The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead AMC’s gritty and gruesome apocalyptic hit â€Å"The Walking Dead† places the blood thirsty, agonized groans of zombies right in our living rooms. The show follows a small group of survivors in the midst of a zombie apocalypse that has decimated some seventy-five percent of the population. The cable series which first premiered in 2010 made no bones about its weekly offering of flesh-eating, blood-splattered gore.The opening sequence of the pilot episode features a virus-ridden little girl being thrust into the pavement when former sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) shoots a bullet into her skull as he struggles to ward off her flesh-hungry zombie attack. â€Å"The Walking Dead† has since amassed quite the following of fans who rave in equal parts about the show’s violent and spine-tingling special effects and its subtle commentary on hope and the human condition.Watching the hour-long gorefest in which infected men, woman and even childr en are repeatedly shown receiving violent and bloody blows to the head, one cannot help but wonder, is â€Å"The Walking Dead’s† portrayal of violence harmful in its appeal to debased human interests or does it ultimately provide a hopeful look at the human spirit trying to survive in a bleak world? One look at primetime’s lineup of this or that network’s violent flavor of the week and it is not a stretch to surmise that the populace has not come very far since the gladiatorial games of the ancient Romans.From a macro perspective, humans love gratuitous violence. The media is inundated with copious images of cold killings and moral depravity that serve no other purpose but to shock the masses. Violence tends to equate to ratings, which in turn leads to the exposure of more violence. Studies have shown, however, that continued and prolonged exposure to horrific images, like those in â€Å"The Walking Dead†, is not necessarily without consequence. Ac cording to researchers Craig A. Anderson and Brad J.Bushman in the peer-reviewed â€Å"Effects of Media Violence on Society†, televised violence, as substantiated by six major professional societies in the United States including the American Psychiatric Association, is shown to adversely affect certain members of our society. Fictional violence across television waves has a very real human effect. The greater the exposure, the more pronounced the effect. Violent televised images, Anderson and Bushman continue, have been connected numerous times to a propensity towards violent behaviors such as assault, robbery and even childhood aggression (Anderson and Bushman).Given this research, it is therefore reasonable to conclude that â€Å"The Walking Dead† will not leave all of its viewers unfazed. In all of its gore, blood and killing, â€Å"The Walking Dead† is yet another piece of the violent puzzle that contributes to the aggression of many in our society. Even th ose who do not respond to the viewing of violence with aggression are likely to experience some effects from watching â€Å"The Walking Dead†. Prior to the opening of the show each week, viewers are provided with a parental advisory which reads, â€Å"This program contains violent images which may be too intense for some viewers.Viewer discretion is advised† (â€Å"The Walking Dead†). Disturbing images permeate the AMC hit drama. They are unsettling, unnatural and can lead to psychological trauma and fear. Current trends in media suggest our generation is obsessed with shows featuring a post apocalyptic world. We both fear and favor the dark. Like the tendency toward aggression that can be created from exposure to violence, other antisocial or anxiety related behaviors can manifest from such images. According to Dimitri A. Christakis and Frederick J.Zimmerman in â€Å"Violent Television Viewing During Preschool is Associated with Antisocial Behavior During Scho ol Age†, exposure to violence can also result in a variety of anti-social behaviors including depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies (Christakis and Zimmerman). Again, we see a strong correlation between media violence and behavior. Perhaps the biggest fear, however, concerning viewership of â€Å"The Walking Dead† is the possibility it has of eschewing one’s moral compass. Viewers continually watch protagonist Grimes and his cohorts violently kill and maim the walking dead without pause and vice versa.It leads one to wonder, if this prolonged exposure to killing without thought can also increase one’s own ability to exercise uncivil behavior without hesitation or remorse. If a society’s values are represented in what that society chooses to watch, should we be concerned that our viewing choices revolve around barbaric killer instincts? One too, however, could take the opposite look at what violent, post apocalyptic television, particularly â⠂¬Å"The Walking Dead†, reflects about our society.Many critics argue that â€Å"The Walking Dead† is ultimately a tale of one man’s struggle to create peace and unity for his family amidst a world of terror and strife. Our society’s interest in disaster and cataclysm is likely synonymous with our feelings of isolation and duress omnipresent in this modern and technological age. The violence shown in â€Å"The Walking Dead†Ã¢â‚¬â€the fight for survival, the loneliness, the internal struggles the characters face in response to the violence—can be compared to the challenges humans face every day.In this society in which modernism distances humans from nature, each other, and often a connection to what is genuinely important, it is easy to feel as though we are living in a dark world in which many of its inhabitants are out to attack us. Pop Matters television critic Jesse Hicks defends â€Å"The Walking Dead† as an important character st udy about modern man in the article â€Å"The Walking Dead: Blurring Lines†. Hicks explains that, like any good horror tale, â€Å"The Walking Dead† effectively scares with its use of monsters but more importantly balances this fear with â€Å"a search for answers, a way to remain decent among the ruins† (Hicks).Humans are calling out for more and more post apocalyptic examinations and thereby guides for how modern man can survive and ultimately succeed in a seemingly bleak world. Through all of its violence and grisliness, â€Å"The Walking Dead’s† dynamic characters and themes regarding a search for humanity among chaos do indeed offer such a guide. Among the layered personality struggles examined in â€Å"The Walking Dead† is Grimes’ and other characters’ quests to display bravery and self-sacrifice when faced with zombie attacks.The images are often unsettling and even at times shocking. However, the feelings conjured up by such startling images illuminate the magnitude of just how dire the surrounding circumstances are and just how difficult the decisions the characters make must be. Through the violence, we see Grimes do nearly anything to protect his family. He struggles with the decisions he makes—killing an infected child, taking the life of persons who could potentially threaten those dear to him, and abandoning his best friend.Grimes moral struggles to exhibit heroic character traits in the face of violence ultimately provides an uplifting tale of courage and principle regardless of how dire circumstances may appear. The violence in â€Å"The Walking Dead† might also provide some positive influences based on the various ways in which we watch different characters deal with that violence. Grimes’ opposing character, best friend and fellow officer Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal), reacts to violence and aggression in stark contrast to Grimes. Grimes is slow to anger and tends to ma ke decisions based on morality and he interests of all involved parties. Walsh, on the other hand, takes a more pragmatic, militaristic view of violence and the challenges they face. While the two characters’ plights can be disturbing, acknowledging how they fail and succeed based on their interactions with violence offers thought provoking questions on how we as individuals can deal with violence and pressures. In Alan Sepinwall’s â€Å"The Walking Dead Review—Better Angels: What a Shane†, Sepinwall argues that in contrast to Grimes’ ultimately more ethical decisions â€Å"Walsh’s death was inevitable† (Sepinwall).While a zombie apocalypse is hopefully not in our imminent future, the ways in which we deal with violence, aggression and personal struggle surrounds each of us. Though it is important to give sufficient attention to how violence in the media is affecting us as both individuals and a society, the dynamic character developm ent as well as the various ethical questions raised by the violence in â€Å"The Walking Dead†, if viewed with care, ultimately offer a more positive than negative depiction of violence.Violence in television, if served with purposeful intent, is an effective storytelling device for displaying the difference between good and evil. â€Å"The Walking Dead† effectively makes the distinction between gratuitous violence and violence necessary for plot and character development. In an apocalyptic world of isolation and gory yet morally charged killings, a small band of survivors in â€Å"The Walking Dead† are fighters for good amidst evil and a model for those seeking modern interpretations of what it means to survive in the real, and sometimes seemingly bleak, world in which we all find ourselves.

Religious groups in Mediterranean in 900 a. d.

The representative sample is Spain, a Mediterranean country. Mediterranean World, by and large, had gone through many inter-religious wars and convulsions, until for a change a time of greatest glory arrived in the Middle Ages. During this period, the Muslims and Christians were able to live in peace and harmony. This resulted in the practice of cosmopolitan culture, and people of both the religions lived in mutual trust creating unique blend of Western Civilization, where in the contribution both the Christianity (Western) and Islam was more or less equal.Notwithstanding the dominance of the Muslims (Islam), religious harmony was the hallmark of the era. But the peaceful situation did not last for long. Arabic (related to Islam) was the primary language of cultural preservation and socio-spiritual progress during 800 a. d. in the Mediterranean history. In the initial stages, the language and religion (Islam) were imposed on the people. The impact of Islam was greatest during this ce ntury. It remained so between the 7th and 13th centuries. Every religion is linked or associated with a particular language like Arabic to Islam!The language prospers means the concerned religion thrives and vice versa. During the ascendance of Arabic language, Hebrew and Latin had also an important roles to play. They were clerical languages. At the same time, Arabic, apart from being the clerical language, was the language of poetry and prose as well . The califal library in Islamic Cordoba alone held 4000 books -the librarian’s catalog held information on some 600,000 volumes. The laymen of Spain do not have the knowledge of the immense contribution of the Muslim culture beyond the architectural remnants.But they celebrate with great pomp and fanfare the festival of the rout of the Muslim pirates. Notwithstanding the dominance of the Muslims (Islam), religious harmony was the hallmark of the era. To the eighth century Muslims, Iberian Peninsula was the entry point. The emo tional, physical and spiritual atmosphere was perfect. Cultural progress and constructive socio-spiritual activities were possible under such circumstances. Exquisite architectural masterpieces were built and scholarly writing was encouraged, and this had a profound influence on the life in Mediterranean area and many other parts of the world, for centuries to come.This is the greatest contribution of Muslims to this region in 900 a. d. â€Å"The Muslims who entered Iberia through the Gibraltar Strait in 711 defeated the Visigoths and moved up to the Pyrenees and maintained their stay for several centuries. Finally, with the fall of Granada in 1492, the Muslim presence was ended by Christian forces from the north. The Muslim-led civilization of medieval Iberia, a. k. a. Al-Andalus made many noteworthy contributions to humanity. † The influence of Islam that began in the early 7th Century continued till the 11thcentury.The greatness of this civilization and the dominance of Ar abic language have been highlighted by many scholars in their works. There were scholars who worked exclusively on copying Quran. That was not the era of the printing press. Book worship was the dominant quality of the Islamic polity. The Islamic Rulers encouraged building book-treasurers. So, Islam combined with Arabic language had profound influence in Spain and on the Mediterranean world during 900 a. d. It is pertinent to note here, what happened in 800 a. d. would contribute to the subsequent developments in 900 a. d. onwards. It was a period of positive and negative developments.The constitution of the new Empire sealed the break between the West and the East. It perhaps gave the West a new Roman Empire. Muslims incursions began to take place with more intensity across the Mediterranean, and they did not hesitate to impose their language and religion on the populace of the conquered territory. Trade across the Mediterranean came to a standstill and the ports, through which the merchandise arrived, were deserted with no commercial activity. The sea was no longer a safe route for commerce, because chaos prevailed all over the interior Mediterranean region initially.Due to the relentless pressure put by the invading Islamic outfits, Western Christian Civilization moved north. This resulted in the suspension of the contact with eastern, Byzantine Christianity. Over a period, they developed and formed into two distinct Christian groups. The common identity was lost. This situation worked to the advantage of Islam in the long run because their ‘religious enemies’ stood divided. Their hold and influence on the Mediterranean became even stronger. In this process, the replacement of Christianity of the southern and western Mediterranean areas by Islamic outfits had a catastrophic effect on Europe.In certain areas, a biased tax system was introduced to promote Islam. Additional taxes were imposed on Christians, but those who embraced Islam, were exemp ted. The religious persecution became order of the day. So the factors that contributed to the Muslim ascendancy were: patronage by the rulers for this religion, religious persecution for subjects practicing other religions, encouragement to literature in Arabic language, relentless pressure of the invading Islamic outfits on the people of Spain and the Mediterranean region.

Body Image Of The World

Media affects body image Body image is an idiosyncratic picture of one 's own physical appearance established both by self-observation and by observing the reactions of others. Whether it may be a magazine cover, commercial or the internet, the media 's false portrayal of perfection greatly impacts children and young adults. The media glorifies models and celebrities as figures of a higher standard, as icons of beauty and youth. Media features female models with tall, slender body types and male†¦ Body Image When I hear the word body image I began to shrink inside. I have never really been comfortable in my own skin. As a child I was my own worst critic; I hated the color of my skin, my weight, to my hair. As a child my relatives would always say I was dark. So, I hated my skin color. I always wanted to be lighter because it seemed that light-skinned girls my age that were light skinned were able to get whatever they wanted. From the time I was a little girl I told myself I would get†¦ conditioned to believe that our bodies are flawed. Projected by the media consumed, fashion modeled during Fashion Week, or critics online, the message is clear: we commit the crime of imperfection simply by existing. Society shames us for this, for not fitting into the unrealistic mold cast upon us. One of the primary sources of this is body shaming, which is simply defined as â€Å"shaming someone for their particular body type†. Living in the 21st Century, anyone can be subjected to body shaming. However, the†¦ a clear definition of abs. Long hair with curls that look like a picture perfect image on a magazine. That’s what an â€Å"ideal† body type is. Flawlessly beautiful. As a 5’0 muscular girl, body image has always something that been a traumatic issue for myself. Always feeling ashamed for the body that I have. Body image has been a road block of trying to fix myself, or to free the bottled up insecurities to accept the body, I have. Sometimes it can be the simplest of questions that can be the hardest to†¦ The impact of brands on body image Discuss the ways in which the idea of ‘Body Image’ is created through advertising and brand promotion. How is this reinforced by celebrity promotion? What potential damage can be done by certain Body Image prototypes? Are there examples of positive body image in advertising and branding? The area of research will be focussing on is an issue which has plagued the fashion conscious world for decades. The issue of body image, especially on women, and the impact advertising†¦ Sheppard Ads today draw us into the television with enticing, edgy images depicting women and men in sexualizing roles. However, women are repeatedly used as sexual appeals to promote the good of a product, but is the aim really to promote the product or the idea of gender roles in society? Society promotes that women should be the one to stay home and take care of their husbands to please them, so they create a visual image for men as to how they should treat their woman and how their woman should†¦ Body Image The perfect body is something that every person wants but very few posses. Many people will do just about anything to either fit in with their community or cover up their insecurities. Women are clearly more obsess with obtaining the perfect body more than men. From an adolescent’s viewpoint, a particular body image can be particularly dangerous because it can lead to a physiological obsession, eating disorders, and physical health consequences (Berger, 2014). Adolescents can become†¦ Fake Perfection Like snowflakes there is no one person who looks the same in the world. Even identical twins have a small difference that you would be able to tell them apart. What makes every person individually unique is our physical traitsÍ ¾ however, things like the internet, the social media, and television says otherwise. According to the media, every man must be handsome and muscular, and every woman must be fit and beautiful. An easy access to such technologies make it easier for people†¦ Perfect Body With an alarming 50 percent of 3-to-6 year old girls worrying about their weight, it makes you wonder, what are we doing wrong? (Hanes). If I were to ask you, what do you consider the perfect body, how would you respond? Most girls would reply: thin body, skinny waist, and big breasts. In today’s society, the media controls all aspects of our lives. From popular Smartphone applications such as Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr to advertisements and movies, the media has managed to distort†¦ Mistura Olawore Shailen Mishra Final Draft 13 April 2015 Body Image and the Demand for Beauty in our Society In almost every advertisement today regarding a female, her image is tweaked, airbrushed, and cropped. Minimizing her waist, enlarging her features, raising her eyebrows, pronouncing her cheekbones, and airbrushing her skin are one of the many examples of how a woman’s image can be altered. The images of these perfect looking women are being placed in many advertisements. Young girls see†¦

Discuss the positive and negative impact of globalisation with Assignment

Discuss the positive and negative impact of globalisation with reference to two contrasting countries. (two countries are UK a - Assignment Example However, the ongoing financial crisis that resulted from the collapse of the real estate market has slowed the process of globalization, which is sometimes blamed by the critics for the surge in unemployment and inflation. Based on the reports of Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Odom and Koech (2010) highlighted that the economic recovery has been slow in developed countries including the UK, while the developing countries including India are making fast economic progress. The compiled reports of Central Intelligence Agency pointed that the UK had recorded a GDP growth rate of 1.6% in 2010, which was better than its negative growth rate of -5% in 2009 (United Kingdom, 2011). However, the Central Intelligence Agency also remarked that India had recorded a growth rate of 8.3% in 2010, which was marginally greater than its growth rate of 7.4% in 2009 (India, 2011). Since India and the UK represent the developing and the developed economies respectively, this paper compares the positive a nd the negative impacts of globalization on these two countries. 2. Discussion Globalization has definitely increased trade in India and the UK besides encouraging entrepreneurship among the youth of these two countries. Due to globalization, some economic sectors of India will have more advantage than the UK, while there will be some economic sectors where the UK will have more advantage than India. The following section contrasts the positive and the negative effects of globalization in India and the UK. 2.1. Manufacturing: Since India has lower labour costs than the UK, globalization has caused an increase in the manufacturing activity in India, while the manufacturing activity in the UK has comparatively slowed down as industries favor India as the low cost manufacturing base (Economics Help, n.d.). 2.2. Employment: When the manufacturing industries of the UK shift their bases to India or another developing country, there will be loss of employment in that particular sector of t he UK, while India will gain employment in the manufacturing sector. The unemployment rate in the UK was 7.9% in 2010, while it was 7.6% in 2009 (United Kingdom, 2011). However, the unemployment rate in India was 8.3% in 2010, while it was 7.4% in 2009 (India, 2011). The unemployment in manufacturing sector in the UK will be offset by employment generation in other sectors, such as finance and insurance, which shows that globalization causes shift in jobs from one sector to another without causing major catastrophic changes (Economics Help, n.d.). 2.3. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO): India has highly educated and talented professionals well-versed in speaking, writing, and reading English language. Due to a large pool of competent workers expert in providing IT enabled services to the business clients, several countries, such as the USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK outsource their work to India. Globalization has helped India to expand its BPO industry, while the UK has been a laggard due to the high labor and infrastructural costs. The size of the Indian BPO industry is estimated to be around $69 billion as of 2010 because the developed countries outsource their business assignments to India where the wages are nearly 80% lower than

Choose 2 questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Choose 2 questions - Essay Example This owes to the fact that once such multinational companies are established, they assist in alleviating the living standards of the local people. Some of the multinationals, which have transformed the lives of the people according to the proponents of globalization, include the Apple Inc. and the Coca Cola Company. For instance, the former company has majority of its operations in China. This is owing to the fact that this country offers experienced and cheap labor for such multinational companies. The proponents of multinationals also believe that this is the only way to promote the spirit of globalization. With the market being free, every individual has the right to conduct his business in any country, provided all conditions are right. In short, therefore, the proponents of the multinational corporations focus on the macro level (systemic) analysis of this situation. On the other hand, though, the critics of multinational corporations have a different view on this issue. This is because they focus on it from a sub systemic level of analysis. For instance, the multinationals have been criticized for being the main cause of unemployment in some developing countries. This is despite the fact that the proponents indicate otherwise. For instance, once a multinational corporation is established in a developing country, it threatens the infant industries. The latter may not be in a position to cope with the completion of such large multinational corporations. For that reason, some of the local industries are forced to shut down mostly due to reduced sales. This results to an increased unemployment as people loss jobs. The critics indicate that one of the main advantages of the multinational companies is that they are able to operate on a large scale than the local industries. They have capital and therefore have the ability to ensure that there is the right kind of technology and qualified working force to provide quality goods and services. According to the crit ics, the multinational companies are out to perpetuate their monopolistic powers. Some of these multinational companies come from the developed nations. It is indicated that there is a correlation between the military power and the economic power of any given country. It is for these reasons that majority of critics indicating that the multinationals are out to give more political and military power to some of these countries. Such critics also question the need for globalization. They indicate that globalization has led to many negative effects than it was earlier thought. For instance, it has been challenged for increased unemployment and effect on the local businesses. According to Marxist view, the main beneficiaries of globalization have been the developed countries. They indicate that the main reason why it exists is to enable the developed nations accumulate more wealth especially from the developing nations. For instance, the developed nations have been able to take advantag e of the cheap labor provided by the developing nations. While such corporations make a lot of profits, the employees are not rewarded according to the services that are provided. According to my analysis of the situation, I believe that the sub systemic view (critics), best explains the situation in hand. Most of the developing countries still grapple with the issues

Ghadafi and Libya essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ghadafi and Libya - Essay Example The Egyptian conflict was the first example where the protestors of the country fought for justice and freedom and forced their leader, Hosni Mubarak to resign. These protests were followed in other countries where the citizens wished to revolutionize their countries and attain liberal governments that would fulfill their demands and recognize the importance of... the citizens of the country. The most prominent amongst these is the Libyan Conflict which began in the month of February in the year 2011. The conflict is still in progress and rebels have taken to the streets to force the step down of their leader Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi who has been in power since almost 42 years. Qaddafi has not given up and does not intend to give in to the demands of the people and has resorted to severe measures which include oppression and killings of the masses. The conflict has met with criticism from international countries and allies of Libya have also requested Qaddafi to step down and abide by the wants and wishes of the people (Libya — Protests and Revolt 2011). Libya is an Arab nation which is located on the map in North Africa. The country like many other Arab countries contains very high reservoirs of oil. The country has been under the rule of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi from the year 1969 who has proved to be a very strict and harsh ruler for the country. Qaddafi has always been a ruler who has followed the policy of dictatorship and has tried to keep all the powers of authority in his hands. Qaddafi is an intelligent man who has used all his powers to keep the country divided so that there could be no united strong appraisal against his oppressions. He did not create any strong national organizations and at the same time, he also did not form a nationalized army so that no revolt to overthrow him could be very strong. He has been criticized on the international level owing to his oppressive acts which have resulted in the expulsion of Libya as a member fr om the United Nations Security Council. There was an internal unrest in the country but the actual conflict resulted due to the wave of revolution that started in the neighboring countries of Egypt and Tunisia and led to the freedom of these countries. It was followed by the Libyans who started their revolt against the government and initiated a mass protest demanding the resignation of their leader (Fahim et al 2011; Libya — Protests and Revolt 2011). The revolt against the government started in the city of Benghazi and spread across the country and rebels were seen to be operating in different cities of Libya against the four decade old rule. It was expected by many that Qaddafi would opt for resignation but these hopes vanished when he chose for fighting against the people of his own country. He used threatening and derogatory remarks against the rebels terming them as â€Å"cockroaches† in his speech and threatened to kill all of them. It seemed that the revolt wou ld not last long and the protesters would be crushed but international intervention and military assistance and strikes from the United States and United Kingdom in the month of March served to increase the revolt and the side of the rebels became stronger again. The NATO forces also came to the assistance of the rebels and assisted them to fight back the forces of Colonel

Analysis The Blind Faith of the One-Eyed Matador Essay

Analysis The Blind Faith of the One-Eyed Matador - Essay Example Juan Jose is a seasoned bullfighter (torero) in Spain who comes from a family with bullfighting brothers and a retired torero in his father. The author introduces the reader to the story showing Juan Jose and the Bull in the bullfighting zone and the event known as the Feria Del Pilar that is a highly anticipated date in the bullfighting calendar. The author describes the bull by revealing its name, Marques- ashy black. This allows the reader to see how the bull is huge and indicates the power and muscle that the bull has over Jose. The author also reveals that the bull is a 5-year-old bull and weighs 1,100 pounds. Russell then goes ahead to describe Juan Jose as a father of two, 38 years of age and one of top matadors in Spain. This sets the atmosphere for the reader because it makes the reader part of the action making him/ her feel present at the event (Russell 1). Russell then describes the action that occurs between Padilla and Marques. The author’s description makes the reader feel as if Marques is a human being just like Juan Jose. For instance, the author states, â€Å"Padilla and Marques are alone in the sandy pit, but a carousel of faces swirls around them. A thousand eyes beat down on Padilla, causing sweat to bead on his neck† (Russell 1). This makes the reader feel as if Juan Jose and Marques are two fighting opponents with similar attributes (Russell 1). The author describes in detail how Marques injures Juan Jose in the bullfighting match. Preceding the injury the author sets the atmosphere to prepare the reader for the worst. For instance, just after the match begins, she says, â€Å"A glancing blow from Marques unsteadies Padilla; his feet get tangled... Padilla has the bad luck, the terrible luck, of landing on his side. And now his luck gets worse† (Russell 1). This prepares the reader for the

Explicate Descartes dream argument, taking care to lay out what it Essay

Explicate Descartes dream argument, taking care to lay out what it calls into doubt and the reason it does. How might you respon - Essay Example In Descartes’ dream argument, he casts several doubts about the things he knew. First, he does not believe that all the information received by our senses is accurate. After his revelation, he undertook an intellectual rebirth. His first prompt was to throw away everything he knew and believed in before proving himself that they were satisfactory. He concluded that it would be difficult to analyze each idea individually, instead, he attacked the foundation. In his argument, he states that he often dreams of things that seem real in his sleep. In one dream where he sits by a fire, he can feel the warmth of the fire just like when he is awake. He concludes that if his senses can convey warmth while he is dreaming, then he cannot trust the fire exists when he feels it in his waking life. He goes ahead to argue that if we dream that our hands and bodies exist then they actually do. Even if certain objects do not exist, the basic colors that compose them exist. He trusts his percep tions of the existence of self-evident truths such as shapes and numbers because he believes in an omnipotent God who created these things. It can be argued that when we are asleep we could feel things similar to when we are awake because we cannot tell whether we a dreaming or not. It leads one to wonder whether we could just be constantly dreaming instead of being awake. Questions continue to flow in the human brain whether the knowledge we are gaining at any given time is true. He further states that, he does not have a body, instead, it is a brain filled with information and illusions by a powerful being. Similarly, to justify that our senses deceive us, a person will have to recognize an error has occurred. In simple terms, one has to distinguish between being mistaken and being correct. It means one has to see the deceptions and avoid being deceived. Ironically, therefore, in the presentation of examples of how senses can deceive, one is also justifying that they can see throu gh deceptions. This undercuts the very claim argued. Therefore, when Descartes argues that he is deceived by his senses, he is indirectly arguing that he has seen through these deceptions. From Descartes’ explanations we can state that the difference between understanding and imagining is that, when we understand, the mind turns towards itself and inspects its ideas, but with imagining, the mind creates something in the physical world that matches with the thing in mind. We can say that imagination only exists due to the presence of the body. The thinker claims that it is impossible for us to tell whether we are dreaming or not. However, dreaming differs from being awake in many respects. He does not mean this literally though, he is merely trying to demonstrate that senses can be deceiving. First, the continuity available when one is awake does not exist in the dreamland. Things in the waking world remain the same daily unlike the dream world where things can change. Similar ly, the dream world and the waking world have different rules. For instance, in the dream world the dead can walk and humans can fly among other strange things. As such, Descartes’ arguments do not warrant the amount and degree of skepticism that he holds. Various key exceptions for Descartes’ arguments include, first, he does not consider even the existence of the external reality. Descartes’

CONTEMPORARY BRAND MANAGEMENT REPORT Case Study

CONTEMPORARY BRAND MANAGEMENT REPORT - Case Study Example The company took full advantage of the many synergies generated within the group while retaining its own identity and remaining faithful to its distinctive difference (Louis Vuitton.com). Louis Vuitton, the founder of the famous French luxury goods brand, began manufacturing trunks in Paris in 1854, and the company he started went on to become one of the world's most famous makers of luxury goods, known especially for its designer luggage pattern: a beige-on-chestnut monogram, "LV." Vuitton's high-quality travelling trunks were such a hit that he had to expand his factory within a few years, relocating to Asnires in 1860. As the years went by the Vuitton line gained international recognition, thanks in part to a bronze medal at the 1867 World's Fair and a gold medal at the 1889 World's Fair, both held in Paris. After Louis died in 1892, his son, Georges, took the company to new heights, developing what is recognized as the first "designer label" on a product. Widespread copying of Vuitton patterns pushed Georges to design the distinctive "LV" monogram. Vuitton's luggage company has since become a world leader in luxury consumer goods, with products that include trave l books, perfume, distilled spirits and designer clothing (Answers.com). Louis Vuitton is a truly global brand associated with lux... he stylish LV Monogram canvas that was carried on in the year 1896 and the soft Steamer Bag that was introduced in the year 1901 prefigured the opening of the Louis Vuitton building on the Champs-Elyses in Paris, the largest travel goods store in the world. The famous Keepall Bag, often seen as a forerunner of the duffel bag, was launched in 1924 and was followed by similar products. In the last quarter of the 20th century Louis Vuitton developed as a truly global brand: the first LV stores opened in Tokyo and Osaka in Japan in 1978, in South Korea in 1984, in China in 1992, in Marrakesh in the year 2000, in Moscow during 2003, and in New Delhi during 2003 (Answers.com). 3. Brand Analysis Consumers identify a brand's distinctive capabilities based on their perceptions that have themselves been created by the marketers over a period of time. A genuine brand is "the internalized sum of all the impressions received by the customers and consumers resulting in a distinctive position in their mind's eye based on perceived emotional and functional benefits" (Knapp). A brand, in general, conveys certain aspects like attributes, benefits, values, culture, personality and user each one of which are discussed below. Attributes: Attributes are things that usually speak about the product. A brand usually conveys attributes of the product in order to inform existing customers and at the same time attract new potential customers. If this aspect is compared with Louis Vuitton, the brand that is being discussed in this paper, the attributes of Louis Vuitton products' are stylish, fashionable and modern and are made of high quality premium leather. Benefits: In order for a brand to be successful in the market, it is necessary that the product attributes eventually transform into

Friedman’s Discussion of Globalization and Flattening Essay Example for Free

Friedman’s Discussion of Globalization and Flattening Essay Globalization is regarded by its critics as a force which is extending the gap between the world’s rich and poor. In some ways, this has been true, especially throughout the first decade of the post-Cold War Era. The opening of gateways to the East created a relationship between the corporate partners throughout the globe that concentrated the spoils of free-trade into the hands of the wealthy. But in Thomas Friedman’s 2005 meditation on the topic, The World is Flat, there is evidence that in fact, the intended products of globalization such as a greater distribution of knowledge resources and a leveling of the technological playing field are beginning to surface. This latter product of free trade, the ‘leveling’ effect is that which informs Friedman’s title theme. The world has become flat by its increasing smallness. The economic, political, cultural and tele-communicative interconnectivity of nations is gradually eroding many of the geographic obstacles to popular progress. The strands of globalization, the New York Times journalist observes, have contributed to a broadening of access to independent entrepreneurialship and opportunity. Though many of the subjects of the author’s analysis are large American multi-national corporations, there is an evident transition in which knowledge-based internet startup enterprises from across the globe are undermining the more monopolistic proclivities of the American market. In nations such as India and China, American exploitation of lower operational, environmental and labor-oriented costs in the technological sector has caused a proliferation of such resources to the general public. This, in turn, is becoming a hotbed of alternative market action which will ultimately dismantle the superiority of the American economy. According to Friedman’s analysis, a core detriment to the U. S. economy, but a boon to independent operations overseas, has been a disregard for American private conceptions of property rights. From counterfeiting of American name brand consumer goods to pirate telecommunication infrastructural apparatuses, the bureaucratic vulnerabilities to effective globalization are numerous. Both partners in a free-trade circumstance stand to lose economic opportunity in the presence of such market subversions. Thomas Friedman’s text is eye-opening insofar as so many of the matters which he discusses may be directly implicated in the experiences of our everyday lives. In fact, this is the ‘flattening’ principle of which the author speaks, dictating that the public experience rather than simply large institutional abstractions are shaping the context in which we live our lives. Such is to suggest that the technological, educational, informational and recreational freedoms which have traditionally be reserved for those on the upper echelon of both their domestic setting and international geography are increasingly becoming democratic. However, in contrast to Friedman’s general tenor of optimism, his sarcasm only hints at the current consequences of globalization for so many individuals. This discussion is a reflection on Friedman’s text as informed by my own conception of globalization which brings future opportunity at the expense of current human dignity, personal satisfaction and even American prosperity. Therefore, the discussion will be oriented toward elucidating globalization’s internally contradictory nature. Just as it enriches one demographic in a developing nation, it facilitates the targeted abuse of another. Just as it endows us with a heretofore unseen capacity for self-sufficiency, it likewise robs us of the capacity to control the level of satisfaction which we achieve when relating to the commercial world. In the flattening of the global horizon that Friedman lauds as the eventual path to a shared standard of living and prosperity, there is the need for a greater analytical emphasis on the negative forces that are driving individuals to increasingly attempt to find their own pathways to social and commercial interaction. Friedman’s discussion, as we will see, is focused on demonstrating the permeation of benefits to the collective world community in free trade. This is quite supportable from a macrolevel standpoint. Indeed, nations engaged in free trade would do well to support one another in a mutuality of benefit. Certainly, as was illustrated by the economic phenomena of the 1990s’, the expansion of a single large market through a boom of technological progress will have the effect of disseminating to the rest of the free world. This was certainly proved to be true by the dynamic of that decade, when â€Å"there was a massive investment in technology, especially in the bubble era, when hundreds of millions of dollars were invested in putting broadband connectivity around the world. † (Friedman, 6) The result is what is seen as surfacing today. More than the United States, it is the world community which is producing the knowledge workforce of the future. And though Friedman is forthcoming in making that foreboding case, it is important that we expound upon this subject further in this discussion by acknowledging that globalization and the ‘flattening’ effect are not of a uniform pattern. Even as the proliferation which the author discusses is taking place, it has done so with a multitude of consequences that can neither said to have been desire nor can be said to have stimulated greater equality. Friedman, whom by his text we may suggest is a supporter of the ultimate purpose of globalization, makes the technological attribution that â€Å"it was actually the coincidence of the dot-com boom and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that launched the fiber-optic bubble. † (67) Friedman observes that the collective telecom industry invested roughly 1 trillion dollars in half a decade on ‘wiring the world. ’ (67) The deregulation in the 1996 American domestic legislation, which allowed so many larger companies to enforce hostile consolidation measures in a vast array of theretofore legally unapproachable markets, would coincide with the unfettered capital investment in global internet penetration that has ultimately elevated private sector rights over public rights while simultaneously helping to bring other nations to an eventually greater infrastructural promotion of internet access than would be found in the United States. In some manner, this is borne out by a pattern with incredibly broad-based implications for American consumer and job markets. Today, we have seen and experienced the wholesale transfer of our Customer Service industry to fledgling globalizing economies such as that in India. Here, major computer retailers, cable company operators, wireless communication device providers, bank/credit cards merchants and virtually every other monopolistic corporate industry in America is forced to maintain its competitive advantages by commissioning outsourced Customer Service agents located in India. It is their charge to replicate the experience of an American calling a support technician with an intimate relationship with the product in question. This is accomplished with, as Friedman reveals, intensive training in the adoption of linguistic, dialectic and etiquette-related behaviors designed to facilitate comfort for the American caller. â€Å"The Indian call center operators adopt Western names of their own choosing. The idea, of course, is to make their American or European customers feel more comfortable. † (22) Amongst the many indicators that cultural flattening would play a part in this transition of labor, the concept of taking on an Americanized name in the interests of facilitating the core consumer target is not only remarkable but intensely objectionable from the outside perspective, particularly when this outside perspective is informed by the sense of autonomy and individuality typically affiliated with western philosophy. However, for the subjects described in Friedman’s book, an aspect of the western philosophy perhaps more indicative of its cultural interest is the economic opportunity afforded to the hundreds of thousands of young Indian post-graduates competing for the chance to answer phone calls from Americans concerned with all manner of technical support or target marketing. This relatively low-level and typically micro-managed field in America has become amongst the most competitive entry-level positions in India. And in one sense that Friedman captures in the theoretical framing of his text, this is an opportunity for personal economic mobility which for the young student in India might have been seen as extraordinary and rarified just a decade ago. This may hardly be said to be true today, where â€Å"245,000 Indians are answering phones† 24 hours a day and charged with responsibility of representing themselves as being located somewhere in the United States. (24) From a personal perspective, this has produced an incredible dearth of quality service in the United States, where the usability of our products has become increasingly distant from the quality of the Customer Support which we have received. One of the qualities of our technology which Friedman believes has helped to diminish the relevance of geographical distance to serviceability has been the institution of automated Customer Service. For those of us who have been transferred and given insufficient options for contending with specific categories of problem, this has hardly been an added convenience. And the infallibly polite computerized operator is equally as unflappable or emotionally unresponsive as is the outsourced Customer Service representative. In a particularly telling passage where Friedman observes a woman in an Indian call center as caller after caller hangs up the phone in rage, we can see that there is something about this experience that can be excruciating and even unfair. It may be noted that Friedman does a very effective job at distinguishing between the economic, the sociological and the technological factors which have rendered our current level of global flatness. He acknowledges that there were world events which would make the type of collaboration now essential between the United States and India a natural matter of happenstance. Friedman describes the so-called Y2K crisis in which it was feared that a lack of programming foresight would result in the incorrect resetting of the world’s computer-based internal clocking mechanisms, creating the likelihood of widespread technical failure throughout the world. Thus, â€Å"with Y2K bearing down on us, America and India started dating, and that relationship became a huge flattener, because it demonstrated to so many different businesses that the combination of the PC, the Internet, and fiber-optic cables had created the possibility of a whole new for of collaboration horizontal value creation: outsourcing. † (108) So we must yield to the fact that, truly, globalization can hardly be avoided. The scope of consumer need does truly require a greater scope of consumer service, and the Indian economy does have the correct workforce makeup to address this need. But when combined with the expansion of private rights, courtesy of such legislation as the 1996 Act, this has created a frustrating sense for the consumer that ‘flattening’ requires a considerable decline from the experiences to which Americans have grown accustomed. Perhaps the overarching presence in Friedman’s text is the intimation that these factors which are impacting our lives and the affecting the shift of world order are of an inevitable nature. The ten factors which are identified as the flattening mechanisms of the changing globe are largely technological and economic forces with broad social and cultural implications. However, these latter qualities are merely the secondary consequence of a circumstance committed to by former. Such is to say that the proliferation of western culture, though certainly not accidental, is merely incidental. Referring once again to the problematic case of outsourcing Customer Support services, we can see that the imposition of American culture is only due to the need to cater to the American consumer. In reality, though Indian culture is threatened by subversion, it is American culture which is being co-opted for reasons having little to do with cultural expression. As a result, the American identity has been trivialized and largely represented as being tantamount to the conveyance of commercial interest. One of the core revelations offered by this text, at least when placed in the context of the general American’s everyday experience, is that the flattening which has occurred must necessarily come at the expense of the American’s staunch sense of individuality and belief in personal entitlement. Works Cited: Friedman, T. (2005). The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Promotional Program Situation Analysis

Promotional Program Situation Analysis Sony Entertainment has a large brand name and has a large target market for all of their electronic product line. Because of the high demand for new technology and consumers buying Sony quality products, it has an annual advertising budget of approximately five billion US dollars globally  [1]  . And last year in 2009, Sony spent 3.4 billion dollars in advertising alone, which is around what other competitors spend on advertising. Sony has an effective approach with spending money on advertising their new products and promoting new games for Sony game consoles. The corporation uses a variety of promotional media strategies to advertise new products that are coming out. The way Sony does this is through magazines, newspapers, video game trade shows (like E3), internet advertisement, Playstation internet forums, TV advertising, sponsorship, and word of mouth. The largest reach to consumers is through television commercials. Sony has been found in many different kinds magazines to reach their large target market. Sony airs their commercials on a large scale of channels and networks. For example, Sony PS3 game commercial appears on comedy central, Fox, cartoon network, and many more. Their current commercial is an actor as the Vice President of Sony entertainment that illustrates people asking the VP questions about the PS3 and he answers with something that promotes the PS3 game and console. The commercials have a slight humor to them to keep the viewer interested and to remember the advertisement. Sony Playstation has made appearances in TV shows such as two and half men, and movies, like the 40 year old virgin. The message strategies are to illustrate the entertainment a person gets out of a video game and the detailed computer generated images, CGI, that are used in the games. Overall, Sony Playstation is a strong competitor for the entertainment industry. The competition is moderately intense, but it is fragmented because there is not one major company that dominates the market. The technological trend is leaning towards television advertising and internet advertising. 90% of the target market have internet and 70% use the internet to shop online. Sony is already capitalizing on this trend and spends most of the advertising budget on advertisement spots. The company meets customer satisfaction with its products and customer service. The company is always seeking to make things better and expand its products. Positioning and Campaign Theme Game consoles are trying to reach the demand for the consumers wanting video games that have the latest, like-real life graphics, and an enjoyable experience. When consumers compare the three major video game consoles, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3, there is no comparison. The PS3 has everything all in one console. With the new Playstation Interactive, it will bring Sony to another level of gaming and setting it farther apart from the competition. The major difference with the PSI is that it makes the person in control feel like they are really inside the game. PSI is the only product that enables the character to simulate the same movement the gamer is doing by using all of their full body motion. Playstation focuses on having the best technology and implementing having the latest of technology in one console. Sonys mission statement is to experience the joy of advancing and applying technology for the benefit of the public. Sony has positioned all of their product lines around this philosophy. Playstation Interactive will define their position in the market by using product differentiation, and uses of the product. Our logo Be in controlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Be interactive positions the product as of being in control of the game and being involved in more than a controller. It also sends the message of being an innovator of having the best and latest technology on the market. Playstation Interactive does more than play games. It has all the capabilities of the PS3. The PS3 slogan now is it only does everything. To keep the mission statement and message of the product to the market intact of its features, another slogan is Having everything at your movement. This slogan shows that it does more than video games, and has the best technology in one console. The message is consistent with the positioning statement. It does this by having slogans that relay the message from an advertisement as it positions the product in the market. As stated above the two slogans that would be used are Be in controlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Be interactive and Having everything at your movement. Communication Objectives and Strategies The advertising strategy for the PlayStation Interactive is attempting to communicate the major benefits of the product. The value of the PSI is that it will create an unbelievably real virtual gaming experience. The gamer will feel their game is a reality, which is the ultimate benefit. The goal is to differentiate PSI from any other gaming system that can be made similar, and to appeal to potential customers in a psychologically manner. The objectives of the campaign are to make the PSI a desirable gaming system. Its new technology will be perceived as the leader and pioneer of the next gaming generation. Our objectives are to: Increase knowledge and awareness of this new technology to 90% of gamers in the selected target market in a 12 months period. Close gap in Market share between PS3 and XBOX by introducing new technology. By doing this, we expect to increase our market share by 10% in a 12 months period, and reinforce the brand image of Playstation among existing customers. To achieve our goals we will reach to the early adapters of the gaming industry to have them talking and blogging about our product, creating a Buzz that will provide the company with word of mouth advertising. We will incent product trial and drive purchase among the target market by offering game demos with over 80 games to choose from. We will also set demonstration available to main retailers (BestBuy, Target and Wal-Mart) to stimulate trials for potential customers. A Web site will be launched dedicated to the PSI besides the existing Sony Playstation official Web site. Each game will contain a link to the Web site where users can find out about more games and subscribe to our email list and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.This Web site will also provide visitors with information about the new technology of the PSI. Visitors will be able to order the system and games through the website as well. We plan to offer games with custom made features only for our online customers. We will place advertising ads in the large gaming magazine such as GamePro and Game Informer. We will place commercials on stations such as G4 and Spike which target the same gaming market as PSI. We intend to improve relations with game retailers by providing them with cooperative advertising support. Other examples of advertising would be direct response advertising, co-operative advertising, and sales promotion (like when Sony dropped the price for the PS3 to $299.00). Advertising Appeals The advertising appeals which will be used for the PSI is a fun, sometime humorous and emotional appeal. The advertising will create a desire. Video game/console advertising is sort of like movie trailers, the reason being the trailers get the viewer involved in the situation or, in a gaming case, the action. One commercial, for example, advertises a new game and shows a brief glimpse of what the game is like, the detailed graphics and at the end of the commercial will show the logo for the Sony PSI. An advertisement for the product can show a person playing the Nintendo Wii on the couch and not moving their body just moving the controller. Then the screen will shift to a person playing Playstation Interactive actually moving their whole body as the person in game does exactly the same thing as the person in control. This advertisement will show product differentiation and product usage. Other advertisements can show the advanced graphics of a game with a character running around in the game then the camera will zoom out of the television showing the game footage and show a person running around doing all the things the character is doing, then it will move to a slogan, Be in controlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Be interactive. We think these types of appeals will work best for our campaign since one of our goals is to establish a reputation for games that poke fun at what many would consider humorous or ridiculous actions by well-known people. Additionally, to help promote games via word of mouth, each game has the option to notify a friend. So, a user can send a text message to a friend instantly to share their excitement or recommendation about the games. Rationale for Creative Recommendations The reason for choosing the advertising strategy selected, is due to the fact that the act of gaming requires more a mental state than a physical state. Therefore by advertising to customers psychological side it may create more of an intense desire to have the newest technology in gaming. Advertising Media Recommendations Strategy We first must create awareness of our virtual gaming system to the novice and serious video gamer so they can be aware that our virtual gaming system actually exists. Secondly we have to show how our gaming system is different and superior to any other gaming system in the market today. This wont be easy task but can yield major dividends if done correctly. In our media strategy we wont neglect the power and the influence of word of mouth advertising which will be a huge factor in promoting our virtual gaming system. The target market we are going to reach has to be overwhelming satisfied with our virtual gaming system otherwise they wont recommend their friends to go out and purchase the system. The target market were reaching would only recommend the system if they all can play against each other. In other words we have to completely satisfy all of their friends so they can all go out and buy a virtual gaming system for their own home. Either we satisfy all of them or none of them to buy the virtual gaming system. We believe word of mouth advertising will eventually supersede all traditional forms of media advertising once people learn more about our virtual gaming system. In the meantime we will coordinate different media strategies to maximize our virtual gaming system by bringing out brand awareness of our gaming system. Advertising and Communication Objectives First our communication to the public will be about how our virtual gaming system is unique to anything on the market. Secondly, any video game enthusiast will have an opportunity to not just a play a video game but to actually feel and be a part of the experience within the game! This is a far different experience then just playing a game and your body movements are mimicked on the screen with the other competitors in our target market. When you think of a video game slogan, such as the one in John Madden Football; Its in the game! This virtual system will entirely change your perspective because the player of the virtual gaming system is going to literally be, in the game. The last message that we want to convey to our target market is that our virtual gaming system comes complete with everything included. No need to go out and buy any accessories to use and play our virtual gaming system since it comes complete in our base package. Target market Video Game Players Teenagers to young adults 15-35 You enjoy playing video games in your spare time and you already own a Playstation 3, Xbox or a WII. This is a video gaming system that you must have immediately! It takes video games the way we know it today and intensives the experience you receive from playing video games and multiplies it 100 over. Getting the system is cool but its even cooler if you get it before all your friends get the system. Since youre the coolest kid out there you open up the virtual gaming system and it blows you away on how realistic and fun the system is. So you decide to brag to all your friends how cool the virtual gaming system is. Since we live in a stay connected era your friends are jealous that not only they dont have a virtual gaming system to play against you, they dont have a system period, to play with. This is an unfair competitive advantage that most teenagers and young adults wont put up with at all. So you know what happens next, youre not cool if you dont own a virtual gaming system. You nag your parents, begin working part-time or you sell your old gaming system to gather the money to get your own virtual gaming system. This is how the popularity of the virtual gaming system will take off and a large part will be attributed to word of mouth advertising. Word of mouth advertising is huge trend in the target market were trying to reach to promote our virtual gaming system. Major Selling Idea or Key Benefits The major selling idea would be that the system includes a 3-Dimensional Virtual gaming experience. This key benefit will be the strength of our selling promotion. Since it gives the video game player an experience they can only enjoy if the use the virtual gaming system. This will be introducing a new state of the art dimension that will be the strength to our sales promotion. The Media Plan To create curiosity among the public, we will first advertise our slogan, follow by the PSI logo and the coming soon words. To effectively market the virtual gaming system we will first have the system setup in a display kiosk at retail stores for people to test and play the virtual gaming system. This will be our Internet/Interactive Recommendation of out media plan. The retail stores we will first launch the system at will retail stores like Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, GameStop, Toys R Us and HH Gregg. This will start the process of creating an advertising buzz about the system. This will be done one month before the release date of the actual system to allow people to prepare for the arrival date of the virtual gaming system. In the meantime while they wait for the release date this waiting period will create an enormous amount of hype about or gaming system. Once the systems are all installed and set up and running in all the retail stores listed above we will move to step two of our media plan and thats using the Internet as our recommendation for marketing the virtual gaming system. The Internet advertising will be done on banners on Google, AOL, Bing, You Tube and MSN home pages. This will have our company logo and invite people to see and try out our virtual gaming system kiosk wherever electronics are sold. The advertisement will also list the release date of December 3rd. This will create motion by consumers to get involved and try out the system for a free trail. For an incentive they can obtain a $15 off coupon redeemable off their first game purchase. The timing of this step will be a week after step one has been complete. The timing of the system will be to bring brand awareness in early November and have a release date to be set December 3rd. The rationale behind this marketing strategy is the target market where trying to reach is Internet savvy and love interaction. They will get the best of both worlds with a free trial period and an incentive to buy the virtual gaming system just by coming into the store. This will start the buzz and word of mouth advertising which is exactly the type of response where looking for. Friends discussing their first virtual gaming experience with other friends and bouncing off ideas and opinions about the new virtual gaming system. This will cause our target market to literally salivate from the mouth and cross off each day on their calendar until our December 3rd release date. The third step in our media plan after exactly one week after the Internet/ Interactive phase will be to use mass advertising and more specifically TV advertising. The television advertising will be short commercials showing someone using the virtual gaming system and then it will flash on the screen showing you what they see inside their glasses. The commercial will end with the systems slogan and logo and will simply say, coming December 3rd. Under the release date it will have the companys website address and say visit us online for more details. The television ad will just be used to give people just little bit of information about the virtual gaming system and give them an invitation to the website. When they visit the website it will have the system specifications and FAQs. The website will also show clips of the users at the retail store and interviews from the virtual gaming system designers. It will also have a 10 minute video will a virtual system executive selling to the viewers why the virtual gaming system is so unique. The website will also have a discussion board for others to discuss with others. The rationale behind this form of advertising is to penetrate the market near Christmas time so consumers and families have time to prepare for the added expense during the holiday season. Since our product is a virtual gaming system this will create the broadest amount of brand awareness and since the commercials will be short and to the point will save millions in advertising dollars. The goal for the television advertising is to accomplish a few things. The first is to create brand awareness to the virtual gaming system. The second is giving a brief insight into what the virtual gaming system actually does. The third goal it will do is educate consumers of the release date. Fourth goal is to invite people to visit the website to get more information. Once consumers visit our website were confident they will continue to find out more information by visiting the retail store next for the free trail. The last goal will be for video gamers to purchase our virtual gaming system. Budget Summary The Total Estimated budget is at $1 billion Rationale behind this budget The virtual gaming system kiosk will be approximately $350 million dollars of our advertising budget. This portion of the budget is the Interactive recommendation of our marketing strategy. The second expense will be approximately $150 million dollars in Internet advertising dollars. The remaining $500 million dollars will be dedicated in television advertising since this is the most expensive form of adverting dollars. The expenses will be the order of the steps as listed above. This is the most effective way of reaching the target market and creating awareness of the virtual gaming system. Regardless of whether youre a novice or serious video gamer, this media plan will reach the intended recipient.

Implications of Research on Bilingual and Polyglot Aphasia :: Essays Papers

Implications of Research on Bilingual and Polyglot Aphasia Research conducted on bilingual and polyglot aphasics has brought interest into the field of linguistics mainly because of its contribution to L2 research, especially in providing explanations for the organization of distinct languages in the brain. Since there exists such a variation between individual cases, the most important thing to come out of this research is a set of factors involved in these aphasia cases as well as theories emerging from research. Some of these factors include: the language environment in which the aphasic recovers, influence of the L1, language mixing, brain lateralization for language, and the question of whether structurally similar languages follow a similar pattern of deficits and recovery. The main pathological implication—determining what is missing or misplaced inside a bilingual or polyglot aphasic’s brain—also shares importance with determining how different languages are structured in the brain. The history of research on bilingual aphasia into the 20th century begins with the work of two Frenchmen at the end of the 19th century by the names of Ribot and Pitres. Ribot wrote his paper, Les maladies de la memoire, in 1881 (Lebrun 12). Pitres, using seven polyglot aphasic patients as the basis for his work, published Etude sur l’aphasie des polyglottes in 1895 (Lebrun 11). Ribot’s conclusion about recovery in polyglot aphasics is known as Ribot’s rule, which basically states that L1 will recover more than any L2’s. Pitres’ rule, built off of Ribot’s, takes a different approach in saying that the language used most often â€Å"pre-morbidly†(i.e. before the onset of aphasia) is the one which will be regained the fullest, irregardless of that language being an L1 or L2. Various individual cases have cropped up which match both theories, so further research has attempted to explain variances in recovery of specific languages through other means. Also, after Pitres, the research focus became more one of examining deficits in syntax and morphology in an attempt to explain brain construction, and less of an analysis of â€Å"interesting language recovery† in these patients. Examining Theoretical Issues Another important component of the study of polyglot aphasia came with the distinction between compound and co-ordinate bilingualism, as examined by Lambert and Fillenbaum (1959). Although the state of being a â€Å"bilingual† is a hazy one, the distinction between the two concepts comes with the context of acquisition.

How effective is Dahls use of subtext in his short stories? :: English Literature

How effective is Dahl's use of subtext in his short stories? Subtext is anything that is indirectly communicated to the reader. It can be conveyed in many ways, such as sounds, objects, jokes, colours and temperatures. Subtext expresses a meaning in a subliminal manner. In Roald Dahl's short stories he uses subtext to display the meanings and feelings that are hidden. In 'The Landlady' Dahl uses subtext to convey the true evil behind the landlady's homely exterior. The animals in the boarding house are thought of to be a good feature. 'Animals were usually a good sign in a place like this'. This is ironic because the animals are dead and stuffed. When Billy Weaver first walked into the house he noticed that there was only his coat in the hallway. 'There were no other hats or coats in the hall'. This is subtext because it suggests that the house is empty. Subtext can also be suggested through temperature. All the way through the story, temperature is used subtextually to suggest meanings and feelings. The weather outside was cold. A cold temperature is subtext for death. 'The air was deadly cold and the wind was like a flat blade of ice', this is pathetic fallacy because it is typical horror genre weather. Inside the house heat is used to cover up the coldness of death. 'A bright fire burning' is used to make the house seem warm. The cups of tea are used in the same way. When Billy goes to the house the landlady appears very quickly, 'like a jack-in-the-box'. This indicates that she was waiting for him to arrive. Furthermore it seems as if she has prepared everything for him in advance. In other words she knew the point when he was going to arrive. The landlady says 'we have it all to ourselves'. She also talks about her guests in the past tense. Therefore it is suggested that the guests are no longer there. The landlady is an unconventional monster in this horror story. 'She looked exactly like the mother of one's best school-friend' explains that this woman seemed sweet and familiar to Billy. Her role in the story is reversed when it is revealed that she is in fact a cold killer. The landlady acts very strangely towards Billy, 'her blue eyes travelled slowly all the way down the length of Billy's body'. The landlady's ayes are described as blue. Blue eyes are not usually associated with evil so this makes her seem an irregular villain in the story. The way she looks at him suggests a wicked look but the 'blue eyes' eliminates the evil.

The Handmaids Tale and Family Values :: Handmaids Tale Essays

The Handmaid's Tale and Family Values In the olden days, religion and politics went hand in hand. The church either ran the land or had a strangle hold on the people. If the church thought there was one way to do something, one had to do as the church requested or suffer great penalty. To go against the church was to go against God, and that meant death. The king was supposed to be chosen by God to rule the people in the way he commanded. The king was the closest thing to God on earth. Monarchs generally ruled hand in hand with the church. As the monarchy's rein started to come to an end, the church's tight grip on the citizens slowly started to loosen. With the implication of democracy, the church lost all real power to make laws and actually govern the people. The church still held power over peoples' morals, but without the monarchy's to enforce it the church's found their power decreasing. In Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, the government and the church are interchangeable. The government is what used to be called the church, they have come together to become one unit of power. The power of a modern day government with all the knowledge and weapons combined with the fanaticism of a medieval based church create a dictatorship like none other. The novel deals with the treatment of children harshly for a society which views children as their last hope, their most valuable commodity. Children are taken away from their homes to be given to the privileged, and women are forced to give birth to babies they can not keep. The society of Gilead takes the views of a traditional religious monarchy and enforces them with modern day power. In the novel The Handmaid's Tale, there is a place called the "Red Center", which is a training facility. When one thinks of a training facility they tend to invision a military base with young soldiers learning what they need to know to survive. Atwood's "Red Center" is very similar to this type of facility; it has soldiers inside the facility and people are being taught how to survive. Women in the "Red Center" are being taught how to become submissive to the new order.

Cross Halving Joint

Cross-halving jointOlly Starling Collect 2 pieces of wood, soft would be the best, both of equal sizes. Divide each piece of wood into 3 accurate segments using an accurate ruler, use a pencil to draw the face side and face edge. Next use a tri-square to mark the half way mark on the side edge of both pieces of the soft wood. Use a Stanley knife to make a deep cut on the two pencil marks on the face sides of the two pieces of wood making sure to use a ruler to guide the knife – we do this so that the saw cuts later are very accurate.You’ll know if this is right if you place one of the pieces on top of the other making sure you can only just see the lines from the width of the wood. Now use a gauge to accurately mark the pencil lines made on the face edge making they are visible from the eye. Then using the grooves made by the Stanley knife earlier cut down the pencil line of face edge with a Tenon saw, saw down till you get to the gauge line you made earlier on face edg e.Then collect a bevelled edged chisel and manually work through the wood peeling of and mm a time remember to only go half way so you can spin the wood round and get an accurate cut leave about a mm before the gauge line so we can accurately use a Granny’s Tooth or router as its commonly known to gently peel off the final mm. Now the two pieces should slot into each other and you’re done, it should look something like this. Tools used. Tenon saw Granny’s tooth Stanley knife Bevelled edge chisel Guage

Campaign Speech

I can say that being an elementary pupil is both fun and challenging. Class discussions and homework, joining the school band or the ukulele ensemble, being in the choir, engaging in sports, giving intermission numbers during school programs, joining in various contests, or even doing the household chores that await us after school—these are the challenges that we face every day, and these are the same challenges that make our elementary days enjoyable and worth remembering. That is why I am so happy that a pupil’s government exists in our school, because through it, we can make our stay in our dear school even better than what we are already experiencing. We now have a voice. And I would be honored to represent you guys and let your needs and desires be heard so that together with the teachers and school administrators, we can achieve that holistic and well-rounded education that all of us aspire to have. I feel that the candidates for this position are all qualified, but my love for our school and for the pupil population is what I can most of all boast about because that is my driving force to run and hopefully serve. I am actually excited of what you and me can do together if I would be elected, and you can expect that I would not put your votes to waste and that I will deliver my best. With that said, I humbly ask for your votes. Don’t forget to put my name, Kyle Antonette C. Delubio, for vice president in the ballot. Thank you and good day! Campaign Speech If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences†¦ if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. The freedom we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbour for doing what he likes†¦ â€Å"[13] These lines form the roots of the famous phrase â€Å"equal justice under law. The liberality of which Pericles spoke also extended to Athens' foreign policy: â€Å"We throw open our city to the world, and never by alien acts exclude foreigners from any opportunity of learning or observing, although the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit by our liberality†¦ â€Å"[14] Yet Athens' values of equality and openness do not, according to Pericles, hinder Athens' greatness, indeed, they enhance it, â€Å"†¦ advancement in public life falls to reputation s for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit†¦ ur ordinary citizens, though occupied with the pursuits of industry, are still fair judges of public matters†¦ at Athens we live exactly as we please, and yet are just as ready to encounter every legitimate danger. â€Å"[15] In the climax of his praise of Athens, Pericles declares: â€Å"In short, I say that as a city we are the school of Hellas; while I doubt if the world can produce a man, who where he has only himself to depend upon, is equal to so many emergencies, and graced by so happy a versatility as the Athenian. [16] Finally, Pericles links his praise of the city to the dead Athenians for whom he is speaking, â€Å"†¦ for the Athens that I have celebrated is only what the heroism of these and their like have made her†¦ none of these men allowed either wealth with its prospect of future enjoyment to unnerve his spirit, or poverty with its hope of a day of freedom and ric hes to tempt him to shrink from danger.No, holding that vengeance upon their enemies was more to be desired than any personal blessings, and reckoning this to be the most glorious of hazards, they joyfully determined to accept the risk†¦ Thus, choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting, they fled only from dishonour†¦ â€Å"[17] The conclusion seems inevitable: â€Å"Therefore, having judged that to be happy means to be free, and to be free means to be brave, do not shy away from the risks of war†. With the linkage of Athens' greatness complete, Pericles moves to addressing his audience.

Crooks monologue Essay

Ever since I came to this ranch to work here, on this rigid structured horse shoe shaped land I always dreamed, hoped and desired for one thing and one thing only! That one day I would have my own land, that one day I would have my own peace and privacy to myself without having to look after horses for the rest of my life. Don’t you think an old man like me would deserve such thing? An old man with a crooked crippled crunched back that has never been treated nice ever since he stepped into the ranch With so many people calling him names because of what colour he is, I bet you would. Ever since I was a little kid my childhood was a beloved and wonderful with my brothers, always accompanied with them just like a jigsaw puzzle when put together. I’ve always wanted to be equal to the others in the ranch. But I would never mix because of my colour it is almost like mixing the wrongs colours to the others in the ranch when painting a picture for your wall. Not letting me play activities with them, feeling lonely at all times can you imagine how annoying and pain staking that would be. Only activity they would let me play is the horse shoe game, bet you would get bored playing it for five minutes. Just imagine and old man like me with a dream of having a land where theirs peace and quiet where I’m free to do anything I want. Sit down and have a nice meal for god sakes, whenever I want without being interfered with those vicious idiots that have no feelings in their life’s what so ever. All the time I work I say to myself I wish, I just wish I could be with someone forever. And pursue that dream that feels it will never happen. Life on the ranch is hard, painful, feet blistering work especially when you’re looking after horses all day long, and what’s worse! Having a crippled back, doesn’t help one single bit and looking after the animal that did it to you, yes that’s right, got kicked by a horse long time ago leaving me in a devastated pain for the rest of my life. Not one day have I lived on that ranch without being interfered or called racist names about my skin colour, how does that feel inside, terrible doesn’t it, that’s how I feel right now. Every day I have to rub things onto my back to relieve the pain which doesn’t feel any better at all worst thing that makes me angry and annoyed is your privacy being invaded how would you feel if someone just walked into you while you were asleep, wouldn’t you feel annoyed and angry, bet you would, lennie that huge bastard walked into my private property while I was doing my own thing no knocks or permission just like that, as if you I was an animal in my hut. Every day I think to myself that I have been doomed to a life of loneliness and racist name calling. There is nothing much to do on this ranch other than working and living a sad life that you think inside yourself will never end. Back when I was a child I was living with a wonderful family that actually cared for me endorsed me, looked after me, and loved me. I also had an education unlike the stupid people living on the ranch not knowing what they say every time they talk and call me names that burns my heart into ashes, I was well educated had a father mother and brothers too. I was accompanied by them. Over here I’ve got no one to care for me other than lennie he is like a black brother to me not calling me racist names, actually talks to me expresses his feelings to me, he makes me feel like I’ve got a future that will come true one day, I’m in this lonely and terrible situation because of my race, yes that’s right you might think it’s something bizarre but actually this is what happens to me. At least I had someone to talk to ever since I stepped into this ranch, can you imagine how it would feel if you were isolated because of your bloody colour for god sakes! Wouldn’t it make you go crazy or maybe mental? Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

Synopsis of Killer of Sheep

Stan, the family man as the protagonist of the story/film, is decent, hardworking, and enslaved by poverty.   He works in a sheep slaughterhouse.   His is a story of the 70’s that encapsulates what African-American life is all about in the Los Angeles ghetto of Watts.The whole tapestry of the lives of Stan’s family; his neighbors; his friends; his community was so vividly depicted in the film.   Various episodes transpired in his life in the story.   Some of Stan’s friends tempted him to participate in a murder; a white woman flirts with him; Stan and his friend buying a car engine, the consoling moments Stan spend with his wife and child.   The entire story is about perseverance, patience, desperation, abuse, hope, despair, pride in work, joy in austerity, and integrity even in poverty.Synopsis of Days of GloryFour men of Algerian nationality were the focus of the story about recruitment of North Africans to serve in the French Army to wage its campaig n against the Nazi across Europe during World War II.   Each of the four recruited soldiers has different reasons for joining the army.Amidst the war, their experiences became varied as they witnessed the atrocities of war; the discrimination; the savagery; the despair and the intolerances; the indignities.   The war made them confused and seeking justice for their rightful place for the courage, dedication and commitment they gave in service of France.The Comparative AnalysisKiller of Sheep is an American drama film of human element that was shot in black and white in 1977.   It runs for 81 minutes.   It was first presented as a feature film thesis by its Writer Director, Charles Burnett, for his Masters Degree in Fine Arts.   Inspite of the excellent reviews, the film originally shot in 16 mm was not able to be commercially released due to some music infringements that Burnett could not afford to cover.The film was finally restored and re-issued for full 35 mm screen in 2007, with the appropriate compensations for copyrights of the music used.   The film has got a very poetic treatment of the scenes; the drabness was intended to give realism to the feelings evoked by the story.Burnett was masterful with his shots and camera work, â€Å"He operated the 16-millimeter camera himself, edited the black-and-white images into a visual poem and added the ballads, the jazz and the moody blues that seep into your head like smoke. The result is an American masterpiece, independent to the bone.† (Dargis, 2007)Days of Glory is a French drama film, also of human element, shot in color in 2007.   The film runs for 120 minutes.   â€Å"With strong visuals and even stronger emotions, Rachid Bouchareb's â€Å"Days of Glory† makes a powerful war film about a particularly unique subject scenes of combat are well staged and shot†.   (Honeycutt, 2006).   The film was created as straightforwrd as it should be about the tales of the characte rs.   It exuded honest emotions and vivid narration of what the environment of war was.The portrayals adopted in the filmmaking is classical wherein there was no overplaying of the issues of the story.   Insuch manner, the message of the story stay as relevant in times that will come and go. The camera work on comat sequences are precise.   The scenes truly expressed the dramatic impact that the moral lesson of the film intended to portray.   The film was nominated to the Oscar’s Foreign Language Film Category in 2007.References:Dargis, M.   â€Å"Whereabouts in Watts? Where Poetry Meets Chaos†.20 Mar 2007.   The New York Times.http://www.movies.nytimes.com/2007/03/30/movies/30kill.htmlSchwarzbaum, L.   â€Å"Movie Review:   Killer of Sheep†.   Entertainment Weekly.   28 Mar 2007http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20016243,00.htmlhttp://www.killerofsheep.comHoneycutt, K.   â€Å"BottomLine:   A Strong Film for SpecialtyVenues†.The Holl ywood Reporter.   26 May 2006http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=295Turan, K. â€Å"Movie Review:   Days of Glory†.   Los Angeles Times.   6 Dec 2006http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/d-et- days6dec06,0,6442085.story?coll=d-mreview)Scott, A.O.   â€Å"Yes, Soldiers of France, In All But Name†.New York Times Review, 6 Dec 2006http://movies.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/movies/06glor.html?ref=movies)   

The evolution of the smartphone markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The evolution of the smartphone markets - Essay Example This paper aims to discuss the evolution of Smartphone markets with reference to the model of monopolistic competition as it deals with the differentiated products. On the other hand discussion will cover the theory of network externalities because different Smartphone companies are offering entirely different operating platforms. More specifically the paper will discuss questions pertaining to the current competition in the Smartphone market and its potential to evolve in future. How Smartphone manufacturing firms will be competing over the time, what would be their business strategies, which of the firms are expected to rule the Smartphone market and how firms will generate profits in the long run? Markets of differentiated products are primarily dominated by competition over simple features and functions. However, over the time the nature of competition transforms and hence the competitors have to advance the operating platforms so as to gain competitive edge (Barrows, 2009:110). In broader terms it can be said that the evolution of Smartphone markets underwent two phases, for instance, the competition started with variations in the physical features and then it led to the significant changes in operating systems. Thus it is important to analyze this subject with respect to the above mentioned questions. In order to do this secondary data sources are used including books, journals and websites. Initially the type of market for which Smartphones are manufactured is specified. This is followed by the critical analysis with the help of economic models. The Monopolistic Competition Model It basically defines the first stage of the evolution of Smartphone market. It refers to particular economic setting where companies manufacture similar products with slight variations (Barrows, 2009:110). For instance, Smartphones are differentiated on the basis of functions, features, color, design etc. however, their fundamental purpose is to connect people and smooth the com munication channels. Hence in this way the consumers are given an advantage of using the comparable products with some differences (Himmelsbach, 2013:3). One of the factors influencing monopolistic competition is elasticity which actually plays a major role in the overall evolution of Smartphone market. The demand cross price elasticity of two unrelated products is either zero or near to zero, for example, the increase in demand of water will have no impact over the demand of shoes. But when the nature of products is differentiated then the cross price elasticity has significantly positive results (Barrows, 2009:110). For example, the demand of Android phones impact the demand of iOS Smartphones. This can be further substantiated on the basis of the fact that differentiated products can be used as substituted and therefore the demand of one product directly influences the demand of its close substitute. The Theory of Network Externalitie

The Evolution of E-Marketing Tools Research Paper

The Evolution of E-Marketing Tools - Research Paper Example E-Marketers can also use other media such as phones for purposes of advertising their products. There is also the installation of electronic billboards installed on public places and bus stations. E-Kiosks have also emerged, and are used in large malls for purposes of advertising the products of a company. It is also possible for markers to create video brochures, and insert them in feature films, just for purposes of targeting their intended customers (Belch and Belch, 2012). The internet is the most dominant form of e-marketing. Companies use the social media like face book, and twitter to advertise their products. These social media advertisements have the capability of reaching a wide audience of people. It is also a very fast way of sending a message to a wide audience of people. Companies also use their websites, and Google search engine technologies to advertise their products. Google has a pay per click advertisement policy where advertisers pay for their products, once an in dividual clicks on a link that take them to their advertising pages (Juon and Greiling, 2012) . The major challenge in using the internet as a tool of marketing is the inability of the company under consideration to drive traffic to their websites, and create content awareness. ... The social media is a very effective method of conducting a marketing campaign; however, most marketers are unable to use it to their advantage. This is because they are unable to understand the various needs of their target customers. The pioneer of early marketing system is Johannes Gutenberg, with his invention of the printing press that had a replaceable wooden or metal letters (Jones, 2012). This machine had a capability of typing and printing letters in a very effective manner. For example, he managed to use this machine and his printing press to create the Gutenberg Bible in 1455. As a result of this innovation, the use of printing machines spread rapidly in Europe. The Gutenberg press led to the revolution in the manner in which information was passed to the masses. This is because it was now possible to print a mass of brochures and flyers. The Gutenberg Bible is the first written material produced by the use of this technology. This printing press technology remained the st andard until the 20th century, when the evolution of computers emerged (Jones, 2012). Another technology that shaped early marketing is the development and evolution of the telegraph. The telegraph involves a long distance transmission of a message, without the physical presence of the person disseminating the information. The telegraph was invented by Samuel Morse in 1837. Through a series of experiments, Samuel Morse concluded that the telegraph was able to record and transmits messages over a long distance. The telegraph was able to transmit mass messages, and hence it made it possible for markers to use it in marketing their products. In 1922, a new concept of advertisement began, and was referred to as radio-advertising (Jones, 2012). This was a concept whereby companies bought air

7 Foster homes in 14 years for lexi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

7 Foster homes in 14 years for lexi - Essay Example Jude is a mother who is used to controlling the lives of her children and taking Lexi under her wing. This makes it impossible to control the effect she has on her twins. She tries to follow her dreams by making Zach to accompany Mia to college for protection. Mia’s friendship with Lexi is as a result of her loneliness and shyness from the world. Lexi is a girl who never experienced motherly love due to her drug addict mother who finally overdose leaving her with her aunt Eva. Her mother kept her in and out of foster homes which leaves her with low self-esteem, and the drive to do the right thing for the protection of those she cares about. The drug problem of Lexi’s mother robs her the chance of a family security, warm and wellbeing which she finds in the small town with her aunt Eva. This leads to her open welcoming into her life Zach and Mia when they show her empathy despite everyone else dismissing her. This is further shown by her taking responsibility for the accident and her reunion with her past fears. She easily becomes friends with Mia for her longing for family. Mia brings this feeling to her and her mother has no choice but to keep her close for the sake of her shy daughter. Loyalty, love and friendship which is challenged during the accident at Night Road results into the people involved to struggle with pain, feeling of guilt and loss many years later. It brings out Lexi’s maturity from a young teenager into a mature woman with a glimpse of the