American Prohibition Essay Example for Free

American Prohibition Essay : Also known as the Volstead Act, named after Republican Senator Andrew J. Volstead, the National Prohibition Act was designed to improve the morality of the nation. However, prohibition, the â€Å"Noble Experiment,† failed miserably in this respect. Focus/Argument: Prohibition in fact failed to bolster morals as hoped, but instead led to an increase in violent crime and caused morals to slip due to reactionary protest from the people. Paper should focus on the major cities of the twenties such as Chicago, New York, and St. Louis. Special attention should be focused on the mafia, gangland violence, and bootlegging, as well as the spread of speakeasies and the resulting Jazz culture (flappers, corruption, etc). Introduction: â€Å"The so-called Temperance movement, which in fact opposed temperate and responsible enjoyment of alcohol beverages, proposed that to defeat the disease of alcohol dependency among the few allegedly required abstinence from the many. †1 This was the rationale which enabled the 18th amendment to the U. S. Constitution to be passed. Also known as the Volstead Act, named after its author the Republican senator Andrew J. Volstead, the National Prohibition Act was designed to improve the morality of the nation. However, prohibition, the â€Å"Noble Experiment,† failed miserably in this respect. 2 In fact, it caused an increase in crime and gave impetus to violence on a scale not seen since the days of the old west. Morality also became increasingly lax as speakeasies, Jazz, sexual promiscuity, and flappers mushroomed across the nation, giving full meaning to the term, â€Å"The Roaring Twenties. † Coupled with post-war prosperity with people having more money and time off than ever before, they looked for things to spend their earnings on as well as for ways to blow off steam. 3 The rise of popular legend stemming from the Prohibition years in the form of movies, books, and people such as mobster Al Capone and Treasury agent Elliott Ness, have had a lasting impact on popular culture through modern times. The Prohibition decade was more than a prohibition on alcohol consumption; it was a prohibition on morals which never has been repealed. American Prohibition: Moral Decay and Corruption in the Roaring Twenties The 1920s went by various monikers such as the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties. It was a time of prosperity for most Americans. Scientific and technological improvements increased industrial production. The automobile, electric appliances, chemical and construction industries expanded tremendously during the 1920s. People were generally able to afford luxuries. The 1920s was also an era of wild gaiety for part of the population. Novels of the period stressed the rebellion of the youth against the traditional values of their parents. These groups from the urban areas came to seem typical of the 1920s though actually many more people were leading conservative lives. Women had been given the right to vote in 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified. For the first time, women wore their dresses short and bobbed their hair; many wore make-up and smoked cigarette’s. They became regulars in the dance scenes in clubs and cabarets where jazz was played. They were called flappers. Some imitated the movie stars they saw in silent files like the glamorous Gloria Swanson and Norma Talmadge and swooned over Rudolf Valentino. Talking pictures were first introduced in 1927 featuring the Jazz Singer. Jazz music was played everywhere and was most popular in the urban area of New York as it seemed to embody the vitality of the city. Speakeasies sprouted everywhere. Its name bespoke secrecy as these private clubs admonish its customers to speak easy or softly or the police might herar. Charles A. Lindbergh was a completely different type of national hero. In May 27, this young man from the Midwest became the first person to fly alone, nonstop, across the Atlantic Ocean. 4 Prohibition was partly responsible for the daring, reckless spirit of the twenties. An amendment to the Constitution was submitted to the states on December 18, 1917 and on January 29, 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment was declared ratified, to wit: Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article, the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited. 5 On January 16, 1920, the National Prohibition Act or, otherwise known as the Volstead Act, went into effect. The conservatives had long been calling for temperance arguing that alcohol is the source of all ills. Science was used to give evidence that alcohol was linked to vices, diseases, suicide and leads to early death. The employers encouraged total abstinence so as to minimize industrial accidents and at the same time increase productivity. The religious community associated alcohol with evil. The women’s group proclaimed it detrimental to family relations. 6 With the entry of the United States in World War I, they quickly gained supporters due to the growing resentment against anything German which included beer. Moreover, patriotism called for self-sacrifice and anyone who did not remain sober and defend the country were met with hostility. During the war, the manufacture of beer and liquor had been prohibited to conserve grain and by July 1919, the sale of liquor had been stopped. With such public sentiment, the prohibitionists gained ground and the amendment was passed. 7 The day before the Volstead Act was to take effect, the Anti-Saloon League of New York made an optimistic prediction by stating that, â€Å"Tonight, John Barleycorn makes his last will and testament. Now for an era of clean thinking and clean living! † 8 Instead, the opposite took place. Almost immediately, violations across the country were being reported. Police were carrying out raids of establishments who persisted in selling liquor. The law was observed mostly in the Midwest where the â€Å"dry† movement had begun, but in the large eastern cities the laws were flagrantly broken. As well, there were not enough Federal and state agents to enforce prohibition. In fact, now that is was illegal, more people began to drink more than ever. Such circumstances made Al Capone self-righteous enough to proclaim that: I make my money by supplying a public need. If I break the law, my customers, who number hundreds of the best people in Chicago, are as guilty as I am. The only difference between us is that I sell and they buy. 9 Fortunes were made in bootlegging or the manufacture and sale of liquor illegally. Criminals organized â€Å"mobs† or â€Å"syndicates† to operate in certain areas. Al Capone was one of these of bosses. He held sway in Chicago and Cicero, Illinois, with an estimated 750 paid gunmen. Crime became big business in other large cities, too. There were many kidnappings for ransom. Among them was Charles Lindbergh’s son who in 1932, was not only kidnapped but was also murdered. When prohibition ended in February 16, 1933 with the passing of the Twenty-first Amendment to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment, the mobs turned to protection rackets, slot machines and other gambling and the distribution of narcotics. 10 To be fair, the prohibition did manifest benefits though only for a short period. This could probably be because liquor was still relatively hard to find and when one did find it, the price of violation was high. This does not refer to the penalties to be imposed when caught but that the cost of liquor had become so prohibitive that the average American earner could not afford a glass of cocktail. The prohibition had no effect on the rich, however, as they continued to drink well while the poor drank badly. This led to further divisiveness as it was becoming classifies as a class legislation. 11 In 1920, the year the law came into effect, there was a significant drop in the arrests for drunkenness which was even lower than 1918 and 1919 when Americans were voluntary abstaining from liquor due to wartime restrictions and patriotism. By 1921, however, arrests for drunkenness had once again risen with no indications of declining. This data can be seen in a 1926 survey of 384 municipalities that was prepared by Stanley Shirk, the research director of The Moderation League, Inc. The results as it was presented to the Senate Committee Hearing were as follows: 12 Year Number of Arrests for Intoxication in 384 Communities Year Number of Arrests for Intoxication in 384 Communities 1914 523,049 1920 233,837 1915 528,347 1921 317,492 1916 557,634 1922 425,353 1917 542,039 1923 499,322 1918 423,048 1924 515,199 1919 309,760 1925 533,483 The World League against Alcoholism likewise presented its own survey results in the same Senate Committee Hearing which compiled the records of 514 cities and towns. 13 Year Arrests for Drunkenness per 10,000 Population Year Arrests for Drunkenness per 10,000 Population 1914 169 1920 60 1915 165 1921 84 1916 176 1922 111 1917 169 1923 126 1918 124 1924 127 1919 97 These figures also showed an increase in arrests after 1920, the bone-dry year, but it was contended that this was more due to increased police activity. The anti-Alcoholism League, at that time, can merely give a forecast that arrests will go down in 1925 and beyond. They pointed out that compared with the figures from 1914 to 1917 of the pre-prohibition years, recorded arrests after 1920 were still much lower. Regardless, whether we look at it from the â€Å"wet† or â€Å"dry† statistics, the data showed that the number of arrests for drunkenness was not receding. This gave evidence that for the primary objective of the National Prohibition Act was not met and could not be met. The numbers from 1918 to 1921 are also quite notable as it implied a change in the attitudes of the general population towards alcohol. By the time prohibition was put in effect, the wartime fervor seems to have already waned, abstinence had overstayed its welcome, drinking was no longer met with social disapproval and people were clamoring for a drink notwithstanding the law. Institutions and agencies were likewise fairly tolerant of transgressions of the law and would accept any loophole around it. In courtrooms of Wyoming and San Francisco, judges and jury gave much leeway to the defense to the point of allowing the evidence to be drunk which led to the technicality of lack of evidence against the bootlegger defendant and the cases were thrown out. Doctors could and did prescribe up to three pints of vitamin-enhanced whiskey which was in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling. Government beer was prescribed by the gallons for medicinal purposes. 14 As a result, it had soon become a law that nobody wanted to obey thus making it harder to enforce. Thereupon, a general perception followed that crime was prevalent. Foremost among these are convictions for crime which did not used to be treated as criminal before the passing of the Eighteenth Amendment. This perception of lawlessness was compounded by the sensational publicity given to prohibition violations which had become daily news stories in the papers. In an age where cinema was most influential, many movies were produced that depicted a lot of drinking not by the villains but by the heroes and heroines. 15 Prominent people have likewise testified before the Senate to express their opinion against the Volstead Act and argue for revision. They aimed to prove that lawlessness had in fact increase since it was passed. One of these opponents of prohibition was Michigan politician Charles S. Wood who contended that the statistics for the arrests on drunkenness would actually have been much greater except that people were doing their drinking inside homes and hotels rather than in saloons hence there is little chance for them to be caught drunk in the streets. 16 This can be corroborated by the increasing number of deaths recorded for cirrhosis of the liver. Alcoholic admissions in one New York hospital as recorded in the 1930s were over 1000 a year. Apparently, they became alcoholics during prohibition. 17

Qatar Airways Marketing Strategy

Qatar Airways Marketing Strategy Abstract The airline industry has been known to be volatile and competitive. It is volatile in the sense that any negative news either from the services such as air mishap, economic downturn, perceived threat of terrorism, the potential outbreak of the birdflu virus or the factors of production like rise in prices of crude oil impacts negatively on the strategic position of each of the players in the industry be it market leader, follower or challenger. The case of Gulf States (Countries) such as Bahrain, Iran, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia to mention just a few calls for closer attention. This is because the so Gulf states are have the resources and capabilities to compete in all the four fronts of marketing mix which is often referred as the 4Ps of People, Price, Place, Promotion. In order to wean their economies away from declining oil reserves some Middle Eastern countries pursue substantial investments into their aviation sector. The bulk of these investments concentrates on the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and comprises fleet expansions stoked by massive airport extensions and development projects. The million dollar question is how Qatar airways can turn its fortune from being a market follower in the Gulf airline industry to a leader. In this academic work also, we would use the following framework for evaluating and writing Customers: Who are the organizations customers? Products/services: What are the organizations major products or services? Location/markets: Where does the organization compete? Technology: Is technology a primary concern of the organization? Concern for survival, growth and profitability: Is the organization committed to economic objectives? Philosophy: What are the basic beliefs, values, aspirations, and philosophical priorities of the firm? Self-concept: What is the organizations distinctive competence or major competitive advantage? 1.0 Introduction The airline industry has grown to be one of be one of the largest industries in half century of its existence. Its origin could be deduced from the end of World War l but it was not until World War II that saw peace restored worldwide that accounted for the burgeoning of the business. Statistics have it that the industry often airlift more than 1.5 billion industry worldwide and generates more than $ 300 billion in revenue and employ 1.7 million people worldwide (Hanlon Pg 1,2006). Good to note is the fact that the post World War II airline industry are dominated by state owned airlines known as Flag Carriers and the government which owned them often used them as instruments to further their mercantilist interests or to promote their countries status, power and prestige. Airline business in the Gulf States is often associated with government (Hanlon Pg 2, 2006). Government desire to protect flag carriers often lead to artificial market, in which the profitability of the airlines wer e determined more by the competitors that are allowed to fly the route rather the forces of quality and pricing. Airlines suited in the Middle East currently hold 9% of long haul capacity worldwide. They will be responsible for about 25% of all global long haul aircraft deliveries over the next decade (Flagnagan, 2006). Dubai based emirates airlines accounts for the largest buyer, which approximately 70% of all new long-haul aircraft orders in the Middle East. Some airline commentators predict that come 2012, the airline would double its fleet (Flagnagan, 2006). After Emirates come Qatar airlines. The airline has placed an order of 140 wide body aircraft. The expansion plans of the gulf airline operators are shown in Fig 1 within Qatar airways just like other airlines in the Gulf States is part of the government strategy to diversify its revenue base, economies, commerce, tourism and global transport importance. The airline has a rich mission statement which is Excellence in everything we do. According to a survey carried out by Pearce and David (1987) to analyze the mission contents of airline companies, the mission, it showed that Qatars mission statement is one of the best in the world. Amongst 9 points, it has 6 points. Fleet expansion plans of Middle Eastern carriers (as March 2008). Source Journal of Transport Geography 18 (2008) 388-394 3.0 Current Marketing Mix of Qatar Airways 3.1.1 Product Strategy: New Products Existing ProductsServices is defined as involving one party offering something that is essentially intangible and where the interaction does not result in ownership of anything (Kotler, 2008). Applying Ansoff product grid matrix, it can be said that Qatar airlines is still in market penetration. This is because the airline as was shown in the introductory section of the work, has projected the number of aircraft it wish to buy before 2012. The attributes of a company in growth stage of company life cycle is expansionary qualities. Existing Market Market Penetration Product Development New Market Market Development Diversification ansoffs product / market matrix The attributes of market penetration strategy in which Qatar airways are using include Maintain or increase the market share of current products this can be achieved by a combination of competitive pricing strategies, advertising, sales promotion and perhaps more resources dedicated to personal selling As part of this growth plan, Qatar Airways will extend its route network to 50 destinations by the end of 2003. It has recently added Manchester and Rome to its increasing route network. It will soon be adding Shanghai, Seoul and Tripoli to its route network. (Airhighways Magazine, 2005, p. 1). Secure dominance of growth markets. Qatar airlines have been known to dominate the ever busy African- Middle east air routes. The company always has some flights available from any part of Africa to the Gulf States. The topology of the area has encouraged the airline to operate in product penetration strategy of Ansoff product grid. Its sparsely populated area has encouraged travelling by air for intra-regional transport. Furthermore, a high per capita income that is still increasing quickly, offers a base for a strong aviation industry. But there are socio-economic constraints, limiting both domestic leisure and business travel potential. Increase usage by existing customers for example by introducing loyalty schemes .A market penetration marketing strategy is very much about business as usual. The business is focusing on markets and products it knows well. It is likely to have good information on competitors and on customer needs. It is unlikely, therefore, that this strategy will require much investment in new market research. There is no evidence that Qatar airways is investing on market research because they are not expanding into unknown routes such as Kula-lumpur Sydney route. 3.1.2 Pricing Strategy: Going-rate-pricing strategy Presently Qatar airline practice what is called Going-rate-pricing strategy. The market leader in the middle- east airline industry remains Emirates. Qatar charges its fare based on the price of Emirates which is slightly higher. This is because being the market follower, Qatar does not need to disturb the established market dynamism because it might not be able to compete on the same level with Emirates. Comparing the price of Qatar and Emirates, on the same route of Kuala-lumpur (Malaysia) Johannesburg ( South Africa) Price of Qatar on 21st Nov returning on 23rd Dec from Kuala-Lumpur to Johannesburg Price of Qatar on 21st Nov returning on 23rd Dec from Kuala-Lumpur to Johannesburg 3.1.3 Promotion Strategy: Qatar airlines are not practicing product differentiation but it is practicing promotion differentiation. According to its chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker he said that Qatar By offering a variety of entertainment options, we are able to differentiate our passenger service through live entertainment programming while also setting new standards of comfort to ensure we are the airline of choice (Rockwell Collins, 2005, p. 1). Some of their promotion strategies are as listed below and experienced by its passengers are as Biggest and best business class in the Middle East Interactive Audio, Video on Demand Entertainment System Largest personal TV screens in the Middle East Electronic seat controls In-seat back massage First Middle East airline in First Class with flat beds Qatar has engaged the services of Global media industries to help spread the good news. Such internal media include TV Corporate Videos BBC Campaign to position it as a premium carrier CNN testimonials from airline staff Sky News reports as a sponsor of the weather service Sponsors a travel show through Al-Jazeera Qatar is a major sponsor of high profile sporting activities such as World Tourism Day, World Travel and Tourism Council Summit, World Economic Forum, Leading International sports events. Qatar airlines was the official sponsor of 15th Asian Games, Doha 2006. The company has come up with a new product called Flying Oryx Newsletter that it distributes to travel agents. The newsletter is also available through its websites. More links could be established to the newsletter through the Internet. The airlines also give away products to passengers that promote the logo of the Burgundy Oryx and Taking you personally, such as watches, computermice and hand towels. 3.1.3 Place Strategy: This places a little impact on the business strategy of Qatar. Qatar airways like any other airways have developed a system of getting their ticket. Unlike the normal businesses, whose distribution channel goes from the manufacturer wholesaler-retailer-consumer. The normal business cycle Qatar airline and other airways are from the airline operators to consumers when online booking is done or through traveler agent. Airline operator Airline operator Manufacturer Wholesaler Consumer Travelling Agent Retailer Consumer Consumer Traditional Supply channel Online booking channel intermediary booking channel 4.0 MARKET ANALYSIS 4.1 Qatar current market Qatar airways is one of the leading airline industry in the gulf states. There is no hiding from the fact that Qatar airways is building on the booming market of Dubai to feed the ever busy Dubai route. Qatar currently targets those customers who considers Emirates too expensive. Those that want a little bit high quality and class at an affordable price. Qatar market can be divided into two as follows Geographic Segmentation: Qatar Airways is currently operating in most of the regions of the world.They are presently hoping to expand their routes to include the south pacific routes of Australia and its neighbouring countries. Qatar Airways is a dynamic, high service carrier, which utilises the geographic location of its Middle Eastern hub to link 72 international cities. From the UK the airline operates regular services from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester to Doha. Onward connections are available to cities including Dhaka, Ahmedabad (coming soon), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mumbai, Nagpur (coming soon), Trivandrum, Malà ©, Kathmandu, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Colombo, Denpasar, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Myanmar, Yangon, Cebu, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Bahrain, Mashad, Tehran, Amman, Kuwait City, Beirut, Muscat, Dammam/Dhahran, Jeddah, Riyadh, Damascus, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sanaa,Bangkok,Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Cebu, Nairobi, Johanne sburg and the Seychelles. Qatar Airways entering the US market with flights to New York and Washington, DC direct from the airlines hub in Doha, capital of the State of Qatar Demographic Segmentation: Below is the demographic basis for the market segmentation for Qatar airways: Demographic Variables Breakdown Sex Male; Female Age Under 12; 13-25; 26-40; 41-55; 55 + Income (monthly) USD 300.00 and over Religion Muslims (Halal status); Non-Muslims (Non-Halal status) Education Designed for 5.0 STRATEGIC ANALYSIS (SWOT analysis) SWOT analysis helps to explore the internal and external environmental factors affecting Qatar Airways and hence enable us to make strategic decisions (Aaker, 2005). The recommended strategies that would be adopted in this paper would be based on the on the SWOT analysis of the company. External Analysis Strategic decisions Where to compete? How to compete? Identification Trends/Future events Threats/Opportunities Strategic uncertainties How to compete? Analysis Information-Need areas Scenario Analysis Internal Analysis Source: Adapted and modified from Aaker, D. A (1998), Strategic Market Management, 5th Edition, John Wiley Sons, Inc., USA, p 40 5.1 INTERNAL ANALYSIS Strength Weakness Brand Recognition The airline has been able to build a strong brand that was described by Kelly Kaur, Marketing Director, as getting to know the audience and using communication to build loyalty, stimulate desire, create confidence and build awareness. Consistency The airline has been noted for offering consistence services which was one of the criteria that enabled it to get a FIVE STAR RATING. FIVE STAR RATING Qatar Airways is just one of the few airlines in the world ranked Five Star by Skytrax, the independent aviation industry monitoring agency. The same organization Skytrax also named Qatar Airways cabin crew as Best in the Middle East for the third year running and fifth best in the world, following a survey of more than 12 million passengers worldwide. (World Economic Forum, n.d., p. 1). Qatar Airways are the proud winners of the TTG Travel Awards 2009 Airline of the year. In recognition of the world class service and their commitment to offer only the best to over 80 destinations worldwide Numerous Flights The airline currently operates a fleet of 42 all-Airbus aircraft, which is expected to triple in size to 110 aircraft by 2015. Qatar Airways recently made an agreement to buy up to 60 of the new generation Airbus A350s. The airline also plans to acquire 20 Boeing 777s,with a total value for both orders set to be worth US$ 15.2 billion Age Many still believe that Qatar cannot maintain their high standard for a very long time because they are not too experienced in the industry. Arabization Many people still believe that the airline is Arab based because of their Logo. Qatar Airways logo uses an animal (Arabian oryx) that may be familiar to people in the Arabian Gulf, but not to people outside the region. National Carrier History has shown that most national does not last and they are often abused by the government. People would love to invest so that they can control or have shares in the business but thats not the case here. 5.2 EXTERNAL ANALYSIS OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Booming tourism industry The present surge in tourism in the gulf states is plus for the company to expand its business capacity. Image The Airlines has gained some reputation in the region and in Europe and its other sites Strategic alliances The airline has the reputation of forming strategic alliances with some airline operators in the pacific rim. This can be done either via bilateral with the respective government. Terrorism The incident of 9/11 is a wheel in the spanner of most airline industry. It has greatly reduced the ability of airline operators to attract many frequent fliers. New Entrants There is possibility of new entrants to the market especially Etihad. Etihad has the financial capacity to compete on the same level with Qatar Volatility The industry itself is known to exhibit high volatility. This may be in the form of fuel price, technology change or epidemic and natural disasters. 6.0 PROJECT RECOMMENDATION STRATEGIES 6.1. Market penetration via new products: Low cost Qatar airways have the leverage to engage in more competitive prices that what they are offering presently. They should borrow a leave from what Qantas did. Qantas came up with a low cost carrier called JETSTAR. The low cost strategy can compete in the low cost flight category of the airline industry while the parent company keeps their normal standard. Alliances Qatar airways have the brand image to form strategic alliances with many similar airlines where they can get the benefits of economics of scale. This might come in the form choosing one airline company in the continent to form a loop. They might borrow a look from what Singapore airlines deed as shown below. Singapore Airlines Air New Zealand Star Alliance Dinners Club Avis Singapore Airlines alliance network; strategic alliance, follower ( Kotler Pg 812, 2008) 6.2 Maximizing sales revenue Reduction of booking agents Commissions and other incentives to sales staff add to the operational cost of the company. These costs either passed on to the customers or absorbed by the organization lowers the margins of the company. The company should come up with a structure of appointing GSA (General Sales Agent) in major cities and towns. They might even pass it to the post office to sale for them since they post office has their fixed cost already running. Web Friendly Site The company should as a matter of urgency design a friendly user web site. Their current web site is not user friendly. They should borrow a cue at Airasia website. Airasia website is fast, user friendly and updates every minutes. This has greatly encouraged customers to use the web more frequently than physical office space thereby limiting people or place contacts to the barest minimum. 7.0 Conclusion In its relatively few years of operation has shown that they can ranked amongst the best in service delivery. They have grown from a small company to a major player in the airline industry. They have put in place sound management principle and good chief executive Akbar Al Baker believed his airline was leaking significant amounts of revenue. A series of short diagnostic exercises confirmed his hunches needs continuous improvement. The company has adopted a relatively moderate marketing mix by targeting its customers, positioning the company World Class Young, but growing fast Forward Thinking, open-minded On-time, Clean image Friendly/helpful/warm/hospitable airline. The People is good, Price affordable, Place great and Promotion best.

The Politics Behind a Magazine :: Media

The Politics Behind a Magazine The Progressive is a magazine that was started in 1909. Mathew Rothschild, who was the editor of the Multinational Monitor a Ralph Nader founded magazine, is the current editor of the magazine. The evidence of this magazine being liberal is found by taking into account the overall visual design, the stance on arguments of the articles, and the political stances of the authors that are published. In glancing through The Progressive and observing it visually a reader can gather a political viewpoint from its advertisements and pictures. The picture, which is seen on the cover of the magazines, is a depiction of an article out of the magazine. For instance, in the 2001 Jan. issue the cover story is â€Å"Aristide, Again† and the picture shows a Haitian man with a marked thumb signifying that he has voted with the slums crowded with people as the background. Along with the world the U.S. does not approve of putting him back in power but for most Haitians, which are poor, he is the only one who is for the poor. Some of the advertisements in the magazine were books that appealed to people wanting to read about making a change such as the one trying to sale The Magnificent Activist that claimed the author was â€Å"A Radical in His Era A Visionary in Ours† (The Progressive 40). There is a section in the magazine called â€Å"On the Line† which houses a collection of small articles that have pictures which stand for the story they are telling and of them was an article called â€Å"Striptease for the Trees.† In this article’s picture a women is radically protesting the clear cutting of California’s old Redwood Trees by standing in the middle of the road bare-chested in front of the logging trucks stopping their passage. From the advertisements and the covers’ eye catching artistic originality to the many pictures for the articles in the magazine a stance for the left side is portrayed. The articles that are published in The Progressive illustrate the views of liberal authors through the topics they pick and the argument they use. When the background of the authors are checked and what they stand for is assessed then a political slant can be assumed on the magazine for choosing them.

The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer †Tribulations :: Adventures Tom Sawyer Essays

The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer – Tribulations Mark Twain uses "The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer" to reveal his own childhood. In the preface Mark Twain states "Most of the adventures recorded in this book really occurred; one or two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from real life; Tom Sawyer also, but not from an individual - he is a combination of the characteristics of three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite order of architecture." This is Mark Twain's "The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer". From this point we begin our tour through the Adventures Of Tom Sawyer's life, accompanied by his friends. It is the story about life in a boys' world and it discloses feelings of Mark Twain concerning his boyhood, his town and the people there. Tom Sawyer was a boy but not a genus that would describe good children as the protagonists. Tom Sawyer was a fiend yet he was never malicious, but always up to a trick or a practical joke of some kind. During the years that we view Tom Sawyer, a multitude of events had occurred. All of which are recorded in Mark Twain's style. Mark Twain composes in a picaresque style, Tom Sawyer's adventures being set out in an episodic journalistic report by Mark Twain. In "The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer," Tom Sawyer, the lead character is seen as the protagonist, the hero of the story. "The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer," also fits into the genres of satire, frontier literature, folk narrative and comedy. Every adventure is new and more stimulating than the prior episode. These adventures are from an adult who views the adult world critically and looks back on the sentiments and past times of childhood in a somewhat idealized manner, with wit and also in a nostalgic way. Critics have suggested several other sources for the novel, including South Western humorist, George W. Harris. This is an example of "escapism" from a society that Mark Twain had felt alienated from. Set in the old South West, in an almost poverty stricken shabby town, called St. Petersburg.

The Many Faces of Culture Essay -- Culture

Defining culture has been a debate among sociologists and anthropologists since the 19th century. Culture is vital for the perseverance of a society and has its own identity that distinguishes it from others. Culture is not rooted into a person from birth, but it is learned from wherever he or she is from. It acts in a subconscious manner in that when a culture differs, one society may find another society to be odd. Every society has a different culture where the people share a specific language, gesture, belief, behavior, norms, sanctions and more. Language greatly influences how we see the world. Languages shape the way we understand some aspects in life such as time, direction, space and even causality. For example, while English speakers tend to say â€Å"Lisa broke the vase,† Spanish and Japanese speakers would tend to say â€Å"the vase broke itself.† These opposing interpretations may cause different understandings of how events are perceived. Language is a part of culture and a part of behavior. According to the hypothesis of linguistic determinism (Sapir, 1956), â€Å"No two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality. The worlds in which different societies live are distinct worlds, not merely the same world with different labels attached.† Language and culture are so strongly connected that the precise understanding of the relationship between the two is fundamental in cross-cultural communication. Every country has a different way of greeting with one another and various kinds of gestures they share with each other. Gestures are the motions of the body to communicate with others and to express messages without using words. Gestures all vary around the globe and the meaning of ... ...e Coca-Cola Company is an example of cultural leveling because not only is Coca-Cola sold in America, but it is all across the globe such as South Korea, India and 200 other countries. The positive factor about cultural leveling is that it unifies cultures but the negative is that the cultural originality is lost. Works Cited Billikopf, Gregorio. "Cultural Differences." College of Natural Resources - UC Berkeley. 1 June 2009. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. . Jervis, Nancy. "What Is a Culture?" P-12 : NYSED. The University of the State of New York, 2006. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. . Wescott, Roger Williams. "Diffusion." NEARA Home Page. New England Antiquities Research Association, 2002. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. . The Many Faces of Culture Essay -- Culture Defining culture has been a debate among sociologists and anthropologists since the 19th century. Culture is vital for the perseverance of a society and has its own identity that distinguishes it from others. Culture is not rooted into a person from birth, but it is learned from wherever he or she is from. It acts in a subconscious manner in that when a culture differs, one society may find another society to be odd. Every society has a different culture where the people share a specific language, gesture, belief, behavior, norms, sanctions and more. Language greatly influences how we see the world. Languages shape the way we understand some aspects in life such as time, direction, space and even causality. For example, while English speakers tend to say â€Å"Lisa broke the vase,† Spanish and Japanese speakers would tend to say â€Å"the vase broke itself.† These opposing interpretations may cause different understandings of how events are perceived. Language is a part of culture and a part of behavior. According to the hypothesis of linguistic determinism (Sapir, 1956), â€Å"No two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality. The worlds in which different societies live are distinct worlds, not merely the same world with different labels attached.† Language and culture are so strongly connected that the precise understanding of the relationship between the two is fundamental in cross-cultural communication. Every country has a different way of greeting with one another and various kinds of gestures they share with each other. Gestures are the motions of the body to communicate with others and to express messages without using words. Gestures all vary around the globe and the meaning of ... ...e Coca-Cola Company is an example of cultural leveling because not only is Coca-Cola sold in America, but it is all across the globe such as South Korea, India and 200 other countries. The positive factor about cultural leveling is that it unifies cultures but the negative is that the cultural originality is lost. Works Cited Billikopf, Gregorio. "Cultural Differences." College of Natural Resources - UC Berkeley. 1 June 2009. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. . Jervis, Nancy. "What Is a Culture?" P-12 : NYSED. The University of the State of New York, 2006. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. . Wescott, Roger Williams. "Diffusion." NEARA Home Page. New England Antiquities Research Association, 2002. Web. 08 Mar. 2011. .

Citizen Cane Questionaire

Citizen Kane Questionnaire View the movie CITIZEN KANE (1941) for discussion in class on week four and to submit week five. Be sure to view the film at least twice before workshop number four. Read the information in this syllabus about this movie. Research it online at http://www. filmsite. org/citi. html http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Citizen_Kane, http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0033467/, http://www. cinepad. com/reviews/kane. htm, etc. Then complete the following questionnaire A. Literary Elements (Describe in one or two sentences) 1. Structure (storytelling formatThe storytelling format for this film was more of an investigation kind of way, searching for the meaning of the word rosebud. Flashbacks used throughout the film to fill in information that could lead to the meaning of the words. 2. Plot (story) The story is about a man who becomes a tycoon. While gaining riches, wives and possessions he loses his soul. He dies and some journalists want to discover the meaning of his dyi ng words â€Å"rose bud†. 3. Theme (message) The theme message for this film is that money and power do not make a person. Not all the power and money one person may have is going to fulfill the happiness one desires. . Three moral issues in the story Power cannot buy happiness nor can it fulfill it. There were a few social issues, one of them being family and marriage issues such as divorce. Kane’s fame and wealth cannot save him from his secret relationship. B. Mise en Scene: Theatrical Elements (give two examples each, noting briefly what you have observed and where in the film) 5. Unusual Sets/Backdrops A. ) The scene where Kane and his wife were at a cafe or restaurant and the back drop was a wilderness or forest and they threw in animated birds flying through the backdrop.B. ) Another element was enormous fireplace at Kane’s residence. 6. Historic Costuming A. ) Their costumes represented the era and their social status. B. ) Kane wore a thick, heavy fur c oat that represented his status; having great deal of money. 7. Notable Makeup A) Kane’s makeup in the early stages young and youthful and at the end, it showed him 85 and old-marriage scene, young and when his second wife was leaving him, it depicted him old with a cane B) Makeup shown when his second wife dressed up to sing opera at their theatre she wore heavy makeup . Composition (vertical lines, ceiling framing) A. ) There is a ceiling frame scene, where Kane and his friend come across the reporter that had fallen asleep; on the review of wife’s performance. The camera focused on his friend using a low angle showing the corner of the ceiling his head. B. ) In the theatre, during one of the performances the camera scrolls up looking at nothing but the structure of the building. As the camera, scrolls up there were walkways or railing that went across the screen. 9. High key lighting (happy)A) When he meets his second wife and goes to her place she is lit up and lig ht depicting happy. B) There is high lighting used while watching the marching girls; cheering and happy music playing in background. 10. Low key Lighting (mystery) A. ) There is a face in the dark when Kane goes to meet someone for information about something. The dark shadow over the face shows that there is a secret. B. ) In the start of the film appears to be several men in a darkened room; appears mystererious, searching for answers. All men stay in the dark when that scene ends. C. Low key lighting used when fireworks launched into the sky. 11. Notable Acting (and movement) A. ) The end of the movie Kane destroys his second wife’s room, breaking glass, flipping tables over, throwing everything on the ground, showing his anger, frustration and pain. B. ) Notable acting when Kane slaps his second wife across the face when she was complaining about the reviews in the paper about her performance. C. Cinematography (give two examples each, noting briefly what you have observ ed and where in the film) 12. Notable camera angles (low angle, high angle, etc. A) There is an extremely low angle when the boy receives a gift. B) There is a low angle during one of the opera performances when the camera looks down at the singing coach sort of under the stage. 13. Notable Framing (two shot, three shot, four shot, foreground framing) A) There is a three shot frame when Kane is typing the review. B) The scene where in the background, through the window, a boy can be seen playing outside. C) There is foreground framing in the reflection shot from the window of Kane dancing. 14. Notable Framing (close-up)A) The scene when Kane says, â€Å"Rosebud† with an extreme close-up of his lips. B) At the end of the movie when camera zooms in on Kane’s childhood sled focusing in on â€Å"Rosebud† 15. Notable lenses (deep focus, fish eye) A) The scene with the boy playing in the snow, seen through the window while his mother signs documents has deep focus. B) The scene where Kane’s wife is laying in the chair, the meds on the table; seen up close and the focus remains clear to the bedroom door in the distance. 16. Notable Camera Movement (crane shots, hand-held, etc. A) There is a crane shot; camera breaks through the sign and into the broken skylight into the El Rancho Nightclub B) Crane shot- Emily went to Susan’s home and going up the stairs into her home is one depicted. 17. Forced perspective A) The wedding scene of Emily and Kane are using forced perspective of the White House. B) There is a Scene showing Kane’s home, gate seen in the background on top of the hill. D. Editing—Assembly and Printing of film (give two examples each, noting briefly what you have observed and where in the film) 8. Special Effects (animation, matting) A) There is animation in two of the scenes where they show you a map WB. B) There is also picnic scene where animated birds are flying. 19. Transitions (dissolves, wipes, fades) A) Dissolving scene is when Thatcher, Bernstein, Kane are in a room, three are at a table and Kane is in the back. That letter reading shows 1929 and it dissolves. B) Earlier scene in beginning of film shows monkeys then it proceeds and you see the castle . In all that area all picture is showing dissolving.C) The Xanadu scenes were also dissolving scenes. D) His campaign scene showing his face in the background also dissolves. 20. Montage A) The scene at the â€Å"breakfast† table shows marriage nice and sweet then shows it falling apart. B) Another scene; Thatcher calls Kane Charles at Christmas time and he opened a Christmas present. This portrayed Thatcher young, Kane young, then next scene is reading a letter from Kane, and he is aged. D. Sound (give one example each) 21. Diegetic music A) When Kane receives the trophy.B) After the scene where Kane is typing the review. 22. Non-diagetic music A) After Kane leaves in the trophy scene thee is non- diegetic music. B) Sound transition; there was clapping going from one scene to another. 23. Notable or unusual music A) There is notable military music by the Teddy Roosevelt scene in the beginning of the film. B) The scene where you see the mannish woman there is echo and ironic music then you hear audio the audio transition and are less subtle 24. Layering A) There was voice overlay at the beginning with Thatcher and two employees.Thatcher is upset with Him for working at the newspaper and losing money. B) When Kane was throwing his big party with dancing girls there was laughter and chaos, much vocal overlay. 25. Audio transitions A) There is an audio transition when Kane yelling transitions into the horn honking. B) Audio transition scene when Kane is giving a speech and the scene transitions through different speeches. 26. Dead screen A) There is dead screen after the montage of scenes going through the newspaper headlines the film goes into a dead screen.

Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room

In the movie Jeff Skilling suggest that money is the only thing that motivates people, and I agree with him. Money might not directly motivate everybody but it plays a part in everybody’s motivation. Money is the reason people stay in school longer than required, the reason people work, and the reason why people get out of bed in the morning. It motivates people to work harder and longer. People want a house, car, clothes, and food, which you need money in order to purchase. Money motivates people, which motivate a company, which motivates another company to bring in more money than their competitor. This cycles is what builds our economy, and by building our economy we boost our country and by doing so we start competitions with other countries. And these cycles prove that money is what motivates people, cities, states, and countries. What happened at Enron was both morally and legally wrong. They not only committed fraud but they drained thousands of people’s retirement funds. I don’t think one person is to blame for the whole scandal at Enron. I do think that Ken Lay, founder, chairman, and CEO of Enron, had a major part that led to the bankruptcy. When Enron stock reached $90 he told them that the price would keep climbing and that everybody should be investing in Enron, but Ken had started to sell his stocks because he knew that the stock was going to drop. When he found out that Enron was in financial difficulty he should have tried to figure out ways to fix it instead of trying to save his money and properties. He was selfish and immoral and he played a very big part in the bankruptcy on Enron. Auditors also played a part in Enron’s Bankruptcy. Within days of Enron's bankruptcy, revelations about the company's finances showed that Arthur Andersen, the accounting company hired to audit Enron's books, had kept quiet about Enron's shaky condition. At the same time it was handling Enron's audits, Andersen was being paid millions of dollars by Enron as a consultant on new business. When the bankruptcy hit, Andersen employees, and their counterparts at Enron, began shredding documents to keep them from falling into the hands of federal investigators. Bethany McLean believed that the Enron scandal was a true human tragedy that merely involved greedy men, I agree with her statement. I think the top people working at Enron started out wanting to make a profit but as time when on and they started fudging little things here and there they realized that they could make an even bigger profit, and nobody noticed there little changes. This is what I think turned them into the greedy men that destroyed thousands of people’s jobs and money. I also believe that another company like Enron is right around the corner, but it will be harder to catch on to what they are doing because they can reference what worked and what didn’t work for Enron making them smarter in how they are going to turn a bigger profit. The Enron fiasco is a lesson that our country learned the hard way about how easily the truth can be hidden but it also taught is to question when something seems too good to be true.