Friday, December 27, 2019

Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury - 1389 Words

Lauren LaChance 7-21-15 Fahrenheit 451 Report Fahrenheit 451 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a dystopian fiction novel, published nearly halfway through the Cold War. Due to the era it was written, the civilians of this dystopian society constantly live in fear of war breaking out. In this novel, books are forbidden to keep everyone from having differing or opposing opinions. The government fears individuality and conflict so they regulate all media consumed by their citizens to ensure that everyone has the same opinion about everything, supposedly preventing inequality and unhappiness by doing so. The main character in this book is Guy Montag (prominently known as Montag), a fireman who lived his life in mediocre routine as a fireman with a stranger of a wife, Mildred (Millie). Only, the firemen in this novel make fires instead of putting them out. One day while Montag was is walking home after a long day at work, he feels like someone is watching him. As he turns a corner, he sees a girl standing there who introduces herself as Clarisse McClellan, a crazy seventeen year old girl who is also Montag’s new next door neighbor. As Clarisse talks to Montag, she asks him many questions about his job and even his life that makes him realize that there are people that are different than him and even makes him question his happiness. The same night that Montag encountered Clarisse, he walks into his home, hangs his coat up, and continues thinking about what she had said to him.Show MoreRelatedFahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury719 Words   |  3 PagesThe flash point of paper, or the temperature at which paper will burst in flames, is 451 degrees Fahrenheit. In Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Guy Montag, is a â€Å"fireman† in a futuristic society where he and his coworkers start fires, rather than put them out. Books are banned and burned, along with the owner of the book’s house and sometimes even the owner of the book, upon discovery. Technology has taken over in a sense that social interaction between the average personRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1952 Words   |  8 Pagesis clearly displayed in the plight of Ray Bradbury’s novel about a dystopian American society, Fahrenheit 451, which contains many ideas and bits of content that some people believed should be censored. In fact, one of the reasons that this novel was censored for displaying the dangers of censorship, which is both extremely ironic, and telling as to where this society is going. Thanks to several distributors and oversensitive parents and teachers, Fahrenheit 451 has been banned in many schools overRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury954 Words   |  4 Pages In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the author uses allegory (often misinterpreted by readers) to show the dangers of mass media consumption and the decline of reading traditional media. Many readers draw incorrect conclusions (lessons learned) from the book due to how generally the book applies its theme. Government censorship, though an important topic, is not the intended focus of the novel Fahrenheit 451. Finally, Bradbury’s original message of the book shows the beauty of traditional media andRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1592 Words   |  7 PagesWhen writing the introduction to Fah renheit 451, author Neil Gaiman stated that â€Å"ideas--written ideas--are special. They are the way we transmit our stories and our thoughts from one generation to the next. If we lose them, we lose our shared history†. Gaiman is absolutely correct; especially because what he is saying heavily applies to books. Books are a critical aspect in shaping humanity as a whole, they create and share a network of creative ideas, history, and overall entertainment; to loseRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury918 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Fahrenheit 451,† written by Ray Bradbury, is a futuristic, dystopian novel based upon a society secluded by technology and ignorance. In this future society, books are outlawed and firemen are presented with the task of burning books that are found in people’s homes. Montag, a fireman, finds himself intrigued with the books, and begins to take them home and read them. As the story progresses, Montag learns the truth behind why books are outlawed and flees his city to join the last remnants of age-oldRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury847 Words   |  4 PagesSet Knowledge On Fire The book Fahrenheit 451 is a postmodern work by Ray Bradbury first published in 1951. In Bradbury’s story, all books are illegal and are subject to be burned by firemen. Furthermore, the two predominant themes of Fahrenheit 451 are censorship and ignorance. The censorship implemented over the years removes all information from society that is necessary to learn, which accomplishes to prevent people from questioning anything. The ignorance of society has been fostered and theRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1661 Words   |  7 Pages1.) In the novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Montag’s view on life reverses. Two characters the influence the main character Guy Montag are the old lady whose house and books were burnt down and Mildred. The old lady was caught preserving books in her home. Firemen including Montag were ordered to burn the books. The old lady refused to leave her books, so she too was burned. She bravely gave an allusion as her last words, â€Å"Play the man,’ she said, ‘Master Ridley.’ Something, somethingRead MoreFahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury818 Words   |  4 PagesFAHRENHEIT 451 BY RAY BRADBURY Important People in Montag’s Life In Partical Fulfillment Of English 2 Ms Irina Abramov By Helen Hernandez November 9, 2012 â€Å"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them† -Ray Bradbury. In the past there were events that affected book writers. People will get together to burn books because they thought it was inappropriate or they were against their literature. Montag is a fireman in a futuristic society who would startRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury863 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel, Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury and it took place in the dystopian future. Throughout each novel, we are able to see a major theme, which is censorship. In this essay, I will explain how this theme are explored in the story by using the literary devices. To begin with, in this novel, censorship is not given a straight description, but we can see how the author shows it through many literary elements, such as using the setting, tone and symbolisms even foreshadowing. This novelRead MoreFahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury1544 Words   |  7 PagesRay Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451, expresses his perspective on life in an interview. His interview contains a common theme: Do what you love, and love what you do (Bradbury). Bradbury sends a message in his interview that people should love life, and live to the fullest because he believes life is a beautiful thing. Although Bradbury no longer can demonstrate his love for life his message still lives in the pages of Fahrenheit 451. The Government of the society in the novel has told their

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Self Portrait Art Essay - 1654 Words

SELF-PORTRAIT ART ESSAY Self-portraits have been used by artists for centuries to explore aspects of the self. They are the subjects they know best and artists have reflected this through their treatment of media, subject matter and techniques. Two artists who explore aspects of their personality and life experiences in their self-portraits are Frida Kahlo and Ben Quilty. Many of their artistic techniques can be derived from the same origins. Whilst there are similarities in self-portraits by any artist usually, you will find differences the norm. After all, this is what makes art and art form. Frida Kahlo, one of many world renowned artists from the 1930s, was a revolutionary. Alongside Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon and Wassily†¦show more content†¦Although the Hummingbird is seen as a charm it seems to mirror her infamously shaped eyebrows. Her mother was a devout Catholic and passed these strong values down to her daughter, Frida. This can be seen through the crown of thorns around her neck rather than her head, showing herself as a Christian Martyr. The subtle blood that is trickling down her neck may represent that of her ongoing pain through her divorce. The contrasting butterflies on her headdress and bright background of leaves are suggestive of resurrection. Over the left-hand side, a monkey can be seen distracted playing with its hands. It was also a gift from Diego and a symbol of the devil she feels he is. As seen on her left-hand side a Black Cat can be noticed staring down the Hummingbird. Perhaps it is ready to feast on the good as it is a symbol of bad luck. She had experienced great trauma and pain in her life and this could be seen as the bad luck symbolised through the cat. To leave a blank background would be unlike Kahlo; the bright and varied shades of greens and yellows seem to show a wall of uncont rolled nature, possibly expressing her feelings at the time. Looking to the upper half of the painting Dragonflies and Butterflies fly around her hair that is intertwined with cloth, delineating a figure eight like crown filled with purples and maroon. We see the life filled Dragonflies and ButterfliesShow MoreRelatedCompare and Contrast of the Paintings: Man in a Red Turban and Louis XIV by Van Eyck and Rigaud886 Words   |  4 Pagesthe history of art, there has always been a plethora of portraiture, no matter the time period or the medium whether is be sculptures, paintings or even carvings. Humans have always been fascinated with themselves and the way others look. But it’s not always about vanity, it means so much more and can be conveyed in many different ways. In some cases, the artists moved beyond that of a simple likeness and can instill different emotions in the viewer. That being said, in this essay I will compareRead MoreSybil Vanes Symbolic Role in The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde981 Words   |  4 Pagesshe plays a symbolic role in Dorian Gray’s life. This essay will explore how Sybil’s character initially influences Dorian in a positive way, giving him the motive to turn away from decadence but subsequently brings about his downfall. Recurring themes will be discussed such as the aesthetic and references will be given to show examples of Sybil’s symbolic role in his life. A summary will follow, giving a brief synopsis concluding the essays arguments. Wilde describes the younger Dorian Gray asRead MoreThe Work Of Egon Schiele1448 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The work of Egon Schiele is very important to me personally. In this Extended Essay I focus on Egon Schiele because his artworks influence me. He likes to show his hands in his painting and photos. In his self-painting, I can always find out that the hands always attract my eyes. His hands really impress me and I really like his hands. This gives me an idea that to put my own hands on the social software and see that will people love my hands in this era. Now, I think the answer isRead MoreWhat Makes Art Art Essay596 Words   |  3 Pages  Ã‚  Art 1030: Art Appreciation Instructor: Steve Bishop Essay One Josalyn Cook 1/26/2011 What Makes Art Art? Art is an object or piece of work that brings one pleasure. Art is also something you see or feel and you cannot even begin to describe the ways you like it or how it makes you feel. Art is something that portrays beauty and happiness. Art lets you see the world through another person’s perspective. Most art seems to tell a story about where a person has been and theRead MoreSigns and Symbols Art Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will consider two artists that work are defined as being characterised by signs and symbols and use art as means of communicating with the world they live in; Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) and Australian artist Brett Whiteley (1939-1992). Signs and symbols form the basis of how art is observed and interpreted. They represent an idea that an artist is trying to convey to their audience. Signs and symbols can be in the colour scheme, the depiction of subjects and the art elementsRead MoreThe Photographic Portrait Of Art1335 Words   |  6 PagesA portrait in art as we know is an artist’s representation of another person or one’s self, in which the face is the main subject matter. As one of the most widely used forms of art adopted by painters, sculptures and photographers, at some point in our lives we have all had our portrait taken either it being in a photographic studio, sat for a fine artist or in your local post office in the passport photo booth. The photographic portrait is a paradox of everlasting contradictions and whether identityRead MoreAnalysis Of Jacque Lacan s The Mirror Stage1644 Words   |  7 PagesMirror Stage for the second time this semester I started thinking about my own younger b rother’s introduction to the mirror a few years ago. As I was trying to remember this interaction, I came to the realization that his first interaction with his â€Å"self† wasn’t with a mirror at all- it was actually with an iPhone’s front facing camera- used as a form of distraction while he sat in his highchair. This made start thinking about the fact that the recent generations are the first who do not need a mirrorRead MoreGender Roles : Women, Gender, Sexuality And Other Facets Of Identity1623 Words   |  7 Pagessexuality and other facets of identity†. (Judith Butler, 1990) This essay will consider three distinctive examples of how artists have questioned gendered stereotypes over time. The essay will also explore examples of female being represented as male and male being represented as female in different time period, ethnicity and class. First, I will consider the classical art from Ancient Egypt of the 18th dynasty with hard evidence of portrait sculptures of Queen Hatshesut, the 18th dynasty pharaoh (1508-1458Read MoreA Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man1594 Words   |  7 Pages EL111 The purpose of this essay is to discuss how James Joyce’s seminal novel A Portrait of the Artist as a young man, is experimental with regards to plot, point of view, language, symbolism, style and character development, and will begin with a brief introduction. Many artists, be they of the pen, brush or instrument, seek through innovation an artistic immortality that has the potential to act as a blueprint from which imitation is spawned. Joyce’s Portrait is at its core innovative pioneeringRead MoreRevolutionary Ideas Can Be Proposed Through Art And Design1706 Words   |  7 Pagesz5093534 Deep Dutta Revolutionary ideas can be proposed through art and design. Compare and contrast two revolutionary creative works, one from the 20th century and one from the 21st century. How has the context contributed to the approach, medium and presentation of the works? Leo Tolstoy described art as â€Å"one of the means of intercourse between man and man† in his book, ‘What is Art?’(1897).This is true when we stand beside strangers in an art gallery, and gaze at an artist’s work. One might praise the

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Case Study of Lehman Brothers-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Explain the basic Principles of Financial Accounting and Management Accounting as they apply to a Business Organization of their Choice. Answer: Introduction During 1844, the German immigrant Henry Lehman started his business journey with the grocery shop in small city of United States. Eventually, the company expanded the capital market through commercial paper trading that led their position as the official dealer of the US treasury (Mensah, 2015). However, the happy days of the company started ending with the 2007 financial year closing. Analysis of financial statement The given case study of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. represented their quarterly income statement and the quarterly balance sheet for the financial year 2007-08. The income statement revealed the quarterly financial data for the months of August 2007, November 2007, February 2008, May 2008 and August 2008. Further, the balance sheet revealed the quarterly financial data for the months of August 2007, November 2007, February 2008 and May 2008 (Fleming Sarkar, 2014). It can be identified from the financial statement of the company that the total revenue of the company are in decreasing trend and fell to 2.40 in August 2008 from 14.74 in August 2007. Further, the the company was not able to generate any positive income and their loss after tax for August 2007 was 3.93 whereas the income after tax for that of August 2007 was 0.89. The earnings per share of the company was also in negative for August 2008 and that was 5.93 per share whereas, the EPS for August 2007 was 1.53. The total assets of the company were moving around 5.40 to 5.90 during the period and did not have any considerable change. On the other hand, the liabilities of the company were highest during February 2008 and amounted to 761.21 and it was lowest during May 2008 that amounted to 613.15 (Ahnert Kakhbod, 2017). Therefore, it can be said that the liquidity position of the company were improved. Identification of key ratios and ratio analysis Ratio calculation Ratio Formula Result Aug-07 Nov-07 Feb-08 May-08 Liquidity Ratio Current ratio Current asset /Current liabilities 0.62 0.64 0.63 0.65 Profitability ratio Return on sales ratio Operating profit / Net sales 0.08 0.09 0.06 -0.70 Return on Assets ratio Net sales / Average total assets 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.01 Solvency ratio Debt to equity ratio Total liabilities / Total equity 29.34 29.73 30.66 23.33 Equity ratio Total equity / Total assets 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.04 Analysis of ratio Liquidity ratio The liquidity ratio is calculated for measuring the ability of the company to pay back its current obligations. Further, the current ratio is used for taking rough measurement of financial health of the company. The current ratio of the company is moving around 0.60 to 0.65. Current ratio less than 1 indicates that the company is not in a good position to pay off their short-term, obligations with the available short-term assets. Profitability ratio the profitability ratio of any organization calculates its ability to convert its sales into income. Looking at the profitability ratio of the company, it is identified that return on sales of the company was moving around 6% to 9% till February 2008. However, during next quarter that is May 2008, the company was not even able to generate positive return on sales and the result was loss of 70% which was significantly high. The reason behind this was that the revenue for that quarter fell by more than 50% as compared to February 2008 quarter, whereas the expenses did not fall by this high percentage. Looking at the return on assets ratio of the company, it is identified that the return for the quarter May 2008 was 1%. However, it was consistent at 2% for the last three quarter. The reason for the fall in the return was fall in sales by more than 50% as compared to February 2008 quarter. The profitability ratio of the company is very low and they shall try to conve rt their sales into profit. Solvency ratio the solvency ratios states the ability of the company for making the payments and pay off the long-term liabilities to the shareholders, creditors, banks and financial institutions. Better position of solvency ratio states that the financial status and creditworthiness of the company is sound over the long-term. With regard to the debt to equity ratio, it is considered that lower the ratio better the stability of the company (Stein, 2013). Looking at the above table, it is recognized that the debt to equity ratio of the company is ranging from 20 to 30% that indicates that the company is financially stable. On the other hand, the equity ratio implies the amount of the assets financed through the investment from the owners through the comparison of total equity to the total assets of the company. The ratio states that higher the ratio, better the position of the company. However, the equity ratio of the company is considerably low and amounts to only 3 to 4%. Therefore , it is identified that the equity position of the company is significantly unfavourable. Arguments with regard to the success of the company One of the major reasons behind the failure of Lehman Brothers was the financial crisis. As per the arguments of Andrew Ross Sorkin, the government could save the company but not tried honestly. However, various factors were there that led to the failure of the firm. The reasons are as follows No buyer the very first and major issue was that the lack of buyer. If the other cases like Washinton Mutual, Merrill Lynch, Wachovia or Bear Sterns are considered, it can be recognized that they did not declared bankruptcy as they found buyers. However, Lehman did not found. Further, Bank of America was interested till they found that rather than Lehman they can opt for Merrill Lynch. Disastrous balance sheet as no buyer was there, the 2nd option for Federal Reserve was to overcome the situation through availing the emergency loan. However, the Federal Reserve decided not to lend them as they did not have strong collateral for offering back-up (Kim Song, 2017). As per the arguments, the Fed could have provide the loan, but as per the calculation they were not supposed to provide the loan as it was evidential that the central bank will expose to considerable loss, if they try to revive the institution. No political favour was there for the bailouts - the public was at that point getting to be noticeably impatient with the finance related industry. The possibility that the Treasury or Fed may venture in to salvage a firm like Lehman, and stick citizens with billions of dollars in losses, simply didn't fly politically. With different acquisitions, the losses were figured to be less huge, and an eager acquirer was ready. That way, it didn't appear like the foundation was basically strong, however that regardless it kind of unsuccessful, and was obtained by another bank (Fitzpatrick Thomson, 2016). Failure directly did not affect the average Americans - Obviously, when it came to AIG, no reasons made a difference. It was safeguarded the day after Lehman neglected to the tune of $85 billion. It additionally had no acquirer; its monetary record was likewise a wreck; and its misfortunes could likewise be very huge. However, the alterations to a limited extent, the governmental issues were totally extraordinary (Chen et al., 2013). A disappointment of Lehman would in a roundabout way influence all Americans. Be that as it may, its immediate losses would generally fall on the shoulders of institutional financial specialists and present and previous Lehman speculation investors who held the company's stock. A disappointment of AIG, be that as it may, would straightforwardly influence a colossal number of normal Americans. Impact of political competitive environment The favourable environment of any business is impacted by the circumstances of the economic conditions and financial market of the world. The favourable conditions of the business is characterized by high GDP growth, efficient and transparent capital markets, political conditions, active investors, liquid markets, strong earnings of business and low inflation (Gehrig Haas, 2016). The global environment with regard to the market was favourable for the company as well as for the business during the 2007-08. The favourable condition was the result of various factors like strong market for equity, continuing growth in GDP, tightening of credit spread, active volumes of trade and low interest rate by major central banks. Ethical considerations No one was sure regarding whether the reforms associated with Lehman Brothers were sufficient, whether they went far enough or whether they were dealing with the appropriate issues. Major ethical considerations with regard to Lehman were as follows Mischief during boom times - Standard way of thinking might be that mischief happens when the economy is not doing so great, however in many cases it is the inverse. To keep up a forceful pace of development, officials are regularly enticed to hide the inconveniences. After there is a financial disaster like the recession and organizations begin to fail, misconduct was found that may have occurred during boom. Further, during the boom period when things are going exceptionally well, there is an inclination not to ask regarding the suspicious things (Harris, 2013). Balance sheet tricks - governments and companies frequently utilize balance sheet dishonesty to keep away from full revelation of their finance related issues. That was unquestionably the case with Lehman, which incidentally dispatched resources for London during difficult period to influence advances to seem like income (Ball, 2016). One of the key issues individuals need to consider is if conducts can be actually inside the guidelines and in fact legitimate, it is an exceptionally inconspicuous and nuanced question yet it was an inquiry the researcher should have concentrated on. While implementing the ethical reforms, actual implementation process is as crucial as the original one. To be more specific, the reforms can be designed well, however, it it is not implemented intelligently, it will not be effective and can be unfavourable at the same time (Birkinshaw, 2017). External factors required to be considered Under the present global economy, most of the entities will have to expose themselves to various uncertain pressures from external environment that have considerable impact on the companys human resource aspect. Once successful, Lehman Brothers had a tough time mainly due to sub-prime crisis of mortgage, ongoing issues of contracted liquidity in economy under the banking system and global market of US. This significantly destroyed the operations of the company as the finances were severely impacted (Longworth, 2016). Owing to this, in association with external factors the company had to retrench 6000 of their employees. Further, the HR management of the company required to take into consideration the external factors like technology of the company, strategy, size, strategies of life cycle and structures. It was further recognized that the analysis of HR should have been able to evaluate the HRM policies and strategies to response and adopt the external as well as internal changes wit hin the organization. The company instead of cutting-off their employees could reduce their wages (Dumontaux Pop, 2013). Further, the company required to adopt the HRM strategies with regard to the alterations in external environment that is the job repackaging and temporary plan for the employees lay-off. Conclusion From the above discussion it is concluded that one of the major reasons that led to the significant fall of Lehman Brothers was the subprime crisis during 2007 that eventually led to the collapse of the company during the year 2008. It was recognized that various stakeholders were equally responsible for the crisis and the other responsible factors were excessive leverage, leadership issues, failure of measuring the risks like the value at risk and the poor regulation system of industries related to investment banking. Moreover, the role of some specific derivative instruments was also led to the collapse of the country. Recommendation It is recommended that the company should have managed its operation as per the conceptual framework and proper care should have been taken while dealing with subprime lending along with consideration of value at risk. Further, as the profitability ratio, equity ratio and liquidity ratio of the company were significantly low as compared to the industry standard, Lehman shall take into consideration these facts and try to balance their financial performance through paying off the short-term liabilities and increasing the equity ratio. Reference Ahnert, T., Kakhbod, A. (2017). Information choice and amplification of financial crises.The Review of Financial Studies,30(6), 2130-2178. Ball, L. (2016).The Fed and Lehman Brothers: Introduction and Summary(No. w22410). National Bureau of Economic Research. Birkinshaw, J. (2017). Lehman Brothers General Motors: contrasting models of failure.The Business Management Collection. Chen, R. R., Chidambaran, N. K., Imerman, M. B., Sopranzetti, B. J. (2013). Leverage, Liquidity, and Loss Spirals: Lessons from the Lehman Failure. Dumontaux, N., Pop, A. (2013). Understanding the market reaction to shockwaves: evidence from the failure of Lehman Brothers.Journal of Financial Stability,9(3), 269-286. Fitzpatrick IV, T. J., Thomson, J. B. (2016). Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, what lessons can be drawn?. InBanking Crises(pp. 213-220). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Fleming, M. J., Sarkar, A. (2014). The failure resolution of Lehman Brothers. Fleming, M., Sarkar, A. (2014). The failure resolution of Lehman Brothers, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.Econ Policy Rev. March,31. Gehrig, T., Haas, M. (2016). Anomalous Trading Prior to Lehman Brothers' Failure. Harris, R. (2013). Warning Signs Prior to the Financial Crisis of 2008: A Comparative Analysis.Journal of Management Engineering Integration,6(1), 88. Kim, D., Song, C. Y. (2017). Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers: Determinants of Cross-country Impacts on Stock Market Volatility.International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues,7(3), 210-219. Longworth, D. (2016). Canadian Domestic Financial Policy Responses During the crisis itself, especially following the failure of Lehman Brothers in midSeptember 2008, the key financial policy response was liquidity provision to banks and borrowers by the Bank of Canada (BoC)(see chapter 6 in this volume for more information) and the federal.Crisis and Reform: Canada and the International Financial System. Mensah, J. M. K. (2015). The failure of Lehman Brothers: causes, preventive measures and recommendations.Browser Download This Paper. Stein, M. (2013). When does narcissistic leadership become problematic? Dick Fuld at Lehman Brothers.Journal of Management Inquiry,22(3), 282-293.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Role Of Financial Stability In The Novel In Cold Blood Essays

The Role Of Financial Stability In The Novel In Cold Blood Herb Clutter and his family possess it. Dick and Perry want it. It is often associated with the ideal existence. What is it exactly? It refers to financial stability. This is the state of not having to fret about paying the bills or providing for ones family and of not having to worry if one will eat on a given day. The concept of financial stability is central in the novel written by Truman Capote and inspired by real events entitled In Cold Blood. This issue is the backbone of the novel and is the chief motive for the murders committed in the story. Additionally, financial stability is an important component in the typical view of the American dream. It is fair to say that the Clutters embody this concept, which involves a pattern of social and personal virtue that is accompanied by financial stability. The opposite seems true for those characters of Dick and Perry who fail to exhibit virtuous behaviors and therefore, never attain financial stability. These characters embody the Am erican nightmare. Capote argues in his story that tragedy is not confined to the latter category and life is indeed a fragile thing. It may seem risky to say that a person who has attained financial stability has done so by exhibiting virtue. While in the real world this statement might not hold true, it is supported within the context of Capotes story. He introduces the Clutters as a financially stable family and as the embodiment of the American dream. He illustrates the virtues of Herb Clutter by stating his name was everywhere respectfully recognized (6) and he was known for his equanimity, his charitableness, and the fact that he paid good wages (10). Capote, when speaking of what Herb wanted to obtain in the world, says he had in large measure obtained it (6). Herb was a successful father, husband, businessman, and politician according to Capotes account. The success of his farmland was a direct result of his hard work (11-12). In addition, Herb was very prudent with his money. He never carried cash (46) and he was excellent at storing his assets (11). Herb Clutter obtained financial stability for his family through virtuous means. Thus his family, with respect to financial stability, embodied the American dream. Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, however, were not known for their virtue and respectability. While it is true today and was true at the time of the story that many profit from dishonesty, ultimately Dick and Perry were destroyed by it. It is fact that both Dick and Perry had served prison sentences for robbery in the past. Capote further illustrates the vices of Dicks personality when he uses the statement, I promise you, honey, well blast hair all over them walls (22) to portray Dick as a potential murderer. Capote also shows that Dick is a liar by revealing that he lied to his father about where he was going the night of the murders (23). It is fairly obvious that Capote is portraying Dick as a person who doesnt often exhibit virtue in his actions. Capote presents a similar idea about Perry when he reveals Perrys confession of murdering all four Clutters present at the house (255). Dick and Perry never attain financial stability and are, within Capotes story, the embodiment of the Am erican nightmare. It is possible that Capote is subtly equating this with their lack of virtue. Throughout the story Dick and Perry tried to come up with schemes to make money. Dick goes on a bad check writing spree and he promises to marry Maria who was the widow of a very prominent Mexican banker (118) in order to get money. In fact, the incident at the River Valley Ranch was meant to be a robbery and not a murder. Dick and Perry never seriously try to find honest ways to make money, rather they spend all their time scheming and violating others in order to get money. Their methods ultimately fail every time and they always find themselves broke shortly after scamming someone. Thus the pattern of dishonest and dishonorable behavior is a major component to

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Computer Addiction Essays - Behavioral Addiction, Computer Addiction

Computer Addiction March 2, 2000 There once was a time when the only computers known to the average person were those the military possessed. Eventually, large corporations found many different uses for computers in the business world, and today, computers are as common in numerous households around the globe. People from all age groups are learning to operate computers and anyone who has worked with computers for long periods of time knows that computers can be just as addicting as smoking. Computer addiction can have a number of physical, social, and psychological effects on a person and it is to be taken as seriously as any other addiction that a person is battling. One common physical effect computer addiction can have on a person are back problems. Sitting for so long can take a toll on a person's muscles and can result in poor posture. Poor posture can result in chronic back problems that require the services of a chiropractor. Dry eyes, carpal tunnel syndrome, and vision complications are some eye problems caused by over use of a computer. Migraine headaches are quite common in computer addiction and are linked to the straining of the eyes. Because of the long hours spent engrossed in a computer, addicts often have eating irregularities, such as skipping meals and binge eating. Computer addicts experience sleep disturbances, or changes in sleeping patterns, which are most likely due to late hours on the computer and low blood sugar from eating irregularities. One last effect is the failure to attend to personal hygiene, such as bathing, combing hair and brushing teeth. All of these physical effects can be linked to computer addiction. Social effects of computer addiction include reduced time spent socializing with others. People may begin to feel that their computer is the only relationship that they have the time to focus on. They lose the desire for human contact and communication and in a way they are breaking away from reality. Lacking the desire to make contact with others, means lacking the desire to create new relationships or to build on already existing ones. After a certain amount of time, they lose their conversation skills completely. Within the lives of computer addicts it is their friends and family that suffer the most from this form of alienation. They are often moved to the very bottom of the computer addict's list of priorities. Computer addiction has the power to cause serious social effects and cannot be left untreated. Along with the physical and social effects of computer addiction there are also psychological effects. Some psychological symptoms experienced by computer addicts when they are not at the computer are feelings of depression, emptiness, irritability, distraction and withdrawal. Feelings that are common when addicts are at the computer are a sense of euphoria or well-being. These senses of complete ecstasy and pleasure also causes and inability for people who are addicted to computers to stop the activity. They end up having a constant craving for more time at the computer, and this is where one can identify an addiction. Along with addiction comes a need to cover up their secret and computer addicts often lie to those around them. For example lying to employers, and family members about their hours spent at the computer and also denying they have a problem. This lying a sneaking around eventually results in problems either at school or at work. The psychological effects of computer addiction may not only lead to distraction and emptiness but may also lead to critical depression. When people think of addictions, no one ever thinks of computer addiction to actually be common. In this age of computers, computer addiction will only increase as time passes. More and more people will experience the physical, social, and psychological effects of computer addiction but, thankfully, like other addictions, this condition is treatable.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Europium Facts - Element Atomic Number 63

Europium Facts - Element Atomic Number 63 Europium is a hard, silver-colored metal that readily oxidizes in air. It is element atomic number 63, with the symbol Eu. EuropiumBasic Facts Atomic Number: 63 Symbol: Eu Atomic Weight: 151.9655 Discovery: Boisbaudran 1890; Eugene-Antole Demarcay 1901 (France) Electron Configuration: [Xe] 4f7 6s2 Element Classification: Rare Earth (Lanthanide) Word Origin: Named for the continent of Europe. Europium Physical Data Density (g/cc): 5.243 Melting Point (K): 1095 Boiling Point (K): 1870 Appearance: soft, silvery-white metal Atomic Radius (pm): 199 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 28.9 Covalent Radius (pm): 185 Ionic Radius: 95 (3e) 109 (2e) Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.176 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 176 Pauling Negativity Number: 0.0 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 546.9 Oxidation States: 3, 2 Lattice Structure: Body-Centered Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 4.610 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.) Chemistry Facts Return to the Periodic Table

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Selection Decision Making Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Selection Decision Making - Case Study Example A selection plan gives an overview of how the job looks like thus making it easy for the recruitment panel to pick the most desirable applicant. It contains key job responsibilities, makes it clear of what must be performed and acts as a guide in selection procedures. The format is as given below. The table above illustrates scores of all the ten applicants. The analysis was based on multiple predictor methods; clinical prediction and rational weighing. However, since clinical prediction and unit weighing produce similar results, it was considered wise to include the unit weighing column. The unit weighing figures were derived from averaging each applicant’s scores in individual assessment methods. Basing on the unit weighing results, tangle wood will consider the highest scores. Therefore, Heckman; 76, Reznor; 73 and Scores; 70 will be the most preferred applicants. The rational weighing results were obtained by assigning a weight to every assessment method and summing up the scores. The assigned weights were biodata; 30%, Applicant exam; 10%, Retail knowledge; 30%, Conscientiousness; 15%, Extraversion; 15%. Biodata and retail knowledge were allocated the largest weights because the job position demands experience from applicants. Applicant exam was assigned the lowest weight mainly because it measures the least important KSAOs required in the managerial position. From the data, Tangle wood will consider Heckman; 76, Reznor; 69, Renoir; 67.5. If tangle wood decides to use multiple hurdle selection as its first stage in identifying the best five applicants, and further apply interviews and resumes to get the top three finalists, the five suitable candidates would be Reznor, Yorn, Greer, Renior and Durvall. This is quite interesting since Heckman who tops in both rational and unit weighing does not appear in the top five when using test scores. Since conscientiousness and extraversion prove the ability and suitability of an applicant to perform and

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Service Marketing Management in Ebay Case Study

Service Marketing Management in Ebay - Case Study Example This research will begin with the statement that eBay (www.ebay.com) is managed by EBay Inc., an Internet company based in America. Ebay.com offers an Internet-based service that allows for online auctions, selling and buying of new and second hand products. While the company originally began functioning in US, today it has localized branches in Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Singapore, United Kingdom, Poland, Philippines and Taiwan to name a few. Besides Ebay.com, EBay Inc also owns the sites of PayPal and Skype among its other businesses. Since the site was established in the year 1995, it has become the largest place in the world to buy and sell a range of products to a range of people. In April 2006, eBay also opened its new eBay Express site. This site works like a standard Internet shopping site for consumers from United States. A UK version and then a German version were launched later in the year and offers brand new items sold by pre-vetted sellers. T he company works with the mission to provide a global trading platform where practically anyone can trade anything. The company has a unique offering of an auction-based sales service where retailers or private seller can present their item to purchasers. Demand and supply: The level of demand and supply on eBay is high as there are many people seeking to sell what they do not need for a good deal. Approximately the site has 212 million registered buyers and sellers as of date. A wide range of things like rare items, new products, collectibles and used goods can be found for sale on the site. The site is well known as a good place for comparison shopping as many similar products are listed side by side. Auction-style listings, fixed price formats and Dutch auctions are a few kinds of auctions the site provides for. However there are cases where the required products are not available. Not much can be done in cases where demand exceeds capacity and customers just have to live with th e fact that sellers are not selling the required product. Services marketing integration and management: Customers usually search for products on parameters like price and product features. eBay allows customers to sort similar items based on pricing, making the task of purchasing a relatively easy one. Phone help is offered to select members only (those who sell a minimum of $3000 worth goods per month through the site). Live chat with customer service representatives is however available. Areas where eBay dissatisfies customers include wrong shipping labels and insufficient customer support as all queries are not addressed with the same interest. The blame culture is high at eBay, and though the site issues regular warnings, blogs and advice, many blame the site for wrong transactions. One criticism regards its privacy policy whereby eBay turns its user information to law enforcement agencies often without a subpoena. While no solid proof has been generated for this case, it is a popular rumour, popular enough to be believed by its wide customer base as true. Finally no panel of experts or support system is available to identify whether a particular product is worth the money or not.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Definitions of Property in English Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Definitions of Property in English Law - Essay Example For instance, the Law of Property Act 1925 classifies property in terms of real and personal property, rather than defining it1. Therefore, the most common definition of property is derived from the case laws that emphasize the rights owned or enjoyed by a person that owns the property. This is the position in the holding of National Westminster Bank v. Ainsworth, where the House of Lords held that the right to a property must be definable, identifiable by third parties, capable in its assumption by third parties as well as have a certain level of degree of permanence or stability.2 This implies that property entails the idea of possession and control of particular rights by an individual. In England, there property may be defined into either private or public property. However, the common position is that property may be defined into the rights of a person with respect to a thing. In common law, which is practiced in England, this may be rights over real property, which is land, as well as personal property, which refers to the chattels. Within this classification, there may be the real property, which refers to the corporeal hereditaments that are the tangible real property and the incorporeal hereditaments that are intangible. The personal property on the other hand refers to any property that is tangible or intangible but excludes land3. One can only obtain the personal property through possession of a property interest on the property that excludes others. Similarly, the property may be obtained when an owner involuntarily parts possession of it through loss or abandoning it. The person to whom the property is transferred may also obtain it through confusion and accession as well as bailment. A person may also acquire the personal property as a bona fide purchaser for value.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Comparison of Economic Systems: Germany and the UAE

Comparison of Economic Systems: Germany and the UAE Introduction â€Å"Economy is the state of a country or region in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services, and the supply of money†(Oxford Dictionaries 2012). Before profound studying about the mentioned countries one important aspect should be taken into consideration the similarity between these two countries is their critical role in their region, both of those countries has a significant influence on the political and economy climate in their respective regions. Germany is located in Central Europe, south of Denmark, between Poland and the Netherlands. It has a direct access to North and Baltic seas. The countrys total area is 357,022 sq.km and the population around 82 million people. Historically, Germany has evolved couple of unifications and reunifications including the last one in 1990. Excellent infrastructure, location, skilled workforce and moderate wage rate make Germany very attractive for business. Notwithstanding, there are some environmental problems, such as air and water pollution, soil erosion, diminishing biodiversity and shortage of resources. The United Arab Emirates is located on the eastern part of Arabian Peninsula and shares borders with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the south, Oman to the east and sea sharing borders with Qatar. Also, country has a direct access to Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. The UAEs total area is much smaller, only 83,600 sq. km. The United Arab Emirates thrift and stability is substantiating by its considerable oil wealth that was discovered in 1960th, most of which is concentrated in Abu Dhabi the countrys capital (â€Å"United Arab Emirates profile’ 2012). Although, the UAE will remain be contingent on the oil reserves for many years to come, nevertheless, its level of dependency is gradually declining. The main role in development was taken by Dubai, which has become a regional financial, commercial powerhouse and o one the prime tourism centers of the Gulf Region. Moreover, a strong combination of oil prices, plentiful financial and fiscal resources, political stability, regulator y reforms and infrastructure development will backing the UAEs country risk profile. Germany represents a federal parliamentary, representative republic with a six main political parties, dominated by the Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Social Union of Bavaria and the Social Democratic parties. The head of the government who exercises executive power is a Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nevertheless, due to the fact that Germany is a member of European Union and G8, policies are subordinated with those organizations. As the biggest economy in Europe, Germany contributes 25% of Eurozones GDP. The political structure of the United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven monarchical emirates. His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is an emir of Abu Dhabi and the President of the country. The federal system of government includes the President, the Prime Minister, the Supreme Council, Crown Princes and Deputy Rulers, the Federal National Council,the Council of Ministers (UAE Government 2012). Although, Germany has the second largest population in Europe, it faces an aging population. This implies some long term problems, such as increase in governmental welfare expenditures, healthcare expenses, pension’s payments and loss in income tax. Nevertheless, countrys immigration policies and laws set up favorable conditions for immigrants, and immigration rate exceeds emigration level. 10% of Germanys population consists of non-native nations, such as Turkish, Greek, Italian, Russian, Polish, Spanish and Serbo-Croatian. According to World Bank, UAE’s locals constitute only 16.5% of the total population. Meanwhile, the number of expatriates increasing over time, Indians accounts the biggest part with a 1.7 million people. Also, most of native representatives tend to work in public sectors, benefiting with a higher salaries, shorter working hours, greater job security, while 98% of private-sector workplaces are occupied by expatriates. As the graphs below represent the population pyramids for compared countries, we can mention the aging population in Germany, as was described previously. Also we pay attention on difference in population composition of those countries. Almost in every age group Germany’s population is somewhat balanced between male and female genders. On the other hand, we can see the drastic difference between male and female composition of United Arab Emirates’ population. Age groups from 20-64 is highly dominated by males; this caused by the fact that most of them are expatriates and they are coming to the country in search of a job, leaving their families in home countries. Source: US Census Bureau, International Data base (IDB) GDP Growth The economy of Germany continues to be based on individual consumption and going to strengthen by further investments, meanwhile next exports is still deterring growth. Germany has been decreased its dependence on exports in recent years. In addition, the Social Democratic Party has successfully pushed for an expenditure increase in infrastructural, educational sectors, as well as pension increase and minimum-wage regulation across all country by 2015. Eurozone’s debt-crisis caused uncertainty on consumers’ confidence and future expectations about their personal finances. Income is continuing to be supported by stable employment and increase in average wages. Also the expected perseverance of historically low interest rates will reinforce investment growth during upcoming years. Cheap mortgages will robust construction industry. Exports will recover during 2014, but the Eurozone crisis and geopolitical conflicts in the Ukraine and the Middle East are limiting scope. Although consecutive economic stabilization in the European Union will permit German exports to strengthen, the spikes in rebound trend during end of 2013 and beginning of 2014 – the natural structure of European debt crisis which in turn will limit the speed and vigour of export recovery. Furthermore, incandesce of Ukrainian situation and possible further escalations of actions in Iraq are incrementing world’s uncertainty and keeps internati onal trade back. The expected growth of the GDP of UAE is 4.3% in current year. Compared to the previous year the GDP growth, the highest after Great Recession, has declined. Economic growth had a strong acceleration in 2013 of 5.2%, but then economy faces some difficulties. Oil GDP expands only at a 1.8% rate this year, following 4.8% in 2013. With average global price of $109 per barrel in 2014, UAE oil output – which concentrated within the Abu Dhabi emirate – is going to reach around 2.7-2.8 million barrels per day. Non-oil sectors of the economy will continue to outrun growth driven by oil extraction. Activity in the non-oil sector has been steadily recovering following the downturn in 2009 and will continue to be the driving force of the economy’s growth momentum in 2014. Non-oil GDP is continuing holding on the same level as in 2013 – approximately 5.4%. The UAE has economy is relatively stable amid the disorder in the region. The key non-oil activities such as tourism, retail, and service help to drive the growth. Manufacturing activities led by aluminium and petrochemical industries is going to strengthen the following years. Also strong economic conditions will benefit both the transport and trade sectors. Real estate and construction sectors also improved along with overall market conditions. Infrastructure and development projects also had an additional motivation with Dubai’s award of next Expo city. A set of regulations implemented by authorities will help against a repeat of a boom cycles in Dubai. All these facts regarding Expo 2020 should provide a platform for a stable growth in tourism, construction, transport and hospitality industries in next 5 years. 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Germany -0.38% 1.16% 0.68% 3.70% 3.27% 1.08% -5.14% 4.01% 3.33% 6.89% 4.32% UAE 8.80% 9.57% 4.86% 9.84% 3.18% 3.19% -4.80% 1.67% 3.88% 4.37% .. GDP by type of Expenditure According to the expenditure approach of calculation of Gross Domestic Product, it equals to the sum of such components as consumption (C), investment (I), government purchases (G), and net export, i.e. difference between export and import (NX): Y=C+I+G+NX. Germany UAE Gross capital formation (% of GDP) 17.26 22.66 General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) 19.29 6.90 Household final consumption expenditure, etc. (% of GDP) 57.53 49.75 Net Export (% of GDP) 5.92 20.68 Inflation UAE consumer inflation surpassed the 2% mark in April for the first time in five years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Housing price inflation was relatively continual with 2.6% year on year in May; Dubai’s inflation has lowered to 3.7% compared to 4.9% in April. Real estate has become the main inflation driver in UAE, excelling food price inflation of 2.1%, even as food prices are increasing at 0.9$ rate per month. Consumer inflation is soon averaging 2.2% in 2014. The recovery of housing prices reflects the prolonged downturn in the real estate market. The annual inflation rate is expected to soar up to 3% by the end of 2014. Mildness of world’s commodity prices is going to benefit the inflationary pressures. The United Arab Emirates could face higher problems in their inflation outlook if commodity and food prices go up. 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Germany 2.6% 0.3% 1.1% 2.1% 2.0% UAE 12.3% 1.6% 0.9% 0.9% 0.7% Germany’s nationwide inflation should remain at a very kind level between 1% and 2% in near future. Following the consumer prices inflation leaped from a 22-year low of -0.5% in 2009 to around 2.5% in 2011, the economic deceleration caused by the Europe’s debt crisis during 2012 and early 2013 have led to a softening below 1.5% that will remain during 2014. On balance, core inflation should move broadly sideways to around 1.5% during 2014, as a boosting effect from the Germany’s economic recovery is offset by the continuing restraints of the Eurozone debt crisis, also the anticipated downward tendency of oil prices due to global supply factors. Although, monetary policy of the European Central Bank (ECB) will be much lighter than Germany’s economy is demanding. Germans’ traditional disinclines to inflation should limit the extent to which Germany’s inflation will exceed the European average. Also, inflation will be stacked the level ECB considers unproblematic. Also due to pressure on ECB to buy Eurozone’s governments’ bonds and to allow higher inflation rates is enduring upward economic risk within the region. 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Germany 96.1 98.6 98.9 100 102.1 UAE 87 97.6 99.1 100 100.9 Human Development Index The Human Development Index summarizes the long-term development of a particular country or region. It includes three basic parameters: living standard, knowledge accessibility and health and longevity. The HDI is primarily based on international data provided by the United Nations Population Division, the United Nations Educational. In year 2013, The United Arab Emirates had a very high HDI value of 0.827— which places the country on 40 out of 187 countries. From the very beginning of its existence as a government, the United Arab Emirates HDI had value increased from 0.640 to 0.827, and soared up for 29.2 percent. This gives us the average increase of about 0.78 percent per year. The Table below reviews the United Arab Emirates progress of the HDI indicator. Between 1980 and 2013, that was achieved by couple of factors: the United Arab Emirates life expectancy at birth increased by 9.2 years, average years of schooling increased by 5.5 years and expected years of studying increased by 4.7 years. On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates GNI per capita has decreased by about 62.2 percent between 1980 and 2013, due to tremendous increase in expatriate population. UAE Germany GNI per capita (2011 PPP$) HDI value GNI per capita (2011 PPP$) HDI value 1980 153,654 0.64 25,588 0.739 1985 139,421 0.686 27,355 0.752 1990 97,141 0.725 31,002 0.782 1995 102,203 0.764 32,643 0.825 2000 103,798 0.797 35,497 0.854 2005 104,668 0.823 37,259 0.887 2010 57,360 0.824 40,542 0.904 2011 56,393 0.824 41,907 0.908 2012 57,095 0.825 42,965 0.911 2013 58,068 0.827 43,049 0.911 The recent Germany’s HDI value is 0.911— which in turns is one of the highest on the globe —positioning the country at 6 out of 187 countries and territories. Taking the same time range as for UAE, 1980 and 2013, Germany’s HDI value increased from 0.739 to 0.911, an increase of 23.3 percent or an average annual increase of about 0.64 percent. This in comparison to UAE is slightly lower. The table reviews Germany’s progress in the HDI index. The increase in HDI is consisting of: Germany’s life expectancy at birth increased by 7.7 years, mean years of schooling increased by 7.2 years and expected years of schooling increased by 1.9 years. In terms of GNI, Germany’s per capita increased by about 68.2 conversely to UAE, during the same period of time.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Alcohol in the body

After the ingestion of the alcohol by the man, it passes from the stomach then to the intestines and into the blood stream in a process called absorption. This alcohol is then broken down by body chemicals called enzymes. In this case alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde after a mediation of an enzyme called Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH). ADH is believed to cause non-dehydration symptoms of hangover, like nausea. This process occurs in the liver. Under the influence of other enzymes acetaldehyde is quickly converted to acetate which is eventually reduced to water and carbon dioxide.An enzyme called cytochrome in the liver metabolizes the liver. This enzyme is increased in the event of continuous heavy drinking by the person in question. Although large percentage of alcohol consumed is metabolized in the liver, some small portions of unmetabolized alcohol will still find their way in urine of the individual. It is also likely to find some portions in breath. 30 to 45 minutes of after wi ll see the man’s blood alcohol level rise.Despite the amount of alcohol consumed by the individual, the liver will only be able to metabolize a specified amount of alcohol per hour. This rate of alcohol metabolism depends on the amount of metabolizing enzymes in the liver of the guy. This amount of enzymes varies from one individual to another. It appears to have some genetic determinants. Alcohol is absorbed more slowly than it is consumed. Consequently, the consumption needs to be checked to reduce the risk of it accumulating in the body due to its slow metabolism. Alcohol can even intoxicate the body.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Entertainment Industry Essay

1. ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY †¢2. INTRODUCTION The story of single-screen theatre has reached its sad end in India. Multi-screen theaters have opened new vistas for the entertainment industry. After the entry of corporate titans like Reliance, the scenario of entertainment services has become more professional than ever. These theaters have changed the entire movie-going experience. †¢3. Multiplexes currently constitute 4-5 % of the 12,900 screens in India, the industry has a long way to go. This is just the beginning of multiplex revolution. In multiplex segment, PVR is the market leader in India. Besides, there are other major players like: Adlabs, Waves, Inox Leisures, Cinemax, Fame etc. These multi-screen theaters have started more facilities for customers like: online ticket booking, attractive sales promotion schemes, home delivery of tickets, SMS booking, toll-free calling services etc. †¢4. CUSTOMER RELATION MANAGEMENT Customer relationship management (CRM) is a broadly recognized, widely-implemented strategy for managing a company’s interactions with customers , clients and sales prospects. †¢5. PHASES The three phases in which CRM support the relationship between a business and its customers are to: Acquire : CRM can help a business acquire new customers through contact management, direct marketing , selling, and fulfillment. Enhance : web-enabled CRM combined with customer service tools offers customers service from a team of sales and service specialists, which offers customers the convenience of one-stop shopping. Retain : CRM software and databases enable a business to identify and reward its loyal customers and further develop its targeted marketing and relationship marketing initiatives. †¢6. STRATEGY For larger-scale enterprises, a complete and detailed plan is required to obtain the funding, resources, and company-wide support that can make the initiative of choosing and implementing a system successful. Benefits must be defined, risks assessed, and cost quantified in three general areas: PROCESSES PEOPLE TECHNOLOGY †¢7. The 7 P’s of Multiplex Cinemas PROCESS PROMOTION PHYSICAL EVIDENCE PEOPLE PLACE PRICE PRODUCT THE MARKETING MIX †¢8. ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY This can be explained properly with the bifurcation below. Traditional live entertainment industry : Theater Play writers Actors and Theater directors Music industry Composers and Songwriters Singers and Musicians Orchestras Publication industry Authors Journalists Publishers Printers The 20th century mass media industry : Film studios Cinemas Broadcasting Record industry Theme parks Discothà ¨ques †¢9. WHAT IS A MULTIPLEX INDUSTRY Multiplex is a medium that offers a person composite entertainment comprising of a one stop destination to shop, entertain, and dine and watch a Varity of movies under a common roof. Multiplex are one of the means of lifestyle that offer to viewers the choice of watching a movie in a five star or three star environment. †¢10. SOME FACTS ABOUT MULTIPLEXES Presently there are approximately 13000 screens in India with equal number of space available for the same amount of theatres to be opened. Multiplexes in India are given benefits for their development as they form a major part of the entertainment industry. Benefits such as overall tax concession, reduction in entertainment tax and so on are provided by the govt. †¢11. COMPETITIVE RIVALRY WITHIN THE INDUSTRY THREATS OF NEW ENTRANTS THREATS OF SUBSTITUTES BARGAINING POWER OF CUSTOMERS BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS PORTER’S FIVE FORCE MODEL †¢12. PROBLEMS FACED BY THE INDUSTRY- Indiscipline among filmmakers. This made the industry fragmented and disorganized. Piracy leading to massive losses for the industry. Lack of resources in terms of finance, human etc. Lack of corporatized management. Limited studio space and lack of security lending to an expensive foreign locales resulting in drain of resources. Reluctance of financial institutions to fund non asset based ventures Lack of expertise to handle latest equipments. †¢13. Services Provided Multiplexes provides the user, Entertainment-related information Pricing Availability Reservations for ticket for its cineplexes. Theatre Environment Auditorium Seating Restrooms Parking Area Film Presentation Sound Quality Picture Quality Volume Food Service Cleanliness of Snack Bar Selection of Concessions Taste/Temp of Food Item Personnel Ticket Cashier Snack Bar Attendant Handling of Problems †¢14. SWOT ANALYSIS OF ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY STRENGHTS most booming sectors in India Change in the lifestyle and spending patterns of the Indian masses on entertainment. Technological innovations WEAKNESSES 1. The Entertainment sector in India is highly fragmented. 2. The lack of efforts for media penetration in lower socio-economic classes, where the media penetration is low. 3. The film exhibition business’s fortunes depend on the success of the films they are showing 4. Rapid development of digital technology and the advancement in the broadband and networking space 5. Low margins and seasonal factors in the movie exhibition . †¢15. OPPORTUNITIES The Indian film industry is the largest film industry in the world in terms of no. of films produced and tickets sold each year expecting growth will be continued in coming years. The increasing interest of global investors in this sector. The media penetration is poor for the poorer sections of the society, offering opportunities of expansion in this area Rise in viewership and advertisement expenditure. THREATS Piracy, violation of intellectual property rights poses a major threat to media and entertainment concerns. Rapid innovations in technological sector. Increased competition with other entertainment sector like IPL, affect the occupancy rate in theatre. †¢16. Research Objective The major objective of this research was to determine the factors that constitute the bases of customer relationship management (CRM) wrt.two multiplexes in Noida city Waves and Adlabs. †¢17. Research Methodology The study was an explanatory meant for the purpose of investigation of factors that constitute the foundation of CRM in entertainment sector. Based on these factors , Adlabs and waves multiplexes were compared .this reserch was conducted on 100 movies-goers in noida (50 visitors of Adlabs and 50 of Waves ) which included students , business men , executives, family etc. †¢18. Tool For Data Collection And Analysis For primary data collection , a self administered and non disguised five point scale questionnaire containing 21 statements was used For the research , some hypothesis were formulated and tested for significance to prove the objective in scientific manner. †¢19. Results and Discussions Ambience: this factor was constituted of level of comfort in multiplex , fully air conditioned hall, plush and comfort chairs. Amenities: This factor constituted customer friendly services , food joints , drinking water facilities , neat and clean toilets and kid zone etc .. †¢20. Speedy services : This factor constituted spped of ticket booking , facility of quick location of speed , speed of services in restaurnant . Staffs cooperativeness: This factor constituted the friendly behaviour by staff, their problem solving attitude . †¢21. Online services : The factor constituted the range of online services provided by multiplex , online ticket booking and online payment system. Infrastructure : The factor constituted infrastructural components like building and other facilities. †¢22. Conclusion and Implications The study has determined six factors: ambience amenities speedy services staffs cooperativeness online service and  infrastructure. The result of this study can be of use for multiplex theatres via-a-vis single screen theatres. This study can be made on large sample and comparison across various cities can be done. However, this study is limited to noida city only . The study has wide implications for the industry in specific. Much work can be done towards strengthening CRM practices in multiple segments in INDIA .

Friday, November 8, 2019

resources on internet essays

resources on internet essays Please visit two research web sites and report on them for the rest of the class. Make sure your report is for your audience, fellow adult learners who will be doing a fairly comprehensive research project. umuc.edu/library/ols.html bedfordbooks.com/rd/index.html Diana Hacker, Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age Business Wire electronically disseminates full-text news releases for public and investor relations professionals to media, online services and databases, the Internet, and the investment community. http://www-sci.lib.uci.edu/HSG/Ref.html Martindale's: The Reference desk. This award-winning website contains links to thousands of reference resources; efficient for some searches than using web search engines. American Communication Association. Communications law, including First Amendment issues; communication including organizational, management, and intercultural communication; Internet resources. Search engine available to search among the documents in the Division of Research. Baltimore Business Journal, weekly publication on business news in Baltimore area. umuc.edu/library/evaluate.html http://uclink.berkeley.edu:1607/11/NN/D.Richards_Peer_Editing Home page of Collaborative Strategies: Strategies for Electronic Communication and Knowledge Management. bedfordbooks.com/rd/index.html Diana Hacker, Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Compare Bigger Thomas and the Invisible Men essays

Compare Bigger Thomas and the Invisible Men essays Compare Bigger Thomas, the protagonist of Native Son, to the unnamed protagonist and narrator of Invisible Man It was observed by Socrates that an unexamined life is not worth living. If that is true, then Bigger Thomas tragedy of Richard Wrights novel of the African-American 20th century experience is that of a tragedy of an unexamined life. Thomas begins the novel as a chauffeur, working in an occupation where he can see the lives of rich white people, but cannot dream of living such a lifestyle. He lives in fear of whites, and accidentally smothers Mary, the daughter of his employer, and conceals his crime, when he is trying to prevent the drunken girl from awakening anyone, and cause him to be accused of rape. Only at the end of the novel, when talking to a white communist defense lawyer, does Bigger gain a sense of how poorly he has been treated as an African-American throughout his existence. Bigger is a largely passive character, and the moral center of his family is clearly his mother, not Bigger. Even the young girl he accidentally killed, Mary, exploited him in a well-meaning fashion, as she asked Bigger to take her boyfriend and herself to Harlem to listen to jazz and eat soul food, an action that both disgusted and terrified Bigger. In contrast, Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man lives an all too examined life. His narrator is painfully aware of how racism limits his circumstances. He too has been treated in a patronizing fashion by whites-but not by people who want to act black, but by whites that are supposedly are trying to improve his race through education. At one point, in the presence of a white man, a trustee of the all-black university he attends, he accidentally stumbles into a nightclub, but the disgust, fear, and shame he feels during the event is not simply because of the actions of the trustee, but also because of the behavior of his fellow African-Americans. The...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Comparison of the successes and failures of a movie version of a play Essay

Comparison of the successes and failures of a movie version of a play (The Merchant of Venice) - Essay Example For the duration of the film, the director shows the reality of each of the characters in line with the play and he does this from the very beginning. In order to create a situation where there is a contrast of characters that leads the movie into its climax, the director of the movie chooses an appropriate time to reveal the original plot to the audience. However, before the climax of the film, he uses the main characters’ personalities and other events to convince the audience that what they are viewing is the real plot of the film. By doing this, the director ensures that he maintains the element of surprise that will captivate his audience at the climax and this is almost exactly as Shakespeare did in his play and by being loyal to the script; the movie follows the same course of events as when it is performed on stage. While the main plot of the play is retained in the movie, the latter does not completely remain loyal to the script as seen where the roles of some charact ers is diminished in favor of others. In most of the film versions of the play, one will notice that the roles of some of the minor characters are completely removed and that some of their lines are given to other characters. In a way, this is perhaps done with the intention of reducing the budget of making these films but by doing this, the directors of the movies being created end up watering down the original plot. The failure to remain constantly loyal to the script of the play and the removal of some characters shows that the film versions of the play are mainly concerned about making money and for entertainment. Loyal followers of the play tend not to take the film versions seriously because unlike when the play is performed on stage, the audience is not as involved. In fact, one would go as far as to state that the film depiction of the Merchant of Venice is one which makes its loyal audience to feel isolated and not as a part of the development of the plot. This isolation or detachment can be considered to be a failure of the film version of the play, and the directors of future movie depictions need to do more to ensure that their movies are absolutely loyal to the original scrip (Vela)t. While, as stated above, the movie depictions of the play tend not to completely follow the original script, it is a fact that many of the main themes within the play are displayed. The theme of racism, for example, is as prevalent within the movie as it is within the play and this creates a lot of tension in the movie as it would if performed on stage. Both the stage and film versions of the play display a setting where Christians were most distrustful of those who practiced Judaism and this is manifested in diverse ways throughout these depictions, especially through the depictions made of the Shylock, the main Jewish character. In both of depictions, Shylock is displayed as an evil, greedy, and vengeful man whose main aim throughout the play is not only to seek rev enge but also to maximize the profits of his business as much as possible. In addition, the fact that in the Venice of the Middle Ages, women were considered to be secondary citizens is also shown as seen when Portia has to dress and act as a male lawyer in order to get to defend her fiancee.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Nigerian Agip Oil Company Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9250 words

Nigerian Agip Oil Company - Dissertation Example From this study it is clear that the oil and gas industry is one of the most important sectors of the Nigerian economy. Thus there is a considerable amount of literature providing information on this specific industry. These have also offered an insight into the operations of the major oil producing companies present in Nigeria. Some of the literary works have also enumerated the success of these international companies and have tried to determine the reasons behind their high performance.This study declares that  similar to Mariby’s report, author Frynas has examined the conflict between the foreign oil companies and local village communities in Nigeria. The book begins by tracing the origins and evolution of Nigeria’s oil industry. He has provided an account of the overall consequences of the operations of the oil companies on the population residing in the villages. The book has specifically concentrated on the social and environmental effects of the firms’ activities on the native inhabitants of the country. This has always served as a complicated subject of research and also given rise to several viewpoints on the issue. The author has further considered the historical aspect of the issue and describes the past incidents of clashes between the two parties. He also enumerates the Nigerian government’s laws in this context and tries to analyze the social, economic and legislative hindrances which the oil companies were likely to encounter.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Implementation and Analysis the Dream Act Article

Implementation and Analysis the Dream Act - Article Example The DREAM act has been widely debated upon immigration policy, being either the subject of discussion or action. This policy was independently administered by the department of Homeland security. The DHS secretary, Janet Napolitano released a memorandum ordering DHS to defer the deportation process temporarily, for individuals described by the DREAM Act. The new policy is to be implemented through a department of Homeland Security directive ‘deferred action’ that lets the administration bypass congress. The implementation of this policy is thus utterly constitutional. The Congress has not only rejected the act once, but twice. This issue raises the question regarding how Americans feel about the Act (Batalova & McHugh, 2005). People affected by the act are the immigrants that do not meet all the qualifications for instance, those who do not meet the act’s education requirement. The combination of poor English skills and lack of high school diploma would be a barrier to those seeking to pursue the legal status through the military. Study shows that almost a third of the unauthorized children live below 100 percent of the federal poverty level. This reflects the hardships in paying tuition fees, transport, and other expenses. This diminishes the possibility of achieving the education level as required by the dream act (Batalova & McHugh, 2005). Some states will be affected more than others by the implementation of DREAM Act. This is due to the population sizes of potential beneficiaries. Access to education for the act’s beneficiaries would also vary from state to state due to the difference in education policies. Implementation of this policy would allow the DREAM Act to achieve its goals; to establish a path to citizenship for immigrants who were brought in the US by their parents as children. The act will

Monday, October 28, 2019

Causes of Obesity Essay Example for Free

Causes of Obesity Essay In fact, obesity is usually caused by unhealthy eating combined with sustained lack of activity. When the amount of calories intake is larger than the amount you need for your daily activities, it will be stored as fat in your body. And the problem of obesity will gradually develop. You may wonder what the main reason of obesity is. As a matter of fact, disorder in eating habits is the main cause of the problem. If you do not try to control the amount and kind of food you eat, you may develop obesity easily. To this end you may know that your lifestyle will certainly have effect on your body weight. Your genetic makeup may also play an important role. The probability for you to develop obesity will certainly be higher if your family members have the history of obesity. As a result, you should be very careful if you family has such history. It is very common for us to eat junk food these days. We are so busy that we tend to have all our meals in our local fast food shops. As a matter of fact, a lot of people love eating burgers. However, they are usually of too much fact and it will not be good to your health if you eat burgers too much. The main problem of eating burgers is that you will not feel full with one burger. Yet a burger can already be enough for your meal. This is really a mismatch and there will certainly be a problem if you eat two burgers in one meal. There are a lot of ways to combat the problem of obesity. Of course you will need to change your lifestyle if you have the problem of obesity. You will need to start eat healthy. You should eat less junk food. Of course at the same time you should not skip any meal. It is also important for you to do more exercises. This will help you to burn more calories so that they will not be stored as fat in your body. If the problem is very serious, you may even need to take a weight loss surgery. However, you should take the option of surgery the last resort.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

To Kill A Mockingbird Essay: The Truth About Boo Radley -- Kill Mockin

The Truth About Boo Radley in To kill a Mockingbird  Ã‚   First impressions of people are often lasting impressions, especially in the minds of children.   Many times these impressions, aided by misunderstanding and prejudgment, cause unjust discrimination against an individual. To kill a Mockingbird depicts the themes of misunderstanding and prejudice that portray Arthur (Boo) Radley as a villain. Through the progressive revelation of Radley's character, the children realize that their negative impressions and fear of him were unfounded. Through gradual stages of change, from total misunderstanding of Boo, to a realization of an error in judgment, to a reevaluation followed by a change of heart, to a growing trust and acceptance of Boo, and finally to an appreciation of his true character, Jem's, Scout's, and Dill's impressions of Radley are dramatically altered. In the beginning of the novel, many falsehoods by the townspeople portray Boo Radley as a villain. These misleading opinions, very apparent in the adult community, are well illustrated by Miss Stephanie Crawford. She helps skew the children's impressions. Since Atticus, although often interrogated, does not want to create a breach of etiquette, he refuses to speak about the Radleys. Therefore, Jem receives most of his information from Miss Stephanie Crawford, a neighborhood scold, who insists she knows the whole truth about the Radleys. It is from Crawford that the children learn of Radley's scissor attack on his father and other such interesting rumors. Thus, Arthur Radley is labeled as a "hant", a possibly insane and dangerous man, and the "malevolent phantom† (Lee, pg. #). The latter comes from the fact that Radley had not been seen for many years, and was beli... ...ealization for Scout; she acknowledges Radley's good nature and kindness. She realizes that Radley had given them their lives, the most important gift of all. Radley has indeed found a place in the children's hearts, and through his natural goodness he comes out as the true hero of To Kill a Mockingbird.   .   Through many fundamental stages in the novel, the character of Boo Radley is slowly unraveled depicting his true self. As negative first impressions undergo a metamorphosis, Radley's character is gradually revealed. This growth and process of change makes the children and the reader realize that prejudgment of a person generally results in a misrepresentation of an individual.   Because of this one misstep in the judgment process, many potential heroes could be missing from our lives forever.    Works Cited Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird.   

Thursday, October 24, 2019

MedNet: Confronts Click-Through Competition Essay

It was just 9:30 a.m., and the day was off to a terrible start. Heather Yates, vice president for business development at MedNet, walked at a quick clip down the hall of the company’s modern Birmingham, Alabama, office space, her face clouded with concern. The company, a website delivering health information free to consumers, generated its income through advertising, mostly from pharmaceutical companies. Now, Windham Pharmaceuticals, MedNet’s biggest advertiser, had asked to change the rules by which it had done business for the past four years. Moreover, Mahria Baker, Windham’s CMO, had told Yates that this wasn’t just an exploratory conversation. Windham was seriously considering shifting its MedNet ad dollars to Marvel, a competing website with which Windham already did some business. Yates, who had been with MedNet since just after the company was founded in 2002, felt blindsided and, at the same time, resigned. â€Å"We have some legwork to do,† she thought to herself. â€Å"We can’t afford to say ‘No,’ and just walk away, and we can’t just ask them to stay with us because we’re good people. We have to convince them that our set-up is worth their ad dollars. And we have to move quickly. Our other advertisers won’t be far behind Windham.† She had asked Baker to fax over a copy of the results of Windham’s latest advertising campaign, and had promised to call her back the next day, as both companies needed to finalize their budgets. Then, immediately after they had hung up, Yates had called Bill Bishop, MedNet’s vice president of consumer marketing. â€Å"Can you clear some time for me right now?† she had asked him. â€Å"Windham is thinking of pulling their ad dollars from us and taking them to Marvel.† Now she was on her way up to Bishop’s office, two floors above, with the fax from Baker and notes from her conversation in hand. Industry Background and Company Origins This case, though based on real events, is fictionalized, and any resemblance to actual persons or entities is coincidental. There are occasional references to actual companies in the narration. Copyright  © 2007 by Harvard Business School Publishing. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School Publishing million in profits. (See Exhibit 1 for 2006 income statement.) The accessibly written, easy-tonavigate, and vividly presented content was developed by 24 trained journalists, doctors, designers, and administrators. Additional materials came from the faculty of a prominent medical school, news agencies, a photography service, and an active community of visitors that used social media tools such as blogs, community chat, and virtual reality to communicate medical information. (Visitorgenerated media was reviewed by medically trained journalists.) The award-winning site was considered the best health website for trusted, evidence-based, consumer health information. Advertisements on MedNet proposed specific and immediate solutions to health concerns. MedNet had 4.3 million monthly visitors, but new competitors had flattened its audience growth during the last quarter of 2006. Competitors Now, in the first quarter of 2007, MedNet faced competition both for visitors and advertisers. Nonprofit and governmental websites competed with MedNet for visitors by providing similar content on mainstream medicine. The websites of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and World Health Organization weren’t nearly as easy to navigate as MedNet, but they were comprehensive. In contrast to MedNet, these two websites provided information on alternative therapies as well as on scientifically based solutions, albeit with with carefully worded disclaimers. What’s more, employees of large corporations could increasingly turn to customized health websites on their own company intranets. The theory was that if internal health websites could help workers quickly identify health problems (prompting overdue doctor visits) and promote general good health, the employers could reduce their portion of employee health care costs. For-profit health websites posed different degrees of financial competition for MedNet’s advertising revenue and audience. Recently, so-called condition-specific sites that focused on particular problems, such as Cholesterol.com, had emerged. (Yates was confident that Cholesterol.com was already drawing pharmaceutical advertising dollars away from MedNet.) An indirect competitor, ClinicalTrials.com, marketed only experimental procedures. Its audience was smaller than MedNet’s and the material was difficult for the layperson to understand. ClinicalTrials.com received a fee for each time a visitor it referred enrolled in a clinical trial. Then there was Alternativehealth.com, a long-time, popular player in the â€Å"health space.† It provided information about scientifically â€Å"unproven† therapies and procedures such as herbal remedies, vitamin regimens, and massage. Its audience was larger than MedNet’s and its advertising sales more robust. Due to a recent lawsuit concerning its content, Alternativehealth.com had begun using disclaimers—with no apparent impact on its audience size. Due to the alternative health consumer’s distrust of pharmaceutical companies, the website did not compete with MedNet for advertising dollars. Still, MedNet had to keep Alternativehealth on its radar. Methods Used to Calculate Advertiser Payment Yates’s thoughts raced through the company’s competitive landscape as she waited for the elevator. In her short phone conversation with Bill, he had told her to take a little time to review MedNet’s original value proposition to its advertisers. What they needed to do was re-justify their approach, if it was possible to do so. But, he had cautioned, they were compelled to keep an open mind. â€Å"Think through the facts,† Bill had said. â€Å"Why don’t you come up here in about half an hour. I’ll start to mull over our options as well.† Yates thought back to MedNet’s roots. Back in 2002, MedNet’s founders had made some key choices regarding revenue generation. MedNet could, in theory, sell content to site visitors, like an online magazine, charging a few dollars per article or an annual subscription fee. On the other hand, if the site could draw advertisers, and if advertising revenues were strong enough, the company could provide content free of charge—which is what most web users expected. An advertising revenue model was made possible by sophisticated web analytics: technology that tracked the behavior of each site visitor—pages viewed, links clicked, and so on. This software made it easy for advertisers to calculate their return on advertising investment (ROI). The obvious candidates to buy onscreen advertising space from MedNet were pharmaceutical companies, which for over a decade had promoted their drugs aggressively to consumers. As it happened, MedNet was launched at a time when many other consumer health care websites were going out of business, leaving pharmaceutical firms looking for web promotion outlets. MedNet seized the opportunity to build relationships with these advertisers. In deciding how best to generate revenue from advertisers, MedNet chose traditional banner advertising, charging pharmaceutical advertisers such as Windham Pharmaceuticals on a cost-perthousand impressions (CPM) basis. (One advertising impression meant that one visitor requested from a Web server a page that had a specific advertisement on it.) Measuring impressions was the closest way to estimate the number of people who actually saw an online advertisement. By pursuing an impression business model, MedNet was fully â€Å"monetizing† its available inventory of â€Å"eyeballs† (site visitors). An independent auditor verified the company’s impression counts each month. Marvel’s Challenge Yates reached Bill Bishop’s office and pushed the door open. Bill was on the phone, but he waved her to a seat. â€Å"Two minutes,† he mouthed at her. She nodded, and sat back. She thought about what she knew about Marvel. Marvel was essentially a large search engine that had decided to follow the alternative advertising model: contextual, or pay-per-click, banner advertising. Under these terms, advertisers paid website owners only when visitors actually â€Å"clicked† on an advertisement to learn more about an advertised product. The key metric to measuring this kind of online advertising campaign was the click-through rate (CTR), measured as the number of clicks divided by the number of ad impressions delivered. Advertisers considered website click-throughs (and telephone calls to a call center generated by a newspaper advertisement) to be the equivalent of customers interested in potentially making a purchase. Yates thought back to 2002. No sooner had MedNet’s founders opted for a pay-per-impression model than advertisers began resisting that pricing structure—but mainly from general-interest websites, where the majority of impressions came from visitors uninterested in their products. Advertisers based this perception in part on the percentage of click-throughs that ads yielded; the click-through rate on a general-interest site tended to be half as high as on highly focused â€Å"destination† content sites like MedNet. In 2006, MedNet.com therefore could still command a $100 CPM ($100 for each 1,000 impressions) contract from its advertisers—10 to 20 times what general interest websites might charge. Similarly, Alternativehealth.com’s advertisers paid for impressions only, and not for click-throughs. But Marvel, a hugely successful search engine, turned the table on its competition in the fall of 2006 by declaring it would provide impressions for free and charge advertisers only for clickthroughs. Because Marvel had a vast audience (19 million visitors per month), charging for even a   small percentage of click-throughs would pay off handsomely. If the site sold advertisements in enough categories, including the pharmaceutical market, Marvel could bring in huge revenues. By late 2006, some advertisers began to ask other sites to charge only for click-through â€Å"sales leads† like Marvel did. One drawback to this popular revenue model: reports of increasing â€Å"click frau d.† Advertisers’ competitors were fraudulently clicking on advertisements to drive up advertising costs. Not only was Marvel offering MedNet’s long-standing advertisers like Windham different financial terms, but it also competed for visitors interested in healthcare. Visitors often came to MedNet by way of a search engine such as Marvel, although such search engines served as a starting point of inquiry, not a serious source of trusted medical information. Mahria Baker’s challenge stuck with Yates: â€Å"At Marvel we get all our impressions for free, and we pay $0.54 for each click-through. At MedNet we pay for every impression, and by my calculation we pay $3.33 for each click-through. Granted, we’re not averse to getting impressions—anytime that anyone sees your logo, your slogan, and your product’s name, you are theoretically doing your brand some good. But here at Windham, click-throughs are really what matter. They separate accidental observers of our ads from the serious prospects who proactively seek more product information and may buy our product. I can’t justify paying six times as much for a click-through from one of your visitors.† Baker had paused a moment, then added, â€Å"Heather, help me here. Is there another way of looking at this that I’m missing?† â€Å"Yes, there is,† Yates had replied, â€Å"and if you let me call you back tomorrow I believe I can show you what you are missing.† MedNet’s Audience and Visitor Behavior Bill Bishop hung up the phone and turned to Yates. She spread out a copy of the results of Windham’s latest advertising campaign, and the two of them pored over it. (See Exhibit 2 for Baker’s data.) Many search engines and general-interest websites had large audiences that returned to the sites regularly, in a predictable pattern. By contrast, most visitors to targeted health websites such as MedNet came only when â€Å"in crisis.† However, when they did come, they stayed long and explored avidly, clicking around to clarify symptoms or determine the best course of action for a pressing health problem. They often researched unrelated symptom areas as well, in order to help family members, or out of curiosity. These visitors then returned during the next crisis, although some did become repeat visitors. MedNet visitors clicked on more pages and advertisements than generalinterest web surfers did (see Exhibit 3). In addition, health website visitors tended to buy more products from advertisers when they did decide to purchase. (See Exhibit 4 for a study of results and frequently viewed web pages on MedNet.) If the product advertised was not available over-thecounter, then the visitors would urge their physicians to prescribe the medication that they’d discovered in the advertisements on MedNet. Windham produced Vesselia, a prescription medication that reduced cholesterol and plaque in a patient’s veins with fewer side effects than competitors’ offerings. High cholesterol was one cause of heart disease, and it was attributed to both genetic predisposition and lifestyle choices. Keeping cholesterol low could be a long-term issue for many patients, requiring months, possibly years, of daily medication. Each patient who began a series of treatments would use the medicine for an average of 12 months. To encourage customers to request a prescription for Vesselia from their doctors, Windham provided coupons on its website that customers could print out and redeem at a pharmacy. For instance, when a customer clicked on a Windham ad at MedNet’s website, he was taken to the Windham website. Windham’s computer system could identify that the customer came from MedNet and insert that information into the Windham coupon bar code within fractions of a second. A different coupon code was provided to those web visitors who came to Windham from Marvel Search. (Coupons with yet another barcode were sent by postal mail by the Windham telephone call center to respondents to newspaper advertisements.) When patients redeemed the coupons at a pharmacy, the pharmacy returned them to Windham. Windham could thus attribute drug sales to the relevant advertising venue. On average, patients took three months to redeem coupons for Vesselia after Windham had first placed the advertisements. The current campaign would be considered closed at the end of February 2007.