Gallery Review †Nancy Lang Essay

Today, the 9th of March, I have heard of the Pyo Gallery, and as soon as I heard that it was in Wangjing, I changed my plan from going to the Dashanzi District to trying the new place. It was hidden in several other galleries. I was lucky to get there before the exhibition time was over. The owner was a Korean, who kindly explained some paintings for me. I was glad to find out that they currently had an exhibition of Nancy Lang’s art. I have always wanted to find out more about Nancy Lang ever since I have seen her in person at the art fare I have been to, in Korea last summer. There was her trademark series of ‘Taboo Yogini’ paintings of which I have seen one piece of it before. Among all of the paintings that looked similar in overall size and image, I preferred this particular painting the most. Nancy Lang is an American born-Korean Pop artist who is very young and innovative. This piece of her is named the ‘Taboo Yogini, Swinger’ and has an enormous size of 210 x 175 cm. She used mixed media on canvas to create this huge piece. This painting was finished in the year 2006, when she was 27. On this humungous canvas, there is a big character in the middle which has the body of a robot and a head of a girl with some abstract and obscure figures as legs. The subject has a basket full of tennis balls in its right hand. The light-blue background is solid with no value. The most interesting aspect about this art piece is the mysterious figure placed in the center holding the viewers attention. This piece looks more like a collage than a painting with images attached on the screen. The positive space is the one and only subject on the canvas. The body, which appears to be a robot, contains the three primary colors with a considerable amount of white. These colors together form a fancy image of a child’s robot toy, attracting the viewers’ eyes to the center of the figure, which is where the head is placed. An image of the head of a human girl is used, juxtaposing the robot body. In the figure’s right hand there is a basket of lime green tennis balls. In the lower part of the art piece, as the legs of the main subject there are two obscure figures that could be hardly described. On the left side there is a fan shaped quadrilateral printed on a shiny material, and on the right side there is a figure that seems like a mixture of blood vessels and bones. The objects do not seem to have any connection between them, but as a whole they get together very well forming one huge body. The negative space is painted in one tone of light-blue, which helps the subject to stand out. Unlike its visual texture the actual texture of the piece is very smooth just like a painting. Nancy Lang is famous for her mysterious art pieces and unconventional performances. She is a multi-talented young woman who wants to be famous and rich, according to her own words. She actually has played a violin in the middle of a street wearing Victoria Secret lingerie and red high heels with kabuki style makeup. In her series of Taboo Yogini, she mixes up diverse icons to create a sort of cyborg that she declares to be the ironical face of the democracies we live in. According to her, this character Yogini, which originally means a yoga trainee, points to an existence between an angel and devil. So the name of her series ‘Taboo Yogini’ is in a way representing both good and bad. I think the half-robots that appear on her pieces also represent Nancy Lang herself and the various different sides of her. Nancy Lang’s paintings are very obscure and difficult to understand. When I first looked at this piece, I was totally blown away by the innovative design of the image. However, I could never see the ironical face of the democracies before I read the explanation. These mystical figures, which look almost like monsters, keep appearing on her canvases expanding the viewer’s imagination and interpretation of them. Still, I think they are insufficient to clearly deliver the author’s true intention of creating such images. Nevertheless, it is impossible for one to see through the genuine mind of an author. I really like Nancy Lang and her innovative spirit. She is afraid of nothing, even the awkward stare of others.

Mr. Franklin and mr. Lyndon discuss the virtuous life.

Dear Son, It is with great pleasure and gratitude for your most recent missive, received this third day of October, that I must write at once in the hope of conveying the most unusual and perhaps enlightening conversation I entertained last evening at the home of one, Mr. Charles B. Lyndon, of Concord and New York, though how Mr. Lyndon explains the bifurcation of his very self leads me to wonder if he might be a Papist in Puritan woolens, given the Roman belief in the bi-location of their many saints.Suffice it to say such thoughts of sainthood and the conduct precedent to such an exalted (dare I say, unenlightened) station stands within this correspondence very close to the topic we held under discussion at the wide oak table in Mr. Lyndon’s kitchen, accompanied by his daughter, Elizabeth, on the retirement of his wife, Matilda. Mr. Lyndon and I and his daughter (Mr.Lyndon being a progressive soul in many ways, who saw no reason why his daughter should not be included in our after-dinner discussion, though of course she was not allowed to smoke tobacco) set about like Socrates’ devotees with the proposition stated admirably by my host that the virtuous life is one that can be lived (though his exact word was the imprecise â€Å"attained’) with an exercise of constant vigilance, diligence and hard, hard work.Far be it from me to openly argue with a host whose very wife had fed me so well, yet I was struck so with the open and apparent inconsistency and contradiction hidden in plain sight, that I rose from my chair, walked about the kitchen with my hands behind my back, leaned into the table, lowered myself so that my face rested like a balloon on a string but a few inches from Mr. Lyndon’s nose and, with the boldness that has served me so well in life, despite a ruffled feather here or there, I uttered the expletive †balderdash,† and re-took my seat.Mr. Lyndon’s daughter, the plain but intelligent Elizabeth, held her hand to her lips as her father nearly sputtered his surprise, though without displeasure. Perhaps he believes us to be better acquainted than we are and relies upon that familiarity, real or apparent, to afford him the easier avenue of good humor rather than the more difficult and adversarial stance taken on by the lightly insulted. â€Å"Your reasoning, Mr.Franklin,† he said, the question implicit in the salutation, and I set about framing my argument as one sets about building a house that will withstand summer’s heat and winter’s cold. â€Å"Are you a Papist, Mr. Lyndon,† I asked, and he sat back, again surprised if not outright offended, and replied, â€Å"No, sir. You know that I am a member of the First Congregational Church of Lexington, and a proud member at that. † â€Å"Then Mr.Lyndon,† I said, â€Å"Insofar as you and your loved ones are members in good standing in a church that clearly subscribes to the enlightened and refo rmative principles of the Great Reformation, which find their genesis in the theology of the late German monk, and his revolutionary reading of Paul’s Letter to the †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hesitated on purpose. â€Å"Romans,† Elizabeth said which afforded me a desired alliance in the middle-game of our discussion. â€Å"Yes, Romans it is,† I said, continuing on, preparing my lance for the final assault on the citadel of proud humanism’s excesses, â€Å"Then, Mr.Lyndon, my fine host, how can you say in the face of Luther’s doctrine of salvation by faith and not by works that the road to virtue is the one set down by laborers, sweating their earth-bound bodies in some vain attempt, like the ancients of Babel, to obtain some blessed state by dint of human, and therefore ultimately corruptible effort. † Mr. Lyndon sat back in his chair, while his daughter’s eyes, tawny with candlelight did not leave me. Only silence was our companion, silence an d from time to time a brush of the wind through trees bare and dressed only with autumn’s wind.â€Å"Then, my good friend,† Mr. Lyndon rejoined in sur-reply, â€Å"allowing for the theology of two hundred years or more, drafted by a man who died with a legacy of troubles, if not shame, how do you suggest that one live a virtuous life?. † I told him that he was a brilliant host and that his generosity was only matched by his daughter’s considerable beauty and that having been the beneficiary of his kindness, his wife’s cooking and his daughter’s fond company, I would set forth my findings as follows.Virtues are but the white angels who sit across the balance of the more popular and burned umber of the seven deadly sins: Pride, Envy, Anger, Lust, Avarice, Gluttony and Sloth. I said that although we who admit to some belief, the nature, width and depth thereof known to no one, not even ourselves, despite all proclamations to the contrary, are b y reason of our fallen natures, far more conversant with the left handed path of the more exotic predispositions to sin than we are to the more rigorous climbs to virtue.Therefore, to live the virtuous life one must enter the realms of gold through the back door known well to God’s most humble servants and on the occasion of our entrance argue that we were not so much virtuous in this life, poor vessels of grace doled out by an often chary God, as we were masters of avoidance, such that despite the siren call of experience and its joys, real or false, lasting or short-lived, the measure of our virtue can only be assessed by the evil we did not do, rather than by the good we tried to do.â€Å"That is wrong,† Mr. Lyndon said. â€Å"Truly you don’t mean that, Mr. Franklin. † â€Å"Perhaps not, Mr. Lyndon,† I said, â€Å"and yet between the two alternatives well framed by this enjoyable discussion, I will opt for that statement which sounds in humilit y concerning the struggle not to sin, rather than swab these meaty arms with the subtle and oily brush of pride that accompanies all claims to virtue. † Yours Very Truly, Father I read a good deal of Franklin’s writing out loud and allowed the â€Å"ear† to do the work of imitation.Any comedian will tell you the ear is the agent of mimicry. Sight, i. e. , analysis is a distant second. I tried to visualize an 18th century candlelit evening, after dinner, and then listened to the voices of the â€Å"actors† as they discussed with all the benevolence (real or not) and grace of sitting congressmen an issue on which they disagreed. I set it in the form of a letter so as to afford Franklin an ironic point of view.

How effective are Abstinence Programs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How effective are Abstinence Programs - Essay Example Teenagers received 336 of those tests. Increases of 273 additional tests were given to teens 14-17 in 2003 than the previous year. This paper will serve to investigate if it is plausible that a countywide holistic abstinence education program, which collaborates with other agencies in the county to offer alternative activities as well as abstinence education, would have helped to reduce the pregnancy rate among teenaged girls in the county during that period. The purpose of this study is to determine if the lack of an abstinence program in Douglas County Georgia, accounted for the increase in pregnancy rate among teenaged girls between 14-17 years of age during 2002 and 2003. The safe sex approach, which advocates contraceptive use, has led teenagers to believe that using contraceptives makes engaging in sexual intercourse a safe behavior ("Sexual Health Update," 2000). Medical evidence indicates that abstinence is the only reliable choice for avoiding pregnancy. In an article that compared the effectiveness of school-based health clinics that distributed birth control and schools that have abstinence programs, evidence showed that abstinence programs were the most effective technique for preventing adolescent sexual activity and pregnancies (Khouzem, 2003). Khouzem cited one study, in particular, that was funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and conducted by the Institute for Research and Evaluation. The study included almost 7,000 teenagers in grades 7 through 10 who were taught a values-based curriculum. Three Title XX programs were implemented in three school districts and later evaluated. These three curricula, Teen-Aid, Sex Re spect, and Values and Choices, were written to follow the legislative parameters of abstinence as the preventative measure for teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Pre- and posttest data were collected. Participants in each of the programs were administered two scales: the Affirmation of Abstinence and the Rejection of Permissiveness scales. On the Affirmation of Abstinence scale for both junior and senior high students, each of these programs produced a change that was statistically significant at the .000 level for Sex Respect and Teen-Aid and at the .002 level for Values and Choices. Researchers found significant differences for the Values and Choices curriculum and for the Sex Respect and Teen-Aid curricula in positively affecting students' choices regarding abstinence (Khouzem, 2003; DeGaston, Olsen, Prigmore, & Weed, 2001). The Teen-Aid abstinence education curriculum has been used in Edinburg, Washington, for 5 years. Each year, a report is published concerning the effectiveness of this curriculum in reducing "risky behavior and attitudes." This program had a statistically significant impact (p = .000) on the likelihood that participants would not have sexual intercourse before marriage and that the non-virgin teenage participants would cease their sexual activity (p = .001). There was also a statistically significant change (p = .019) in the teenagers' views that waiting until marriage to engage in sexual intercourse

History and World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History and World War II - Essay Example Many could feel the changes coming after the war. African Americans had made considerable contributions to the war effort despite being limited to black battalions in the Army, and ship’s wards in the navy (servants). They felt (and rightly so) that they had earned an equal place in American Society. The return of soldiers was different dependent based upon race. Initially, in the cities, integration naturally occurred. Different races lived and worked side by side. That quickly changed with white families moving to the newly built suburbs and black families moving into the cities to be closer to factory jobs. In essence, society re-segregated itself. â€Å"Class based spatial segregation, which has risen since 1970, is magnified by racial discrimination.† The black poor neighborhoods felt a disproportionate amount of economic pain and discrimination. What the African Americans wanted most was equal economic and social status. Although written before the Great War, the following quote sums up the feelings of the African American community post World War Two: â€Å"A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterward. More than that no man is entitled to and no less than that no man shall have. Theodore Roosevelt, Springfield, Illinois July 4th, 1903†. The United States military quickened the process of social equity in this country. Franklin Roosevelt signed an order in 1941 prohibiting discrimination in defense industries. Harry Truman ordered desegregation in the military in 1948. ... They felt (and rightly so) that they had earned an equal place in American Society. The return of soldiers was different dependent based upon race. Initially, in the cities, integration naturally occurred. Different races lived and worked side by side4. That quickly changed with white families moving to the newly built suburbs and black families moving into the cities to be closer to factory jobs. In essence society re-segregated itself. "Class based spatial segregation, which has risen since 1970, is magnified by racial discrimination."5 The black poor neighborhoods felt a disproportionate amount of economic pain and discrimination. What the African Americans wanted most was equal economic and social status.6 Although written before the Great War, the following quote sums up the feelings of the African American community post World War Two: "A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterward. More than that no man is entitled to and no less than that no man shall have. Theodore Roosevelt, Springfield, Illinois July 4th 1903".7 The United States military quickened the process of social equity in this country. Franklin Roosevelt signed an order in 1941 prohibiting discrimination in defense industries.8 Harry Truman ordered desegregation in the military in 1948. Dwight D. Eisenhower sent troops to ensure desegregation of Central High School in little Rock Arkansas. With the military and Federal Government in the lead the rest of the country slowly followed toward ending social inequities. 3. Politics and the Economy. World War I introduced the United States as a world power and World War II certainly solidified its position in global politics. Prior to World War Two the United States was

Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Management accounting - Essay Example Methods such as standard costing and budgetary control are associated with developments in management accounting - this is thought to have been as a result of the traditional rise of large and multi-divisional business activities. This observation is in line with what Chandler (1977) set out, when he maintained that modern management originated from the economic history. The economic history took the position that was previously taken by market mechanisms by introducing an institution with new features, a modern business enterprise or the managed creature. Essentially, by planning and coordinating of the activities in an organization across space and time, as well as internally capturing efficiency benefits and cost, the managed entity displaced, forestalled, and essentially redesigned market relationships (Coase, 1937). Consequently, management brought about oligopoly since it was possible to create large-scale entities whereby managers manage other managers through the process of a dministrative coordination. The organizations that followed these structures were capable of running economically to the extent of redesigning and dominating their sectors, as well as their staff. In essence, the administrative coordination brought about a new source of power, which has eventually redesigned the limits of the organizational and economic scenes. In view of this, it is evident that Chandler contributed towards an explanation of the origin of the modern management by shedding light on how different forms of administrative coordination were, at the outset, developed (Hoskin and Macve, 1990). Chandler specified the Springfield Armory as the origin of the development of single-unit management, which was allegedly done in the perspective of introducing an interchangeable part manufacturer. In essence, this location could have been an unacceptable source of the management; however, the administrative coordination could not have originated from the reaction from technical in ventions, but it must have originated from a distinct and disciplinary intervention. Ideally, in this case, the administrative coordination was put into practice through coordination, problem planning as well as control of staff and plant throughout the extended moment and space. In addition, another important contributor of the modern management, just as Chandler maintained, is George Whistler who was associated with the Western Railroad. Chandler (1977, p. 97-98) ascertained that Whistler was the first to embrace cautiously defined, modern, and an internal organizational structure, in 1841. This development was the first American business enterprise to function under a formally designed administrative structure, overseen by full-time and paid staff. After Whistler, the Pennsylvania (PRR) was the subsequent key railroad where severance of operating and financial functions was a remarkable development that led to the establishment of a form of organization described by Chandler (197 7) as â€Å"decentralized line-and-staff division.† (p. 105). In addition, the unrelenting examination and production of comprehensive flows of information in both human and physical assets reduced operating cost and enhanced efficiency. According to Chandler (1977) the most momentous contributions to accounting was made by Pennsylvania

Oil Production In Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oil Production In Saudi Arabia - Essay Example With these statistics, it is undeniably true that Saudi Arabia’s contribution in the energy industry position’s herself as key player in the global economy. This paper therefore discusses the oil production in Saudi Arabia through understanding its history and development over the years. Statistics derived from organization of the petroleum countries (OPEC) in 2014 showed that Saudi Arabia’s value of exports from petroleum related products to be about $ 321, 723 million, and its current crude oil reserves standing at 265,789 million barrels. In a whole ,oil related products, natural gas reserves constitute about 8317 billion cubic meters. Pushed by the demand for oil of about 1000 barrels per day , Saudi Arabia has increased its production capacity to be about 9637 barrels per day; this is about 2507 barrels per calendar day refinery capacity. Last year, Saudi Arabia’s export earnings came from natural gas with 100030 million cubic meters exported globally (Bronson, 56). Before Saudi Arabia controlled its oil industry, the first king of Saudi Arabia Abd al Aziz Ibn Abd granted oil concession in 1923 to British investment groups who exploited, and utilized the concession granted. It is after the discovery of first oil reserve in 1938 that the concession agreement was changed to Aramco’s concession. It allowed an equal haring of profits between the company and the government on a fifty-fifty basis. With the discovery of large quantities of oil reserves in 1945, the use of pipeline was in evitable. The trans-Arabian pipeline company came into existence owned by Aramco’s group. After completion of the Tapline pipeline in 1950, it did collect oils from fields, and it was able to handle 480, 000 barrels per day. Tapline continued to operate with a number of challenges coming from within and externally and in 1982; it was forced to stop its operations in Saudi Arabia (Branson, 45). After 1982 and

Personality and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personality and Leadership - Essay Example The present research has identified that leadership solves the complex problem and issue of how to control and organize the collective effort. It involves putting people in order so that they can perform a common goal or duty. Effective leadership ensures that institutions are able to achieve their goal and visions while keeping in line with their mission. Leadership ensures organization effectiveness and efficiency. Because of good leadership organization such as universities, hospitals, corporations, governments, and armies are able to thrive. The success in organizations as a result of leadership boosts the psychological and financial well-being of people. The main objective of leadership is to ensure that people collectively achieve common goal and aspirations. It is a tool that ensures group and individuals thrive and survive. Leadership involves keeping things in order whenever they go astray. It involves motivating and encouraging people to work towards the common or set objec tives. It entails maintaining and building of teams which are effective. It does this by encouraging people to work towards a common objective and goal. It discourages selfishness and ensures collective benefits and achievements. Leadership encourages corrective responsibility of a team as people are encouraged to work as a team. It ensures people are watching each other’s back. People are able to seek guidance and assistance from others because of the team spirit caused by leadership. When misused, leadership becomes a tool of destruction. Leaders use the authority they have to push for their personal intentions and objectives. Leadership gives few people authority who can use the chance to dictate and ruin other people’s lives. Leadership only involves pursuing the objectives and intentions of the few people who have the leadership roles. It promotes laziness as people act upon instructions and supervision. With leadership, people get used to being pushed. It makes p eople depend on other people’s effort in order to get something done.

Practicum Objective Evaluation Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Practicum Objective Evaluation Report - Essay Example The paper "Practicum Objective Evaluation Report" aims to learn the clinical role of a mastered prepared nurse in the obstetrics department of a Level 3 perinatal center. Hemorrhage in obstetrics is considered a high risk, low volume occurrence. Many people die from OB hemorrhage due to poor recognition of the risk and signs and symptoms. As it is it for a fact that hemorrhage remains a greatest cause of obstetric morbidity and mortality, 93% of the morbidity and mortality of OB hemorrhage are preventable. The major aim of this paper is to analyze my practicum objectives in an effort to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality caused by obstetric hemorrhage when I finally get into my nursing practice. The following three objectives came out so evident during my practicum: to acquire practical experience and expertise in the care of a patient experiencing a perinatal hemorrhage. To achieve this objective, I needed to conduct a literature review on the most recent evidences in the ca re of the OB patient experiencing a perinatal hemorrhage including research from IDPH. I had to follow a mastered prepared nurse in the level 3 perinatal center and review information’s on own OB hemorrhage case that had took place on the floor previously. I carried out an OB drill with the nurses on the floor to practically engage in this exercise so that I gain the experience that is highly important in my line of practice. To develop the skills required of an MSN nurse in simulation scenario creation and evaluation.

Prepare an outline validation programme for a new benchtop Essay

Prepare an outline validation programme for a new benchtop washerdisinfector which is being installed in a dental surgery - Essay Example The method of cleaning encompasses removal of soils and contaminants leading to the destruction of micro-organisms. It is noticeable that some but not all detergents do hold some germicidal properties but it is essential that to make the germicides totally effective, the devices must first be free of soil to allow intimate contact with the chemical (Ray, 2004). The spectrum of chemical and the duration of exposure will determine the level of disinfection achieved. Detergents employed in the cleaning of medical devices are exclusively designed to assist, beat and extricate organic soils. On the other hand, enzymatic detergents, presoaks, and foam sprays are very effective in breaking down soil and facilitating their removal in the washing process (Ray, 2004). It is observed that manual washing is less efficient and more time consuming than the machine washing, moreover each surgical equipment is washed thoroughly and with the same precision in contrast to the manual washing where ever ything depends on the person employed for the work and his/ her efficiency. A new washer/disinfector consists of a wash cycle geared at the removal of soil and the recommended enzymatic product required to break down soil particles for easier removal. The wash cycle is followed by a thermal disinfection rinse cycle which destroys organisms by heat and do not require a germicidal detergent (Ray, 2004). To facilitate the effective cleaning of the instruments, bench top washer-disinfectors are used and must be installed in all the clinics, hospitals and other organizations where surgery is being performed. These instruments need utmost care and precision to get best results. It is mandatory that all processing equipments ought to be evaluated for proper functioning to procure best results. Equipment servicing may be in order such as the replacement of gaskets, adjusting temperatures, and/or increasing drying times. Foreign matter left in steam lines can cause spotting (Ray, 2004). The installation of bench top washer-disinfector is therefore recommended and should be made mandatory to carry out the surgeries efficiently without giving a single chance to the infection for establishment. It is imperative that instruments in surgical sets be in good condition and function properly. Moreover, a malfunctioning instrument is more than a minor hassle (Ray, 2004); it is detrimental to the quality of patient care and could result in serious injury. Therefore it is a great responsibility from the patients' point of view that constant monitoring must be performed to assess the quality of surgical instrumentation and hence instrument inspection becomes an integral part of surgical set assembly procedure (Ray, 2004). A proficient aid for the cleaning and the thermal disinfection of all Medical, Dental and Laboratory instruments is bench top washer-disinfector. It is based on modern concepts and constructed in compliance with the guidelines indicated in the new European Norm concerning safety and hygiene. The validation for its installation lies in the fact that it can be placed on any work surface and is very simple to install. It has a built-in detergent compartment and dispenser. A good washer displays three different programs inclusive of thermal disinfect

Savings and Loans Crisis Essay Example for Free

Savings and Loans Crisis Essay INTRODUCTION In the 1980’s, the savings and loan (SL) industry was in turmoil with the watershed event of this being the implementation of price fixing legislation in favour of home ownership in the 1930’s. Even though it was the basis of the crisis, the trigger lies in more fundamental concepts, including fiscal policy, mismanagement of assets and liabilities, pure imprudence by SL institutions, brokered deposits and the cyclicality of the regulation/deregulation process and this was fuelled by economic reactions such as inflation. It would be ‘unfair’ to attribute it to only one factor. Therefore, to properly investigate the crisis and with a view of having all round perspective of the crisis, this report will discuss this financial disaster’s main causes. The impact of the crisis was borne mostly by the SL industry, the savings and commercial banks in the US and more generally, the US economy. This report will further cover the corrective measures undertaken by regulators and the government with the aim of saving the SL sector as the number of institutions with worsening financial conditions steeply increased. The consequences of this crisis persisted until the early 1990’s and this long term effect is understood by analysing the regulations enacted in the aftermath of the crisis. The main turning point has been the enactment of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act in 1989. Finally, there are essential lessons to be learned from the SL crisis, not only for the SL institutions, but also the banking industry, regulators and the government. CAUSES In the 1930s the SL industry was a conservative residential mortgage sector surrounded by legislation put in place during that period to promote home ownership. At the same time it has its own regulator which is the federal savings and home loan banking loan, and its own insurance firm to insure deposits at SL institutions. However the regulatory and interest rate environment started to change dramatically as from the 1960s when congress applied the Regulation Q to the SL industry by putting a ceiling on the interest rate that SLs can pay to depositors. The purpose was to help thrift institutions to extend interest rate ceiling to them in order to reduce their cost of liabilities and protect them from deposit rate wars since there were inflationary pressures in the middle till late 1960s. Regulation Q was price fixing, and in trying to fix the prices, Regulation Q caused distortion where the costs outweigh any benefits it may have offered. Regulation Q created a cross subsidy, passed from saver to home buyer, that allowed SLs to hold down their interest costs and thereby continue to earn, for a few more years, an apparently adequate interest margin on the fixed-rate mortgages they had at that recent past years. The problem was that the SL industry was not competing effectively for funds with commercial banks and securities market leading to large things in the amount of money available for mortgage lending. The ceiling on interest rate that SL could offer to depositors as per the Regulation Q led dampening of competition for depositors funds between bank and SL. But as new money market funds began to compete fiercely during the 1970s for depositors’ money by offering interest rates set by the market, SLs suffered significantly withdrawal of deposits during periods of high interest rates. This caused outflows from financial institution into higher yielding investment such as capital market instrument, government securities and money market funds. This process is known as disintermediation. Disintermediation has several undesirable consequences. Most important, it both restricted the availability of credit to consumers and increased its cost, particularly for home mortgages, the same consequences affected small and medium sized businesses that did not have access to the commercial paper market. In additional, because normal cash outlays increased to meet deposit withdrawals while cash inflows decreased as new funds were diverted to alternative investments, disintermediation slowed the growth of financial institutions and caused them liquidity problems. To have the cash available to meet withdrawal demands, banks and thrifts were often forced either to borrow money at above-market interest rates or to sell assets, often at a loss from book value. At the same time, rise in oil prices in 1979 pushed inflation and headline interest rates up. Growing inflation in the 1970s received two huge boosts: the first comprised the late-1973 and 1979 oil shocks from OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). Soaring oil prices compelled most American businesses to raise their prices as well, with inflationary results. The second boost to inflation came in the form of food harvest failures around the world, which created soaring prices on the world food market. Again, U.S. companies that imported food responded with an inflationary rise in their prices. In order to combat the increase in inflation, there was a rise in interest rates to encourage people to save and spend less. The Federal Reserve opted for tightening monetary measures in reaction to inflationary concerns. As a result of the subsequent monetary tightening, interest rates rose abruptly and significantly. Interest rates soared from 9.06% in June 1979 to 15.2% in March 1980. Such drastic change in base rates caused the yield curve to become inverted. The spread between the 10 year Treasury bond and the 3-month T-Bill became negative as seen in the table below reaching 373 basis points in 1980. (http://www.milkeninstitute.org/pdf/InvrtdYieldCurvesRsrchRprt.pdf) The graph below shows the variation of US Treasury three-month T-Bill. The large rise and the volatility of short term interest rates is evident from the graph. (http://www.milkeninstitute.org/pdf/InvrtdYieldCurvesRsrchRprt.pdf) The following 10-year Treasury against the effective Federal Funds Rate spread also illustrates how the yield curve inverted during the SL crisis. (http://www.milkeninstitute.org/pdf/InvrtdYieldCurvesRsrchRprt.pdf) With high volatility of interest rates during these periods, the SL industry failed to tackle the risk inherent in the funding of long term, fixed mortgages by means of short term deposits. In other words, there was a mismatch of asset/liability with a negative gap and rising short term interest rates. Aftermath In the1982’s, to attempt at resuscitating the SL industry, Congress tried to deal with the crisis by enacting the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act in 1980 and the Garn-St Germain Depository Institutions Act in 1982, allowed lower capital requirements, which were based largely on book values rather than more market-value oriented techniques, grossly overstate the health of financial institutions. Regulators relaxed regulatory restrictions by decreasing the net worth requirement from 4% to 3% of total deposits, with additional flexibility of not complying with the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The process of deregulation further included the extension for the period of amortisation of supervisory goodwill and the Bank Board removes the specific limitations for the SL shareholders, changing the minimum 400 shareholders restriction to only one, with no one shareholder or group holding more than 10% and 25% respectively and the acceptance of means of payment other than cash. In particular, rules on net worth changed so that thrifts could continue to operate even at historically low levels. Also, â€Å"supervisory goodwill† was used to balance out the books in terms of capital requirements and accounting numbers. This goodwill had no economic sense and simply helped to compensate any institutions, in a merger, when taking over economically impaired assets of insolvent institutions. All in all, the changes in accounting and capital treatment of supervisory goodwill enabled SL’s to post stronger accounting and capital numbers even though the underlying economic situation had deteriorated. There was a cancellation of the ceiling of the loan to value ratio as well. Forbearance or the decline in regulatory oversight was also a major factor of the debacle. Most importantly, savings and loan interest rate ceilings were removed. SL’s had a large proportion of variable rate liabilities (deposits) funding fixed-rate assets they held 84.5% of their assets as home mortgages. These institutions had a negative GAP as the amount of RSL was larger than that of RSA. GAP = RSA RSL Therefore, they were exposed to any rise in interest rates as the yield on the assets were fixed while the cost of liabilities increased. With the rapid increase in base rate in the 1980’s, FI’s cost of RSL rose faster than they could adjust their return on their assets. They had to maintain a high level of interest paid on deposit to avoid deposit withdrawal. The Net Interest Income – the difference between interest on assets and cost of liabilities decreased significantly. NII = Asset Return – Cost of Liabilities On average, the returns on home loans were 9% with an average deposit rate of 7% which implied a 2% net interest income. Given the tight regulations surrounding the SL’s, these institutions relied in the 2% net interest income as their main source of income. However, as the base rate rose dramatically, the NII dropped to negative figures, reaching -1.0% in 1981. Many institutions lost huge amounts of money. Savings and Loans specialised in originating and holding home mortgage loans that were relatively long term assets with fixed interest rates. However, these were funded by relatively short term deposits whose interest rates were variable. There was a maturity mismatch that was exposed to risk of interest rate rise. With the market value of the assets being more volatile because of its longer maturity, and as a consequence a longer duration, the rise in interest rate decreased the value of the mortgages to very low levels. The value of the liabilities decreased as well but to a smaller extent. Since net worth is the difference between market value of assets and market value of liabilities, this led to negative equity of financial institutions. Δ E = (DA DLg) x A x Δr/(1+r) Since DA DLg, with Δr 0, change in net worth value ΔE is negative. The leverage adjusted duration gap between the assets and liabilities was so large and with a large rise in interest rate, the equity value decreased to being negative. By the early 1980s, savings and loans throughout the country were insolvent by about $110 billion and the fund was reporting only $6 billion in reserves (Barth, 1991; Brumbaugh, 1988; Kane, 1989) The legislation also allowed savings and loans to begin to diversify into commercial real estate loans and other loans commercial banks could already make. Congress hoped that if SL’s invested in riskier, and thus, higher yielding assets, they would be able to offset the loss they previously made. The savings and loans were also allowed to originate adjustable-rate home loans. By 1983, most SLs were deemed economically profitable but 9% of the SL industry was insolvent. However, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (FHLBB) and the Bank Board, went ahead with their plan of regulating the industry by imposing a 7% net worth limit for new entrants in the thrift industry so as to promote safe risk management practices and investments. Although all these developments were intended to help savings and loans, they gave rise to a subsequent twist in the crisis. The new changes did indeed allow savings and loans to reduce their interest rate risks but the changes exposed savings and loans to new risks mainly credit risks. While defaults on the home mortgages were low, defaults and associated losses on other types of loans and investments are typically much higher. By combining interest rate risk with credit risk, spread over a wider geographical area, experienced institutions had greater opportunities to choose a prudent overall balance of risk and return. However, many savings and loans began making commercial real estate loans, activities in which they were relatively inexperienced. Since investing in real estate loans entailed unique risks and required specific skills, SL’s eventually made losses on the real estate loans. These credit quality problems are reflected in the net income of the industry plunging once again, but even more than in the early 1980s, when the yield curve inverted. The industry lost nearly $21 billion in 1987 and 1988, and almost another $8 billion in 1989. Many open but insolvent savings and loans had incentives to take excessive risks and â€Å"gambled for resurrection† because of the phenomenon of moral hazard. If ever something turned wrong, the federal deposit insurance fund would bear the losses; yet the owners would reap the rewards if everything went well. The legislation, however, did not change how premiums were set for federal deposit insurance, meaning that riskier institutions and prudent ones were charged the same premium. Actually, the level of insured deposits was raised from $40,000 to $100,000. The new, lower capital requirements and broader opportunities to lend and invest allowed some savings and loan to take larger risks. With federally insured deposits and the ability to attract more deposits by offering higher rates of interest, deeply troubled savings and loans always had ready access to additional funds. Deregulation encouraged increased risk-taking by SL’s. However, in the mid- to late 1980s, with considerable real estate loans and investments, regional recessions struck the USA, which reduced commercial real estate values. In particular, an unexpected plunge in the price of oil in 1986 contributed to recession. To make matters worse, the Congress passed the Tax Reform Act of 1986 that more than eliminated the tax benefits to commercial real estate ownership it had conveyed only a few years earlier. Commercial real estate values fell dramatically as a result. This severely affected the asset value of the SL’s. In 1987, the Bank Board emphasised the importance of capitalisation by imposing a supervisory approval for SLs which engage in investments that are above 2.5 the multiplier of their tangible capital base. The main turning point was the Financial Institutions Reform Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), restructuring the industry as a whole by setting up the Resolution Trust Corporation which in total resolved or liquidated 747 thrifts, with assets valued at $394 billion, jettisoning both the FHLBB and FSLIC and setting up a new regulatory institution Office of Thrift Supervision. The key to this act was that instead of trying to save the SLs which were barely solvent, it dissolved them and focused on the solvent ones to reform the industry. With the assistance of market fundamentals – favourable conditions of interest rates, the reinstatement of GAAP accounting and real estate market, the industry stabilised. LESSONS LEARNT The thrift crisis had a bailout plan of $153 billion, of which around 80% was financed by taxpayers. The number of institutions in the SL industry receded considerably until 1995 and before then, the ability of the regulators and the government to deal with the crisis was questioned many times. What followed was a series of court battles, corruption charges and major restructuring. Therefore, consequences were substantial enough for everyone to extract some observations and lessons. The starting point of it all was overregulation, which outlined the restrictions and conditions under which an SL would function. That included rigidity of the institutions to be flexible at a time economic conditions were changing and the financial sector was advancing. With fixed interest rates, it proved difficult for the SL to engage in competition as their means of investing was limited. One crucial point is that additional regulations do not necessarily mean fewer risks. SLs had to assume additional exposure to interest rate risk and alongside with banks, they were prevented from optimising their credit risk exposure. The government sometimes does not modify the regulations as fast as the structure of the industry is changing leading to new risks emerging and the cycle goes on. To keep up with advancement, the government has to put in place tighter risk management policies and controls. However, regulators and government should not direct the investment decisions of institutions. Rather, investments should be in line with market and economic forces. At a later stage, the industry was deregulated in order to remedy the situation. However, this translated into a decrease in market discipline as the SLs made high risk investments as they relied on the safety net of federal guarantee to cover any losses. Moral hazard, adverse selection and passive management were noted. Therefore, it exposes the disadvantage of FSLIC at that time which encouraged the SLs to take long-term and unreported risks. The deregulation, reducing the capital requirements, left the thrift industry more vulnerable to economic changes. From the failure of resuscitating the industry, it was deduced that forbearance treatment towards insolvent institutions might not always be the best option as it can lead to a freeze in lending and stifle the economy. One of the lessons from the thrift crisis which has been consistently taken into account over the years was the reliance on capital ratios. During the deregulation period of the crisis, there was no monitoring of the capital bases of the thrifts which ultimately lead to insolvency. From then on, institutions had to follow certain standard capital requirements put in place by regulators. However, this focus proved recently in the credit crunch to be detrimental, showing that banks favour trust and confidence. It is important to realise that capital ratios and other accounting ratios might not reveal the real economic strength of the institution. The crisis led to more disclosure and market value accounting. It has been understood that it would have been best to restrict involvement of public funds as a means of saving the industry. Using state or public funds to buy-out thrifts below value is not in accord with public welfare. A solution would have been to subdivide the thrifts into insured and uninsured ones with varying degrees of supervisory regulations concerning deposits and investments. One lesson learned was the emergence of an adjustable insurance premium rate which became a function of the institution’s regulatory rating, risk and capital levels. CONCLUSION For some years the final bill for the SL crisis remained uncertain. However, it is known now that, the thrift crisis cost an extraordinary$153 billion – one of the most expensive financial sector crises the world has seen. Of this, the US taxpayer paid out $124 billion while the thrift industry itself paid $29 million. The consequences of the SL crisis for the structure and regulation of the US financial industry were profound. The number of institutions in the SL industry fell by about half between 1986 and 1995, partly due to the closure of around 1,000 institutions by regulators, the most intense series of institution failures since the 1930s. The failures prompted an overhaul of the regulatory structure for US banking and thrifts, a shake-up in the system of deposit insurance and implied Government guarantees. Regulators shifted towards a policy of earlier intervention in failing institutions so that the principal costs are more likely to be borne by shareholders than other stakeholders. There was also a shift towards more risk-sensitive regulatory regimes, with respect to both net worth assessments and the payments to deposit insurance funds, while deposit insurance reform made it less likely that taxpayers would shoulder so great a burden in any future crisis. At a wider level, the SL crisis taught politicians, regulators and bankers how misleading rules-driven regulatory and accounting numbers can be in relation to risky bank activities. At different stages of the crisis, reporting of the financial condition of SLs was deliberately selected by interested parties to cover up the true economic extent of the unfolding disaster. It was a risk reporting failure on grand scale that greatly worsened the long term economic consequences fort the ultimate stakeholder: the US taxpayer. REFERENCES 1. Myth: Carter ruined the economy; Reagan saved it. http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-carterreagan.htm [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010] 2. The U.S. banking debacle of the 1980’s : A lesson in government mismanagement http://www.thefreemanonline.org/featured/the-us-banking-debacle-of-the-1980s-a-lesson-in-government-mismanagement/ [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010] 3. Inverted Yield Curve Research Report, Milken Institute http://www.milkeninstitute.org/pdf/InvrtdYieldCurvesRsrchRprt.pdf [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010 4. The Cost of the Savings and Loans Crisis, FDIC Banking Review http://useconomy.about.com/library/s-and-l-crisis.pdf [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010] 5. The SL Crisis: A Chrono-Bibliography, FDIC http://www.fdic.gov/bank/historical/s%26l/index.html [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010] 6. The Savings and Loan Crisis http://wapedia.mobi/en/Savings_and_loan_crisis.html [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010] 7. US Savings and Loans Crisis, Sungard Bancware Erisk http://www.prmia.org/pdf/Case_Studies/US_SL.pdf [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010] 8. Savings and Loans Crisis, FDIC Report Vol. 1 http://www.fdic.gov/bank/historical/history/167_188.pdf [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010] 9. The Economic Effects of the Savings and Loans Crisis, Congressional Budget Office http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/100xx/doc10073/1992_01_theeconeffectsofthesavings.pdf [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010] 10. The Cost of Savings and Loans Crisis: Truth and Consequences, FDIC Banking Review http://fcx.fdic.gov/bank/analytical/banking/2000dec/brv13n2_2.pdf [Accessed 31 October 2010 to 18 November 2010]

Impact Of It On Journalism Media Essay

Impact Of It On Journalism Media Essay The evolution of technology continues to revolutionize the journalism industry. Television, computers and the internet are among many technologies which have significantly impacted the way in which news is researched, written and published. This report will analyse the impact of IT on journalism over the past four years. It will look particularly at how recent web technologies have impacted journalists research techniques and affected the expectations of readers. It will further look into the ethical implications such technologies have bought to journalism and the sustainability issues pertinent to the industry. Researching news Web 2.0 technologies have had significant influence on journalists researching techniques. They have impacted the ways in which journalists find story ideas, make contacts and acquire information. The 2009 Arketi Web Watch Survey revealed journalists sources of story ideas (Figure 1.1). The results demonstrate a considerable reliance upon Web 2.0 technologies, including blogs, Wikis, RSS feeds, podcasts and social networks. Figure 1.1 Sources of Story Ideas Neumeiers article reviewing the 2007 Arketi Web Watch Survey suggests that the connections Web 2.0 technologies enable, allow journalists to make contacts and ultimately acquire information. Such virtual networking means journalists can obtain information, including opinions, quotes and photos, without personally knowing a contact, but by contacting or following them via social media sites (Sherratt, 2010). Web 2.0 on whole, provides journalists with convenient access to a wide variety of both primary and secondary information sources. Reader expectations Recent technology influenced trends have impacted the expectations of news readers. Unlike a newspaper, if an online reader is if dissatisfied with a news source, they are able to easily and freely switch to another. According to a 2010 survey, 57% of online news seekers visit between two and five sites a day; while only 21% have a single site they routinely visit (Pew Research Centre, 2010). Journalists are hence forced to meet the expectations of online news seekers in order capture and maintain their readers attention and ensure their stories are read. Social news, citizen journalism and mobile internet are all recent trends influenced by technology which have impacted the expectations of news readers. Social news News consumption is a socially-engaging and socially-driven activity (Pew Research Centre, 2010). Tom Regan describes online journalism as a two-way one-to-one model in contrast to conventional, one-way, we write, you read journalism. He claims in his article, The Digital Journalist written in 1997, that there is a strong demand from readers to be able to interact with the writer and other readers of news stories. In 2010, with Web 2.0 technologies, which encourage participation and interaction on the internet, an even greater expectation is held by readers to be able to contribute to and share news. The Pew Research Centre (2010) survey revealed that most readers believe that keeping up with the news is a social or civic obligation. The survey also highlighted that 37% of online news readers have contributed to the creation of news, commentary about it, or dissemination of news via social media. These trends have been influenced by advancements in web technologies which allow reader s to comment on stories, participate in forums and easily share links. The impact of social news consumption means that successful news stories encourage and facilitate reader participation. Citizen journalism Citizen journalism is a growing trend influenced by widespread individual access to cameras and online publishing platforms. Nine percent of news readers surveyed in 2010 revealed that they have contributed to the news by creating their own original news material or opinion piece (Pew Research Centre, 2010). These amateur news pieces can include reports, pictures, videos or audio and are usually published on blogs or social networking sites. Twitter, a micro-blogging site established in 2006 (Lur, 2010), is one such example of a site where citizen journalism is widespread. Twenty-six percent of its US users say they primarily use the site for news seeking (TNS and The Conference Board, 2009). On many occasions Twitter users, assisted by newswires (which monitor topic trends and divulge the latest news to a network wider than the original posters (Catone, 2009)), have beaten mainstream media in breaking news stories. For example, reports of earthquakes in the UK and China in 2008 were initially found on Twitter (Catone, 2009). Competing with such on-the-spot reporting is almost impossible for mainstream journalists as readers expect all reports to be equally as current as Tweets. However, Tweets are generally uninformative due to their 140 character limit and citizen reports are usually seen as unreliable (Kanalley, 2009). Professional journalists are hence expected to, and must hence compete by, promptly reporting exclusive, informative and accurate news which citizen journalists cannot offer. The future of citizen journalism is promising with the launch of sites such as BBCs Your News. Yeon-ho, the creator of, OhmyNews.com, a popular Korean citizen news site, describes the future of journalism as a pro-am (professional-amateur) concept of combining citizen reporters with trained professional journalists and editors (OConnor, 2007). This is backed up by BBCs claims that Your News makes use of a huge range of material being sent to the BBC by the public, some of which has provided real newsgathering value (Hoffman, 2006). Mobile internet The continuing increase in the use of mobile internet devices, such as Smartphones, has a corresponding affect on the number of readers accessing news via mobile internet (Diaz, 2010). The number of US mobile internet users is expected to rise from 89.2 million in 2010 to 134 million in 2013 (eMarketer, 2009), inevitably leading to a further increase in mobile news readers. The nature of mobile news will affect the expectations readers have on how news is presented. On the internet, readers tend to scan pages; similarly, or to a greater extent, they will do so on their mobile devices. Well written information for the web is said to have 50% less words than a print article and should ensure information can be easily extracted through scanning (Thomas, 2010). Journalists will hence need to ensure their works can be easily scanned. News organizations websites will also need to be compatible with, and easily accessible and appealing on, mobile internet browsers and devices with small scr eens. Ethical Implications Integrity of information Among the Australian Journalism Associations Code of Ethics is an obligation to report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts (Australian News Commentary, 2010). The integrity and accuracy of the information journalists provide to their readers can be tainted when sourcing information from the internet. One such example of inaccurate journalism is that of a quote believed to be by Maurice Jarre, reported  after his death by newspaper websites in the US, Britain, Australia and India. The quote was published on Wikipedia by a university student in Dublin, who later confessed the information to be a hoax (Pogatchnik, 2009). This story highlights how a lack of consideration of the integrity of sources can result in inaccurate reporting. Consequences of such can include damaged reputations, misled readers and law suits. Using privately published information Information found on the internet can often be publically published without the creator knowingly doing so. A survey on internet users found that out of those surveyed, 78% of the adult online population would change information they publish about themselves online if they thought the material would later be reproduced in the mainstream media (Press Complaints Commission, 2008). Using information found on social networking profiles, may therefore be considered breaching journalists ethical codes which aim to respect personal privacy and fairly, responsibly and honestly obtain material (Australian News Commentary, 2010). Writing for a global audience The internet is a global community; therefore, news published online can be accessed by readers from around the world. Journalists must hence consider the different cultural interpretations of the language, imagery and particularly humor and slang contained within their news stories. A Michael Jackson skit performed on Australias Hey Hey Its Saturday program in 2009 is one such example humor which caused international offence because of different cultural background and interpretations. The US and the UK believed the skit was racist and disgraceful; while the majority of Australian audiences enjoyed the lighthearted humor (Duck McCabe, 2009). A 1998 article titled Writing for the Web reiterates the point that humor is prone to elude, and possibly offend, a percentage of the audience. The article also makes references to the differences in how dates are written, which may result in inaccurate reporting, and alternative meanings of words and hand gestures, which may be insulting in so me cultures (Morelli, 1998). Sustainability issues The impact of online news has resulted in a continuing drop in newspaper sales which positively affects the sustainability of journalism (Malik, 2010). An audit revealed that The Age newspaper consumes approximately 146kg of paper, per year, per subscription (Monday Friday) (House in Harmony, 2009). A 2010 comparison of The Age sales shows a 4.1% drop to 189,500 since 2009; a figure attributed to an increase in online readings (Malik, 2010). If these newspapers were not printed, approximately 3250kg of paper would have been saved in the year, along with reductions in carbon emissions produced by printers and other publishing machines. This decline in sales also reduces the emissions produced by deliveries to homes and retailers and reduces the consumption of plastic used to wrap delivered papers (House in Harmony, 2009). However, reading news online will increase the time readers spend on their computers and consequently produce more computer-generated emissions. Nonetheless, the co nsumption of news will be less wasteful as readers selectively view articles online, instead of purchasing an entire newspaper. Furthermore, increasing developments in Green IT improving energy efficiency and aspiring to reduce e-waste mean that a complete conversion to online publishing is a sustainable initiative for the future. Conclusion Technology, particularly the internet has had a significant and continuous impact on the journalism industry. Web 2.0 technologies have made it easier for journalists to find news stories and acquire information; while the expectations of news readers have been impacted by recent technology influenced trends including social news, citizen journalism and mobile internet access. The use of the internet to research and publish stories means that journalists must ethically consider the integrity and privacy of information they exploit and the obligations which come with writing for a global audience. Publishing news online also proves to be a sustainable initiative for the future as it reduces paper consumption and carbon emissions.

Self-censorship Essay example -- Essays Papers

Self-censorship During the time of my life age zero to six, I watched television. I listened to music. I watched movies. From a stroller, my mother would push me around the grocery store as she shopped. I would read various signs posted around the store. â€Å"Frozen.† â€Å"Watermelon.† â€Å"Pasta.† Where did I learn to read? Not from books, teachers, or educational toys. I learned to read from a daily diet of â€Å"Sesame Street† and â€Å"Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.† Individuals who blame media for the downfall of society are shortsighted. The existence of television’s â€Å"Power Rangers† or video game consoles' â€Å"Grand Theft Auto† does not explicate violence in schools, or on the playground. There are more factors influencing today’s children. As I came home from preschool to â€Å"The Price is Right† to now as I sit in front of my Internet-connected computer and type this paper, screen time has always been a part of my life. Has this given me a distorted view of reality? Has my media use desensitized me, making me prone to committing acts of violence? Do I feel that my sense of self is defined through spending money and purchasing material goods, or that I have distorted views of reality and of the other people in my life? I grew up with media. I was raised in a media-containing environment. Then what sets me apart from the student shooters at Columbine? As our surroundings shape and influence who and what we are, the media in our lives influences and impacts our worldviews. Currently, there is fault on both the "transmitting" and "receiving" ends of today's media. Inappropriate messages are received by the wrong audiences due to inactive parenting and irresponsible media. Corporations who are driven by p... ...he comedy of the sexes." The Velvet Light Trap. Fall 1990. Found in: Pomerance, Murray and Sakeris, John. "Popping culture." Pearson Education, Boston: 2004. 6 Lull, James. â€Å"Media, communication, culture: a global approach.† Columbia University Press, New York: 2000. 7 Postman, Neil. Amusing ourselves to death: Public discourse in the age of show business. New York: Penguin Books, 1984. 8 AskMen.com readership statistics retrieved from <http://www.askmen.com/whoarewe.html>. Accessed on 1 May 2005. 9 Ahlers, M. â€Å"Expert: Malvo said he was the spotter, not shooter.† CNN.com 8 Dec. 2003. Accessed from <http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/12/08/sprj.dcsp.malvo.trial/index.html> on 15 Dec. 2003. 10 Holloway, Sarah L., and Gill Valentine. Cyberkids: children in the information age. New York: RoutledgeFalmer, 2003.

Grateful Dead Essay -- essays research papers

Throughout history there have been many musical "influences". One extremely important influence to modern music is The Grateful Dead. The group was formed in 1965 by bluegrass - enthusiast Jerry Garcia on guitar and vocals, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan on vocals and organ, Bob Weir on guitar and vocals, classical music student Phil Lesh on bass and vocals, and Bill Kreutzmann on drums. From the beginning, they brought together a variety of influences, from Garcia's country background to Pigpen's feeling for blues (his father was an R&B radio DJ) and Lesh's education in contemporary serious" music. Add to that, the experimentation encouraged at some of the group's first performances at novelist Ken Kesey's "acid test" parties-multimedia events intended to replicate (or accompany) the experience of taking the then-legal drug LSD-and you had a musical mixture of styles often played with extended improvisational sections that could go off in nearly any direction. The band signed to Warner Brothers in 1967, experiencing some difficulties early on with the restrictions of standard recording practice s and the company's interest in producing a conventionally commercial product. As a result, the group's first few albums were somewhat tentative but showed promise for the future, especially with the key additions of Mickey Hart as a second drummer in 1967 and Garcia's old friend Robert Hunter as the band's lyricist. The Dead finally hit their stride with the release of Live Dead, a double album, in 1969. (They were always more comfortable on stage than in the studio.) Two studio albums in 1970, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty, found them exploring folk-rock and more tightly constructed song forms and, along with extensive touring, won them a much larger audience. In the second half of the '70s, the Dead recorded a series of commercially - oriented albums for Arista, then concentrated on roadwork for the better part of the '80s. In the Dark, released in 1987, was their first studio album in seven years. It sold a million copies and produced the band's first Top Ten hit in &quo t;Touch of Grey." One of the aspects of the Grateful Dead that made them stand out was their mixing of several different kinds of music. As mentioned earlier, the Dead's music is a hearty mixture of bluegrass, classical, and good old-fashioned rock... ...ot;, is Blues Traveler. On the scene since 1984, John Popper (lead vocals and unbelievable harmonica) has lead this band up from the depths of the local party circuit to having a multi-platinum album (1994's Four). Also with the same blues-rock feeling, deadheads are sure to flashback to yesteryear with one of Popper's unreal harmonica riffs. Traveler has also touched millions of college kids and drawn them in with their unique musical style, just as the Dead were reeling them in in the 60's and 70's. The Grateful Dead's immense musical influence has by far been an underlying factor in many bands that we would consider influential today. Bob Dylan considered Jerry to be like an older brother. The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers, and countless other legends have played under the Dead's tutelage. This only shows that they have so greatly influenced the world of music as we know it today. Just as they were influenced to create their own unique style, they are still influencing bands today, thirty-four years after it all began. The Grateful Dead were certainly an implausible influence over the music world today. There is only one thing left to say. We are truly Grateful.

Bruce Dawe Essay -- Australian Poets Poetry Poems Essays

Bruce Dawe Bruce Dawe is a prominent Australian poet born in 1930, in Geelong. His experiences as a laborer, postman, gardener, and in particular his 9 years as a sergeant in the Royal Australian Air Force, have enabled him to recollect and articulate his memories into a renowned compendium, Sometimes Gladness, which has been described as â€Å"perhaps the most successful book of verse by a contemporary Australian poet†. His anthology contains a variety of poems. The three I will be discussing include The Day that They Shot Santa Claus, The Wholly Innocent, and Homo Suburbiensis, all of which focus on life (or the lack of it) and its ups and downs. The Day That They Shot Santa Claus tells a story through the eyes of a bystander; obviously in central Melbourne (the reference to Bourke St). It elaborates not the death of Santa Claus, but rather the consequences of the event. It tells of extreme sadness after the death of the highly prominent symbol of innocence, happiness and festive spirit, key themes of this verse. The speaker is portrayed very sadly, (yet in a way...

Concept map

Take for example, peer pressure from bad associates. They eight pressure us to ditch classes, cheat, drink alcohols, smoke, try taking drugs and influence us to disobey our parents. Another is peer pressure from our own wrong desires. Its given since in our teenage stage, we youth are adventurous. We wanted to try something new we haven't experience yet and we crave on something we don't have. Thus, being attentive can help us to caution ourselves from dangers.If we see troubles coming in our way, don't walk right in to it find another way. Secondly, think about the consequences. Why not ask yourself? For instance: How lives feel later if I give in? What may be the outcome? How can it affect the others, specially, to your love ones? Remember, bible says at Proverbs 14: 1 5, smart people watch their steps. Doing right decisions requires a lot of time to meditate. For this, we just don't jump in to any conclusions. Use your imaginations.Third step, we must plan ahead. Proverbs 24: 5, à ¢â‚¬Ëœwith knowledge a man increases his power'. If we know why we don't do those something and the reasons why it's bad, we can have the strength to say No. There are two ways to do that, strengthen your convictions and seek good explanations. Know how to distinguish right from wrong and give them the right reason for them to to bother you again. Finally the fourth step, take action. Now, we don't have to lecture them. Just say ‘No', clearly and confident.Stand firm in our beliefs for they are not theories but facts. Granted that, those beliefs are all according from the scriptures. Each time we show determinants to resist pressure, we grow strong and stronger. It'll be easier for us to resist peer pressure the next time. Therefore, reacting to peer's pressure depends on us. If we remain weak and unable to stand firm, well never get rid of it. Yes, they are inevitable but by following those steps, you'll see things differently.

Fury and the Wrath Essay

The great thing about literature is that it is able to portray the feelings of a person, the feelings of a collective whole, and sometimes, even the emotions of the entire nation. Literature is known to reflect the dreams, aspirations, and capabilities of the people. As positive as that may sound, literature can also shockingly show what Man and Nature is capable of doing. The strengths of humankind as well as their weaknesses are shown in the pages of great literary works. The wonderful is written by great literary masters as well as the things that are horrifying. The beautiful and the ugly are shown behind every mask or agenda of the characters. Good and evil exists in reality, and it is but natural that it shall exist in the pages of literature as well. However, the question of what makes a person evil and what pushes him or her to do evil deeds is one which can be very intriguing. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moor of Venice (which aside from being staged as plays has also been adapted into a film many times), one of the characters by the name of Iago is considered as one of the most famous literary villains that perhaps, there is no character which can surpass his cunning and his evil. There is a reason though as to why Iago acted as such, and whether his deeds are justified or not is a subject for argument and can be debated upon — but it still leaves the fact that he is evil through and through. In this essay, Iago’s character and evil complex will be analyzed as to why he is as acting as such in the first place. It is possibly because he is driven by hatred and it is through this hatred that he is unable to connect with his good and better side. A Brief Overview of William Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moor of Venice Othello is a famous and prominent man in Venice and has recently been proclaimed as general and married to Desdemona, one of the most-sought after ladies of Venice. Because of this, many turn against Othello because of three things mainly: One is he has won the respect of and honor from the Duke and the other government officials of Venice. Second, he has married Desdemona and that caused ripples of both jealousy and envy from many men of Venice, including Iago (who is already married) and Roderigo, another character in the play who is used by Iago for his evil plans. The third and last is that Othello is a Moor, and being a Moor in Venice says a lot about the history of the discrimination and hostility experienced by the Moors in the Venetian country. The turn of events against Othello is basically caused by jealousy and envy. In fact, the very famous lines of jealousy came from this play, â€Å"Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! / It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock / The meat it feeds on† (3. 3. 170-172). In both the movie and the play, Iago plots and uses other people to make the downfall of Othello seem like he has nothing to do with it. In fact, the cunning and wily ways he does his acts seem that he is working for the good intentions of everyone — he helps Roderigo capture Desdemona; he helps Cassio try to win the good side of Othello; he helps Othello discover the affair of Desdemona and Cassio; and he helps Desdemona in trying to persuade her husband that she is innocent. Of course, the whole thing is a farce as he is actually the person behind all the conflict. There was never an affair between Cassio and Desdemona as Iago just made it up, and Cassio should not have been wronged in the first place if not for the plan of Roderigo and Iago. In short, the conflict and chaos of the play were solely caused by Iago, and the sad part is that the other characters actually fell for it. When the film concludes, Roderigo, Desdemona, and Othello are dead. Roderigo has been killed by Iago himself and cleverly done so; Desdemona is appallingly killed by Othello, and Othello in the end is stricken by grief and guilt that he commits suicide over the monstrosity which he has done over the murder of Desdemona. Meanwhile, Emilia (Iago’s own wife) is killed by none other than Iago himself. Cassio is wounded severely, and Iago is captured to be executed over the monstrosity he has caused. The Complexity of the Character of Iago The villainy and the character of Iago are very interesting to study as it gives such a great background over the psychological workings of an antagonist. Before that, however, there should be an acknowledgment that Iago is indeed evil and that he has indeed wronged the other characters of the movie. To say that he is the antagonist and that Othello is the protagonist is wrong since it merely implies that Iago wronged Othello only since Iago has wronged everyone in the movie. That is perhaps one of the reasons why Iago is such a classic and frightening villain since he has the ability to control all the characters and cause their downfall while there is clearly no offense which the other characters have done, most especially by Othello. This leads to the subject matter at hand — why did Iago hate Othello so much that he would waste his time, effort, and intelligence in plotting Othello’s downfall? This essay will give three reasons as to why Iago acted on such principles and beliefs. A Moor in Venice According to the book by Faith Nostbakken entitled â€Å"Understanding Othello: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents,† Moors in the time of the Elizabethan era were considered as low-lifes or inferior people. They would be the ones serving the English or the ones who would have jobs that are considered as unfit for an English person to have. Mostly however, they were treated as such because they have an entirely different religion than that of the English race, aside from looking different. They also have an entirely different upbringing because of their customs and traditions. Because Othello is Moor, this could be one of the reasons why Iago hates him so since he hates the race of the Moors. In fact, in the first scene and act of the play wherein Iago and Roderigo are talking and plotting against Othello, their contempt and discrimination for the person is very obvious with their language and reference to Othello. Because Othello is a Moor, Iago hates him. The Fight for the Power and the Glory When Roderigo and Iago were talking, the audience understands that Iago hates Othello because Othello supposedly stole the position of being a lieutenant (or general) from Iago. Othello has the power and the fame which Iago wants, and it is but natural that Iago gets infuriated with this situation. In Joan Lor Hall’s book, the character of Iago is analyzed and he is even regarded as being â€Å"honest† (72) since he is just being plain clear and straightforward over his wishes and desires. However, the problem resides in the fact that when Iago wanted to claim what he feels was rightfully his, other characters are hurt. This trait is what makes Iago an evil manipulator. Conclusion In conclusion, Iago’s evilness may be justified by the two aspects mentioned above, but no matter what, there seems to be an atmosphere in the play and in the movie that Iago’s action may have no reason at all. The fact that he hates Othello is a real wonder, and the reason why he hates Othello and why he acted the way he did is one which William Shakespeare could only answer. Works Cited Hall, Joan Lord. Othello: A Guide to the Play. Connecticut, Greenwood Press, 1999. Nostbakken, Faith. Understanding Othello: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2000. Othello. Dir. Olivia Parker. Perfs. Laurence Fishburne, Irene Jacob, Kenneth Branagh. Castle Rock Entertainment, 1995. Shakespeare, William. Othello. New York: Heinemann, 2000.

Coca Cola Brand Building Strategy

Introduction-: Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke or (in European and American countries) as cola, pop, or in some parts of the U. S. , soda. Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman As a Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century. The company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most common of these is Diet Coke, with others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special editions with lemon, lime or coffee. Brand building strategy -: Brand development strategy of Coca Cola has been far reaching and has managed to remain in the limelight ever since it became a favorite with the non alcoholic drinkers. It has been noticed that brand loyalty is an important factor in maintaining the number one position. Founded in the year 1886, the Coca Cola company enjoys the status of being one of the biggest non alcoholic beverage companies of the world. It has a distribution system, which makes it unique from the rest of the non alcoholic beverage manufacturers. Over the years, Coca Cola has passed several tests of brand enhancement and the company makes it a point that the products under the banner Coca Cola continue to invade the minds of the consumers. The brand development strategy of Coca Cola comprised redesigning of its brand development policies and techniques to keep up with the changing mindset of its consumers. Earlier, this brand believed in the following: †¢ Afford ability †¢ Availability †¢ Acceptability However, this brand development strategy of Coca Cola was re worked to stress on the following instead: †¢ Price value †¢ Preference †¢ â€Å"Pervasive penetration†. The essence of brand building of the company lies in the fact that it wants its consumers accessibility to be â€Å"within an arm's reach of desire†. In an attempt to build its brand identity, as many as 20 brand attributes are tested every month involving as many as 4000 customers. The brand development strategy of Coca Cola is effective as it has been able to construct, manage As well as maintain its brand image. Another reason why this brand has gained unanimous acceptance all around the globe is due to the fact that it has been able to connect very well with its consumers. This implies brand loyalty. Brand loyalty has been instrumental in keeping up the brand image of Coca Cola. It believes in shelling out the best so that the consumers are retained by default. A part of the brand building technique is also to enhance â€Å"purchase frequency†. The company has also invested in various advertisement campaigns often engaging the services of celebrities around the globe. In addition to the consumers, there is another category of consumers, who increase the consumer base and they constitute the collectors of the brand. The collectors usually indulge in collecting old as well as upcoming logos of Coca Cola, bottles and literary matter. With regard to the brand development of Coca Cola Zero, the company came out with an advertisement, which was quite different from the conventional ones. In this regard, (no calorie beverage), it has shelled out three types of products. †¢ Coca Cola Classic †¢ Diet Coke †¢ Coca Cola Zero. There are few experts who believe that when Coca Cola had the tag line of â€Å"The Real Thing†, it was really that but with the invention of various categories of coke, the â€Å"real thing† changes to â€Å"many things†, and the original flavor is usually lost. Hence, the brand building strategies should be such that it does not confuse people and is able to retain consumers despite the fact that several new non alcoholic beverage firms are on the anvil. The Power of Brand Accessibility If you were another soft drink company, you might define your competitive frame of reference as the cola market or the soft drink market or even the beverage market. But Coke thinks of its business and its market share in terms of â€Å"share of human liquid consumption. †Ã‚   This makes water a competitor. In fact, a Coke executive has said that he won’t be satisfied until â€Å"there is a Coca-Cola faucet in every home. †Ã‚   Coca-Cola’s mantra is â€Å"within an arm’s reach of desire. † One Final Coca-Cola Fact A recent Coca-Cola annual report reported that the second most recognized expression in the world after â€Å"ok? † is â€Å"Coca-Cola. Brand Equity-: â€Å"The brand assets (or liabilities) linked to a brands name and symbol that add from a service. † Brand equity is difficult to measure because much of it depends on consumers' perception and opinions of a brand. When a product has high brand equity they are successf ul at retaining their current customers by keeping them satisfied with the quality of products and service. They are also successful at attracting new customers who have heard of the brand through successful marketing or word of mouth. Coca-Cola's brand equity is difficult to measure because they have extended their brand to include numerous products. In addition to the numerous of versions of Coca-Cola worldwide that compete against other beverage brands, Coca-Cola competes with itself. Nationally there are numerous versions / brands that are a part of the Coca-Cola family. Some of the brands include Coca-Cola Classic, Dasani Water, Full Throttle, Fanta, and Soy Products. In addition to competing against itself the Coca-Cola Company has saturated the market and consumers who may dislike one product may actually enjoy a different Coca-Cola product. However, the consumer may be unaware that the beverage is actually in the Coca-Cola family. As a result measuring brand equity may be difficult as consumers may be loyal and repeat customers of a brand and not know its origin. Coca Cola was taking its core product, Coke, and expanding the product in new form factors and new overseas markets. The brand promise stayed the same whether it was sold in a Coke store in New York or a road side stand in Mongolia – refreshment, good times, and pure Americana. Despite the numerous brands and the difficulty in measuring brand equity it is evident that Coca-Cola has high brand equity. They are a company who has been in business for many years they have gained the business of consumers in the soda market as well as numerous other beverage markets nationally and internationally. Their sales and growth show that they are a successful company Brand identity the brand identity is the audio-visual ‘face' of the brand – the cues that tell you that you are are in the right place. The brand definition is the formal description of what the brand stands for within different description categories – its personality, its values, its stories, its emotional benefits etc.. The brand proposition is the ‘deal' the brand is offering you at any given moment the coca-cola comp. has long been recognised as an organisation with significant brand equity with over four four hundread brands available in virtually every nook and crany of the world . the flag ship brand of coca cola has stood the rest of the time over 120 years. Infact coca-cola alone is recognized as the most valuable in the world by the respected inter brand corportionvalued at above US $ 67 billion , the coca-cola brand (coke)has become effectively become a part of modern world culture. hough its advertising campaign has changed over the years,coca-cola â€Å"THE REAL TASTE† has always stood for a†REAL† COLA DRINK with authenticity . the identity has been build by an decade with consistent values and diferentiated elements. Many competitors have aim at cokes but the brand continues to command a number one position globaly in ranking of brand equity. After all If u stand for the real thing every competitor is an imitator. the Coca-Cola bottle design differentiated the identity, the easier it is to protect from infringement. Just coca cols has remained to its time tested identity u have the equallly relivant to you. This brand identity should reflect your own unique equity and care essence this will ensure your brand creativity and identity that is meaning ful and sustainable in long term. [pic] Brand image- â€Å"A unique set of associations in the mind of customers concerning what a brand stands for and the implied promises the brand makes. † There could be hardly any person around the world that hasn't heard the name Coca Cola. Ever since it beginning as world's leading name in cold drinks, Coca Cola has created a strong brand image irrespective of age, sex and geographical locations. Millions of people around the world are consuming cold drinks or soft drinks as part of their daily meal. Coca Cola, ever since its inception has been the leader in soft drink market. Brand image is the significant factor affecting Coke’s sale. Coca-Cola’s brand name is very well known all over the world. Packaging changes have also affected sales and industry positioning, but in general, the public has tended not to be affected by new products. Coca-Cola’s bottling system also allows the company to take advantage of infinite growth opportunities around the world. This strategy gives Coke the opportunity to service a large geographic, diverse, area. Brand loyalty Brand loyalty is a central construct to marketing. Keeping the consumer satisfied, and loyal enough to frequently purchase just one brand, is more difficult in today’s marketplace than ever before. But today, major brands are experiencing heightened brand loyalty due to the growing popularity of the brand as a collectible. A recent Coca-Cola annual report reported that the second most recognized expression in the world after â€Å"ok? † is â€Å"Coca-Cola. † Brand personality:- Brand Personality identity is understood as the set of human characteristics associated with a brand. The brand image building strategy implies the definition of a brand personality and a user personality. Have you ever thought about your personal brand? Brand personalities that 1) Are well-known, 2) offer something different to the world than they do in terms of products and services ‘Coca-Cola’s’ brand personality reflects the positioning of its brand. The process of positioning a brand or product is a complex managerial task and must be done over time using all the elements of the marketing mix. Positioning is in the mind of the consumer and can be described as how the product is considered by that consumer. When researching the positioning of a product, consumers are often asked how they would describe that product if it were a person. The purpose of this is to develop a character statement. This can ensure that consumers have a clear view of the brand values that make up the brand personality, just like the values and beliefs that make up a person. Many people see ‘Coca-Cola’ as a part of their daily life. This imilarity between the brand and the consumer leads to a high degree of loyalty and makes the purchasing decision easier Brand Positioning:- The location of a brand in relation to its competitors in some pre-defined space. The space may be defined by criteria used by consumers, such as â€Å"value for money† or â€Å"age of consumer† etc. † 5 main factors that go into defining a brand position. 1. Brand Attributes What the brand deliv ers through features and benefits to consumers. 2. Consumer Expectations What consumers expect to receive from the brand. 3. Competitor attributes What the other brands in the market offer through features and benefits to consumers. 4. Price An easily quantifiable factor – Your prices vs. your competitors’ prices. 5. Consumer perceptions The perceived quality and value of your brand in consumer’s minds (i. e. , does your brand offer the cheap solution, the good value for the money solution, the high-end, high-price tag solution, etc.? ) The Coca-Cola Company produce a range of beverages suited to different ages, stages, lifestyles and occasions. This includes soft drinks, diet drinks, juices and juice drinks, waters, energy drinks, sports drinks and cordials. As part of a healthy, varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle, all products can be enjoyed by the majority of people. It is committed to helping customers select the product that is best suited to their needs through the provision of detailed product information supported by general advice on healthy eating, drinking and lifestyles. It understands that balancing energy intake with energy output is key to a healthy body weight. We therefore provide choice through range of low or no-kilojoule products that are ideally suited to the needs of people who wish to reduce energy intake through beverage selection. Such products are readily available at a similar cost to an equivalent higher energy product. As one of the largest producers and marketers of non-alcoholic beverages we promote physical activity through our active lifestyles programme and sponsorship of sport. Through new product development we will continue to release a range of new types of drinks, including low or no kilojoule products as we look at ways in which to cater to those people who wish to reduce energy intake through selection of lower energy beverages. Children and the role of our beverages Coca cola respect and support the primary role that parents play in decisions affecting the lives of young children, including choices about diet and lifestyle. Beverage choice, like food selection, is a role for parents and we assist them in this through the provision of nutrition information and by making available a wide range of products suitable for all ages, stages and occasions. Coca-Cola's longstanding global policy ensures we do not directly market our products to children under the age of twelve. Our brands are not advertised during children's television times and we do not show children under 12 in advertising or promotional materials drinking our products outside of the presence of an adult. Our sampling events are directed to people over the age of 12. In the small number of schools where we provide vending machines we work with the school to provide a range of beverages, and ensure that lower energy products are priced attractively and the packaging is in a single serve size. Guidelines have been established to oversee the manner in which we work with schools and their tuck shops. It is company practice to sell diet drinks and sugar-free alternatives at a similar price to regular carbonated soft drinks. Retailers offering ‘specials' are encouraged to include both the regular and diet versions of our soft drinks. Through new product development it aim to develop more products that meet the unique needs of children and will work with nutrition experts as we do this. For healthy active and growing children, beverages higher in energy can be enjoyed as part of a balanced and varied diet. However, we also provide a range of low or no-kilojoule products also suitable for children. Supporting sport and physical activity Globally, The Coca-Cola Company has a long history of supporting sport and activity. have been a major Olympic Games sponsor since 1928 and also sponsor major international sporting events. Coca-Cola has been an All Black sponsor for the past decade and has also supported provincial netball and rugby. At a grassroots level, Coca-Cola has formed a partnership with the National Association of OSCAR (Out of School Care and Recreation) to develop and implement a national physical activity programme available to 75,000 young New Zealanders. In South Auckland, the Get Moving programme is working to encourage children to participate in local sports and recreation courses. The Pump water brand is now a major sponsor of the Heart Foundation's Jump Rope for Heart programme that runs in schools across New Zealand and through the Powerade sports drink brand, we support numerous sporting events around the country. Labelling All products of The Coca-Cola Company provide clear nutrition information in compliance with international regulations. Packaging Coca-Cola is committed to strict environmental guidelines, and to ensuring our packaging has as little impact as possible on the environment. To this end, a recycling project was introduced in New Zealand during 2001 which ensures our PET bottles contain an average of 10% recycled material. Information Programmes Coca cola’s consumer contact centre provides around the clock access to information about the companies. Pricing It is company practice to sell diet drinks and sugar-free soft drink alternatives at a similar price to regular carbonated soft drinks. Similarly, any competitions or promotions of Coca-Cola can be entered by our consumers who purchase diet Coke. Although at the discretion of retailers, special offers and reduced prices on soft drinks are usually available for both the regular and diet versions of our soft drinks Brand extension :- Brand extension or brand stretching is a marketing strategy in which a firm marketing a product with a well-developed image uses the same brand name in a different product category. Organizations use this strategy to increase and leverage brand equity (definition: the net worth and long-term sustainability just from the renowned name) [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Conclusion:- The progress and advancement in the field of technology in the fields of soft drink raw material, production, manufacturing, information and communication technology and logistics have great positive impacts on the operations and sales of Coca-Cola. The availability of new soft drink ingredients enables Coca-Cola to introduce new variety of its products to its existing consumers, not forgetting to attract the new consumer groups. The use of the latest information technology has made able the company to attract the new generation of soft drink consumers with the latest features of song downloading. Also the existence of company website has enabled the world to be in touch with the latest progress, promotions and offers of Coca-Cola.