Friday, December 27, 2019

Physical Training Uniforms And The Army - 853 Words

The Army have given me a lot of opportunities and a different way of life. As I approach retirement, overall the Army has changed in many areas from the time I joined. There are many people, events and situations that have taken place which have encouraged me to be successful in the Army. Even though, some times were fun and other times it was rough, however I would not change anything because it has made me into the person I am today. The Army overall as a whole has changed. When I was a Basic Traininig Drill Sergeant the privates had more previliged that when I went to Basic training. I could remember standing in a line for hours only to use the public phone for about 10 mintues to speak to your family members. Now, they use their cell phones all day on Sunday and then turn it in at the end of the day at formation. Battle Dress uniforms with black boots are now Army Service Uniform with tan boots. The physical training uniforms has changed about two times since I’ve been in the military. First we wore the grays which was horrible because when it rained your physical training uniform would stick to you. Then it change to the gray shirt and black shorts, which is better because it kept the wind off of you and does not stick to your body unlike the gray uniform. Now, the Army has switched again to black physical training uniforms which are lighter in weight but have no protection from the rain during the summer and none during the winter from the wind because theShow MoreRelatedPhysical Training Uniforms And The Army854 Words   |  4 PagesThe Army has given me a lot of opportunities and a different way of life. As I approach retirement, overall the Army has changed in many areas from the time I joined. There are many people, events, and situations that have taken place which have encouraged me to be successful in the Army. Even though, sometimes were fun and other times it was rough, however I would not change anything because it has ma de me into the person I am today. The Army overall as a whole has changed. When I was a BasicRead MoreArmy Where of Uniform1099 Words   |  5 PagesThe army physical training uniform is made up of many different parts. The most commonly used is the summer wear. The summer wear consists of a short sleeve shirt, black running shorts, reflective vest, white socks, and running shoes. The cold weather physical training uniform consists of improved running jacket, improved running pants, long sleeve physical training shirt, black running shorts, reflective vest, white socks, a black fleece cap, black gloves, and running shoes. Soldiers may not mixRead MoreWear and Appearance of the Army Uniform1503 Words   |  7 PagesIn the army there are many uniforms a soldier has to wear. This is for the different activities a soldier does. For everything from their daily Physical Training (PT), their regular working uniform Army Combat Uniform (ACU), or their dress uniform either the Army Servi ce Uniform (ASU), or the Army Green Service Uniform (Class A). Each uniform is design to fit a specific task and to be worn a in certain way. A great resource for either the ASU or the Class A is the â€Å"U.S. ARMY UNIFORM GUIDE.† I foundRead MoreMilitary Bearing Essay1046 Words   |  5 PagesIn the United States Army, military bearing is the root in which every service member practices in order to carry out good discipline and ethics throughout ones military careers. The Three General Orders of a Soldier, The articles of UCMJ, as well as our own Sailors Creed illustrates how a military service member should conduct himself or herself on a daily basis, on and off duty. Dependability is a major aspect of military bearing. Without dependability, one can neither perform properly in theRead MoreThe Subculture of the United States Army Essay1122 Words   |  5 PagesOne subculture within the United States is that of the US Army. The Army defends the nation against all enemi es, foreign and domestic. It is an exclusive group since not everyone in the country serves in the Army. The US Army’s official birthday is June 14, 1775, however its origins are much earlier than that. During British colonialism, citizens often had to take up arms to defend themselves, primarily against the Indians, since the British did not have a significant military presence in AmericaRead MoreThe Differences Between the Army and National Guard1126 Words   |  5 Pagesmission of the Army is to fight and win our Nation’s wars by providing prompt, sustained land dominance across the full range of military operations and spectrum of conflict in support of combatant commanders. There are five branches of the military, but there are two branches that are always up for debate on which to join. Active Army and National Guard have many differences, such as deployment rates, retirement, and command; however, they are similar in training, rank, and pay. The Army, Navy and MarineRead MoreArmy. Having the Right Attitude2125 Words   |  9 Pagesthe right uniform. It represents the army and what we stand for. In the united States Army paying attention to detail and following your chain of command is important part in the mission. Failure to do so can affect the mission drastically. it can hinder even small parts, in which case can turn into something more important. In this essay, I will, hopefully, be able to explain the importance of all of the listed above in the following paragraphs, as well as a way to adhere to the Army StandardsRead MoreDiscipline: United States Army and Soldier985 Words   |  4 PagesThe Importance Of Being disciplined/keeping an appearance In The U.S. Army The following essay is a compilation of my personal experiences, definitions, and examples of how discipline is important to surviving in today’s U.S. Army. Discipline is increased when one constantly adheres to the standards set by his superiors and maintains not only his bering, but appearance as well. Discipline is: acting in accordance with the rules put in place and behaving in accordance to the rules of conductRead MoreMilitary Police : A Military Policeman1123 Words   |  5 PagesThe United States Army has many jobs in which civilians can choose to enter that will allow them to specialize in a field of their choice. Many people have joined to serve their country, others have joined to make a living and some enjoy the sense of adventure. One of the many jobs available to a man or woman is a military policeman. As a military police, one is in charge of all the doings on the facility they are stationed at, as well as the little things that take place on base, such as t rafficRead MoreHuman Technology And Its Impact On Society868 Words   |  4 Pagessoldier in the Army control becomes very evident from the first day of basic training; so, when our military travels around the world, the product is a very effective fighting force created through: regulations, knowledge, and rules. To begin, regulations are a common requirement for all employees to learn, and as a young soldier it seemed intimidating because of the large amount of information. For example, every aspect of the Army had a field manual or a book, like Physical Fitness training, Drill and

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Junot Díaz Drown a Struggle for Cultural Identity

Dà AZ’S DROWN: A STRUGGLE FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY 1 Junot Dà ­az’s Drown: A Struggle for Cultural Identity Against an Unjust Society Dà AZ’S DROWN: A STRUGGLE FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY Junot Dà ­az’s Drown: A Struggle for Cultural Identity Against an Unjust Society Junot Dà ­az’s Drown is a compelling and surprising set of short stories, each affecting the reader in a different way, but all making an impression. These stories follow a variety of characters, often depicting the experience of the immigrant experience in the United States. Many themes are present throughout this collection of stories, including a struggle for cultural identity, belonging, love, and loss. According to Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert (2000), â€Å"Drown chronicles the human cost†¦show more content†¦198). 3 Dà AZ’S DROWN: A STRUGGLE FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY It is not just the language of the Dominican culture that we find characters struggling to hold onto in Dà ­az’s Drown. We also find that the characters walk a fine line of defining themselves as newly Dominican American, and it seems they feel pressured to leave behind their old ways and traditions to join their new society. In the short story â€Å"Fiesta, 1980,† we find many examples of the family being torn between their Dominican customs and assimilating to their new American life. This story begins with the explanation of Papi’s most prized possession: a brand-new, lime-green, Volkswagen van. Much to Yunior’s chagrin (due to the fact that he gets sick every time he rides in the vehicle), this van means a lot to Papi, because to him, it represents an American family. According to John Riofrio (2008), â€Å"it[the van] is the embracing of the American way which has reenabled Papi’s masculinity,† (p. 33). After arriving at their Tia and T io’s home for the party, Yunior sneers at his relatives’ apartment stating, â€Å"the place had been furnished in Contemporary Dominican Tacky† (p. 32). It seems as though Yunior, after only a short period in America, is already feeling embarrassed by his culture’s traditions. This chapter of the book also discusses the betrayal of Yunior’s father to his family, by having an affair with a Puerto Rican woman, whomShow MoreRelatedJunot Diaz Drown Research Paper1665 Words   |  7 Pagesis a means to retain one’s identity; however, as they become more assimilated in their new communities their language no longer reflects that of their identity but of their new cultural surroundings. When an immigrant, immigrates to a new country they become marginalized, they’re alienated from common cultural practices, social ritual, and scripted behavior. It’s not without intercultural communication and negotiation do immigrants conform to new surroundings. In â€Å"Drown,† the title story of hisRead MoreEssay on Drown886 Words   |  4 Pages Drown   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The fact that I am writing to you in English already falsifies what I wanted to tell you.†(Diaz) Drown; a compilation of short stories, by Junot Diaz portrays the integration of fiction and truth. Yunior, narrator, as he tells his stories, he exaggerates and jumps from one period of his life to another. The characters of the story can relate to many young adults. Their experiences and the journeys of their lives are what most Hispanic teenagers go through. The 10 different storiesRead MoreDrown895 Words   |  4 PagesDrown The fact that I am writing to you in English already falsifies what I wanted to tell you.(Diaz) Drown; a compilation of short stories, by Junot Diaz portrays the integration of fiction and truth. Yunior, narrator, as he tells his stories, he exaggerates and jumps from one period of his life to another. The characters of the story can relate to many young adults. Their experiences and the journeys of their lives are what most Hispanic teenagers go through. The 10 different storiesRead MoreThe Post Colonialism Theory : Opinions And Opposing View Points1842 Words   |  8 PagesThe Post Colonialism Theory: Opinions Opposing View Points The postcolonialism theory is a theory that has brought many controversies and opposing viewpoints across the world of literature. In, -this theory, a set of lost identities, use of language in writing, and the questioning of the real definition of this theory are some of the characteristics highlighted in this concept. On the other hand, conflicting opinions, multiple perspectives, and authors not agreeing on the definition of this theoryRead MoreThe Functions Of Language And The Language1888 Words   |  8 Pagesexpression of identity, play, imaginative expression and emotional release. We can distinguish between a native language, which is a biological necessity that helps to man take part in a community and built an identity; and a secondary language, which is the language from a country where you do not live there. The contact between two or more languages can cause languages or dialects with influences of each other as well. English is a language without politic, geographic and cultural borderlines,

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Elites and the masses Essay Example For Students

Elites and the masses Essay Elites and the MassesThere are many theories pertaining to the nature of power in society. In modern society, it is important to identify where and when power is exercised, who benefits and who suffers from it being exerted upon them. In this tradition, it is useful to examine the managerialist perspective. Managerialism focuses on organizations as the basis, or unit of analysis of society, to which all other aspects of society are subordinate to. These organizations use their resources in an attempt to dominate each other and society. Managerialism tells us that power is concentrated among a group of elites who control organizations, and use them as an instrument to gain more power and expand their realm of control. Organizational power is increasingly the most important force that explains the direction of change in both state and society (Alford and Friedland, p.174). Thus, elites are becoming the most important factor that determines our society, and do not serve the full interests of society, but rather attempt to manipulate the masses to better serve itself. Max Weber’s theory of bureaucracy lends itself to the notion of the managerialism. He claims that as society becomes more integrated and complex, organizational elites come to be more dependent on specialists and expert s, or bureaucracies to advise and influence them on decisions. Bureaucracies are groups of individuals doing specialized tasks which blend into a cohesive and efficient unit. Power becomes increasingly centralized within bureaucracies and the elites who control them because as they grow, becoming more powerful, they use that power to gain more control over the masses. Weber saw the historical development of societies as a movement toward rational forms of organization, that is, groups organized not on the basis of the authority of personalities and traditions but on the basis of specific functions to perform or objectives to meet (Marger p. 72). Weber often used the notion of a machine to illustrate what he meant by modern organizations, referring to people as â€Å"cogs† that serve the machine, losing their identity and creativity in the process. Although Weber admitted that both mechanization and bureaucracy together created an extremely efficient and productive economic sy stem, they also worked to build an iron cage around the individual. The iron cage is the idea that increased mechanization and bureaucracy alienates and removes the individual from direct control over their environment and depersonalizes them to the point of being like machines. The increased use of assembly lines in production is a prime example of depersonalization within bureaucracy. Weber identifies several different types of authority. One is traditional legitimacy, which states that authority is bestowed upon someone based on traditional roles of authority, such as the pope or even the parents of children. Charismatic authority tells us that some are granted legitimacy to have authority over our lives by sheer charisma, such as Martin Luther King jr., Adolf Hitler and Gandhi. The third type of authority is rational-legal authority. This states that we grant legitimacy based upon the office they serve. An example of this is the inherent authority of Jesse Ventura over the people of Minnesota, simply because he holds the title of governor. In the managerial perspective, the economy is seen as a process of three different factors: industrialization, elite competition and bureaucratic rationalization. Industrialization is characterized by the increased role of technology as an integral factor of production. As industrialization and science further blend together, the economy becomes increasingly large and complex, making bureaucratic organizations more and more of a necessary function to the advancement of the economy and society at large. The advance of large scale corporations with more coordination within markets forces our government to become more bureaucratized to efficiently regulate the economy. The seeming inevitability of bureaucracies to handle increased industrialization reflect the functional emphasis within managerialismIn the managerial perspective, democracy is seen as a consequence of elite competition (Alford and Friedland, p.176). Organizations such as political parties and interest groups are dependen t upon mass membership and participation, but participation is mobilized by the elites of these organizations, who compete for more power. They gain power by accumulating more popular support, and could further use their power to manipulate information that gets filtered down to the masses to benefit themselves. The interests of elites to undermine mass participation illustrates the political emphasis of managerialism. Sourcery School of Hogwarts EssayThe writings of C. Wright Mills reflect the political bias within the managerialist perspective. Mills argues that the power of elites, specifically elites within the political, military and economic realm are the decision makers in society to which all other areas of society are subordinate to. Each of the three are interrelated and have tended to come together to form â€Å"the power elite†. Although the three do work together to form a sort of coalition of interests, Mills sees the economic elite as the most influential, because the political and the military are controlled to a degree by the money supplied to them by the economic realm. The most common interpretation of the American system of power suggests the image of balance and compromise, which Mills contends has become a part of the middle level of power, with the elites at the top levels. The many competing forces making up the middle levels of political decisions are often concern ed with issues that involve the specified interests of specific groups, not concerning the upper echelon of politics. The actions of such middle-level powers may indeed have consequence for top-level policy; certainly at times they hamper these policies. But they are not truly concerned with them, which means of course that their influence tends to be quite irresponsible (Farganis, p. 295). Thus the middle level of politics is not where the big decisions of national and international concerns are made. Interest group cannot affect decisions made by elites, but merely react to them. Mills also believes that the dimensions of the middle class have changed from small businessmen and farmers to white-collar employees working for large corporate bureaucracies. The old middle class was an independent power base within society and the new middle class is not unified enough to be an important factor for social change. The public often becomes an administrative fact (Farganis, p.298). There are many big differences which set pluralism and managerialism apart. One major one is the role of the individual. Pluralism holds the values of the individual as a paramount force in society, where managerialism states that the values of the mere individual are inconsequential because they are not powerful enough to affect the will of the elite. Power is decentralized in pluralism, spread out among individuals with common interests who join together for a common goal, while managerialism believes that power is centralized among a small group of elites who work to get more power, and will even manipulate the masses in their own best interest. Pluralism believes that the citizens dictate to our government the proper policies to enact, when managerialism says that people in a position of power dictate policies to the public. In addition, pluralism assumes a consensus of values among individuals, while managerialism sees society working by conflict and coercionBibliographyAlford a nd Friedland, Chapter Seven, â€Å"State and Society in Managerial Perspective,† in Powers of Theory, 1985, p.161-83. Martin Marger, Ch.4, â€Å"The Elite Model,† in Elites and Masses (New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1981). George Ritzer, â€Å"The Weberian Theory of Rationalization and the McDonaldization of Contemporary Society,† p 37-62 in P. Kivisto (ed.), Illuminating social like (Thousand Oaks, Pine Forge Press, 1998). C. Wright Mills, â€Å"The Structure of Power in America,† in James Farganis (ed.), Ch. 11 â€Å"Conflict Theory,† Readings in Social Theory (NY: Mcgraw-Hill, 1996).

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 Essay Example

Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 Paper Stereotypes often reflect and are formed from dominant hegemonic values of that specific time. In victor Flemings Gone with the Wind (1939) characters such as mammy clearly reflected the dominant ideological beliefs of that era. With the acceptance of slave labor shaping these beliefs she was representative of the expected and accepted historic black stereotypes of funny fat woman, comic servants, and natural entertainers. In the 1960s revolutionaries such as Martin Luther King played a key roles in challenging peoples perceptions of women and men of all equalities. Along with the civil rights movement these derogatory and dominant stereotypes gradually began to change. During the late 50s to the late 60s Sidney Poitier was the only black leading man working consistently in Hollywood feature films. The civil rights movement had shaped the contours of Poitiers career. Non violent demonstrations for black equality had forged a culture in which his image resonated, and his movies had prompted racial goodwill. He made his feature-length movie debut as Dr. Luther Brooks, a black doctor who treats a bigoted white criminal, in No Way Out (Joseph L. Mankiewicz. ) (1950). He was the second black actor to win an Academy Award (Hattie McDaniel had won a best supporting actress Oscar for Gone with the Wind in 1939) His role in (No Way Out) established a significant pattern both for Poitier himself and for the black actors who followed him; by refusing roles that played to a racial stereotype, Poitier pushed the restrictive boundaries set by Hollywood and made inroads into the American mainstream. In contrast to the films of the 50s and 60s films of the blaxploitation era cast black people in roles such as pimps, drug dealers and sexually promiscuous characters. We will write a custom essay sample on Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Black people were given lead roles and often white people were portrayed in a negative way, often racist bigots in authoritative roles to reflect the injustices that black people often suffer at the hand of white supremacy. The blaxploitation films were heavily critisised for continuing to use stereotypes but constant popularity amongst the black community allowed films that followed to have similar success such as Gordon Parks Shaft (1972). From a Marxist point of view it could be argued that in a world in which white hegemonic males run our institutions it is impossible for this dominant representation of ethnic minorities to change. The negative images which are created generate ideologies in societies. People of ethnic minorities are therefore prevented from moving up the social hierarchy, and consequently are unable to gain position in the media and are forced to continue to be subservient to the white hegemonic males. With films continuing to produce unrealistic presentations of people of ethnic origin, Crash was anticipated to be a film in which we were offered and alternative ideology and ultimately the negative stereotypes would be challenged. Some critics however have argued that the latter stereotypes are not subverted or challenged; they are simply reinforced and are presented to us as reality. Even when characters surprise us, which happens frequently, it is often by behavior that is just as stereotypical as what we expected, except that it represents a very different stereotype. Crash deliberately shows slanted prejudices against minorities. Latinos become cheating Mexican gang bangers. For example the depiction of Daniel the locksmith The wife of the D. A Jean Cabot insists on having the locks changed when Daniel leaves as she believes he is a (gang banger, with prison tattoos). Blacks become either in the case of men gun-toting criminals, Anthony (Chris Ludacris Bridges) and his side kick Peter Waters (Larenz Tate) or righteous upper class characters such as Cameron (Terrance Howard. ) Asians become greedy smugglers. And whites oversee this chaos with condescending bigotry. As In the depiction of the two white police officers Officer John Ryan (Matt Dillon) and Officer Tom Hansen (Ryan Phillippe) A more contemporary representation is illustrated by the character of Farhad (Shaun Toub). Middle Easterners are depicted as stubborn, incoherent convenience store owners. Toubs character may reflect the current Middle Eastern stereotype subject to the aftermath of 9/11. This current representation is further explored and the severity of the situation revealed when we see Farhad shoot a gun at a small child, many other guns are raised by characters of ethnic origin, but Farhad who is mistaken for being Iraqi (when in fact he is Persian) is the only character to attempt murder. This is further highlighted with mention of Osama Bin Laden in relation to Farhad, reflecting the current feeling of jingoistic resentment displayed post 9/11. Possibly the only two characters that offer us a true alternative are the characters of peter waters (Larenz Tate) and Daniel (Michael Pena). Daniel is mistaken to be a gang member and because of his appearance (having a shaved head and supposedly having prison tattoos. He is revealed to be a farther who is working hard to provide and protect his wife and young daughter. Peter represents a modern stereotypical image which reflects African-American thug lifestyle and its relation to Christianity. Many people believe Tupac Shakur is responsible for the Thug life movement when in fact he himself said I didnt create Thug Life, I diagnosed it Tupac Declared the dictionary definition of a Thug as being a rouge or criminal was not how he used the term, but rather he meant someone who came from an oppressive background and had little opportunity but still they managed to make a life for themselves and were proud. Shakur regularly quoted the bible and in the Code of Thug life there are similar rules for a member to follow as in the bible. Peter has turned to crime in a city in which he feels he is forced to due to lack of opportunity, this further supports the theory that in a world in which our societies are controlled by white middle class males, people of ethnic origin will be forced to continue to struggle to move up the social hierarchy. Some critics argue however that the most cliched stereotypes are the truest as the majority stereotypes derive from some form of truth. As mentioned before African American characters in early films were represented in a way that would reflect their treatment in the slave trade, and therefore so do more recent stereotypes. Towards the end of the 20th century many immigrants who came to America came in search of the American dream. They invested in small retail businesses and now according to trade associations, 50,000 to 70,000 of the 140,000 convenience stores in the United States are owned by south Asians, Therefore the image of Farhad is originally a form of reality. Although these elements can be hugely exaggerated to create a stereotype that is comical and can be mocked. For example Apu in the Simpsons runs the Kwik-E-Mart. He has many stereotypical traits including: he has a strong work ethic, having a recognisably South Asian name, a strong Indian accent, he is often a victim of crime both children shoplifting, attempting to buy alcohol and armed robbery. Although again this can mirrored in Farhad as he is often a victim of crime. Most of the representations offered to us in the film are stereotyped characters who do not subvert previous representations or ideologies. However it could be argued that there is a need for these stereotypes. Many large Hollywood production executives would argue that in order for a mass audience to accept a text as reality stereotypes still need to be present to enable an audience to connect with the characters and to find them to be believable. It is important in many parts of the film for the audience to engage and empathise with characters. In order to generate empathy and to allow the audience to relate to characters there must be a certain degree of identification. This idea explored in the film. Cameron (a black film director) is asked by a colleague to shoot his last scene again because one of the black actors on set isnt speaking black enough, the white director believes that the audience will not recognise the actor as black unless he speaks in slang. Many people who havent experienced these ethnic minorities directly in L. A are likely to accept them as reality, thus generating and fueling previous negative ideologies. The alternative stereotype of an African American is offered in Crash through the characters of Christine and Cameron. Educated, successful and affluent citizens, Cameron and Christine could be seen to fall into the stereotype of noble negro. This is avoided as we get glimpses of a profound relationship in which they are far from a sexless married couple. We see conflict between them suggesting a more complex relationship than what is presented to us on the surface. This contemporary representation starts to move away from the stereotypical interpretation of an African American couple. However after an unwarranted police stop, Christine is enraged about her husbands refusal to intervene when white cop Ryan uses the pretense of frisking her to feel her up even feeling her crotch. She harangues against what she sees as a cowardly Uncle-Tomism, whilst he insists he acted the only way he could, that when a white man has power there is no way to win, so you do what you can to survive. This exploitation and suppression of African Americans at the hand of white people would imply that racism is primarily institutional; however the ideology behind the film suggests that discrimination and racist attitudes are down to the people who perpetuate it. For example Officer Ryan verbally abuses Shaniqua (Lorreta Devine, a black case manager at an insurance company. She bears Ryans racism with dignity as he unloads his frustration with the insurance companys rules about his fathers care onto her, in the form of a livid and ignorant rant against the Affirmative Action Programme. She appears to be a more reasonable principled character in the film. However this is short lived, in a key point at the end of the film. Shaniqua has a car crash were an Asian woman rear-ends Shaniquas car. She then emerges from her car shouting dont talk to me unless you speak American. The LAPD is represented by two characters and from two different perspectives. Both of which a subverted though out the movie. One perspective is from that of Officer Ryan. In contrast to his previous wrong doings, fate places Ryan at the scene of a car crash where Christine the woman who he previously sexually attacked is in a life threatening situation. Ryan now subverts his previous stereotype and puts his own life in danger to rescue Christine, even after she hysterically rejects his help. The juxtaposed perspective is offered by Officer Hanson (Ryan Phillepe. Hanson in contrast to Ryan is compassionate and idealistic. Hanson tries to prevent the incident between Officer Ryan and Christine and throughout the film he tries to uphold his morals. Though he is that character who is most committed to racial justice at the end of the film Hansons fears overcomes justice and he shoots an innocent black man (Peter) (Larenz Tate. Hanson thought he was well intentioned only to find that he harbors a deep-seated form of psychological racism hidden within his consciousness. This racist view was unbeknown to Hanson, who believed he was an upstanding, understanding individual. His act of racism did not derive form an overt or pervasive discriminatory view on his behalf, but rather from a systematic fear that existed deep within his consciousness, due to years of conditioning us with of archetypal impressions created by the media. It could be argued that Hanson reflects how many of us judge by appearances. The ever-present stereotype of the African American, that we have been conditioned to accept as reality, presents us with a image of a young black male who is a criminal who is much more likely to have a gun in the pocket of their jeans than a religious statue of St Christopher, therefore the film has now revealed the key ideology that every person is capable of intolerance. The depiction and later transformation of many of the stereotypes could be seen to support the theory of the Other which proposes that those who are different from the norm (white, heterosexual, middle class males) are often perceived as being the other. This ideology only exists due to white males dominating our influential hegemonic media institutions. They create positive and powerful representations of themselves which as before with Ethnic minorities we are conditioned to accept them as reality. Therefore they continue to maintain the most dominant and powerful positions. The media institution behind a text will have influence over the objective of a movie. Lions gate (distributor and producer) of Crash best known for distributing films too controversial for the large American companies such as Fahrenheit 9/11 and American Psycho. However a major investor in Lions Gate Films is Yahoo! , who previously has been accused of being racist. Consequently it could be argued that they could have had control of the overall ideology behind the film. All those who challenge the hegemonic ideology forced upon us are represented as negatively and are stereotyped in order to control them. This theory is evident in the film when we see Officer Ryan rescues Christine. The previous racist white male is redeemed by his heroism, while the black woman is reduced to incoherence by the situation and is forced to be silently grateful for his transcendence. The idea that from each scene a intelligible and blatant moral is expressed purposely provokes the audience to decide if in reality this how prejudice is expressed or if in fact people are more understanding. The reception theory initiated from the work of Hans-Robert Jauss is greatly supported by Hall. This textual analysis focuses on the capacity for compromise and resistance on behalf of the audience. This means that there is an aspect of viewing in which the audience will not passively absorb a text instead they will actively negotiate the meaning. The meaning will an individual conceive depends on their cultural background, as a result of the background some will accept a text and others will reject it. The reading of the representations could be seen in two ways depending on the beliefs and background of each individual viewer. Paul Haggis stated I hate as Americans we just love to define people. We love to say Good person, Bad person. In this film at least I didnt want us to be judging others. I wanted us to be judging ourselves. This offers us an insight into his original intention for the film, with the idea that the film would revolve around race decided later. The twin elements of accident (literally and figuratively) and coincidence connect the various stories, which are intended to prove that people form harmful prejudices from a combination of impressions and individual psychoses. I believe Ethnic stereotypes play a very significant role in the understanding of the film Crash, On either of its two dimensions. In order to understand the film either on a simplistic representational level, or else seeing the film as an example of maybe considering social conflicts as externalisations of a fundamentally internal crisis, which therefore allow the audience to realise that the complexity found in each character can in fact undermine the entire concept of a stereotype, consequently producing realistic individuals who are surrounded by racial conflict in post 9/11. To understand and examine racial issues in the after math of 9/11 looking towards real life will enable us to predict the stereotypes that may also become hegemonic ideologies in America.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Relationship between Advertising Industry and Media in 20th Century free essay sample

Introduction Advertising is a key for the economy of consumers. Without it, people would face difficulty knowing what services and products are available. Adverting indeed is vital to a prosperous social order. It is also the financial basis of important contemporary mass media (John Vivian, 1997: 315). Advertising performs the dual role of informing and entertaining in the media. It informs us of the products and services that are available for us to buy and use. Along the way, it also entertains us with some amusement, witty, or clever use of words and photos. Media advertising has another vital function. It helps offset the price of the media communication itself to customers. If we didn’t have ads on radio or television, the expense of programming would need to return through taxes, government monies, or sponsorships (Helen Katz, 2003: 5-7). Advertisers know the value of product placement. As the personal media turned into the standard and mass media fragment, advertisers are again trying how they reach consumers. We will write a custom essay sample on The Relationship between Advertising Industry and Media in 20th Century or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page More dollars of total advertising budgets are diverted to more targeted technologies while a smaller percentage will be spent on traditional media. Data mining and personalized electronic approaches are increasingly critical to marketplace success. Researchers and advertisers used data mining process to see what websites a person visits, what media the consumer uses, what did she/he buy and other to uncover economic data and demographic to define and classify prospective customers. Looking out databases for prior purchase information and assumptions concerning spending habits based on each home’s location, provides advertisers with clues on how to focus on specific customers (Peter B. et al, 2007. P. 254). For many decades, the newspaper, magazine, radio and television media have been the main sources for manufacturers to advertise their products (Wilson, James and Wilson, Stan Le Roy. 998. P. 319). In this essay, we are going to find out how has the relationship between media and advertising changed in 20th century? And how both worked together? Our focus will be on radio, television and Internet, because they came to exist in 20th century and had a big influence on the world of advertising. After giving a short history of advertising, we will discuss them one by one. History of Advertising The first advertising was oral, in ancient times used by barkers in the marketplace shouting the wares of merchants. Nowadays some advertisements are still oral. If we tune in television we will hear barkers shouting the stuff of automobile dealers. The history of outdoor advertising can go back to posted notices on papyrus in ancient Egypt for runaway slaves. Notices of runaway slaves and bond servants, with rewards offered, may have been the first written advertising, instead of something for sale. During all the centuries of slavery such notices were posted for the logical reason that these valuable pieces of property did not enjoy their lifes condition (Irving Fang, 1997: 61). Even at this early point in the history, advertisements were of key importance, when it came to informing consumers about new products. Coffee is one of such example; in the Middle East coffee was introduced as a drink for the first time, in the fifteenth century. The quick spread of coffee as both a drink and a pattern of behaviour (coffeehouses became social gathering places) advertising of coffees benefits was taking a huge place in newspapers (Mediaknowall). Advertising agency was another facet of advertising in the late nineteenth century, an American phenomenon which spread to Europe and then all over the world. The notion of agency began earlier in the century in France, where newspaper publishers considered the acceptance of ads directly from advertisers as beneath their dignity. Instead, they retailed space in bulk to contractors who sold the space to those with goods to sell. Later on, this concept was adopted by American agencies (Fang, 1997: 62). Wilson and Le Roy Wilson declare that establishing the first advertising agency goes to Volney Palmer, who started the agency in Philadelphia in 1841. By 1870, however, N. W. Ayer, the Americas oldest ad agency functioning today, began representing advertisers, helping them get the best results for their advertising dollars (1998: 296). In the World War II many civilian firms cut back on their advertising budgets. Others simply changed the content of their ads and instructed consumers how to make their products last until after the war instead of selling their products . The growth of advertising can be described as fantastic from the end of the war in 1945 to the late 1980s. The exchange from a war economy to a consumer economy encouraged a spurt in advertising as manufacturers hurried to get the order for all the goods and services that people had gave up buying because of the war (Joseph R. Dominick, 1990: 366). By the 1950s, advertising in its own right was considered as a profession, not just the remit of newspapermen or poets who were unsuccessful. It draw the attention both men and women who wanted to enjoy using their creativity in order to make some serious cash. Hard-working, hard drinking, unconventional and often amoral, the flannel suited Ad Man became a recognisable archetype, the personification of a new kind of cool (Mediaknowall). The period from 1950 to 1975, saw the incredible increasing 490 percent amount of money which spent on advertising. Also during this period a number of significant developments took place. TV’s growth which was of the most important significant developments as a national advertising medium had an impact on both radio and magazines. Radio became a medium and primarily used by local advertisers. Magazines that designed for particular audiences attracted more advertisers, but general publications (such as Colliers and Look) were unable to compete with TV and finally went under. Also in this period, the consumer became a more powerful force in the Responding marketplace. To increased consumer pressure, during the 1970s the Federal Trade Commission introduced corrective advertising. From 1950 to 1980, direct advertising which was done mostly through the mail, increased by more than 800percent. This increase was due to the growth of computerized mailing lists the expanded use of credit card shopping, and the coming out of the telephone as a marketing tool. Finally, the advertisers have become more stylish in their methods appreciation goes back to the emergence of computers and other electronic data processing devices. (R. Dominick, 1990: 366) Types of media like newspaper, magazine, radio and television were the main sources for manufacturers to advertise their products but that began changing in the 1980s and 1990s. For example, in the 1980s some advertisers like Coca Cola began operating commercials in theaters before showing the coming attraction trailers; the aim was targeting untapped audience of moviegoers. The reaction of clients was not too positive. In a 1988 survey, one-third of the audiences stated that they favored the advertising in movie theaters one-third were opposed to, and one-third didnt care. By1996, a similar survey found that between two-thirds and three-quarters of movie goers only 2 to 3 percent objected the commercials and others all liked it. By increasing the advertising time to follow the lead of European nations was the next step. At that time theater patrons in France could expect to see an average of 20 minutes of advertising before the movies started. And England was running around 7 minutes of commercials in movie houses. During the1990s the traditional media also became concerned as many large department store chains turned to the World Wide Web not only to advertise their products using the Internet for mail orders but also to sell them (Wilson and Le Roy, 1998: 319). Advertising and radio The 1920s was the beginning of radio as an advertising medium. Radio became an attractive vehicle for national advertisers by the rise of network broadcasting. About $27 million was spent on network advertising by 1930, and advertising agencies were responsible of producing the most popular shows of the day. The stock market collapse of 1929 had a terrible effect on the U. S. economy. Total dollars spent on advertising dropped from $2. 8 billion in 1929 to $1. 7 billion in 1935. It would take a decade for the industry to recover (R. Dominick, 1990. P. 366). The rapid growth of radio1920s was a means of free home entertainment, the only cost after the initial purchase of a radio set was to hear such advertising as the jingle. That was no cost at all, to a population suffering the economic effects of the Depression. Prices were not mentioned in radio ads until 1932. Catchy tunes like â€Å"Pepsi cola hits the spot, twelve full thats ounces, a lot † spun around in peoples heads as often as any song on the Hit Parade. Jingles even appeared in outdoor advertisements, such as the famous Burma Shave signs that motorists read, line after line, as they sped along the American highways (Fang, 1997: 64). The Queensboro Realty Company in 1922 for five radio talks that praised the benefits of living in the country paid $300. Immediately after that other companies realized the advertising potential of this system and followed suit. Other stations began to copy arrangement, and broadcasting would be supported by advertising, so the problem of financing radio was solved (R. Dominick, 1990: 178). The idea of broadcasting commercials in 1922 took a little selling. Broadcasters worried about how the government which licensed them, would feel about what Herbert Hoover and after that Secretary of Commerce referred to as being â€Å"drowned in advertising chatter†. Broad casters and advertisers also worried about ads that spread without having control on them or without anyone having any idea about who was getting the message and what effect it was having, or whether any one at all was paying attention. An answer that was comforting came when a commercial for Mineralava cosmetics offered a free photo of actress Marion Davies, who had spoken about How I Make Up for the Movies. † Many requests poured in from listeners. Albert Lasker, an important figure in advertising industry during the first half of the twentieth century, heavily led his agency, Lord Thomas, into radio. Many of the early radio shows were produced by Lasker’s agency including the most popular of all, Amos ‘n’ Andy (Fang, 1997: 64). Reasonably inexpensive, radio lends itself to repeated play of advertisements to drive home a message introduced in more expensive media like television. Nonetheless, radio does not propose any opportunities for the visual display. Radio lends itself to jingles that can contribute to a lasting image. Even though the images listeners create in their minds from audio suggestions can be more effective than those set out visually on television. (Vivian, 1997: 322) Television and advertising Televising Advertising Jingles typified an effort to be creative, to make an ad something more than the notification that goods were for sale. Advertisers acknowledged, before most of the rest of society did, that is to be expected for the public to remember something enjoyable. That helps to explain for people who have seen the same commercial many times sit entranced to watch it again without getting bored. It is also when the program is on why a child who runs off will come back running for the commercial. More thought, cold cash, effort, and energy go into television commercials nowadays than into television programs. (Fang, 1997: 64-65) TVs prospective as an advertising medium wasnt realized until 1948, although J. Walter Thompson agency in 1930 was the one first aired the television commercial. The advertisers name has been carried by many early programs, such as Milton Berles popular Texaco Star Theater the Camel News Caravan and The Hallmark Hall of Fame (which is still on the air today), because there was only for the one sponsor total program. Soon the masses in the United States preferred the Television advertising medium among other adverting medium (Wilson and Le Roy, 1998: 298). Television can offer unmatched impact, as a moving and visual medium, and the rapid growth of both network and local television advertising, far outpacing other media, indicates its success in reaching a diverse mass audience. Drawbacks include the fact that production costs can be high (Vivian, 1997: 322). In the 1980s, a new form of electronic advertising developed: direct-response home shopping services with the development of cable and satellite TV. These cable networks (HSN, QVC, etc. ) sell on sale products directly to consumers, who telephone in their orders to banks of operators. Home-shopping networks pay a percentage of the profits from sales generated in their viewing area to the cable operators, instead of buying air time from these cable operators. This type of direct selling is expected to take on new dimensions when interactive-TV and virtual reality technologies find their position in the marketplace (Wilson and Le Roy, 1998: 298). Vivian states that advertisers were forced by the expense of television time to make their advertisements shorter and shorter. A result is ad clutter, a phenomenon in which advertisements compete against each other and reduce the impact of all of them (1997: 322). 15 second ads started running by all three television networks in 1986, this allowed them to reduce the cost of per ad, and then they could run ads twice more than before, and maintain revenue levels. The 15-second advertisements called â€Å"15s† posed a new creative challenge to the industry: covering a powerful message in half the time and they were still able to sell the product to the consumer. The popularity of 15s started to decline by the early 1990s, and they could only represent 32 percent of the market. (Wilson and Le Roy, 1998: 310) Advertising and Internet Gary Thuerk was the creator of the first spam email advertisement ever to hit the inbox, also known as the father of spam, not a very inspiring title (â€Å"The History of Online Advertising†). The earliest documented junk e-mailing was written May 1 but It was sent May 3, 1978 (Brad Templeton). In the year 1980 the time Usenet, which was an online debate forum where people were capable of posting messages on new groups, was created, it used to get flooded with new posts, but as soon as the spam and mass messaging was introduced, people were sending out huge number of emails (â€Å"The History of Online Advertising†). Rachel argued that the first online advertisement appeared on the web in 1994, prompting the starting of the online advertising world. The period of experimentation by the advertisers and publishers was the first part, pioneering on ad formats and technology. DoubleClick was one of the first ad-serving technologies which was launched in 1995, (2011). The quick growing world of computers during the 1990s also brought about a new arena for advertising: the World Wide Web. Like other newspapers in the mid 1990s, the San Jose, California Mercury News founded a news Web site on the Internet. Editors put news from the newspaper on the Web site, thus people with computers were able to select news online. Every time an electronic reader tapped into Mercury Center, as the Mercurys Web site dubbed it was recorded as a hit. (Vivian, 1997: 322) During the first half of 1996, companies spent around $66. 7 million to advertise on the web with two-thirds of the spending coming from computer and telecommunications companies. The two biggest advertisers were Microsoft ($2. 9 million) and Netscape ($2. 1 million) while IBM was the third largest spender (s2. 0 million) and ATT (s17 million came in sixth. Toyota was the 13th largest web advertiser. In the meantime, a major U. S. cereal company started dabbling in this new technology in 1996. Kellogg Company launched what was seen as the worlds largest test of interactive TV advertising. (Wilson and Le Roy, 1998: 298) In 1995, Mercury Center was receiving 325,000 hits per a day, compared with the 270. 000 circulation of the newsprint product. The potential of web sites as advertising vehicles has not been lost on newspapers or other organizations including ATT and Microsoft, which also have established news sites online. Obviously, one pro of online advertising is that readers can click deeper and deeper levels of information about advertised goods Much more information can be packed into a layered online message than within the space and time limits of a print or broadcast ad (Vivian, 1997: 322). Conclusion In this study, we attempted to a good extent to discuss the main changes and developments in advertising and its relation with mass media. As we mentioned previously that adverting is essential to a prosperous social order. It is also the financial basis of important contemporary mass media. For many decades, the newspaper, magazine, radio and television media have been the main sources for manufacturers to advertise their products and goods. The major advent in the beginning of 20th century was radio as an advertising medium. The rise of network broadcasting made radio attractive vehicle for national advertisers. Also, radio freed advertising from its relationship to literacy by communicating through music, jingles, and the spoken word. Advertising agencies were not persuaded at first, but soon radio became their new medium and advertisers discovered its seemingly endless possibilities. Next, television arrived, and its rise was a significant improvement as a national advertising medium. TVs progress had an influence on both radio and magazines. Radio became a medium used primarily by local advertisers. Magazines that intended for specific audiences attracted more advertisers. Later on, in the late of the century, the quickly increasing world of computers during the 1990s also introduced a new ground for advertising: the World Wide Web. Like other newspapers in the mid 1990s. The quick growth of the Internet as a consumer medium was huge in the history of media. As a result, we found out how has the relationship between media and advertising changed in 20th century.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Superorder Dictyoptera, Roaches and Mantids

Superorder Dictyoptera, Roaches and Mantids Dictyoptera means network wings, referring to the visible network of veins present in the wings of this order. The superorder Dictyoptera includes orders of insects related by evolution and features: Blattodea (sometimes called Blattaria), the cockroaches, and Mantodea, the mantids. That being said, the world of science is ever-evolving, and taxonomy is no exception. This branch of the insect taxonomic tree is currently under revision. Some insect taxonomists also group termites in the superorder Dictyoptera. In some entomology references, the Dictyoptera may be ranked at the order level, with the mantids and roaches listed as suborders. Description: Perhaps no other pairing of insects seems as unlikely as cockroaches and mantids of the order Dictyoptera. Cockroaches are almost universally reviled, while mantids, also called praying mantises, are often revered. Taxonomists rely only on physical and functional characteristics to determine groups of like insects, however. Compare a cockroach and a mantid, and youll notice both have leathery forewings. Called tegmina, these wings are held like a roof over the abdomen. Roaches and mantids have long and spiny middle and hind legs. Their feet, or tarsi, nearly always have five segments. Dictyopterans use chewing mouthparts to consume their food, and have long, segmented antennae. Both cockroaches and mantids also share a few anatomical features that you would only see through close examination and dissection, but theyre important clues to establishing the relationship between these seemingly different insect groups. Insects have a platelike sternite near the end of their abdomens, under the genitalia, and in the Dictyoptera, this genital plate is enlarged. Roaches and mantids also share a special digestive system structure. Between the foregut and midgut, they have a gizzard-like structure called a  proventriculus, and in the Dictyoptera the  proventriculus has internal teeth that break down solid bits of food before sending them along the alimentary canal. Finally, in roaches and mantids, the tentorium – a skull-like structure in the head that cradles the brain and gives the head capsule its form – is perforated. Members of this order undergo incomplete or simple metamorphosis with three stages of development: egg, nymph, and adult. The female lays eggs in groups, then encases them in foam which hardens into a protective capsule, or ootheca. Habitat and Distribution: The superorder Dictyoptera contains nearly 6,000 species, distributed worldwide. Most species live in terrestrial habitats in the tropics. Major Families in the Superorder: Blattidae - Oriental and American cockroachesBlattellidae- German and wood cockroachesPolyphagidae - desert cockroachesBlaberidae - giant cockroachesMantidae - mantids Dictyopterans of Interest: Blatta orientalis, the Oriental cockroach, gains access to homes through plumbing pipes.The brown-banded cockroach, Supella longipalpa, is called the TV roach. It likes to hide inside warm electronic appliances.Brown-hooded cockroaches (Cryptocercus punctulatus) live in family groups. Females give birth to live young; the nymphs take 6 years to reach maturity.The Mediterranean mantid takes its scientific name, Iris oratoria from an unusual marking on the underside of its wing. Literally, the name means talking eye, a smart description of the eyespot which is displayed when the mantid feels threatened. Sources: Dictyoptera, Kendall Bioresearch Services. Accessed online March 19, 2008.Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, by Eric R. Eaton Kenn KaufmanDictyoptera, Tree of Life Web. Accessed online March 19, 2008.Evolution of the Insects, by David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel.External Anatomy - The Insects Head, by John R. Meyer, North Carolina State University Department of Entomology. Accessed online November 9, 2015.Unlikely Sisters – Roaches and  Mantises, by Nancy Miorelli, Ask an Entomologist website. Accessed online November 9, 2015.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Executive Function Performance Test Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Executive Function Performance Test - Essay Example Reliability is the degree to which an instrument measures the same way each time it is used; it may be estimated by the agreement between examiners and its internal consistency. In the study, interrater reliability was measured using intraclass correlation coefficients and Cronbach’s alpha for each of the tasks, and to correlate each of the test domains with the total score. Validity is related to how close the results, based on the measurement, are related to the truth. In the present study, validity was measured by comparing the performance across the three groups, founded in the results of measurements. In addition, the scale was compared and correlated with other neuropsychological measures which are known to assess executive functions. According to the results, shown in table No 1 of the original document, the demographic characteristics were similar in the study groups. The control individuals were younger, but there was no statistical significance. Patients with moderat e stroke had higher scores in the EFPT tasks, followed by patients with mild stroke, and control individuals. Both the EFPT total score and each of the executive functions showed a similar trend. These results confirm the hypotheses of the study. The study has the strength of evaluating a scale that measures instrumental tasks and the level of assistance affected individuals need in these tasks. As with other scales, researchers are measuring important characteristics of this instrument: validity and reliability.