Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Nature of the Distinct Contributions Made by Government, Media Owners, and Journalists to Canadas Media Environment

Introduction The government, media owners and journalists play a very vital role in ensuring smooth running and existence of a specific environment in the media industry. Each of them plays specific roles that go hand in hand for the proper coordination of the industry.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Nature of the Distinct Contributions Made by Government, Media Owners, and Journalists to Canada’s Media Environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper will look into each stakeholder roles played by each of the three in the creation of the media environment that is found in Canada today. First and foremost I will start with the introduction of cultural industries and explain the different techniques that the government Canada tends to employ in justifying their policy and instruments of regulation. The cultural media industries comprise music recording, book publishing, and cinema, publishi ng news paper and occasionally publishing magazines. The cultural industries also comprise of the new media. New media are inclusive of blog, websites, production of audio visual and exchange. The policies for the cultural industries in Canada started back in early 1950s together with the Massey Commission report. The development of policies started in 1970s. The cultural policies had four rationales identified as development of culture, service to the public, democratic participation, and market failure. The specific rationales of the industry were among the reasons that attracted government support. The government invested and offered significant incentives for televising local (Canadian) productions video and film. The regulation of the Canadian content has been an effective policy instrument in sound recording. Cultural, structural and industrial support measures have instituted a vibrant sector for publishing books. Control of ownership through Income Tax Act together with prov isions to split-run editions in publication of magazines has remained effective until today. The main concerns for the cultural industries are ownership and control of the system o distribution.Advertising Looking for term paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is well documented that movie theatres exclusively show U.S. movies in the film industry. U.S. materials dominate in magazine racks, record stores and book stores. Dominance by Canada is only evident with respect to newspapers. This has been possible due to the ownership provisions in Canada which are found in section 19 of the Income Tax Act. This section became ineffective in 1999, in the aftermath of Bill C-55. Cultural industries have also had a problem when it comes to financing. Therefore, subsidy programs sponsored by the government are needed in almost every field. Day after another, cultural industries in Canada is increasingly being accepted within and outside Canada. The big debate on whether government funds should assist cultural industries, and on what ground appears to have abated. This may be just for a short while since in the event that the Harper conservatives win a second term in office the debate may be revived again. The supporting of cultural industries has become more problematic due to participation by Canada in international trade agreements. There has been demand for greater access in Canada’s cultural markets by the U.S. beyond its already dominant position. The result of this is threatening of the future of cultural industries of Canada. The Cultural Industries Sectoral Advisory Group on International Trade advised Canada to negotiate an international instrument to address the diversity of culture in 1999. Media ownership in Canada is both publicly and privately owned. These altogether thrive in a mixed economy. Free market economics can not exclusively manage any media industry in Ca nada. Even the publication of the newspaper, which comes nearest to an exclusively private industry, is subject to the regulations of federal ownership. These regulations have the main purpose of protecting the newspapers from foreign competition and takeover. Demands of the market place face each media company in Canada. This is inclusive of even CBC which is owned by the public which pays attention to ratings and advertising revenues.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Nature of the Distinct Contributions Made by Government, Media Owners, and Journalists to Canada’s Media Environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to maintain a vibrant market place, we expect media market that is inclusive of both diversity of content and choice of outlets. All these have their roots from the ownership. Media owners choose the information that they want the audience to get. One of the major concerns reg arding the media is that a small number of owners may provide a limited choice in terms of where consumers can get information. This is because mass media production is majorly a business and measures of a successful business differ from those of a successful democracy. This simple means the interests of the media owners may not rhyme with the interest of the consumers. The best known example from Canada of how large media houses can serve interests of the business while at the same time violate interests of the public is the â€Å"Black Tuesday,† of 27th August, 1980. This happened when a competitive trade-off was made between two leading chain newspaper owners at that time i.e. Thomson and Southam. Southern closed â€Å"Winnipeg† which was its Tribune newspaper. This gave â€Å"Winnipeg Free Press† which was under the ownership of Thomson a monopoly in the city. On the other hand, Thomson closed its â€Å"Ottawa Journal† which left the â€Å"Ottawa Cit izen† which was under the ownership of Southam as the sole newspaper in the capital. These actions led to a major review of mass media by the Government of Canada in 1980. This was characterized by the formation of the Kent Commission (the Royal Commission on Newspapers). Media owners also determine the content found in the media. Many media owners do have strong political opinions that they present in their news outlets. This may reflect specific biases of the media owners which may in turn affect the type of content evident in coverage of several issues. Media play an important role in formation of opinions, attitudes, beliefs and values in the community.Advertising Looking for term paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There has been a debate on the level to which media influence behaviour and opinion. The general accepted view is that free and diverse media are an important part of good democracy. This is because of the ability of the media to convey the opinions of the people who then choose their political leaders. Although many people believe that much of the media coverage on political issues only reinforces the previous values, beliefs and political views, it is crystal clear that media coverage can affect the formation of opinions and assessment of political phenomenon. This brings in the importance of understanding the factors that influence media content. In the case where content of media influence opinions and assessment of issues, and these assessments and opinions then go on to influence the components of political behaviour such as salience of certain policy issues or the choice to vote for a given party. Therefore the responsibility of the media in a democratic process is to inform and not to direct. If the media offers direction, and then it should not be biased but rather provide a variety of voices to achieve balance since greater choice means more diverse content. Most media houses espouse right wing values in talk shows and commentary. These values carry across media networks not simply on isolated shows or stations. There are people who argue that journalists tend to be more liberal than the public and this leads to left-wing slant in coverage of issues by the media. Journalists play the role of producing the content of the media. Content producers are the heart of the media enterprise. The manufacture of the content that we hear on our radios; see in our books, newspapers, and magazines; and see on our computers, cinema screens and televisions is done by journalists, television producers, radio hosts, film editors and magazine photographers. These have broad job descriptions and work environments. The images we see and the stories whether factual or fic tional are constructed and never naturally presented. The construction process comprises a series of choices about which stories to present and how to present them. This happens both when journalists attempt to make the reality accurate and when they are trying to stress on a particular point of view or style of presentation. All in all, no story is a complete story and no picture is complete. This section will look at journalism as a process of producing content and look into a broader perspective of who the Canadian journalists are and the contexts of their work in influencing the media environment in Canada. Journalism as a form of story telling is based on the real people and events. But the reality as is always implied, the journalists instead frame reality, choosing specific occurrences, people and particular aspects of a story as worthy to make news while leaving others stories. Journalists share some of the characteristics of other types of storytellers but they are distingu ished by features such as their guiding principles of seeking for truth, objectivity and independence; the legal and ethical rights and responsibilities of practice in an environment of free-press; and the context of news production in an institution. Although one of the linchpins of news reporting is freedom of press, this does not imply that journalists are at liberty to report whatever they like or that news organizations can practice impunity through publishing and broadcasting. Such constraints as privacy and libel keep journalists in line with accepted standards of integrity. Given the nature of news production which is selective it is crucial to know the origin of the news report. Canadian journalists do not represent the population at large. They are mostly young, male, white, and well educated and they mostly work for commercial news organizations with large corporate owners. These factors influence both what and how the news is reported as well as what may not be reported. The above discussion has outlined broad roles with regard to media regulation, ownership and news production in Canada. The Canadian media environment has continued to experience the impact of the significant transformation that has occurred in the recent years. Key stakeholders have been reshaped due to a series of new acquisitions and mergers that have taken place in this century. This has initiated moves to democratize media to take two forms; media reform and alternative media. These seek to establish ways to diversify and make the media organizations that are in existence more accountable and the establishment of new independent media outlets specifically to serve defined communities respectively. This accountability will be depicted in the way the three organs of the media will operate and ultimately, they should serve the citizens of the Canadian government with an insight into the country’s state of affairs Reference Lorimer, Gasher, M. Skinner, D. (2008.) Mass comm unication in Canada.6th Ed. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press This term paper on The Nature of the Distinct Contributions Made by Government, Media Owners, and Journalists to Canada’s Media Environment was written and submitted by user Cadence Vargas to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Concentrated Definition (Chemistry)

Concentrated Definition (Chemistry) In chemistry, concentrated refers to a relatively large quantity of substance present in a unit amount of a mixture. Usually, this means there is a lot of ​a  solute dissolved in a given solvent. A concentrated solution contains the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved. Because solubility depends on temperature, a solution that is concentrated at one temperature may not be concentrated at a higher temperature. The term may also be used to compare two solutions, as in this one is more concentrated than that one. Examples of Concentrated Solutions 12 M HCl is more concentrated than 1 M HCl or 0.1 M HCl. 12 M hydrochloric acid is also called concentrated sulfuric acid because it contains a minimum amount of water. When you stir salt into water until no more dissolves, you make a concentrated saline solution. Similarly, adding sugar until no more dissolves produces a concentrated sugar solution. When Concentrated Becomes Confusing While the concept of concentration is straightforward when a solid solute is dissolved into a liquid solvent, it can be confusing when mixing gases or liquids because its less clear which substance is the solute and which is the solvent. Absolute alcohol is considered to be a concentrated alcohol solution because it contains a minimum amount of water. Oxygen gas is more concentrated in air than carbon dioxide gas. The concentration of both gases could be considered versus the total volume of air or with respect to the solvent gas, nitrogen.

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to Use the Spanish Verb Ser

How to Use the Spanish Verb Ser Ser can be a challenging verb for Spanish students because it is usually translated as to be, same as the verb estar. Although they can usually  be translated the same way, ser and estar are distinct verbs with different  meanings to the native Spanish speaker. With few exceptions, you cant substitute one for the other. Just like to be, ser comes in many conjugated  forms that dont look like they could be related to the original verb. Examples include es (he/she/it is), eran (they were), and fuiste (you were). Here are the main uses of ser along with examples and translations: Using Ser To Indicate Existence At its simplest, ser is used merely to indicate that something exists. This usage of ser should not be confused with hay, which is used to mean there is. Ser is not used in this way to indicate existence in a particular location. Ser o no ser, esa es la pregunta.  (To be or not to be, that is the question.)Pienso, luego soy. (I think, therefore I am.) Using Ser to Indicate Equivalence Ser is used to join two concepts or identities that are seen as being the same thing. If the subject of ser is understood by the context, it does not need to be explicitly stated. Este es el nuevo modelo. (This is the new model.)La causa de la guerra era el temor de la libertad de las colonias. (The cause of the war was fear of the colonies freedom.)Lo importante no  es la idea, sino cà ³mo la ejecutas. (The important thing is not the idea but how you execute it.)Ser mi casa. (It will be my house.) Using Ser With Adjectives for Inherent, Innate, or Essential Characteristics Ser is used to describe the essential nature of something, not how something might be at a particular moment. La casa es grande.  (The house is big.)Soy feliz.  (I am happy by nature.)Las hormigas son negras. (Ants are black.)La nieve es frà ­a.  (Snow is cold.) This use sometimes contrasts with that of estar. For example, Estoy feliz might convey the meaning of I am happy at the moment. In this case, happiness isnt an inherent quality but something fleeting. Using  Ser To Indicate Origin, Nature, or Identity As with innate characteristics, ser is used in referring to categories that persons or things belong to, such as their occupations, what something is made from, the place where someone or something lives or is from, and a persons religious or ethnic identity. Note that while such qualities can change over time, they generally can be considered part of that persons nature at the time of the statement. Somos  de Argentina.  (We are  from Argentina.)No soy marinero, soy capitn.  (I am not a mariner, I am a captain.)Es Pablo.  (He is Paul.)Los billetes son de papel. (The bills are made of paper.)Espero que no seas de esas personas. (I hope youre not one of those people.)El papa es catà ³lico.  (The pope is Catholic.)Su madre es joven. (Her mother is young.)El rol del actor fue un viaje ida y vuelta al pasado. (The actors role was a round-trip trip to the past.)Mi amiga es muy inteligente. (My friend is very smart.) Using Ser To Indicate Possession or Ownership The  possession or ownership can be literal or figurative: El coche es mà ­o.  (The car is mine.)Es mi casa.  (It is my house.)El siglo XXI es de China. (The 21st century belongs to China.) Using Ser To Form the Passive Voice Use of a to be verb with a  past participle to form the passive voice is structured as in English but is much less common. La cancià ³n fue oà ­da. (The song was heard.)Son usados para comer. (They are used for eating.)El gobernador fue arrestado en su propia casa.  (The governor was arrested in his own home.) Using Ser  To Tell Time Telling time typically follows this pattern: Es la una. (It is 1:00.)Son las dos. (It is 2:00.)Era la tarde de un domingo tà ­pico. (It was a typical Sunday afternoon.)La hora local del encuentro ser las cuatro de la tarde. (The local time of the meeting will be 4 p.m.) Using Ser To Tell Where an Event Occurs Although estar is used for direct statements of location, ser is used for the location of events. El concierto es en la playa.  (The concert is on the beach.)La fiesta ser en mi casa. (The party will be at my house.) Using Ser in Impersonal Statements Impersonal statements in English typically begin with it referring to a concept rather than a concrete thing. In Spanish, the subject isnt explicitly stated, so the sentence can begin with a form of ser. Es importante. (It is important.)Ser mi eleccià ³n. (It will be my choice.)Fue difà ­cil pero necesario. (It was difficult but necessary.)Es sorprendente que no puedas hacerlo. (It is surprising that you cant do it.) Key Takeaways Although ser and estar are verbs meaning to be, they have distinct meanings and uses and can seldom be interchanged.The conjugation of ser is highly irregular.Ser is frequently used in describing innate (and thus often fixed) qualities of a person or thing.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Case anaylise Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Anaylise - Case Study Example In essence, there was lack of specialization in the structure and processes of the company. Poor adoption of technology by the management also exposed the company to increased competition and pressure from competitors (A New Caterpillar Emerges 63). The poor organizational structure resulted in disharmony, comparably low quality products, and poor marketing strategies. The change strategy adopted by Fites basically revolved around changing the organizational structure to reflect the Japanese decentralized model (A New Caterpillar Emerges 63). Fites integrated marketing staff, manufacturing engineers, and product designers into the different product development teams (A New Caterpillar Emerges 63). Fites also decentralized the marketing processes to the regional levels from the corporate headquarters. The third strategy was the incorporation of the aspect of modernization into the manufacturing processes for enhancing productivity and efficiency. This third approach enhanced the productivity of Caterpillar to 30 % (A New Caterpillar Emerges 63). The splitting of the company structure to 14 divisional teams enabled each unit to work in a semi-autonomous manner so that specific performance could be assessed. In the revised organizational structure, the different manufacturing teams were now responsible for the performance of the divisions. The overall impact of the decentralized model was an increase in performance in all areas of the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Eukaryotic cell structure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Eukaryotic cell structure - Assignment Example The size of mitochondrion is very small while it is much greater than that of ribosomes that appear like small granules either floating within the cytosol or associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. The number of mitochondria within a cell varies depending upon the cell type and the amount of energy required to perform their work, as there may be numerous mitochondria within muscular cells than that in nerve cells. Mitochondria are very small organelles. Moreover new mitochondria can be developed within the cell in case if the energy requirement of the cell remains unfulfilled with the already functioning mitochondria. Ribosomes are single membrane organelles while mitochondria in contrast to other organelles possess double layers. The external membrane serves as the protective covering of the organelle while the inner one is found in folded form. The folding of the internal membrane enhances the surface area within mitochondria as it serves as the site where various chemical react ions occur. This heightened surface area permits the mitochondria to perform as many tasks as possible. Such a similar strategy is adopted in the small intestines by microvilli. The folding of the mitochondria’s internal membrane is referred as cristae while the fluid within the mitochondria is known as matrix (Simon, Reece and Dickey, 2009). Ribosomes on the other hand are composed of proteins and RNA and basically perform the task of assembling cellular proteins. Similar to the mitochondria, their number also varies within as cell depending upon the cell’s production level of proteins. Ribosomes usually consist of two subunits amongst which one is larger while one is smaller in size. These subunits are prepared by the nucleolus and they connect together as a ribosome gets attached to mRNA (messenger Ribonucleic Acid) during the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Musical Culture of the Country of Burundi Essay Example for Free

The Musical Culture of the Country of Burundi Essay Every nation has its own culture and traditions which has been practiced by the people for many decades or centuries. Most of the cultural practices of a nation are usually passed down to the next generation. Although they are altered to fit the current generation, some parts of the culture remain intact and do not change; they are the same practices done in the past. The same is true with the cultural practices of Burundi. Amidst the various wars and conflict taking place in the country of Burundi, its culture is still upheld by those living in the rural areas. Their traditions are still largely celebrated and practiced by the people. Through the years, the world has seen Burundi as a place filled with violence and conflict. There are times when the news coming from Burundi only involves violence and improper actions of the rebels against the government and vice versa. In addition, mass killings are known to have affected many regions of the country, therefore lessening the chances for recreational activities, education, and other cultural practices to be upheld. Various refuge camps and displaced people have also been distressed by such conflicts. External Influences to the Burundian Culture Historical accounts of Burundi reveal that the country was colonized by various European nations. King Mwezi IV, the ruling leader during the 19th century, feared that his kingdom will be captured by one of the conflicting tribes in Burundi, the Tutsis. Due the King’s fear, he secured the support of Germany to protect his kingdom, instantly turning Burundi into a German colony. After a few years, the German colonizers passed the responsibility to a new European state: Belgium (Institute for Security Studies [ISS], 2005). Hence, these countries were able to influence and engrave their own norms, traditions, and beliefs on Burundians which were incorporated into the cultural practices of Burundi. Music as a Large Part of the Burundian Culture Burundians are people who enjoy arts and music. Music has been a huge part of their lives which could be observed in various types of traditional gatherings and the songs sung in these gatherings. One of these is family gatherings where â€Å"imvyino† songs are performed. Imviyino songs were known to have short refrain which has a strong beat. Such songs often incorporate spontaneous verses which are sung together with the strong beats of the music. On the other hand, â€Å"imdirimbo† song is a more downcast and serious type of music which is sung by a small group of individuals or a solo singer. â€Å"Kwishongora† is another type of song from the traditional music of Burundi that is sung only by men. It is a rhythmic song which is integrated with trills and shouts. For the females, there is also a certain type of song made for them, and it is called the â€Å"bilito† in which is a sentimental form of music (Stanford, 2007), One of the strongest characteristics of Burundi music is the â€Å"whispered singing. † This is expressed by the performer in a low or soft pitch, for it requires the musical accompaniment to be heard clearly (Stanford, 2007). Burundian Musical Instruments Most of the traditional songs of Burundi are played with specific instruments such as â€Å"inanga,† â€Å"idono,† â€Å"ikihusehama,† and â€Å"ikimbe. † The inanga is an instrument composed of six (6) to eight (8) strings which are stretched out in a wooden concave bowl. The idono is known to be the fiddle which is composed only of a single string. The ikihusehama is a musical instrument which is similar to a clarinet woodwind. Lastly, the ikimbe is the linguaphone version of the Burundians. However, the most important musical instrument used by the Burundians is the drums which is considered as a symbol of status and power (Stanford, 2007). Drums are known to be the most significant instruments in the country of Burundi. In the ancient times, drums were not only seen as a plain instrument but a sacred object which was only used for ceremonial events. The beat is one of the most essential elements of the Burundian drums. Certain drum beats are applied depending on the type of event being held, from funerals to enthronement. The beat of the drums is also the main signal that proclaims the start of the agricultural season as well as the propagation of the Soughum seeds which is an important agricultural amenity for the country (Heavenly Planet, 2008). The drums are not only significant to the events, but they are also deeply connected to nature. This strong relationship of drums and nature is evident in parts of the drum, as their names are related to fertility: â€Å"Icahi: the skin (the skin in which the mother rocks her baby); Amabere: the pegs (the breasts); Urugori: the thong stretching the skin (crown of motherhood); inda: the cylinder (the stomach); umukondo: the foot of the drum (the umbilical cord)† (Heavenly Planet, 2008, n. p. ) Royal Drummers of Burundi The Royal Drummers of Burundi is the most acknowledged performers in Burundi. The group is composed of twenty (20) individuals who perform in the most important Burundian ceremonies. Accordingly, due to the significance of the group, they also perform in various celebrations such as funerals, births, coronations, and christenings within the country. This prestigious drum group is known to also perform in various parts of the world. In addition, the Royal Drummers of Burundi is recognized as one of the most acclaimed percussion groups in the world (Smith, 2009). The group is known to be a multigenerational band; therefore, sons are taught by their fathers the art and the significance of performance and playing drums. Most of the time, different drummers switch places in order for them to have a short rest and create a constant flow of music that only stops during the end of the whole program. In addition to drumming, most of the band members are also dancers. The group performs the dances during the opening of the programs (Smith, 2009). Africatravelling. net (2000) commends the performances of the Royal Drummers of Burundi: â€Å"The Drummers of Burundi had the most captivating presence of all the acts at the festival Every moment, every wail from the players fit into the trance impact of the drummers† (n. p. ). The Royal Drummers of Burundi are known to have specific drums that they use to create a specific sound of the drums. One of the types of drums that they use is the â€Å"Ngoma† drums which are â€Å"hollowed out from the trunk of a particular tree called D’umuvugangoma (Corda Africana)† (Heavenly Planet, 2008, n. p. ). Reflection on the Music of Burundi As I have researched in various internet resources, I found out that the Burundi musical culture is not widely known to the world. There are only few resources available for those who are interested in their traditional music. Most books and articles are about the topics of human rights violations, genocides, and war in Burundi. Thus, this suggests the richness of the Burundian culture is often ignored. With the research that I have done, I realized that a single instrument could be a source of power and status. In addition, such instruments could also be a signifier of various events and elements of nature. Due to the conflicts and hostility in the state of Burundi, the international community does not pay significant attention to the rich cultural aspect of this country. However, with the ensemble of Royal Drummers of Burundi, one can say that the rich culture of this African nation lives despite all atrocities. References Africatravelling. net (2000). Bujumbura-Culture. Retrieved February 11, 2009 from http://www. africatravelling. net/burundi/bujumbura/bujumbura_culture. htm. Heavenly Planet. (2008). â€Å"Music That Inspires. † Retrieved February 11, 2009 from http://www. heavenlyplanet. com/featured/dob. html. Institute for Security Studies. (2005). Political System and History. Retrieved February 11 2009 from http://www. iss. co. za/af/profiles/burundi/politics. html. Smith, S. E. (2009). Who are the Royal Drummers of Burundi?. Wise Geek. Retrieved February 11, 2009 from http://www. wisegeek. com/who-are-the-royal-drummers-of-burundi. htm. Stanford, E. (2007). Culture of Burundi. Countries and Their Cultures. Retrieved February 11, 2009 from http://www. everyculture. com/Bo-Co/Burundi. html.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Mariquita: A Tragedy of Guam by Chris Perez Howard Essay -- Book Revie

Mariquita: A Tragedy of Guam by Chris Perez Howard The book entitled Mariquita A Tragedy of Guam was written by author Chris Perez Howard in honor of her mother Mariquita Aguon Perez. The book covers the pain and sufferings of Guamanians through World War II from the perspective of one family. The book covers a period of time a little under a decade, beginning in 1938 while Guam was under Naval Administration. The book starts off painting the image an Howard's mother Mariquita. She is depicted as somewhat a diamond in the rough, beautiful and one of a kind, even pointing out that she worked as a stenographer, an uncommon position to be held by women in this time period. The book goes on describing her daily life including spending much time with her friends, competing amongst each other in the latest fashions and watching the movies. The story goes on describing her acquaintance with a young soldier by the name of Edward Neal Howard that has an eye for her. Mariquita at first entertained the young sailor but hesitated to pursue any relationship with Eddie. Then one night coming out of the movies, a Marine yelled a racial remark towards Mariquita and Eddie, out of the crowd, defended Mariquita. That was the turning point, and they eventually begin dating, first in secrecy then soon after, they married. Mariquita and Eddie had two children, the first named Chris and the second named Helen. Japanese invaded and the war broke out in Guam right after the birth of Helen and Mariquita actually had to flee with her newborn into the jungle for safety. During Japanese rule Guamanians were forced to work. The Japanese also occupied any housing they needed. The Americans were forced to surrender and Eddie bec... ...dure their torture, then head home and play and laugh with her kids, it was like there were two people playing her role. The book gave very good accounts of the times surrounding war, but I think Howard's emotions skewed the story somewhat. This book goes against the canon in citing instances which were harmful to the Guamanians. Americanization for instance, indirectly told the people to lose their identity and their culture and opt for a more Westernized and modern set of values. Then goes the point of having separate schools and American only functions, U.S. treated the people of Guam as second class citizens. The book does a great job in capturing all this unfairness. All in all, the book seemed better as a romance novel to me, with a great many details, valuable details of World War II in Guam hidden in the background almost as a supplemental story.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Analysis on Materialism and Pink Flamingo Essay

â€Å"Materialism coarsens and petrifies everything, making everything vulgar, and every truth false.† These profound words spoken by Swiss philosopher Henri Amiel illustrate the wretched vulgarity and superficiality of the virus-like spread of materialism. In the essay entitled â€Å"The Pink Flamingo: A Natural History† by Jennifer Price, Price examines the popularity of the well-known pink flamingo and how it relates to the ideals and whims of American culture. Using American fascination of the plastic, pink flamingo as her medium, Jennifer Price shows her evident disdain for the superficial materialism present in American society. Jennifer Price introduces her analysis of the flamingo fad by presenting the rise of the pink flamingo in American culture and how society reacted upon the popularization of this cultural icon. Price effectively illustrates the American public’s reaction to the introduction of the plastic, pink flamingo by implementing specific diction that reinforces her own opinions of the â€Å"flamingo boom†. Similar to a mindless flock of birds following each other without much thought as to why, Price writes that â€Å"Since the 1930s, vacationing Americans had been flocking to Florida and returning home with flamingo souvenirs.† Price’s choice to describe Americans as â€Å"flocking† is meant to establish a comparison to a flock of mindless birds; in effect, the author characterizes Americans as bandwagon followers who lack any consideration for the examination of their culture and the conceptual purpose behind their symbolic icons. The author also presents how Americans have rendered the plastic, pink flamingo as symbolic of wealth and luxury. Price states that â€Å"In the 1910s and 1920s, Miami Beach’s first grand hotel, the Flamingo, had made the bird synonymous with wealth and pizzazz.† In the context of the essay, terms like â€Å"wealth† and â€Å"pizzazz† possess a shallow, superficial connotation that consequently translates into the flamingo as not only being a symbol of wealth and pizzazz but also a symbol of superficiality and vulgar ostentation. Price’s introductory paragraph is significant to the purpose of the essay because it illustrates the magnitude of the flamingo fascination and how Americans irrationally react to the flamingo’s popularity. In reiteration of Price’s stance, heavy criticism in the essay of the plastic  flamingo’s intrinsic boldness simply because it represents an exotic creature depicts Price’s severe disdain for the whims of American society. Price utilizes an ironic situation in conjunction with historical evidence when she attempts to establish a connection between real flamingos and plastic flamingos. Americans, Price points out, â€Å"had hunted flamingos to extinction in Florida in the late 1800s, for plumes and meat. But no matter. In the 1950s, the new interstates would draw working-class tourists down, too.† Price bluntly uses facts and historical research about American culture to express her disgust of the irony that the American nation has created for itself with regards to the plastic, pink flamingo. When Price writes â€Å"But no matter,† she reinforces the implication that it is as if American society regards the destruction of the flamingo as trivial b ecause capitalist society would benefit more from the production of plastic flamingos that could yield revenue. Thus, a nation that embraces the flamingo in all its beauty after having been so destructive of the natural population reveals the ironic carelessness and hypocrisy of American society. Furthermore, Price uses the image of the pink flamingo with its natural boldness to emphasize her point about the ignorance of Americans and their culture. The author states, â€Å"The bird acquired an extra fillip of boldness, too, from the direction of Las Vegas with†¦Flamingo Hotel. Anyone who has seen Las Vegas knows that a flamingo stands out in a desert even more strikingly than on a lawn.† The simple fact that a flamingo is a subtropical animal unfit to live in the desert gives Price the justification to illustrate how Americans took the flamingo fad to such extreme heights without giving one regard to the appropriateness of the flamingo in context. In doing so, Price once again conveys the total ignorance and lack of consideration that characterizes American society. The paragraph in which Price asserts her belief regarding the ironic situation American society has put itself in supports a belief that Americans have taken their obsession so far as to having destroyed a population of animals for the sake of wealth and luxury; thus, the pink flamingo, in the context of Price’s essay, is merely a symbol of the vulgar materialism Americans possess because of their ignorance and inconsideration for the appropriateness of destroying flamingos and â€Å"plasticizing† them. Jennifer Price provides further details regarding the plastic flamingo’s image which forces the reader to question if the plastic flamingo is even close to being a valid representation of its real-life counterpart. Price’s use of imagery in her essay and the interpretation that follows shows that she believes the plastic flamingo is obviously not even fit to represent the true flamingo. Price lists the colors, â€Å"tangerine, broiling magenta, livid pink, incarnadine, fuchsia demure, Congo ruby, methyl green,† in order to establish images that overwhelm the reader’s mind with bold colors. The extremely bold colors of the plastic flamingo such as â€Å"livid pink† and â€Å"broiling magenta† formulate the conclusion that the plastic flamingo could never be synonymous with the quiet, demure brilliancy of a real flamingo. Thus, once the reader has interpreted the color imagery and concluded that all of the colors are just â€Å"too much†, the reader can make the connection that society is also â€Å"too much† obsessed with putting on pretenses of wealth as opposed to focusing on issues that really matter such as the preservation of the real flamingo. Price also makes use of repetition in order to express the magnitude of the plastic flamingo’s color in society. Jennifer Price states, â€Å"Washing machines, cars, and kitchen counters proliferated in passion pink, sunset pink, and Bermuda pink.† By stating that the pink fad present in the plastic flamingo was also transferred into household appliances such as washing machines and kitchen counters, Price implies that the materialism and vulgarity of appearing wealthy spread into the home; the infiltration of materialism into the home meant that the desire for wealth and extravagance had also infiltrated the aspects of America n life. Price’s criticism of the flamingo’s color fascination supports the essay’s idea that Americans are only satisfied by boldness and extravagance as evident in the pink coloration of household appliances because pink was the color of the symbolic pink flamingo of wealth; Americans, thus, have difficulty equating modesty and demureness with any sort of wealth. The simple belief is that extravagance and flamboyance are the way to go if one wants to appear wealthy. Americans who desire wealth are therefore subject to the whims of materialism and superficiality. The author concludes by delivering an argument that criticizes American views and ideals, or the lack of, as being disrespectful and insulting towards the  significance of the flamingo itself. Jennifer Price uses cultural evidence from other nations to present the importance of the flamingo. She states, â€Å"People†¦have always singled out the flamingo as special. Early Christians associated it with the red phoenix. In ancient Egypt, it symbolized the sun god Ra. In Mexico and the Caribbean, it remains a major motif in art, dance, and literature.† The author uses these facts to justify that the reduction of the brilliant flamingo in American culture to a mere plastic souvenir attached to grass is a shameful comparison to other cultures that respect nature and revered the bird as a glorious symbol. Price then makes use of parallelism in order to strengthen her criticism of American culture. In the essay, Price states, â€Å"No wonder that the subtropical species stood out so loudly when Americans in temperate New England reproduced it, brightened it, and sent it wading across an inland sea of grass.† By using repeating sentence structures through parallelism, Price emphasizes that Americans have done so many things to the flamingo that the plastic version is so far removed from its original counterpart. Thus, Americans have lost sight of the intended genuine meaning behind embracing the flamingo in the first place. The significance of this section within the essay is important because it not only allows the author to go beyond criticism of the flamingo, but it also shows that, in the grand scheme of things, Price was more intent on exposing and criticizing the true validity of all American cultural values. Jennifer Price allegorized the fascination of the plastic flamingo in order to establish a sort of comparison between obsession with purchasing plastic flamingos that symbolize wealth and the materialism evident in American culture. Although the essay mostly depicts American society as insensitive and inconsiderate according to the author’s tone, the satirical nature of the essay provides a subtle, underlying, hopeful connotation that perhaps one day American society will learn to go beyond their materialistic greed and ascend to a different type of wealth. Bibliography: Jennifer Price’s essay â€Å"The Plastic Pink Flamingo: A Natural History†

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Aesthetic Reading: Reading for Appreciation and Enjoyment Essay

Aesthetic reading is for entertainment. * Reading to explore one. * In Aesthetic reading, the reader’s attention is centered directly on what he likes through during his relationship with that particular text.† * Non-academicals purposes of reading. Aesthetic Stance is for experience * Recreational reading. * Fulfills an important function in lives. * Reading for pleasure or aesthetic reading, been described as â€Å"the most hidden literary practice†. * Aesthetic reading been viewed as â€Å"symbolic withdrawal†. Reading for appreciation * One that is designed to head the learner to understand and enjoy something. Let’s get the most out of Literature * Reading literary selections like poems, short stories, novels, plays, or essays, not only provide pleasure. * It also develop your analytical skills as you must consider each part of the text separately before you can interpret the meaning of the entire work and eventually appreciate it. Poems express ideas in a tighter, more compact way than prose as they do not include details and explanations common to the short story or novel. They are more concentrated, suggestive, and rhythmical than prose as they resort to the use of symbols, figurative language, and imagery, which tend to leave more to a reader’s imagination rather than giving everything he needs to know. Poems may be: * Lyric poem expresses the observations and the feeling of a single speaker. * Narrative poems are stories told in prose. Often narrative poems, even ballads have all the elements of the short stories, such as plot, characters and setting. Poems may take the form of: * Haiku – an unrhymed verse form, consisting of three lines. The first and third lines contain five syllables while the second line consists of seven syllables. * Tanka – another verse form. It has thirty-one syllables arrange in five lines (five, seven, five, seven, seven). * Cinquain – a poetic unrhymed form consisting of five lines. * Diamante – a seven line, diamond shaped poem.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

How to Know When Its Time to Quit Your Job

How to Know When Its Time to Quit Your Job We’re all a little bit afraid of change. But we should be equally afraid of stagnating and losing sight of why we chose our career in the first place. Here are three signs it might be time for you to consider making a move out of your current position: You’ve Outgrown ItAdmitting this doesn’t make you too big for your britches; sometimes it’s the honest truth. You’ve learned a lot, but you find yourself wishing for more of a challenge. And you’ve run up against the highest rung of the ladder at your current organization. This might be a sign it’s time to put some feelers out- to see whether you might be able to find a position elsewhere that will let you keep growing and achieving more.You’ve Lost Your SparkleYou thought you were â€Å"doing what you love,† but you don’t love what you’re doing anymore. Maybe you even dread going to work. Live between vacations. Watch the clock. These are all good indications it’s time to get your passion and purpose back, and that might mean a new job.Work is†¦ WorkYou don’t get excited anymore about new projects. You’re anxious or tired or just plain grumpy when you’re at work. Maybe you have a lousy boss or a hostile coworker and it’s eating at you. Before work starts affecting your health- physical, mental, or both- figure out a way to make a change.It’s a hard step to take, but one that can be extremely rewarding- and much better than falling into an endless rut. Remember, work can be extremely satisfying when we’re doing something we believe in and that keeps us on our toes.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Midland University - ACT Scores, Admit Rate More

Midland University - ACT Scores, Admit Rate More Midland University Admissions Overview: With an acceptance rate of 61%, Midland University is not a highly selective school. Students with good grades and test scores within or above the ranges listed below have a good chance of being accepted. To apply, those interested will need to submit an application, SAT or ACT scores, and high school transcripts. Check out Midlands website for more details. Admissions Data (2016): Midland University Acceptance Rate: 61%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 420  / 520SAT Math: 420  / 535SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 19  / 24ACT English: 17 / 24ACT Math: 17  / 23What these ACT numbers mean Midland UniversityDescription: Located in Fremont, Nebraska, Midland University is a 4-year university on a 33-acre campus, and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Fremont is in the eastern part of the state, about a 45-minutes drive from Omaha, and has a population of about 25,000. Students can choose from over 30 majors at the undergraduate level, and a handful of masters degrees. Popular choices include Business Administration, Nursing, Accounting, Psychology, and Elementary Education. Academics are supported by an impressive 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 18. Outside of the classroom, students can participate in a number of student-run clubs and organizations, such as: fraternities and sororities, academic-based clubs, honor societies, and performing arts groups. Since the school is affiliated with the ELCA, students have the opportunity to participate in a number of faith-based activities, including chapel services, bible studies, and service pro jects. In athletics, the Midland University Warriors compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), within the Great Plains Athletics Conference (GPAC). Midland sponsors 12 mens and 13 womens teams, with popular choices including Football, Wrestling, Soccer, Track and Field, and Bowling. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 1,709  (1,555 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 49% Male / 51% Female75% Full-time Costs (2016- 17): Tuition and Fees: $30,430Books: $1,020 (why so much?)Room and Board: $8,038Other Expenses: $2,412Total Cost: $41,900 Midland UniversityFinancial Aid (2015- 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 100%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 100%Loans: 87%Average Amount of AidGrants: $17,058Loans: $6,368 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Business Administration, Marketing, Nursing, Elementary Education, Criminal Justice, Sports and Fitness Administration, Biology, Psychology, Accounting Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 64%Transfer-out Rate: 40%4-Year Graduation Rate: 37%6-Year Graduation Rate: 46% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Football, Baseball, Basketball, Wrestling, Bowling, Golf, Soccer, Track and Field, Tennis, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Basketball, Golf, Bowling, Cross Country, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field, Wrestling, Lacrosse, Volleyball Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Midland University, You May Also Like These Colleges: Regis College:  ProfileBellevue University:  ProfileDrake University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Kansas:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWayne State College:  ProfileHastings College: ProfileUniversity of Wyoming:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphColorado State University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphConcordia University Nebraska:  ProfileBriar Cliff University:  ProfileChadron State College:  ProfileCreighton University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Iowa:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

Saturday, November 2, 2019

To what extent, and in what ways, has the constant process of Essay

To what extent, and in what ways, has the constant process of enlargement, impacted on the EU politics and policy process - Essay Example The above issue is discussed in this paper; emphasis is given on the value of enlargement as a tool for strengthening the political and economic position of EU; the impact of enlargement on various EU politics and processes is also examined taking into consideration the fact that enlargement is a demanding process requiring a long period of preparation and being related to certain risks – especially because of the different political, social and economic patterns of European countries. It is proved that the enlargement processes developed in the European Union up today have all affected, more or less, the EU politics and processes; however, among them, it is the fifth enlargement process which most influenced EU politics and policies. For the above reason, the fifth enlargement, which developed in two phases, in 2004 and 2007, is extensively discussed in this paper using the literature published in the particular field. When the European Union was first established – in itially, as a European Community – in 1957 (Treaty of Rome), no term was set regarding the development of a Community regional policy (Bache 31). The reference to economic activities, which would be initiated by the entire member states –jointly – could be possibly, regarded as such policy, even not clearly. Through the decades, it was made clear that the achievement of the targets of the Union would be a challenging task. For this reason, the need for its expansion was through to be unavoidable – a practice which was proved particularly helpful towards the development and the strengthening of European Union so that to become a major force in the global market. In its initial form, the European Union had 6 states – today, its members are estimated to 27, as a result of 5 enlargements. The specific processes have been used in order to increase the power of EU within the international community but also in order to promote integration across the Euro pean Union. Among these enlargements the one which is most important is the fifth one developed into two phases: the first phase took place in 2004 and the second in 2007. Through the fifth enlargement – a process that has been characterized as the most important strategic decision of the EU in the 21st century (Europa, Enlargement 2011) – the European Union was significantly expanded acquiring 12 new members (Europa, Enlargement 2011). The criteria and the terms of enlargement – as one of the European Union’s key processes – are included in the ‘article 49 of the Treaty of the European Union’ (Europa, Enlargement 2011). In accordance with the above article, the key priority of the enlargement process is to ensure that the applicant countries are adequately prepared so that to meet their obligations – as stated by the relevant EU rules; of course, the legislative, political and social characteristics of each candidate country ar e taken into consideration when these processes are developed. However, in any case, it needs to be ensured that the candidate countries will be able to respond to their obligations – as members of the Union – and to align their policies/ rules with those of the Union (Europa, Enlargement 2011). At this point, it would be necessary to refer briefly to the history of enlargements