Website Analysis

Website Analysis Assignment I choose the website of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan to analysis. Its address is http://www. gcfb. org/site/PageServer? pagename=homepage. The site clearly states Gleaners mission – Nourishing Communities by Feeding Hungry People, on the heading with the company’s icon and also in the first â€Å"What we do† text chunk. From the information provided, I found that it serves three audience segments: donators, volunteers, and partner agencies. From my perspective, the donators group is the one the organization mostly to target, because compare to other groups, the organization provides exhaustive introductions about donation and put them on a more easy-to-grasp place. For instance, three out of five homepage text blurbs and the first picture comes out in the homepage are all about donation The website groups related items into different menus and links. However, the link name and the hierarchical order are confusing to me. The main menu arranges information as HOME, TAKE ACTION, EVENTS/FOOD DRIVES, END HUNGER and PARTNER AGENCIES. For the first sight, people will not understand what the END HUNGER section means and will have to search. Besides, I think the END HUNGER and EVENTS/FOOD DRIVES sections should be before the TAKE ACTION and PARTNER AGENCIES. Because people need to see the organization’s mission and approaches before making a donation or partner decision. Moreover, the website does not do efficient in terms of web navigation. Different audiences have to click back and forward among different links to get all the information they want. The website’s menu put donation and volunteer together into the submenu of TAKE ACTION; It puts some of the partner agent information strangely into the END HUNGER section; Besides, the â€Å"Need Food Now† which links to Gleans partner agencies occurs twice at the top-row menu and the right column header within a screen length. This duplicate link is unnecessary since to find the information, you do not even need to roll your mouse. The bottom-row menu provides some site navigation about jobs and contact information but does not list any helpful information on location or site map. All these designs make the presentation distracting and inefficient. When I look into its content, I find the information is periodically updated, however, not fresh. The last update news is in October. I volunteered with Gleaner on the first Saturday of November and wanted to see our volunteer pictures on the website. It is clearly promised on website, the volunteer section that the pictures will updated per week. However, it seems that the company ate its words. Since the news is not newest, current audiences will feel disappointed and the prospective audiences may lose their interest to keep looking at the site. Despite the fact that some information is not easy to access for certain audience, the information content itself is helpful. For example, when I go to the Bag Hunger event link, I can find a very attracting event poster, the event date, location, contact information and even a calendar which brings you to previous and upcoming events. The website is written in a consistently professional and friendly tone. It invites interaction with email newsletters, facebook, twitter, mobile and visiting tour. Most of its texts maintain pleasing, easy-to-read line length, use the font size and color that are easy to read from the background. The line spacing is consistent and easy on the readers’ eyes as well. The text is balanced with vivid illustrative graphics and bulleted lists. The graphs in the website are really powerful. They are adorable and creative in design. When surfing the site, I even stored some pictures in my computer. But a problem about them is the size. They are so small that I have some struggles to catch the words in the picture. Thus the small size kills the informational effectiveness of the pictures. Glearners’ Food Bank has its headlines and page title clear, very simple but still to the point. So it saves the readers’ time and keeps them interested. Its name and logo are on every page and links to the homepage. The internal links provides identification for all pages with both heading and a short text that explains the purpose of each page. For the Donation site, you can see a description that â€Å"You can help feed our hungry neighbors today with your donation of funds or food to Gleaners†. For the volunteer, it has â€Å"View a list of current volunteer activities†, â€Å"View our Volunteer Scrapbook to see some of the thousands of volunteers who assist Gleaners every year† clearly states the purpose. The heading also contains a search with an advanced searching option. I tried the search by Wayne State University, and hoped to find their volunteer picture in the scrapbook. But the search gave me twenty unrelated Wayne community, Wayne annual report things. It did not work adequately. On a whole, I will trust the website with my information because it presents its information in a professional way and also because it is a member of many reputable charity organizations. Even though from my perspective, some items are grouped overlapped and they lack strong logic drive, most of the words are really simple and informative. To make the website look better, I suggest the following: * Make the images larger and easy on the reader’s eyes * Delete the duplicate hyperlink â€Å" Need Food Now† * Change the â€Å"END HUNGER† to a more clear and understandable title * Arrange the menu into a logic order –put END HUNGER and EVENTS/FOOD DRIVES sections before TAKE ACTION and PARTNER AGENCIES * Make sure the content is current and keep its weekly update promise

The Role of Information Technology in Education Essay

The Role of Information Technology in Education explores the potential for technology to redefine the terms of teaching and learning. Can the tools of technology break through the barriers to educational progress? What inhibits the effective use of technology? What are the perceived and the real limits of these tools? Thirteen grantees are helping to answer these questions. In 1998, we noticed that computers in classrooms, frequently donated by well-intentioned companies, too often sat idle, or if used, amounted to little more than enhanced typewriters. Making computers available in schools was not sufficient to realizing technology’s potential. The Role of Information Technology in Education initiative explores factors necessary to help technology reach its potential for learning. From the public school to the university setting, from local communities to nonprofit organizations, these grantees each offer a unique perspective on the role of technology in education. To learn h ow technology is one of the many tools that can educate and train employees, visit: Pioneer Employers. Early Assumptions The Hitachi Foundation issued the Tech Ed Letter based on these ideas: 1. A vast majority of schools have the equipment. Schools, districts, and states seem to have found money for hardware, but have invested only meagerly, if at all, in training teachers to use the technology. 2. The education sector has no systemic approach to upgrading the skills of its professionals in both pre-collegiate and higher education. If done at all, in-service technology training for teachers has been limited in number served and scope, traditional in its delivery (typically one-time sessions), or left primarily to individual teacher initiative. Training typically has not helped teachers understand how to integrate technology into the curriculum. 3. There are pockets of innovation. Individual teachers, students, and communities are delivering specific advances at every educational level. Advances can be grouped into 5 categories: pedagogy: enhanced capacity for tailoring instruction for individual students and monitoring student performance to assess instruction efficacy. constructing local content: through collaboration made possible by technology, students or professors in  several locations, drawing on local content can transform classroom practices. professional development: information technology makes possible high-quality professional development at times convenient for the teacher. Technology can overcome school scheduling problems by delivering training during off-hours or as the teacher works with students and colleagues in the classroom. collaboration: teachers and students can collaborate outside the classroom in synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (delayed response) fora, which brings far more resources, perspectives, and analysis to classroom assignments. economic efficiency: schools and universities are finding ways to use technology creatively to save money or expand productivity. 4. Technology is a tool — a means rather than an end. 5. Using technology effectively in the classroom means transforming the classroom, teaching, and learning. Productive use of technology does not mean using it solely to help slow students catch up, to occupy quick achievers, to reward good behavior, or to baby-sit. Where technology is yielding results, the classrooms are student-centered, with teachers as coaches and guides. Outside resources come to class and students go outside the classroom. Technology allows engagement, review, and especially assessment in broader, deeper ways. Portfolio Goals In addition to each project’s individual goals, we had these broad goals for the portfolio: Illustrate how technology is being used to make possible new methods, outcomes, and advancements in teaching and learning. Illustrate specifically how information technologies can improve or advance teaching or learning, and for whom. Identify unused or unexplored opportunities to strengthen teaching and learning through the use of information technology. Advance the practice of collaboration. Document and disseminate program models. Grantees California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA This project is creating interactive Web Site teaching applications for K-12 teachers in the Banning/Carson Cluster (Los Angeles Unified School District). Teachers will be able to tailor self-paced and class-wide  instruction, develop and revise the applications, monitor and evaluate their approaches and student performance on specific subjects and problems, provide students with individual problem sets, and collaborate with other teachers. Catholic University of America, Washington, DC International Virtual Department for Historical Studies of Mathematics The Catholic University of America, in partnership with the Mathematical Association of America and numerous scholars at universities worldwide (including Oxford, Russian Academy of Sciences, Princeton, and Kyoto), is implementing, evaluating, and disseminating an International Virtual Department for Historical Studies of Mathematics. The Children’s Museum, Boston, MA – Teacher-to-Teacher On-Line @ The Children’s Museum The Children’s Museum’s Teacher Center is creating Teacher-to-Teacher On-Line @ The Children’s Museum, a training and discussion forum for elementary teachers to exchange activities, ideas, and curriculum as the state institutes new curriculum frameworks. Delaware Education Research and Development Center, University of Delaware, Newark, DE First-State Instructional Resource System for Teachers (FIRST) This project is establishing, testing, and refining the First-State Instructional Resource System for Teachers. FIRST is an Internet-based professional development system linked to Delaware’s state education reform movement. The site will include professional development units that illustrate effective teaching of curriculum concepts, curriculum units linked to state standards, teacher discussion and collaboration forums, teacher comments on curriculum units, related commercial curriculum resources, and assessment techniques. Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School, Los Angeles, CA The Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School started The Talons 2000 Academy – a four-year, college preparatory program with a focus on business and technology. The Academy, within the walls of ERJ/SHS, is developing a student-led business to build, refurbish, and support computers throughout ERJ/SHS, the LA Unified School District, and the community. Information and Referral/Volunteer Connection, Coeur d’Alene, ID Community Science Online uses information technology to teach science by integrating scientific content with local and regional history and discussions of contemporary events in an interactive Multi-Object-Oriented environment. Leadership,  Education, and Athletics in Partnership, New Haven, CT – LEAP Computer Learning Centers Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership, in conjunction with the Hartford and New Haven Housing Authorities, Yale University, and Connecticut College is creating parent and student outreach programs in LEAP Computer Lea rning Centers in three CT cities. LEAP is evaluating the impact of the centers’ programs on child development and technology skill building and increasing the breadth of technology training for LEAP parents and schools. New York Institute of Technology, Central Islip, NY – Educational Enterprise Zone The New York Institute of Technology, in partnership with the Nassau and Dutchess County Board of Cooperative Educational Services and seven museums is creating an Educational Enterprise Zone. Linked by low bandwidth videoconferencing and a host of other technological tools, museums, libraries, teacher centers, and others will beam their knowledge into schools. Northwest Arctic Borough School District, Kotzebue, AK – The Virtual Village Northwest Arctic Borough is creating The Virtual Village project to train student technology leaders to be mentors to teachers, students, and staff in order to help teachers incorporate modern technology so students can preserve and spread traditional cultural knowledge. The project addresses challenges and opportunities that include a transient teaching pool, isolated villages accessible only by air, and curriculum material that is not linked to village re alities or traditional knowledge and ways. Scott Lane Elementary School, Santa Clara, CA – 1000 Days to Success in Reading Scott Lane Elementary School is adding technology as it starts the second year of its 1000 Days to Success in Reading project – a warranty program that guarantees all children who entered kindergarten in September 1997 will be reading at or above grade level by the end of second grade. The project is training teachers to use technology and integrate it into the curriculum, establish a cyber-space library, allow broader interactions among teachers to expand their resources and support services, and engage parents, community volunteers, and the larger school population in the educational process. Tucson Unified School District, Tucson, AZ – Community Learning Project The Tucson Unified School District, in collaboration with The University of Arizona, is implementing the Community Learning Project at two elementary schools. The project will coordinate three existing pilot programs to  provide a comprehensive, experiential, interdisciplinary education experience for children and their university mentors. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA – Facilitating the Community as a Learning Community The Facilitating the Community as a Learning Community project expands and improves the Blacksburg Electronic Village community netw ork and its links to K-12 education and community interaction with a new Web-based multi-user domain. The project will develop, implement, and investigate educational activities that involve real-time collaboration with community members and activities that engage citizens on matters of community interest. World Game Institute, Philadelphia, PA – NetWorld Game Learning Project The World Game Institute (WGI) and four collaborating museums are supporting the NetWorld Game Learning Project -a comprehensive Internet-based education program for high school teachers and students. The NetWorld Game Learning Project creates an Internet-based simulation of real world situations that complements high school curricula in four U.S. cities. University of Oklahoma Colleges of Engineering and Education, in partnership with the State Department of Education, Norman, OK The Colleges of Engineering and Education, in partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education, is creating an Internet-based training program to instruct teachers how to incorporate electronic media into their classrooms. Teachers learn how to develop and use graphics, animation, simulation, distance learning, network-based collaboration, online courseware, and streaming video to both amplify their teaching style and immerse students into the constantly changing world of technology.

Technology for Youth – Boon or Bane

Technolgy has revolutionized the human existence. Much of the progress that mankind has made in different fields right from the stone age to the modern age is due to the progress made in the field of science and technology. Not only material progress but also the mental outlook of man has been influenced by it. It has made man's life happier and more comfortable. Agriculture, business, transport, communication and medicine to name a few are all highly indebted to the wonders, science has produced. We have become scientifically more advanced from our ancestors.This is because the world has undergone a tremendous change because of the rapid strides made by the science and technology. Anything, which has advantages, has disadvantages also and this holds truth in case of technology as well. Nowadays, if we have to reserve a seat in a railway comportment we need not go to the railway booking counter, we can do this just through the Internet by E-Reservation system. Similarly, if we have t o send a message to anyone, instead of sending a conventional letter we can send an e-mail.Telephones and mobile phones are so commonly being used by us that it has become difficult now to image life without them. All this, I feel, is enough for us to realize that technology has entered into our day-to-day life. Electricity is one of the greatest wonders of modern science. The growth of fast modes of transport and communication has changed the world into global village. In the field of agriculture, science and technology has helped in increasing the crop production and improving quality.Science has enabled man to diagnose and treat many dangerous diseases. Information technology and computers have revolutionized our life-styles. But, the boon of science, in many cases, has been turned into bane because of its misuse. Science has posed a threat to the very existence of mankind with weapons-nuclear, biological, atomic, chemical etc. Cyber crime is the latest addition to crimes' list. Misapplication of science has brought mankind to the path of destruction. We should use science to get its blessings and not misuse it to make it a curse.Advantages : Internet provides one of the greatest benefits when it is used to provide educational opportunities for students based on their abilities and interests. Any lesson can become more motivating, exciting, and memorable for a student when it is aided with audio-video information from the internet. Brain research shows that individuals remember events and facts in more detail for a longer period of time if there are emotions involved in the initial learning experience.Therefore the Internet can increase the emotional impact of lessons and make learning interesting, fun and meaningful to students. When students gain experience learning for the pure joy of learning, their emotional interest, intrinsic motivation, and hunger for knowledge also increases The internet is a powerful resource for learning as well as an efficient m eans of communication. E-mail, chatting etc. have given a new way to discuss, impart and spread education through internet communication.Its use in education provides a number of specific learning benefits like independent learning, development of research skills, access to resources etc. The internet is a huge bank of learning material. It keeps on expanding the resources available to students beyond the standard print materials found in school libraries. It gives students access to the latest reports on government and non-government websites which include research material, scientific and artistic resources in museums and art galleries and other organisations with information applicable to student learning.One of the main advantages of the internet is that it a time-efficient tool for teachers which has the possibility of curriculum development by incorporating internet-based activities into mainstream literacy programs and bringing diversity to their teaching strategies. Disadvan tages : Risky chatting in chat rooms dedicated to teenagers another problem area. Paedophiles often frequent chat rooms where they know children and teens will spend much of their time. A real life meeting with such might lead to abduction, rape, torture or even murderPast studies have shown a change in social trend where teenagers are rejecting real relationships and friendships for cyber relationships. This can have several unforeseen implications. Internet has increasingly become a way to escape problems or relieve negative mood, which is not a good solution. Traditional methods of dealing with such problems are proper, effective and reliable way. Though the Internet is a treasure of information but not all of it is beneficial for the betterment of the society. Some information like a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a pipe bomb can lead to serious consequences both for the culprit and the public.The Internet also exposes children with inaccurate information from unreliable s ites and confuses students by exposing them to con world of Advertisers who have one aim and that is to sell their products. This leads to misinterpretation of facts and unwise judgements. Not everything on Internet is accurate or legit. The answer to ‘Whether technology is Boon or Bane is Debatable' and just like all the other advancements in technology, we have to accept the two sides of the same coin. The Technogy can and will be used for good or bad.

Major Approaches to Knowledge Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Major Approaches to Knowledge Management - Essay Example Peter Drucker introduced the first related term ‘Knowledge Worker’ in 1960. Over the years, there has been a significant growth in this field and various authors and scholars have brought a number of different areas of focus on the subject. Carlie (1998) highlighted that several theories were developed to manage the intellectual capital in the 21st century. Graham and Thomas (2008) believed that KM is supported as a means of harnessing and utilizing intellectual resources to address challenges, as well as improving innovation, business performance and client approval. Since 1996, there has been immense and rapid growth in terms of KM. Knowledge is the awareness of what one knows through study, reasoning, experience or association, or through various other types of learning (McInerney, 2002). KM consists of four key processes to include knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing, scoring knowledge and knowledge use. DeNoni, Orsi, and Pilotti (2009) believed that the impleme ntation of knowledge management needs effective methods of accessing, measuring and controlling information to manage increasing complexity. This paper aims at highlighting the major approaches that have been developed for KM. This paper addresses the various approaches that have been developed and the importance that this plays in the success of a business. A comparison of the similarities and the differences of the major approaches are discussed. Finally, the importance of computer technology in capturing the unique level dependent organizational knowledge will also be discussed. It is essential to briefly understand the meaning of KM before moving into the various approaches. KM has been discussed and described by several experts. Ron Young, CEO of Knowledge Associates International has defined KM as, â€Å"the discipline of enabling individuals, teams and entire organizations to

NONE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

NONE - Essay Example This is the most popular and long lasting pedagogic economic notion and the best example in the combination of both economic and moral arguments that economists based on. Some of the aspects of the concept of just price, such as the production cost and the biased efficacy concept of value continue to be controversial. One group of scholars is for the view that just price concept is purely the modern marketplace price and functions similarly in the competitive environment. While on the other hand another group argues that, the concept does not describe the current market and gives principles that contradict the modern developments in our economies. Traders must reach to an agreement in which both the seller and the buyer will consider it fair (Wilson 56). Thus, the concept of just price, which advocates for mutual benefit, is among the best bequest scholastics to the economic thinking. The theory plays a vital role in the process of price determination in the current market. Human beings depend on each other and it is therefore morally wrong to exploit others through unfair dealings. On the other hand, traders must understand that the main purpose of creating goods and services is to satisfy human needs therefore, there should be fair rules and regulations to ensure efficient production and distribution of commodities to the people. Every private owner selling something does not only deal with his commodity but also deals with the necessity, which is common to himself and the buyer (Monsalve 7). There are some circumstances in which the just price theory becomes irrelevant acting in opposition to fairness in the current economies. Some of these include the condition of high number of buyers and shortage of goods and services together with the mode of sales and high sums of money involved. When goods are sold on credit, the number of buyers increases because they will not need cash to buy the goods and there is the risk of damages that must be put

Strategic Financial Concerns for a Typical International Investment Essay

Strategic Financial Concerns for a Typical International Investment Project - Essay Example International projects quintessentially engross a broader array of issues than domestic projects and efficaciously, the extrinsic movement from one's own business authority exclaims many unknowns. The factors that influence the investment decisions of the owner with international capital amenities can appear to be a bit intricate and may differ considerably from plan to plan. According to Walewski and Gibson, the accomplishment of a particular project can depend upon a comprehension of the stakes related to such projects. International projects with meticulous reference to investment which are not able to meet factors like possibilities, resources, and schedule often accrue in an array of influences with crucial financial, social, and political consequences (Walewski and Gibson, 2003). Most of the industry psychoanalysts like Hann and Diekmann construe to the fact that the globalization of international investment market facilitates with tremendous opportunities for business individuals to expand in to new-fangled foreign markets (Hann and Diekmann, 2002). Economic and financial stakes influence the selection of project delivery and documents where currency vacillation impersonates a vital role in resolving the segment of the project which can be contracted for represented overseas. According to Kumar et. al, factors like policy corruption is a critical factor in determining the currency crises (Kumar et. al, 1999). Innumerable risks and risk-associated procedures, when assessed by Dias and Ionnou, related to the fact that there are generally two kinds of risk: 1. Pure risk when there is likelihood for financial thrashing and no likelihood for financial gain 2. Tentative risk which is involved with the likelihood of both gains and thrashings (Dias and Ionnou, 1995). Many contracted projects are featured by the incongruity between the contracted date and the payment date (Mehrez and Regev, 1983). It is commonly viewed that such a situation is largely engrossed with ambiguities regarding the cost payments, both innate for the project and the investor who has to ensure sufficient funds for the payment time. However, it can be presumed that the decision maker is in possession of an assortment with both liquid as well as non-liquid assets, and it is exorbitantly pricey to bring into use the non-liquid assets in order to finance the projects. Moreover, the liquid assets or the budget are adequate to the project and can be somewhat deferred for the project, thereby, springing a low return, and partly be utilized for an optional long series of Financial Plan with high

The religious culture of the Yami Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The religious culture of the Yami - Essay Example The â€Å"Legend of Imulud† demonstrates explains why bamboo, fish, iron, and silver are considered by the people of the Yami tribe to be of great importance. Silver which is assumed to have been discovered by the Son of Bamboo, is frequently used by the Yami for purposes such as ornamentation of helmets for ancestral ceremonies as well as when performing religious rites. On the other hand, Iron, which is alleged to have been discovered by son of Stone, is considered insignificant. The myth demonstrates the importance of Bamboo. Yami as well as many Asian cultures use bamboo for several purposes such as a delicacy for many households. The creation story depicts a harmonious association between the Yami and the fish. This is because the Yami value maline food. Therefore, the Yami culture is greatly embedded in the Yami creation myth. Therefore, the â€Å"Legend of Imulud† is crucial in explaining the creation of man as well as clarifying the social mores observed by the Yami society. The â€Å"Legend of Imulud† clearly explains the history of the Yami and the reasons why they respect certain objects. However, it fails to explain the Yami cosmology. By this, I mean that the concept of how the gods came into being is lacking. However, the myth is quite similar to the creation story in the bible, which also fails to explain the origin of God. Therefore, the myth demonstrates that not everything can be explained (Yami Culture Web). The Belief System The Yami belief system comprises of cosmogony that is considered as underdeveloped. However, some researchers argue that the cosmogony could have been developed but has regressed. The belief system is based on belief in aspects such as demons. However, the belief has some features that are reflective of Christianity practiced by denominations such as Protestants and Catholics. The Yami describe a pantheon comprising of numerous divine layers inhabited by different deities. The firs layer is considered the habitat for the main god who is referred to as Simo-Rapao. This god is considered in charge of all other gods. The other gods are supposed to report to him on all matters regarding the Irala people. Ayami myth claims that Simo-Rapao was responsible of creating the first two people. As aforementioned, the first two people were created from stone and bamboo. Simo-Rapao follows instructions from other gods and punishes wrongdoers as advised by the other gods. The pun ishments could be in terms of calamities that are capable of affecting the entire tribe. The second layer in inhabited by Sio-Mima, who is considered in charge of the world comprising of islands of Japan, America, Formosa, Ivatan. Si-Toriao is considered the occupant of the third layer. He is responsible of bringing rain as well as lightning. Si-Lovolovoin is considered the messenger of the gods. The Yami invoke Si-Lovolovoin in their chants especially during the fishing season when the natives request for plenty of flying fish (Leeming 278; Kuang web). Other gods such as Si-Videy and Si-Pariod occupy the lowest layer. The Yami myth claims that these two gods plenty of yams and taro and leave the people with very little food to survive on. When caterpillar invade the Yami territory, they blame it on Si-Videy and Si-Pariod. Pina-Langalangao and Sinan-Maniray are two female supernatural being that the Yami believe in. Although the two female gods are not considered part of the deities , the Yami believe that the two control the birth as well as the lifetime of the humans. According the Yima, the two female supernatural entities crack a coconut during birth and measure the juice that outpours. Additionally, the entities can assess the water-containing capacity and use it to determine the lifetime of an

American Music Composers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

American Music Composers - Essay Example These learnings were then inculcated in the styles and forms apt to American culture and tradition to be able to compose "American classical music" (Sherrane 2007). This may be so, but the song and music heritage of the United States credits many American composers who have contributed to the musical history of the country. Among these composers is Charles Ives (1874-1954), hailed as the greatest American Composer by Time Magazine and Leonard Bernstein (Gutmann 2002). The History of American Classical Music is very rich and deep in its context. There are many contributors to American Classical music and they have indeed shaped what American music is today. These composers and musicians have worked hand in hand to establish music that has shaped how music is composed, played, performed, and listened to. The great American composers have sought to define music and contradict the form and style to be able to create new music that is apt for American culture and tradition. Born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut, Charles Edward Ives was a democrat who was described as fierce, optimistic, and idealistic in his ways of creating music that unified the voice of the American people with music derived from European classical music form and style (Swafford 1998). What emerged from the genius of Charles Ives was music that surpassed the expectations of man and his imagination. His music was in every essence bursting of American culture yet unique in its every note, tempo, and form. The primary influence and driving force of Charles Ives in his musical pursuit was his father, George, who was then leader of the Danbury Village Band. At five years old, he was found by his father drumming his fists on the piano and was hence given drum lessons (Swafford 1998). It was also his father from whom he received his first lessons in piano and other instruments. Until the maturation of his musical career, Charles Ives was infamous for "requiring a board to play the Concord Sonata" (Swafford 1998). This lead to what is now called the "tone clusters" (Swafford 1998). His interest in bi-tonal forms, polyrhythms and quotations was as well instilled by his father (G. Schirmer Inc. 2006). As his father loved exploring acoustics, dissonance, happenstance, and counterpoint, Ives was raised with an inquiring and transcendental approach to music (Gutmann 2002). As George Ives would always then say to him: "Don't pay too much attention to the sounds--for if you do, you may miss the music. You won't get a wild, heroic ride to heaven on pretty little sounds", Charles Ives sought to capture the emotion, the story, and the spirituality of life using music (Swafford 1998). Ives was thus driven to search for that heroic ride to heaven. What resulted from this was his creation of music so radical and original in its technique and style that it was surprisingly complex and very tricky to perform. In 1893, Ives left Danbury to study in Yale, New Haven. There, he underwent training under the supervision of Horation Parker, who was then famous for his high-Victorian oratorio Hora Novissima (Swafford 1998). It was in Yale that Ives created his First Symphony and First String Quartet, that he later subtitled "From the Salvation Army" in an attempt at a joke (Swafford 1998). It was during these four years in Yale that he got a better grasp of large scale forms, and his works then revealed a developing maturity

Finance and Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Finance and Accounting - Essay Example Both these ratios address the bankruptcy issue. According to the calculated ratios, Qatar Telecom’s liquidity position seems to be strong as compared to Vodafone in both the years 2010 and 2011. Qatar Telecom’s personal liquidity ratios have deteriorated in 2011, compared to 2010, but then even the company has a stronger position as compared to Vodafone, which almost has balanced proportion between its current liabilities and its current assets. Vodafone’s personal current and acid test ratio has reduced in the year 2011 and it currently has a ratio of 0.49:1 and a 0.48:1 current and acid test ratio. Gearing Ratios Gearing ratios analyze the proportion of debt to equity within the financing of a company. These ratios illustrate as to how much a company is financed via and how much via equity. A company having more loans and less equity is said to be highly geared and is considered to be more risky but having said that, it can never be stated that a low geared com pany is good, since it is considered to be taking less initiative, hence a balance is to be maintained. According to the calculated ratios, Qatar Telecom is highly geared as compared to Vodafone. The ratios clearly illustrates that the Qtel’s debt financing is 1.59 times its equity financing. Qtel has reduced its debt financing by paying off some of its debt as compared to the year 2010 but this has not been a significant reduction. Qtel’s debts almost amount to 61% (0.61) of their total assets, hence it can be seen that the company has heavily relied upon debts. Vodafone on the other hand has too little debt financing and it can be seen from the ratios that the company prefers equity financing over debt financing. As...By June 2008, Vodafone received was awarded telecom operating license within the country, making the company as the second mobile phone service provider within the country. Vodafone started its services within Qatar on 1st March 2009. This ratio provides an idea to the investors as to the return that that would extract from the company. The return on investment for Qtel has improved and has increased by 1.79% (5.82-4.03). Vodafone’s return on investment has also improved but the company’s losses would not be able to make them give any good to their investors. Since both the companies operate within the same sector, a fair comparison between the performances of the two would be more fruitful. The best technique available to analyze the financial performance of both the companies would be to use ratio analysis. There are various ratios which can be used to evaluate the performance. Following are the ratios which have been calculated to assess the financial performance of both the telecom service providers. From the ratios, it can be derived that the financial performance of Qtel is way better than Vodafone but it can be argued that Vodafone is still within its early and growing phase and that the company has shown good prospects, hence it can improve with the passage of time.

Proof reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proof reading - Essay Example There are select set of questions to assess the teaching of the course. This term may refer to the form and completed survey or a summary of the response to questionnaires. They are meant to produce recommendations that are useful to teachers that schools can use to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The process (data collection) shows the impact of teaching and student learning. Analysis and interpretation of data, and the response and display are valuable for several reasons (David et al, 2005). They are useful because teachers can examine the different interpretations and how to improve teaching. This information is used by administrators with more input in summative decision making (e.g. decision support management of salary increases, awards etc.) (Dunegan et al., 2003). Generally, these assessments include the evaluation ofpeers, supervisor evaluation and student test scores to create an overview of effective teaching. The objective of the evaluation is to assess how successful and effective the program has been in achieving the claimed benefits and offers recommendations for future programs (Neil et al, 1994). 3. Economy: to promote the use of broad questionnaires that need to brief a number of small scales which are reliable and simple in terms of reviewing the study of large groups and with the aim to develop questionnaires that could be completed by a group of students in about fifteen minutes. 6. The ability to identify perceptions of students in different subjects, in other words, students should learn the same curriculum in the same format and meaning as a whole but recognition of courses may vary between courses. The instruments of course evaluation used in this experiment were a questionnaire, the rating scale with 5 levels, an open-ended form, and a closed-end form. Accoridn to Leonie (1989), there are 9 parts in the questionnaire. High scores indicate that students perceived the teaching staff in the

The Rabies Virus Essay Example for Free

The Rabies Virus Essay 2.The rabies virus is in the family Rhabdoviridae in the Mononegavirale order of viruses. The rabies virus is usually bullet-shaped and is made of a long single-stranded spiral chain of RNA. The virus envelope is made of matrix protein and is studded with glycoproteins. 3.People usually contract rabies after they are bitten by an animal that has been infected with the rabies virus, though it has been shown that in rare cases rabies can infect people who just touch infected animals. The virus spreads from the site of the bite. The rabies virus attacks nerve cells in the body, because the immune system doesn’t check nerve cells as frequently as other cells. After a while, the rabies virus reaches the spinal, a large of complex of nerves leading to the brain. Once the virus is in the brain, it finds a nerve cell and uses its glycoproteins to attach to the membrane. The virus is then brought into the nerve cell by pinocytosis. After the virus enters the nerve cell, it usually moves through the cytoplasm and hijacks the free ribosomes. The virus instructs the ribosomes to produce copies of itself. The copies leave the brain and travel down through the nerves to the salivary glands, where the virus waits for the person to bite something else, so that the virus will again be transmitted. 4.Although the rabies virus can infect all warm-blooded mammals, it mostly affects raccoons, particularly on the East Coast. In the United States, cases of human rabies are increasingly rare, but some do occur. Living in a developing country increases your risk of getting rabies. People who work near animals are also more likely to get the virus. Finally, recent wounds to the head and neck are thought to increase the rate at which the rabies virus moves to the brain. 5.Symptoms of rabies include fever, headache, agitation, anxiety, confusion, difficulty swallowing water, excessive salivation (foaming at the mouth), hydrophobia due to the difficulty of swallowing water, hallucinations, insomnia, and partial paralysis. Symptoms of rabies often do not appear until many days after the bite. 6.If you have been vaccinated for the rabies virus, you are in no danger if an animal bites you. Even if you have not been vaccinated, if you are given the vaccine before the symptoms of rabies starts to appear, you will still be alright. However, once the symptoms start to appear, the patient usually dies, most often from respiratory failure. For this reason, rabies is very dangerous. 7.Once you have contracted rabies, you should rapidly be given a form of post-exposure vaccine. This vaccine consists of two parts, one being a dead form of the rabies virus and the other containing human rabies immune globlin, which fights the disease in the body until your own antibodies are produced. It is important to note that if you are showing serious symptoms of the disease (such as hallucinations and hypersalivation) this treatment will have no effect and you will most likely die.

Contrast the factors a qualitative Essay Example for Free

Contrast the factors a qualitative Essay There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to the size of the sample used in a study, and there are many aspects to take into consideration. Contrast the factors a qualitative and quantitative researcher must consider when determining the sample size. How does the sample size impact the study? â€Å"Quantitative researchers seek to select samples that will allow them to achieve statistical conclusion validity and to generalize their results† (Polit 2012, p. 273). And as our text reminds us there is no simple formula to tell you how large a sample is needed for a study. The general recommendation our text gives us is â€Å"the largest sample size possible. † The larger sample size that is used increases the validity of the research. So in turn the smaller the sample size for either study increases the sampling error. The researcher should comparing characteristics of the study in relation to the variable, dependent and independent. The size for most studies â€Å"depends on the magnitude of the expected effect size, which is usually quantified by a relative risk, odds ratio, absolute risk difference, hazard ratio, or difference between two means or medians. The smaller the true-effect size, the larger the study needs to be (Hackshaw, 2008, p. 1141). References Hackshaw, A. (2008, November 1, 2008). Small studies: strengths and limitations. European Respiratory Journal, 32(5), 1141-1145. http://dx. doi. org/10. 1183/09031936. 00136408 This discussion will revolve around the topic of control. In quantitative studies, control is an important issue. What does control mean in research? Why is it important? What do you think is meant by controlling intrinsic and extrinsic variables? Give examples of effective ways to control variables in quantitative research. In qualitative research In research control is a variable in a study that usually remains constant. This variable is what the study results are compared to. This control is what helps the researcher to know if the study was performed correctly or appropriately. When we think about controlling intrinsic and extrinsic variables first we must know what these things are. By definition extrinsic means (Dictionary. com, 2013): being outside a thing; outward or external; operating or coming from without. Intrinsic means: belonging to a thing by its very nature.

Consumer Buying Behavior Towards Chocolates Consumption Marketing Essay

Consumer Buying Behavior Towards Chocolates Consumption Marketing Essay Through this descriptive study we have tried to analyze the various attribute that different buyer seeks while making purchase of chocolates of different size and quantity for different purposes altogether with significant differences in favorite brand; flavor; price and place of buying etc. Also, we have tried to examine the various degree of relationship that exist between the different attributes of the product that consumer favors and the brand loyalty that consumer have toward his liked brand. Also main emphasis is laid to find out what results in brand loyalty and is this relationship is significant with changing marketplace. Keywords: Chocolate, Consumer behavior, Consumption INTRODUCTION: If people thought that chocolates were just restricted to kids think again. According to a recent study conducted by a major chocolate brand in India the major consumers of chocolates apart from kids are teenagers and people between the ages of 15 35. Chocolates which were considered expensive once have now become affordable by one and all. Most of the chocolate brands in India produce chocolates in different sizes that are priced according to their sizes. Chocolates like Diary Milk and Five Star can be got for just  `  10. Chocolates in India are slowly and steadily substituting the mithai or traditional Indian sweets. Due to the increasing levels of social consciousness people prefer gifting well wrapped chocolate packets rather than sweets on occasions and festivals. Taking advantage of this situation the top chocolate brands in India are now concentrating on the packaging and are introducing well packaged chocolates for specific occasions.   OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to make generalization of consumers buying behavior towards the purchase of chocolates and than to measure the extent of brand loyalty, altogether with knowing what other marketing mix variable affect buyers decision regarding the purchase of chocolates. This study is a step toward generalizing the consumer purchase pertaining to following major set objectives: To know the customer behavior and to identify the level of customer satisfaction towards different brands of chocolates. To know the significant promotion mix that plays role in particular market. To test the brand loyalty among different gender of different age. CONSUMPTION OF CHOCOLATES IN INDIA Chocolate consumption is gaining popularity in India due to increasing prosperity coupled with a shift in food habits, pushing up the countrys cocoa imports. Chocolate market in India is pegged at Rs 2,000 crore and is growing at the rate of 18 20 per cent per annum. The global chocolate market is estimated around $80 billion. The Indian chocolate market is seen growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 15-20%. The Indian chocolate market is thought to be worth some R1,500 crore and has been hailed as offering great potential for Western chocolate manufacturers as the market is still in its early stages. Over 70% of chocolate consumption takes place in the urban areas. Chocolate consumption in the rural areas is negligible in India. Chocolate market is a highly concentrated market, with Cadbury having 70 per cent and Nestle around 20 per cent. The two giants have been instrumental in building up the chocolate market in India with huge investments in product development, advertis ing and brand building. Modern trade constitutes about 10% of the overall chocolate category, or roughly Rs 320 crore, according to Nielsen. Of this, brand Cadbury Dairy Milk has a share of 35%, while Bournville and Silk together account for 18%. Facts Figures: Indian Chocolate Industry as today is dominated by two companies, both multinationals. The market leader is Cadbury with a lions share of 70%. The companys brands like Five Star, Gems, Éclairs, Perk, Dairy Milk are leaders in their segments. Until early 90s, Cadbury had a market share of over 80 %, but its party was spoiled when Nestle appeared on the scene. The other one has introduced its international brands in the country (Kit Kat, Lions), and now commands approximately 15% market share.  Bars or molded chocolates like Dairy Milk, Amul, Nestle Premium, and Truffle account for 35 40 per cent of the total market (in terms of volume). The Count chocolates such as Five Star, Kitkat, Perk etc. is the next largest segment, accounting for 30 per cent of the total market. Panned chocolates enjoy 10 per cent of the total market share. In India, chocolates are consumed as excitement / enjoyment and not as snack. Therefore, more than 75 per cent of chocolate purchases are impulse. Ch ocolate consumption in India has nearly trebled since 2005, which is the reason why leading chocolate companies are investing in bringing premium brands such as Toblerone. Seasonal and boxed assorted chocolates have been experiencing the fastest growth, and sales are expected to expand 13% between 2010 and 2015. Cadbury India, which has been on an overdrive to promote its premium brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk and Bournville, is now rolling out Toblerone from parent Kraft Foods stable. The per capita consumption of chocolates in India, according to Chandramouli Venkatesan, director (snacking strategy), Cadbury India, has increased from 40gm per person per year in 2005 to 110-120gm. However, the launch of Toblerone is in line with Cadbury Indias business objective of growing the premium-gifting chocolate market. Gifting is a Rs 15,000-crore category in India, of which branded chocolate gifting is about 6%. Cadbury Indias share in branded chocolate gifting is 80%. Despite the fact that Indians have strong affinity for sweets, the size of domestic confectionery market is small on account of traditional consumer tastes and habits. The Chocolate market in India is a niche market penetrated largely in urban areas and per capita consumption is low as compared to those in developed countries of the West. Cadbury Indias main source of revenue is its 70% bite of the 23,000 tonnes Indian chocolate market. Advertisement Trends (AdEx division of TAM Media Research) Regional GEC took the second place with a 21 per cent share ad volumes of chocolates, followed by Hindi movie with 13 per cent share during January-November 2007. Cadbury India Ltd was way ahead of its peers with 66 per cent share followed by Nestle India Ltd and Parle Products Private Ltd during January-November 2007. As expected chocolate advertising skewed towards kids channels and regional GEC took the second position. Cadbury India Ltd rules chocolate advertising on television. Chocolate advertising rose by 30 per cent during January-November 2007 compared to January-November 2006. Maximum chocolate advertising was during Raksha Bandhan across 2005 and 2006 and January-November 2007. 17 per cent more advertising during third quarter 2007 (Raksha Bandhan festival) compared to first quarter 2007. LITERATURE REVIEW After having detailed study of Principles of marketing management book by Kotler and Keller, we came to know about consumer purchasing behavior and other various attributes of marketing mix like place and product strategy in alignment with promotion and pricing strategies and concept of brand loyalty with all the major attributes of a good brand. Beside this detailed study of various research papers and articles has also been made to know the practical applicability of the concept. Consumer leant about chocolate from many sources, mainly from friends and families, through advertisement and from their own experience. Whether a promotion and advertising hurt or help a brand is under-researched (Mela, Gupta Lehman, 1997). In the long-run, advertisement help brands by making consumer less price sensitive and more loyal. The purchase decision pertaining to particular brand and loyalty is a result of various attributes of the product. Advertisers must remember that advertising messages are interpreted differently between different genders (Maldonando, Tansuhaj Muehling, 2003; Hogg Garrow, 2003; Putrevu, 2001). Previous studies have proven that females were more likely to engage in elaboration than men (Maldonado Muehling, 2003). Hogg and Garrow (2003) found that women paid more intention about the details of the characters of an ad when asked to analyze advertising messages. They said that this may be explained by the fact that females have a greater tendency than men to consider external information and information related to others. Women are comprehensive processors who try to gather all available information about the product Advertisement can change consumers perception of a product in terms of attributes content and proportion and also influence consumers taste for attributes (Gwin Gwin, 2003). Brand preference and product attribute: Attributes are the characteristic or features that an object may or may not have and includes both intrinsic and extrinsic (Mowen Minor, 1998). Understanding why a consumer choose a product based upon its attributes helps marketers to understand why some consumers have preferences for certain brands (Gwin Gwin, 2003). Both tangible and intangible attributes of a product are equally important in choosing a product or brand (Myers, 2003). There is no evidence that certain attributes are more related to customer loyalty than others (Romariuk Sharp, 2003). Romariuk and Sharp (2003) suggested that marketers should focus more on how many attributes the brand should be associated with and not what attributes. For low-involvement products, consumers have more objective view of the nature of the attributes (e.g. food, cosmetics) because they are constantly being advertised and promoted. Price is another form of attribute used by consumers to evaluate a product. Price can sometimes be an indicator of quality; with a higher price indicating higher quality (Mowen Minor, 1998; Siu Wong, 2002). Consumers perceive that a higher price can be attributed to the higher cost of quality control (Siu Wong, 2002). Some consumers are highly price sensitive (elastic demand), whereby a high prices may shift consumers to competitive brands (Mowen Minor, 1998). Therefore price can have a positive or negative influence on customers. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY In this study the problem pertains to both State of nature and relationship among the variable i.e.; what is general behavior of consumer and than inferenceing the relationship that exist among the different variables to test the extent of brand loyalty and influence of one variable over the other from the data. As the study is related to the study of consumer behavior toward chocolates thats why the appropriate research design used is Fundamental descriptive with the use of both qualitative and quantitative design with static research approach. Formalized research design is also taken into consideration in order to test the Hypothesis framed. In this cross sectional co-relational field study data related to various independent variables dependent variables was collected from the stratified sample of 100 individuals, including males and females of different age groups constituting the sample. All the respondents were approached on the basis of simple random sampling in convenient ma rket place to ensure the accuracy precision of results. Personally administrated questionnaires were used for conducting the survey. INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS: In our study 48% (41) of respondent are males while 52% (45) of respondent were females. In this 57% (49) respondent are student, 16% (14) were professional, 13% (11) were businessman while 14% (12) respondent were females. 33% respondent includes people of age group 10-18, while other includes those of age 19-59. Q.1 who do purchase how frequently and how much they purchase Out of 86 respondents 13 (15%) respondents buy chocolates daily while 35 (41%) of them buy it weekly compared to 16 (19%) who buy them monthly against 22 (25%) respondents who buys it occasionally. In this 12% of males buy daily while 14% of female buy it daily. While 42% of males buy chocolates in a week against 33% of females, whereas 31% of females like to buy chocolate in a month compared to 22% of males. The result of collected sample reveals that 62% (53) respondent buys less than 5 chocolates a week, while 28% (24) people buys 5-10 chocolates a week. Only 3% of respondent said that they buy more than 15 chocolates an week against 7% who buys 10-15 chocolates a week. The analysis of sample data results that females buy more chocolates than males in a week as 38% of them buy 6-10 chocolates while only 17% of males do so. 73% of males generally buy chocolate in between 1-5 packs a week compared to 51% of female respondent. It is analyzed that 21% (18) of respondent purchases chocolate costing between 5-10 Rs while 47% (40) buys chocolate that cost 10-20 Rs. Chocolates costing 20-50 Rs is preferred only by 24% (21) of respondent and only 7 (8%) out of 86 respondent buys chocolates costing more than Rs 50. Price of chocolate significantly affect different gender differently as 22% female purchase chocolates costing 5-10 Rs against 19% males, while 49% of females prefers to buy those costing in between 10-20 Rs as against 44% of males. 32% Males buy chocolates those costing in between 20-50 Rs compared to 18% of female buying the same. Q.2 For whom it is purchased In collected sample 41% (35) respondent buys chocolates for self consumption against 29% (25) who never buys for them-self. Among them 44% (38) respondent purchases for children against 15% (13) who never buys for childrens. 28% (24) of respondent buys chocolates only for the gifting. The percentage of those who buys always and never for special occasion is approximately 27% and 24% respectively. Analysis shows that 42% of females always buy choclates for self consumption where only 39% of males do same for self consumption. When it comes for buying choclates for children than insignificant of gender both have same buying behaviour. Males seems to gift chocolate more than female as 20% of them buy it for gifting compared to 12% of females. Q.3 what motivate to buy chocolate In a study of 86 respondent it was found that 17% (15)of the respondent were very tempted by the display ads while 34% (29) respondent are moderately affected by the display ads while it has no affect on purchase decision of 13% (11) of respondent. In the undertaken study visual ads highly affect 41% (35) respondent while only 9% (8) of respondent are not affected by it. 24% (21) of respondent perceives affect of family and friends on their purchase decision while it has no affect on 5% (4) of respondent. This shows that family and friends has very high affect on purchase decision of chocolates buyers. Very insignificant numbers of respondent only 2% are affected by sales-man persuasion while it has no affect on 49% (42) of respondent. Also celebrity endorsement has only a moderate influence on purchase decision of respondents. Only 9% respondent are affected by celebrity endorsement compared to no affect on 16% respondents. 42% females are affected by visual advertisment against 39% of males while the display ads affect male more compared to females with 24% and 11% of significant impact on purchase decision respectively. Also family and friend affect females(27%) more against males (22%). Q.4 Important Attribute of the chocolate It can be inferred from study that taste is very important for buying chocolate 95%males 93% females buy chocolates because of taste. 54% males 49% females are showing neutral response to availability, while 27% males 36% females say that availability is most important for buying chocolate. 19% males 15% females have least impact of availability. Price is most important consideration for 29% males 33% females. It affects 42% males 29% females moderately. For 29% males 38% female price is least important. Packaging seems to impact purchase decision of 49% males 58% females moderately during purchase of chocolates. For 22% males 27% females packaging is most important consideration for buying chocolate. 29% males 15 % females have least impact of packaging. Q.5 Advertisement seems to have moderate impact on purchase decision irrespective of gender; however 29% males 22% females are mostly affected by advertisement. 17% males 24% females are not affected by advertisement. Q.6 Forms of chocolate impact 54% males 44% females moderately while 24% males 27% females are mostly affected by form of chocolate. 22% males 29% females are least impacted by form. 80% chocolate buyer seems to buy particular brand against 7% who do not care for the brand name Q.7 how advertisements persuade consumers to purchase Sample in hands results that 20% of people like to buy due to emotion in their advertisement while 43% of respondent love fun in advertisement while only 27% of people like knowledge in the promotion mix against 10% of people who likes music/jingle. So it can be concluded that people watch and are persuaded due to fun content in the advertising of the chocolate more than any other factor. While analysing data on the basis of gender it can inferred that males (81%) like fun and emotional content in advertisement than females(47%), while female (33%) prefer knowledge content more than males (19%). While 20% of female loves music and jingles in comparison no male like it. Q.8 which brand mostly prefered by consumers In the undertaken study it was found that Cadbury is the most favoured brand with 70% of share as against 21% of Nestle, 4% 5% respectively for Amul and miscellaneous ones. It can be inferred from the collected data that females (71%) like Cadbury more than males (68%), while males prefer nestle (24%) more than that of females (18%). While demand for Amul chocolates is found to be very insignificant and equal in both the gender. Q.9 effect of increament in rates The sample analysis say that 82% respondent are highly brand loyal as 18% of them will buy the costly pack of same and 64% of them will not show any change in demand pattern. Only 5% of respondent are in favour of shifting brand against 13% who will reduce the purchase quantity if the rate increases by 2-5 Rs. The deep gender-wise analyses of result show that both genders are equally brand loyal towards price sensitivity. Results show that around 64% (in both gender) will have no change in their purchase decision while 19% of them show positive relation toward buying as they will buy more thinking quality has improved. Also its seems that Law of demand (increase case) operate on males more than females as 15% 11% of them will reduce buying chocolate with increase in prices. Q.10 from where consumers mostly buy The sample study results show that 35% (30) respondent buys from local shop against 49% (42), 7% (6) and 9% (8) respondent who buys from store, cafeteria and malls respectively. In this study, males (42%) prefer to buy more from local shop than compared to females (29%) while female (55%) prefer to buy more from stores against males (41%). While the ratio of buying from malls and cafeteria reveals there is no significant impact of it on gender as both have almost equal choices in this regard. Q.11 what consumers do if preferred bran not available The analysis of sample data says that 9% of total respondent will buy costly pack of same brand while 56% of them will move to next shop. This shows that 65% of respondent are highly brand loyal against those 30% who will buy another brand or other (6%) will postpone their purchase decision. The analysis of sample data gives result that females are highly brand loyal than males as 71% of them will buy the costly pack of same brand or move to another shop compared to 59% of males if that particular is not available. While36 % males 24% female say that they will shift to another brand while 6% of both genders will postpone their purchase decision. Q.12 how much customer are loyal to specific brand To check brand loyalty and competitive affect we has analyzed that 15% of respondent will not buy any other brand while 53% of them may consider the same against 35% who are not sure of taking decision. Our study 41 male 45 female respondents were there if another brand of the same product appears in the market then 7% males 22% females will not buy the new brand. 64% males 44% females may be considering the new brand. 5% males 18% females shall not consider new brand. 24% males 16% females cant say they will buy new brand or not. CONCLUSION: In study of 86 respondents it was found that 95% (82) respondents like Cadbury Brand, 68% (59) respondents like Nestle Brand, 24% (21) of respondents like Amul Brand 1% respondents like Other Brand. So it can be concluded that Cadbury is most famous brand among others. 50% Cadbury buyers like to buy Dairy milk out of 82 respondents 15% Cadbury buyers like to buy 5 Star out of 82 respondents. 10% Cadbury buyers like to buy Perk out of 82 respondents. So, the findings from study that most preferred chocolate are Dairy Milk out of Cadbury buyers. 36% of Nestle buyers like to buy Kit -Kat out of 59 respondents. 24% of Nestle buyers like to buy Éclairs out of 59 respondents. 20% of Nestle buyers like to buy Munch out of 59 respondents. 52% of Amul buyers like to buy Chocà ³ Mines out of 27 respondents. 48% of Amul buyers like to buy Chocà ³ Zoo out of 27 respondents. To be concluded that Kit -Kat and Chocà ³ Mines is most preferred chocolate in Nestle and Amul respectively. Also, it was found that 59% (51) of respondents like chocolate flavor, 23% (20) likes coffee flavor 20% (17) respondents like nuts flavor. So it can be concluded that chocolate is the most profitable flavor coffee second most profitable. APPENDIX 1. Ho = their exist no relationship between the gender who buy chocolate for self consumption, children, gift. Ha= Gender have significant impact on the purpose of buying chocolates. Gender Child Chi-Square(a,b) .186 13.000 Df 1 2 Asymp. Sig. .666 .002 Gender Gift Chi-Square(a,b) .186 34.907 Df 1 2 Asymp. Sig. .666 .000 Gender Self Chi-Square(a,b) .186 2.116 df 1 2 Asymp. Sig. .666 .347 After applying Chi square test on the data it is found calculated value of test is less than the tabulated one. It means that Ho is accepted thats prove that their is very insignificant difference in perception of both the gender and thus both gender buy chocolates for self consumption, gifting and children in a equitable amount. APPENDIX 2. Ho = their is no relationship in gender and frequency of buying chocolates Ha= Gender affect frequency of buying chocolates. Gender How Often Chi-Square(a,b) .186 13.256 Df 1 3 Asymp. Sig. .666 .004 our Ho is selected and Ha is discarded. Thus use of chi square test proves here that both the gender have similar frequency in buying chocolates. APPENDIX 3. Ho= Cost do not affect the purchase decision of diferent age group Ha = different age group have different perception towards cost Age Cost Chi-Square(a,b) 45.209 26.279 Df 30 3 Asymp. Sig. .037 .000 Here in this study it is found that the age and cost have significant relationship among them. It means different age group have different reaction towards different price levels. Thus our Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected. APPENDIX 4. Ho=Visual ads do not have different on different gender Ha=Visual ads affect different gender Gender Visual Ad Chi-Square(a,b) .186 32.256 Df 1 4 Asymp. Sig. .666 .000 Here Chi Square test show that tabulated value of Chi square is greater than calculated thats why our Ho is accepted, which means that there is no relationship betwen gender and visual ads. APPENDIX 5. Ho= The cost of chocolate do not affect the brand purchase Ha=The price of chocolate affect the brand purchased Cost Brand Chi-Square(a,b) 26.279 85.558 Df 3 2 Asymp. Sig. .000 .000 Here Chi Square test show that tabulated value of Chi square is greater than calculated thats why our Ho is accepted, which means that there is no relationship between cost and brand purchased.

Family Life is Good for You :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Family Life is Good for You Marriage and the family continue to weaken in a number of countries. In Canada, close to 1.2 million couples were living in a common-law relationship in 2001, up 20% from 1995, the Globe and Mail newspaper reported July 11, 2002. By contrast, the number of married couples increased just 3%, to 6.4 million from 6.2 million, over the same period. The figures come from Statistics: Canada's General Social Survey, which collected information on relationship ties, marital splits and new unions. In 2001, almost 90% of Canadian men and women aged 50 to 69 had started their conjugal life through marriage. But among men and women aged 30 to 39, the study found that fully 40% were expected to choose a common-law relationship as their first union. For women aged 20 to 29, the percentage is estimated to reach 53%. The appeal of marriage has dropped most significantly in traditionally Catholic Quebec. There, only 26% of women aged 30 to 39 are expected to choose marriage to start their conjugal lives. One-third of women in Quebec had married their common-law partner at the time of the survey, compared with 59% of women in the other provinces. The Canadian situation mirrors England's situation. On Nov. 26, 2001, the Telegraph revealed that government statistics show that the number of cohabiting couples in England and Wales has reached more than 1.5 million, with four in 10 children now born outside marriage, compared with one in 10 in the 1970s. The number of couples living together is expected to double over the next 20 years. Ireland too has seen big changes in family structures, the Irish Independent observed May 20, 2002. In 1994, one in every four children was born outside marriage. Now, more than one in every three children is born to single mothers and the rate of first births to unmarried mothers is increasing at 20 times the rate of first births to married women. The Irish Independent cited a study titled "Family Formation in Ireland" by Helen Russell and Tony Fahey that looked at cases of non-marital births and followed them up five years later. They found that only half the children born outside marriage between 1993-1997 were in a two-parent situation by 1997.

A Miracle from God :: Religion Jesus Christianity

A Miracle from God A complete wreck, I called out to God to let my mother live. I didn’t know what else I could do. I actually tried to bargain with God, that I would devote my life to Him, if only He would save her life. Understand that my dad was a complete atheist his whole life, until about a month before her problems began. He met a Christian at work who wasn’t your basic â€Å"ill-informed Christian,† that he usually ran across his whole life. My dad started reading The Bible all the time lately and his friend and my dad, one night said a prayer of healing over my mother. The next morning she woke up and she felt no pain, no skipping, no nausea, she felt great! Just to add a little note, she still hasn’t had a problem to this day. I knew it was a miracle from God; there is absolutely no other explanation! I always â€Å"believed† there was a god for as long as I can remember. I was a â€Å"Christian,† who believed in God, then went out and lived my life the opposite of a godly way. I needed a new direction and to change my life. I will never be the same person I once was. Life, in general, is so much more meaning to me now. No one can be perfect, but through Jesus he can shape us to be more like himself. God’s will is at work in my life and I thank God so much for all the joy he has given me. I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for Jesus. I would still have many more problems that I would have to face everyday. Not only my problems, but just the sole fact of feeling like there is something missing. We where created in God’s image, and while even â€Å"the best among us,† still sins, we know that we can call upon The Lord to be forgiven.

catcher in the rye Essay -- essays research papers fc

Hello, is Salinger There?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  J. D. Salinger’s only published full-length novel, The Catcher in the Rye, has become one of the most enduring classics of American literature. The novel’s story is told in retrospect by the main character, Holden Caulfield, while staying in a psychiatric hospital in California. This is a coming of age tale that is wrought with irony. Holden Caulfield, Mr. Antolini, and Phoebe are the main symbols of irony.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first and most obvious subject of irony is the novel’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield. His hatred for anything â€Å"phony† is ironic because he to is deceitful. He is constantly performing by taking a new identity for each new situation he is in. For example, in the train scene he makes up stories about one of his classmates in order to delight his classmate’s mother. He not only initiates a new identity for himself, but he also spawns a whole new fictional account of life at Pencey Prep. He even admits that he is an impressive liar. Because of his hatred for anything artificial, he searches for something real. In his naà ¯ve and desperate way he is searching for anything which is innocent and sincere (Parker 300). He fantasizes about removing himself from society and becoming a reclusive deaf mute. Regardless of his independent personality, he clearly demonstrates how severely he needs companionship. His thoughts are always of his sister , Jane Gallagher, and additional people. Another fantasy of Holden’s is to be the â€Å"catcher† of children’s innocence. Holden’s fantasy elaborates his obsession with innocence and his perhaps surprisingly moral code (Walters 1009). However, it is clear that his real desire is to be salvaged from the emptiness of his negativism. This is realized when he telephones Mr. Antolini and when he admits that he almost hopes that his parents will catch him as he sneaks out of the apartment. The Catcher, in fact, wants to be caught, the saviour saved (Engle 45).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Antolini is the subject of irony because he is actually a â€Å"catcher,† even though he is a different kind of catcher from the one Holden imagines. Holden believes that he has already fallen over the cliff into the dissatisfaction that automatically goes together with adulthood. He felt the world has let him slip trough the cracks alone and unassisted. Therefor... ... Holden states: â€Å"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author who wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it† (Salinger 18). J.D. Salinger is not available for phone conversations, but generations of readers have felt that the book alone provides that kind of close connection with its author (Guinn). Works cited Engle, Steven, ed. â€Å"Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye.† Readings on The Catcher in the Rye. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1998. 44-50. Guinn, Jeff. â€Å"Rye relevance 50 Years Ago.† Fort Worth Star Telegram. 5 August 2001. Parker, Peter, ed. â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye.† A readers Guide to the Twentieth Century Novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York: Oxford, 1995. 299-300. Rollins, Jill. â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye.† Cyclopedia of Literary characters Revised Edition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ed. Magill, Frank M. Pasadena: Salem, 1998. Vol. 1. 301. Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1991. Walters, Gordon. â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye.† Masterplots Revised Second Edition. Ed. Magill, Frank N. Pasadena: Salem, 1996. Vol. 2. 1008-1009.

Meaning of life †Evolution Essay

Everyone wonders about the meaning and purpose of life. What is our origin: evolution or creation? Should we seek material wealth, pleasure, and education, or are we here to serve and honor God? Will we be judged for our lives and face eternal destinies in heaven or hell? Please consider the answers that can be found only in the Bible. Introduction: What is the meaning of life? Without doubt, this is one of the most challenging, and yet one of the most fundamental, questions the mind can consider. People throughout history have pondered the purpose of life. Philosophers spin theories. Poets write songs. Young people drop out of society to â€Å"find out what it’s all about. † Older people may remain within the â€Å"establishment,† but they still wonder. Obviously life is real. No one can deny that the world exists and people exist. You live, eat, sleep, breathe, and move. But do you understand why you exist? Please consider with me the challenging question of life. What is it really all about? To answer this question, we will look at three specific questions. Question #1: Where Did You Come From? How do you explain the origin of the human race? Since we are alive, it is natural to wonder where we came from. One reason many people are confused about the meaning of life is that they do not understand the origin of life. To know why we are here, we must know where we came from. Many People Hold Mistaken Ideas about the Origin of Life. A commonly accepted explanation for the origin of life is organic evolution – the hypothesis that man evolved from â€Å"lower animals,† which in turn came from simpler life forms, all the way back to the first microscopic life, which sprang accidentally from non-living matter. But this theory has major problems. Where did the first living thing come from? What caused life to begin where there had never been life before? Science has repeatedly demonstrated that life comes only from life. This is a law of science called the â€Å"Law of Biogenesis. † The opposite of this law would be spontaneous generation – life beginning spontaneously from non-living matter. But science has repeatedly proved this cannot happen. So every living thing must come from a previous living thing. You received life from your parents, who in turn received it from their parents, etc. The same is true for all living things. But evolution requires that, when you go back far enough, non-living matter somehow came to life by chance where there was no life before. Evolution requires spontaneous generation in complete violation of scientific evidence. So evolution cannot explain even the origin of the very first form of life. Where is the evidence that all modern kinds of living things came from an original kind? Living things can adapt to their environment, but where is the proof they can develop into entirely different kinds of organisms such that all kinds came from one original kind? Years of human experience and scientific experimentation confirm that living things reproduce â€Å"after their own kind. † The offspring of a fish is another fish, not a snake, bird, or man. Scientists have searched for years for the â€Å"missing links† – fossils of organisms that were halfway between the kinds of plants or animals we have now. Millions of fossils have been found around the world. If evolution is true, there should be thousands of fossils of missing links, but there is no evidence of these remains anywhere. Why not? Why is man so unique from animals? If man evolved from animals and is really an animal but just slightly more complex, why do we have characteristics so vastly different from animals? Why do people appreciate beauty in art, music, and poetry? Do animals create new paintings, sculptures, symphonies, and books of poetry that they and other animals can enjoy? Why do men have a conscience and a sense of morals? Why do we feel guilty when we have done wrong, even when we have not been caught or punished? Do animals naturally possess these spiritual qualities? Why do only people wonder about such issues as where we came from? Do animals debate even such issues as creation vs. evolution? Why do we possess rational thought so much higher than animals? We can find minute variations in degrees of â€Å"intelligence† among animals, but there is a vast gulf between any animal and man. Men build machines and tools to work for us, train animals, use fire, perform mathematic and scientific calculations, read and write, and pass our knowledge on to others. If we developed from the animals, why are there no animals that possess these characteristics almost as much as we do? If we develop from the animals, why are we so different from them? Evolution is not an adequate explanation. Consider the Bible Explanation for the Origin of Life. Genesis 1:11,12,21-28. All kinds of life were originally created by God in six days. God is an eternal, living, all-wise, all-powerful Creator (cf. Exodus 20:11; Hebrews 4:4). Instead of life coming from non-living matter, life came from life – the eternally living God. Living things reproduce after their own kind, because God created them that way. And man is unlike the animals, because he is â€Å"in the image of God. † We did not evolve from animals, but we share God’s nature. Acts 17:24,25,28 The world and everything in it were made by God. He is the source of life and gives all the blessings that are necessary to life. Here is an explanation for the origin of life that fits what we see around us, fits the nature of man as compared to animals, and we will see that it provides a satisfying explanation for the meaning to life. There is sufficient evidence to compel any honest person to believe God exists and the Bible is His word. We do not have time here to examine all the evidence, but we encourage those who have doubts to investigate it. We simply observe that the Bible explanation makes far more sense than any other alternative, and that those who do not accept the Bible really cannot satisfactorily explain their own existence! If you would like to study evidence for the inspiration of Scripture or for creation vs. evolution, please see the links at the end of this study. Question #2: Why Are You Here? Do you really understand why you exist? Surely this is a fundamental question that everyone wants answered. Without meaningful goals, life is senseless and empty. Lack of purpose leads to unhappiness and even mental disorders. People need a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment in life. Many People Are Mistaken about the Purpose of Life. This is one consequence of evolution. If organic evolution is true, then there is no purpose in life. Life is an accident, and people search in vain for any meaning to it. So, many conclude that there is no higher purpose than to make life enjoyable for themselves and others. Some pursue riches and material possessions. They believe material things will make life happy and pleasant. But then they always want more: a bigger house, newer car, nicer clothes and furniture, etc. They are never satisfied. All people need some material goods, but is this the highest goal of life? Some pursue pleasure: entertainment, recreation, travel, etc. Their goal in life is â€Å"fun, fun, fun. † â€Å"Wine, women, and song† (or â€Å"drugs, alcohol, and free love†). â€Å"Be a party animal. † â€Å"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. † This philosophy is emphasized by modern entertainment. It is the beer-commercial mentality: â€Å"You only go around once, so reach for all the gusto you can. † â€Å"It doesn’t get any better than this! † One of them even names its beer â€Å"High Life. † But does life really not have any better purpose than to booze it up? Many modern entertainers have achieved â€Å"the high life† to the ultimate, but are they happy? If so, why are so many of them plagued by drug and alcohol addiction, divorce, mental breakdowns, early deaths, and suicide? Is that really a satisfying life? Some pursue education. They want to accumulate knowledge and worldly wisdom. Like the Athenians, they spend their time in nothing else than to hear or tell some new thing. In all these areas, there may be some wholesome activities that may have some benefit. But is there really no higher goal in life than these? Whatever benefits they activities provide are temporary and incomplete at best. No matter how much you have, you always want more. In fact, modern Americans have achieved these goals to a degree beyond the imagination of most people of the world and of history. We have gadgets and toys, houses and lands, college degrees, and every kind of entertainment imaginable. But do you see evidence that Americans in general are truly satisfied with life? Society is filled with crime, broken relationships, mental illness, addiction, and unhappiness. Politicians profess to see â€Å"crises† on every hand. Many people in the world never achieve these goals. And those who do achieve them are still looking for the purpose of life. There must be something more. The Bible Teaches the True Purpose of Life Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; 12:13,14. The author experienced every enjoyment of life that some people pursue: wealth, pleasure, and education as great as anyone who ever lived. Did it satisfy? What was his conclusion? It was all â€Å"vanity and vexation of spirit† (2:11). The earthly pursuits that most people emphasize simply do not satisfy in the end. What is the real purpose of life? â€Å"Fear God and keep His commands† (12:13). God created man, because He had a purpose for us to accomplish. And He designed us so that, unless we fulfill that purpose, we have no real sense of accomplishment. Instead we create problems for ourselves. What would happen if you tried to bake lasagna in the clothes dryer? What if you tried to run your car on Jell-O instead of gasoline? What if you tried to eat with a shovel and pitchfork instead of spoon and fork? What if you tried to mow your lawn with fingernail clippers? Problems often result when things are created for one purpose, but we try to use them for a completely different purpose. Likewise, our lives are not satisfactory when we do not accomplish the purpose we were created for. Matthew 6:19-21,24,33 Our main concern in life must be to work in God’s kingdom and have a right relationship with Him. Other concerns may have some value but are far less important. Note v24. You can have only one master. You cannot put two things in first place in your life. God requires that serving Him must be the most important thing in life to us. Each of us must make a choice. Either God will be first, or something else will be first. Matthew 22:36-39 The most important work God intends for us to accomplish life is to love God and love our fellowman. John 14:15 – But love for God requires us to obey Him (1 John 5:2,3). 1 Corinthians 14:37 – God’s commands are revealed in the Bible. Lasting fulfillment in life comes only from obeying God’s word and thereby serving God and man. We will not discuss here all that is involved in serving God, but we simply emphasize the importance of understanding our purpose in life. Until you understand the teaching of the Bible, you do not really understand the purpose of life. (See also 1 Timothy 6:6-10; Luke 12:15-21. ) III. Question #3: Where Are You Going? Do you understand what comes after death? You may or may not feel that your life on earth is secure, but what happens when you die? What will your destiny be when life is over? Many People Are Confused or Unsure about What Comes after Death. We can be certain that death is coming. We may not like it, but death is a fact of life. * Sometimes people contract cancer or heart disease that is diagnosed as terminal. But, â€Å"Life is a terminal disease. † No one stays here permanently. * Criminals are sometimes given a death sentence for their crimes. But we all live under a death sentence! * In college a hippie type roomed in the same house I did. He subscribed to Time magazine, and one day when the mail came we kidded him saying, â€Å"Your Time has come! † He became upset. But sooner or later, for every one of us, â€Å"Your time will come. † Death is uncertain only in that we do not know when or how it will come. But there can be no doubt that it will come. Death is sad and fearful for many because they do not know what lies beyond. Or worse yet, they do know and are not ready to face it! Sooner or later, we all must face death. What then? Science does not even try to answer this question! Philosophers or religious leaders sometimes speculate that we cease to exist at death or that we will be reincarnated. But they have no proof. Here is another major question of life for which, apart from the Bible, you cannot know the real answer. The Bible Tells Us What Follows Death. Hebrews 9:27 – It is appointed to man once to die, then comes the judgment. Jesus may come before we die; but if we die first, we will be raised from the dead when He returns. Either way, we will face God and be judged for our lives, good or bad. Someday, God will hold every one of us accountable for whether or not we have accomplished the purpose for which He created us. [John 5:28,29; Ecclesiastes 12:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10] Matthew 25:31-46 – At judgment, the righteous will inherit the kingdom prepared for them by God (v34). This is eternal life (v46). The wicked will go into eternal fire (v41). This is eternal punishment (v46). Romans 2:6-11 – What determines the reward we receive? Our works. We receive wrath if we work evil and do not obey truth. We receive eternal life if we continue to work good. Our eternal destiny depends on whether or not we accomplish our Maker’s purpose! You may ask, â€Å"How do you know we don’t cease to exist after death? How do you know we won’t be reincarnated? How do you know we will be raised and judged? † Acts 17:30,31 – We can know what comes after death because Someone has already died and come back to tell us what comes after death. In fact, He will be the One to judge our lives! [1 Cor. chap. 15] The resurrection of Jesus, the miracles of the Bible, and the fulfilled prophecy of Scripture are the proofs that the Bible is from God. If the Bible is from God, then we can be sure it tells us the origin and purpose of life and our destiny after life. Conclusion Since you will be judged for whether or not you have accomplished your Maker’s purpose, please consider further: How can you receive eternal life? Romans 3:23 – The problem we all have is that at times we have failed to do the Creator’s will. We are all guilty of sin (1 John 1:8,10). What can be done about that? The good news is that Jesus came and died to forgive your sins (Romans 5:6-10; 6:23; John 3:16). To receive this forgiveness, you must be willing to live the rest of your life in His service – â€Å"Repent. † Acts 2:28; 22:16 – If you come to Christ believing in Him, confessing Him, and being baptized, He will forgive you and make you a new creature so you can have eternal life (Romans 6:3,4; Mark 16:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 15:58). Why continue life without investigating God’s way for your life? Suppose you are about to buy a house, but a friend promises you that he knows that house and it is in terrible shape in ways that are not obvious. Suppose he assures you that you are about to pay thousands of dollars more than the house was worth. Would you ignore the friend’s advice, or would you investigate? In a similar way, we are advising you in love that living life apart from obedience to God may seem pleasurable and attractive, but in the end it will lead to catastrophe. Surely you need to investigate before it is too late! Someday you will wish you had lived your life for God. If you are not living it for Him now, we urge you to find out what His will requires of you. If you already know, we urge you to obey while you have opportunity. The Bible has the answer to the most important questions of life. There is no need to go through life wondering â€Å"what it is all about. † Why not find out and begin to live according to the purpose for which you were made? Note: If you would like to study further about life after death, eternal destinies or other related Bible topics, we have a number of other study materials on our web site that should interest you.

How advertisement effects people’s lives Essay

As Americans we are exposed to advertisements everyday. People are pressured from every direction by advertisements which exploit their deepest fears, attractions, needs, and desires, shaping their behaviors, goals, and thoughts. They are led into believing false information and promises that are mostly never kept, all for the simple reason of selling the product and making profit. We see advertisements everywhere–in magazines and newspapers, on the radio, on TV, online, in the mail, even over the phone. These advertisements use the basic ideas of either providing an elite status with the possession of the product, or giving a sense of belonging to a group or community. Since the recent military activity in Iraq and Afghanistan, another ever present idea has been made prominent and that is using patriotism to evoke people’s desires. Americans are persuaded into buying unnecessary items everyday; however, we need to realize that no matter what advertisements say we should purchase items for their usefulness, not to fill voids in our lives, so we can help eliminate the problem we face today of being a materialistic society. The patriotic theme affecting people’s hearts, minds and senses, is commonly used to manipulate them into buying things. Since everyone has love for their country, using it to sell products is a brilliant idea, but I believe this is a bad practice. It makes people believe they are not ideal Americans, nor are they similar to the people around them if they do not buy that product. The Palmolive advertisement, in Seeing and Writing 2, is a key example, it appeals to the wives of the men at war in World War II (417). On the top of this advertisement there are three medals which contain picture of three different men in their uniforms and the words â€Å"For Him† appear next to each picture. In the lower part of the advertisement there is a woman looking up at these medals and above her head are the words, â€Å"I pledge myself to guard every bit of Beauty that he cherishes in me†, and finally in the background there are several faces of women also looking towards the medals. This advertisement is basically communicating to the wives the idea of guarding their beauty, by using this soap, just like their husbands are guarding their country. The ironic fact is that soap cannot make someone beautiful, nor do people lose their beauty if they do not use the correct brand of soap. This advertisement is connecting a heroic and patriotic act  to one used for mere beauty, in order to sell the soap. The Palmolive advertisement was run in 1943, but a more current advertisement which uses similar attributes is Chevrolet and its slogan for its recent line of cars, â€Å"An American Revolution.† This slogan is always placed on a blue sky background and the writing is in bold white letters, except for the â€Å"E† in â€Å"Revolution†, this letter is written in red ink. So when you come across this slogan, not only does the slogan sound patriotic to you, it also appears to be patriotic because it incorporates the red, the white and the blue. This phrase says to its audience that every American is buying and driving a Chevy car and so should they. Another detail that could be interpreted out of this advertisement is that since the U.S. is currently at war and fighting a revolution against terrorism, a person living in the U.S. can participate in this patriotic revolution by purchasing a Chevrolet. This would be true only if Chevrolet was funding the war, instead of the US government. Along with this, another advertisement that exploits this concept was the Netzero advertisement run during the time before the elections. In this advertisement the spokesman was running for President under the alias of Candidate Zero. His main goal was to provide cheaper and faster internet to every family and household. In order to get people’s attention, this clever idea was used, and it certainly worked on people like me. Viewers could also connect the advertisement with the actual presidential race and that way the product of the advertisement was stuck in their conscious awareness. The whole patriotic theme is strange because the connection between patriotism and the product does not make the product function better, so why do we feel obligated to pay attention to the advertisement and even purchase that product. Along with patriotism another concept used widely is the elitism the product brings to people with its possession. As Jack Solomon wrote in his essay Masters of Desire, â€Å"We Americans dream of rising about the crowd, of attaining a social summit beyond the reach of ordinary citizens† (1). He is basically saying that Americans want to be better then the people around  them and this belief is what marketers feast on, creating status symbols like Rolex, Mercedes, BMW, etc. One advertisement that crosses my mind in terms of using elitism would be the new U2 iPod Special Edition advertisement. This promotes an iPod with a black cover and laser engraved signatures of the U2 band members; everything else is similar to a regular iPod; whereas, the price is $50 more. People are led into believing that the U2 iPod is better than the regular one only because it is endorsed by U2. Another ironic detail is that a normal iPod itself is a product of elitism, because even though it has similar functions to a Sony or any other MP3 player, it costs $100 more only because it comes with the signature white headphones. These headphones, unique only because an iPod come equipped with them, have made themselves and the iPod a status symbol. Most people only buy an iPod because they want the headphones to show the illusion of superiority and uniqueness. Solomon says, â€Å"The explanation is quite simple: when an object (or puppy!) either costs a lot of money or requires influential connections to possess, anyone who possesses it must also possess the necessary means of influence to acquire it† (3). This explains why the white headphones have made the iPod a status symbol, since its shows possession of an expensive item, even though rationally speaking the color of the headphones does not make the iPod function better, they only make it different. Solomon also talks about another part of the American Dream, in which belonging to a group is important. The Chevrolet slogan connects us to the entire American population; the iPod connects us to other owners of an iPod, and so on. We need a sense of connection and belonging, fulfilling our need for attention and affection. Abraham Maslow, a founder of humanistic psychology, created a triangle in which he placed a person’s needs in the order they needed to be fulfilled and the need for love and belonging was the third basic need. Disillusioned by the advertisements, people try to fulfill this need by buying the products. This proves that using this theme advertisers are able to affect the person on much deeper levels then recognizable, yet by no means does the product itself become more useful. It is understandable that advertisers need to appeal to people in order to  sell their product and that is why they use these tactics, but what is not understandable is while knowing the truth people believe the hoaxes and let advertisements dictate what they are going to buy. People need to realize that products should not be used to fulfill our weaknesses; they should be consumed based on our needs, because companies will keep manufacturing status symbols until we accept that products and items are only materialistic and we can never attain all the luxury items around us. We are scammed into buying false promises everyday, after we realize that we have a choice against it, we can choose not to let advertisements or minor details about the product like the endorsements, or the color of headphones, or the catchy slogan persuade us into buying a certain item.