Do Young People Spend Their Time Wisely?

Leisure time can be well spent in many different ways. One popular option among the young is playing video games and watching television. While other activities like sports, social gathering and reading are available to them but many people feel that they spend too much time on these indoor games and screens and prefer them to be more active. To a certain extend I disagree that some of young people today use effectively their leisure time in productive activities. However, I also think that others spend hours on watching television and playing video games. Nowadays, younger generation has greater choices of leisure facilities than previous one. Among such facilities are television and video games. Some social experts and families are concerned about health of teenage on these activities. This is supported by some reports that sitting too long in front of television could lead to problems of eyes and back like watching television and playing computer games have tended to increase recently. On the other hand, some experts believe that some video games can improve their skills and this could help his or her future career like operating doctor or pilot. In addition, watching television keeps young audience inform about what happens around locally as well as globally. That would enhance teenagers' to more opened-minded and encourage them to keep eyes on challenging local and international issues. In conclusion, it’s not really a question of age. Old and young people can choose to use their time wisely or to eliminate. I hopefully we all can make choices that benefit in the long run even more or less. However, encouragement from parents and community may help supporting young people to spend their free time wisely rather than wasting their time on watching too much television and also playing games.

Financial Analysis Project

Your task is to provide a written report discussing the financial position of the companies. Calculation of ratios should be included in an appendix to the report. In other words, in addition to the mechanical process of determining the ratios the report must include a written comparative analysis of the financial information: from year to year, between the companies and an overall comment on the financial session of the companies.The financial analysis project will be marked considering the following: Company selection [provide a brief description of each company] Liquidity analysis Solvency analysis Profitability analysis Activity analysis Overall comparative analysis Organization/flow/quality of writing Professionalism Please provide references to the corporate Web sites where copies of the financial statements may be found. Each analysis should have appropriate appendices showing your calculations and your work. Please ensure that your solution can be easily traced back to the Or lando financial statements.Thus, your entire analysis should be no more than 1000 words not Including any attached appendices and no more than 10 different ratios. Financial Analysis Project By strengthens are in the same industry [e. G. , Imperial Oil & Petrol-Canada, or Salesman & Big Rock]. Each other and between periods, indicating which company is in the best financial * Organization/flow/quality of writing easily traced back to the original financial statements. Thus, your entire analysis should be no more than 1000 words not including any attached appendices and no

Anti-Anxiety Medication and the Brain

Anti-Anxiety Medication and the Brain When one is bed-ridden with the flu, it only makes sense for that person to see a doctor to seek treatment. Such treatment could be in the form of medications. Much like a physical illness, the anxiety-ridden may even seek medicinal therapy. However, the underlying difference among the medications is their function and how they function. While one may answer those problems for the wide class of antibiotics, may we say the same for treating the ailments of the mind? In order to understand the advancements in modern medicine and technology, we must first look back to the primitive practices of treating anxiety disorders. In order to treat, psychologists and psychiatrists must be able to diagnose and classify. Before they were recognized by the American Psychological Association in the 1980’s, anxiety disorders were seen as normal bouts of stress (Tracy). As a type of neurosis, psychologists and psychiatrists questioned to validity of treatment for the individual. However, e ven decades before its official classification, anxiety was treated in varied, primitive, and even absurd, ways, including the use of essential oils and salves, applying severely cold or hot temperatures to the inflicted, and draining blood with the use of blood-sucking animals (Tracy). In more negative connotations, medieval doctors placed the blame on mild demonic possession and witchcraft. Following these types of remedies were electric shock therapy and institutionalization, quickly replaced with the invention of lobotomies (piercing the brain with an icepick through the patient’s eye), developed by Dr. Moniz and Dr. Walker Freeman in the 1940s. The shocking, unethical practice is abandoned for anti-psychotic therapies and medicines. With advancements in technology came advancements toward modern medicines, giving psychiatrists the ability to alter the brain’s wiring with the use of pills. Anxiety, in textbook definition, is the feeling of intense fear in respons e toward an unreal threat (Rathus). To treat mental illness such as anxiety, psychiatrists must know the inner workings of how the nervous system delivers messages. A message is received by the dendrites of a nerve cell, which travels through the cell’s body (Rathus). It then moves along the axon, protected by the myelin sheath (Rathus). The message’s final destination is the axon terminals, where it passes along the synapse and onto the dendrites of the next nerve cell (Rathus). This message, whatever it entails, continues this repetitive journey in one direction until it reaches its destination (Rathus). The most important part when looking at anxiety disorders is the axon terminals and the synapse, where chemicals containing these messages, neurotransmitters, are released (Rathus). With anxiety disorders, one’s body may be low on those â€Å"feel-good† neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and gamma-ami nobutyric acid (GABA) (Staff). Psychiatrists have also concluded that one’s with an anxiety disorder may have an excessive amount of the neurotransmitter cortisol, which invokes stress (Staff). Another offender lies right within the brain, the amygdala (Simon). This pea-sized site of the brain responds to fear, and those with anxiety disorders are found with amygdala hyperactivity (Simon). With this pertinent information in mind, psychiatrists can alter the brain’s behavior with the presence of these neurotransmitters. Much like antibiotics alters how the body’s immune system behaves, anti-anxiety medication can alter how the nervous system behaves. Anti-anxiety medication depresses brain activity, lowers vitals such as blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates, and decrease feelings of uneasiness and dread by modifying brain behavior (Association). While these medications cannot safely replenish levels of neurotransmitters, one method of controlling the bra in’s behavior is closing up the source of the neurotransmitter. This is the role of SSRIs, which stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (Staff). Serotonin is famously known as the â€Å"feel-good† neurotransmitter and the prime suspect of anxiety and depressive disorders. A problem with many anxiety sufferers is either the lack of serotonin or the quick reuptake of serotonin in their nervous systems (Staff). To remedy this obstacle, SSRIs block the reabsorption of serotonin, allowing the chemical to remain available (Staff). Some FDA approved SSRIs include citalopram (Celexa), citalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), and sertraline (Zoloft) (Staff). Remedies may have its drawbacks, for side effects of these medications include fatigue, dependency, restlessness, muscle tension, blankness, irritability, sleep problems, insomnia, and even its adverse effect, suicidal thoughts among children and teenagers (Staff). Withdrawal from S SRIs, especially sudden, may invoke more intense feelings of dread or uneasiness, nausea, gastrointestinal issues, and strange sensations in vision and touch (Tartagovsky). While these problems may arise, these medicinal therapies work well with those who experience chronic anxiety. Another approach a psychiatrist turns to is to open receptors to neurotransmitters. This class of medicines are known as benzodiazepines (or Benzos, for short) (Anderson). These medications are known as â€Å"tranquilizers† due to their functions (Anderson). A natural tranquilizer itself, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter which depresses the brain’s activity; this neurotransmitter has also been scarce in those suffering from anxiety disorders (Anderson). Benzodiazepines remedy this by opening the frequency of the GABA-A receptor responsible for reacting with GABA (Anderson). This allows more availability of GABA in the nervous system, inevitably calming the brain and bo dy. Some FDA approved benzodiazepines include clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), and oxazepam (Serax) (Anderson). Some benzodiazepines are found to have faster onset action than others (Anderson). Onset action is how fast the medicine acts and how long the treatment lasts. Since these medications are only for short-term usage, the only known side effects of benzodiazepines include drowsiness, forgetfulness, and unusual sleep patterns (WebMD). However, long-term usage of benzodiazepines can lead to dependency and addiction to the medication (WebMD). Abusers of the medication may experience drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, impaired vision, speech, and coordination, respiration difficulties, and even coma-like states and death (WebMD). When used responsibly, benzodiazepines aid in sufferers of acute anxiety and panic attacks. Just as pharmacologists and medical doctors have found ways to modify a body’s functions, pharmacologists and psychiatrists h ave also worked to modify the brain’s functions. For those suffering from anxiety disorders, psychiatrists prescribe medications to open and close synapses and receptors in the nervous system of the body, making these â€Å"feel-good† neurotransmitters more available and inevitably remedy the bed-ridden mind. References Anderson, L. Drugs.com . 4 May 2014. Web. 2 December 2016. Association, American Psychiatric. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Vol. V . Arlington, 2013. Print. Rathus, Spencer A. Psychology; Principles in Practice . Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2003. Textbook. Simon, Harvey. New York Times . 11 March 2013. Web. 25 November 2016. Staff, MayoClinic. Mayoclinic . 24 June 2016. Web. 25 November 2016. Tartagovsky, Margarita. PsychCentral . n.d. Web. 25 November 2016. Tracy, Natasha. Healthy Place . 30 July 2016. Web. 2 December 2016. WebMD . n.d. Web. 2 December 2016.

Abraham Lincoln Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Abraham Lincoln - Essay Example . . ."1 In the following paper I would like to discuss Abraham Lincolns policies during the civil war. The discussion will be structured in the way that will shape Presidents motives in actual conducting the war and mostly pointed into defining whether the reasons were to abolish slavery or receive economic benefit. Faced with heavy Union losses and the destructive nature of the war, Abraham Lincoln, an antislavery proponent, gradually adopted slave emancipation as the most prudent means of ending the conflict between North and South, bringing an end to the war, and thus paving the way to a reunited nation. Lincolns role in the destruction of the institution of slavery during the Civil War and afterward is widely accpeted to be the reason of Civil War as the institution of slavery, so instrumental in dividing the nation, provided Linocoln with an effective tool for ending the conflict. Slowly, at a pace too deliberate for most blacks and many Republicans, Linocoln gradually approached emancipation through the Confiscation Acts, compensation plans, and the Emancipation Proclamation (Abbott, 1968). None of these plans provided for immediate or full emancipation. Even the much-touted Emancipation Proclamation excluded slaves in all the border states and in Confederate areas controlled by the Union as of January 1, 1863, offering freedom only to those slaves living in Confederate strongholds--the very areas in which Linocoln could not enforce his proclamation. At best, the Emancipation Proclamation opened the door to freedom, but it left millions still enslaved. Even when war seemed inescapable, Lincoln remained the premier politician and chief adherent to the Constitution regarding the slavery issue; but observers thousands of miles away lacked his keen understanding of these domestic political and legal realities and began to ponder the

Causes of Rework and cost overuns in construction of sea water Thesis Proposal

Causes of Rework and cost overuns in construction of sea water desalination projects in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Thesis Proposal Example Desalination is a very important term, especially for the countries where fresh water resources are scarce. It could be any process that removes a vast amount of salt and other minerals from the water. Habitually, it is known as the procedure of drawing the salts and minerals. It is best to purify your water with the process of desalinated and then use it for drinking and as well as for irrigational activities. This is the same process which is being used by many seagoing ships and sub-marines (Love et. al. 2004). In today’s world, desalination is mainly used for developing cost-effective ways of giving fresh water to such regions of the world where fresh water is in meager amount. If you are intending to do a large scale desalination process then you may also need massively powered infrastructures but it is sure to increase the expense you will pay on the overall project, so it is better to make the usage of fresh water from rivers or wells etc. According to the census performed n April 2010, Saudi Arab had a population of 27,136,977 humans out of which 18,707,576 were recognized as nationals and others were living with no nationality. Due to an overwhelming economic and urban growth of this country, more than 95% of the whole population has been settled down now. Some cities even have densities of more than thousand people per square kilometer. About 50% of the total water used in this country is generated by the process of desalination, whereas the other 40% is extracted from the mining of non-renewable groundwater, the remaining 10% is simply taken off from the surface water. This research will highlight the issues related to desali9nation processes in Saudi Arab which cause cost overruns. Problem Statement: The problem which will be studied in this research is: Causes of Rework and cost overruns in construction of sea water desalination projects in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Research Objectives: There are four main objecti ves of this research which are listed below: To study existing sea water desalination projects for cost overruns To explore the reasons of rework and cost overruns in sea water desalination projects To investigate low cost alternatives which can control the cost of sea water desalination projects in Saudi Arabia To find ways of avoiding this cost overruns if construction of sea water desalination projects in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Research Scope and limitation: This research will study 2 cases where cost overrun has been reported in construction of sea water desalination projects in Saudi Arab. Due to the constraint of time and budget, it is not possible to study the whole universe in this research. However, the case study selection will be based on the criteria that the projects which represent and can highlight the problems of all existing desalination projects should be chosen. This research is limited in the sense that not every existing sea water desalination project will be s tudied under it. Also, it is not possible for the researcher to study every aspect of the problem under discussion, so this research is limited to study of aspects of cost overrun. Methodology: For any research, qualitative or quantitative, primary or secondary, the most important part is its methodology. Methodology sets the stage for all further work to be done in any research (Gauch, 2002). Research can be done successfully and the objectives can be achieved if the research methodology laid out to conduct this research is properly planned. As research methodology is what leads any research towards its success, its importance can never be undermined in case of any research (Symon, et. al., 2000). This research is focused basically on primary data collection. A lot of tests and experiments have been conducted to get the required

E-Commerce in the Job Placement Industry Research Paper

E-Commerce in the Job Placement Industry - Research Paper Example People waste so much of their time applying for jobs, attempting to be interviewed by going to offices, only to incur expenses they should not have incurred in the first place. American Online writer, O’Donnell, J.T. (2012) reported that the average time it takes the unemployed to find a job is 7 months while most job hunters give up looking for one within 5 months. This project seeks to provide a way for the many who are unemployed in the USA to avoid unnecessary cost of job seeking while increasing their chances of finding the right work, at the right place, according to their qualifications and acceptable options, and within less than 5 months. It involves disclosure of an E-commerce System that does not charge any amount to applicants before he or she lands a job. But it will earn after the job applicant finally gets accepted into an acceptable employment. The problem of unemployment should become a good opportunity for such an E-commerce business to flourish by successful ly finding the right person for the right jobs. Most of the work will entail staying at home, using the computer to voluntarily join the Placement Office which will be called Special Order Services for Job Seekers or SOS JobS. Its purpose is to invite, qualify, communicate, educate, guide, search the right work for each job seeker, have communications with the potential employers, refer those found qualified, and then collect from people who got successfully employed. There is a logical process to succeed in this business. Through diligence, both applicant and employer should be happier as a result of services rendered by the Placement Office for both the employer and the potential applicants. The hypotheses are twofold. First, job placement services online offer mere opportunities with substantial services to know what and where the job openings are, but minimal services to facilitate the job seeker’s effort to successfully get employed within a short period of time, e.g. le ss than 5 months. Second, the entry of SOS JobS, the more thorough job placement services will logically make it easier for employers to find the right person for the right work. And the job seekers facilitated by the management information system of SOS JobS will realize faster employment. Literature Review Minelli, Mark, and Breckon, Donald (2009, p.127) clearly stated that the number of online placement businesses for job seekers has been growing. However, the process of allowing people to find their work has a common standard. The management information system proposed in this paper is very different because of multiple services not offered for free at online job placement businesses and far less commitment on the part of the job placement services online to get the needed work for a person who needs work. Instead, the applicant is told where to apply for job openings. And then the actual next step is just to bid the applicant good luck. O’Deonnell, J.T. (2012) identified five explanations why people in the USA find it hard to be employed within months or unemployment. (1) A candidate for work wants higher pay or presents himself as overqualified. (2) The choice of location wherein that candidate is willing to live disqualifies him. Job openings may be elsewhere. (3) The skills in searching for work may be poor. (4) No network or referrals was laid out to expedite the discovery of that candidate.  

The case of Hauer vs. Union State Bank of Wautoma Research Paper

The case of Hauer vs. Union State Bank of Wautoma - Research Paper Example To change the entire Boiler 2. To repair the Boiler When the plumber had gone there to check for the boiler, he had informed his boss Barkley that the boiler needs to be replaced and not repaired. Let us analyse the facts to get a clearer understanding. â€Å"While inspecting the non-operating boiler at Chetum’s building, the plumber notices that the boiler is one that has been recalled by the manufacturer, Housewarm, because of a defect that does not allow all the carbon monoxide produced by the boiler to vent properly. This boiler was purchased by Chetum at a salvage yard and replaced another non-operating boiler. Further, the boiler has been improperly installed, according to the plumber. The plumber notifies Barkley of the problems with the boiler and Barkley immediately notifies Chetum. Chetum tells Barkley that he does not want to purchase a new boiler. He asks if the existing boiler can be fixed to get through the winter months. Barkley calls his plumber who is still a t the Chetum site and asks the plumber about a quick fix for the winter. The plumber tells Barkley he would not recommend the quick fix for the winter as this boiler is defective and has been recalled.† Looking at the facts, it can be directly inferred that the boiler which was in the building was defective and should have been replaced. However, to save costs and other expenditures, Chetum did not want that to happen and therefore asked for the boiler to be repaired. It is pertinent to note that the boiler which had been installed in the building was not only improperly installed but also was defective. Therefore there was an urgent need to replace the boiler, which was concurred by the plumber but not approved by Chetum. The question which arises right now is... The case of Hauer vs. Union State Bank of Wautoma One of the most fundamental principles of Contract Law is that an individual who is below the age of 18 cannot enter into contracts with other parties. This law also applies to situations which consist of an individual entering into contracts to represent a firm which has been established under law. Applying the law to the facts, we understand that Barkley was not eligible to enter into Contract with Chetum. Along with this, Barkley is not eligible to represent the firm of his father in his absence. Therefore, looking at the overall perspective of Contractual Obligations, Barkley could not have entered into a contract with any other party. In case a contract has been entered upon between a minor and some other party, then such contract happens to not be legally binding on the parties although the work of the contract may be carried out and performed by the parties. According to the facts taken hypothetically, Knarles was aware that his firm consisted of a number of plumbers whose lic enses had not been renewed in the current year, and in spite of that his firm had sent one of them to a client by the name of Chetum, to do the repair work. Looking at the facts of the case, it can be inferred that there was not material breach of fundamental breach of contract. On the contrary, there is a case of tortious negligence on the part of Chetum. Along with this, he entered into a contract with a minor. Keeping these two facts into account, there is no breach of contract.

Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Business Environment - Essay Example According to Mishra (2011), it had market capitalization of about $220 billion as of spring 2010. It has implemented a multi-million dollar marketing campaign by slogan â€Å"Think Different† so that it can fulfil its objective of being the number one alternative for the customers of mobile device and computer industries. It has been stated by Schipanova (2008) that the main goal of the corporation is to differentiate its products from the competitors such as Dell, Microsoft, HP, Toshiba and others by offering its customers highly innovative and unique options. It aims to capture the leading position both in mobile device and PC industries by developing products with latest technology. In order to make sure that it is able to compete effectively, it has heavily invested in its Research and Development department and facilities so all offerings are free from any defects. One of the top-ranked companies in the technology sector is Elektron Technology UK Limited that is a subsidiary of Elektron Technology PLC that has been present in the market for many years. It has been offering top quality solutions to its customers by offering them instant solutions for monitoring and control, instrumentation and connectivity. The leading brands of the company are Sifam, Arcolectric, Carnation Designs, Bulgin, Queensgate and Digitron. The mission of the company is to provide superior quality components for electromechanical along with instrumentation products that have been developed with the latest technology without causing any damage to the environment. In order to achieve its desired mission, the main objective of the company is to constantly introduce new and innovative solutions to the customers so that they are able to meet the technological needs in the best possible way (Elektron Technology, 2012). From the analysis of mission and goals of both companies, it is

Most important emelnts in a relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Most important emelnts in a relationship - Essay Example In Half and Half, the relationship between Rose and Ted grew due to them trying to prove their mothers wrong. Both of their mothers felt that the relationship was not going to be successful. Rose and Ted used this as a reason to force their relationship to work. However, this is also the reason that their relationship ended up failing. â€Å"With imagined tragedy hovering over us, we became inseparable (Tan, 89-90).† Instead of staying together willingly, they stayed together to show their mothers that they were wrong in predicting anything negative coming from the relationship. By claiming that there was imagined tragedy and by going off blindly together, they created despair that could have been avoided. They forced themselves to get along, putting on the disguise of a happy relationship, a disguise that even fooled Rose and Ted for some time. The one element that was missing to form a successful relationship was honest love for one another. Similarly, just as Rose’s mother depended on hope to find her son after he was swept out to sea, Rose depended on hope to save her marriage, but it was all for nothing. â€Å"There is no hope. There’s no reason to keep trying (Tan, 516-517).† Another element that led to the failure of Rose and Ted’s relationship was a lack of hope.

Bureaucracy Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Bureaucracy Policy - Essay Example ilization of anti-bureaucratic sentiments and the claim that it is time to say good-bye to bureaucracies and bureaucrats just another round in a perennial debate and ideological struggle over what desirable forms of administration and government are--that is, a contest for control of the size, agenda, organization, competences, moral foundations, staffing, resources, and outcomes of the public sector? If so, how helpful is the literature on "bureaucracy" in analyzing current administrative challenges, compared to the diagnoses and prescriptions presented by reformers over the last twenty-five years? The paper acknowledges that there have been important changes in public administration and, even more so, in the way administration is portrayed. Yet it questions the fashionable ideas that bureaucratic organization is obsolescent and that there has been a paradigmatic shift from (Weberian) bureaucracy to market organization or network organization. (1) In contrast to decades of bureaucracy bashing, the paper argues that contemporary democracies are involved in a struggle over institutional identities and institutional balances. It also argues that for those interested in how contemporary public administration is organized, functions, and changes, it is worthwhile to reconsider and rediscover bureaucracy as an administrative form, an analytical concept, and a set of ideas and observations about public administration and formally organized institutions. The argument is developed in the following way: First, some characteristics of bureaucratic organization are outlined. Second, claims about the undesirability of bureaucracy are discussed in relation to competing criteria of success/failure and assumptions about the performance of bureaucratic organization. Third, aspects of administrative dynamics and the viability of bureaucratic organization are inquired, and fourth, some reasons for rediscovering bureaucracy are recapitulated. "Bureaucracy" is often used as a

Dangerous Driving Habits Essay Example for Free

Dangerous Driving Habits Essay Driving a car is a lot of fun and the danger is often overlooked by many. With the dangers rarely being taken into consideration the effects are noticed and felt on a daily basis in our society. People fail to realize that driving requires all five senses. Many people are too confident, some preoccupied, and the most dangerous of all is not being in the right state of mind. Many of today’s drivers have dangerous habits some good and some bad in the end they are all dangerous habits that affect us all. Many of us begin driving very cautiously and soon feel invulnerable on the street. People tend to feel as if they know it all and take their luck for granted while endangering the lives of others. Cars now a day can go much faster than the law permits us to go. For example my father has a Chevrolet Corvette with a heavy foot, he says â€Å"I am the kind of the road† and feels a sense of enjoyment when he is going faster than everyone else. His excuse is never being in a car accident. My sister on the other uses her knee while driving in the city and on the highway! Let’s just say for a second a tire blows and while driving with her knee she does not have enough time to grab the wheel causing her to lose control ending in a major car accident. Maybe the worst of all is convincing yourself a seat belt is not necessary simply because you are too good of a driver. I felt as if I knew it all and there was no need for a seat belt needless to say it saved my life. Everyday distractions take away a lot from a driver and his/her ability to drive well. Cell phones are yet another horrible habit while driving from talking to text messaging. For instance I was on my way to school when the car in front of me slammed on his/her brakes as did I and when looking into my rearview mirror hoping to see if the car behind was going to be able to stop in time all I saw was a girl with both hands on her phone text messaging someone, I know this because she later confessed it to me. Another women putting on makeup while driving, take my mother for example her philosophy is why do my makeup in the house when it can be done in the car to save time. What she doesn’t realize is every time she looks in the mirror to see how her lipstick is coming out she is putting herself in a very dangerous situation. Yet another is music. Just about everyone listens to the radio as loud as can be while driving. Take for instance and young man ready to change lanes with a car in his blind spot and with his new stereo full blast he doesn’t hear the horn from the car he just cut off causing a potentially fatal accident. From cell phones, makeup, and a radio full blast a driver can never be in the fully focused on the road. Yet worst of all a person getting behind the wheel when he/she is not capable of driving. Drinking and driving is by far the worst habit a person can have while driving. Drunk drivers are a menace at every hour of the day, but at night their visibility is cut in half making the situation much worse than it already is. Imagine a young man on his way home from a club in the early morning hours while there is a car broken down unable to pull over, because he is impaired he will not be able to react quick enough to avoid the disabled vehicle. Another horrible habit is getting behind the wheel when you are not rested. Some people do not have a choice as their schedule does not allow them time to sleep enough. Take my father for example on his way home one day with stop and go traffic he dosed off for a second and rear ended the person in front of him. He had no choice to drive but there are things he could have done to wake himself up such as drinking a cup of coffee or eating something before commuting. Driving is dangerous enough and to top it off we all make it worse with our dangerous driving habits. We all need to make better decisions as when to drive, how to drive and when not to drive. It takes a lot of effort to change our driving habits on the road and it will not happen without plenty of discipline and dedication. I have only listed a few yet important habits developed by drivers. If we are driving then we are old enough to know right from wrong and need to make smarter decisions while driving.

Vultures by Chinua Achebe and Night of the scorpion by Nissim Ezekie Essay Example for Free

Vultures by Chinua Achebe and Night of the scorpion by Nissim Ezekie Essay How is language and structure used within Vultures and one other poem to bring the message across to the reader? Vultures by Chinua Achebe and Night of the scorpion by Nissim Ezekie, both use lunguistic and structural techniques to relay the message being brought forward by the poem. Within Vultures we are presented with an active comparison between the evil of an human and the evil of a vulture. Similarly within Night of the scorpion we are also presented with an animal personifying evil bringing forward true feelings and beliefs of an community. Within Vultures Achebe uses Language in order to carry the message being brough forward, pathetic falacy is used in order to create a atmosphere for the reader, this is shown through greyness..drizzle this creates an eiry atmosphere creating a sense of danger fior the reader, this enhances the message being brough forward by this poem; pathetic falacy is also used within Night of the Scorpion for a similar purpose, the fact that the steady rain is present it shows it is a tense atmosphere for the reader foreshadowing upcoming events in the poem. In addition through Ezekiel using the word night at the beginning of the poem this adds to the atmosphere as at this time is mostly associated with unawarness and also a time of fears coming to life, this may alert the reader adding to affect brought forward by the upcoming pathectic falacy, thus amplifying the message being brough forward to the reader. Achebe describes the vultures in a gastly way with them holding features such as gross feathers/ telescopic eyes and with the vultures picking eyesof corpse this disgusts the reader, with it creating a horrendous images in the reader mind, On the otherhand the reader is giving another disgusting description of the comandent this is shown through him being described with having: hairy nostrilsstench of human roast clinging to him this also creates a negetive image in the readers imagnation creating links between the two showing the similarities, the use of this increases the readers understanding if the message. Within Night of the scorpion the repetition of the word they said also amplifys the message as it shows the mothers son is not being heard and the fact that the mother is in the chentre shows the sons annoyaance towards the community showing they are shutting him out, this showcks the reader as as his mom is on the death bed he is sill not given the chance to see her. The structure within Night of the Scorpion also holds a great importance in order to relay the message being brough forward, the structure is free verse which backs up the point that was stated above the use of free verse shows the lack of structure within the communuty and how their believes can clash under stressfull circumstances, this signifficantly contributes to the message being brough forward to the reader. Vultures is also written in free verse with the vultures and the comandant being on seoerates sides this symobolises the diffeence in their appearences ; aksi their similarities in the way they act with them bith commiting fellenous acts, however the vultures do this for survuval whereas the comandent has a choice in the matter but still shooses to do this. The use of all these linguistic and structural techniques used by the pots make the poems messages clearly understood by the reader.

Biological And Psychological Theories Of Crime Criminology Essay

Biological And Psychological Theories Of Crime Criminology Essay As the famous English playwright and poet, William Congreve, said in his play titled; The Mourning Bride: a tragedy;Heavn has no rage, like love to hatred turnd, Nor hell a fury, like a woman scornd. This famous quote is nowadays more known as Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and I believe, shows the hidden power within a woman; the power to deceive the conventional image of a woman, that is to neglect all the characteristics often associated to a woman, and to commit crime. This in turn, I believe, is the reason why so many people are intrigued with learning about why women do what they do. Often enough, we tend to look at a woman as a gentle being, capable of bearing and taking care of children, someone who is calm and low tempered, as well as, capable of holding a family together. This, however, is the conventional portrayal of a woman and is highly associated with the Sex-role theory by the Functionalists which explains the socialisation of females and males. This claim states that males are inclined to be tough, risk taking and to be aggressive, but females, on the other hand are socialised to be gentle. Hence, according to the functionalists, males are more likely to be criminals. Sociologist Frances Heidensohn also argues that women are less involved in crime because crime is gendered as a male activity whereas females exhibit soft characteristics. Nonetheless, many women around the world have committed crimes, as can be seen in the case studies and statistics in the sections below. Women have loitered, stolen, stalked, and even murdered. This functionalist theory does not, in any way, explain why a woman, in the first place would commit crime, however, it does somewhat relate to a theory by Cesar Lombroso (1835-1909). Lombroso believed that all crime was a Biological Atavism. This involved the examination of the cranial capacity as well as the facial features which in turn could identify biological criminal traits. Lombroso concluded that females who committed crime had more masculine traits whereby the brain capacity and difference in skull was more inclined to that of a male. In his studies, results showed that female criminals also carried the worst possible female characteristics which include; a lack of sensitivity to pain as well as a lack for compassion which are generally controlled in women by what he called feminine weakness and underdeveloped intelligence. This in turn, could mildly explain the vicious and dangerous personality of a female criminal. According to Lombrosos study, criminal women had deficient moral sensibilities, unstable characters, excessive vanity, irritability, revengefulness, and an uncontrolled sexual desire. Lombroso went on to say that the only way to end female c riminality was to prohibit criminal meaning so as to avoid the biological traits from passing onto another generation genetically. More recent explanations look at hormones such as testosterone which is proven to control levels of aggression and anger. A certain James M. Dabbs, Jr, from the department of psychology at Georgia State University in Atlanta, conducted a lot of research on how high testosterone levels are linked to crimes. He noted that high testosterone levels were strongly linked to more violent crimes, and violations. This was also proven in women, whereby high testosterone levels were related to crimes of unprovoked violence, increased numbers of prior charges, and decisions against parole. Dalton (1964) studied the effects of menstruation cycles upon female behaviour. Parker (1960) concluded that sixty-two per cent of the crimes of violence committed by female prison inmates were committed in the premenstrual week. Parker claimed that hormonal or menstrual factors can influence women to commit crime in certain circumstances. Although biology seems to produce a convincing starting point as to why women commit crime and is nowadays more commonly used as an explanation, sociologists often dismiss biological factors as they take a deeper look into the environmental background of women who commit crime and the society which they live in. Feminist Sociologist Carol Smart was a very important figure within the Feminist Criminology world. In her 1977 writing she stated; Our knowledge is still in its infancy. In comparison with the massive documentation on all aspects of male delinquency and criminality, the amount of work carried out on the area of women and crime is extremely limited Since her writing, one may actually find more theories and ideas related to female criminality, yet a few broad theories related to this aspect of sociology continuously overlook the idea that gender may indeed be a factor influencing criminality. This is despite the fact that official figures suggest that gender is perhaps the most significant single factor in whether an individual is convicted of crime (Smart, 1977). Women, due to the social portrayal of roles as already mentioned above, is depicted as someone who is unable to commit crime. This in turn leads us to the Mad not bad theory (Lloyd, 1995: xvii). This is the idea that a woman who commits crime must indeed be mad as opposed to bad since she dared to go against [her] natural biological givens such as passivity and a weakness of compliance' (Lloyd, 1995). As a theory, this may, in turn, reflect the low number of female prisoners, however, if we had to apply this theory to Malta, research has shown that by the end of December 2011, Mount Carmel had 268 males and 252 females who formed part of the sleeping-in population. Although I am not able to say if any of these patients actually had anything to do with any sort of criminal behaviour, by simply looking at the numbers, one can conclude that the theory is inefficient in explaining the Maltese situation because the numbers of females to males is less. Another theory is the Liberation Theory also known as Freda Adlers theory of Emancipation. This theory deals with the idea that ever since the liberation of women, the rate of female criminality has increased. Research, however, shows that female criminality was on a rise before the liberation of women. James and Thornton studied women prisoners and from their studies revealed that the women who were imprisoned originally came from poor and uneducated backgrounds. When asked for a reason as to why they offended, the responses received did not appear to be linked to liberation (1980). Upon looking for Sociological theories, I realised that Carol Smart was actually right in her accusation. Not a lot of sociological theories are in fact linked solely to female criminality. Sociological theories try to find a reason as to why people in general commit crime and rarely focus solely on female criminals. However, when looking for biological theories many were actually found and these seemed to focus a lot upon why females commit crime and what brings them to commit it. Could this mean that female criminality is largely linked to biology as opposed to environment, since research seems to direct us to this conclusion? Could female criminality be the perfect answer to the Nature vs. Nurture argument, again due to the theories found and how they are mainly linked to biology? The nature vs. nurture argument is one that has been discussed for years, and continues to be discussed. This argument tries to figure out as to whether crime is something which is controlled genetically or environmentally. The Nativists take on the extreme heredity Position whereby they assume that the features together with the characteristics of a human being are a result of evolution and individual differences evolve from our unique genetic code. In other words, they take on the nature approach, whereby our biology and genetic code can determine as to whether we are more likely to commit crime or not. For example, if my mother is a criminal, this theory believes that I too am very likely to become a criminal as was my grandmother. On the other hand we find the Empiricists (not to be confused with the scientific Empiricists). These are the environmentalists whom take up the nurture approach. They believe that at birth, everyones mind is a tabula rasa which means a blank slate (a t erm often used by John Locke). Over time this tabula rasa is filled as a consequence of experience (e.g. Behaviourism). In other words it is through experience that one might become a criminal and another may not. Personally, I believe that no matter how much we try to wrack our brains to ultimately figure out the reason as to why females commit crime, it is not one that as such can be answered. We can continue trying to come up with theories, which will eventually always be criticized by someone who thinks otherwise. The truth is that every human being has their own way of thinking, and trying to come up with a universal explanation as to how people think or why they do what they do is rather impossible. The Judiciary System and Female Criminals Apart from theories regarding why women commit crime, other theories take a closer look into the judiciary system and female criminals. Many believe that female criminality and court sentencing are linked together in a very unusual manner. Some believe that the Judiciary system can ultimately be affected by such a thing as gender. In other words, some believe that females receive a different sentence than men for the sole reason that they are females. Some of these theories can be seen below. A theory which looks at female criminality and sentencing is the Chivalry Theory. This theory deals with the idea that female offenders tend to be sentenced in a more lenient manner than that of men. This theory is highly linked to the sex-role theory presented earlier by the Functionalists. Females are seen as nurturers and caregivers, and hence this theory believes that females should be given a much more merciful sentence because they are weak and fragile. According to Otto Pollak (1950) in his book The Criminality of Women men have a protective attitude towards women and hence Men hate to accuse women and thus send them to their punishment, police officers dislike to arrest them, district attorneys to prosecute them, judges and juries to find them guilty, and so on David Farrington and Alison Morris (1984) studied the sentencing of 408 theft cases in a magistrates court. All these cases happened in Cambridge that same year. Around 110 of these offences were committed by women. Through these cases, it was shown that even though the male offenders received more severe sentences than the women did, research found that this difference had disappeared when the severity of the offences was then taken into account. Furthermore, Farrington and Morris concluded that there was no independent effect of sex on sentence severity. Nagel and Hagan (1983)believe that females are treated more leniently than males as long as they are committing less serious offenses and exhibit behaviours consistent with their appropriate gender role: acting passively( Ruth T. Zaplin. Female Offenders: Critical Perspectives and Effective Interventions) This leads us to the second theory related to the criminal justice system; The Evil Woman theory. This theory deals with the idea that since women are stepping out of their social roles and actually committing crime they are treated in a harsher manner than men who commit the same crime. It is hard for one to actually pinpoint which theory, if any, is most commonly put into practice. According to Joanne Belknap and Kristi Holsinger, it is important for us to keep in mind that the hypothesis best reflecting reality may depend on the type of crime and stage of the system where the decision is made (i.e., policing, courts, and corrections). In other words, each case will have to be taken individually and each stage will need to be looked at in depth. The Maltese SituationC:UsersuserDesktopUNIVERSITYAssignementsprison StatisticsLogo.jpg C:UsersuserDesktopUntitled.jpg C:UsersuserDesktopUNIVERSITYAssignementsprison StatisticsStatistics per year.jpg C:UsersuserDesktopUNIVERSITYAssignementsAnnual CCF Population.jpg The above information has been obtained from the site http://www.crimemalta.com/prison.html. In turn, this information was provided by Corradino Correctional Facility, Valletta Road Paola, Malta, PLA 1518. The tables and charts above present us with the exact number of prisoners present in the Maltese prison and the amount of males as opposed to females who are or have carried out a prison sentence. Through the tables, one can look at the prison population over the years, the population of prisoners monthly throughout the year 2011, the amount of prisoners over the months of 2012, as well as a weekly update of the current month. The Maltese prison carrying capacity is actually meant to be 500 people. However, as one can note, the amount of prisoners actually staying in our Maltese prison adds up to over 600 people, of which only 45 are female prisoners. Looking through statistics, one can see the largest gap of prisoners between 2006 and 2007, whereby the amount of female prisoners increased by 12 whereas in the following years we can see that the number was kept rather constant. Through these statistics, one can conclude that in proportion to the total amount of prisoners present, Malta has an extremely small number of female prisons. Nonetheless, this does not mean that actual female criminality is very low. One must keep in mind that a lot of crimes go unreported or undetected. Therefore, one cannot assume that there arent many female criminals in Malta. In fact, it is known that a lot of domestic violence cases on men go unreported for several reasons, one being humiliation. As Katryna Storace stated in her article THE UNFAIR SEX; Domestic violence has traditionally been understood as a crime perpetrated by domineering men against vulnerable women. But recent data is slowly beginning to reveal a growing number of male victims. Ms. Ruth Sciberras, Manager of Domestic Violence Services at AppoÄ ¡Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ¡, the national social welfare agency, seconds the idea that a lot of domestic violence cases upon men are not the actual figures and that in actual fact there is a hidden figure concealed. Such an example proves to one how the rate of female criminality in Malta could very well be higher than what our prison is indicating. Even so, one cannot help but ask for the reasons as to why the 49 female prisoners are actually there. The following table, obtained from Formosa S., (2012) CrimeMalta, www.crimemalta.com presents us with a good idea of the offences for which women were incarcerated during the 2000s (2000-2009). Catagory Over 10 Years % Theft 43 16.8 Arson 1 0.4 Blackmail 1 0.4 Breach of Conditions 14 5.5 Court Order 1 0.4 Conversion of Fines 50 19.5 Drugs 51 19.9 Contempt of Court 3 1.2 Defilement 1 0.4 Disturbances 1 0.4 Escaped from Custody 1 0.4 Falsification 12 4.7 False Evidence 1 0.4 Fraud 15 5.9 Threats 5 2.0 Homicide 1 0.4 Loitering 14 5.5 Migration 5 2.0 Others 36 14.1 Total 256 100 Although Loitering is often the common assumption as to why women go to prison, the table above actually shows that women who have in fact ended up in prison were mainly for conversion of fines (which is when a person has received several fines, those fines are not paid, so therefore converted into a prison sentence), drugs and also theft. Through this research and statistics we are now not only able to determine the exact amount of women in the Maltese prison, but also have a clear indication of the crimes that are mostly committed by Maltese women of crime. Case Studies Here are two examples of the most Notorious female criminals; Bonnie Parker Famously known as Bonnie and Clyde, were shot to death by officers on May 23, 1934 in Louisiana. They were believed to have murdered 13 people, and involved in several robberies as well as burglaries. Aileen Wuornos A former prostitute who was executed in 2002 for killing seven men in the late 1980s and early 1990s. As can be seen from all the research, a log of people have tried to find the reason and solution for women and criminality. Through shown statistics, Malta has a very low number of female criminals. This, of course, does not include hidden statistics i.e. crimes which go undetected. The reasons as to why women end up in prison in Malta have also been shown to be safer then those abroad, whereby very little lives have been taken away by Maltese female criminals. This topic has taught me a lot regarding the female sex and social expectations upon us. Nonetheless to every rule there is an exception, and no social construct can prevent criminality.

The Process of Listening Essay -- Papers Communication

The Process of Listening â€Å"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.† (Deep and Sussman 76) Upon studying listening within another course, the vast and somewhat unclear subject began to become clearer. The act of listening entails in-depth processes that elude a majority of people’s knowledge. The act of listening involves four main parts: hearing, attention, understanding and remembering. Listening entails a vast amount of information that a majority of people does not know or understand. The common view on listening often does not even involve true listening. People often mistake hearing for listening. Just because you heard something does not necessarily mean that you were listening. While others do not even realize that listening is one step of a four-part process. While two people are involved in communication, the one receiving the message while â€Å"listening† formulates the next phase within their head. They miss a large percentage of what the person involved in speaking is saying (Tubbs and Moss 141). The reasons [for ineffective listening] are so obvious that they are sometimes overlooked. First, listening is mistakenly equated with hearing and since most of us can hear, no academic priority is given to this subject in college. Second, we perceive power in speech. We put a value on those who have the gift of gab. How often have you heard the compliment, â€Å"He/she can talk to anyone?† Additionally, we equate speaking with controlling both th e conversation and the situation. The third and last reason we don’t listen, is that we are in an ear of information overload. We are bombarded with the relevant and the irrelevant and it is easy to confuse them. Often it is all jus... ...er, Larry. Listening Behavior Englewood, Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1971, 61-63. Bostrom, Robert N., Enid S. Waldhart. â€Å"Memory Models and the Measurement of Listening.† Communication Education. 1998: 1-13. Brooks, William D. Speech Communication, 4th ed. Dubuque, IA: Brown, 1981: 82. Deep, Sam, and Lyle Sussman. Yes you Can! Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1998, 4-7. Goss, Blain. Processing Information. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1982, 91. Koehler, Carol. Mending the Body by Lending and Ear: The healing Power of Listening. New York: 1998, 534-544. Losoncy, Lewis. Today. Boca Raton, FL: St. Lucie Press, 1998, 27. Moray, Neville. Listening and Attention. Baltimore, MA: Penguin, 1969, 18. Rogers, Carl. On Becoming a Person. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1961, 330. Tubbs, Stewart L., Sylvia, Moss. Human Communication. Eastern Michigan University: McGraw Hill, 1994.

Procter & Gamble Rely Tampons Case Study Essay -- essays research pape

Abstract The purpose of this research paper is that to present the difficulties Procter & Gamble faced in the early 1980 ¡Ã‚ ¦s due to a correlation between the company ¡Ã‚ ¦s Rely tampon and the disease Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). Also, how the company handled the findings before and after new laws were passed by Congress giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate medical devices, which included tampons. Thereafter, I will analyze the ethical issues relevant to this case within a SWOT analysis. Introduction Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is about how companies manage their business processes to produce a positive impact on society. Companies introduce new products in markets, usually after testing concludes that the product is safe for use or consumption. It is nearly impossible for a company to truly know all of the potential risks a brand new product may have, even after thorough testing. However, once a company receives reports that its product may be causing harm to consumers, it is their responsibility to conduct more research and tests to rule-out any possible truth in the reports. This is what a socially responsible company would do, one who is preoccupied not only with their bottom-line, but one that is also worried about its customers. After Procter & Gamble introduced its Rely tampon in the market in the 1970 ¡Ã‚ ¦s, the company began receiving reports as early as 1975 that the product was causing a rare but possibly deadly disease, TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome). This product was not made with cotton as the competitors ¡Ã‚ ¦ tampons. The Rely tampon was made with synthetics, like carboxymethylcellulose and polyester in order to be the first extended wear and most absorbent tampon in the market. I will first discuss these reports and what the company ¡Ã‚ ¦s initial response was. Next, I will elaborate on the case and the company ¡Ã‚ ¦s course of action following the passing of new laws and further research conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the illnesses and the women affected by these decisions. Following, I will conduct a SWOT Analysis of the company in which I will include relevant ethic theories pertaining to the case. Finally, I will conclude and provide recommendations based on my findings. Company History William Procter, who emigrated from England, and James Gamble, who emigrated from Ireland, met... ...er menstruation or any accidents. References: www.pg.com/translations/history_pdf/english_history.pdf http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=PG http://www.hoovers.com/gillette/--ID__10655--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml http://sev.prnewswire.com/retail/20041209/CLTH02809122004-1.html http://www.pg.com/content/pdf/04_news/agl_2004_shareholders_speech.pdf http://www.mum.org./relyart7.htm http://www.citizen.org/congress/civjus/tort/articles.cfm?ID=802 Armand, Lione, Kapecki, Jon. 1975.  ¡Ã‚ §Testing Tampons in Rochester: just what can you Rely on? ¡Ã‚ ¨ Jul23-Aug5. Rochester Patriot. Vol.3, No.14 Meadows, Michelle. 2000.  ¡Ã‚ §Tampon Safety, TSS Now Rare, but Women Still Should Take Care ¡Ã‚ ¨. March-April. FDA Consumer Magazine. http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/200_tss.html Klein, Joel MD. 2004.  ¡Ã‚ §Toxic Shock Syndrome ¡Ã‚ ¨. Nemours Foundation. January, 2004. http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=207&cat_id=20015&article_set=20277 Foote, Susan B. 1984.  ¡Ã‚ §Corporate responsibility in a changing legal environment ¡Ã‚ ¨. California Management Review. Spring. V.26, p. 217-228. Hostman, Barry M. 2000.  ¡Ã‚ § Author Found a Web of Paranoia, Secrecy ¡Ã‚ ¨ 01March. The Cincinnati Post.

The Power of Photography :: Personal Narrative

The Power of Photography I have never looked at anything as intensely as I have through the viewfinder of a camera. It may seem odd that my most intense experiences of reality have come through an artificial lens, but a camera is a close cousin to both a magnifying glass and a microscope. It is not only the ability to see things in more detail that commands our attention. It is something else, something about the art of photography that forces us to examine the world as we don’t normally do. Normally we don’t see things as they are. The familiar is forced into the background of our focus. Objects become ideas. Our couch is no longer a collection of darks and lights, patterns and textures; it is simply a couch. Have you ever found something unusual about something familiar that seems very out of place? For instance, if you find some mole or freckle on your body that you never noticed before, do you wonder if it was always there? How could I have never seen it, you may say to yourself. I look at my arm (hand, foot) every day. Here your assumptions have been challenged. The arm is no longer the arm that we imagined in our head, and it becomes disturbing. Our lives have become predictable in the sense that we see symbols instead of images, and only upon close examination do we find discrepancies between the two. Walker Percy calls this the problem of symbolic complexes. In his article â€Å"The Loss of the Creature,† he describes the loss of such grand monuments as the Grand Canyon to these complexes. He states that it is almost impossible to experience the Grand Canyon as its discoverer did because people have already formed an idea in their heads, thanks to the myriad of tourist folders, postcards, and sightseers’ manuals that they have seen before the confrontation. Instead of coming upon this great thing and admiring it for what it is, sightseers come upon it and compare it to their already formulated expectations. The whole situation is made worse, Percy says, when the tourist has a camera. In this situation, the tourist comes upon the thing to behold, takes a photograph, and leaves without ever really seeing the thing. He â€Å"waives his right of seeing and knowing,† as Percy puts it, â€Å"and records symbols for the next forty years.

Financial Comparison of Ryanair and British Airways Essay

Ryanair is considered as the pioneer of the low-cost business model, while British Airways is constantly ranked amongst the world’s best legacy carriers. Both of these airlines are dominant companies in their segment with high passenger numbers and vast network coverage. Therefore the following question rises – how these airlines are different in terms of finance and which business model is more fruitful in the middle of an economic downturn? In order to find the answer a thorough financial investigation has been conducted relying on the data outlined in the airlines’ annual reports. In the first section of the report the emphasis is put on the current financial situation of the airlines, while outlining the existing sources of finance. These sources are investigated thoroughly in the second part. The final section evaluates the possible or available sources to finance future investments. Review of Ryanair’s and British Airway’s current financial situation Ryanair in the fiscal year of 2012 has generated a total of â‚ ¬4,390.2m operating revenue mainly through scheduled revenues. The company has increased its operating revenues since 2010 by â‚ ¬1,2bn primarily due to fare increases. In 2012 the total operating expense was â‚ ¬3,707m. This is also the peak in the last three years, mostly attributable to fuel and oil costs, which have almost doubled since 2010. Hence the net profit for the 2012 fiscal year was â‚ ¬560.4m, the highest in the history of the company. British Airways in the fiscal year ended 2011 December 31 accounted a profit of  £672m after paying the taxes. This can be considered as a significant improvement after 2010’s profit of  £170m. These figures do not provide enough in-depth information on the airlines’ real situation. In order to identify the sources of finance and the real position of BA and Ryanair further investigation with the use of ratios is required. Liquidity Current ratio is a liquidity measure that compares the liquid or current assets of the airline with its current liabilities. (Atrill, McLaney 2002) For the fiscal year of 2012 Ryanair’s CR was 2.1355, which represents high liquidity. Generally the higher ratio is considered to be the better. According to Morrell the industry general ratio is 1.00. This suggests that Ryanair is capable of financing its short term commitments towards banks and suppliers However, it must be noticed that the airline has significantly high cash reserves, namely â‚ ¬2.7bn. Such rate suggests for the banks and suppliers that the company is low risk for investment and has high liquidity, but also proposes that the cash is being accumulated to finance future aircraft orders or other investments. The fact that the cash reserves has grown with â‚ ¬1.2bn in the last two years also underpins these assumptions.(Morrell 2007) British Airways has a low current ratio of 0.7531. It points out the problem that BA cannot finance its current assets from its current liabilities. Thus, it can be assumed that the short term debts are financed through the more expensive long term loans. The company’s cash reserves are  £1.7bn, which is considerably lower in comparison to Ryanair’s reserves. This can result in higher interest rates as the airline is not considered as a safe investment for lenders. According to Moody’s credit rating company BA’s credit ratings were B1 and BB in 2011. Also being a legacy airline BA works with more third party suppliers like travel agents and these issues can mean that the pay-outs are delayed. It is important to note that Ryanair and the low-cost business model do not use travel agents. Performance and earning The operating margin gives an indication of management efficiency in controlling costs and increasing revenues as it represents the operating profit as the percentage of total revenues. Comparing to last year’s results, both airline’s ratios have remained flat, namely 14% for Ryanair and 5.2% for BA. It means that on every pound or euro BA makes  £0.05 profit, while Ryanair â‚ ¬0.14. However, the low-cost model seems to be more profitable, but it must be taken into account that they are also operating in a lower cost structure. Also, BA has managed to generate a positive operational margin as in 2008 and 2009 its values were negative. Return on Equity (RoE) is the net profit after interest and tax expressed as percentage of shareholder’s funds. BA has achieved a 26.2% RoE in 2011, while the same value for Ryanair was 16.9%. It means that BA is making more profit from the shareholders money. The shareholder’s money is only the one-third of BA’s asset, while Ryanair is half founded by the investors. Solvency Gearing ratio is a measurement of the contribution of long-term lenders to the long term capital structure of a business. Ryanair’s gearing ratio was 53.98% in 2012, which is considerably high for a low-cost airline. In other words it means that the company is financed half from borrowing and half from own capital. The lower the gearing ratio of the airline the greater the firm’s capacity to borrow more money at a lower interest rate, due to the lower risk to banks and lenders. Oppositely, BA has an even higher gearing ratio of 65.5%. Around one third of British Airways’ capital is funded by the shareholders, while the remaining is sourced from long-term loans and debts. The following table summarises the previously outlined performance and liquidity ratios of the airlines. BA( £) Airline Ryanair(â‚ ¬) 9,987 Total revenue 4,390.2m 672m Profit after tax 560.4m 0,7531 Current Ratio 2,135 63,80% Gearing Ratio 53,98% 570m Cash Reserve 2708m 26.2% ROE 16.9% 5.2% Operating Margin 14% Fleet commitments Ryanair Replacing the aircrafts is not only increases the airline’s prestige but can mean a significant reduction in operating costs as the new generation of aircrafts are much more fuel efficient or can carry more passengers than the predecessors. As the core of the LCC business model Ryanair only flies Boeing 737-800s thus reducing the maintenance costs significantly. The carrier has one live contract from 2005 with the American aircraft manufacturer that covers the procurement of 197 brand new 737800s for which the unit cost is $51m. (Ryanair 2012) ï‚ · Ryanair’s long-term debt for aircraft commitments, including current maturities was â‚ ¬3,625.2m at March 31, 2012. The airline has funded a significant portion of its acquisition of new aircraft and equipment through borrowings under facilities provided by international financial institutions on the basis of guarantees issued by Ex-Im Bank. At the end of fiscal year 2012 the carrier had a fleet of 294 Boeing aircraft of which 199 were funded by Ex-Im Bank guaranteed financing. Other sources to cover aircraft costs are Japanese Operating Leases with call options (30 aircrafts) and commercial debt financing (6 aircrafts). According to the bookings, 235 aircraft are owned by Ryanair, which are financed through long-term bank loans. Operational leases funded 59 aircrafts at March 31, which means that Ryanair operate these aircrafts, but does not own them. The aircrafts are leased to provide flexibility within the aircraft delivery programme. 55 aircrafts is being financed through fix-rate debts, while for the remaining 4 aircraft Ryanair is paying variable rental payments. Out of the 25 aircraft, which has been delivered in the 2012 financial year, 11 were funded through sale-and-leaseback financing and the remainder through Ex-Im Bank guaranteed financing. To convert a portion of the floating-rate debts into the fixed rate debts, Ryanair has used interest rate swaps and cross currency rate swaps. As a result â‚ ¬1,314.7m of the aircraft loans are remained at floating rates. The remaining â‚ ¬2,310.5m is in fixed-rate euro-denominated debts with the maturities of 7 to 12 years. On all of the above mentioned borrowings the weighted average interest rate was 2.9%. The effective rate is the rough estimate for the weighted average cost of capital. It is calculated by dividing the interest paid for the year with the long term borrowings. For Ryanair it is 3.01%, which is really close to their given figures. Accordingly their cost of long term borrowings is 109.2m, which can be considered as low. The low rate also represents trust from the lenders and investors. But, on the other hand it must be noted that at March 31, 2012 aircrafts with a net book value of â‚ ¬4.8bn were mortgaged to lenders as security for loans. This may be the explanation for the low interest rates. In general, Ryanair has been able to generate sufficient funds from operations to meet its nonaircraft acquisition-related working capital requirements. Between 2008 and 2012 March Ryanair had sold and re-delivered a total of 39 aircrafts and also the company plans to dispose 8 additional before March 2014. Ryanair may choose to dispose of aircraft through sale and or non-renewal of the operating leases as they expiree between 2012 and 2013. In the next year the company has a total obligations of â‚ ¬1,143.3m out of which the third, around â‚ ¬571.8m is â€Å"purchase obligations†, i.e. buying the remaining 15 aircrafts. Each of the aircraft loans have similar terms – maturity of 12 years from drawdown date and being secured by a first priority mortgage. The overall aircraft debts (â‚ ¬3,625.2m) represent around 80% of all long-term liabilities, hence if the airline is capable of paying these commitments Ryanair should be able to preserve its current financial status in the upcoming years. As it can be seen the low cost carrier Ryanair has built up a well-functioning system to finance all its aircrafts, including the 15 Boeing 737s that will be delivered in the future. Furthermore by currency swapping and low interest rates the company is in total control of its costs. British Airways The transparency of BA’s financial situation is significantly lower comparing it to Ryanair’s. This can be explained in two ways, either they prefer not to reveal their financial strategy and sources as it can provide valuable information for the competitors or the company does not have the adequate financial background to finance its long term commitments. British Airways has a completely different fleet to cover both its short- and long-haul routes. The fleet is owned by the company or held in finance and operational leases. The 245 aircrafts take up two thirds ( £5.7bn) of the company’s total non-current assets. Also, 95% of the overall revenue is generated through the fleet. The aircrafts comprise different sized jets from various manufacturers making the operational and maintenance costs higher. In the annual report of year ended in December 31, 2011 BA outlined its current fleet and future aircraft deliveries and options. These include 50 firm orders and 84 options. The new fleet is made up from A320s, A380s, Boeing 777-300s and 787s, which are expected to enter service between 2012 and 2017. Furthermore, in Note 13 the airline states that the cost of these aircrafts is going to be  £4.1bn. But, no other information is provided about the sources that will cover these expenditures, thus it can be assumed that the future cash flows contain relevant information on these funds, but they have not been published yet. (British Airways 2012) The non-current liabilities of loans, finance- and operational leases add up to  £4.904, which is 30% more than Ryanair’s â‚ ¬3.8bn total long-term commitments. According to BA the bank and other loans at the end of 2011 equalled  £1,324m, comprised of fixed- and floating rate loans.  £693m is in floating-rate debts, while the remaining  £823m is in fixed rate loans and bonds. The average interest rate for the fixed rate debts is around 6.5%, which is significantly higher than Ryanair’s 2.9%. The floating rate loans are generally determined to be 0,5%+LIBOR. The lenders consider the airline as a higher risk firm that is why the interest rates are higher. Generally, the loans are repayable between 2014 and 2018, with one exception none of the loans need to be repaid until 2014 and on. Such conditions allow BA to use the debt to generate cash in the next 2-4 years. BA uses finance leases and hire contracts to acquire aircraft. These leases have both renewal options and purchase options. The total finance lease contracts worth  £2.227bn and similarly like Ryanair, it consist of different currencies namely US dollar, Euro, Japanese yen and Sterling. The non-current side of these contracts are  £1.12b, but around half of this is due obligatory in five or more years. Four of the new 777-300s are being leased through GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS). The finance lease agreements are mainly in place to fund the existing fleet. Therefore additional leases are required, if the new fleet is wished to be funded through such construction. The operating leases for BA’s aircraft range from five years and some leases contain options for renewal. However, this type of contract accounts for only  £316m of which is  £253 is not payable within one year. Comparing to 2010 BA has halved its operational leases from  £635m, it can be assumed that company took the lease contract for an aircraft or more, which was expected to be delivered in 2011, but it has been delayed so the company terminated the contractual agreement until the new aircrafts are delivered. Accordingly, it can be assumed that operational lease commitments are going to rise in the next two financial years. Unlike Ryanair, British Airways does not provide any kind of information about the structure of the leases. The following assumption can be made though; BA offered worse interest terms with the loan contracts than Ryanair because of its weaker liquidity and performance. British Airway’s effective rate shows the same trend as its 4.301%. The company paid  £161m in 2011 as cost for long term borrowings. Financing in the short run As it has been outlined above, Ryanair has a current ratio of 2.1, which provides a solid base for the assumption that the airline is financing its short-term liabilities from its current assets and operational profit. In fact Ryanair could repay all its short term liabilities from its â‚ ¬2.7bn cash reserve and would still be left with â‚ ¬0.9bn cash. Moreover, Ryanair’s current liabilities are half of BA’s short run commitments. In less than 1 year Ryanair will need to finance 1,1bn for obligations, like current maturities of long term debts and purchase obligations. But then again, Ryanair has the capacity to pay these. BA is more interesting in the short run as the airline’s current ratio is 0.75. Logically the question arises – if the short-term liabilities cannot be covered from the operating revenue then how is it financed? Possibly the long-term loans are used in such case which is leading to future liquidity issues. The main problem is the â€Å"trade and other payables† entry which accounts for  £3,117m within current liabilities. But, from this total amount the real credit is  £1,457m, which is the money BA owes to creditors like suppliers and travel agents. The remaining are mostly prepaid flights that the airline will accomplish in the new financial year. Having the suppliers wait for their money is a way to improve cash flow. The cash operating cycle for the company has been calculated by dividing the trade payables with operation expenses (less employee costs and depreciation). The average pay out period for British Airways is 80.1 days, which can be considered as high and nevertheless it also shores up the liquidity problems of the airline. On the other hand, Ryanair makes these to the creditors payments within 22.1 days. Note 28 describes BA’s liquidity risk in more detail. The results suggest that within the next 12 months British Airways is going to need around  £2.203bn to finance all its commitments for that period. Where the money is coming from? This question remains unanswered, but it can be presumed that BA is going to need new sources to fund this  £2.203bn short-term liability combined with the  £4.1bn commitments for the new fleets. Shareholders’ equity and dividend policy Ryanair has significant retained earnings, namely â‚ ¬2.4bn, even though there was a â‚ ¬500m dividend pay-out in 2010 October and also a similar sized one is planned in 2012 November. Seeing the results and pay-outs it can be assumed that the shareholders are happy with the dividend policy and this can serve as a basis for future capital injections, if necessary. On the other hand BA’s directors declare that no dividend to be paid for the years of 2011, 2010 and 2009. Such dividend strategy can be explained by the airline’s current liquidity problems. Depreciation Both companies included their depreciation strategies in the annual reports. Ryanair states accounts the Boeings for 23 years, while British Airways calculate with 18-25 years of lifetime for their aircrafts. From these numbers it can be assumed to lower the depreciation costs the amortisation rates are underestimated by both airlines thus saving millions in the accounts. British Airways 50 2012-2017  £4.104bn 4.301%  £161m  £3.683bn  £4.904bn Data not disclosed 80.1 days 31 March 2012 Airline Fleet commitments (no. of aircrafts) Delivery date Capital commitments for new aircrafts Effective rate Long term cost of borrowing/year Total current liabilities Total non-current liabilities Total non-current liabilities for fleet Average pay out period Financial year ended Ryanair 193 2007-2014 ~$10bn 3.01% â‚ ¬109.2m â‚ ¬1.815bn â‚ ¬3.879bn â‚ ¬3,625bn 22.1 days 31 December 2011 Future financing Ryanair Through the analysis of the financial statements it has been revealed that Ryanair has a stable financial structure that is capable to fund the various liabilities in the short- and long-run. The remaining aircraft deliveries are funded through operational revenues and cash reserves. But, it must be kept in mind that the latest fleet contract is from 2005 and all aircrafts will be delivered by 2014. The next couple of months are going to be important in terms of long term strategy for Ryanair. The accumulated cash reserves point that the airline is preparing for some sort of investment. It can be the acquisition of Aer Lingus or the procurement of new aircrafts. The acquisition of the Irish carrier is currently delayed by the EU, but Ryanair is putting all the effort to buy become major shareholder in the firm, which would enable them to appear on the long-haul market through Aer Lingus. It also has been outlined in the annual report that Boeing has granted to give significantly lower prices for Ryanair in return of bulk orders, promotional and other activities. In other words, they are inspiring the airline to go invest into a new fleet in the middle of an economic downturn. In such case the shareholders might be willing to finance the new requirements as they are kept â€Å"happy† and also the airline has been maintaining a steady growth rate both in profits and network coverage. Banks are also aware of the securitized aircrafts also of the vast amount of cash reserves. This background could enable Ryanair to obtain loans with lower interest rate. Ryanair is aware of the favourable contract conditions with Ex-Im Bank as the carrier has stated that they expect any future commitments or guarantees issued by Ex-Im Bank to contain similar conditions. Any inability to obtain financing for the new aircraft on advantageous term might have an adverse effect on the business, operations and financial conditions. However, easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou calls for a slower fleet expansion plans in the next years as he believes that the annual growth is not equal with the number of aircrafts on order. Ryanair should also consider this perspective of growth as they ground 80 of their aircraft for the winter period. A great bulk of aircrafts without sufficient demand could destabilise the airline’s financial position and could make Ryanair to reassess its financial sources. (Rothwell 2012) British Airways Additionally to the current-liability problems (see above), the other main financial issue for BA is to pay for the new fleet. Like mentioned above the company has firm orders for 50 aircrafts for  £4.1bn and options for additional 84. The following question needs to be answered pretty soon – who is going to lend money for British Airways? How much is it going to cost the airline? ï‚ · The British flag carrier could try to increase its funds from shareholders money, but it can be assumed that due to the lack of the profitable dividend policy shareholders are not ready to invest more money into the airline. Also, BA belongs to International Airlines Group (IAG) which also incorporates the Spanish carrier Iberia. The problem is Iberia is making losses, thus even if British Airways makes profit this or next year IAG is going to use that money to reduce the losses at Iberia. In other words, the Spanish carrier is pulling British Airways back at the moment. Shareholders may consider additional funds risky, therefore BA need to show that it can preserve its leading position as a legacy airline. ï‚ · Cash can be generated by selling off assets or reducing costs. In December 2011 BA had only  £39m available-for-sale financial asset. The airline has different amount of equities in various companies – these could be sold as well to gain cash in the short run. By selling aircrafts, which are not necessary needed, the airline could generate income. It would not be unreasonable if BA focused more on the long-haul routes and would reduce the number of aircrafts (114) flying within Europe as the company may not be making sufficient operational profit on some of these routes due to the low cost carriers. The third option for the company to finance its future commitments is to obtain loans from banks, financial institutes or sovereign wealth funds. The latter is a possible solution as Chinese or Gulf wealth funds could be willing to inject capital into the airline, but the question is at what interest rate? The lenders know that BA is struggling with the payment of the shortterm liabilities and they are using the long-term loans, the â€Å"more expensive† money to fund the operational commitments, hence the interest rate for the credit can expected to be high. This would solve the liquidity question in the upcoming years, but such financial funding would also mean difficulties in the period after 5 years. However, if the carrier can continue its recovery from the downturn then there is a good chance for a financially stable British Airways that can pay all its liabilities. Financial and operational leases may work, but they would only relate to the aircrafts. Also, it can be assumed from the drop in the operational lease that BA has these contracts ready and sorted out, they are not just not live as the new aircrafts have not been delivered yet. Conclusion The report has investigated two different business model’s financial structure. Results show the quantity’s victory over quality. Ryanair can maintain its market leading position and increase profits from year to year. This is attributable to the steady and well-functioning financial and operational system, which enables growth, investments and also controls liabilities and aircraft commitments. The search for new financial sources is only necessary, if Ryanair decides on a fleet expansion plan and the airline cannot agree with Ex-Im Bank about future fleet procurement. On the other hand, British Airways seem to struggle with its existing funds hence new financial sources are required to survive the upcoming years. The decision on these funds is hard as in BA’s current situation none of them can be called advantageous. But, to choose the best solution financial advice is recommended for the carrier. Despite all the differences, the two airlines have one thing in common – the next twelve months are going to have a great effect on both carriers’ long term operations. Reference list ATRILL, P. and MCLANEY, E., eds, 2002. Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists Fourth edn. Pearson Education Limited. BRITISH AIRWAYS, 2012. Annual Report and Accounts Year ended 31 December 2011. British Airways. MORRELL, P.S., ed, 2007. Airline Finance Fourth edn. Ashgate.

Racism as defined by mass media Essay

Oscar H. Gandy Jr. defines racism as, the exercise of exercising causality or quest to exercise power with regard to pile defined by identifying them as a member of a particular run for.1 Racism and cargoner stem from the identity operator unity puts onto certain groups of individuals based on their illusion. The identity that integrity forms is acquired from a subject of places including pargonnts, religion, school, government and, on instantlys youthfulness, mainly mass media overmuch(prenominal) as goggle box and pr bringice of medicine. In this essay one leave behind condense on the exploit that mass media has on our identity amaze of function. It is obvious that each forms of print and electronic media, from word media to books, films, telecasting, radio, and completely some other forms of media jointly map our im hop on of ourselves.2 The focus for the purpose of this essay will be on news program media, telly and medication, organism the some influential forms of media, while center on the youth of straightaway, cosmos the easiest to trance. news media has non bad(p) power in influencing how raft identify themselves by how they atomic number 18 equal on the. The classifys that television has shown, be viewed by many unripened individuals of color in, and atomic number 18 someoneation how their head for the hills is viewed upon among society. medicine has the greatest influence on young Afri potbelly-the presentsns, which view their idols as those shown in melody videos. practice media in a collective form, although whitethorn gibe individuals of colour, influence the viewers of colour, how they should distinguish themselves.3 Mass media reflects what we think we are and influences what we think we should be. descent with the news from a nation encompassing news put up to a local anaesthetic newspaper or news program. news program media has the aptitude to stereotype and categorize pot of c olour, by using run-in such as minority. Never are minorities non c aloneed minorities even when they take up one third of Canadas population. Along with categorizing commonwealth of colour with the use of minority, they include words like crime, poverty and others that stereotype deal of colour.4 This is viewed by young non-whites, which understand them consider that this how things are and how they should be. The media now arrive the ability to demasculinize our perceptions of ourselves, and change the elbow room we suffer our lives. Young Afro-Americans, who view the news and front how their race is being represented, may peradventure alter their perceptions of their lives and view themselves as criminals, when the news relates their race to criminal acts.The rarity of realisation a person of colour receives in the scholastic proceedings, is viewed among the youth of today. Of course on that point must be someone, somewhere of colour, paper or saying something that should be listened to, or producing art that should be proposen, heard, approached with intellectual seriousness.5 This failure to recognize individuals of colour will influence youth not to occupy intellectual readings and to learn educational subjects, which are not represented by their race.In postmodern Blackness by buzzer maulers, its states, This discourse created the idea of the primitive and promoted the smell of an authentic experience, seeing as inbred those expressions of vague life, which conformed to a pre-existing rule or stereotype.6 In the news when we see a person of colour committing a crime of some sort, we olf shammery sensation at it as being a normal act and this how things are in our society. Whites and non-whites alike(predicate) look upon the news and make assumptions about how they should act, what their values should be, and how they live their quotidian lives.The youth of today will be the first generation to come of age in a North America where racial minorities are the numeric majority. The afterlife of diversity will depend upon a childs perception on the position of racial identities. The youth of either races will have to expand their humor of race and race relations in authoritys their parents never knew. Is it important for children to see throng of their own race on television? Children of colour are most likely to think so. Caucasian and black children can say they see characters of their race on television while Hispanic and Asian children are much little likely to see their race represented.7 It is the way they are represented which will collide with the influence television will have on children.While some television stations do show variegation in their programming such as OMNI, they are not providing a vivid viewpoint. When a Caucasian character on television is poor, lazy and unintelligent, the show is considered to be comical, such as The Simpsons or Married with Children, and not taken as re alistic.Whereas, when they are successful, well-heeled and intellectual, the show is considered to be dramatic and viewed as being realistic. Afro-American characters are rarely presented as being poor, lazy and unintelligent, notwithstanding unceasingly rich and successful, such as The Cosby Show and clear Prince of Bel-Air, and are always meant to be comical, that never taken seriously or realistic thoy. Shows like these influence Afro-American children that their race is not taken seriously and are viewed as being humorous. This would affect a young blacks cerebration is a sense that he is read to be a comedian. numerous television shows give minority actors, minority roles. machine politician drives in most sitcoms are always non-white, grocery store workers and gas station attendants are always non-white, in shows such as Seinfeld. Although these sitcoms are not suppose to be taken realistic, young individuals of all races are more likely to companion positive ch aracteristics with Caucasian characters and negative characteristics with minority characters. Sitcoms and other television shows have the ability to alter these perceptions, plainly continue to stereotype minorities.Still focusing upon the children of today, because they have great faith in the medias power and its potential to influence them. Media can teach children that people of their race are important.8 If television had shows, which evenly distributed the role of characters to all races featuring equality and diversification, they can accomplish direct a message of the enormousness of all races.Children look to the media for role models and imitate their darling character. From the way they dress, talk, style their hair to pursuance the messages sent by their characters. From the haircuts of the women on Friends to the slipshod fashions of the hip-hop scene, the influence of media on todays children can be seen everywhere. beyond superficial messages about style and ap pearance, children are getting more formative messages from the media. The characters they extol and the news stories they watch glow some(prenominal) subtle and explicit signals about their values, their families and their race.9 This shows the importance of the messages being sent out by mass media and the importance of different characters and the characteristics they portray. Many African-American children will look to African-American characters for idols and will portray them.In The smart pagan political science of Difference, Cornel westside states,The widespread modern European defense of the intelligence, ability, beauty, and character of people of colour puts a tremendous burden on critics and artists of colour to prove themselves in light of norms and models set by White elites whose own hereditary pattern devalued and dehumanized them. In short, in the court of criticism and art or any matters regarding the life of the mind people of colour are dishonored (i. e., not expected to meet standards of intellectual achievement) until turn out innocent (i.e., acceptable to us).10The pic that people of colour are guilty until proven innocent illustrates to young individuals of all colours that because of this, people of colour are not as intellectual as Caucasians.In Postmodern Blackness, Bell Hooks states,It is no accident that rap has usurped the basal position of rhythm and blues music among young black folks as the most desired sound or that it began as a form of affirmation for the underclass. It has enabled underclass black youth to prove a critical voice as a group of young black men told me, a common literacy. solicit projects a critical voice, explaining, demanding, urging.11To all young African-Americans, this message is saying that their only voice, their only outlet, is through entertainment in the way of music. They are not enough African-American writers to allow them to consider an outlet that is scholarly. They witness the y have to portray the image that is being sent to them through rappers and musicians alike to dress, talk, walk of life and act the way these rappers say they do, in drinking, smoking and heading for drugs.Young African-American men that watch rap videos, sports, movies and may see many men of their race in this forms of media, but the image they represent is that if you cannot make it as a rapper, actor or athlete, youll never become stiff and successful. Rarely are there images on news media about wealthy African-American businessmen unless its criminal rarely are business shows on television shown where black businessmen are the portraying of the show. They may be a rarity, but should not be and ought to be discussed in business matters.facial expression at music for influences, from Stanford, Kathleen OToole puts in best,Music alters and intensifies their moods, furnishes much of their slang, dominates their conversations and fork overs the ambiance at their social gathering s. Music styles define the crowds and cliques they run in. Music personalities provide models for how they act and dress.12This states that music alters our perception of ourselves and what we should be and how we should act. Our identity is affected and changed according to music videos. Rap videos show African-American singers as doing drinking, smoking, having naked women around them and treating them inappropriately and this is how African-American youth thinks they should act, instead musicians need to send an suitable message out to the youth of today. Also, other races will feel that this is how African-Americans act and will treat them accordingly. Many African-American rappers have lyrics, which are against authority and this influences others alike to perceive the same thoughts.Everyone of every race has an identity theyd like to holler their own. But this identity is usually not their own and influenced by many sources, especially mass media. From music to television to news media, the influence these have on the children of today is immense. Music, television and news media, collectively with other mass medium, have the ability to alter ones perceptions of oneself and the characteristics of others. rush has always been a touchy subject because of its sensitivity and although I am a person of colour, I may have do some stereotypical comments of both whites and non-whites, but I did so only with the objective of making my point. Mass media reflects what we think we are and influences what we think we should be.BibliographyColorado State University conjunct Extension. Im Looking for Me Childrens light of Race and partition in the Media. Family Matters Newsletter. October 2002. (20 Nov. 2003).Gandy, Jr., Oscar H. On Race and the Political parsimoniousness of Communication. Art & extract An Internet Review. figure 2, Volume 1. (23 Nov. 2003).Hall, Stuart. Cultural Identity and Diaspora. colonial Discourse and Post-Colonial Theory. Patrick Wi lliam & Laura Chrisman, eds., Pp. 392-403, (c) Columbia University, 1994.Hooks, Bell. Postmodern Blackness. ardent Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics, Pp. 23-31, (c) Between the Lines, 1990.Lauder, Matthew. News Media protraction of Racism in a egalitarian Society. Cancon Articles. (21 Nov. 2003).OToole, Kathleen. Rock & Roll Does it entice Teens Behavior? Stanford Report Online. 1997. (20 Nov. 2003).Third trend Caf. Children and Race in the Media. Racism The familiar Face. Beyond the News. (21 Nov. 2003).West, Cornel. The New Cultural Politics of Difference. The Cultural Reader. 2nded. Simon during, ed., Pp. 256-267, (c) Routledge, 1999.1 Gandy, Jr., Oscar H. On Race and the Political Economy of Communication. Art & Survival An Internet Review. Issue 2, Volume 1. (23 Nov. 2003).2 Third way Caf. Children and Race in the Media. Racism The Public Face. Beyond the News. (21 Nov. 2003).3 Colorado State University Cooperative Extension. Im Looking for Me Childrens Perception of Race and Class in the Media. Family Matters Newsletter. October 2002. (20 Nov. 2003).4 Lauder, Matthew. News Media Perpetuation of Racism in a Democratic Society. Cancon Articles. (21 Nov. 2003).5 Hooks, Bell. Postmodern Blackness. Yearning Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics, Pp. 24, (c) Between the Lines, 1990.6 Ibid. 26.7 Colorado State University Cooperative Extension. Im Looking for Me Childrens Perception of Race and Class in the Media. Family Matters Newsletter. October 2002. (20 Nov. 2003).8 Third Way Caf.9 Ibid10 West, Cornel. The New Cultural Politics of Difference. The Cultural Reader. 2nded. Simon during, ed., Pp. 256-267, (c) Routledge, 1999.11 Hooks, Bell. 27.12 OToole, Kathleen. Rock & Roll Does it beguile Teens Behavior? Stanford Report Online. 1997. (20 Nov. 2003).