INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS EXAM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS EXAM - Assignment Example The Following is the equation showing all the variables: The theoretical application of the equation is mostly observed High Perfomance Liquid Chromatography especially in the separation of similar simple hydrocarbons. Another practical application is in separation of amino acids, and proteins. In split injection for GC, the major purpose is to ensure most of the sample do not flow into the column but instead they pass through the split vent on their way to the atmosphere. This is unlike splitless injection whereby most of the sample volatize and flow into the column. In which case, for split injection the split vent is normally open while for splitless, the vent is closed by a split valve controlled by a computer. The ideal situation for using split injection is when there is need to achieve rapid volatilization besides homogenous mixing of the injected sample with a carrier gas. For splitless mode, an ideal scenario for its use is where there is need to slow down the volatization of the sample. Application: impurity profiling and exploration of degradation. In which case, the gradient flow is used for complex samples with analytes of wide polarities and commonly used for high throughput screening and impurity testing; such as in impurity profiling. The reversed phase makes the use of a polar mobile phase and a non-polar [hydrophobic] stationary phase. Those compound having similar polarity as that evident in mobile phase will be preferentially attracted to it and move faster. For compounds having similar polarity to that of non-polar stationary phase there movement will be delayed because of their strong attraction to the particles. Intuitively, the differences in the relative attraction of each compound for each phase creates a basis for separation by changing the speeds of the analytes. Particle size (dp), is a representation of the mean diameter of the spherical supports used to pack a column. According to the definition,

James Blunt Essay Example for Free

James Blunt Essay English singer and song writer James Blunt made it to the pop charts in 2005 following the release of his album Back to Bedlam, which included the song â€Å"You’re Beautiful†. Multi talented Blunt, writes, sings and plays both piano and guitar. With only two released albums, he is relatively new to the music scene yet has been nominated for multiple Grammy, as well as British awards. He has become known for his emotional lyrics and music and his sad, meaningful video. Blunt was born and raised in England. He has followed in the footsteps of his father and served in the British Army following college. He is an active advocate for the group Doctors without Borders, who he became involved with during his time in the Army. Blunt is not from a musical family but began taking music lessons as a child at the insistence of his mother. He began playing violin, piano and guitar at a young age and attended Bristol University majoring in music. James Blunt is a serious and well trained musician. This shows in the crafting of his lyrics and songs. He is not someone who made it to the top of the music charts by accident. Blunt’s song â€Å" You’re Beautiful† received much air play on radio station and drove his first album â€Å"Back to Bedlam† to the top of the charts in both the US and England. To understand the magnitude of Blunts popular success, consider the fact that Blunt was the first English performer to hit the number one spot of the US Billboard Hot 100 songs since Elton John reached that spot with Candle in the wind in 1997. Coincidentally, he has worked and traveled with Elton John during the course of his musical career. In addition to his radio and video success Blunt has had many songs featured on television shows in the US such as Grey’s Anatomy and the O. C in addition to advertising roles with Hilton Hotels and Sprint. Blunt has toured extensively and has become popular worldwide. Blunt’s video releases are recognized for their use symbolism and dark imagery. The image in the video for â€Å"You’re Beautiful† is of Blunt slowly and painfully taking off his clothes and empting his pockets meticulously. He sings hauntingly as he bemoans the fact that he has seen her, but will never be with her. The lyrics tell the story of her being with another man, and of the singer being high. The songs hints at he fact that he is unhappy with the situation and sees no hope. He talks about having a plan in response to this situation. He ends the video by jumping off a cliff into the water in what appears to be suicide. The second album Blunt completed was titled â€Å"All the Lost Souls† and was released in 2007. The album quickly hit old with great success in the US and the UK. Blunt had by this time built a reputation as a talented singer and songwriter. He had developed a following of fans who loved the emotional feelings to his music. Another example of the hopeless and emotional feel to Blunt’s work can be seen and heard in â€Å"Goodbye My Lover†. â€Å"Goodbye My Lover is an emotional display both visually and musically. The image of two lovers parting and the memory of their time together are shown throughout the video. The song is a sad tribute to what was and an acknowledgement to the end of the relationship. The pain he obviously feels as he lays on the bed alone is powerful. The word he uses in the lyrics are so emotionally delicate as he describes sensation and experiences such as holding hands and kissing so beautifully. Again, this song and video show no hope for the situation. There is simply and acknowledgment and cathartic expression of everything inside of the writer and singer. It seems like acceptance. One wonders if Blunt simply has the ability to get the emotion out, turn it into something creative and then move on. It may be the listeners who have trouble letting go to similar emotions and so get stuck in the hopelessness of the lyrics and visuals. However, Blunt’s success indicates that the public get him. The public feels and understand and enjoys the experience of Blunts’s music. Blunts work has been used in a variety of commercial venues, including television shows, commercials and movies. Hi song â€Å"You’re Beautiful†, was used in he Disney movie â€Å"The little Mermaid. Perhaps the meaning is different when jumping off a cliff into the water does not mean suicide. In the case of a mermaid it simply means going home. The song has also been used in the television shows ER and Smallville, demonstrating its wide appeal and interpretation. Goodbye My Lover has also been used commercially. Blunt reportedly wrote the song for ex girlfriend Camilla Boller after he cheated on her and they split up. That pain and remorse comes through in the video. Other works of Blunt have been used in the television shows; CSI, Criminal Minds and Without a Trace. Blunt obviously has no issue with using his music for commercial purposes as he has sold to television, movies and advertising. Wile the commercial use of music has become much more popular, there are still many artists that do not allow their music to be used for this purpose. Blount is criticized by some for being overly depressing as there is such an emotional longing and hopelessness in his work. His lyrics talk about lost love, war, addiction and sorrow. The songs are sad and emotional. Yet he tackles these subject with sensitivity and honestly. He is a poet first. The music he pairs with the lyrics is similarly gently and delicate and moving, and haunting. Blunt has been quoted as saying that he writes for himself, to express feeling. He indicates that he has no choice but to write and create and express. Blunt appears to be a true artist and creative soul who creates because he can’t help but express.

Toys R Us and the Nightmare before Christmas :: Personal Narrative Writing

Toys R Us and the Nightmare before Christmas When I tell people I worked at a toy store, they tend to respond with, â€Å"Ah, that’s so cool,† or â€Å"So, you got to play with toys all day.† I had been known to perfect my video game skills and snag action figures, but a toy store is not as fun as you may think. Children looked at me as though I was the epitome of fun and enjoyment as I offered assistance in my blue vest with a huge transfer of Geoffrey the Giraffe on the back. Parents came to me thinking I was an encyclopedia of dolls and board games. Though there was some truth to these assumptions, the three years I spent working in toys exhausted me, forced me to encounter some bizarre people, and exposed me to situations I could not have conceived would occur in a store for children. Most importantly it helped me gain an understanding of the diverse behavior exhibited by shoppers and allowed me to realize I have an incredibly high tolerance for ignorance. I officially became part of the â€Å"R Us family† when I started working for Toys R Us during the 1999 Christmas season. Prior to beginning my new job, I realized the difficulty in maintaining a smile and energy as hundreds of impatient, shop crazed parents destroyed isles of Legos and stuffed animals, while carting around crying infants, snotty toddlers and selfish adolescents. Regardless, I expected a personal reward in seeing children stand in awe of the mass amounts of toys the store kept in stock. Their happiness would bring me happiness. Plus, I would not have to get too involved with the children; they had parents that supervised them. I also felt a boost of Christmas spirit would be inspiring and much needed. How could I resist parents eager to buy Christmas gifts and children pointing out their favorite toys with smiles on their faces? Within the few weeks that composed the busiest shopping time of the year, customers were able to diminish my joy for the holiday season. My first anti-holiday experience occurred when I was learning how to run the registers. At this time, I was also learning that parents tend to feel a great need to please their children by purchasing the trendiest toys and by spending hundreds of dollars on Christmas presents. One such â€Å"guest,† as we are encouraged to refer to customers, a thin woman with fluffed brown hair, came through my lane with a cart full of toys.

Good Use in Writing :: Writers Education Teaching Essays

Good Use in Writing I have had extreme difficulty in determining what is good use in writing. My idea of good use, what it is based on, what it is good for, and how do you learn it or engage it in practice are difficult concepts for me to try and give answers to. I do not believe I am any position to judge writings and say what is and isnà ­t good use. However, I guess I am going to try, for there are some pretty serious issues at hand such as getting along with others, being taken seriously in language and writing, and issues of truth, value, social position, and understanding. This is some pretty serious stuff. If good use is that important then why am I having such a difficult time determining what it is? If good use weighs so heavily on such important issues as socializing with others, being taken seriously, and the ever important issues of truth, value, social position, and understanding, you would think I would know what good use is strictly on the basis of surviving in society. The rules of good use should flow onto the page as easily as the Ten Commandments come to a devout Christian. However, they do not come to me so easily, in fact I do not know the first place to begin in determining what good usage is. Does this mean I am a social banana who does not get along with anyone? That I am never taken seriously every time I speak or write? That I am a liar with no morals, no social position, or comprehension of anything? I should hope not. In my attempt to describe good usage I guess I will focus my efforts on one particular area. Good usage in writing for textbooks. I will focus my area of concern on one single written passage, explain why it is good usage, and then you are free to agree with me, cry out loud in disgust and outrage, or do whatever you want. Robert A. Hall said, "The merit of what a person says or does is not in anyway affected by the way in which they say or do it, provided it is the most efficient way of saying or doing it." The following passage was taken from the textbook Bowling by Charles Edgington: 7. Respect the Alley and its Equipment -- Make sure the pin setting machine has completed its cycle prior to your delivering the ball.

Samsung Wave-Ii Marketing Plan

[pic] Samsung Wave-II Smart Phone Marketing Plan and strategy Principles of Marketing EIB-507 Prepared By: MD. Ashif Hossain Roll-80104045 International Business, EMBA University Of Dhaka Prepared For: MD. Kamal Uddin,Ph. D Associate Professor Executive summary Mobile phone, which is defined as a high technology electronic product, is popular all over the world. Bangladesh must be one of the biggest markets for those mobile phone manufacturers. As a leader in mobile telecommunications market, Samsung has its scientific business strategy that leads to success, and pays a great attention to the market of Bangladesh. Based on the Bangladesh mobile phone market, this paper analyzes Samsung’s business strategy to show reason of Samsung’s success. The business strategy includes the strategic intent, the competitive strategy and marketing mix. The strategic concept of Samsung is to take the demand-side strategy. Samsung subdivides the whole market into several objective markets according to the researches about the partialities of different individuals. And then different types of mobile phones are put into the market aimed at attracting different consumer groups. The competitive strategy of Samsung is to improve the innovative ability to win the competitive advantage. Strong technological innovation ability makes Samsung stand in the forward position of mobile industry all the time, and characterized this brand by a special vitality. And the marketing mix of Samsung is to use the integrated marketing strategy including product, price, promotion and place. It values the construction of a brand, the orientation of its products and pays a lot of attention to technology improvement. It increases the sales through sensitive advertisement, presentation to the celebrities and large-scale entertainment. Current Market Situation Increasingly, we are observing that handsets are following the pattern of typical consumer electronics; the trend is toward phones with improved features at lower prices. Simultaneously, there are more manufacturers who will deliver cheaper handsets to capture the mass market. Multifunction cell phones, e-mail devices are increasingly popular today. Touch screen phone is very much attractive because it is Very much easy to use and people can browse the website like they browse in a laptop computer. Competition is therefore more intense. So it is easily visible that there will be massive demand for such phones in the future. To gain market share in the dynamic environment, Samsung must carefully target Specific segments with features that deliver benefits valued by each customer group. Market Description Samsung Wave II touch pad phone’s primary target consumers are young people. It is very much attractive for student because of it’s wide touch screen which could be used as a hand Held palmtop. It supports Wi-Fi technology so people can transfer their documents and other important file through this phone like a workstation. In the prospect of Bangladesh people can easily monitor the Stock market movement through its high-speed Internet technology. Other users are entrepreneurs and professionals. It is very much cheap in compare with an apple I-phone. Product Review The Samsung Wave II S8530 (or â€Å"Samsung Wave II†) is the Successor f Samsung Wave S8500 smartphone running the bada 1. 2 operating system designed by Samsung, which was commercially released on October, 2010. [1][2][3] The Wave is a slim touchscreen phone powered by Samsung's â€Å"Hummingbird† CPU (S5PC110), which includes 1  GHz ARM Cortex-8 CPU and a powerful built-in PowerVR SGX 540 graphics engine, â€Å"Super LCD† screen and 720p high-definition video capture capabilities. Our Product Samsung Wave II smart phone offers the following standard features With a bada 1. 2 operating system Hardware features Calling – The speakerphone is great. It was very loud and clear. Conference calling was also easy. Once you've placed your second call, an icon appears to conference the two calls. It can connected 20 calls at once and had no trouble swapping and dropping individuals from the conference. Design The phone is made of mostly metal alloy and is measured at 10. 9  mm thick. In terms of form factor, it is a slate style featuring only 3 physical buttons on the front: call, reject/ shutdown, and main menu button. The ergonomically designed body also makes it more comfortable to hold. Screen The screen is a 3. -inch (94  mm) capacitive touchscreen Super LCD with an anti-smudge oleophobic coating on top of the scratch-resistant tempered-glass (Gorilla Glass Display) touch panel which has been shown to be capable of resisting extreme friction (scratch-resistant). The screen resolution is 800Ãâ€"480 WVGA. [4] Processor The phone features a 1  GHz SoC,[5] which internally contains an ARM Cortex A8 CPU core that is identical t o the ARM Cortex CPU core used in Apple's A4 package on package SoC. [6][7] The Phone graphics engine is SGX 540 which is said to be capable of generating 90 million triangles per second (same as the SoC used on the Samsung Galaxy S). And 512MB RAM (same hardware as Samsung Wave S8500). Camera The phone features a 5 megapixel which supports 2592 x 1944 pixels, along with autofocus, LED flash, Geo-tagging, face, blink detection, image stabilization, touch focus,etc. Other than these features it has various shooting modes such as beauty shot, smile shot, continuous, panorama and vintage shot. As a camcorder it is able to shoot 720p HD recording (1280Ãâ€"720) at 30  FPS with flash. As well as this, it is also able to record slow motion video (320Ãâ€"240) at 120  FPS with flash. Other features Other feature includes A-GPS, 2  GB/8  GB of internal storage with a microSDHC slot for an additional 32  GB. It also has a magnetometer, a proximity sensor, an accelerometer, 5. 1-channel surround sound Mobile Theater, music recognition, a fake call service, smart search, Social Hub and it is the first phone to support Bluetooth version 3. 0. In addition to Bluetooth 3. 0, the phone also features Wi-Fi 802. 11 b/g/n, HSDPA 3. 2  Mbit/s and HSUPA 2  Mbit/s. This phone is available with both European/Asia 3G bandings and the North American 3G bandings. Software Features User Interface The phone is one of the few smartphone to feature the Samsung bada operating system platform. The UI is Samsung's own Touchwiz 3. 0. Touchwiz 3. 0, like the 2 predecessors (Touchwiz 2. 0 and Touchwiz), utilises widgets. The 3 most notable widgets pre-installed in Touchwiz 3. 0 are Daily Briefing (which includes all essential information such as weather, finance, AP mobile news and schedule), Feeds and Updates and Buddies now (which allows users to call, send texts to and read Facebook/Twitter feeds off their favourite contacts). Users are allowed to have up to 10 homescreens to add widgets. Applications In terms of Internet Browser, Samsung Wave is pre-installed with Dolphin Browser v2. 0 (based on WebKit). While this browser supports Flash it is disabled by default to improve page load time. By default, the phone comes with Picsel Viewer which is capable of reading . pdf and Microsoft Office file formats. Users from selected countries can buy and download Picsel Office Editor from Samsung Apps. As for Samsung apps, users can also download applications, games and widgets from the application store. Other software includes the GPS software that comes with this phone (LBS Route 66), Palringo IM, Facebook, Twitter, social hub, mini diary, daily briefing, memo, video player, FM radio, media browser, voice recorder, e-mail and pre-installed asphalt5. Media Support MP3, AAC, AAC+, e-AAC+, WMA, AMR, WAV, MP4, FLAC, MPEG4, H. 263, H. 264, WMV, AVI, DivX, XviD, MK Competitive OVERVIEW Players There are currently four tiers of players in the handset market:  · Tier 1: Nokia, Samsung and Apple  · Tier 2: Motorol and Ericsson  · Tier 3: Alcatel, Siemens etc  · Tier 4: the rest Nokia swept into the market, overtaking both Motorola and Ericsson to achieve the largest handset sales during 1998. Samsung after a brief struggle against Nokia and apple finally got a large share of customer. The failure of Motorola to move from analog to digital and of Ericsson to pursue fashionable designs enabled Nokia’s market position to improve. Since then, both Motorola and Ericsson have been aggressively playing catch- up, attempting to leverage their strengths in technology and semiconductors to attack Nokia’s share in the overall world market. Tier 3 companies cater to a lower-end, lower-margin market. Relative lack of economies of scale, product range, and brand equity make market dominance or even parity a very difficult challenge for these smaller players. However, Samsung – with its new stylish design and technology – is well positioned in the emerging smart phone market, and is capable of threatening the larger two companies (nokia and apple). Compare between Samsung Wave-II and I-phone Because the large chunk of market segment who prefers Smartphone is captured by the apple’s I-phone. We should have a complete knowledge what the i-phone offers as well as Samsung wave-II [pic] |[pic] | |Features |Apple I-phone |Samsung Wave-II | |Overview |Touchscreen, Scratch Resistant Oleophobic Surface, |LCD Capacitive Touchscreen,Scratch Resistant Oleophobic| | |Multi Touch Input Method, Three Axis Gyro Sensor, |Surface,Accelerometer Sensor for Auto-rotate, | | |MicroSIM card support only, 5 MP Camera, TV-out, |Handwriting recognition,Multi-touch Input Method,5 MP | | |Audio/Video player, Data Transfer 3G, EDGE, GPS, |Camera,MP4 Player,Stereo FM | | |Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HTML Browser, Google Maps |radio,TV-Out,3G,EDGE,GPS,Bluetooth,Wi-Fi ,HTML | | | |Browser,Bada OS | |Operating System |iOS 4 (based on Mac OS) |Bada OS 1. | |Processor Speed |1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, PowerVR SGX535GPU, |ARM Cortex A8 1GHz processor | | |Apple A4 chipset | | |2G network |GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | |3G network |HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |HSDPA 900 / 2100 | |Dimensions |115. x 58. 6 x 9. 3 mm |123. 9 x 59. 8 x 11. 8 mm | |Weight |137 g |135 g | |Display Size |3. 5 inches, LED-backlit IPS TFT, capacitive |3. 7 inches,Super Clear LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M | | |touchscreen, 16M colors |colors | |Resolution |640 x 960 pixels |480 x 800 pixels |Music Player |MP3 ,WAV,AAC, AIFF, AAC Protected, MP3 VBR,Audible |MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+ player | | |(formats 2-4),Apple Lossless, Music play-Up to 40 | | | |hours | | |Radio |No |Stereo FM r adio with RDS, FM recording | |Camera |5 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, |5 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash | | |Secondary: video calling camera over Wi-Fi only | | |Video |[email  protected], LED video light, geo-tagging,Video |[email  protected],Video | | |Player-MPEG4, H. 264, MOV |Player-MP4,MKV,H. 263,H. 64,WMV,Xvid,DivX | |Internal |16 GB storage |2 GB storage | |Slot micro sd |No |microSD up to 32GB, 2GB card included | |Battery |Standard battery, Li-Po 1420mAh |Standard battery, Li-Ion 1500 mAh | |Talk Time |Up to 14 h (2G) / Up to 7 h (3G) |Up to 13 hours | |Blue Tooth |v2. 1 with A2DP |v3. 0 with A2DP | |USB |v2. 0 |microUSB v2. 0 | |GPRS |Class 10 |Class 10 | |EDGE |Class 10 |Class 10 | |Wlan & Wifi |Wi-Fi 802. 1 b/g/n |Wi-Fi 802. 11 b/g/n | |3G |HSDPA, 7. 2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5. 76 Mbps |HSDPA 3. 6 Mbps; HSUPA, 2 Mbps | |GPS |Yes, A-GPS support |A-GPS support, Samsung Mobile Navigator | |Document viewer |Yes(don’t support Microsoft packa ge) |Yes(pdf,word,XL) | |Price per unit |BDT 55000/- |BDT 20000/- | Samsung Wave-II SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths Having the advanced technology over the competitors in the mobile phone industry – Decentralized company structure, innovative and creative employees and Charismatic strong leader – One of the best market leadership in the mobile industry – Strong brand name and company image in the global market – Has its own manufacture and network – Product innovation – Economy of scale Weaknesses – Complacency and arrogance – Few customized operator-specific handsets – Few alliances, company sticks to its standing in the market, do not want to cooperate with the operators Opportunities – The emerging market in developing countries, such as China, India, Bangladesh – The emerging market for high-end mobile phone such as business user phone Threats – Facing more new competitors, especially from Asia – Stronger buyer power from the network operators – Lost market share – Strong competition in mobile industry Objectives We have set aggressive but achievable objectives for the first and second years of market entry. †¢ First-year objectives: During the Samsung wave-II initial year on the market, we are aiming for a 40 percent share of the Bangladesh smart phone market through unit sales volume of 1,00,000 units. †¢ Second-year objectives: Our second-year objectives are to achieve a 60 percent share based on sales of two models and to achieve break-even early in this period. Market Segmentation Our target market is mainly focused on young and professional people with a attraction for technology which is available in a relatively cheap price. There is a customer profile as follows: Age: 14 – 25, 25 – 35, 35 + Gender : Male & Female Family Life Cycle: Young, single, married, married with children, older, under18. Occupation: Professional and technical, managers, officials and proprietors, clerical, sales, craftspeople, supervisor, Operatives, farmers, retired, students, homemakers, unemployed. Social Class: Lower Lowers, upper lowers, working class, middle class, upper middles, upper uppers Monthly income: Below Over10,000 Taka Size of potential market : Total population of Bangladesh. Geographical Location: Rural, Semi-Urban, and Urban User status: Potential user, first time users & regular users Usage rate: Light user, medium user & heavy user. Readiness stage: Aware, informed, interested, desirous and intending to buy Marketing Strategy Positioning In 2007 Samsung Telecommunication Business reported over 40% growth and became the second largest mobile device manufacturer in the world. [1] Its market share was 14% in Q4 2007, growing up form 11. 3% in Q4 2006. [2] In Q1 2008 Samsung strengthened its second position on the market and achieved 15. 6% world handset market share. So as per the concern regarding Bangladesh Samsung is already achieved a good market share after Nokia. Product Strategy †¢ The development of a product with global appeal †¢ Nimble movement to sell it internationally Most importantly, a commitment to learning what consumers want, without consideration of the limits of existing technology †¢ Best mobile devices for everyone regardless the price and geography †¢ Internet services on mobile devices †¢ Business mobility markets †¢ Once the superior business devices are introd uced, Corporate users will take advantage of the stability and innovation †¢ Low cost innovative devices in the emerging markets will generate revenue due to the brand loyalty †¢ Introducing the device for business solutions, superior from its competitors †¢ Giving SDK(software development kit) to the developers to develop more applications on its new OS platform †¢ Introducing low cost ,innovative, devices in the emerging markets †¢ Leading Brand Pricing strategy Samsung Wave-II smart phone will be introduced at BDT 20000/- per unit in compare with Apple-iphone, which costs BDT 55000/- per unit. Though it is not superior than I-phone but it could Outrun some function of I-phone like as we have mentioned in our previous discussion. Distribution Strategy In Bangladesh by selective distributor Samsung could promote the market and also by media Advertisement. Samsung could also promote the consumers with joint co-operation with major Carriers like Grameenphone and Banglalink. Marketing Communication Strategy †¢ At TV Advertisement †¢ At Radio Advertisement: †¢ At Outdoor Advertisement: †¢ At Press Conference: Action Program The Samsung Wave-II will introduce in February 2012. Through a series of scheduled program Samsung will carry out its marketing strategy and achieve its objectives. A monthly basis detail about these programs are given below February 2012 †¢ We will initiate a huge amount trade sales promotion ad. Campaign to educate dealers and generate excitement for the product launch. †¢ Send catalogs & brochures to 50000 likely customers †¢ Set-up showrooms †¢ Provide samples product reviewers, opinion leaders and celebrities as the part of our public relation strategy. †¢ Create own website. March 2012 †¢ Collecting marketing information. Start an integrated print/radio/TV/ Internet campaign targeting consumers. †¢ Launching Samsung Wave-II April 2012 †¢ Study consumer satisfaction and identify opportunities. Budget [pic] Total first-year revenue : Tk. 200 Core sales volume: 100,000 average wholesale price : Tk. 20000/- per unit. Variable c ost per unit : TK 2500 for units Samsung Wave-II projects sales of Tk 60 Lac on 1st quarter and consequently Tk. 60 Lac, Tk. 40 Lac and Tk. 40 Lac Estimated first-year fixed costs: TK. 170 Core Break Even calculation = TK. 1700000000 /TK. (20000-2500) = 97143 Units(approximated) Controls There should be a tight monitoring system in every level of execution from top to bottom. We will carefully monitor customer satisfaction through our product and customer service Center. Any sign of deviation will be corrected through our highly skilled manpower. Further plan has been developed in the context of severe price downgrading. CONCLUSIONS Samsung must rethink its strategies if it is to remain successful. The recent economic slowdown coupled with impending market saturation and the demand for increased functionality, is beginning to dramatically change the handset market. Samsung should take aggressive measures to resist commoditization if it is to grow and continue being profitable. We have outlined some ways that it can accomplish this. Its brand has proven to be one of its most valuable assets, and Samsung should continue building it. Samsung must also thoroughly research evolving customer needs and provide a positive impetus for brand differentiation. Finally, by forming strategic alliances with industry and service providers, Samsung can ensure and maximize its visibility to the end- user. Samsung also needs to bring new products to market, and, as the market is showing signs of saturation, shift its focus onto the replacement market. This means developing data-driven services and appropriate partnerships with content providers. There simply needs to be an incentive for existing handset owners to purchase a new Samusng handset.

4 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Job

4 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Job You know you’re the best person for the job. So what is the most efficient and effective way to let hiring managers know you’d be an asset to their team? Before you apply for a job, take a good hard look at how you’re presenting yourself. Keep these 4 tips in mind when preparing your professional documents and yourself for the job application process. 1. Tailor Your Resume  for the Specific Job PostingIn the old days, people kept a master  resume with a job history and then dusted it off to update it when it was time to apply for jobs. With so much competition in the workplace, it’s now expected that you will  tailor your resume so that the hiring manager can see right away how  your qualifications match the job description.Use specific language in your resume and put your job history in an order that gears your qualifications toward a specific job. For example, if you’re applying for  an office manager job, purposefully highlight times in the past where you utilized your organization and people management skills.2. Edit your Resume and Cover Letter  Tired Old ClichesAfter a potential employer sees the terms â€Å"team player,† â€Å"transformational leader† and â€Å"responsible for† countless times, it becomes stale and really doesn’t say much about your previous job history.Instead of saying â€Å"responsible for,† use your resume to say what you actually accomplished, in specific numbers, which  benefited the company in your previous job. Don’t call yourself an â€Å"expert.† Let your resume show precisely what your strong points are, and stay away from cliches.3. Skip the ReferencesHere’s another way you can streamline your resume. Years ago, it was expected that your resume would include several references at the bottom  that a hiring manager could call for more information about you as an employee. Now, it’s assumed that  any  potential e mployee can supply references if asked.Some hiring managers even find a resume containing the words, â€Å"references supplied upon request† an annoyance- it’s a given that doesn’t have to be stated.4. Practice Before Your Live InterviewEven though you know you’re a perfect fit for the job, your nerves can betray you in interview day. Getting in some practice of your â€Å"self pitch† in front of a mirror might be a good idea.Your potential employer will surely want to know what assets you can bring to the company, so think about your answer to that question beforehand. Go over your pitch until you feel comfortable so  you will not go suddenly blank when the interview starts. Believe it or not, a statement that has been repeated often enough can appear practiced.

The detection of defective members of large populations Essay Example

The detection of defective members of large populations Essay Example The detection of defective members of large populations Essay The detection of defective members of large populations Essay Recently your firm has made a series of costly errors in its group life insurance quotations. Your supervisor wishes to improve quality control. She has discovered a classic article in the field: Dorfman, Robert (1943), The detection of defective members of large populations, Annals of Mathematical Statistics, 14(3), pp. 436-440. Your supervisor has asked you to read this article, and then write a review of the article. She has specified that the review should be no longer than 1200 words. Before the outbreak of World War Two, in 1943 Harvard economist and mathematical statistician Robert Dorfman wrote an article that is integral and significant in statistics. His article The Detection of Defective Members of Large Populations (TDDMLP), reveals Dorfmans intricate thinking and now part of the Annals of Mathematical Statistics that is published by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. Moreover, in the article he emphasizes on the process achieving an efficient method for eliminating all defective members of certain types of large populations. This idea follows close to the importance of quality control, which is vital in all types of financial institutions, from banks to insurance companies. In conjunction, Dorfman uses the analogy of discussing blood samples as one application of the quality control methodology. Ultimately, TDDMLP can be utilised in proving indirectly that undergoing shortcuts do not completely reduce quality, if and only if the analytical theory is supported by it. With Dorfmans main objective to identify defective individual members of a large populace in a less expensive and tedious process, informs the reader that testing of combined samples can be beneficial in an economical way. By experimenting on a large-scale population such as the United States Public Health Service and Selective Service, Dorfman collects the blood samples from the men inductees from the armed forces, and conducts experiment with them to detect which men had a syphilitic antigen. In TDDMLP Dorfman proposes that under a statistical and probabilistically approach of the elimination of defective people can be minimised by increasing the efficiency of detection. Hence with his intention to pool the samples into groups will reveal the extent of saving compared to individual testing. In this experiment, Dorfman undergoes a methodological and practical process to demonstrate his idea. He executes this by first pooling N blood samples into group pools with n members, rather than testing each blood sample from the individual men. With the assumption that the tests are conducted under sufficiently sensitive and specific rules, if the group pools contain no syphilitic antigen, then the pool will test negative, which this indicates none of the people in that batch are infected with syphilis. On the other hand, if a syphilitic antigen is found in the pool, then at least one of the members in that pool is affected, so then each member in that pool will be retested separately to determine which of them is infected. In addition this process will determine the most efficient size of the pool groups with the assumption that since the population is large enough the discrete binomial distribution can be applied. Furthermore his findings also reveal the amount of savings attainable by conducting the experiment with group pooling. In the article, Dorfman shows three important findings, which are that as the prevalence rate increase, the relative testing cost from individual testing increases and both the number of people in each pool (n) and the amount of savings decrease. One of the key deductions found from the experiment is that the extent of savings attainable will increase as the prevalence rate decrease. This can be numerically examined with reference to Table 1 in the article, as it shows the relative testing costs for selected prevalence rates to individual testing. The table shows that as the prevalence rate increases amongst the members, the savings that could be made from pooling diminishes; this is because when there is a low level of prevalence rate of defectives, it is likely that a new pool formed from the untested samples will prove to be negative. So if blood samples results in being negative, then the test for that pool is finished, otherwise the test should run individually again until a defective is detected. By following this procedure until a negative pool is found, the amount of savings attainable would increase by average 5. 5% with each extra percent decrease in the prevalence rate. Also Dorfman findings reveals that the amount of savings attainable can be maximally done at 80% with prevalence rate of 1%, and with a much higher prevalence rate of 30%, there is only 1% of savings, hence the extent of savings attainable will increase as the prevalence rate decrease. In addition, as Dorfman uses group testing instead of individual testing shows that the relative testing cost increases as the prevalence rate increases. In conjunction, the amount of economical benefit that can be gathered depends on the group pool size and the prevalence rate. Dorfman shows the optimal size of the pool groups (i. e. amount of n) for different levels of prevalence rates diagrammatically and numerically. From Figure 1 in the article, it displays the shape of the relative cost for prevalence rates ranging from 1% to 15%. By looking at the minimum points of the curves, the optimum group size for a population with a known prevalence rate is the integral value of n, this has the lowest corresponding value on the relative cost curve for that prevalence rate. Dorfman revealed that the maximum amount of people per group at the lowest prevalence rate of 1% are 11 people, and with the highest prevalence rate of 30% with 3 people per group. Evidently this proves that it is more economical to detect defectives by group pooling than to test individually. Although TDDMLP revealed great insight into the efficient method for eliminating all defective members of certain types of large populations, by finding it more economical and time wise to group pool rather than testing individually, however Dorfman fails to take into account any technical failure or operators error. With the possible degree of impurity or imperfection and taking the shortcut of combines testing may result to incorrect findings. Yet Dorfman used a process that was in a logical and coherent order, subsequently there would be a low level of possibility of faults. This can be related to quality control of firms, in which improving quality control for firms is becoming an opportunity cost for raising revenue. Robert Dorfmans remarkable and notable article The Detection of Defective Members of Large Populations, is renowned for its statistical findings on economical benefits in group pooling compared to individual testing in detecting defectives amongst a large population. Dorfman uses the connection between prevalence rates of syphilis to the pool size and the extent of savings attainable. His results show that as the prevalence rate increase, the relative testing cost from individual testing increases and the number of people in each pool (n) and the amount of savings decrease. Hence the relative cost and the amount of savings achievable have an indirect relationship. This shows that quality control can at times be hindsight, when costs want to be reduced. Bibliography 1. Dorfman, Robert (1943), The Detection of Defective Members of Large Populations, Annals of Mathematical Statistics, 14(3), pp. 436-440. 2. Sterrett, Andrew. (1957), On the Detection of Defective Members of Large Populations, Annals of Mathematical Statistics, 28, pp. 1033 3. Theobald, C. , and A. Davie, (February 9, 2007), Group Testing, the Pooled Hypergeometric Distribution and Estimating Numbers of Defectives in Small Populations, pp 2-4

Global Warming Essays

Global Warming Essays Global Warming Essay Global Warming Essay The customer is asking for the required pages. Please save the pages cited in essay as pdf files and upload them.Thank you very much. Name: Instructor: Course: : Fossil fuels were burned more and more to run our cars, trucks, factories, planes and power plants, those fuels released carbon in the form of carbon-dioxide. Greenhouses are released not only when these fuels are burned, but also when they are retrieved from the earth. Coal, oil and natural gases are fossil fuels, but they are not all the same. They differ in how they are used, the greenhouse gases that they released when they are burned. Another is, electricity, generating electricity produces large amounts of greenhouse ases. Large scale power plant waste as much as two-thirds of the fuel that they use, either as heat sent up smoke stacks or electricity lost along transmission lines. Global warming has many damaging effect. It might harm animals and plants that lived in the sea. It could also force animals and plants on land to move to new habitants. Change in weather can cause floods, droughts, and an increase in damaging storms. Global warming could melt enough polar ice to rais e the sea level. As a result of global warming, the surface water of the ocean could become warmer, increasing the stress on ocean ecosystem. High water temperature can cause a damaging process called coral bleaching. Coral bleaching expels the algae that give them their color and nourishment. Consequently, the coral turn white and the animals and plants die. Warmth temperature also spread diseases that affect sea creatures. Another one is changes of habitat, when there is change in climate, shift might occur in the natural habitats of animals and plants. Many species will not survive in the new region they inhabit. The plants and animals that sustain people in a given area may be unable to adapt to local or regional change in climate. Consequently, the weather pattern could change. Changes in the rainfall patterns could increase both flooding and drought in some areas and it will a have serious bearing on agriculture and the tourism industry as well. In addition changes in temperature are altering evaporation and precipitation patterns which means more rain in some places and less in others. This might lead to hurricane and other tropical storms. As a result, the sea level will rise, when the planet heats up, the sea level rise for two reasons: the ice from Greenland melt into the water and it changes the water’s salinity, or saltiness and water expands when it warms. The sea level would rise throughout the world. Unfortunately, global warming is endangering those water sources. Glaciers are melting more quickly, this rapid melting can mean floods in the spring and drought in the late summer because the water has drained away. Hence, there will be threats to human health; tropical disease such as malaria might spread to larger regions. Heat waves can cause more death and illness, and Floods and drought can increase hunger and malnutrition. Due to global warming, crop yield could decline. Therefore, yield in the tropics might fall because the temperature there is too high for many plants to tolerate. Everyone can participate in reducing global warming. Alternate energy sources that do not emit carbon-dioxide and that can convert the sunlight, wind energy into electrical energy. Also, we should reduce the amount of electricity we used at home by turning off our computers and electricity while we are away from home. At home we should develop the habits of energy saving, choose low energy technologies and turn down your thermostats when the house is empty in winter. We can take our commitment to renewable energy. And the industry would have to reduce the emission of gases. Industrialized nation should have different emission target. We need to take action quickly to reduce the emission of gases and there should be an agreement internationally to target the emission. In summary, global warming would cause economic and ecological damage and it would be disastrous on agriculture, which is the mainstay of the world. Therefore, the alterations to the climate are expected to be serious: more intense storms, more pronounced droughts, coastal areas more severely eroded by rising seas. High end, the world could face abrupt, catastrophic and irreversible consequences. Finally, everyone can play a part in slowing down global warming. It requires a major commitment from everyone, industry and business, and these changes can make the necessary difference. References: Elizabeth May and Zoe Caron (2009) on Global warming. www. nasa. gov/worldbook/globalwarming .

The Role of Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Role of Music - Essay Example This essay discusses that music is a powerful medium in the society that helps in controlling communication. Songs assist in sharing meaning and promote development and maintenance of individual groups. For instance, the protest songs are used in showing the composition of social conditions that are prevalent in a society during a particular time. Protests could be used to fight against racism, an abolition of hierarchy, elimination of women suffering and crudity. In the community, protest songs are a powerful tool that helps individuals explore some of the iconic and evocative moments in history. The primary function of the work songs is to mental rather than physical. During the enslavement of the Negros, the white people encouraged them to sing these songs as an illusion for the body to work mechanically. The songs sang accommodated the type of work that they did and, as a result, some songs were developed. Work songs help individuals to be more efficient.This paper declares thatà ‚  music promotes unity in the society. The protest songs are formed as a result of people coming together in agreement to oppose a particular thing. They give a sense of unity and allowchange; this especially can be seen throughout the American history. The use of music at work allows everybody to take part in the discourse practices of labor activities with a uniformity of the mind.  Blue music helps in the relaxation of the mind, during leisure time or when traveling long distances.

GM Financial Analysis and Planning of the Collapse Essay

GM Financial Analysis and Planning of the Collapse - Essay Example The debt kept rising and the conditions worsened for GM in 2008. (Henderson, 2008) The earnings per share in 2005 were $ (5.93) which lead to the fall in the value of the shares. (General Motors Financial report, 2005). In 2007, the earnings per share further decreased to $ (76.16). However, in 2008, there was a slight improvement. The earnings per share were $ (53.47). (General Motors Annual Report 2010) In 2007, GM made the biggest loss in automobile industry. It made a loss of $ 38.7 billion. GM had to sell Allison Transmission for 5.6 billion dollars to Onex Corporation and Carlyle Group. Then, the gas prices increased in 2008 and GM had to close its sports utility vehicle and pick up factories. 8350 people became unemployed. By the end of 2008, it had to ask the government for protection. It had to ask Congress for $18 billion to pay its debts and to remain afloat. The Congress gave him $13.4 billion. However, the loss made was huge. It made an annual loss of $30.9 billion and i ts debt was accumulating. In 2009, it declared that it needs $ 30 billion to survive. On the other hand, its unit in Sweden filed for bankruptcy. This was another blow to General Motors. It presented a survival plan and a restructuring plan to US Government in which it mentioned that they close all their units except Saturn by 2011. However, the possibility was it will lose of its brands and the retailers or other potential companies might buy them. The Government was not satisfied with the restructuring plan and gave them another chance to make an aggressive plan and do aggressive cuts. Then, it used another scheme it asked 90% of its bondholders to accept a share of equity in return for debt. This will enable the company to reduce its debt by $24 billion. It decided to issue 62 billion new shares and end Pontiac. Also, it decided to end its contract with 1100 dealers. But the debt exchange offer as named by General Motors failed. Bankruptcy seemed evident. Government gave more loa ns to GM and it rose to $19.4 billion. GM came up with a new idea. It decided to give 10% of the company to bondholders and another 15% stake to reduce the debt by $27 billion. Also, it decided to build cars in US instead of China. These decisions led to the fall in share price. The share price went below $1. 54% of its bondholders agreed to the new scheme given my General Motors. Thus, it enabled GM to ask for bankruptcy protection from the court. The bankruptcy protection was granted to GM. (GM-History of an Automaker, 2009) The state protection was one of the milestones in General Motors history. It not only enabled it to recover from losses but it set a new beginning for General Motors. July 2009, was the period in which it started recovering from bankruptcy. At this time, it started off with only four brands. Most of the GM was now owned by the state. GM then sold its shares of Opel to a Russian company and started its restructuring. GM then announces a $3.5 billion deal for Am eriCredit. This was the step taken by GM to get support for the floatation of stock and later it started preparations for IPO. From the IPO, it was able to raise almost $20 billion. It was a comeback and a great achievement for GM. The share price also increased from $26 to $33.(General Motore-Timeline of trills and spills, 2011) In 2011, GM achieved a profit and recovered well from the bankruptcy. It gained a profit of $7.6 billion which was 62% higher than the

Impact of Magazines on their Readers Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Impact of Magazines on their Readers - Article Example However what is currently the case has never been like the one which used to be so in the 19th century. The press of modern times relies more on placing the advertisements rather than giving the readers something to read about. In other words, it is more interested in propagating advertisements than the news and reports on which the readers are focused. There is now an aspect of compromise when it comes to putting a news report and the magazine editor thinks of placing an advertisement on the specified place for the report so that he could earn more and bring more revenues for his magazine. This means that the unethical attitudes are pretty much apparent in the whole contexts of press and these need to be adjusted in a manner which could balance the benefits as well as make the news reports and analyzes visible in between the pages of the magazine. The media has always been used as a tool to educate and stimulate the audience's minds. The hype and controversy surrounding the Terri Schiavo euthanasia case is an ideal example of how language can influence the emotions and consciousness of ordinary people. The terminology used and the method of citing opinions basically created the controversy which turned into one of the biggest ethical discussions of our times. Similarly, throughout the Suffragette movement (1920's), the conservatives and the liberals used newspapers/magazines and pamphlets to circulate their views on the right for women to vote. What was primarily a case of simple human rights became a war of words and media manipulation. Constant exhortation of the word "mother" and "life-giver" in the newspaper issued by Christabel Pankhurst, The Suffragette, gave their requests a tinge of blackmail. During the early 1950's, newspapers, magazines and radio had created such an atmosphere of fear and suspicion over the suppose d communist activities taking place within the United States, that Senator Joseph McCarthy's sometimes far-fetched accusation of subversive activities against certain public figures were taken seriously. His ability further, to maneuver public opinion using words like, "Un-American", "subversive" and "unpatriotic" further deepened the masses mistrust, giving him carte blanche to prosecute anybody he considered guilty of communist leanings. During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960's also, the use of periodicals to promote the viewpoints of both the black community and the white was profound. Language played an important part in the struggle for emancipation. The difference though was in the approach of the two great leaders of the African American movement, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Where the former hoped to persuade the government to relent, Malcolm X was more vocal against white people, terming them as 'evil'. This battle of ideas within the Black faction itself cau sed great confusion to the Caucasian community. Supporters of Civil Rights themselves were not overtly sure where to stand on the issue. Moving on, David Gaunlett presented his own 'Ten Things Wrong with the Media Effects Model' in which he suggests that media does not necessarily have any direct effect on the lives of the people to which the media is generally addressed and in the related settings,

A simple research proposal about 'How could qualitative methods be Essay

A simple research proposal about 'How could qualitative methods be used to explore the connections between poverty and climate c - Essay Example The most common human activity contributing to climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon (Desonie, 2008). Greenhouse gases are emitted via the consumption of fossil fuels, deforestation and the burning of forests as a means of creating agricultural and/or ranch lands (Desonie, 2008). A review of literature suggests that some scholar believe that there is a link between poverty and climate change. For example, Dessler (2009) argued that while developed states have targeted key dates for the reduction of carbon emissions, a vast majority of developing countries have no such plans. In addition, it is argued that there is connection between poverty and environmental damages because the poor spend their time and efforts attempting to relieve hunger (Gray & Moseley, 2005). This often means overusing natural resource (Gray & Moseley, 2005). Gray and Moseley (2005) argud, however, that a link between poverty and climate change is difficult to make when one conside rs the environmental damages attributed to industries. Davy (2009) also pointed out that the middle and upper classes have far more access to land and thus natural resources, than the poor does. Studies testing or analysing the connection between poverty and climate change have produced mixed results. For example, a study conducted by Martuzzi, Mittis and Forasteire (2010) showed a link between poverty and poor waste management in the US and Europe since 1983. The study, however, was based on secondary evidence comprised of reports in the literature demonstrating that disadvantaged areas usually reflected poorer waste management than other areas (Martuzzi, et al., 2010). A study conducted by Xenopoulos, Lodge, Alcamo, Marker, Schulze, and Van Vuuren (2005) established a link between fish and river biodiversity and the poor. In this study, Xenopoulos et al. (2005) examined fish and river water loss. The results of the study indicated that fish loss is due to river water loss and this was more prevalent in poor countries where river water was a source of drinking water (Xenopoulos et al., 2005). The combination of climate change and water consumption contributed to water and fish loss in poor countries indicating that the poor, contributed to climate change. Scherr (2000) asserted that ‘recent micro-scale empirical research’ showed that poor areas are able to adapt to environmental policies, and thus there is no realistic empirical basis for claiming that there is a connection between poverty and climate change. According to Scherr (2000), marginalisation and a lack of economic resources expose the poor to environmental damages. In other words, the poor are victims of climate change as opposed to the contributor to climate change. As qualitative case study conducted by Brouwer, Akter, Brander and Hague (2007) supported this conclusion. Brouwer et al. (2007) conducted a survey on 700 low-income homes in a flood prone area of Bangladesh. The results o f the study found that the lower the income of the family, the higher the risk of flood damages. The poorer families lacked the resources to mitigate the risk of flood damages (Brouwer et al., 2007). Qualitative case studies on residents in four UK coastal communities using interviews of residents and a

Behavior Modification Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Behavior Modification - Assignment Example Action stage is that when an individual embraces new behavior for a period of 3-6 months. This is followed by the maintenance stage during which an individual continuous commitment to sustain the new behavior. The last stage is the relapse when an individual tend to have a resumption of old behaviors. Have continued to recall information have read and heard from different sources about the importance of conserving our environment. Even though it has been had to take an initiative as an individual, I have been able to resolve that I will react emotionally to the warnings of environmental protection. I have considered environmental protection as an important aspect of livelihood of mankind. I consider environmental conversation as a means of changing ways that make the entire kingdom of living things happy. Environmental protection enables the sustainability of the life from one generation to the other. As such I have resolved to save my little resources and place them with the agencies that work towards environmental protection. I have mobilized my classmates and other friends who have agreed to work with me towards the same goal. I have found that creating awareness on environmental protection is a productive way of sp=ending my free time outside school. I develop the sense of self satisfaction when I participate in environmental conservation. Environmental conservation helps in protection of property’s value through enabling the restrictions on land use and development. This helps in putting land into proper use thereby enhancing land productivity. This in turn enhances food security for both man and animals on the both short and long run. Environmental conservation enables the protection of water sheds that help in the provision of water supply for agricultural and domestic use (Bethesda, 2008). The resolve for social health change through environmental conservation has encouraged many people

A simple research proposal about 'How could qualitative methods be Essay

A simple research proposal about 'How could qualitative methods be used to explore the connections between poverty and climate c - Essay Example The most common human activity contributing to climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon (Desonie, 2008). Greenhouse gases are emitted via the consumption of fossil fuels, deforestation and the burning of forests as a means of creating agricultural and/or ranch lands (Desonie, 2008). A review of literature suggests that some scholar believe that there is a link between poverty and climate change. For example, Dessler (2009) argued that while developed states have targeted key dates for the reduction of carbon emissions, a vast majority of developing countries have no such plans. In addition, it is argued that there is connection between poverty and environmental damages because the poor spend their time and efforts attempting to relieve hunger (Gray & Moseley, 2005). This often means overusing natural resource (Gray & Moseley, 2005). Gray and Moseley (2005) argud, however, that a link between poverty and climate change is difficult to make when one conside rs the environmental damages attributed to industries. Davy (2009) also pointed out that the middle and upper classes have far more access to land and thus natural resources, than the poor does. Studies testing or analysing the connection between poverty and climate change have produced mixed results. For example, a study conducted by Martuzzi, Mittis and Forasteire (2010) showed a link between poverty and poor waste management in the US and Europe since 1983. The study, however, was based on secondary evidence comprised of reports in the literature demonstrating that disadvantaged areas usually reflected poorer waste management than other areas (Martuzzi, et al., 2010). A study conducted by Xenopoulos, Lodge, Alcamo, Marker, Schulze, and Van Vuuren (2005) established a link between fish and river biodiversity and the poor. In this study, Xenopoulos et al. (2005) examined fish and river water loss. The results of the study indicated that fish loss is due to river water loss and this was more prevalent in poor countries where river water was a source of drinking water (Xenopoulos et al., 2005). The combination of climate change and water consumption contributed to water and fish loss in poor countries indicating that the poor, contributed to climate change. Scherr (2000) asserted that ‘recent micro-scale empirical research’ showed that poor areas are able to adapt to environmental policies, and thus there is no realistic empirical basis for claiming that there is a connection between poverty and climate change. According to Scherr (2000), marginalisation and a lack of economic resources expose the poor to environmental damages. In other words, the poor are victims of climate change as opposed to the contributor to climate change. As qualitative case study conducted by Brouwer, Akter, Brander and Hague (2007) supported this conclusion. Brouwer et al. (2007) conducted a survey on 700 low-income homes in a flood prone area of Bangladesh. The results o f the study found that the lower the income of the family, the higher the risk of flood damages. The poorer families lacked the resources to mitigate the risk of flood damages (Brouwer et al., 2007). Qualitative case studies on residents in four UK coastal communities using interviews of residents and a

John Holland's Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

John Holland's Theory - Essay Example It also explains concepts such as congruence, differentiation, consistency and identity in accordance with Holland’s theory. John Holland believes that humans are attracted to particular work environments in accordance with their personalities and backgrounds and they create specific work stereotypes to choose occupations that satisfy their preferred interests and capabilities (WCU, 2006). A premise of the theory is that people are profoundly influenced by their personality in their ultimate selection of a career and there are six types of personality types which every person falls under one of them. Another premise of Holland’s theory is that there are six analogous model environments that reflect the prevailing physical and social settings of a society (Smart & Feldman, 1998). The six personality types are interrelated and can be cross referenced with the six work environments and the a person that finds his calling in life will benefit from these environments because the characteristics and abilities of his personality reinforced in this setting. A realistic personality type are people who enjoy an active and stable lifestyle that gears them towards choosing jobs that are hands on and required manual abilities such as building, mechanics, machinery operation and athletics (John Hopkins University, 2007). These persons like to be outdoor and can not be confined to the strict environment of an office setting. They visualize work as something you can create in which a tangible result in noticeable and the skill level of a person improves with repetition and experience. They are not the best at dealing with other humans in a work setting. A person with an investigative personality type is a problem solver that is very adept at mathematics and scientific activities. He has the ability to solve complex and abstract problems by

Anti Legalization Critical Thinking Essay Example for Free

Anti Legalization Critical Thinking Essay The aim of this paper is to logically apply reason to assess the arguments for the legalization of marijuana, and by doing so point out flaws in these arguments. Furthermore, this paper will assess the credibility and the source of these arguments, and present counter arguments to conclude that marijuana should not be a legal drug in California and the rest of the United States. First I will consider The National Organizations for the Reform of Marijuana Laws â€Å"Principles of Responsible Marijuana Use† which is the basis for their argument for the legalization of marijuana, and how this set of principles is flawed. Second I will consider the claim â€Å"that marijuana should be legal in a taxed and regulated manner† and also consider the source of this claim. Third I will emphasize the negative social effects of legalization of marijuana in order to counter the claims for legalization. Finally I will conclude that given these factors, legalization of marijuana would be harmful and detrimental to society as a whole, possessing little or no economic, social, or medical benefits. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law is the leading lobbyist group for the legalization of marijuana in the United States. This organization has made it their commitment to have marijuana legalized in a taxable way as tobacco and alcohol currently are. This organization rationalizes its arguments with a document called the â€Å"Principles of Responsible Marijuana Use† in which is attempts to justify marijuana reform in a socially accepted manner. The very title of the document is ambiguous, the word â€Å"responsible† is a very circumstantial term and is subject to many different interpretations. Furthermore the document assumes that if legalized, citizens will adhere to this unofficial â€Å"code of ethics†, however we can evidently see with alcohol and tobacco that there is abuse regardless of the regulating laws. Despite this, NORML attempts to lay out their interpretation for what â€Å"responsible marijuana use† is ( 4 ); their first point is that marijuana is to be for adults only, and that it is irresponsible to provide marijuana to children. The terms â€Å"adults† and â€Å"children† again are ambiguous, it is not clear where the line is drawn between what defines an adult or a child. This is a concern because many would assume a child is no longer a child after eighteen years of age, thus it can be determined that eighteen and over is considered a â€Å"responsible† user. It need not be said that current alcohol restrictions limit a user to twenty-one and over. According to a 2005 Monitoring the Future Study, â€Å"three-fourths of 12th graders, more than two-thirds of 10th graders, and about two in every five 8th graders have consumed alcohol†( 5 ), with this evidence it would be wishful thinking to assume marijuana would be any different. To further consider this point 6.8% of children ages 12 to 17 use marijuana on an occasional basis ( 5 ). It would be reasonable to conclude that if marijuana was legalized that number would increase drastically. Second the NORMLs â€Å"Principles of Responsible Marijuana Use† attempts to rationalize legal marijuana use by claiming that if legalized responsible users will refrain from driving ( 4 ). Although an illegal drug, it is not surprising that there are already statistics regarding marijuana impaired driving in many states. California who just recently had a proposition for the legalization of marijuana has some of the most relevant statistics; there are various counties in California that have a 16% or higher marijuana involved traffic fatalities ( 3 ). This number would only increase with the legalization, and that is not to include the the amount of non fatal accidents that would occur annually. A recent study by Alfred Crancer and Alan Crancer projected that traffic fatalities would increase by as much as 300% with legalization ( 3 ). Third NORML claims that â€Å"The responsible cannabis user will carefully consider his/her set and setting, regulating use accordingly†. In this claim there is much room for a line-drawing fallacy, in which it is difficult and conveniently vague and up to the individual to determine what set and setting is actually appropriate for usage. It could be assumed under this principle that its safe to use marijuana while caring for children, elderly, while driving, and also very relevantly while working. Forth NORML claims that a responsible marijuana user will â€Å"resist abuse†. They define abuse by: â€Å"Abuse means harm. Some cannabis use is harmful; most is not. That which is harmful should be discouraged; that which is not need not be.† A clever statement however invalid and illogical. Drug abuse is defined as an uncontrollable urge for constant seeking of intoxicants ( 2 ). Many users would be unaware of their abuse, until the point in which it has destroyed their livelihood, relationships, economic security, and health. Legalization would only increase the numbers of active addicts, and make marijuana readily available for them, and being legal, consequently restraining family, friends, and the courts from restricting an addicts use before to much harm is done. The final claim made by NORML is a â€Å"Respect for Rights of Others† in which they attempt to justify the fact that if marijuana was legal, non users will have to deal with it. Again it is wishful thinking to see that users will have respect for the others who are not users, however while illegal we can see that many still cultivate marijuana, drive under the influence of it, and use it as socially as possible. A strict layout of parameters that must be followed with public and private use of the drug would be acceptable, however advocates for the cause prefer the vagueness, in which there are no absolute lines that can be drawn between legal and illegal use (ie. Driving, social events, age, etc.). The entire document is a rationalization and does not seem to give a valid or true pretense to satisfy desires. The most relevant claim argued against in this paper is the claim that â€Å"marijuana should be legal in a taxed and regulated manner†. This claim by itself has the vagueness and ambiguity of a typical bill or legislation. It is this vagueness and ambiguity that encroach on the freedoms of citizens everyday. The fact is that marijuana is a drug, it was made illegal by the Federal Controlled Substance Act of 1970 to stop the violence and abuse that was common practice. We have seen in other countries failed attempts to regulate and tax drugs, like the Netherlands, and we have seen the damage drugs can have on society as a hole, like the dangerous drug cartels that rule Mexico. In evaluating this claim it is also important to consider the sources, one of the biggest supporters of marijuana legalization is Robert Lee. Lee is president of â€Å"Oaksterdam University† a school that teaches students how to cultivate, grow, process, and cure marijuana ( 3 ). It would seem highly logical to acknowledge that this man is not interested in the social repercussions of legalization. His motive is clearly for the profit that can come from legalization. Legalization would drastically increase the amount of growers and interested parties in his school. Another strong voice in pro-legalization is the company S.K. Seymour LLC which is a Medical Cannabis Provider ( 3 ), who again would see a dramatic increase in profit and sales due to the fact that they can open up their business to the public, and not just medical marijuana patients. It seems that neither of the sources, from the research done, are interested in the negative and adverse affects of legalization and only interested in the lucrative value of legalization. It is also important to analyze the negative social effects of marijuana on society, most notably the economic affects and the medical effects. Recent proposition 19 in California stated that: â€Å"No person shall be punished, fined, discriminated against, or be denied any right or privilege for lawfully engaging in any conduct permitted by this Act or authorized pursuant to Section 11301 of this Act. Provided however, that the existing right of an employer to address consumption that actually impairs job performance by an employee shall not be affected.† Basically stating that employers can no longer regulate marijuana use while working unless it can show that performance is being impaired by use ( 3 ). Proposition 19 also is in conflict with the Federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970 which prohibits the use of marijuana for recreational use. This would be a mistake by California due to the fact that the state would loose billions of federal dollars in the form of grants and aid called for by the Federal Workplace Act of 1988. Not only would government loose money but also schools and medical centers can potentially be affected ( 3 ). The health risks for marijuana usage are as noteworthy as the social repercussions. Marijuana is known to cause A-motivational syndrome, which is a depressed state of the brain in which reaction times and motivation is affected by long term use ( 3 ). Furthermore â€Å"the gateway theory† blames marijuana as the compromise that leads an individual to try harder more harmful drugs. Lastly marijuana has been placed on the California Proposition 65 list of carcinogenic materials, as proven materials that cause cancer ( 3 ). In this paper I argued that the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws definitions and reasoning for a â€Å"responsible legal† user is flawed. Many of their arguments are invalid and lack sound reasoning to a conclusion. That the claim that marijuana should be legal and taxed is not a fully developed claim and that the sources of the claims motives are not sound in reasoning for legalization. Finally I argued that if marijuana is legalized it would be detrimental to society specifically regarding medical and economic problems. The arguments for legalization are not convincing and present many fallacies, Legalization supporters have the wrong idea of controlled use.

Ethnicity In Hollywood And American Culture Film Studies Essay

Ethnicity In Hollywood And American Culture Film Studies Essay Hollywood movies have preached the assimilation of the ethnic other into American culture. This is a dangerous prospect as media representations are used to frame our understandings of ethnic groups and sub-cultures. In this study, a social semiotic approach is used to frame the violence, food, musical score, and set furnishings present in The Sopranos. By contrasting these elements with those found in The Godfather, assimilation of the ethnic Italian is revealed. Using an interpretation that rests on the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism, this study adds to our understanding of ethnic representation in media. Through a deeper understanding, we can resist negative media representations of ethnic groups. In 1997, The Godfather Saga, a revised version of The Godfather and The Godfather II, was televised to a national audience. This was a broadcast landmark as it was preceded by a disclaimer to forewarn the audience that the characters were not representative of any ethic group (Cortes, 1987). The statement became a model for television broadcasts that depicted any ethnic group as criminal and violent. The disclaimer was indicative of a burgeoning awareness that entertainment films possess the power to create, reinforce, and modify public perception of ethnic groups (Cortes, 1987). While a number of factors likely influence public perception of ethnic culture, mass media representation has been documented as a significant factor (Jamieson, 1992). Indeed, some researchers suggest that much of the information people acquire about ethnic culture comes from mass media (Bodenhausen, Schwarz, Bless, Wà ¤nke 1995). A century of media representation of Italian culture and its mythical link t o organized crime, has created paradoxical visions of admiration and disdain; fascination and fear; endearing attractiveness and aversion. Central to the popular vision of the Mafia, the depiction of Italian family culture is a dichotomy between family values and violent family business. The existence, success, and continuation of the Italian family depend on a system of traditions and rules rooted in extreme patriarchy and enforced through acts of violence. The immutable strength of this image effects both public perceptions of Italian culture and the Italian self-image (Quinn, 2004). The debut of The Sopranos in 1999 represents a significant event in media representation of Italian culture. The series portrays American born Mafiosi as ordinary suburban neighbors, complete with barbecues, golf games, kids in College, and stock options. How does the The Sopranos contribute to the media image of the Italian family? In this study, I take a constructivist approach to examine the first season of The Sopranos in an effort to determine how the series changes the traditional image built by gangster movies like The Godfather. The Sopranos updates the image of the Italian mob family by completely assimilating it within American cultural norms (Blackwood, 2006). In this way, The Sopranos supports the symbolic interactionist assertion that ethnic groups are not natural biological divisions of humanity, but rather temporary alignments of people created by communication channels (Freidman, 1991). The influence of The Sopranos is appreciated by considering the thirteen million viewers it attracted by its third season (Cartier, 2006), and in the attention it garnered from both television critics and politicians. In 2001, the producers of the Sopranos were unsuccessfully sued under the individual dignity clause of the Illinois Constitution (Italian-American group sues, 2001). In the previous year, Essex County officials banned HBO from filming scenes on county-owned property (N.J. county shoots down Sopranos filming request, 2000). In announcing the ban, officials expressed their displeasure at the shows portrayal of Italian-Americans. Backed by sixteen colleagues, New Jersey congresswoman Marge Roukema proposed that the House of Representatives chastise producers of television shows like The Sopranos because of their depiction of Italian-Americans as criminals (Congresswoman asks House, 2001). These events underline the importance of understanding the link between popular drama and cultural representation. As the demands of modern life become more complicated through a mixing of cultures, our understanding of the larger world becomes more important to us. Therefore, we use the messages we decode from popular culture to frame our understanding of ethnic groups, and the nature of diverse subcultures (Beck, 2000). This means that media representation, and more specifically ethnic representation within popular culture, plays a key role in our understandings of immigrants and their subcultures (Cortes, 1987). Further, because entertainment and information are no longer distinct streams within the public consumption of cultural products, the fate of diverse subgroups within our society depends on the roles assigned to them in [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] popular dramas (Beck, 2000, p. 25). Through careful evaluation of the set furnishings, music, food, and violence presented in the popular drama The Sopranos, an assimilation of Italian culture into American culture is rev ealed. This assimilation is so strong that only the most obvious ethnic symbols remain resulting in a link between the Italian family and crime that is much stronger than any previously portrayed. Literature Review The earliest film representation of Italians and crime is documented by Blackwood (2006). The Black Hand (1906), a seven minute one-reeler, was allegedly based on an actual kidnapping and ransom demand that occurred in the Italian quarter of New York City. A number of later films including The Black Hand (1912) and Binks, The Black Hand (1913) followed. In 1908, the New York Police Department established the Italian Bureau, headed by Detective Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino. An Italian immigrant himself, Petrosino was subsequently murdered by a Mafia Don while conducting research in Palerimo, Italy (Giuliani, 1999). This event spawned a number of Mafia movies including The Detectives of the Italian Bureau (1909), The Adventures of Lieutenant Petrosino (1912), The Padrone Ward (1914), The Last Mafia (1915), and Don Caesar de Bazan (1915). Although this very early representation of Italians is often overlooked, Blackwood (2006) points out the importance of this period. The films demonstra te the incredible age of the Italian Mafia stereotype, and they represent the birth of the link between Italians and crime. Benshoff Griffin (2004) point out that this period fashioned a second stereotype of Italian people. The movies often portrayed the good Italian falling victim to the bad Italian. The good Italian representation was that of an assimilated small businessman. He was a simple-minded, working class Italian often named Luigi or Guido who spoke broken English, wore a bushy moustache, and had a large family. He was gracious, always smiling, and worked as a street vendor, organ grinder, or ran a small restaurant. The stereotype exists to this day in the Super Mario Brothers games (1993) and on countless pizza boxes. Cortes (1987) identifies three distinct periods in the history of Italian representation in film. In the first period, 1917-1928, the depiction of Italians was heavily influenced by a negotiation for whiteness (Benshoff Griffin, 2004). America experienced a great surge in immigration during the final years of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century. Large numbers of Eastern and Southern European people flooded into the urban centers of America. From 1900 to 1910 over eight million immigrants entered the United States (U.S. Census Data, 2003). This sudden mixing of white ethnic culture with the established white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant culture increased levels of xenophobia and forced people of non-Anglo-Saxon, European descent to negotiate their relation to whiteness. This negotiation, and a general concern over the growing presence of foreign culture in America, lead to strict immigration laws and influenced the way Italians were represented in film. Italians w ere depicted in films with darker skin tones, thick curly hair, and little education. As immigration fears increased, the white ethnic Italian was portrayed as unsavory, radical, and over-sexed in such films as Dangerous Hours (1919) and Manhandled (1924). In the 1930s, Hollywood became fascinated with crime. The Great Depression coupled with Prohibition focused that fascination on the problem of gangsters, leading to the rediscovery of the Italian American mobster. By 1932, Italian gangsters [had] become the personification of Americas social failures, including the crisis of the increasingly elusive American Dream (Cortes, 1987, p. 110). In this second period, 1930-1970, Italian mobsters were vicious, violent, self-serving, one-dimensional characters. The period is characterized by the advent of sound, and the ear-splitting shots of Italian-mobster machine guns became the symbol of Italian ethnic violence. So great was the impact on the Italian psyche that the release of films such as Little Ceasar (1930), The Public Enemy (1931), Scarface (1932), The Gay Divorcee (1934), and Top Hat (1935), prompted the Italian government to ban importation of all American films containing Italian characters (Vasey, 1992). In an effort to remove thi s barrier, the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA), a trade association formed to negotiate American film trade agreements with foreign governments, was successful in influencing a more positive film image of Italians. Obvious references to Italian ethnicity were removed from many gangster movies although the inferences remained (Vasey, 1992). Films such as Golden Boy (1939) and They Knew What They Wanted (1940) actually depicted Italian characters as law-abiding, hardworking ethnics (Cortes, 1987). During the war, Italian Americans increasingly promoted their loyalty to their adopted country. As a consequence, Italians were often depicted in wartime propaganda films as courageous and dedicated soldiers fighting alongside American soldiers (Benshoff Griffin, 2004). This depiction is evident in the Giuseppe character from Sahara (1943), Lieutenant Angelo Canelli in The Purple Heart (1944), and Captain Andrà ©s Bonifà ¡cio in Back to Bataan (1945). Post-war film making in Italy had an effect on Hollywood images of Italian Americans. Italian film makers worked to increase cinematic realism leading to a movement called Italian Neorealism (Benshoff Griffin, 2004). The films resulting from this movement were popular and often represented Italians as poor and working class. Consequently American depictions began to represent Italians as down-to-earth, working class people in such films as Marty (1955) and The Rose Tattoo (1955). The final years of the second period defined by Cortes contains another interesting phenomenon. Both Italian and American film makers resurrected the hot Italian lover stereotype that had been well crafted by the Rodolph Valentino movies of the 1920s. Italian actresses Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, and Anna Magnini became famous for their uninhibited sexuality. In the repressive, socially conservative 1950s, these ethnic other actresses provided sexual escapism not possible for respectable white women. A s the 1970s approached, various ethnic movements popularized the search for and the celebration of ethnic heritage, identity, and pride (Cortes, 1987, p. 116). This new enthusiasm for ethnicity, coupled with an influx of talented Italian movie producers and actors, led to an explosion of Italian character representations in film. In addition, the disappearance of the Hayes Code in 1968, Hollywoods self-censorship system, encouraged a war where filmmakers vied to top each other in graphic depictions of sex and violence (Cortes, 1987). All of these factors influenced the watershed moment in the depiction of Italians in film, the release of Francis Ford Coppolas The Godfather. The third period, 1970 to present, is epitomized by The Godfather. This 1972 film, by Francis Ford Coppola, depicts the Italian gangster as a complex, multi-dimensional character. For the first time the activities of Italian gangsters are firmly entrenched within Italian family values. The Godfather set a trend for complex mob characters in many movies that followed including The Don is Dead (1973), Scarface (1983), The Untouchables (1987), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), and Analyze This (1999). Blackwood (2006) categorizes the periods of Italian representation in film according to artistic device. In the silent era through to the 1960s, Italians are portrayed minstrelsy. Italian characters are used to exploit and rebuke the Italian sub-culture. In the 1970s, portrayals of Italian characters are changed, and serve to historicize the Italian life experience in the U.S.A. (Blackwood, 2006, p. 8). According to Blackwood (2006), the third period of representation began in the late 1990s with the renunciation of the Italian gangster figure. The television show The Sopranos (1999-2007) and the movie Analyze This (1999) present the assimilation of the Italian gangster figure into North American society, depicting the acceptance of American values. Method The Sopranos debuted on HBO in 1999 (Martin, 2007). The show follows the life of notorious gangster Tony Soprano and his family as they deal with modern life in New Jersey. Tony, his wife Carmela, and their two children, Meadow and AJ, live in North Caldwell, New Jersey where Tony presides over a Mafia team. With eighty-six episodes spanning six seasons, the show is iconic in the world of Italian gangster stories. Television critics praised the show as the apotheosis of television drama, and the recalibrated scale for comparing TV shows [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] everything else seems flawed (Martin, 2007, p. 16). The show also enjoyed instant success with audiences, claiming four million viewers during its debut season and quickly increasing to thirteen million viewers by the third season (Carter, 2006). Winning a plethora of awards including five Golden Globes, two Peabodys, two Writers Guild Awards, and 18 Emmys, the incredible popularity of the show propelled it into many manifestations o f pop cultural success including a MAD magazine parody (issue 389, 2000), appearances on The Simpsons, and the cover of Rolling Stone (vol. 865, March 29, 2001). Grand Theft Auto III, the best selling video game of 2002 with sales of three million units, mimicked The Sopranos by placing players inside a Mafia organization. The game allows players to move up through ranks of the Mafia by delivering suspicious packages, ferrying hookers to and from their dates, tailing suspected snitches, planting car bombs [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦], and having sex with their own goomahs (Croal, p. 50). The Sopranos became so well recognized that HBO developed an entire side industry of Sopranos accessories including a mens clothing line, mainstream coffee table and humour books, and even architectural plans for building Tony and Carmellas house (Quinn, 2004). The Sopranos was created in 1995 by David Chase. Chase is a television veteran who served as executive producer of such shows as Northern Exposure (1990-95), Ill Fly Away (1991-93), and as writer/producer on The Rockford Files (1974-80). Chase claims the character of Jim Rockford, created by Stephen Cannell, as the major influence on his creation of Tony Soprano, the patriarch of the Soprano clan (Chase quoted in Martin, 2007, p. 10). However, there are those in the Italian American community, including Lawrence Di Stasi, historian and past president of the Western Italian American Historical Society, who believe a darker influence lies behind the show and the character of Tony Soprano. Di Stasi believes that Chase, whose surname has been anglicized from the Italian name De Cesare, internalized his ethnic hatred by externalizing his self-loathing (Di Stasi quoted in Quinn, p. 167). Chase stands accused of betraying his own culture by strengthening the association, more than ever, bet ween Italian-American families and criminality. Di Stasi claims the average television viewer sees the link between the two as genetic. Using existing literature combined with my own semiotic analysis of the television series The Sopranos, I take a constructionist approach to determine how The Sopranos changes the image of the Italian mafia family since the release of The Godfather. In doing so, I expose the Italian ethnic signs within the text and discuss the role these signs play in supporting Blackwoods (2006) assertion that The Sopranos represent the assimilation of the Italian gangster into American culture. My data sample consists of the first seasons episodes of The Sopranos series. Limiting the catalog of data to thirteen episodes produces a feasible and manageable data set, and it allows analysis of a text created purely from the authors intentions, before its extreme popularity could influence new or exaggerated messages. Using a social semiotic approach advocated by Fairclough and Van Leeuwen (see Van Leeuwen, 2005, p. 139), I analyze the first thirteen episodes of The Sopranos in an effort to reveal the u nderlying messages of ethnic Italian identity. This approach is selected because it focuses on the function of texts in social interactions. It recognizes discourse as an element to structure content (i.e. what is expressed), genre to structure interaction (i.e. what happens), and style to structure the manner in which a text communicates (Van Leeuwen, 2005). Under Van Leeuwens approach, the text will be examined through the frames of violence, food, musical score, and set furnishings. Framing is a way of describing the power of communication within a text (Entman, 1993). It involves the selection of an aspect of perceived reality, and the elevation of the salience of that information within the text (i.e. making it more noticeable). The analysis provided rests on the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism. The rejection of the notions that meaning emanates intrinsically from objects that provide meaning and that meaning is derived through a coalescence of psychological factors, allows us to see meaning as product of social interaction (Blumer, 1986). Thus, the meaning of things is formed from communication channels through a recipients interpretive process. This theoretical framework makes possible the assimilation of one culture into another. Hollywood movies are bastions of symbolic interactionism. They impose Americaness as a self-ascripting category whose value orientation dominates any primordial ethnic condition (Freidman, 1991, p. 22). Data Analysis In The Sopranos, Chase removes the impenetrable barrier between Italian family values and Italian family business that was so carefully constructed by Coppola in The Godfather. Coppola manages to create an intensely powerful and thought provoking audience experience of The Godfather through narrative and visuals that present the opposition of family values and violence. In the opening scene, the viewer is presented with a dark image of a heart-broken man confessing a heinous act of sexual violence perpetrated against his daughter. As the camera pans out, and the screen brightens only slightly, we see the man is in the study of Vito Corleone, a mafia Don and patriarch to one of New Yorks most infamous crime families. The man is begging Vito to avenge his daughters honour. Suddenly, the camera reveals the outside of the house, where there is a great celebration. Vitos daughter is marrying. Men, women, children, and even rival mobsters attend the elaborate festivities. There is much lau ghter, singing, and dancing. In contrast, the dark study, allows only a few privileged men to enter and make requests of Vito, who cannot refuse their requests on the day of his daughters wedding. The movement of the camera back and forth between the two locations creates a striking, visual divide between the celebration of family, and the dark world of the family business. The study is the location of power, a private sanctuary where reports are given and violent reprisals are arranged. The scene very effectively illustrates the ironic nature of the relationship between the family values and the family business. The room is physically separate from the family rituals thus maintaining a strong separation between the two worlds. The dichotomous nature of Corleone family values allows the characters to tread a delicate line between valorization and criticism (Simon, 1983). In The Sopranos, Chase completely removes this separation by immersing the Italian characters in American cultura l ritual and symbols. The family business is deeply entangled in everyday family rituals and activities. The world of family values and dark family business become one. The total assimilation of the Italian mafia family into American culture is achieved by the removal of all but the most obvious signs of ethnic stereotyping. The Long Island estate of Vito Coleone, with its stone and stucco exterior, Italian style courtyard, and extensive vegetable and fruit gardens, is replaced with a New Jersey, sprawling, modern American, brick ranch. Vitos Italian gardens are replaced with Tony Sopranos landscaping that appears to come straight from the pages of a Home Depot magazine. The interior of the Soprano house is a striking contrast to that of the Corleones. The Corleone mansion, with its dark leather furniture, dark oak paneling and trim, dim lighting, and minimalist furnishings is replaced by the bright modern American dà ©cor of the Sopranos home. An authentic New Jersey look was crucial for Chase whose production designer spent countless hours poking through houses up and down the Garden State parkway (Martin, 2007, p. 29). What Chase achieved are lu xurious interiors of light coloured oak flooring, tan leather furniture, modern glass top tables, and light oak shelves carefully decorated with showy books, pricey figurines, vases, and candle sticks. The walls are finished in tame colours of tan, ivory, soft greens, and gold. In the dining room and bedroom, the furniture is finished in light pastels that imitate stone which was common in upscale American homes of the 1990s. The kitchen, with its recessed pot lighting and bleached oak cabinets, is typical of popular modern American design. This is the home of a typical middle-class American family, from the bright, warm, inviting family room to the messy teenager bedrooms covered in dirty laundry and grunge band posters. The lack of a musical score for The Sopranos also assists in the assimilation of the characters into American culture. The Godfather provides the viewer with a rich ethnic and folkloric musical score written by Nino Rota with additional music by Carmen Coppola, Francis Fords father. From luna mess o mare sung by family members during the opening wedding scene to the main title, called The Godfather Waltz, the viewer is immersed in the melodic strands of Italian music and reminded of the rich ethnic background that gave rise to such music. In contrast, there is no musical score for The Sopranos; however, each Sopranos episode opens with Woke Up This Morning (1997) by British fusion band Alabama 3 and closes with a different previously recorded pop tune such as Elvis Costellos Complicated Shadows (episode 3), Jefferson Airplanes White Rabbit (episode 7), and Bruce Springsteens State Trooper (episode 13). This music lends a contemporary feel to the show that is decidedly American. Chase believes firmly that the lack of a musical score increases the authenticity of his work. He notes that like Quentin Tarantinos movies, the use of pre-recorded, popular music promotes an authentic American feel to the work (David Chase Interview, 2000). Despite the assimilated nature of the characters, a link to Italian ethnicity is maintained. This link is achieved primarily through the constant reference to Italian cuisine within each episode. A major sub-plot in episode one involves young AJs birthday party where Ziti and the proper way to cook Italian sausages is a significant part of the narrative. In episode two, Paulie Walnuts becomes enraged at the profits earned by large American corporations through their cooption of Italian cuisine. Father Phil, the priest from the local Roman Catholic Church, is often seen visiting the Soprano home. The character of Father Phil is intended to create sexual tension with the character of Carmella Soprano (David Chase Interview, 2000). This tension is overshadowed by Father Phils desire for home-made Italian food and his constant dialog regarding the superiority of Italian cuisine. He visits the Soprano home, and the homes of other Italian parishioners, constantly looking to be fed (episode s 1, 5, 6, 13). Artie Bucco, a close friend of Tonys, is an accomplished chef specializing in Italian cuisine. This character appears in numerous scenes where he serves sumptuous Italian cuisine and his skills as an Italian chef are praised (episode 1, 2, 3, 9, 13). Chase devotes a significant amount of dialog in each episode to the discussion of Italian food. In addition, Italian food is visually depicted through camera close-ups in restaurant scenes and in the many scenes involving Soprano family dinners. In these close-ups, the camera frames the food much like what one would see on a cooking program. The viewer is presented with large images of Italian pastas being dished from platters while the character dialog continues in the background. A second important symbol that serves to link the assimilated Soprano family characters to their Italian heritage is observed in the characters of Paulie Walnuts Gualtieri, Silvio Dante, and Salvatore Big Pussy Bonpensiero. These characters are part of Tonys crew, and they epitomize the stereotypical vision of the urban, somewhat slow, greasy, Italian tough guys. They dress in dark clothing; wear patterned, silk shirts, unbuttoned to show thick gold chains and crosses around their neck; grease their hair back; and speak with the same Bronx-Italian accent heard in Goodfellas (1990). Violence plays a central role in The Sopranos. This centrality contrasts sharply with the The Godfather where violence operates as a backdrop against which we can examine characters and observe family customs and behaviour. The Godfather represents a major shift in the narrative perspective of gangster films (Simon, 1983). Besides being the first film to portray the Italian Mafia, although it never uses the word Mafia in its narrative, the film uses carefully placed narrative gaps to control the affect of violence on the viewing audience. For example, the audience is not prepared for the now famous scene when studio head Jack Woltz lifts the sheets of his bed to find the severed head of his prize racehorse. The previous scene ends with Woltzs refusal to hire Johnny Fontaine, Don Corleones godson, in a discussion with Tom Hagen. When Woltz finds the horse head in his bed, the audience is forced to assume that Hagen ordered the head be severed and placed there. Through this narrative g ap, the audience is completely unprepared for the violence, and as a result, they feel the violence from the victims perspective rather than through the perpetrators. Coppola uses this narrative gap technique again and again for the assassination attempt on Don Corleone, Luca Brazzis strangulation, Sonnys execution, the murders of Paulie Gatto and Michaels Sicilian bride, and the climatic final sequence when Michaels order to assassinate five rival mobsters is carried out. This technique allows Coppola to keep the violence in the background; the violence is the inevitable outcome of failed negotiations or necessary due to ethical codes. The viewer is able to remain focused on the characters with their complex behaviours and the relationships that are demanded by their Italian ethnicity. In The Sopranos, Chase removes the violence from the background and puts it on display. Through narrative and visual signals, the viewer becomes well prepared for violent scenes and experiences those scenes from the aspect of the perpetrator. We see evidence of this in the first act of violence in episode one, The Sopranos (1999). As Tony begins his first session with therapist Dr. Malfi, he recounts a story of a chance meeting with a man who owes him an outstanding debt. Dr. Malfi interrupts Tony to mention that she knows he is a crime boss. She reminds him that if she were to hear of a murder or intentional injury, she would be required to report the incident to authorities. Tony relies, nothin happened, we had coffee. The sarcastic narrative combined with the smirk on Tonys face perfectly sets up the sudden cut to the next scene where Tony hits the man with his nephews car and then proceeds to violently punch and kick the man. When Tony contracts with a Hasidic Jew to extort a div orce from the Jews son-in-law (episode 3), Tony discusses threatening the son-in-law with castration. Several scenes later, the viewer witnesses the assault on the son-in-law, and two scenes later, Tony gleefully describes the assault to Jackie Aprile, a high ranking mob boss. When Tony takes his daughter, Meadow, to her university interviews in New England (episode 5), he unexpectedly bumps into an ex-associate who testified in court against an old mob boss. In several subsequent scenes, Tony and his daughter discuss Tonys involvement in the Mafia. Tony continually downplays his role in criminal activity. Interspersed with these scenes are scenes of Tony planning and carrying out the murder of the ex-associate. These examples demonstrate how The Sopranos follows the television practice of tell them what will happen before it happens; tell them what is happening when it happens; tell them what happened after it happens (David Chase Interview, 2000). This practice elevates the violen ce to a central position where it becomes hopelessly interlaced with family struggles such as dealing with elderly parents (episode 2), illness (episode 3), choosing a College (episode 5), children acting out in school (episode 7), the safety of children from sexual predators (episode 9), and depression (episode 12). Conclusion For most Italians who have emigrated from Italy, remnants of Italian culture are still present within their lives. American writers and scholars use the term italianità ¡ to describe these remnants of culture that persist across geographical borders and time (Tamburri, Giordano, and Gardaphà ©, 1991). The use of italianità ¡ in The Sopranos was crucial to the shows success. After a century of media representation that links Italian culture to crime, italianità ¡ authenticates the story for the viewer and makes it all seem real. Similar to the sexual escapism provided by the Italian actresses of the 1950s (Benshoff Griffin, 2004), the use of Italian culture creates the ethnic other necessary to validate the extreme violence, sex, and criminal activity. The viewer remains safe with the notion that the illicit activities and uninhibited sexuality in The Sopranos are perpetrated by transplanted ethnic others, not by respectable, white Americans. Chase admits that The Sopranos helped realize his desire to produce feature films (David Chase Interview, 2000). Although each episode is only one hour in length, airing the series on HBO allowed broadcast without commercial interruption. This permitted the writers to abandon the common television drama structure of four-act scripts permitting slower plot development. Indeed, Chase claims that each episode in the first season is a separate complete movie, that continuation of story lines from one episode to the next was low priory during the writing process. As crucial as the ethnic other is to the authentication of the story, The Sopranos became exemplary of the ethnic assimilation port