highway and catch the bus back to the Miramichi. Tomorrow night he would be with Elly again. he would hold and kiss Percy. He thought of the miles ahead of him and they seemed an insult; he wanted them to be gone in a second. (Mercy Among The Children) The longing for the love and care of his family was the source of his homesickness. Yet he tried to stay away for three long years so he could provide a better future for them. He sacrificed his personal happiness for them. Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Homesickness was a perennial illness for him and he knew that the only cure was to finally go home to the people he cared for and loved him back. Now , Sydney found himself ready and very much excited to go home, and go home he did. Being a student who is currently living in a foreign land, I find mysel ffully identifying with the sadness that Sydney felt. Sometimes, homesickness becomes unbearable,. Even though I know that I am doing this for my and my familys future, it does not lessen the pining that I have for my family. This was a new world for me. It was world where I barely spoke and understood the language, nor did I have any friends. Time has not changed my longing for the presence of my family in my daily life. Now I realize that the saying You never know what you had till you lose it is true. I used to take my mother and fathers care for granted. I got so used to having them there for me all the time that it has become almost impossible for me to adjust to life without them, without the creature comforts that home offered me. In this world, I make do with phone calls to my family, hearing their words of love and com fort that are meant to keep me strong but only weaken my resolve not to miss them in the process. These days, I do not have the unconditional support of my family to fall back on. I am constantly surrounded by people and yet I feel so alone and lonely. I guess it is already obvious that just like Sydney in the story, I am consumed by homesickness and wish for nothing more than to finally go home to the loving embrace of my mother and father. The only thing that gives me the strength to go on with my life here, is the knowledge that eventually, I will be back home in Cambodia, and my homesickness will finally come to an end. It is not easy to be homesick. It takes a lot of effort to get through the day when you are dealing with it. But just like Sydney, you will find a way to make the loneliness go away. Then it wont hurt so much and you can have a semblance of a life. Until the time comes when you can finally go home.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mercy Among Children The Story About Homesick specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Free Essays on Theme In “Jilting Of Granny Weatherall”

The theme in â€Å"Jilting of Granny Weatherall† is deep in meaning and routed directly with the main character, Ellen. When Katherine Anne Porter, the author of this short story, wrote this she had a focus on the inner feelings of an old sick woman. The theme of a story is the general idea or insight that the story reveals. The theme in this short story is to having a different perception of things in death, either by understanding things that one hasn’t before or even having changed perspectives completely and see something from another light. When Granny is sitting in the bed in the beginning of the story having her pulse taken by Doctor Harry, she is remembering the doctor being a child. She is disoriented and tells him to leave at once, to pick up his school books and go. Granny shows perfect record to the theme at this very early point in the story, her perception is distorted because of her illness and sees the doctor as he once was a child. This is how Granny remembered Dr. Harry, young and a brat. When she is in the bed she feels that he is being a nuisance to her by fiddling with her body, checking her pulse and such. This reminds Ellen of the times when Harry as a child had been annoying in another manner. Further into the story Doctor Harry returns, which to Granny Weatherall seems like a few minutes. Being as sick as she is she is wrapped up in time. She hasn’t had any â€Å"real time† because she is going through a remembering stage of death. She comments on not wanting to see Dr. Harry because h e just left three minutes ago, her daughter Cornelia tells her that it was yesterday when she had seen the doctor. Granny Weatherall starts to remember the wedding she was promised with her previous lover, George. She remembers what it had felt like being jilted by the man and how it had affected her life. She thinks that she has forgotten him, through all of these years, and is redundant to believe that she still cares a... Free Essays on Theme In â€Å"Jilting Of Granny Weatherall† Free Essays on Theme In â€Å"Jilting Of Granny Weatherall† The theme in â€Å"Jilting of Granny Weatherall† is deep in meaning and routed directly with the main character, Ellen. When Katherine Anne Porter, the author of this short story, wrote this she had a focus on the inner feelings of an old sick woman. The theme of a story is the general idea or insight that the story reveals. The theme in this short story is to having a different perception of things in death, either by understanding things that one hasn’t before or even having changed perspectives completely and see something from another light. When Granny is sitting in the bed in the beginning of the story having her pulse taken by Doctor Harry, she is remembering the doctor being a child. She is disoriented and tells him to leave at once, to pick up his school books and go. Granny shows perfect record to the theme at this very early point in the story, her perception is distorted because of her illness and sees the doctor as he once was a child. This is how Granny remembered Dr. Harry, young and a brat. When she is in the bed she feels that he is being a nuisance to her by fiddling with her body, checking her pulse and such. This reminds Ellen of the times when Harry as a child had been annoying in another manner. Further into the story Doctor Harry returns, which to Granny Weatherall seems like a few minutes. Being as sick as she is she is wrapped up in time. She hasn’t had any â€Å"real time† because she is going through a remembering stage of death. She comments on not wanting to see Dr. Harry because h e just left three minutes ago, her daughter Cornelia tells her that it was yesterday when she had seen the doctor. Granny Weatherall starts to remember the wedding she was promised with her previous lover, George. She remembers what it had felt like being jilted by the man and how it had affected her life. She thinks that she has forgotten him, through all of these years, and is redundant to believe that she still cares a...

Ancestry and Family Tree of President Ronald Reagan

Ancestry and Family Tree of President Ronald Reagan A well-loved Hollywood actor, Ronald Reagan appeared in over 50 feature films. In 1966, he was elected as governor of California and, in 1980, he became the 40th president of the United States (1981-1989) Born in 1911 in Tampico, Illinois, Ronald Wilson Reagan was the second son of John (Jack) Reagan and Nelle Wilson. He was the great-grandson, on his fathers side, of Irish immigrants who came to America through Canada in the 1940s. His mother was of Scottish and English ancestry. Learn about his other family members using this family tree, which is presented by generation. First Generation 1. Ronald Wilson REAGAN was born on 6 Feb 1911 in Tampico, Illinois and died on 5 Jun 2004. He is buried on the grounds of the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, Ventura Co., CA. In 1950, Ronald Reagan married actress Sarah Jane Mayfield (stage name Jane Wyman). They had two girls- Maureen Elizabeth born in 1941 and Christine who died at birth in 1947. In 1945 they adopted a baby boy named Michael. Jane and Ronald divorced in 1948 and, on 4 March 1952 Ronald Reagan married another actress, Nancy Davis (born 6 July 1921). Named Anne Francis Robbins at birth, Nancy took the surname Davis when her stepfather, Dr. Loyal Davis, adopted her in 1935. Nancy and Ronald had two children- Patricia Ann (Patti) in 1952 and Ronald Prescott in 1958. Second Generation (Parents) 2. John Edward (Jack) REAGAN was born on 13 Jul 1883 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL. He died on 18 May 1941 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles Co., CA. 3. Nelle Clyde WILSON was born on 24 Jul 1883 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL. She died on 25 Jul 1962 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles Co., CA. John Edward (Jack) REAGAN and Nelle Clyde WILSON were married on 8 Nov 1904 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL and had the following children: i. John Neil REAGAN was born on 16 Sep 1909 in Tampico, Illinois.1 ii. Ronald Wilson REAGAN Third Generation (Grandparents) 4. John Michael REAGAN1,2 was born on 29 May 1854 in Peckham, Kent, England. He died of tuberculosis on 10 Mar 1889 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL. 5. Jennie CUSICK1 was born about 1854 in Dixon, Lee Co., IL. She died of tuberculosis on 19 Nov 1886 in Whiteside Co., IL. John Michael REAGAN and Jennie CUSICK were married on 27 Feb 1878 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL3 and had the following children: i. Catherine (Katy) REAGAN1 was born in Jul 1879 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL.1ii. William REAGAN was born on 10 Jan 1881 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL. He died on 19 Sep 1925 in Dixon, Lee Co., IL.2 iii. John Edward (Jack) REAGANiv. Anna REAGAN was born on 14 May 1885 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL. 6. Thomas WILSON4,5 was born on 28 Apr 1844 in Clyde, Whiteside Co., IL. He died on 12 Dec 1909 in Whiteside Co., IL. 7. Mary Ann ELSEY4,5 was born on 28 Dec 1843 in Epson, Surrey, England. She died on 6 Oct 1900 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL. Thomas WILSON and Mary Ann ELSEY were married on 25 Jan 1866 in Morrison, Whiteside Co., IL and had the following children: i. Emily WILSON4,5 was born on 12 Nov 1867 in Clyde, Whiteside Co., Illinois.ii. John WILSON4,5 was born on 9 Oct 1869 in Clyde, Whiteside Co., Illinois. He died on 21 Jun 1942 in Clinton, Iowa.iii. Jennie WILSON5 was born on 16 Jun 1872 in Illinois. She died on 8 Mar 1920.iv. Alexander Thomas WILSON5 was born on 30 Mar 1874 in Illinois. He died on 26 Apr 1962.v. George O. WILSON5 was born on 2 Mar 1876 in Illinois. He died on 3 Apr 1951 in Clinton, Iowa.vi. Mary Lavinia WILSON5 was born on 6 Apr 1879 in Illinois. She died on 6 Sep 1951 in Fulton, Whiteside Co., IL.3 vii. Nelle Clyde WILSON

Mathematics Learning Disability Speech or Presentation

Mathematics Learning Disability - Speech or Presentation Example The facts comprise of basic computation such as (4+5=9 or 6x4=24), which students require putting out in memory in their earliest levels of elementary school. It is critical to remember these ideas since it permits a student to approach the most advanced thinking of mathematics without bogging down easy calculations. Secondly, many students have computation weaknesses. Various students, despite a good understanding of concepts of mathematics, are not consistence at computing. They always make errors since they misread the signs and symbols or carry most numbers incorrectly, or might not write numerals in the correct column or clearly enough. The same learners always struggle, specifically in primary school, in which basic computation and correct answers are stressed. This makes them end up in the remedial lessons, even if they may be having top levels of ability of the greater level of mathematical thinking. Furthermore, many learners have incomplete of getting the language of mathematics. These students might also face reading, speaking and writing difficulties. In mathematics, however, their problem of language is as a result of hard terminology, many of which they have never heard anywhere outside the mathematics classroom. These learners have difficulty in understanding verbal or written directions or explanations. They also find word problems particularly difficulty to translate. Lastly, a far commonly seen the problem and the most severe may be the inability of the individual be able to visualize the ideas of math effectively. Learners who have the problem cannot judge the size in dissimilar items. This disorder disadvantages students since it needs the learners to rely on rote memorization of both written and spoken description of mathematical concepts, which are taken by people for granted. Many math problems require learners to use high order mental cognition using skills of perception, for example, to find the shape that will result after rotating a complex.

Should genitically modified foods be labeled Research Paper

Should genitically modified foods be labeled - Research Paper Example Actually, a lot of food that we eat today contains genetically modified ingredients. Supporters of this technology claim that it benefits humanity because that it ensures and sustains food security around the world as the population increases. Genetic Engineering (GE) or Genetic Modification (GM) of food is an issue that has entered the mainstream media in a lot of countries. It is a fact that a lot of food that we eat today contains genetically modified ingredients and usually without our knowledge. Supporters of this technology maintain that it ensures and sustains food security around the world as the population increases (Caplan). There is no doubt that the science behind genetic engineering is improving. While biotechnology could be the wave of the future and genetically modified foods could really provide alternatives to help increase food production, there is a growing wave of concern from citizens, farmers and scientists who question the way the research is currently being ha ndled by a few large, profit-hungry corporations. That is, as well as scientific debates on the merits of genetically engineered food, there are equally, if not more important, debates on the potential danger on both human beings and the environment (Kass). Much of the concern people have about Genetic Engineering is due to the fact that it is a very young and untested technology and may not be the answer to the food shortage problem just yet. Similarly, crop uniformity, which the biotech firms are promoting, will reduce genetic diversity making them more vulnerable to disease and pests. This furthers the need for pesticides, which are created by the same companies creating and promoting genetically engineered crops. This leads to questions of the motives of corporations and countries who are using the plight of the developing world as a marketing strategy to gain acceptance of GE food as well as dependency upon it via intellectual property rights. That they are against any labeling or other precautionary steps and measures that countries may wish to take is of paramount concern. The reason that genetically engineered food could be dangerous is due to the lack of testing to ensure that extracting genes that perform an apparently useful function as part of that plant or animal is going to have the same effects if inserted into a totally unrelated species. It may be that in the long term, genetically modified food could provide us with benefits and be a safe alternative, but we cannot know that at this time due to the lack of safety testing. The testing that has been done is often to ensure that the crop grows. Yet, there has been less emphasis on testing the effects or testing the wider ecology and the associated impacts of this technology on humans and nature. Even if there has been some testing, the long-term effects to humans, animals and the environment are unknown. The full ramifications of modified genes mixing with unmodified ones are unknown (Caplan). T hus, genetically modified food may benefit us, but we cannot know that at this time because much needed testing has not been done and current studies point to dangers rather than benefits. However, a group of scientists in UK do claim that GE food may be safe, but they mention that the long-term effects are still unknown. Also, it should be noted that a lot of field tests that companies do

Euthanasia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Euthanasia - Term Paper Example There are a plethora of perspectives which must be considered and this paper will shed light upon the most important perspectives. No religion in the world would vouch for assisted suicides as it is a huge sin to bring your life to an end and it is an even bigger sin to help someone die but in the case of terminally ill people it is a different story. There are several NGOs that have been established to help terminally ill people; Dying with dignity is one such NGO which is located in Canada. The members of the NGO have been trying hard to help terminally ill people, the NGO supports assisted suicide but at the same time they have been trying to ensure that the terminally ill patients die without any pain and they die with dignity. In some countries it is against the law to assist terminally ill patients to commit suicide. Final exit network is another NGO which helps terminally ill patients in assisted suicides. This NGO is known for accepting patients who are suffering from fatal diseases like cancer, heart failure, Parkinson’s disease and so on. Usually it is very difficult for such patients to be adopted by an NGO but Final exit is an exception and it accepts almost everyone. The near and dear ones of the terminally ill die each day, they suffer from physical and emotional trauma isn’t assisted suicide better than dying each day? It may not be the best option but when emotional pain and suffering supersedes everything, one is left with a handful of options.

Fashion marketing Spanish group Inditex Assignment

Fashion marketing Spanish group Inditex - Assignment Example The essay "Fashion marketing Spanish group Inditex" discovers the marketing of the Spanish group Inditex. The mission statement of Bershka has always been to reach their customers within best possible short time, and to offer them quality of service at low prices. Bershka has also expanded their services to approach the customers through online selling. And today, the websites executing under Bershka are gaining advantage at excellent level. Swot analysis: (14Ju1) - Strength - strong management, pricing power, size and cost advantage, financial leverage and unique products. Weaknesses - work inefficiencies, high debt burden, high staff turnover, weak R&D and management, outdated technology and bad acquisitions. Opportunities - new technology, emerging markets, financial leverage, acquisitions synergies, new services, online markets and innovations. Threats - change in customer’s change, volatile costs, bad company, high competitive market, and bad economy, substitute products available in the market and government regulations. Product - high textile quality products are created along with the latest new designs. The products are designed keeping in mind the actual trends of the market. Finalized products are finely seal packed to keep safe. Besides clothing the brand also includes; accessories, apparels, bags, shoes, denim, Underwear & Lingerie. Prices - the prices of the products are set at a level of being available to the most common customers, holding average income. The prices are also kept same.

The defence of self-defence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The defence of self-defence - Essay Example An individual is allowed in the eyes of the statutory defence to make use of reasonable force in an attempt to avoid committing a crime in such situations in which the individual cannot use the common law to avail himself. It is for the jury to decide as ordinary members of the community what exactly can be qualified as reasonable force in a certain case considering its individualistic facts. Ross is physically a very strong man, and he needed to protect himself not only against the first attempt of Samantha to injure or kill him but also her subsequent attempts. He needed to use at least as much force that would help him achieve that. His use of force did not instantly cause the death of Samantha. Therefore, Ross is innocent in the case of Samantha’s death. The defence of self-defence In the case under consideration, although Ross may be blamed for killing David, yet the blame that has been placed on him for killing Samantha is not right because what he did was an attempt to defend himself from the harm that Samantha was just about to cause him with her golf club. Self-defence makes a very important part of the English law’s doctrine of private defence. Ross should not be found guilty of the murder of Samantha and the defence of self-defence should have been put to the jury. ... English law has self-defence as a complete defence of justification in any case that includes any kind of assault. This makes self-defence unlike the loss of control that applies just for the mitigation of what would be classified as murder to manslaughter otherwise. Unlike loss of control, self-defence is a complete defence. Because of this completeness, the interpretation of self-defence is done in a comparatively conservative manner in order to avoid the development of a justification standard that is too generous. Increasingly forgiving defences provide the cynical defendants with greater incentives of the defence’s exploitation in their planning of the use of violence as well as when they have to make an explanation of the matters following the incident. Jury in the cases involving self-defence are entitled to consider the defendant’s physical characteristics, though such evidence does not have much probative value in reaching the decision if excessive force was im plied. According to the principle of general common law, â€Å"A defendant is entitled to use reasonable force to protect himself, others for whom he is responsible and his property. It must be reasonable† (Beckford v R (1988) 1 AC 130 cited in Smart Self Defence, 2011). In the case under consideration, Ross is a heavy man who is more than six feet in height whereas Samantha is petite with a total height of only five feet and three inches. Ross’ above average physical structure and excessive strength in comparison to Samantha along with Samantha’s below average height may give Ross some advantage in the eyes of law since not only Ross was too powerful, but also Samantha was too petite in

The study of the hip-hop culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The study of the hip-hop culture - Essay Example The study of the hip-hop culture Some of the professional fields concerned with the study of the hip-hop culture include musicology, literature, African-American studies, linguistics, and so forth (Leach, 9; Alridge and Stewart, 190). In academic and professional conferences, hip-hop culture topics are receiving a wider attention as people strive to understand this culture. Equally, hip-hop materials are currently being sought after by research institutions (including Harvard and Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture) to provide researchers with adequate materials in the analysis of the hip-hop culture (Leach, 9). This essay compares Eminem’s video for â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† with N.W.A.’s video for â€Å"Straight Outta Compton†. In the analysis of these different rap videos, the essay constructs an argument about how hip-hop has changed since its formation in the 1970s. Defining and Understanding Hip-hop and Rap Numerous people (including knowledgeable hip-hop writers and lis teners) do not understand the meanings of rap and hip-hop; particularly, many of these individuals think that the two are interchangeable. Nonetheless, hip-hop is a cultural movement originating from South Bronx, New York. It has four main/primary elements that include rap, graffiti, DJing (also known as turntablism), and break dancing. Other elements that are also part of the hip-hop culture include language, beat boxing, and fashion. Among these elements, rap is the most popular and the most celebrated element of the hip-hop culture. ... Rapping is also known as emceeing. In this hip-hop element, the rapper or the performer speaks rhythmically to a musical beat; his/her words rhyme from one sentence to the other. In the modern hip-hop perspective, an MC is different from a rapper. An MC is an individual with superior lyrical ability; on the other hand, a rapper focuses less on lyrical prowess. Particularly, this characteristic is evident in many of the mainstream rappers today (Aces and Eighths). Although it originated in New York, hip-hop has its roots in African-American and West African music. Griots are a group of West African singers and poets whose musical style is similar to that of the hip-hop culture. They have an oral tradition similar to the one in rap music; however, theirs dates back to hundreds of years. In the City of New York, griot-like musical performances from artists such as Mansur Nuriddin and The Last Poets influenced the post-civil rights era culture in the 1960s. In the 1970s, block parties be came common creating the humble beginnings of the hip-hop culture (Aces and Eighths). â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† by Eminem â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† is a hip-hop song done by Marshall Bruce Mathers III who is popular by the name Eminem. In the process of writing this song, Eminem sought assistance from Andre Romelle Young (popular by the name Dr. Dre) and Thomas Joseph Coster Junior (popular by the name Tommy Coster Jr). Eminem was writing this song for his third studio album â€Å"The Marshall Mathers LP† released on 23 May 2000. This song was the lead single in this album. The song was highly successful as it reached number one in UK (United Kingdom) and number four on the â€Å"Billboard Hot

The defence of self-defence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The defence of self-defence - Essay Example An individual is allowed in the eyes of the statutory defence to make use of reasonable force in an attempt to avoid committing a crime in such situations in which the individual cannot use the common law to avail himself. It is for the jury to decide as ordinary members of the community what exactly can be qualified as reasonable force in a certain case considering its individualistic facts. Ross is physically a very strong man, and he needed to protect himself not only against the first attempt of Samantha to injure or kill him but also her subsequent attempts. He needed to use at least as much force that would help him achieve that. His use of force did not instantly cause the death of Samantha. Therefore, Ross is innocent in the case of Samantha’s death. The defence of self-defence In the case under consideration, although Ross may be blamed for killing David, yet the blame that has been placed on him for killing Samantha is not right because what he did was an attempt to defend himself from the harm that Samantha was just about to cause him with her golf club. Self-defence makes a very important part of the English law’s doctrine of private defence. Ross should not be found guilty of the murder of Samantha and the defence of self-defence should have been put to the jury. ... English law has self-defence as a complete defence of justification in any case that includes any kind of assault. This makes self-defence unlike the loss of control that applies just for the mitigation of what would be classified as murder to manslaughter otherwise. Unlike loss of control, self-defence is a complete defence. Because of this completeness, the interpretation of self-defence is done in a comparatively conservative manner in order to avoid the development of a justification standard that is too generous. Increasingly forgiving defences provide the cynical defendants with greater incentives of the defence’s exploitation in their planning of the use of violence as well as when they have to make an explanation of the matters following the incident. Jury in the cases involving self-defence are entitled to consider the defendant’s physical characteristics, though such evidence does not have much probative value in reaching the decision if excessive force was im plied. According to the principle of general common law, â€Å"A defendant is entitled to use reasonable force to protect himself, others for whom he is responsible and his property. It must be reasonable† (Beckford v R (1988) 1 AC 130 cited in Smart Self Defence, 2011). In the case under consideration, Ross is a heavy man who is more than six feet in height whereas Samantha is petite with a total height of only five feet and three inches. Ross’ above average physical structure and excessive strength in comparison to Samantha along with Samantha’s below average height may give Ross some advantage in the eyes of law since not only Ross was too powerful, but also Samantha was too petite in

Sales Tax in Canada Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sales Tax in Canada - Term Paper Example There are various types of taxes such as the income tax, sales tax, import tax and export tax but the discussion in this paper will be based on the sales tax and its impact. Sales tax is levied by a city or state on retail prices of items (Kesselman, 2011). This tax is usually imposed by governments and collected at point of sale with the retailer to collecting and passing the tax to the state (Kesselman, 2011). There are three kinds of sales taxes levied in Canada namely the provincial sales tax PST collected by provinces; goods and services tax which is collected by federal government, Lastly, there is the harmonized sales tax (HST) which combines both PST and GST and is levied in various provinces and then shared out to participating provinces (Sherman, 2009). The rate of sales tax levied is based on various factors which include the product and the place they are being shipped; for instance, publications shipped into any Canadian destination are levied a 5 percent GST although th ey are not subjected to PST (Smart, 2011). The costs incurred in shipment and cargo handling expenses are also subjected to sales taxes. This paper will present three products subjected to sales tax in Canada and evaluate who bears the burden from this budgets. Products subject to sales tax in Canada On 1st July 2010, the harmonized sales tax (HST) was adopted which did away with payment of sales taxes to two governmental levels (Smart, 2011). Previously, eight percent sales tax was paid under the PST while 5 percent was levied by the federal government for various products. Despite the harmonization of the sales taxes, products that were previously not subjected to sales tax remained unaffected as the total sales tax become aggregated (Smart, 2011). The products which are never subjected to sales tax include prescription drugs, basic groceries and municipal transits (Roukhkain, 2011). Clothing and footwear are subjected to sales tax in Canada (Chetty, Looney, and Kroft, 2008). Unde r HST, clothing for adults is subjected to 13 percent in Ontario. The aggregate tax rate is equal to the cumulative sales tax levied before July, 2010 where GST was 5 percent and the PST was 8 percent. Clothing for the children is subjected to a 5 percent sales tax as was the case before HST was adopted as they were exempted from 8 percent PST rate (Roukhkain, 2011). Furthermore, footwear for children are subjected to 5 percent sale tax as shoes beyond size six have a 13 percent sales tax levied on them. The tax system on clothing is based on the age group of their users and it is lower for children clothing to ensure that they are cheap and affordable thereby guaranteeing quality life for them (Smart, 2007). Although not all food products and beverages are subjected to sales tax; others have the tax charged (Smart, 2007). Basic groceries such as meat, vegetable, dairy and canned products are not subjected to sales tax and this has been the case even before HST was adopted. However, snack foods for instance chips and pop corn are charged a 13 percent sale tax. In addition, meals sold in restaurants for more than $ 4 have a 13 sales tax levied. Similarly, alcoholic drinks are also subjected to 13 percent sale tax. These products have a tax levied on them given that they are considered as luxuries and therefore a person enjoying them is well off in the society (Duff, 2003). On the other hand, no tax is levied on basic groceries as they are usually needed for maintenance of life and if sales tax is levied on products in this category, they would become expensive and unaffordable for the poor (Duff, 2003). Motor vehicles and their spare parts are the other products

Report consisting of local, regional and national teams in football Essay Example for Free

Report consisting of local, regional and national teams in football Essay My local, regional and national football team is Tranmere Rovers FC; they currently have 26 members of their first team, which is managed by Ronnie Moore. They play in the Coca-Cola Football League One, which is basically the 2nd division excluding the premiership. In 1999, the sports market was valued at around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.17 billion, an increase of 4.9 per cent on the 1998 value. This means that football on its own makes nearly a quarter of the sports market now. The most successful avenue has been in the form of replica clothing and football shirts. This particular commercialisation of sports increases revenue for teams and is one of the major sources of income. A perfect example of this would be when Real Madrid bought David Beckham from Manchester United for à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20 million plus. This was a very high transfer price but Real Madrid were very clever because they knew that they would earn millions of pounds from replica kits bought because they had Beckham playing for them. Most premiership clubs now have superstores attached to their grounds where supporters can buy merchandise. Clubs can also expand their retail business to other countries, the top teams in the world have stores in Asia where football is very popular, even more so when they have Asian players in their team. Ji Sung Park who plays for Manchester United would have made them millions of pound in revenue from fans in Asia buying replica kits. Football over the past decade has become more and more about money. Teams who earn promotion to the Premiership can expect to earn up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30 million through TV revenue and sponsors. The top teams who compete in continental competitions such as the Champions league can expect to earn as much as à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20 million more. The lower leagues do not have the luxury of this amount of money but they do receive TV revenue, but this is split between the leagues and is much lower than the à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30 million expected from premiership teams. Because Tranmere Rovers are a professional side, they can sell their replica shirts in the retail sector. These are priced at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½39.99 for the home kit and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½39.99 for the away kit and provide a considerable amount of revenue. Ticket sales are also another form of income that football clubs rely on, many of the top teams can earn as much as à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1 million per game dependent on the size of their ground. Main Stand Adults à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½18 Young Persons (17-22) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½13 Seniors (60+) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 Juniors à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 Paddock / Johnny King Stand Adults à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½16 Young Persons (17-22) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11 Seniors à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8 Juniors à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 Kop Stand Adults à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15 Young Persons (17-22) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8 Seniors à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8 Juniors à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 In 2006 Tranmere average attendance was 7,211 in league one. Their estimated gate receipts for a home game would therefore be à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½129,798. In league 1 they play 23 home games so an estimated à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2,985,354 a season is made from gate receipts. For the Financial year ending 30 June 2006 the club operated at a pre-tax profit of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½397,662. Advertising is another important financial investment that Tranmere Rovers use to increase revenue. The advertisement that is available around the ground is as follows; Perimeter board à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,500 per season Half page adverts in match day programs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,000 per season Full page adverts in match day programs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2,000 per season Player sponsors à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300 Webpage advertisement à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300 per month (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,600) per year Match day sponsor à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1200 for 16 guests Match ball sponsor à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½160 Tranmere can expect to make an estimated à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12,760 from advertising each year through each individual offer. Sponsorship is a very important factor in the overall turnover in most professional football teams and Tranmere is no different. Tranmere rovers employ many individuals to help with the daily running of the club, organising events, finance, sponsorship, and many other duties to help with the squad. The club is run by these individuals; Chairman Lorraine Rogers Chief Executive Mick Horton Finance Director Richard Hughes Associate Director Tony Adams Associate Director Norman Wilson President Peter Johnson They employ a further 24 people that work behind the scenes at the club as well as the reserve team and youth team. Local Rugby The local rugby team I will discuss is Widnes Vikings, they currently have 29 first team players who are manages by Steve McCormack, they have 30 first team members in their squad In comparison to football, there is a lot less money involved in rugby league. But teams such as Widnes Vikings can still make money through advertising and merchandise. They compete in the National league 1 which is a division below the Super league. When they were relegated from the super league in 2005 they decided to remain a professional side rather than switch to amateur, this resulted in the club being in debt because they failed to achieve promotion to the super league. On 29 January 1999 Halton Borough Council took over responsibility for the entire Stadium, both financially and managerially. This was necessary as the joint venture companies arrangements were not performing as expected. This plunged the club into even more debt. Halton stadium can now hold 13,350; Widnes Vikings only have an average attendance of only 6,500. This is much lower than other clubs in the league and one of the main reasons could be the ticket prices. A season ticket can be up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½224.00 A normal match day ticket can be à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½16 This is much higher than other clubs in the league and this could explain the low attendances. Merchandising is also a major part of the Vikings revenue. They sell replica kits in many sport shops, these shirts cost up to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20-à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30. Another avenue for revenue is advertising and TV revenue. Sky sports 1 regularly show live Widnes Vikings games during the season. The money from TV revenue is a much needed source of income for rugby league sides. The main people who run the club and deal with the business are as follows: Chief Executive: Peter Barrow Operations Manager: Patrick Cluskey Head Coach: Steve McCormack Assistant Coach: Andy Haigh Under 21s Coach: John Stankevitch Under 18s Coach: Dave Banks Strength Conditioning: Andy Haigh Player Performance Manager: John Foran Community Manager: Martin Davidson Community Development Officer: Rob Calland Bibliography www.widnesvikings.co.uk www.tranmererovers.premiumtv.co.uk www.wikipedia.co.uk Task B There are 3 different sectors that I will look at and how the organisation of sport is dictated. Voluntary Sector The voluntary sector is the largest sector for participation for sport in Britain. Most amateur clubs, like Sunday league football clubs are run on a voluntary basis and some voluntary clubs own their own facilities, but most of the amateur clubs hire out to train in. The facilities that these clubs hire out are usually hired from the public sector and this gives the voluntary clubs the chance to play sport. The voluntary sector is also linked to the private sector because they can have sponsorship from the private sector. The voluntary sector is funded by the members of there own club, for example in a football team you have to pay a signing on fee, pay for training facilities and pay match fees which usually covers the cost of team kit and the fee for the referee. Clubs can also apply for money grants from 4 different sources, which are the national lottery, national governing bodies, government and local authorities. Public sector The public sector is split up into 2 different governments which are central government and local government and each of these have many different jobs to do for sport. Local government invests à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.1 billion a year on British sport and focuses on providing equitable access to sport and recreation facilities and different opportunities for the public. Central government in funded by taxes, VAT and it also receives money from the national lottery. Its role in sport is to develop policies, passes laws, funds sports councils, which are UK sports council and then one sports council each for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Central government also distributes lottery money which then can be divided out to many plans, such as providing grants and to local governments. Central government has a different number of departments that are responsible for sport and they are the department for culture, media and sport (UK), the Northern Ireland of education and Welsh and Scottish offices. Private sector The main aim of the private sector is to provide a service for its customers and members while at the same time making a profit for the company. Individuals invest their own money in facilities. There are only 2 reasons why the private sector provides sports facilities and they are to make a profit off sport and to make a profit on their own investment. The areas private sectors are involved in-active sport (tennis, fitness suites), spectator sports (stadiums for football) and sponsorship. The private sectors, such as football clubs may run football camps involving the public sector to set it up with them, or football clubs might invite voluntary clubs to their training facilities and show them round the stadium. Money in football has increased dramatically since the introduction of the FA Premier league in 1992. The main reason for this is the TV revenue the teams earn by their games being aired live on TV, usually on Sky sports on Setanta sports. This is illustrated by the figures shown by Deloitte, club revenues of over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.4 billion in 2005-06 while is 2007/2008 it is expected to be above à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.8 billion. With the new three year deal Sky will pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.314 billion for 92 games and Setanta à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½392 million for 46 games. Foreign TV rights will produce à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½625 million in revenue whilst Internet and Mobile Phone revenue will be à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½400 million. The top club in Premiership will receive à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50m (including prize money as well as TV revenue) compared to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30.4 million with the current deal. The new deals will, by a significant margin, provide the Premier League with the second richest set of television contracts negotiated by any sports league in the world. This is a lot of money for a business that started out in public schools in the late 80s, and there are a lot of drawbacks for the fans because of the media and the sponsorship deals such as: Rule changing Because the game is watched by millions of fans all around the world, on certain channels that have paid millions of pounds to be able to show, they can have the influence to change the rules. In 1994 the golden goal was introduced, this meant that if the game went into extra-time, the first team to score a golden goal would therefore win the game. It was introduced to the game to stimulate offensive tactics and flair by teams and effectively reduce the number of penalty shoot-outs.

Censorship: Helpful Or Hindering? Essay example -- essays research pap

What exactly is censorship? Some feel censorship is a violation of their rights. Others say censorship is a must in the violent, abusive world we call â€Å"society.† Who has the right to censor? Who doesn’t? What needs to be censored, and what doesn’t? The fact of the matter is that there are many pros and cons in the music and entertainment industry about censorship. Personally, I believe that the consumers and viewers should be charged with the ultimate responsibility of censorship. One major area in which there is much argument on censorship is that of television. Since its invention earlier this century, television has become the most popular format for entertainment. We can be entertained, informed, and inspired by programs on television. But nowadays, television stations are becoming less restrictive about the content in their programs. More violence, profanity, and nudity than ever before now graces our television screens every night. Clearly, there are things that children should not be seeing on television. Therefor, the new v-chip legislation in process requires all television manufacturers to install an electronic device that allows parents to set the tolerance levels for violence, profanity and nudity. However, are children’s viewing habits the responsibility of the government or the parents? A good point can be made that there is far too much violence on television today, and that an invention such as a v-chip would help immensely. But what about such violent dra...

prime minister :: essays research papers

"I would anticipate that the major combat engagements are over," Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal told reporters at a Pentagon briefing. He said U.S. forces are moving into a phase of "smaller, albeit sharper fights." McChrystal said the number of daily air missions had dropped to 700 or 800 in recent days, down from about 1,000 or more a day. And Monday, he said, marked the last day that aircraft from all five aircraft carriers would fly missions over Iraq. Plans were announced to scale back the American naval presence in the Persian Gulf by bringing home two carrier groups in the coming days. The USS Kitty Hawk and USS Constellation could leave the Persian Gulf in the next several days, officials said. That would leave the USS Nimitz, which recently replaced the USS Abraham Lincoln, as the only remaining carrier group in the gulf. Officials also said one of the two groups in the Red Sea, the USS Harry S. Truman or the USS Theodore Roosevelt, could depart soon. Coalition fighting Monday against Iraqi targets in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, was not as fierce as some expected. McChrystal said the Iraqi forces there lacked a "coherent defense." Still, he cautioned against any suggestion that danger had passed for coalition forces. Meanwhile, U.S. troops believe they have found 11 mobile chemical and biological laboratories buried south of Baghdad outside Karbala, a U.S. general said Monday. (Full story) No chemical or biological weapons were found along with the labs, but soldiers recovered "about 1,000 pounds" of documents inside them, said Brig. Gen. Benjamin Freakley of the Army's 101st Airborne Division. U.N. weapons inspectors in February "found nothing untoward" at an ammunition filling plant close to where the United States says troops have found the labs, a U.N. inspection team spokesman said Monday. In February, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told the U.N. Security Council that Iraq had mobile biological weapons labs on at least 18 flatbed trucks. Disarming Iraq of its alleged weapons of mass destruction had been among the coalition's foremost goals entering the war, officials said. To date, there have been no confirmed discoveries of any such weaponry. The "only significant combat action" Monday took place in Tikrit, the lone major Iraqi holdout, said Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks of U.S. Central Command. After heavy airstrikes and sporadic battles Sunday, coalition forces from the south, west and north moved early Monday into the center of the north-central Iraqi city, the hometown of the deposed Iraqi president.

Development During Early Adolescence Essay

Can these changes have a significant impact on a variety of developmental outcomes of identity, morality, transitional stages, beginning of puberty and the full commitment to an adult social role, and sexual maturity? Hence, because of the potential impact of these changes, it is important to understand the cycles of adolescents. Life has store many surprises for us as we develop throughout our whole life span. Developmental stages are the progress that occurs in humans from the time they are born until they grow old and die. Originally beginning with infants and children, development will subsequently progress into adolescence, followed by adult, and lastly elderly. The development occurs in many fields, namely physical, perceptual, cognitive, moral and social. Derived from the Latin verb adolescere (to grow into maturity), adolescence is the period of transition from childhood to adulthood. Adolescent is a distinct and dynamic phase of development in the life of an individual. It is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood and is characterized by spurts of physical, mental, emotional and social development. Who considers â€Å"adolescence† to be the period between 10-19 years of age, which generally encompasses the time from the beginning of puberty to the full legal age. The early adolescent developmental period is when individuals experience many changes, including the biological changes associated with puberty, important changes in relations with family and peers, and the social and educational changes related to transition from elementary to middle school (Wigfield, Byrnes, & Eccles, 2002). The biological changes that occur at early adolescence are dramatic, as anyone working with this age group knows (Susman & Rogel, 2004). Pubertal developments, the timings of puberty is quite different for girls and boys; girls enter puberty approximately 18 months before boys do, which means that during early adolescence, girls mature faster. Adolescence can be prolonged, brief, or practically nonexistent, depending on the culture of their society. Adolescence is somewhere between childhood and adulthood. It is also the period of life between the beginning of puberty and the full commitment to an adult social role, such as worker or parent. It is filled with constant change, uncertainty, but it can be wonderful and full of expectation. Everything a child learned to believe is suddenly challenged. One day you are a cute child that everybody seemed to adore, and the next day your skin and body are changing. Adolescence is a challenging period for both children and their parents. Three stages of adolescence early, middle, and late, are experienced by most teens, but the age at which each stage is reached varies greatly from child to child. These different rates of maturation are connected to physical development and hormone balance, neither of which the child can control. For this reason, adolescents should be treated as individuals and any guidelines should be modified to the particular child. It is very common to come across mood swings in this stage of development. Gene Roland Medinnus and Ronald C. Johnson state that during adolescence, children develop the ability to: †¢ Understand abstract ideas, such as higher math concepts, and develop moral philosophies, including rights and privileges †¢ Establish and maintain satisfying relationships by learning to share intimacy without feeling worried or inhibited. Move toward a more mature sense of themselves and their purpose †¢ Question old values without losing their identity Adolescence begins when signs of sexual maturity begin to occur in both physical and social development and ends when the individual assumes adult roles and is concerned in most ways as an adult by his reference group. Female friendships are one of the most important dimensions of an adolescent girl’s life. Peer relationships and friendships are critical in the developing adolescent’s identity, behaviors, and overall health. These peer connections influence all areas of development including emotional, physical, spiritual, social, and cognitive. The movie â€Å"Mean Girls† addresses social behaviors and experiences that are common in female peer relationships throughout the adolescent years. â€Å"Mean Girls† has brought attention to girls mean behaviors and portrays a dark side of female peer relationships, in which girls act as bullies and use relationships to express anger or power through rumors, exclusion, secrets, or gossip. This movie shows the significant role that female peer relationships play. The functions of peer relationships in adolescence are to help support adolescents at a time when they are challenged with many new experiences, to encourage the development of emotional autonomy, to enable teens to form deeper forms of intimacy that will be needed in adulthood, and to improve social skills. Positive peer relationships cause less anxiety and depression in adolescents where as negative peer relationships may place an individual at risk for maladjustment. Adolescents who are generally disliked, aggressive, disruptive and cannot establish themselves in the peer culture are developmentally at risk. Having friends and peer acceptance are generally related to school competence, higher self-esteem, and better adjustments. Adolescence is a transitional stage of human development that occurs between childhood and adulthood. Teenagers (ages 13-19 years) are usually adolescent, though in some individual, puberty may extent a few years beyond the teenage years, and in some individuals puberty begins in the pre-teen years. Because adolescents are experiencing various strong cognitive and physical changes, for the first time in their lives they may start to view their friends, their peer group, as more important and influential than their parents. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word cognition as; the mental process of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning and judgment (Cognition). Because of peer pressure, they may sometimes indulge in activities not deemed socially acceptable. What is Peer Pressure? Peer pressure is the social pressure from friends or other people to accept certain beliefs or act in certain ways in order to be accepted. How and why do we get peers pressure? Everyone gives into peer pressure at one time or another, but why do people sometimes do things they didn’t want to do? Here are a few reasons. They are afraid of being rejected by others, want to be like and don’t want to lose a friend, want to appear grown up, don’t want to be made fun of, friends have a big influence on our lives, but sometimes they push us to do things we may not want to do. The first step to standing up to peer pressure is to understand it. The four main types of peer pressure is: 1. Rejection – threatening to end a friendship or relationship. This pressure can be hard to resist as nobody wants to lose friends. 2. Reasoning – telling a person reasons why they should try something or why it would be okay if they did it i. e. â€Å"your parents would never find out. † Identity is made of what drives an individual, the abilities they have, what they believe, and their personal history (Marcia, 1980). Identity is one of the main struggles in an adolescent’s life. It is very important that children receive the proper guidance while entering their adolescence from their parents and peers. Although they like to believe that they are capable of developing on their own, adolescents need parental guidance to develop their path of identity development. The relationship between a child and a parent plays an important role with an adolescent and his or her decisions about sex. (Chapman, Werner-Wilson 2008). Morality can be defined as the distinction between what is right and wrong or what is good and bad. Although, moral reasoning depends on culture which akes it difficult to define; most people don’t look at where these principles are coming from or what guides one through moral development. As children grow and learn, usually from care takers and people who inspire their every need, their morality changes based on several levels. Although researching of moral development goes as far back as Socrates, there are two psychologists that studied morality in depth and they are Lawrence Kohlberg and Jean Piaget. Jean Piaget was a cognitive developmental psychologist spending most of his time working with children and adolescents, including his own. Although, Piaget’s observation of moral development wasn’t in depth like Kohlberg, he allowed for a basic understanding. He believed that moral development occurred in stages. Piaget strongly believed in education and thought interaction in an education setting allowed children maximum potential in cognitive development. Piaget believed in many things, but when it came to moral development there were only two basic principles. The first principle was that children develop moral ideas in stages and could not skip stages, although movement from one stage to the other could vary in length. Lastly he believed that children create their own perception of their world, including whether their actions enforce what is morally right or wrong. â€Å"Piaget’s ideas of moral realism and morality of cooperation play a role in Kohlberg’s theory. Children in Piaget’s stage of moral realism believe that rules are absolute and can’t be changed. Punishment should be determined by how much damage is done, and the intention of the child is not taken into account. A child has many milestones to reach through adolescence. The success of these milestones depends on normal development. Milestones can be challenging regardless of age and size. However, some children experience abnormal development and also delays. Detecting signs of abnormal development in certain age groups requires an understanding of development milestones. There for this leads us to the major physical, cognitive, self made motivational experience of adolescents that are a variety of developmental outcomes of identity, morality, transitional stages, beginnings of puberty and the full commitment to an adult social role, and sexual maturity.