A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-one

Jon You are as hopeless as any boys I have ever trained,† Ser Alliser Thorne announced when they had all assembled in the yard. â€Å"Your hands were made for manure shovels, not for swords, and if it were up to me, the lot of you would be set to herding swine. But last night I was told that Gueren is marching five new boys up the kingsroad. One or two may even be worth the price of piss. To make room for them, I have decided to pass eight of you on to the Lord Commander to do with as he will.† He called out the names one by one. â€Å"Toad. Stone Head. Aurochs. Lover. Pimple. Monkey. Ser Loon.† Last, he looked at Jon. â€Å"And the Bastard.† Pyp let fly a whoop and thrust his sword into the air. Ser Alliser fixed him with a reptile stare. â€Å"They will call you men of Night's Watch now, but you are bigger fools than the Mummer's Monkey here if you believe that. You are boys still, green and stinking of summer, and when the winter comes you will die like flies.† And with that, Ser Alliser Thorne took his leave of them. The other boys gathered round the eight who had been named, laughing and cursing and offering congratulations. Halder smacked Toad on the butt with the flat of his sword and shouted, â€Å"Toad, of the Night's Watch!† Yelling that a black brother needed a horse, Pyp leapt onto Grenn's shoulders, and they tumbled to the ground, rolling and punching and hooting. Dareon dashed inside the armory and returned with a skin of sour red. As they passed the wine from hand to hand, grinning like fools, Jon noticed Samwell Tarly standing by himself beneath a bare dead tree in the corner of the yard. Jon offered him the skin. â€Å"A swallow of wine?† Sam shook his head. â€Å"No thank you, Jon.† â€Å"Are you well?† â€Å"Very well, truly,† the fat boy lied. â€Å"I am so happy for you all.† His round face quivered as he forced a smile. â€Å"You will be First Ranger someday, just as your uncle was.† â€Å"Is,† Jon corrected. He would not accept that Benjen Stark was dead. Before he could say more, Haider cried, â€Å"Here, you planning to drink that all yourself?† Pyp snatched the skin from his hand and danced away, laughing. While Grenn seized his arm, Pyp gave the skin a squeeze, and a thin stream of red squirted Jon in the face. Haider howled in protest at the waste of good wine. Jon sputtered and struggled. Matthar and Jeren climbed the wall and began pelting them all with snowballs. By the time he wrenched free, with snow in his hair and wine stains on his surcoat, Samwell Tarly had gone. That night, Three-Finger Hobb cooked the boys a special meal to mark the occasion. When Jon arrived at the common hall, the Lord Steward himself led him to the bench near the fire. The older men clapped him on the arm in passing. The eight soon-to-be brothers feasted on rack of lamb baked in a crust of garlic and herbs, garnished with sprigs of mint, and surrounded by mashed yellow turnips swimming in butter. â€Å"From the Lord Commander's own table,† Bowen Marsh told them. There were salads of spinach and chickpeas and turnip greens, and afterward bowls of iced blueberries and sweet cream. â€Å"Do you think they'll keep us together?† Pyp wondered as they gorged themselves happily. Toad made a face. â€Å"I hope not. I'm sick of looking at those ears of yours.† â€Å"Ho,† said Pyp. â€Å"Listen to the crow call the raven black. You're certain to be a ranger, Toad. They'll want you as far from the castle as they can. If Mance Rayder attacks, lift your visor and show your face, and he'll run off screaming.† Everyone laughed but Grenn. â€Å"I hope I'm a ranger.† â€Å"You and everyone else,† said Matthar. Every man who wore the black walked the Wall, and every man was expected to take up steel in its defense, but the rangers were the true fighting heart of the Night's Watch. It was they who dared ride beyond the Wall, sweeping through the haunted forest and the icy mountain heights west of the Shadow Tower, fighting wildlings and giants and monstrous snow bears. â€Å"Not everyone,† said Halder. â€Å"It's the builders for me. What use would rangers be if the Wall fell down?† The order of builders provided the masons and carpenters to repair keeps and towers, the miners to dig tunnels and crush stone for roads and footpaths, the woodsmen to clear away new growth wherever the forest pressed too close to the Wall. Once, it was said, they had quarried immense blocks of ice from frozen lakes deep in the haunted forest, dragging them south on sledges so the Wall might be raised ever higher. Those days were centuries gone, however; now, it was all they could do to ride the Wall from Eastwatch to the Shadow Tower, watching for cracks or signs of melt and making what repairs they could. â€Å"The Old Bear's no fool,† Dareon observed. â€Å"You're certain to be a builder, and Jon's certain to be a ranger. He's the best sword and the best rider among us, and his uncle was the First before he . . . † His voice trailed off awkwardly as he realized what he had almost said. â€Å"Benjen Stark is still First Ranger,† Jon Snow told him, toying with his bowl of blueberries. The rest might have given up all hope of his uncle's safe return, but not him. He pushed away the berries, scarcely touched, and rose from the bench. â€Å"Aren't you going to eat those?† Toad asked. â€Å"They're yours.† Jon had hardly tasted Hobb's great feast. â€Å"I could not eat another bite.† He took his cloak from its hook near the door and shouldered his way out. Pyp followed him. â€Å"Jon, what is it?† â€Å"Sam,† he admitted. â€Å"He was not at table tonight.† â€Å"It's not like him to miss a meal,† Pyp said thoughtfully. â€Å"Do you suppose he's taken ill?† â€Å"He's frightened. We're leaving him.† He remembered the day he had left Winterfell, all the bittersweet farewells; Bran lying broken, Robb with snow in his hair, Arya raining kisses on him after he'd given her Needle. â€Å"Once we say our words, we'll all have duties to attend to. Some of us may be sent away, to Eastwatch or the Shadow Tower. Sam will remain in training, with the likes of Rast and Cuger and these new boys who are coming up the kingsroad. Gods only know what they'll be like, but you can bet Ser Alliser will send them against him, first chance he gets.† Pyp made a grimace. â€Å"You did all you could.† â€Å"All we could wasn't enough,† Jon said. A deep restlessness was on him as he went back to Hardin's Tower for Ghost. The direwolf walked beside him to the stables. Some of the more skittish horses kicked at their stalls and laid back their ears as they entered. Jon saddled his mare, mounted, and rode out from Castle Black, south across the moonlit night. Ghost raced ahead of him, flying over the ground, gone in the blink of an eye. Jon let him go. A wolf needed to hunt. He had no destination in mind. He wanted only to ride. He followed the creek for a time, listening to the icy trickle of water over rock, then cut across the fields to the kingsroad. It stretched out before him, narrow and stony and pocked with weeds, a road of no particular promise, yet the sight of it filled Jon Snow with a vast longing. Winterfell was down that road, and beyond it Riverrun and King's Landing and the Eyrie and so many other places; Casterly Rock, the Isle of Faces, the red mountains of Dorne, the hundred islands of Braavos in the sea, the smoking ruins of old Valyria. All the places that Jon would never see. The world was down that road . . . and he was here. Once he swore his vow, the Wall would be his home until he was old as Maester Aemon. â€Å"I have not sworn yet,† he muttered. He was no outlaw, bound to take the black or pay the penalty for his crimes. He had come here freely, and he might leave freely . . . until he said the words. He need only ride on, and he could leave it all behind. By the time the moon was full again, he would be back in Winterfell with his brothers. Your half brothers, a voice inside reminded him. And Lady Stark, who will not welcome you. There was no place for him in Winterfell, no place in King's Landing either. Even his own mother had not had a place for him. The thought of her made him sad. He wondered who she had been, what she had looked like, why his father had left her. Because she was a whore or an adulteress, fool. Something dark and dishonorable, or else why was Lord Eddard too ashamed to speak of her? Jon Snow turned away from the kingsroad to look behind him. The fires of Castle Black were hidden behind a hill, but the Wall was there, pale beneath the moon, vast and cold, running from horizon to horizon. He wheeled his horse around and started for home. Ghost returned as he crested a rise and saw the distant glow of lamplight from the Lord Commander's Tower. The direwolf s muzzle was red with blood as he trotted beside the horse. Jon found himself thinking of Samwell Tarly again on the ride back. By the time he reached the stables, he knew what he must do. Maester Aemon's apartments were in a stout wooden keep below the rookery. Aged and frail, the maester shared his chambers with two of the younger stewards, who tended to his needs and helped him in his duties. The brothers joked that he had been given the two ugliest men in the Night's Watch; being blind, he was spared having to look at them. Clydas was short, bald, and chinless, with small pink eyes like a mole. Chett had a wen on his neck the size of a pigeon's egg, and a face red with boils and pimples. Perhaps that was why he always seemed so angry. It was Chett who answered Jon's knock. â€Å"I need to speak to Maester Aemon,† Jon told him. â€Å"The maester is abed, as you should be. Come back on the morrow and maybe he'll see you.† He began to shut the door. Jon jammed it open with his boot. â€Å"I need to speak to him now. The morning will be too late.† Chett scowled. â€Å"The maester is not accustomed to being woken in the night. Do you know how old he is?† â€Å"Old enough to treat visitors with more courtesy than you,† Jon said. â€Å"Give him my pardons. I would not disturb his rest if it were not important.† â€Å"And if I refuse?† Jon had his boot wedged solidly in the door. â€Å"I can stand here all night if I must.† The black brother made a disgusted noise and opened the door to admit him. â€Å"Wait in the library. There's wood. Start a fire. I won't have the maester catching a chill on account of you.† Jon had the logs crackling merrily by the time Chett led in Maester Aemon. The old man was clad in his bed robe, but around his throat was the chain collar of his order. A maester did not remove it even to sleep. â€Å"The chair beside the fire would be pleasant,† he said when he felt the warmth on his face. When he was settled comfortably, Chett covered his legs with a fur and went to stand by the door. â€Å"I am sorry to have woken you, Maester,† Jon Snow said. â€Å"You did not wake me,† Maester Aemon replied. â€Å"I find I need less sleep as I grow older, and I am grown very old. I often spend half the night with ghosts, remembering times fifty years past as if they were yesterday. The mystery of a midnight visitor is a welcome persion. So tell me, Jon Snow, why have you come calling at this strange hour?† â€Å"To ask that Samwell Tarly be taken from training and accepted as a brother of the Night's Watch.† â€Å"This is no concern of Maester Aemon,† Chett complained. â€Å"Our Lord Commander has given the training of recruits into the hands of Ser Alliser Thorne,† the maester said gently. â€Å"Only he may say when a boy is ready to swear his vow, as you surely know. Why then come to me?† â€Å"The Lord Commander listens to you,† Jon told him. â€Å"And the wounded and the sick of the Night's Watch are in your charge.† â€Å"And is your friend Samwell wounded or sick?† â€Å"He will be,† Jon promised, â€Å"unless you help.† He told them all of it, even the part where he'd set Ghost at Rast's throat. Maester Aemon listened silently, blind eyes fixed on the fire, but Chett's face darkened with each word. â€Å"Without us to keep him safe, Sam will have no chance,† Jon finished. â€Å"He's hopeless with a sword. My sister Arya could tear him apart, and she's not yet ten. If Ser Alliser makes him fight, it's only a matter of time before he's hurt or killed.† Chett could stand no more. â€Å"I've seen this fat boy in the common hall,† he said. â€Å"He is a pig, and a hopeless craven as well, if what you say is true.† â€Å"Maybe it is so,† Maester Aemon said. â€Å"Tell me, Chett, what would you have us do with such a boy?† â€Å"Leave him where he is,† Chett said. â€Å"The Wall is no place for the weak. Let him train until he is ready, no matter how many years that takes. Ser Alliser shall make a man of him or kill him, as the gods will.† â€Å"That's stupid,† Jon said. He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. â€Å"I remember once I asked Maester Luwin why he wore a chain around his throat.† Maester Aemon touched his own collar lightly, his bony, wrinkled finger stroking the heavy metal links. â€Å"Go on.† â€Å"He told me that a maester's collar is made of chain to remind him that he is sworn to serve,† Jon said, remembering. â€Å"I asked why each link was a different metal. A silver chain would look much finer with his grey robes, I said. Maester Luwin laughed. A maester forges his chain with study, he told me. The different metals are each a different kind of learning, gold for the study of money and accounts, silver for healing, iron for warcraft. And he said there were other meanings as well. The collar is supposed to remind a maester of the realm he serves, isn't that so? Lords are gold and knights steel, but two links can't make a chain. You also need silver and iron and lead, tin and copper and bronze and all the rest, and those are farmers and smiths and merchants and the like. A chain needs all sorts of metals, and a land needs all sorts of people.† Maester Aemon smiled. â€Å"And so?† â€Å"The Night's Watch needs all sorts too. Why else have rangers and stewards and builders? Lord Randyll couldn't make Sam a warrior, and Ser Alliser won't either. You can't hammer tin into iron, no matter how hard you beat it, but that doesn't mean tin is useless. Why shouldn't Sam be a steward?† Chett gave an angry scowl. â€Å"I'm a steward. You think it's easy work, fit for cowards? The order of stewards keeps the Watch alive. We hunt and farm, tend the horses, milk the cows, gather firewood, cook the meals. Who do you think makes your clothing? Who brings up supplies from the south? The stewards.† Maester Aemon was gentler. â€Å"Is your friend a hunter?† â€Å"He hates hunting,† Jon had to admit. â€Å"Can he plow a field?† the maester asked. â€Å"Can he drive a wagon or sail a ship? Could he butcher a cow?† â€Å"No.† Chett gave a nasty laugh. â€Å"I've seen what happens to soft lordlings when they're put to work. Set them to churning butter and their hands blister and bleed. Give them an axe to split logs, and they cut off their own foot.† â€Å"I know one thing Sam could do better than anyone.† â€Å"Yes?† Maester Aemon prompted. Jon glanced warily at Chett, standing beside the door, his boils red and angry. â€Å"He could help you,† he said quickly. â€Å"He can do sums, and he knows how to read and write. I know Chett can't read, and Clydas has weak eyes. Sam read every book in his father's library. He'd be good with the ravens too. Animals seem to like him. Ghost took to him straight off. There's a lot he could do, besides fighting. The Night's Watch needs every man. Why kill one, to no end? Make use of him instead.† Maester Aemon closed his eyes, and for a brief moment Jon was afraid that he had gone to sleep. Finally he said, â€Å"Maester Luwin taught you well, Jon Snow. Your mind is as deft as your blade, it would seem.† â€Å"Does that mean . . . â€Å" â€Å"It means I shall think on what you have said,† the maester told him firmly. â€Å"And now, I believe I am ready to sleep. Chett, show our young brother to the door.†

Huaneng Essay

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Drug Addiction Is a Growing Problem in Punjab Essay

1) Throughout the border state of Punjab, whether in villages or cities, drugs have become a scourge. Opium is prevalent, refined as heroin or other illegal substances. Schoolboys sometimes eat small black balls of opium paste, with tea, before classes. Synthetic drugs are popular among those too poor to afford heroin. 2) The scale of the problem, if impossible to quantify precisely, is undeniably immense and worrisome. India has one of the world’s youngest populations, a factor that is expected to power future economic growth, yet Punjab is already a reminder of the demographic risks of a glut of young people. An overwhelming majority of addicts are between the ages of 15 and 35, according to one study, with many of them unemployed and frustrated by unmet expectations. 3) For the Punjab government, the problem is hardly unknown. Private drug treatment centers, some run by quacks, have proliferated across the state, and treatment wards in government hospitals have seen a surge in patients. Three years ago, a state health official warned in a court affidavit that Punjab risked losing a whole generation to drugs. Roughly 60 percent of all illicit drugs confiscated in India are seized in Punjab. 4) Yet when Punjab held state elections this year, the candidates rarely spoke about drug abuse. In fact, India’s Election Commission said that some political workers were actually giving away drugs to try to buy votes. More than 110 pounds of heroin and hundreds of thousands of bottles of bootleg liquor were seized in raids. During the elections, party workers in some districts distributed coupons that voters could redeem at pharmacies. 5) Punjab’s reluctance to treat the drug situation as a full-blown crisis is partly because the state government itself is dependent on revenue from alcohol sales. Roughly 8,000 government liquor stores operate in Punjab, charging a tax on every bottle — an excise that represents one of the government’s largest sources of revenue. India’s comptroller found that liquor consumption per person in Punjab rose 59 percent between 2005 and 2010. 6) A sociologist in Amritsar, surveyed 600 drug addicts in rural and urban areas of Punjab and found that they were usually young, poor and unemployed. He said that most villages did not have health clinics but did have three or four drugstores, which often made sizable profits selling pills and other synthetic drugs to addicts who cannot afford heroin. 7) Opium has a long history in Punjab, and was commonly and legally consumed here before India and Pakistan gained independence in 1947. Today, Punjab is a primary gateway for opiates smuggled into India from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Opium is also grown legally in India for medicinal purposes, and some of the crop arrives in Punjab on the black market. 8) The problem is prevalent in middle-class enclaves, where some users are hooked on heroin. One impoverished neighborhood of Amritsar, called Maqboolpura, is known as the Village of Widows — because so many young men have died of drug abuse. 9) In Kazikot Village, about a two-hour drive from Amritsar, a local nongovernmental organization tries to prevent the spread of H.I.V. by regularly distributing clean syringes to addicts. The group’s workers say there are 48 hard-core addicts in the village (out of more than 2,000 people) but that many other people use drugs. Government officials have sponsored â€Å"camps† here, with health officials providing antidrug information or trying to persuade addicts to undergo treatment — neither of which, villagers say, has been successful.

Burberry Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Burberry - Case Study Example However, in 2005, General Universal Stores divested their stake in 2005. The current CEO of the group is Angela Ahredts, who replaced Rose Marie Bravo. (Burberry Official Website, 2010) From its inception, the brand has experienced massive growth and now owns thousand of outlets and franchises throughout England. The company specializes in menwear, womenwear, childrenwear and non-apparel garments. Out of these, the largest share of its revenue comes from womenwear. Burberry is also a household name in the international market. This feat was achieved with the recent trend of globalization and this is where the company pays most attention. The company has no distinctive mission statement. However, reading on from their annual reports it can be seen that the company wants to maximize its revenues in order to increase the business profitability. This is what the entire team and the management of Burberry plc works for and for many years now. In order to achieve their mission of maximizing revenue the company is trying to streamline their operations by moving towards focused collection. Although, this is a generic term but it implies that the company is moving toward more balanced collection in terms of design, style and quality. The company is doing this through constant innovation strategies. They have increased the frequency of new designs coming to retail outlets. The brand also aims to achieve its objective by increasing productivity, streamlining store operations, by adopting a policy of quick expansion and by making use of the latest technology to make their operations more and more efficient. (Burberry Annual Reports of 2008, 2009) From our discussion about Burberry plc Group, we can see that it has been doing brilliantly since its inception. However, in the recent years, the firm is facing some challenges in the form of recession and fierce competition in the industry due to entry of a lot of new firm in this market to cater the needs of the consumer. In the next part of this report, we are going to look at some of the strategies that Burberry has adopted to counter these challenges. Burberry has been greatly affected by the ongoing recessionary phase in which we find global economy in. Economic recession has affected Burberry indirectly in an adverse way. As a result of economic recession, people's purchasing power has been deteriorating and now they have to think twice when buying a luxury item like Burberry. As a result of this, Burberry's profits are fast falling and irked the top management of the company for sometimes now. One example of how Burberry is been affected by continuing recession can be seen in the Burberry Group's income statement for the year which shows a profit of 99.8m as compared to 170.9m that were earned a year before. This was decline of approximately 41%. This shows how badly the firm is affected by the current recessionary wave that the world is experiencing. Another thing that worries Burberry's management is the structure of supply-chain of the company. The company finds that in few of the firm's product categories, it relies on small number of supplier. As a result, these suppliers command more authority over Burberry and this over reliance on few suppliers can cause a lot of trouble to Burberry. However, the only way the situation can be improved is by restructuring the supply-chain management of the company, which the company is trying to undertake with some success. Similarly, most of the firm's

Discursive essay Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Media Usage in the Workplace - Research Paper Example Research indicates that many employees spend a significant part of the day at the workplace on social media, both for professional and personal benefit. However, research indicates that many companies in the modern world have not embraced the use of social media in the workplace. A study showed that less than 43% of companies have an open policy for social networking at the workplace (Abate et al. 2011, p. 6). Nevertheless, of those companies that prohibit the use of social network among employees, less than 30% blocks the use of these social networking channels altogether (Al-Deen and Hendricks 2011, p.221). Furthermore, findings show that many firms are continuing to embrace social networking at the workplace citing benefits brought by social networking. The study found out that firms restricting the use of social networking at the workplace have been dropping by 10% annually since the introduction of social networking (Abate et al. 2011, p. 6). This has left a lot to be desired of the argument that social media has no place in the modern the workplace. The world has experienced increased growth in the usage of social media over the past few decades. The growth continues to be witnessed with many firms offering social media sites coming up. The most prominent social media sites in use currently include twitter, facebook, mySpace, LinkedIn, and YouTube, just to name but a few (Abate et al. 2011, p. 8). These social media sites give people the opportunity to interact with friends and families all over the world. However, its usage in the workplace has been controversial with some arguing that it has no place in the modern world. Those who argue in this manner put a strong case against social media in the workplace. One of the arguments put forwards against embracing social media in the workplace is that it decreases employee productivity (Al-Deen and Hendricks 2011, p.222). Researchers reveal that many managers oppose social media usage in the workplace since i t wastes employee’s time, which can be used for productive purposes.

Lean improvement techniques Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

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Tennessee and Progressivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Tennessee and Progressivism - Essay Example In 1892, Knights of Labor, Farmers’ Alliance, and National Colored Farmers’ Alliance formed the Populists, people’s party. In the same year, African-American journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett criticizes lynching and advocates for an end to racial discrimination in her passionate writing. In 1894, Booker T. Washington proposed that the state makes social equality and civil rights of blacks as important as economic advancement. Spanish-American war resulted into creation of National Consumers League. In 1909, liberal whites and African Americans formed a national association that advocated the advancement of colored people (NAACP). The association aimed at promoting racial justice, as well as civil rights. Similarly, Dr. Charles A. Eastman and others formed Society of American Indians organization to advocate Indians rights. The year 1912 saw establishment of US Children’s Bureau. The final landmark in the social justice came in 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendm ent guaranteed the right to vote to women (Sarat and Thomas 364). Notably, the struggle to ratify the nineteenth amendment began in

What changes in the variables would be necessary in your valuation to Essay

What changes in the variables would be necessary in your valuation to best approximate the market valuation - Essay Example Part A – Fundamental Valuation Growth Rate of Dividends- Wal-Mart1 Estimated Value Growth Rate = 12.55% Discount Rate = 12.50% D0 = $1.21 D1 = 1.21 + 1.21 * 12.55% = $ 1.361 P0 = D1 / K-G = 1.361 / 12.50% - 12.55% = 1.361 / 0.05 = $ 27.22 Estimated Value = $ 27.22 Current Market Value = $ 52.082 What changes in the variables would be necessary in your valuation to best approximate the market valuation? It is possible that the actual market value of a share may differ from its calculated value as different variables may be perceived differently by each investor. It is also important to understand that each investor has different perceptions about the risks and rewards and therefore there can be some differences in the two sets of prices. In order to best approximate the valuation with the market valuation, it is important to adjust the discount rate. The discount rate given in this case study is 12.5% which seems to be higher given the overall risk profile and fundamentals of W al-Mart. It is therefore important that the discount rate is adjusted in order to approximate two values with each other. Lower required rate of return therefore outlines that the investors have more confidence in the fundamentals of the firm therefore they will be requiring lower rate of returns because the overall level of risk will be low. Part-B Relative Valuation The above calculations are made based on the assumption that the growth rate required will be 7%. 4) It is important to note that the assessment of the stock regarding under or over valuation is always performed by comparing the current market value with the assessed value. Considering the current market value of the stock, it seems that the stock is relatively undervalued and the investors can actually be advised for buying or hold. The current market price of the stock is approximately $53 per share whereas the value of the stock computed through PE ratio model suggests that the fair value of the stock is $59 suggest ing that the stock is relatively under-valued. It is therefore important that those investors who are already holding the stock shall hold their positions and wait for the price to further increase before they can actually sell the stock and profit from the position. 5) Based on the fundamentals of the stock as well as the successful track record of Wal-Mart as one of the leading firms in the world, I would invest into the firm. Though the firm is working in the retail sector with low profit margins however, given the successful history of delivering results, I as an investor would invest into this stock. It is also important to understand that based on the computations made above suggests that the fair value of the stock is higher than the current value of the stock therefore there is a cushion of approximately $6 per share if invested now and sold at the fair value

Economic, political and technological factors that have turned China Assignment

Economic, political and technological factors that have turned China into a fast emerging economy - Assignment Example The rapid economic development has been made possible by large foreign direct investments, rise in productivity, political reforms and technological advancements (Lampton, 2008). Owing to these transformations, there has been a sharp rise in China’s economic growth, where national poverty figures moved from being more than 65 % to below 10 % within three decades, wherein nearly 500 million people were removed from below poverty level and the country managed to meet a majority of their Millennium Development Goals (World Bank, 2012, p. 4). While rate of growth varied across the country, the growth was sharp in almost all parts and the 31 provinces that came under mainland China (if considered to be independent economies) were seen as a part of the world’s 32 most rapidly growing economies (World Bank, 2012, p.4). Owing to the sharp economic growth, currently â€Å"2 of the world’s top 10 banks are now Chinese; 261 Chinese companies are on the Global Fortune 500 l ist; and China is home to the world’s second-largest highway network, the world’s 3 longest sea bridges, and 6 of the world’s 10 largest container ports. The country has also made large strides in health, education, science, and technology† (World Bank, 2012, p.4). Various factors lie behind China’s strong socio-economic growth, which includes various economic, political and technological factors. ... Rapid economic growth is evinced by a country’s economic figures, such as trade volumes, foreign reserves, higher gross domestic product (GDP), and GDP per capita. Thus, a fast emerging economic growth translates into increasing financial gains for foreign investors that in turn brings in more foreign investment into a country, which supports rapid economic growth. In order to attract more foreign investors, countries aim at framing effective macroeconomic policies that are open to global trade. Emerging Market Economies tend to be more open to global trade with business models that are export oriented, and these models later serve to variegate the products and services exported by the country. Economic experts contend that diversification and integration of national economy into the global economy help in decreasing after-effects of sharp fluctuations within global prices or economic crises, thus bringing stability for the country that in turn attracts more foreign investors (Williams, 2011). In the context of framing sound macroeconomic policies that influence wider aspects of a country’s economy, it can be suggested that effective policies help in stabilizing cash flows, which keep foreign investments safe. Sound macroeconomic policies include liberalisation of national banks, privatisation of public enterprises, and opening up of stock markets in order to give easy accessed to foreign investors, decrease in external debt and framing sound monetary and fiscal policies. Since the start of economic reforms during late 1970s, China has slowly turned into one of the fastest-emerging economies of the world. A look at China’s economy reveals that starting from

Saxenian’s Argument Essay Example for Free

Saxenian’s Argument Essay Saxenian conducted a comparative study of two regions that focused on electronic industry; Silicon Valley and Route 128. Between these two, reports showed that as of 1990, Silicon Valley emerged as more competitive and successful than Route 128. Saxenian conducted interviews in the area and found out that the employee mobility in Silicon Valley was higher. To argue that such mobility is the reason why Silicon Valley succeeds was something that defies the common knowledge and principles of economics. Such action would inevitably lead to a leakage of information across different organizations and might affect competition. When one company get holds of the other company’s innovative knowledge, they would apply the knowledge to their own company or use it towards their own advantage. Another observation that was made by Saxenian was the prevalence of collaboration in their network-based system and the promotion of â€Å"open-markets that encourage competition and entrepreneurship†. Through network-based system, knowledge was spread horizontally. The presence of new organizations or corporations are welcomed and supported. On the other hand, in Route 128 wherein companies are integrated to the point that competition becomes limited to the largest firms. Knowledge and authority â€Å"flows vertically† or stay within the firm. Nonetheless, through the development of the internet and other telecommunication technology, Saxonian’s argument no longer holds for a similar comparison today. The internet permits employees and employers among different firms or agencies to communicate. Cluster networks in a particular regional economy can communicate or exchange information with firms or companies abroad. Knowledge is retrieved more promptly and more accurately today through internet search engines. Job hopping or employee mobility was not a major factor today than before since information are more readily available than 20 years ago.

Vygotsky Influenced By Marxism Sociology Essay

Vygotsky Influenced By Marxism Sociology Essay It is known and accepted in professional journals and works that Marxism influenced Vygotsky but why did this not show up in the earlier translations by Western psychologists? Marxism and Vygotsky L.S. Vygotsky was a witness of the Russian Revolution, which was the hot bed of Marxist theory and the forced development of a communist state (Elhammoumi, 2002). This was a period of tremendous stress and change for the Russian people, in which a significant ideological struggle took place (Elhammoumi, 2002). The basic premise to this struggle was between a focus on the private individual and a socially collective existence (Elhammoumi, 2002). At this level of philosophical transformation mixed with the great turmoil of the time, is the perfect environment for innovative scientist to produce new ideas (Elhammoumi, 2002). The same effect is what compelled Vygotskys ambition to be a part of what was called the new socialist experiment (Elhammoumi, 2002). Vygotsky could not have avoided the effect this philosophy had on his life and invariably, his methods based on this, we can deduce that the Russian Revolution is major evidence of the influence Marxism had his lifes work. Another Marxist influences which show in Vygotskys work are the following definitions, directly from Vygotsky work such as the term Adherence, which means the rejection of all non-materialist and non-Marxist theories (Elhammoumi, 2002). Other Marxist associations to Vygotskys work include his belief that society is not made up of the individual or groups of individuals but is the totality of their interrelationships as construed in the Marxist approach (Elhammoumi, 2002). Or the use of statements in his work such as counsciousness is shaped by social relations, which is also an important idea of Marx (Elhammoumi, 2002). Or Vygotskys work in which he advocates that change in human behavior has several elementary origins, such as, the destruction of capitalist forms of organization and production; the withering away of capitalist order and all forces which oppress manà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Elhammoumi, 2002). Or that Vygotsky believed that the destruction of capitalism would be instrumental i n freeing mankind from oppressive powers and allow man to liberate his growth (Elhammoumi, 2002). These ideas were commonly held by Marxist ideology and wrapped in Vygotskys historical-social theories (Elhammoumi, 2002). While researching journals for this paper, I came across an abundance of examples which clearly state that the Marxist influence is now widely accepted within the professional psychological arena. With these examples alone, we can easily agree that Vygotsky was not only influenced by Marx, but we could say that his works were integral in developing, at least, the basis of Marxist psychology (Roth, 2007). Why then, was this notion rejected and even suppressed by earlier Western psychologists until a few decades after World War II? The West and Vygotsky There has been much speculation in the psychological community in the past that Vygotsky was not a Marxist per se, regardless of his use of the doctrine in his work (Sheehy, 2004). This idea was due to Vygotskys work being shunned in the Soviet Union grounded by areas in which Vygotsky questioned and disagreed with Marx (Elhammoumi, 2002). This disagreement led some earlier Western psychologists to argue that Vygotsky rejected Marxism altogether, and was not involved in the development of Marxist psychology (Kosulin, 1986). Other Western psychologist had not only separated Vygotsky from Marxism but had included a rejection of what was termed as bourgeoisie humanism (Elhammoumi, 2002). Nonetheless, Marxist and Soviet psychologists knew that Vygotskys work was crucial in linking their proletariat brand of psychology with natural science in order to keep up with the developments being made in Germany and the United States (Sheehy, 2004). In order to solidify this link, Vygotsky would have to officially be a communist, which the Soviets implied (Sheehy, 2004). Accordingly, Vygotskys Marxist influence in many cases failed to be mentioned in earlier Western translations at all importantly, by overlooking the Marxist influence Vygotskys work is significantly weakended (Kosulin, 1986). The possibility of such suppression could lead to a crisis in the advancement in the entire study of psycholgogy (Kosulin, 1986). But, as will be explained later, Vygotsky link to the development of Soviet Psychology was questionable (Elhammoumi, 2002). We have established that the reasoning behind the suppression of Vygotskys Marxist influence, especially for the American psychologists, is the implication that Vygotsky work was directly involved in what eventually became the Soviet totalitarian government, which is now considered a false accusation (Roth, 2007). Do not forget that Vygotsky perviously shared restrictive ideas with Marxism but did not agree on all stances in regards to psychology (Elhammoumi, 2002). And today we understand that much of Vygotskys connection with Soviet Psychology comes from a Soviet Psychologist names Leontiev (Kosulin, 1986). Leontiev rose to prominence after a period in which Soviet officials had rejected Vygotsky due to his work influenced by the Gestalt psychology and the cross-cultural analysis of consciousness which was considered bourgeois and anti-communist (Kosulin, 1986). This prominence was gained by winning then prestigious Lenin Prize for scientific research, which gave Leontiev access to power within the Soviet governing body (Kosulin, 1986). This enabled him to reintroduce Vygotsky into the Soviet scientific world, an in order to avoid questions regarding Vygotskys original shunning, Leontiev named himself the interpreter of Vygotsky (Kosulin, 1986). Because of this, Vygotsky came to be known as a mere predecessor of Leontiev, which enabled Leontiev the freedom to correct the flaws in Vygotskys work thereby creating a solid link to the development of Soviet psychology (Kosulin, 1986). Evidence is now known that this link is a myth. Regardless, at the time, Western psychologists were rightful ly under the impression that Vygotsky and Soviet Psychology were inexplicably linked (Kosulin, 1986). This is, of course, the main reasoning behind creating sanitized translations of Vygotskys work suppressing the Marxist influence, not to mention more personal reasons like the lack of book sales (Elhammoumi, 2002). At the time, due to the Cold War, Western psychologist were uninterested in promoting anyone associated with communism, socialism, or Marxism (Kosulin, 1986). This went on until the late 1970s and early 1980s when Vygotskys involvement in Soviet science began to be questioned (Kosulin, 1986). MY VIEW I can see this point of view (was V a Marxist?), especially by Westerners, after Soviet Psychologists in later years, integrated Vygotsky into their philosophies which were heavily influenced by political doctrine and the Soviet state itself. In my view, it would be difficult to believe it did not, based on the fact he was alive and living in Russia during the Revolution how could anyone, especially an intellectual like Vygotsky, could not be influenced by the break-down of a political system which had been integral in the make-up of Russia for generations. Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934), But, I can see why some psychologist believe there was a connection between Vygotsky and the formulation of Marxist philosophy in the late 1920s, since Vygotsky did not die until 1934. The fundamentals of Marxist Instead of viewing these changes through the eyes of politics. Whether or not you agree or disagree or land somewhere in between in regards to Marxism it remains a ground-breaking shift in intellectualism. In order to see this from another view, Russian, in some cases, was still practicing feudalism which was the social and political structure of the Middle Ages! In the 19th century, as the West experienced a new age of industry and innovation. Although, in my view, true Marxism never came to be in its pure form, and instead, we witnessed the dilapidation and eventual fall of a distortion of this philosophy. I, personally, if these statements are accurate, do not want to see any philosophical or scientific works be deluded by political influences. I believe it is important to maintain historical accuracy, or we are no different than the oppressiveness of the former Soviet Union. What is meant by this, per the author, is that Society does not consist of individuals, but expresses the sum of interrelations, the relations within which these individuals stand and real intellectual wealth of the individual depends entirely on the wealth of his real connections This make sense. (Elhammoui, 2002) It is understood, in my view, that Westerners, Americans in particular, have a deep-seated distrust in anything related to communism based on the Cold War which is the case with Marxism. The main point Elhammoumi is trying to convey is that it is important to maintain Vogotskys Marxist influence in order to maintain a period of major intellectual creativity which occurred during and after the Russian Revolution (Elhammoumi, 2002). First of all, if Marxism was truly so impactful to vigotsky, then the omission of that would not be an accurate translation, which could have possibly left integral pieces out for Western psychologists while working to perfect the science as a whole (Kosulin, 1986). Example of myself or someone I know who experienced this (see directions) Conclusion Paragraph for entire paper SHOULD BE PART OF CONCLUSION Vygotsky, by using the framework of a post-revolutionary Soviet society, was determined to develop a new form of psychology (Elhammoumi, 2002). Just by what we have seen in the previous examples it becomes apparent that within Vygotskys theory, it seems as though he attempted to develop a type of theoretical psychology for Marxism (Elhammoumi, 2002). This brings us to the the issue of the West and Vygostky. TOPIC PAPER 1 7117 Due 3/5 @ Midnight submit to turnitin.com 24 hrs earlier 3 to 5 pages without cover and ref page. Each paper will contain a discussion of, or reflection upon, the topic presented in the course. MUST CITE AT LEAST 2 ADDITIONAL ARTICLES FROM PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS not including those already utilized as part of the course materials. ABSTRACTS are not necessary. Each paper should contain: A summary of ONE major theory/concept (or portion of a theory/concept). At least one example from your own experience or someone you know that is relevant to or illustrates the topic/concept. Your persepective about (a critique of) the theory/concept. You must provide substantive arguments to justify your point of view.

To Be Is To Be Perceived

To Be Is To Be Perceived To be is to be perceived, esse est percipi. This empirical statement was made by the 17th century Irish philosopher Bishop Berkley. He was a foundationalist that aimed to restore the role of religion in philosophy and consequently eradicate scepticism. He was the first philosopher to coherently refute the Cartesian revolution. One generally assumes that empiricism and modern science go hand in hand. That anyone who aims to study the ways of our material world would empirically be studying it, and would thus be an empiricist. However, as we later will discuss, appearances are sometimes not as they seem. In order to critically assess Berkleys statement and his notion that reality is an infinite mind, we must first cover the influential material put forward by Locke and Descartes. These two philosophers from an epistemological point of view were in disagreement, however, from a metaphysical point of view both believed that matter furnished our world. Their only metaphysical difference was how each of them got to their metaphysics. They had opposed epistemological views due to their different opinions regarding the ways in which humans acquire knowledge. Locke was an empiricist, the view that the source and test of contingent knowledge is experience (pg 486 yellow book) Descartes on the other hand was a rationalist, believing that the chief route to knowledge is intellectual rather than sensory. (pg 486 yellow book) In a hypothetical conversation between Locke and Descartes, Descartes would for example ask Locke how he believes to have acquired the notion of infinity. The term Infinity being an idea that cant be experienced would thus leave Locke response less. However, Locke would probably claim that he could empirically sense that numbers for instance will exponentially continue forever, and forever presumes the idea of infinity. When analysing both their epistemological doctrines, it is inevitable that these fall into the area of metaphysics as well. One cannot discuss the ways of acquiring knowledge without mentioning the mind/body problem. This being the main focus of the rest of this essay. Lockes philosophy had a big impact on the world and to a certain extent on Berkleys philosophy, simply because his doctrines transcend empirical methodology. He attempts to prove in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding the relationship between knowledge and ideas. Ideas to Locke came about through sensation and reflection, thus there being no such thing as innate ideas. Sensation and reflection take into account various categories of material intuition for example: extension, solidity and duration. Resulting in simple ideas, which our mind later combines with two or many other simple ideas, creating as Locke calls it: complex ideas. He then makes the important distinction that later is re-interpreted by Berkley and opens the door to his theory of idealism. Locke points out that properties that make up an object are divided into primary and secondary qualities. Primary qualities belong not only to observable substances, but also to the minute corpuscles which make them up. Seconda ry qualities such as colour and taste belong to the substance but not to its corpuscles (Woolhouse, 1998, p.870) This reference of corpuscles in Lockes philosophy is remarkable, simply because of the prematurity of Newtonian physics at the time. Primary qualities are therefore the properties that Newtonian physicists analysed in objects. Whilst secondary qualities are for example those of colour, because its unreliability ceases to be a fixed quality of the actual object being perceived. When the lights go out the object ceases to have a colour. All of this experience then amounts to knowledge through intuition, logical entailment and sensation. However, the knowledge that one empirically deduces from experience, Locke claimed that due to our sensory limitations there are complex objects in the world whose essence will remain unperceivable. It is probable that they exist however empirically impossible to prove. He takes this concept of an objects unperceivable essence from Aristotles concept of substance. Berkley picks up on this notion and cunningly points out that declaring the existence of the unperceivable, strictly conflicts empirical rules. We now move the focus of the essay to Berkley and how from Lockes doctrines he develops his own. What Berkley counters in Lockes theory is: to what extent do objects or matter in general have the ability to cause these proclaimed ideas; and if these objects actually have independent qualities that can excite our perception of them. How can it be known, that the things that are perceived, are conformable to those that are not perceived, or exist without the mind? (A. C. Graylingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦p.509) Berkley uses Lockes and Descartes theories and rules concerning dualism and is able to demonstrate its flaws. For dualism to function it has to abide to three rules: 1. Material events have to cause neural brain events. 2. In order to have knowledge, ideas in the mind have to be represented by these material events that caused them. 3. Ideas in the mind consequently have to cause neural changes. Berkleys idealism is an outcome of proving that these three dualistic rules are in fact incoherent. It is bizarre, Berkley claimed, how there is a relationship between immaterial ideas that do not abide to physical laws and material objects in space. How can my immaterial idea of a beer take after its material conception of a beer. I cannot drink my idea of a beer. There is a flaw in dualism that isnt able to account for the transition between space and non-space. We are unable to think of any mind-independent properties; all properties that we are aware of exist in our minds. Therefore, since the only thing we can, with certainty, claim that we experience is our perceptions. It is thus irresponsible to claim that there is anything else but our own perceptions. Thus there are no primary qualities of objects/matter, everything is secondary, and everything is in the mind. Berkley has therefore destroyed Lockes distinction between primary and secondary qualities and due to his failed definition of primary qualities, Locke was judged as a contradicting empiricist. Now that dualism has been scratched out, either Berkley adopts a purely material view of the world or a purely immaterial one. Descartes proved, and Berkley agrees, that there has to be a mind I think therefore I am(R. Descartes, 1644, part 1, article 7) Berkleys dogmatic idealism was thus born. What we experience is in fact experience itself and in order to exist one has to be perceived. Having no matter means that in order for something or someone to exist, there has to be a mind to conceive of its existence. It is at this point that Berkleys doctrine becomes a theological one. He attempted to disprove matter because he viewed it as an atheistic doctrine. If matter exists, it is to say that it has a nature of its own, independent of God. His doctrine entails that we communicate with God through our experiences and that experience is Gods language and science and mathematics its grammar. God is the infinite mind that coordinates all of our finite minds. From a macro point of view and as far as research indicates: Berkleys immaterialism is a doctrine that was constructed on top of the building blocks that Descartes created. If we reject the Cartesian super-premise on which his project is groundedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦his views are not so resilient (A. C. Grayling, p. 516) Berkleys foundationalism was to disprove matter in order to remove scepticism and atheism, thus glorifying theology. The loophole in dualism and Descartes super-premise allowed him (in a very intellectual manner) to succeed in his aimed philosophical foundation. However, what if there is no such thing as an immaterial mind? The two main jointly agreed facts that the three philosophers agree on were: we posses an immaterial mind, independent of space; and that God is responsible for this immaterial mind. What if the super-premise to whom three philosophers dedicated their entire lifes work is false? If we reject the idea of an immaterial mind and substitute it with the idea of a mechanical intelligent body, the simple notion of matter is reborn. Lockes epistemology is once again viewed as valid, however not from the perspective of the mind but from the perspective of a material complex brain. Materialism does not rule out the existence of a God, it doesnt have to be viewed as atheistic. It however makes us finite beings whose laws of reality are Newtonian. For Descartes an infinite substance requires nothing but itself in order to exist. This brings us to my favourite and final philosopher: Spinoza. Spinoza like Descartes was a rationalist. However, unlike Descartes, he combined God with metaphysics and was able to supply a material solution to the mind/body problem. He claimed that Whatsoever is, is God, and without God nothing can be, or be conceived.(Ethics pt.1, prop15) In other words if God is infinite, there isnt anything that isnt God. For Spinoza a dependent substance cant exist, there is only one substance that can in fact be independent and that is the whole. God and Nature therefore are the same substance, and this substance is both material and spiritual. His theory on the surface might seem too poetic and similar to eastern philosophies; it however is a plausible and analytical metaphysical doctrine. He believed that mental and physical effects didnt cause each other, they happened in parallel; and God linked these paralle l chains of events. To conclude,

The Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Es

The Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Introduction ============ For my module computing I have to find research and produce detailed report on freedom of information and the need for security. The information commissioner’s office enforces and oversees the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I need to read and understand knowledge respecting private lives of individuals and encourage the openness and accountability of public authorities. In the report my aims and objectives will be to cover the following aspects: - What is Data Protection Act 1998 and identify and describe 8 principles. - What is the Freedom Information Act 2000 and how does it build on the Data Protection Act - Privacy and Electronic Communication (EC Directive) Regulation 2003 came into force 11th December 2003. The Information Commissioner’s office mission how does he intend the directive to operate to work in UK. The completion of the report needs to be produced and handed in by Friday 30th April 2004. Executive Summary In this report It will cover all aspects of freedom if information and the need of security covering the Data Protection Act 1998 and the eight essential principles. By promoting good information handling practice and enforcing data protection and freedom legislation and by seeking the influences national and international thinking on privacy of information on medical records. Analysis 1.0 What is Data Protection Act (1998), 8 essential principles? Data is facts of any kind, whether in number or verbal form. Although this is the correct explanation business people are inclined to use the terms to mean numerate information only. Data refers to facts and figures in their raw state, which have still to be processed. If you carry out a survey to count the number of cars and vans which pass your house each day, the number you write down are the data. Every computer should be aware of the Data Protection Act. Every individual on a computer should register with Data Protection Registrar. It is a criminal offence not to register and ignorance of the law is no defence. Once registered, data users must comply with the eight principles of the Data Protection Act (see below 1.1, Page 7). The Data Protection Act, organisations which hold such information have to register with Data Protection and have to agre... ...issioners office ‘What the regulation covers’ www.iformationcommissioner.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=94 26/04/2004 Page 1-2 [10] David Baumer, Privacy of Medical Records: it Implications of HIPAA,2000,40-47, 19/4/2004 11 Anthony Browne, The observer, ‘Lives ruined as NHS leaks patients notes’ Sunday June 25 2000, 19/4/2004 [12] Nigel Hawkes, Times online ‘Patient records go on database’ July 21 2003, www.timesonline.co.uk/printfriendly/0,,1-2-751992-2,00.html 19/04/2004 [13] ‘Subject Access and Medical records: fees for access’ Data Protection Act 1998, Compliance advice, 19/4/2004 www.informationcommissionersoffice.co.uk [14] Consumers Advice to safeguard your medical records, www.epic.org/privacy/medical/EPIC_principles.txt 19/04/2004 [15] Thomas C.Rindfleisch, ‘Privacy, information Technology, and Health Care’, August 1997/Vol. 40, No.8, www.artn.nwu.edu/ 19/04/2004 [16] Computer Security Group, Personal Medical Information, Security, Engineering and Ethics, 1995 -99, www.cl.cam.ac.uk/Research/Security/book-j/pmi96.html 19/04/2004 [17] Andrew Wall, The nursing Specialist Group ‘Private worries: public concerns’, March 1997 www.bcsnsg.org.uk/inftouch/vol3/wall.html 19/04/2004

Essay --

Hopelessness is an intense emotion every person feels at one point in their life, a feeling closely interlinked with depression and suicide. In the poems â€Å"It was not Death, for I stood up,† and â€Å"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,† by Emily Dickinson and â€Å"No worst, there is none. Pitched past pitch of grief,† by Gerard Manley Hopkins, the theme of the poems is hopelessness, but the authors approach the theme differently in each poem. In the poem, â€Å"It was not Death, for I stood up,† Dickinson uses words to describe the sense of hopelessness she feels as she tries to pinpoint the source of her anguish. In the first two stanzas, she uses specific sensory details to convey her chaotic feelings to tell the reader what her condition cannot be. A repetition of â€Å"it was not† (1) is then followed by a reason of why she eliminated the possibility, using the senses of sound or touch. She merges together the conditions she had eradicated and through her chaotic state, her thoughts turn toward funerals. This causes her to think about her death and her current state of mind. She feels her â€Å"life were shaven† (13), so that the only emotions left were despair and terror with the feeling of hope lost. She also â€Å"could not breathe without a key† (15); terror does not directly affect a person’s breathing, but it sometimes causes a person to feel as if he were suffocating, unable t o breathe. Her â€Å"key† that she needs is to understand what she is feeling, but she cannot figure it out (15). The last stanza in the poem expresses an overwhelming feeling of bleakness, there is no opportunity for rescue, â€Å"like Chaos— Stopless— †¦ / Without a Chance†¦ / Or even a Report of Land—† (21-23). In the last line, there is a paradox, that since there was no possibility of hop... ...er already confused and chaotic mind, her thought process leads her to thinking about death and hopelessness of being healed. Hopkins’s poem starts out differently, with him thinking that there was nothing that could be worse than what he was going through, but in the process of searching for relief, he discovers there is no relief with death. His poem comes to the same conclusion as Dickinson’s, the hopelessness of having no cure to save them. The ending to Dickinson’s second poem is similar to this that after her descent into insanity, there is no hope for her of ever going back to reality. In these three poems, imagery plays a large part with helping the author describe their thoughts and situations, which increases the feeling the reader has because it seems more lifelike. The three poems begin at various places, but end with the revolving theme of hopelessness.

Child marriage Essay

Throughout the world, marriage is considered to be a happy moment in everyone’s life and is a moment of celebration but sadly, the practice of child marriage gives no such reason for celebration. Many young boys and girls get married before they can reach the age of 18. This shocking act takes place for a number of reasons. In order to get benefitted socially, physically and to decrease financial burdens, many parents and families throughout the world, promote the marriage of their young sons and daughters. Throughout the years, we have seen that child marriage targets more girls than boys. Boys are affected as well but in totality, the number of victims and the intensity of their sufferings are way higher for girls. After their marriage, girls live an exclusive life where they do not receive any kind of education, they are forced for performing huge amounts of household works, are impregnated without their approval and are forced to take the big responsibility of raising and taking care of a child when they themselves are not mature enough and are still kids. What problems can child marriage lead to? Read more:  Child Marriages Essay Child marriage is caused when two young or one young and one adult individuals are forced into the institution of marriage without their consent. According to researches by PBS, â€Å"Although the definition of child marriage includes boys, most children married under the age of 18 years are girls.† The kid or kids getting married are totally unaware of its significance and consequences it can lead to in future years. Usually when a child, commonly girl, is married and brought into the husband’s family in such a young age, they think they can design and built up her personality into anything and everything they want her to be. The girl child is then forced into various activities which harms her both physically and mentally. (PBS, II). Health problems After getting married, the girl child is then pressurized by her new family to do things that she doesn’t want to. She is forced by her husband to get into sexual activities and to have kids soon after. As she is not mentally prepared and physically mature, she faces various complications and health issues in the future and sometimes it also leads to death. The connection  between the maternal death and the age of the mother is very strong as the child bride is highly likely to get pregnant in a little while after her marriage causing their pregnancy to be premature. According to the digest by UNICEF, â€Å"Girls ages 10-14 are five times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than women aged 20-24. Girls ages 15-19 are twice as likely to die.† Such young mothers also face a very high chance of getting into complications such as heavy bleeding, various infections, diseases like anemia etc. which can lead to death. As first time mothers, girls also face a high r isk of a disease called Obstructed Fistula, which is lead by obstructed labor. Obstructed labor is when a it is hard for a mother to give birth to a child and push it out of her body. This causes great pain and ofter results in death of the mother. According to PBS, â€Å"There are approximately 2 million girls living with fistula, and 100,000 new cases every year.† Girls suffering from this disease are usually neglected by their husbands and kept away from the society. There is this myth, according to which a lot of people around the world think that by marrying the child early, they can reduce the chances of their kid getting HIV aids but the opposite is true. Married girls are more likely to get HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases compared to the ones who aren’t married. This is mostly because they are not enough educated about sex, its consequences and the use of contraceptive and if by any chance they are aware about this, they are not able to obtain the sa me as because of limited autonomy or freedom of movement. They are also abused by their family, which is a form of domestic violence, and this makes them mentally ill leading to depression.(UNICEF). Domestic violence There is a very close relation between child marriage and Domestic violence. Most of the cases about domestic violence are of people who were married early ore were married forcefully. According to studies, â€Å"Girl child is usually married by a man who is much more older than her† thus proving that her in laws and husband is much more stronger than her and she possesses less control. Sometimes the young bride thinks that it is justified that she s getting beaten up by her husband as she is too young to differentiate between right and wrong. Studies by UNICEF say that, â€Å"women who marry early are more likely to be beaten or threatened, and more likely to believe that  husbands might sometimes be justified in beating his wife.† Also in Kenya, 36 percent of girls married before 18 believe that a man is sometimes justified in beating his wife, compared to 20 percent of married women .Girls who get proper education and are married later take more mature decisions an d raise their voices against such abuses. According to research by ICRW, â€Å"Girls who were married before 18 were twice as likely to report being beaten, slapped or threatened by their husbands as girls who married later. They were three times as likely to report being forced to have sex without their consent in the previous six months.† This indicates how girls have less power compared to the men in such kind of marriage. Girls who get into the institution of marriage after the age of 18 are much more knowledgeable compared to the young ones and they have a health husband-wife relationship as they use contraceptives and contains the strength to go and talk to their husbands about the future and their likes and dislikes. This creates a better understanding between them making them have a happy life ahead. While on the other hand, the child bride is like a puppet for their husbands as they can use them whenever they want and the child bride is too shy to go and talk to him about her life and her needs. (ICRW). What are the socio-cultural and economic reasons that lead to child marriage? There are a lot of reasons that lead to Child marriage. An integration of various cultural, regional, economical, social and religious causes makes up the roots of this act. Poverty Poverty is considered to be one of the most basic reasons for a girl getting married off in an early age. According to a fact sheet released by UNFPA, â€Å"The practice of child marriage has decreased globally over the last 30 years, it remains common in rural areas and among the poor.† There are a number of poor men who are not able to feed and run their family well. In order to feed their other children, clear debts or in exchange of some money, they decide to marry off their child, usually a girl to a man who is way older than her hoping for a better future. Such a decision just makes the life of the girl child difficult like hell and satisfies the needs of the bride’s family just for a short term but in no way helps anyone have a well settled life. (McGluain). Protection of Family’s honor Some parents and families also think that it is a good way to save their family’s honor by marrying their girl child in an early age. There are various cultures where there is a belief that if a girl loses her virginity before she marries someone, then it is very shameful for the family and thus spoils its reputation and honor. Therefore by marrying a girl in an early age presume the girl’s sexuality and that she is being married as a virgin protecting the family’s honor. This is very discouraging for the girls as by imposing family’s respect and honor on them; there family doubts her nature and this harms her self-respect and dignity. Girls are also expected to marry older man as they are more knowledgeable and sensible and can take care of the girl child as a parent but this is not the truth for almost all the cases in fact the opposite happens breaking the girl’s morals and leading her into depression.(UNFPA). Discrimination based on gender Another main reason for child marriage is discrimination based on gender. In various cultures and society, people regard girls as the week ones or the one who holds less or no power and devaluates and discriminates against them. According to a research by UNICEF, â€Å"often manifests itself in the form of domestic violence, marital rape, and deprivation of food, lack of access to information, education, healthcare, and general impediments to mobility.† In many cases of child marriage, the family gives the child bride less value and restricts her from doing things she want. The child is usually not enough educated to fight for her rights so she stays quiet and takes goes through the troubles her husband and in laws put her through. They are also disrespected by the society if they do a small mistake. They are not able to live a normal life and are forced into various unacceptable activities. They are also beaten up by their husbands and they use the girl the way they want. Thi s way either the girl ends up being destroyed mentally or sometime even dying. (UNICEF). Violation of laws In various countries there are various laws which restrict child marriage and are against them for example Pakistan and India. Even though such laws exist, the constitutions of these countries don’t take any strict actions if people violate them. The legal age for marriage in India is 18 years for girls and 21 for boys. Under the Child Marriage Prevention Act, 1929, any marriage before these ages is banned. Despite in presence of such laws, a huge number of child marriages take place everywhere and no one tries to stop it. According to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) â€Å"100 million girls will be married before the age of 18 in the coming decade.†(ICRW). What are the similarities and dissimilarities between present day child marriage and the ones in the past? There is not much difference between present day child marriage and the one that took place years back. People follow the footsteps of their ancestors and blindly believe them. In the past, people were married off early as they were unaware about the fact that it is a harmful practice and causes various problems. Year after year, as the time passed, people followed the same rules without changing or checking whether it is legit or not. In some places, people got educated and they studied about it. They understood about its good and bad points and on based on that they started changing the rules. Still in various parts of the world, there exists a lot of places where people, mainly the girls, are being married at a really young age. This is happening as these places are very backwards and lack education. According to UNFPA, â€Å" more than 100 million young girls will be marrie d off in the next decade†. (UNFPA). How does child marriage differ in different parts of world? Child Marriage is common in various places throughout the globe and is much more common with girls than boys. According to a survey by UNICEF, â€Å"One of every seven girls gets married before they turn fifteen and one of every three girls gets married under age, that is before they turn eighteen. The Highest rate of child marriage is in West Africa. It is followed by southern Asia, the Middle East and then the Latin America. The condition of some countries are so poor that they more than a half of the under aged female population f the country are married or are about to get married. According to UNFPA fact sheet, â€Å"76 percent of girls in Nigeria , 74 per cent of girls in Democratic Republic of Congo, 54 per cent of girls in Afghanistan , 50 per cent of girls in India and 51 per cent of girls in Bangladesh are married under age, that is before turning 18.† These countries lack  education and schools in rural areas so the most of the crowd is illiterate and are also la gging economically. Hence, it is proved that poverty and education is inversely proportional. There are customs in India which allow people to give away the kids on the auspicious day and event of ‘Akha Teej’. Families use this to get money and property. A lot of kids under the age of 10 are involved in it and some are toddlers of age 3 or 4. When it comes to Nigeria, studies by UNICEF shows that â€Å"44 percent of 20-24 year old women in Niger were married under the age of 15†. These people follow the idiosyncratic and traditional laws setup by their ancestors. Even in Bangladesh, girls are married as soon as they hit puberty just to save their family’s honor and to release financial burdens form the parents. As education increases, people get aware of the problems caused by such acts and they emphasize on learning which in return makes them prosperous and ensures a secure life ahead. Studies also shows that countries in East Asia like Taiwan, South Kore a, Japan etc. have almost removed the tradition of child marriage their prosperity is increasing rapidly day by day. These places are characterized by economic growth, opportunities, declines in death and birth rates, Increase in employment and educational options for girls etc. (UNICEF). How can it affect the lives of the future generations? One of the most essential and basic reasons because of which child marriage still exists is education. Studies have shown the important role that education plays in child marriage. Research by UNICEF shows that â€Å"the more education a girl receives, the less likely she is to be married as a child. Improving access to education and eliminating gender gaps in education are therefore important strategies for ending the practice of child marriage.† It is clear that if more and more girls will be educated, the will be more aware about the things going on around them and can have the power to stand for themselves and judge between right and wrong. (UNFPA). To conclude, child marriage is generally seen as one of the easiest ways established by poor to lower middle class families to make their and their child’s future safe but in almost all the cases, it is not true. It only  secures the family from poverty for a short time period but destroys the life of the girl child forever. With the marriage comes various issues and problems which the young brides go through and in most of the cases they end up dying as they are not strong enough mentally or physically to go through such pain. It also affects the future generations. The babies born to girls under 16 years of age are more likely to die during their first year of life and if they survive, they aren’t healthy like a child who is born from a 20 year old woman, and goes through various deformities in future. As the girls are being married in an early age, they are not able to get educated and this makes a big difference. Works Cited â€Å"Childinfo.org: Statistics by Area – Child Marriage – The Challenge.† Childinfo.org: Statistics by Area – Child Marriage – The Challenge. Web. 13 May 2013. â€Å"Child Marriage.† Forward. Web. 13 May 2013. Child Marriage â€Å"Child Marriage Factsheet: State of World Population 2005 – UNFPA.† Child Marriage Factsheet: State of World Population 2005 – UNFPA.Web. 14 May 2013. . â€Å"Child Marriage a Cultural Problem, Educational Access a Race Issue? Deconstructing Uni-Dimensional Understanding of Romani Oppression.† – ERRC.org. Web. 13 May 2013. â€Å"Child Marriage: Facts, Causes and Consequences.†Child Marriage-Facts Causes and consequences.Web. 13 May 2013. â€Å"Early Teen Marriage and Future Poverty.† Early Teen Marriage and Future Poverty. Web. 13 May 2013. â€Å"Early marriage, a harmful traditional practice†Early marriage. 13 May 2013. Web. McLaughlin, John. â€Å"Medieval child marriage:abuse or wardship?†Untitled Document. Web. 13 May 2013. â€Å"Marriage, Child Spouses.† Early marriage, child Spouses. Web. 13 May 2013 â€Å"Preventing Child Marriages: First International Day of the Girl Child â€Å"My Life, My Right, End Child Marriage†.† Reproductive Health. Web. 13 May 2013.

Building Technology Sba

Building Technology School Based Assessment Name: Kevan Taylor Subject: Building Technology School: Meadowbrook High School Centre Number: 100075 Territory: Jamaica Topic: Concrete Production Year of Exam: 2011 Introduction This research focuses on the production of concrete at a concrete producing factory, Pre-Mix Jamaica, located in the corporate area of Kingston and St. Andrew. The aim of this research was to get a substantial and in depth analyses of the concrete producing company so that a report can be presented.In the report, definitions, descriptions and explanations will be given on the contents presented and also, the details of the aggregates used and the tests done to ensure acceptable quality of the products ; this will be outlined with the aid of pictures and diagrams. The data was collected by visiting the production site where an analysis was done after interviewing managers, specialists and other officers and personnel on the ground. Cameras were used to take photos of critical areas of production and testing. Table of Contents Topics Page ? Jamaica Pre-Mix Ltd. †¢ Careers †¢ Norms/regulations/codes Impact of technology on careers †¢ Employment/Unemployment †¢ Security or Processing †¢ Environmental ? How Moral and ethical issues are addressed †¢ Legal policies on safety, health and welfare †¢ Moral approaches to handling health, †¢ safety and welfare issues ? Summary ? Appendices Jamaica Pre-Mix Ltd. Careers As with any other organization, Jamaica Pre-Mix Ltd. has workers of several different career fields in each of their departments. Through the employment of these various professionals and skilled workers the company is able to adequately function and achieve its objective. In fig. 1. a sample of the various skilled areas and career/posts are shown. |Careers | | | | |Site Managers |Quality Controller | |Drivers |Office staff | |Pump Operators |Security personnel | |Supervisors |Maintenance | |Batchers |personnel |Table outlining the career fields present a Jamaica Pre-Mix Ltd. Fig 1. 1 Norms/Regulations/Codes For any organization to function properly there must be regulations and codes to guide its operations. Every organization also has a culture, norms and values that it develops overtime. Outlined below are norms that were observed as well as some of the codes and regulations, that governs the operations of Jamaica Premix Ltd. Codes- †¢ The workers in the production department wear vests of different colours. This is done as a means of identification. Workers |Colour Codes | | | | |Supervisors |Red | |Driver |Green | |Pump Operators |Orange |Table outlining the colour codes of the workers Fig 1. 0 †¢ While some of the workers wear vests, others wear formal clothes on which the logo of the company is attached. Norms/Regulations- †¢ While on the plant, it is ensured that safety precautions is taken, such as wearing safety gears. Some of the safety gears worn ar e goggles, hard hats, gloves ,hard boots and dusks masks. Pictures of some of the safety gears used on the plant Fig1. 2 †¢ Before each batch of concrete is dispatched to its destination, samples are taken and tested.This is done to ensure that the best quality is delivered at all times †¢ Concrete mixing/ delivery trucks and other concrete carrying equipment are weighed before and after they enter and leave the plant in order to ensure that they contain the right amount of concrete desired by costumers ; and also to ensure that their weights are appropriate to traverse the public roads. Impact of Technology on Careers Employment/unemployment Technology has great impacts on jobs and opportunities in organizations on a whole.Through the employment of machines, the need for an intensive labour force is reduced. This will result in reduced labor cost and may subsequently result in reduced production cost. Pre-Mix Jamaica has made much use of technology for its everyday operat ions which has made them less reliant on human labor for certain every day routine tasks. Processing Technology has impacted careers involved with processing in both positive and negative ways. Careers such as quality controlling, batching and maintenance engineering all involved some form of processing.Positives- †¢ Tasks are able to be carried out more efficiently and in a logical manner, for instance, one mixing truck can mix much more concrete than several laborers mixing manually. Negatives- †¢ The application of technology to processing can result in loss of jobs for unskilled workers †¢ It can also make us overly dependent on machines such that we loose our craftsmanship. †¢ Technology is antisocial and thus can promote this at the workplace. Environmental Careers relating to the environment are very important and they also are greatly impacted by technology.Pre-Mix Jamaica is located in a built up area where there are institutions such as schools and othe r business close by. Hence Pre-Mix has the responsibility to be as environmentally friendly as possible, especially because their production of concrete produces a lot of pollutants. In mitigating against this problem, the supervisors at the complex ensure that the compound is watered regularly using water trucks. Methods of addressing Ethical and Moral Considerations Legal policies on safety, health and welfareAt any established organization, the safety health and welfare of the staff must be considered. In other words, policies have to be put in place to ensure that the staff rights are observed and respected. Companies such as Pre-Mix Jamaica Ltd. adhere to guidelines or regulations that are enforced by trade unions such as the National Workers Union. Some of the policies at the Pre-Mix Jamaica Ltd. involve; †¢ Providing health covering arrangements such health insurance through the company for the benefit of the staff and their familiesMoral approaches to handling health, s afety and wealthfare issues As welfare issues are encountered in our day to day lives whether at home or at a plant, moral approaches have to be made concerning how they are handled. Pre-Mix Jamaica Ltd. ensures that they make responsible approaches in handling these matters as they are mostly dealt with by persons in authority such as their managers or their human relations officers. †¢ Before entering the plant, visitors are briefed on the rules and regulations concerning their safety while on the plant. Personnel from the Ministry of Health visit the plant to make sure the immediate surrounding contains uncontrolled toxic elements that could threaten the life of anyone. †¢ Vehicles are made available so that that if anyone on the plant should have an accident, reliable transportation Summary Major Findings ? Jamaica Pre-Mix Limited is the only fully computerized concrete plant on the island of Jamaica ? The have maintained a high standard of being the islands top produc er of concrete. ? The company is a ready mix organization, meaning they manufacture in a batching plant according to a set recipe, then deliver to construction sites.Recommendations ? It is recommended that enough protective gears are available to visitors on the site for future use. ? It is also recommended that the organization is given advanced notice for research visitors so that they can be well prepared. Limitations ? The length of time of the visit was too short; hence it limited the amount of knowledge that could be gained. ? Not all departments were visited at the company; therefore a lot of useful information was unfortunately not received. Appendices Fig1. 3 Figure 1. depicts concrete being batched into a mixing truck from one of the silos. The Aggregates will then be mixed into the truck so that the concrete may be suitable for use. Fig1. 4 Figure 1. 4 shows samples of concrete placed into moulds. After they are hardened, they are demoulded then placed into a curing tank for seven days. Their strength is then tested by compressing them with machines. Fig1. 5 In Figure 1. 5, there is a heavy duty machine seen on the plant. It is used to get large quantity of materials such as gravel from one point to another. [pic]

Advertising Through Social Media Essay

In today’s business world, social media is being discussed on a daily basis. This phenomenon has taken over the marketing and advertising industries and has changed the way they handle their efforts to attract customers. There is a big misunderstanding that social media are only popular networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, but as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, social media are â€Å"forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking and micro blogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos). The rise of these online communities has given companies an opportunity to engage in conversations with their customers. This in turn has allowed them to better understand what people are looking for, and tailor both their products as well as their marketing efforts accordingly. One of the main advantages that social media has brought to businesses is the opportunity to advertise their products through this media. As a result, advertising through social media has proven to be more effective than that through traditional media outlets such as radio, television, magazines, newspapers etc. As stated by Stephen and Galak in their article The complimentary Roles of Traditional and Social Media in driving Marketing Performance, â€Å"Social media is a relatively new form of publicity, and yet the impact of more traditional forms of publicity on marketing outcomes has received disproportionately less attention†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. #? ). Although Social media is a relatively new way of advertising, companies are finding it to be more lucrative and successful in driving sales than any other media. In this paper I will examine (i) the financial impact that advertising through social media has on companies,(ii) the targeted demographics for this type of advertising and (iii) consumers’ response to this phenomenon, whether it is positive or negative. Financial Impact of Advertising through Social Media As previously mentioned, businesses are moving away from traditional sources of advertising to more innovative ways that have proven to be more effective. Using the apparel industry as an example, companies are experiencing increased traffic to their websites thanks to their social media ads. They are taking advantage of these sites to further relationships with their customers: â€Å"Apparel brands and retailers that have invested time and resources into crafting a progressive social media strategy have been able to use the medium to further customer loyalty, raise brand awareness, spread advertising messages, create online communities, communicate directly with customers, and in many cases, drive sales† (â€Å"Apparel Industry† 1). Apparel retailers are only one example of an industry that has taken advantage of the reach that social media has. Research conducted by Swedish economists Dahlen and Colliander, on the effectiveness of blogs versus online magazines proves that blogs â€Å"generated higher brand attitudes and purchase intentions† than magazines did (pg. #? ). Their experiment was based on posting the same exact text on seven different blogs as well as seven different online magazines and testing their effectiveness in a scale of consumer response and purchases. The fact that blogs were proven more effective proves that even online traditional ads have lost their power. It is not a matter of posting an ad online, but rather building a sense of trust in costumers’ minds that will drive them to purchase form you. Customers today are faced with more options than ever before, that is why companies strive to maintain close relationships, to make it that much harder for customers to switch to another competitor. Social Media however is not only used to introduce a new product or advertise an existing one, it has also helped companies to regain their reputation after a scandal. After Toyota had to face their decline in sales because of the safety recalls, the company used a combination of Facebook pages and videos on YouTube to promote a â€Å"cool† couple that despite other’s beliefs drove Sienna cars and felt better than anyone else. The combination of these social networking efforts resulted in approximately 2,000 Facebook fans and 15,000 views on YouTube. Within a couple of weeks Toyota experienced an increase in sales, especially in their Sienna model (Taylor, 258). Toyota is a clear example of a company facing both a financial and reputation crisis that with the help of social media was able to regain some of their lost sales as well as their trust amongst its costumers. Clearly social media can have a direct impact on consumer purchasing patterns, and it has increased the amount of online shopping for several companies. Authors Chung and Austria examine in their article Social Media  Gratification and Attitude towards Social Media marketing Messages, the effect that this phenomenon has had on online shopping value: â€Å"According to the â€Å"2010 Social Media Report† from ForeSee results, 69% of online shoppers use social media. Fifty-six percent of shoppers indicate that they visit e-retail websites on a social networking site and that website visiting affects consumer purchase intention† (? ). Costumers find it convenient to visit a company’s Website after seeing an ad in any popular social networking site. It requires minimal effort form the customer and it signifies an important portion of sales to a company. However, Social Media has not only had a positive financial impact on a company, but as it rapidly grows it has now also become a cost for many businesses. Chung and Austria argue how marketers have noticed the increased importance of social media on the marketing mix (product, place, promotion and price). Companies are now opening jobs that focus exclusively on social media. This is an increased labor cost as well as an extra effort for the marketing department, however its proven effectiveness in driving sales outweighs the cost of implementing this department. Targeted Demographics The essence of Social Media is how it’s easily accessible to everyone, thanks to the Internet. It is a 24-hour business that runs in every part of the world. Although many professionals in the field have argued its acceptance and effectiveness, many could not help but notice that there is an age and demographic aspect of it. Not every potential costumer has access to the Internet as well as not all customers feel comfortable purchasing things online. Social Media is targeted to those generations who were born with technologies like this, and are comfortable using them. There are conflicting opinions in this matter, authors Stephen and Galak argue that social media has grown to be widely accepted amongst many age groups: â€Å"Furthermore, while social media was once the domain of younger, tech- savvy consumers who were faster to adopt new technologies, it is now generally considered to have entered the mainstream and covers a broad demographic spectrum with 75% of Internet-using adults in the United States using such social media† (? ). They argue that it is a mistake to believe that only tech avy customers would be influenced by social media, since now more than ever anyone with access to a computer has found it inevitable to come across advertising in popular networking sites. However in their article Friends, Fans and Followers: Do Ads work on Social Networks, authors Taylor et al. argue that â€Å"age and gender shape receptivity† (? ). They state: â€Å"As more advertisers integrate SNA [social networking ads] into their promotional mix, the need for these questions to be answered becomes apparent. Particularly with members of the 18- to 34-year-old demographic, whose digital-video recorder usage and aversion to print media make them an increasingly elusive target, SNA can be a highly effective channel of engagement† (? ). The effectiveness of an ad is not only based on where it is posted but also on who is looking at it. Companies have to pay attention to where they post their advertising based on aspects such as age, gender, location, etc. An ad for dentures that appears on an 18 year old kid’s Facebook page will most definitely not be as effective as an ad for a popular apparel brand. Although there might be certain demographics that affect the effectiveness of advertising through social media, it is inevitable to admit that social media users are a lucrative market that companies need to reach: In 2009, Facebook and Twitter both posted triple-digit growth in the number of users (comScore, 2010). Users appear to be spending more time on social networking sites as well, growing from an average of 3 hours per week in December 2008 to more than 5. 5 hours in December 2010 (Nielsenwire, 2010). To tap this growing market, advertisers spent an estimated $1. billion on SNA [social networking ads] in 2009, with totals for 2010 expected to grow by more than 7 percent (Williamson, 2009). During a single month in 2009, SNA accounted for nearly 69 billion advertising impressions, with 129. 6 million unique users (comScore, 2009). (Taylor, 260) Facebook and Twitter are only a few of the most popular networking sites, and these numbers reflect only the results from these two sites. If all social media outlets would be taken into account the market is even bigger, with more customers to reach. Consumer Response In addition to all the good things that have been attributed to advertising through social media, studies have shown that there is a percentage of customers who have stopped using social media in part because of the amount of advertising that fills these sites. It is impossible to open a popular social media site such as YouTube or Facebook and not feel bombarded by advertising. Most of these ads are trying to sell consumer products, but there is also an increase in the selling of services or the advertisement of not for profit organizations that are looking for support. Marketers have argued that as much as advertising through social media is effective, there is a fine line between effectiveness and annoyance: â€Å"according to one industry-sponsored study, only 22 percent of consumers had a positive attitude toward social media advertising—and 8 percent of consumers studied had abandoned an SNS [social networking site] because of what they perceived as excessive advertising (AdReaction, 2010)† (Taylor, 258). As costumers we all feel constantly approached by companies through their advertisements. It is not only online, but on a daily basis you will encounter companies’ marketing efforts all around. The initial intention behind social networking sites was giving people a chance to build online communities and share content with each other. However this has dramatically changed since now it is impossible not to feel attacked by all the ads. Another growing concern in the minds of consumers is privacy issues. The ads that appear on your personal Facebook page are carefully chosen by a system based on your age, gender, location and past â€Å"click-ons†. These ads are perfectly tailored to those targeted consumers to be more effective. However, having your information available to everyone and anyone is becoming an important issue for social network users. Brad Stone, columnist for the New York Times quotes: â€Å"‘When it works, it’s amazingly impactful, but when it doesn’t work, it’s not only creepy but off-putting,’ said Tim Hanlon, a principal at the consulting firm Riverview Lane Associates of Chicago. ‘What a marketer might think is endearing, by knowing a little bit about you, actually crosses the line pretty easily’† (? . It’s one thing to come across ads that are targeted to everyone and might or might not have an impact on you, but when you see something that looks like it is talking directly to you, it might have a negative impact. The increase in sales through the use of social media has also been attributed to the fact that customers feel like they are engaging in a conversation with other customers when they receive recommendations through social networking sites. Colliander and Dahlen quote: â€Å"In a 2009 article, The Economist reported that contemporary consumers use social media to help make purchases because they rely on â€Å"recommendations from friends† (The Economist, 2009). The word â€Å"friends† seems to indicate some sort of PSI. Are bloggers really friends, however? † Para-social interaction (PSI) refers to the illusion of a face-to-face relationship that is created online. Social media allows these kind of interactions. When reading a blog you might come across a recommendation of where to purchase certain products. These recommendations seem to come from a friend, since in blogs you will most often find the blogger’s name and other credentials. The question is however, are these people really bloggers? Or are they employees of that same company that are using social media to reach potential customers. Are they hiding behind another customer’s face? It is undeniable that people have begun to generate a negative response to advertising through social media for this exact reason. It has lost the essence of being an online community, to being another source through which companies look to improve their sales digits. Looking at all the aspects that deal with advertising through social media, I can’t help but ask myself a question: How much advertising is too much? When will that thin line between annoyance and effectiveness be crossed, and consumers will find themselves walking away from these online communities? Consumers have clearly manifested their discontent towards companies taking over their social network sites. It is an increased concern that information is available for everyone and anyone, and therefore consumers are more apprehensive to sharing their credentials as well as their thoughts online. Should companies start thinking of the effect that their excessive ads will have, and the negative response they might get. I personally believe that ads are unavoidable, however there is a need for stronger rights that protect customer privacy. Companies should not only make an effort to get to know their costumers by engaging in online conversations, but they should also respect the privacy of consumers’ information and refrain from over-advertising in popular social media sites.