Debate notes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Debate notes - Essay Example Under a business oriented pay-for-play system in which performance is not only expected, but required for payment, such practices would undoubtedly cease. Student-athletes would also be forced to deal with the overwhelming business concerns that come with a professional system. Student-athletes may be placed in a bargaining situation that they could not possibly be expected to fully comprehend. Student-athletes would be forced to employ agents, accountants, and attorneys for assistance.2 Tax Issues. Problems that universities have avoided by preserving amateurism would begin to haunt them under pay-for-play. As one commentator has noted, a costly problem universities would face under pay-for-play would be the loss of their tax exempt status for income derived from athletics.3 Currently, universities pay no federal tax on tuition or other payments attributable to educational activities.4 Like other tax-exempt institutions, universities are taxed only on "unrelated business taxable income."5Unrelated business taxable income is income from a trade or business that is regularly carried on, but is not "substantially related" to the institution's primary purpose.6 The primary purpose of a university is education.7 Currently, college athletics are considered to be substantially related to education. ... mpensated for playing, the IRS most likely could no longer support the idea that athletics are rationally related to education and would tax the earnings derived from such events. This loss of profits due to taxation would significantly lower college revenues and would likely result in less popular sports being discontinued due to lack of funding, as well as the possibility of limiting funds for athlete services such as scholarships, financial aid, and tutoring. Athletes as Employees: Labor Law Issue. A pay-for-play system could also open a Pandora's box for employment claims, including salaries, the right to form unions, and workers' compensation benefits.8 Due to the nature of athletics and the potential for injury, the addition of workers' compensation claims would be especially costly. Student-athletes' entitlement to workers' compensation is generally held to rest upon whether they are "employees" under the applicable workers' compensation law.9 Under the NCAA's current system most courts have held that universities are not liable for injuries suffered by student-athletes under workers' compensation laws10. In support of these holdings the courts have repeatedly pointed to the concept of amateurism.11 These courts reason that because student-athletes are non-compensated amateurs they are not employees and thus are not entitled to workers' compensation.12 If the amateurism policy is abandoned and a pay-for-play system adopted, courts cou ld no longer deny student-athletes workers' compensation benefits because they would be employees. A second justification for paying student-athletes is that they are university employees13. This idea directly conflicts with established principles of amateurism. Consequently, courts are reluctant to alter the dynamics of collegiate

Founding Fathers Essay Example for Free

Founding Fathers Essay In the past century, there has been a growing debate as to the motives of the founders of the republic and as a result the nature of our constitution. While Marxist analysts such as Charles Beard contended that the founders were wealthy elite that ultimately created a conservative document intended to weaken the poor popular majority, other scholars like John Roche believed that the fathers had no such agenda and they were working purely to reconcile states’ interests. Pluralists, such as Hofstadter, believed that the constitutional insistence of checks and balances intended to create a slow political process in which no interest can completely win and oppress other interests over a long period of time. While the scholars, Beard and Roche, make a strong defense of their opposing argument, it appears, based on the constitutional document and historical analysis that Hofstadter provided a more accurate portrayal of the founding fathers and their purpose in framing the various pieces of the Constitution. The men who wrote the constitution came from a particular background of wealthy and politically elite people and as a result one of their main concerns in the newly developing nation was the protection of their property. Under the Articles of Confederation, there was no guaranteed right of property and the economy was becoming a mess as there was no power to keep it controlled. Charles Beard states in his document, â€Å"They were anxious above everything else to safeguard the rights of private property against any leveling tendencies on the part of the propertyless masses.† In a country where the majority rules, the wealthy few became vulnerable to possibility of the poor population taking their belongings. Beard believes evidence of this can be seen throughout the Constitution, such as the Contract and Commerce clause which both limit state powers and allow Congress to regulate trading and property rights. The second piece of evidence is that certain branches of the government, the Senate, President, and Supreme Court, are not directly elected by the people. John P. Roche suggests that the framing of the Constitution was essentially a democratic process involving the unification of the state, political, and  economic interests of the nation. Roche recognizes that the framers were an elite, but he is careful to point out that they were a political elite dedicated for the most part to creating an efficient and at the same time controlled national government that would be able to overcome the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The framers were not an organized few dedicated to particular notions of political or economic beliefs beyond the need to create a national government that would be capable of uniting the disparate interests of the state. When the Constitutionalists decided to challenge the Confederation, they used the methods of political legitimacy. The 3/5 compromise allowed more representation of the lower population in the house of representatives and the bill of rights was formed in order to ensure state rights and c heck the central government. Roche believes the bicameral legislation of the constitution was effective at producing pluralism. Finally, the last theory of what the founding fathers intended for the purpose of the Constitution to be was to create a balanced government that followed the philosophy of checks and balance which derived from the Enlightenment ideals of Montesquieu. In â€Å"The Founding Fathers: An Age of Realism,† Hofstadter argues that the agenda of the founding fathers was not only to ensure the rights of property for the wealthy elite, but also for the poorer masses. â€Å"Most of them would probably have admitted that the rich, unrestrained, would also plunder the poor.† The purpose of the Constitution was to create a government that allowed both the elite and individuals to maintain their rights and opportunities in the nation. The framing made sure to include legislation that aided the wealthy but also pieces that helped represent the larger population. The contract and commerce clauses protected property rights and strengthened the central government, but then the Bill of Rights and the House of Representatives gave power to the states and the poor majority. In addition, while the President can veto bills, Congress has the chance to override the veto with a 2/3 majority. The Senate, representing states, and the House of Representatives provide involvement for the majority in the Constitution, while the President and Supreme Court are chosen by the minority and provide protection for the smaller group of individuals. The founding fathers made  sure to include checks and balances when they developed the Constitution in order to ensure a fair government where one group does not hold the most power. Both Beard and Roche have contrasting views on what the purpose was of the founding fathers in their framing of the Constitution, but both are ultimately flawed as it is wrong to say that their agenda was limited to selfish greed or altruism for the majority. The real agenda, as Hofstadter explains, was to form a balanced government that ensures the basic rights for both the majority and minority, allowing the wealthy and the poor to be represented and protected under the branches of the government and legislation through a system of checks and balances.

Summary: :: essays research papers

SUMMARY: â€Å"Vinnie Ream†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article â€Å"Vinnie Ream,† from the August 2000 issue of Smithsonian Magazine, tells the story of a woman in the 1800’s who was chosen to sculpt statues of prominent Americans, including Abraham Lincoln, despite having little experience. The article gives both an overview of the life of Vinnie Ream and an account of the political battles that arose from her commissions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article opens by talking about how the government had decided to commemorate Civil War hero David Farragut with a statue. While many people expected congress to choose well-known sculptor Horatio Stone for the work, they instead picked a 26-year old woman who had only done one large statue in her life. This episode is used to illustrate how Vinnie Ream caused a great deal of controversy, with a strong split between supporters and detractors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a brief recounting of her childhood leading up to her interest in sculpting, influenced by an artist named Clark Mills, who encouraged and taught Ream. She was then given permission by Abraham Lincoln to do a small statue of him. After he was assassinated, congress decided to pay $10,000 to commission a larger statue of the president. Ream wrote letters and made friends with members of congress in an effort to secure the commission.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This effort led to a ferocious debate both in congress and among the general public. Many were swayed by the girl’s charms and enthusiasm, while others saw her as lacking both experience and talent, claiming that she was being considered only on the basis of her personality. She was eventually chosen for the work, and the statue she made met with the same mixed response.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Having made friends in high places, she later sought the commission for the Farragut statue. With the help of people like William Tecumseh Sherman, she was able to get this prestigious work as well, though many were bothered by the apparent politicking involved.

P&G Grooming Performance

PENETRATION RATE OF MAIN PLAYERS IN B&R MARKET In 2011, the whole B&R market penetration sunk into a sap situation, the penetration of the whole market by itself dropped from 43. 5to 41. 6(%). The penetration rate of P&G in year 2011 decreased by 8. 3% compared with that in 2010, and continued a downside trend by the first quarter of 2012 by 7. 5%. Compared with BIC, who increased 5. 8 % penetration in 2011 followed by a 10. 9% drop by 1st quarter of 2012, ENEGIZER first 1. 8% drop followed by a continuous 9. 8% drop, and other retailed brand which decreased by 9. % followed by another downturn of 9%, P&G in its B&R area did not do well in gaining potential customers during 2011. And looked more precisely in specific products of P&G, as the chart shows below, despite some badly performance products , there are still some products doing well in 2011, for example, the best performance products are PROGLIDE MANUAL and PROGLIDE POWER, which were newly trade-up in 2011 and caught the most new consumers during one year and still promise an increasing trend. G2 also did well in 2011, making an increase of 35 penetration points both in male system and male system blades.Moreover, despite the penetration decrease in male system and male system blades, MACH 3 made an increase of 5 and 33 in penetration points in male razors and disposables respectively. In contrast, FUSION series were all losing power to attract new customers, substantially, FUSION MANUAL dropped 32 penetration points in male system , 27 in male sys blades , and 14 in male razors, what’s worse than that, FUSION POWER lost nearly 40 points in male system, 34 in male sys blades and almost 69 in male razors. CONTOUR also faced a 15-point- decrease, and SENSOR 3 dropped 5 points each in male system and male system blades.Some of the products are losing attractiveness to new customers partly because the trade-up products are replacing their positions in the market, for instance, ever since BLUE 3 march ed into the market, it enjoyed a 8 points’ increase in penetration while BLUE 2 faced a responding decrease of as many as 17 penetration points in the market, therefore for these products staying still may make them sifted out, either upgrade the functions or accelerate the renewal may save those products from continuing losing customers. PENETRATION POINT IN 2011 VS YAG | MALE SYSTEM| MALE SYS BLADES| MALE RAZORS| DISPOSABLES| CONTOUR| -15| | | |G2| 35| 35| | | MACH3| -5| -5| 4| 33| SENSOR3| -16| -16| 1| -7| | | | | | FUSION| -8| -4| -9| | FUSION MANUAL| -32| -27| -14| | FUSION POWER| -40| -34| -69| | PROGLIDE MANUAL| 148| 131| 90| | PROGLIDE POWER| 93| 242| 34| | BLUE2| | | | -17| BLUE3| | | | 8| TOTAL| -7| -5| -9| -8| In 2011, P&G increased 1 point and 4 points respectively in number of purchase act and the average spending per purchase act in B&R& disposables compared with that in 2010, while ENERGIZER did not generate any changes in both measurements and BIC increased 12 points in average spending per purchase act and stayed still in purchase act volume.As we can see from the bar chart above, compared with the year before, P&G male system and male system blades both increased 2 points in number of purchase acts and 3 in average spending per purchase act(among which PROGLIDE did the best: 32 points and 34 points increase of purchase act number in male system and male sys blades, 27 point’ increase and 50 points’ increase of spending per purchase act in male system and male blades system respectively) while male disposables decreased 2 points in purchase act volume(among which G2 decrease the most: 12 points decrease) but increased 3 points spending /act(among which MACH 3 decreased 18 points while SENSOR 3 increased 12 points), and male razors did the worst performance as it dropped 2 points in purchase volume and 5 points in spending/ act, among which FUSION MANUAL did the worst(23 points decrease in spending per purchase act ).

A Different History – Essay

Commentary – A Different History (by Sujata Bhatt) ‘A different history’ by Sujata Bhatt is a poem written about the social and political concern of the lost of cultural identical renouciation of Indian identity. The poet has used sentence pattern, motifs, symbolisms and imagery predominantly in this poem to emphasize the problem of younger generations losing their roots and identities. The poem begins with the use of the motif â€Å"Great Pan† who is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music, and companion of the nymphs. Great Pan† in the poem is a symbolism of the native culture and identity in the European countries. This motif plays a huge role in the poem as the first three lines in the first stanza shows us the richness of Indian culture and the need for all Indians to appreciate their culture. The great pan leaving Europe to India portrays the intensity loss in Europe but more important highli ghts the attraction of the land, rich, harmony between environment and human society coexisting that India can offer. The human nature and human wisdom is what attracts even the god of culture to leave Europe and â€Å"emigrated to India†.The poet highlights through this use of personification that every Indian should be proud of the great culture root that Indian can provide. The sentence patterns along with other techniques used by the poet are significant in terms of the allowing the readers to understand the theme and the concerns of the poet. The run on lines in the first stanza implies that Indian culture will never fade or end and that it will be eternal, passing on through generations and generations. It is also effective in the sense that the run on lines emphasizes the effectives of the repetitions used in the poem.The repetition of â€Å" It is a sin† ultimately shows the readers that it is a sin to discard the Indian culture and it is a sin to forget where one is from and what one should value culture-wise. The constant use of cultural icons such as â€Å"snakes†, â€Å"monkey† and â€Å"trees† further stresses the rich native culture in India and how important it is that conserve this culture. An imperative is also used in the poem â€Å" You must learn†¦wood the paper was made† gives off a cautious tone, warning the readers what would happen if the culture is not respected and treasured.The first stanza of the poem, although linked closely with each other have very contrasting moods. In the first stanza, the poet idolizes the uniqueness of Indian culture and how important it is to sustain this culture. The mood that the readers get is hopeful and respectful. However, in the second stanza, the reader uses many techniques, principally rhetorical questions to express her thoughts of the English colonization and the English language influences. The tone in the second stanza is bitterness and sad with a s ense of fear.The rhetorical questions â€Å"Which language has not been the oppressor’s tongue? † and â€Å" Which language truly meant to murder someone? † contradictory with each other. The first question implies that the English imposes foreign language on native Indians when they first conquered India. She explores the enigma whereby the language of the conqueror is cherished by later generations. â€Å"The unborn grandchildren grow to love that strange language†. The second question is a metaphor the poet had used to point out the neutrality of language.Language is not meant to murder anyone and is major component of history. She is merely confused why Indian people of today’s generation would love a language that came from people, which has caused death and agony for hundreds of years in India. It is ironic to see how young people today forget about their heritage to love the English language. The two stanzas link with each other to show the confusion of the poet not understanding how people could neglect their own rich culture (described in stanza one) to loving a language that has caused them so much pain in the past (stanza two)The pre-dominant imagery used in the second stanza is imagery of the English colonization. The use of the metaphor â€Å"after the torture, with†¦ of the conqueror’s face† contains many destructive diction that provokes a negative feeling for the readers but more importantly to build up to the irony. The fact that after all the people in India have gone through in the colonization by England, generations today would still love and speak English. The sense of pain and sorrow of the poet is undeniable.After the colonization of India, English was brought in as an official language and was referred to as the â€Å"strange language† that younger generations love. The loss of identity in younger generations is clear in the second stanza and younger people do not know the hi story of India and don’t seem to understand and appreciate the importance of this wonderful culture. The poem ‘ A different culture’ by Sujata Bhatt emphasizes the loss of identity for younger generations in India. The poet used a number of techniques effectively to show the sense of irony and bitterness towards this significant social issue in today’s society.

John Deere Steel Plow Essay Example

John Deere Steel Plow Essay Example John Deere Steel Plow Paper John Deere Steel Plow Paper We chose our topic, the Cast-Steel Plow by John Deere because we all live or have lived on a farm in some period of time and found it would be interesting topic to learn more about the cast-steel plow. We thought that since we have used some type of plow we wanted to know more about it and how it was invented. We found most of our research in books like John Deere’s Company: A History of John Deere And Company and its times, also John Deere Tractors and Equipment. We have contacted John Deere’s Company in Illinois, Living History Farms in Urbandale, and Pomery Living History Farms in Washington. Also more information from Deere. com, and also facts from our American History books. How we chose our presentation category was how all three of us were more familiar with creating good boards and thought that if we could all think about our topic together so we could get a lot more information about our topic, and wanted to come up with a good idea for our board. Our project relates to the NHD theme because the steel plow was a meaningful product to farmers of the 1800s. The John Deere Steel Plow changed history forever since the land was much too rich. The Cast-Iron Plow could only go for a couple of feet and then the farmers would have to scrape off the sod. The steel plow made it easier for the farmers of the 1800s to push and also farmers could plow more acreage then a cast-iron plow. The John Deere cast-steel plow impacted the farmers back in the 1800s and it affects us now in farming. It makes everything easier, now then it has ever before.

Eskimo Pie Case Essays

Eskimo Pie Case Essays Eskimo Pie Case Paper Eskimo Pie Case Paper Statement of Purpose: The purpose of this analysis is to determine if Reynolds Metals (â€Å"Reynolds†) should accept Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s offer of $61 million for its holdings of Eskimo Pie. The crux of the issue is whether or not the projected income from a proposed Initial Public Offering (â€Å"IPO†) by Wheat First Securities (â€Å"Wheat First†) is reasonable and will actually result in proceeds between $61 and $68 million to Reynolds, the Reynolds family and the Reynolds foundation, as projected. To get at this question, this paper will seek to value Eskimo Pie as a stand-alone company, if the IPO option is selected. Discount Rate: The first task is to estimate the discount rate, or the rate that investors will require on this type of investment. In 1990, the last year for which we have data, Eskimo Pie had $744,000 in long-term debt obligations and $19,496,000 in Stockholders’ equity. This amounts to 3.67588% of their financing coming from debt and 96.32411% of their financing coming from equity. Exhibit 9 reflects the corporate borrowing rates as of 1991. Being that Eskimo Pie is a small operation with fairly thin margins, they would not qualify for an A or AA bond rating. Thus, I am assuming that any bonds they have issued have a BB rating. The long-term bond yield for BB bonds is 11.44%. The case does not provide any information regarding the required return on equity. However, by imputing the data from Exhibit 8c into a spreadsheet we can calculate Beta for comparable companies. I calculate the Beta for Ben Jerry’s to be 1.5994. I calculate Beta for Dreyer’s to be 1.2524. This averages out to 1.4259, which is the Beta I estimate for Eskimo Pie. Using the risk free rate of 4.56% from Exhibit 9, and an expected market return of 13.99% , I calculate the expected return on equity to be 17.9968%. Thus, calculating the Weighted Average Cost of Capital: (.0367588)(11.44%) + (.9632411)(17.9968%) = 17.7558%. The applicable discount rate is 17.7558%. Growth Rate: There are several factors to consider in estimating Eskimo Pie’s growth rate. As measured by net sales, the growth rate fluctuated greatly between 1987 and 1991. According to Exhibit 1, half of the growth experienced in 1991 is attributable to increased prices and the assumption of advertising responsibility. I view this large increase as a one-time event. As competitors adjust, whatever advantage Eskimo Pie gained from these methods will dissipate. One advantage that Eskimo Pie has is that they hold patents for various sugar and fat substitutes. They largely attribute their 3% increase in unit market share over a four year period to their patent on a sugar free coating. They also have a patent in the works for a fat substitute. However, any growth they see from the fat substitute will be limited because those sales will cut into their sales of the sugar-free product. In Exhibit 6, Goldman Sachs makes very conservative growth estimates. From 1991 to 1992 they project growth, in terms of net sales, of 4.5415%, and from 1992 to 1993 they project 1.2376% growth. These projections are tempered by the fact that they underestimated Eskimo Pie’s net sales and net income in 1991. Finally, according to Exhibit 4, the market for frozen novelties has leveled off, so most of Eskimo Pie’s growth will have to occur by grabbing market share. Eskimo Pie’s growth in the past is tied, at least to some degree, to their presence in grocery stores. Between 1987 and 1991 the presence of at least one Eskimo product in U.S. Grocery Stores grew from 76.3% to 97.9%. The fact that they are in nearly 98% of all stores in 1991 suggests that they have very little room for growth in this area, especially when you consider that the percentage change of their presence in grocery stores is related with the market share of Eskimo products, and is also related to their net sales. In considering all of these factors, and recognizing this is a low figure, I estimate that their growth rate in perpetuity, beginning in 1994, will be 5% per year. Valuation: Valuing the company begins by estimating sales, net income and the free cash flow. As previously mentioned, net sales will be estimated beginning with the $61 million in net sales projected for 1991, then relying on Goldman Sach’s projected growth rate for 1992 and 1993, and using a 5% growth rate from that point forward. Net income is estimated for 1992 and 1993 using Goldman Sach’s estimate of the margin. Free cash flow is then estimated from the net income by subtracting capital expenditures, which are estimated to be less than $1 million for 1992. Additionally, there are several additional expenses for 1991 that I believe are ignored by Goldman Sach’s estimate. The first is the potential clean-up costs from the spill in the New Jersey plant, estimated at $300,000. However, weighing other possible outcomes, I estimate the cost to be $374,000, occurring by the end of 1991. Further, even in the pre-Sarbanes-Oxley era, the cost of an IPO, and the subsequent filing documents required by the SEC, is significant. I estimate the cost of the IPO to be $1 million in 1992, and $500,000 each year after for the filing requirements (or the cost of being public). These amounts are subtracted from the free cash flows in the appropriate years. Thus, I estimate the value of Eskimo Pie, as a stand-alone company, to be $31,770,219. This is significantly lower than the $61,412,000 or $68,044,000 that Wheat First predicts the IPO will generate. Further Analysis: This of course begs the question of why Nestlà © would be willing to pay $61 million for Eskimo Pie. The most obvious answer is that they estimate the growth rate to be much higher than I do. However, such high levels of growth seem unlikely, especially when you consider that capital expenditures are minimal. However, I believe that the answer for Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s high bid lies elsewhere, and that their bid may even be too low. The first factor is the $61 million in sales that Eskimo Pie experienced in 1991. Using Goldman Sach’s own net sales multiplier of 1.2 means the sales price should be around $70-75 million. There are several other reasons why Eskimo Pie would have more value to a company such as Nestlà © than as a standalone company. The first is that Nestlà © could slash operating expenses, such as the Richmond management, advertising expenses and selling expenses, which would increase the net profits and the free cash flows. They would also be able to reduce personnel and possibly consolidate the manufacturing components of each company. Most importantly, however, is that the acquiring company would also assume ownership of Eskimo Pie’s patents on the sugar and fat substitutes. The sugar substitute was largely responsible for Eskimo Pie’s increased market share and is thus a very valuable asset. Nestlà © would be able to use those patents on all of their products and potentially see their market share grow as Eskimo Pie’s did. These patents, along with Eskimo Pie’s name, may be the most valuable parts of Eskimo Pie. Two strong mitigating factors remain that would keep Nestlà © from increasing their bid. The first is the potential litigation arising from the spill in the New Jersey plant. If Nestlà © acquires the company, then they are acquiring the potential lawsuit as well, exposing their entire company. While the likelihood of litigation is small, the potential still exists. The second mitigating factor is Eskimo Pie’s licensing approach, yet Nestlà © would have the opportunity to end these agreements once the current agreements expire. Conclusion: Eskimo Pie should reject Wheat First’s IPO proposal. Their estimates of sales at $14 and $16 per share, generating $61 million and $68 million respectively, are too generous. The most they should expect to raise is approximately $32 million, the total value of the company. Even if they cannot get Nestlà © to increase their offer in light of the 1991 sales figures, Eskimo Pie should accept Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s offer.

Scout Quotes From To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Scout Quotes From 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee The young Scout Finch,  from To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is one of American literatures  most iconic and unforgettable fictional characters. The book deals with issues of racial injustice and gender roles in the American South. The book was largely based on Lees own childhood, growing up in Monroeville, Alabama, during the Great Depression. Published at the start of the civil rights movement, the book called for tolerance  and condemned the treatment of African-Americans in the South. Through its tomboy narrator, the author discusses the frustrations of living within strict female gender roles.   On Being a Girl â€Å"[Calpurnia] seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl.† â€Å"[Aunt Alexandra said that] I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year.† â€Å"I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with.† â€Å"I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life, I thought of running away. Immediately.† On Boo Radley Then I saw the shadow. It was the shadow of a man with a hat on. At first, I thought it was a tree, but there was no wind blowing, and tree trunks never walked. The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp, and toast moved across the porch towards Jem. (They think the shadow is Boo Radley, whom theyve been taught to fear.) On Jem The sixth grade seemed to please him from the beginning: he went through a brief Egyptian Period that baffled me- he tried to walk flat a great deal, sticking one arm in front of him and one in back of him, putting one foot behind the other. He declared Egyptians walked that way; I said if they did I didnt see how they got anything done, but Jem said they accomplished more than the Americans ever did, they invented toilet paper and perpetual embalming, and asked where would we be today if they hadnt? Atticus told me to delete the adjectives and Id have the facts. To Jack â€Å"Pass the damn ham, please.† (said during Scouts attempt to try and get out of going to school) On Fighting â€Å"Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting anymore; I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in, the better off everybody would be.† â€Å"After my bout with Cecil Jacobs when I committed myself to a policy of cowardice, word got around that Scout Finch wouldn’t fight anymore, her daddy wouldn’t let her. This was not entirely correct: I wouldn’t fight publicly for Atticus, but the family was private ground. I would fight anyone from a third cousin upwards tooth and nail. Francis Hancock, for example, knew that.† ​ On White Lies â€Å"I said I would like it very much, which was a lie, but one must lie under certain circumstances and at all times when one can’t do anything about them.† (on Aunt Alexandra moving in) On Dill â€Å"With him, life was routine; without him, life was unbearable.† On People I think theres just one kind of folks. Folks.

Activities in Los Angeles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Activities in Los Angeles - Essay Example In the end, the two theme parks offer enough activities for the whole family. Most people see shopping as the most exciting experience in Los Angeles, especially because of the large shopping malls with a variety of products. The Third Street Promenade is among the top shopping centers because of its eccentric shopping atmosphere. It offers vintage stores with unique cultural artifacts, shops with luxury goods, and outdoor dining options. There are several outdoor recreational activities in Los Angeles. L.A.’s 75 miles of coastline and desirable weather provide a perfect outdoor experience for people who enjoy the sun. Activities range from beach surfing in Venice, Malibu or San Pedro beach to outdoor barbeque parties. Several barbeque locations offer exquisite meals and meat delicacies. There are several other engaging activities in Los Angeles such as hiking, golfing, snowboarding, and skiing. The sights of Hollywood and big budget art museums are just a supplementary excitement to the theme parks, beaches, and social experience that Los Angeles

Aristotle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Aristotle - Essay Example These are essentially two different systems believing and advocating in values that are quite different. They are not absolute systems, and hence might have their share of problems. Yet, Aristotle insists on comparing the voids between both theories as the same, by exemplifying that "all existing things do not have the same elements", thereby propagating the fact, that these two theorists may not have explained the concept in entirety. Precisely this last criticism by Aristotle also ironically becomes a criticism for his own critique. He questions in the book, "If forms are numbers, in what sense will they be causes. If ideas are numbers, how are they composed." This is precisely the point. The two theories are not compatible with each other, and hence their criticism on parallel grounds is also uncalled for. There is much more to their concept when taken individually, when taken both in forms of theory and practice even today. However, making a critical comparison of two notions, one of whom represents a numerical construct, while other propagates the concept of ideas as forms, seems harsh. The possible reason why this might have been done by Aristotle in the first place, is because he may be looking for 'voids' which have not been explained by these two great thinkers, so that when he would explain his own notions, they would be an 'addition' to the bank of knowledge, and not just a concurrence. Question 2 Both Aristotle (in Metaphysics Book I) and Lucretius (in On the Nature of the Universe), stress upon the usages of the sensory means for the processes and possibilities of gaining knowledge. They believe, that it is through the senses, that knowledge is gained, or simply, information about the... Both Aristotle (in Metaphysics Book I) and Lucretius, stress upon the usages of the sensory means for the processes and possibilities of gaining knowledge. They believe, that it is through the senses, that knowledge is gained, or simply, information about the outside world comes inside. The importance and value of every sense are unique in its own right, as elaborated by both, in that the domain of the eye cannot be overtaken by the ear. Aristotle puts forth the point that â€Å"all men naturally desire knowledge. [However there exist] degrees of intelligence, sense-perception, memory, experience, art, and experience†. This variation in processes of acquiring knowledge actually points out to the ability to gain, assimilate and reproduce knowledge. He went on to describe four kinds of ‘cause’, namely: formal, material, efficient and final. On the other hand, Lucretius also explains the nature of â€Å"vision, hearing, taste, and smell†, and the way things enter the mind and how the mind works. He explains at length the processes through which he believes information goes into the mental system, and also how each sense is performing their task in an exclusive way. However, there are certain variations between both schools of thought when it comes to the connotation of the truthfulness of the knowledge gained. Aristotle believed, that â€Å"wisdom is the knowledge of certain causes and principles†. He tried to present a rationale for the wise man, in that there would be an innate ability to reason better than the rest.

Smartphone and the Lives of Americans Today Essay

Smartphone and the Lives of Americans Today - Essay Example Sarwar and Soomro identified the fields of business, education, healthcare, human psychology, and social life as some of the greatest beneficiaries of the Smartphone ‘craze†. However, the workplace, homes, schools, and healthcare providers are the chief users of mobile phones. This study takes a closer look at the phenomenon impact that Smartphones have had in the workplace, healthcare, socialization, and entertainment. Healthcare has greatly benefited from the introduction of Smartphones. Through the use of Smartphones, the face of healthcare has immensely changed not only in the actual provision but the participation as well (Sarasohn-Kahn 8). Information access has been the main hallmark of the internet. According to Sarwar and Soomro (220), 275 of Smartphone owners use it for online information search with 10 million of the Smartphone users in the U.S using the device to seek health facilities and information. The health information sought by the Smartphone users includes healthcare facilities, symptoms of diseases, and prescriptions. This proves that the Smartphones have significantly contributed to the emancipation of the American public of different aspects of their health. Smartphones have, therefore, helped work towards a healthier nation. With the ObamaCare going online, the Smartphone users who seek health services using their devices is yet to grow. According to Sarasohn-Kahn (7), in February 2010, the Apple Store had about 4000 applications that were intended for patient users. Application provider, Gartner, said that health applications were within the top ten applications in 2012. This trend is a testimony of the increasing acceptance of the Smartphones as an integrated healthcare platform.  

How Political Machines Helped Evolve American Cities Essay

How Political Machines Helped Evolve American Cities - Essay Example It is purely based on patronagei. These are a group of people having a political power to control ‘behind-the-scene.’ A political machine is normally composed of three (3) elements: the part bosses or a county committee; election district captains; and party loyalists. (The Social Studies Help Center, 2007) Each department of the political machine has a specific role to play. officers, have the power to dominate and rule over the elections and the city government. This gives them the power to choose individuals they wish to nominate as part of the government officials like city mayors, judges, county commissioners, and prosecutors. The district captains are responsible in establishing a good relationship with hundreds of families within their district by helping the family members find jobs. Sometimes, district captains may assist the family members in solving minor legal problems. Most of the time, the captains are obliged to do some informal social services like providing the family members some money, food, shelter, and clothing. Lastly, the party loyalists contributes a lot to the political machine with votes and financial support that comes from extending favors to those who are in need of jobs. The party loyalists collect approximately 10 percent of the salaries of each individual working in the city. The development of infrastructure is very important in the economic development of a country. Let us take a look at the past effects of political machine in New York City. Sometime between the years 1820 – 1870, the population of New Yorkers rose up to 800,000 due to the Irish and German immigrants composing of half the total population in the city of New York. The development of urban infrastructure like streets, roads, buildings, telecommunication system, electricity and transportation like railroad were inadequate due to the sudden demand for a change. The officials of the city government were not capable of solving the sudden environmental,

Ethics, Norms and Practices that influence the behavior of Journalists Coursework

Ethics, Norms and Practices that influence the behavior of Journalists today in reference to the phone hacking scandal at the now defunct News of the World newspaper - Coursework Example It acts as application and assessment of the principles and customs that guide journalism practice, with exceptional consideration to the main problems in the field. Journalism ethics and norms contain both practical analysis and theory. In the scrutiny of cases, journalism principles may possibly appeal to theoretical matters, such as the temperament of ethical contention (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). Phone hacking outrage at the present defunct News of the World newspaper is the ongoing controversy that involves defunct news of the world and the British news paper that are being published by the news international. The news international is a subsidiary of the news corporation (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). The staff of the newspaper were blamed of engaging in  phone hacking,  police bribery, and exercising inappropriate influence in tracking down of publishing accounts. Investigations conducted from 2005 concluded that phone hacking tricks were mostly restricted to famous perso ns, politicians and members of the  British Royal Family. The outcome of the phone hacking originating with the  News of the World raises wider questions about the ethics engaged by businesses under Murdoch's possession, as well as the effects the outrage will encompass on the morals employed particularly by print journalists and to a little degree the wider world of journalism (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). Murdoch had beforehand been condemned for building a media domain that lacked any ethical foundation and replacing dependable journalism with hearsay, sensationalism, and manufactured debate. Grossman, a certain professor of journalism at  one of the State University of New York lay blame on Murdoch of building a dishonest, deceitful and corrupt media realm in history and also... Journalism has gone through many transformations, since the set up of the Internet era, and the employ of intelligent phones and videos to file news as it takes place. At the same time as the financial shape of newspapers remains in question, journalists must accept the Internet and hang about at the critical edge of expertise in order to advance their occupation and convey accurate news. Journalism schools are altering the mode they advance story-telling, with the increase of digital media. It is essential to make use of technology as an aid to moral, grammatical and efficient journalism. The News of the World outrage was one of the most disreputable privacy violations of the digital tracking period. The mobile devices we have come to depend on spray tracking data around similar to so lots of digital bread specks. That being the case, there will for all time be a tough temptation for those who value this information to grasp at it with no regard to an individual’s privacy or security. Every one of us has the liability to guard private information. Those, Such as the Metropolitan Police, who have the influence to either guard or invade individual privacy, must do so devoid of compromise.

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT - Assignment Example Treatment of recessionary gap in new classical approach: According to the new Classical approach, economists focus on the unemployment situation, which affects the economy owing to the continuous decline in the real output of the economy. In a recessionary gap situation, supply of resources in the labor market tends to increase substantially. Consequently, the wage rate declines to maintain the equilibrium position of the economy’s resources. Hence, this result in lowering wages and prices with a shift in short run Aggregate Supply (AS) curve causing recessionary gap. Accordingly, the new classical theory suggests that the economy is self-regulatory, and can achieve equilibrium i.e. stability, full employment without government interference and can eliminate the gap in a â€Å"self-corrective mechanism† (Pearson Education, â€Å"Keynes and the Classical Economists: The Early Debate on Policy Activism†). Exhibit 1: Recessionary Gap AS movements as per the new clas sical theory (Jain, Jain, Ohri, Majhi and Ohri 193) Treatment of recessionary gap in Keynesian approach: In contrast to the new classical theory, the Keynesian theory asserts that recessionary gap is the shift in Aggregate Demand (AD) due to low spending in an economy. Economists following the Keynesian approach suggest that the gap can be eliminated by spending more, that is by increase flow of money and capital resources within the economy, which will move the AD curve upwards (Pearson Education, â€Å"Keynes and the Classical Economists: The Early Debate on Policy Activism.†). Exhibit 2: Recessionary Gap AS movements as per the new classical theory (Jain, Jain, Ohri, Majhi and Ohri 193) The main difference between the new classical and the Keynesian theory persist in respect to their assumptions, which are directly associated with the AS-AD curve movements. As can be observed from the above discussion, the new classical theory assumes that with the increase in the unemploy ment rate, which indicates a fall in the demand for labors in the economy, the wage will also shrink, causing the AS curve shift downwards. However, because the economy is assumed to function in a â€Å"self-corrective manner†, it is likely that the fall in the wage rate will increase the demand for the labors and thus fortify the situation to the equilibrium position. Contradictorily, the Keynesian economists shall assume that in a recessional gap situation, if the demand for employment falls, it shall have no effect on the price and also on the supply (in the short run). It is under such circumstance that the government needs to intervene and increase demand for the resource to the equilibrium position (Baumol and Blinder 206-208). QUESTION 2 Two events supporting Classical theory: In the modern era, many economies practice the classical theory of microeconomics. Among these, China has been a significant illustration. China operates with minimum government intervention for better economic stability. For example, at the time of World War 2, China had to witness a steep fall in its employment rate, which had resulted in the downward shift of the wage rate and the AS curve. The reason was likewise assumed to be the failure of the economic drivers to use the resources efficiently, as per the classical the

Ethics, Norms and Practices that influence the behavior of Journalists Coursework

Ethics, Norms and Practices that influence the behavior of Journalists today in reference to the phone hacking scandal at the now defunct News of the World newspaper - Coursework Example It acts as application and assessment of the principles and customs that guide journalism practice, with exceptional consideration to the main problems in the field. Journalism ethics and norms contain both practical analysis and theory. In the scrutiny of cases, journalism principles may possibly appeal to theoretical matters, such as the temperament of ethical contention (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). Phone hacking outrage at the present defunct News of the World newspaper is the ongoing controversy that involves defunct news of the world and the British news paper that are being published by the news international. The news international is a subsidiary of the news corporation (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). The staff of the newspaper were blamed of engaging in  phone hacking,  police bribery, and exercising inappropriate influence in tracking down of publishing accounts. Investigations conducted from 2005 concluded that phone hacking tricks were mostly restricted to famous perso ns, politicians and members of the  British Royal Family. The outcome of the phone hacking originating with the  News of the World raises wider questions about the ethics engaged by businesses under Murdoch's possession, as well as the effects the outrage will encompass on the morals employed particularly by print journalists and to a little degree the wider world of journalism (Theaker and  Yaxley 2012). Murdoch had beforehand been condemned for building a media domain that lacked any ethical foundation and replacing dependable journalism with hearsay, sensationalism, and manufactured debate. Grossman, a certain professor of journalism at  one of the State University of New York lay blame on Murdoch of building a dishonest, deceitful and corrupt media realm in history and also... Journalism has gone through many transformations, since the set up of the Internet era, and the employ of intelligent phones and videos to file news as it takes place. At the same time as the financial shape of newspapers remains in question, journalists must accept the Internet and hang about at the critical edge of expertise in order to advance their occupation and convey accurate news. Journalism schools are altering the mode they advance story-telling, with the increase of digital media. It is essential to make use of technology as an aid to moral, grammatical and efficient journalism. The News of the World outrage was one of the most disreputable privacy violations of the digital tracking period. The mobile devices we have come to depend on spray tracking data around similar to so lots of digital bread specks. That being the case, there will for all time be a tough temptation for those who value this information to grasp at it with no regard to an individual’s privacy or security. Every one of us has the liability to guard private information. Those, Such as the Metropolitan Police, who have the influence to either guard or invade individual privacy, must do so devoid of compromise.

Considering the Climate of the IT System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Considering the Climate of the IT System - Essay Example If a system is designed such that it will remove autonomy or authority from the end user and place it in the hands of the system, it is important to plan for that. In an organization that has a traditional management style, workers may be more accepting of relinquishing control to a more bureaucratic system. However, in an environment where the organization is more empowered, failure to consider this can result in resistance to the implementation. A successful system design will involve the organization and not significantly disrupt the hierarchy or alter the perception of control. While it is important that people's perceptions and attitudes be considered, it's imperative to keep in mind that the organization will have to use the system. Any problems in the organization such as arrogance or disinterest will be magnified when implementing a new system. One of the most important factors affecting a new system or modifications to an existing system is employee acceptance. Many system implementations fail because the system designers did not consider the behavioral climate resulting in a lack of acceptance (Headrick and Morgan). It is also important to consider the social environment of the organization prior to implementing a new system.

YOLO Tumblr Essay Example for Free

YOLO Tumblr Essay Roof party blog hella semiotics, trust fund YOLO Tumblr twee swag next level wayfarers tote bag. Mustache artisan asymmetrical mlkshk, church-key art party direct trade DIY Schlitz freegan. Occupy sartorial wolf polaroid, DIY farm-to-table fashion axe YOLO Godard. Actually pug semiotics vegan VHS wolf. Intelligentsia chia fixie direct trade keffiyeh. Gluten-free umami meggings, freegan literally pug Williamsburg beard lomo lo-fi. PBRB jean shorts Echo Park, whatever direct trade flannel letterpress Austin chambray squid fanny pack sustainable scenester biodiesel. Fanny pack flexitarian Intelligentsia, banh mi asymmetrical tousled jean shorts Brooklyn put a bird on it photo booth you probably havent heard of them forage Vice American Apparel. Four loko post-ironic beard cliche High Life Portland distillery, gluten-free squid. Ethnic disrupt pork belly, authentic Echo Park Neutra umami freegan Portland fap four loko try-hard iPhone food truck letterpress. Salvia bespoke occupy church-key. Salvia pickled Echo Park Schlitz ethical +1 letterpress, post-ironic Austin 8-bit mlkshk Blue Bottle fingerstache. Flexitarian bicycle rights Pinterest farm-to-table DIY, fap next level put a bird on it selvage photo booth iPhone. Sartorial blog asymmetrical, messenger bag pour-over master cleanse literally brunch you probably havent heard of them. Four loko Godard 90s organic, Odd Future Tumblr fanny pack cray put a bird on it Austin Thundercats ethnic. +1 beard High Life, food truck ethical Truffaut narwhal tote bag tryhard cornhole 8-bit chambray blog. Pour-over 8-bit mlkshk XOXO Schlitz art party. Ethnic Neutra selfies, swag slow-carb kogi before they sold out blog chillwave Tonx. Literally normcore 90s, fap tattooed Portland umami Pinterest ethnic. Quinoa single-origin coffee kale chips Etsy. Carles Tonx master cleanse, flannel cred vegan chia single-origin coffee dreamcatcher sartorial try-hard. 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Its All in the Jeans Essay -- Fashion Clothing Retail Essays

It's All in the Jeans Bell-bottoms came and went, came back and then left again. Top hats had their era. Platform shoes had an intense, yet short, life. Polyester made a brief appearance. At one time, sailor suits could be seen everywhere; not anymore. Hot pants come and go. Yet jeans seem to have survived. They have achieved the impossible: remaining a major trend from the eighteenth century to the present day. Jeans -- trousers made of denim clothing -- have survived through the decades and the centuries. All trends tend to become old and eventually lose their place in society, some more quickly than others. Whether it is clothing, music, hairstyles or attitudes, all seem to have a time limit. Fashion, in any category, has often made it across borders, oceans, social classes and genders, but few have made it through time. Jeans have made it through all of the above, and more. They have made the ultimate transition from being a trend to being a classic. Eternal. Popularity usually comes with an expiratio n date, but apparently not for jeans. As described by the â€Å"History of Jeans† website, the history of jeans is complex and goes all the way back to the eighteenth century, when the word â€Å"jean† is believed to have originated in Italy. Genoan sailor outfits were made from a mixture of materials. Pants made of this denim cloth were called â€Å"jeans† after the Genoan sailors who wore them. â€Å"Denim† refers back to a clothing material used in France called â€Å"Serge de Nimes†. Translated, â€Å"serges† is a kind of material and â€Å"de Nimes† means â€Å"from Nimes†, a town in the south of France. Trading across the Atlantic, along with European immigration, brought denim cloth and jeans to the country that would make both famous. In the USA, jeans we... ... is the key to survival in general? Evolution. Think about it. It makes sense. In order to survive, something must adapt to its ever-changing environment. This principle applies to all things, alive and non-living. Without adaptation comes extinction. It is essential to evolve. Jeans have done exactly that. In the constantly changing world of fashion and popular culture, jeans have been adjusted every step of the way to suit their new environment. In this case, the environment involves trends, attitudes and looks. With every decade and every new generation, jeans have been adapted in order to ensure their continued popularity. Sources Cited â€Å"The Gentrification of Blue Jeans† website www.chass.utoronto.ca/history/material_culture/cynth; â€Å"Historic clothing† at histclo.hispeed.com; and â€Å"History of jeans† at www2.gol.com/users/bobkeim/Garment/jhistory.html.

Another One Bites The Dust :: essays research papers

Another One Bites the â€Å"Dust† Sweet Diamond Dust, written by Rosario Ferre, focuses on modernization and how it’s impacted the country of Puerto Rico and it’s people. This book discusses the struggles and hardships of managing sugar mills and the influential changes the Americans brought to Puerto Rico in the early 1900’s. The Americans triumph over the local landowners and their sugar mills, was not all from their own doings. Their successes is in part of the town’s own greed. Through manipulation, persuasion, and cunnings, Diamond Dust was able to survive through the toughest of hardships, and still manage to be the only competitor (in Puerto Rico) to the northerners. With Diamond Dust’s success also came a price, and with the very same methods that brought the mill to its climax, also made it fall to its knees, through greed. In the beginning there was much talk of how proud the people of Puerto Rico were of their country, â€Å"Built on the gently rolling slopes that descend form Mount Guamani, it looks upon a savannah of fabulously fertile loam, whose sabled, furrowed topsoil is considered to be one of the richest in the world.† (3-4) But as the book progresses, it begins to reveal its true side. The town of Guamani was not as peaceful and giving as it is told to be. The writer tends to discuss how the Americans arrival has changed the town for the worse. â€Å" Far from being a paradise, Guamani has become a hell, a monstrous whirlpool from which the terrifying funnel of Snow White Sugar Mills spews out sugar night and day toward the north.† (7) Many Puerto Ricans of lower stature or less well of than the rich, truly believed the northerners were saviors who helped modernize a town in need of relief:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All this was done away with when the foreigners came: they established modern methods of reaping and planting; the field hands were treated like human beings instead of like slaves; their children could go to school; they were given adequate housing and shoes†¦ In other words, the northerners were a blessing to the poor and to the middle class as well, albeit to the rich. (68) Diamond Dust faced many hardships that could have easily wiped it out of business, but thanks to the devotion and patience spent managing the land, it overcame many close turnovers. Between Don

Fiber optics Essay

1.List the basic elements of a Fiber-Optic communication system †¢A fiber optic transmission strand that can carry the signal. †¢A source of invisible infrared radiation modulated to impress digital data or an analog signal on the light beam. †¢A photosensitive detector to convert the optical signal back into an electrical signal at the receiver. †¢Optical connectors at the light source-to-cable interface and at the cable-to-photo detector interface. 2.List Five advantages of an optical communications link †¢Extremely wide system bandwidth when compared with other sources. †¢Lower costs due to the fact that optical fiber costs continue to decline. †¢Elimination of crosstalk because the light in one glass fiber does not interfere with the light in an adjacent fiber. †¢Optical communication links are not as susceptible to corrosion as other forms of data transmission links. †¢An optical communication link can be used in the most secure environments due to its immunity from electromagnetic coupling and radiation. 3.What are the commonly used wavelengths in fiber-optic systems? The three most commonly used wavelengths are 850 nm to 1310 nm, 1310 nm to 1550 nm, and 1600 nm to 1625 nm. 4.A campus network is planning to install fiber-optic cables to replace outdated coaxial cables. They have the choice of installing single-mode, multimode, or combination of single-multimode filer in the ground. Which fiber type should they select and why? Both single-mode and multimode have their own advantages and disadvantages. Because of this, I would suggest that the campus network install a combination of single-mode and multimode. The use of the single-mode fiber can be used to run long distances across campus which is one of the greatest advantages of the single-mode fiber. Similarly, multimode fiber can be used at its best in short distances because it can carry higher bandwidth in shorter distances than single-mode. 5.The networking cables for a new building are being installed. You are asked to prepare a study about which cable type should be used. Discuss the issues related to the cable selection. In order to keep up with the latest technological advances in computer networking, I would like to recommend  that you use fiber optic cable. Fiber optic cable provides substantially increased bandwidth and can handle the combined traffic of PC’s, switches, routers, video and voice services. Fiber optic cable has greater capacity enabling it to transfer data at faster speeds which in turn diminishes congestion problems, but also provides tremendous growth potential for each of the fiber runs.

Network Security Analysis Essay

This article is concerned about network security. It mentions about the present situation of network security and an analysis of the reason that lead to unsafe network environment. Then the article introduces two frequently used protocols in network security: HTTP (Hypertext Transport Protocol) and HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer), then compare them and give a brief conclusion. On the other side, the article introduces how firewall protects network security in hardware aspects. Keywords: Network; Security; Analysis; Countermeasures 1. Introduction As technology develops, network is getting more and more mature. It is known to all that security is the second step after that a successful network has been deployed. 1.1 Situation of Computer Network Security With the rapid development of the Internet and the widespread application, the number of computer viruses, Trojan horses is explosive growth. According to Jinshan drug gangsters â€Å"cloud security† center monitoring statistics show that in 2008, Jinshan drug gangsters were intercepted more and more new viruses, Trojans, which grew up 40% compared with 2007. The center statistics also show that 90% of the virus infected users, this attachment web pages that humans are enjoying the network information with the great wealth and convenient at the same time, also be the severe beset by problems of network information security. The lure of wealth that hackers attack is no longer a kind of personal interest, but more and more become an organized, interest driven career crime. Its main means has: online professor viruses, Trojan horses production technology and various network attack technology; Online exchange, trafficking and rental viruses, Trojan horses, zombie network; Online customized viruses, Trojan horses; Internet theft behavior (account Numbers game, bank accounts, QQ number, etc.), sell the trumpets; Internet fraud and extortion; Through the network business platform money laundering profit, etc. Attackers need technical level gradually decrease, means more flexible, joint attacks increase rapidly. Trojan viruses, Trojan virus writers, professional hack personnel, sales channels, professional players have been formed complete gray industrial chain. 1.2 Threats to Computer Network Security The threat to computer network security includes attacks by hackers and computer virus. It mostly presents in the following aspects. Firstly, send fake E-mails to users. It is a common way to cheat the account and password by posing as legitimate websites. Secondly, damage caused by viruses is also a common phenomenon. For e.g. when virus gets into computer, it will cover our hard disk with useless data. Thirdly, it’s about unauthorized accessing. This mainly refers to the normal use or oversteps their authority to use the network equipment and information resources. Fourthly, damage the integrity of the database. Fifthly, interfere with the normal running of the systems. Finally, communication lines are tapped and people are not familiar about safety of network security. The first situation doesn’t occur in common. However, awareness of maintain computer network security is really important. In the article, it mainly analyzes several common situations and introduces what the threat is and how it works. 1.3 Countermeasures of Network Security As network security has a lot of loopholes, people create a lot of methods to protect network. On the side of hardware, people begin to use firewall to protect network. On the side of software, a lot of tools and technologies have been used in this area, such as router filtering. The article introduces how firewall works and two similar protocols: HTTP and HTTPS. By comparing these two protocols, we will find the development of technology. 1.4 Importance of the Study of Network Security It’s important for securing ones computer, keeping important data and profile information protected. Careful web surfing habits may keep you from being a victim of virus attacks and malware, however this is an intensely risky activity and very often people may end up with an infected computer. Some good anti-virus programs will help to keep your computer protected and safe, but users must remember to keep this updated regularly for better protection over new viruses. 2. Related Work 2.1 Network Security Network security consists of the provisions and policies adopted by a network administrator to prevent and monitor unauthorized access, misuse, modification, or denial of a computer network and network-accessible resources. Network security involves the authorization of access to data in a network, which is controlled by the network administrator. Users choose or are assigned an ID and password or other authenticating information that allows them access to information and programs within their authority. Network security covers a variety of computer networks, both public and private, that are used in everyday jobs conducting transactions and communications among businesses, government agencies and individuals. Networks can be private, such as within a company, and others which might be open to public access. Network security is involved in organizations, enterprises, and other types of institutions. It does as its title explains: It secures the network, as well as protecting and over seeing operations being done. The most common and simple way of protecting a network resource is by assigning it a unique name and a corresponding password. 2.2 ISO/OSI model The International Standards Organization (ISO) Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Reference Model defines seven layers of communications types, and the interfaces among them. (See Figure 1.) Each layer depends on the services provided by the layer below it, all the way down to the physical network hardware, such as the computer’s network interface card, and the wires that connect the cards together. People develop a lot of protocols to each layer. Such as PPTP/L2TP to linked layer, IPSEC to network layer, TLS/SSL to transfer layer. Each protocol includes security information that helps network transfer safer and safer. 2.3 IPV4 protocol The protocol contains a couple aspects which caused problems with its use. These problems do not all relate to security. They are mentioned to gain a comprehensive understanding of the internet protocol and its shortcomings. The causes of problems with the protocol are: 1. Address Space 2. Routing 3. Configuration 4. Security 5. Quality of Service The lack of embedded security within the IPv4 protocol has led to the many attacks seen today. Mechanisms to secure IPv4 do exist, but there are no requirements for their use. IPsec is a specific mechanism used to secure the protocol. IPsec secures the packet payloads by means of cryptography. IPsec provides the services of confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. This form of protection does not account for the skilled hacker who may be able to break the encryption method and obtain the key. 2.4 Types and Sources of Network Threats Denial-of-Service, unauthorized access, executing commands illicitly, confidentiality breaches and destructive behavior are common type of threats to network security. The sources of network threats include 3 aspects. Firstly, the invasion of bad information and pollution. Network is open, even borderless space information network of people in the rich cultural life, but also to the illegal dissemination of information or indecent information provided soil British Middlebury Seck Griffith University, Professor Di Mulai study found that in non-academic information on the Internet, 47% of pornography on These content without restriction for people feel free to browse, not only seriously jeopardize the health of young people, and poison the social atmosphere and hinder the building of a harmonious society in China. In addition, the network’s openness and freedom are often some criminals use, or dissemination of endangering national security, to subvert the government, disrupting social order and security of information, or information network organizing rallies and other anti-social activities. Secondly, Internet ‘hackers’ and computer crime. Hacker wanton rampage information networks, technology and the consequences of its invasion of escalating their use of technical means, or attacks on government sites or military organization’s Web site and endanger national security interests, undermine government image; or steal business, financial institutions, business information to profit illegally, endangering the economic order; or steal personal confidential information, violation of privacy or stolen cash. These acts seriously impede the normal operation of information networks. In addition to outside hackers the use of the Internet, the rampant crime and tort. The use of computer information network system to implement theft, fraud or corruption, embezzlement and other crimes than the traditional criminal methods and tools more subtle complexity, and violation of trade secrets with the network, electronic communications freedoms, civil Privacy and damage the reputation of others and other events are also frequent. Online pyramid schemes, online fraud, etc. These crimes have been on the network posed a serious threat to network security. Thirdly, the existence of their own network security vulnerabilities and risks. Freedom to share and open spirit of the Internet, but also the charm of the Internet The Internet is based on TCP / IP protocol, network devices, operating systems with networking capabilities and openness about the existence inherent vulnerability In addition, the software in the design, it is inevitable there are some defects or flaws, which has become a prime target for hackers, while software programmers deliberately left the ‘back door’ has become a major network security risks network These weaknesses of their own existence, to bring the work of anti-hacker considerable difficulty: on the one hand difficult for scientists to develop a common and effective network security for the protection of technical means on the other hand the lack of implementation of these measures sufficient to protect the social environment. 3. Methods 3.1 Analysis of Network Security System and network technology is a key technology for a wide variety of applications. Security is crucial to networks and applications. Although, network security is a critical requirement in emerging networks, there is a significant lack of security methods that can be easily implemented. There exists a â€Å"communication gap† between the developers of security technology and developers of networks. Network design is a well-developed process that is based on the Open Systems Interface (OSI) model. The OSI model has several advantages when designing networks. It offers modularity, flexibility, ease-of-use, and standardization of protocols. The protocols of different layers can be easily combined to create stacks which allow modular development. The implementation of individual layers can be changed later without making other adjustments, allowing flexibility in development. In contrast to network design, secure network design is not a well-developed process. There isn’t a methodology to manage the complexity of security requirements. Secure network design does not contain the same advantages as network design. When considering network security, it must be emphasized that the whole network is secure. Network security does not only concern the security in the computers at each end of the communication chain. When transmitting data the communication channel should not be vulnerable to attack. A possible hacker could target the communication channel, obtain the data, decrypt it and re-insert a false message. Securing the network is just as important as securing the computers and encrypting the message. When developing a secure network, the following need to be considered: 1. Access – authorized users are provided the means to communicate to and from a particular network. 2. Confidentiality – Information in the network remains private. 3. Authentication – Ensure the users of the network are who they say they are 4. Integrity – Ensure the message has not been modified in transit 5. Non-repudiation – Ensure the user does not refute that he used the network Here we mainly discuss fake websites. Fake websites means phishing. Phishing is attempting to acquire information (and sometimes, indirectly, money) such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT administrators are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting public. Phishing is typically carried out by e-mail spoofing or instant messaging, and it often directs users to enter details at a fake website whose look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one. Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques used to deceive users, and exploits the poor usability of current web security technologies. Attempts to deal with the growing number of reported phishing incidents include legislation, user training, public awareness, and technical security measures. Once a victim visits the phishing website, the deception is not over. Some phishing scams use JavaScript commands in order to alter the address bar. This is done either by placing a picture of a legitimate URL over the address bar, or by closing the original address bar and opening a new one with the legitimate URL. An attacker can even use flaws in a trusted website’s own scripts against the victim. These types of attacks (known as cross-site scripting) are particularly problematic, because they direct the user to sign in at their bank or service’s own web page, where everything from the web address to the security certificates appears correct. In reality, the link to the website is crafted to carry out the attack, making it very difficult to spot without specialist knowledge. Just such a flaw was used in 2006 against PayPal. A Universal Man-in-the-middle (MITM) Phishing Kit, discovered in 2007, provides a simple-to-use interface that allows a phisher to convincingly reproduce websites and capture log-in details entered at the fake site. To avoid anti-phishing techniques that scan websites for phishing-related text, phishers have begun to use Flash-based websites. These look much like the real website, but hide the text in a multimedia object. 3.2 Firewall’s Protection A firewall can either be software-based or hardware-based and is used to help keep a network secure. Its primary objective is to control the incoming and outgoing network traffic by analyzing the data packets and determining whether it should be allowed through or not, based on a predetermined rule set. A network’s firewall builds a brigade between an internal network that is assumed to be secure and trusted, and another network, usually an external (inter)network, such as the Internet, that is not assumed to be secure and trusted. In general, some functions that can be done by the firewall are: 1. Doing a packet filter firewall can make the decision whether to accept or reject the incoming data packets. 2. Hiding Network Address (NAT) IP addresses can be used on the internet is a public IP. So to create a client that uses private IP can be translated into public IP. These functions are performed by a firewall, known as NAT. 3. Monitoring and Logging to improve network security and logging on the terms monitoring by a firewall. 3.3 Protocols of Network Security Network security protocols are used to protect computer data and communication in transit. The primary tool used to protect information as it travels across a network is cryptography. Cryptography uses algorithms to encrypt data so that it is not readable by unauthorized users. Generally, cryptography works with a set of procedures or protocols that manage the exchange of data between devices and networks. Together, these cryptographic protocols enhance secure data transfer. Without cryptographic network security protocols, Internet functions such as e-commerce would not be possible. Secure communication is necessary because attackers try to eavesdrop on communications, modify messages in transit, and hijack exchanges between systems. Some of the tasks networks security protocols are commonly used to protect are file transfers, Web communication, and Virtual Private Networks (VPN). The most common method of transferring files is using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). A problem with FTP is that the files are sent in clear text, meaning that they are sent unencrypted and therefore able to be compromised. For example, many webmasters update their sites using FTP; an attacker using a packet sniffer and the website’s IP address can intercept all communications between the webmaster and the site’s server. Here we mainly discuss two similar protocols: HTTP and HTTPS. The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web. Hypertext is a multi-linear set of objects, building a network by using logical links (the so called hyperlinks) between the nodes (e.g. text or words). HTTP is the protocol to exchange or transfer hypertext. The standards development of HTTP was coordinated by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), culminating in the publication of a series of Requests for Comments (RFCs), most notably RFC 2616 (June 1999), which defines HTTP/1.1, the version of HTTP in common use. Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a combination of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) with the SSL/TLS protocol. It provides encrypted communication to prevent eavesdropping and to securely identify the web server with which you are actually communicating. Historically, HTTPS connections were primarily used for payment transactions on the World Wide Web, e-mail and for sensitive transactions in corporate information systems. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, HTTPS began to see widespread use for protecting page authenticity on all types of websites, securing accounts and keeping user communications, identity and browsing history private.

Popular Culture Media and Society: Culture Jamming Essay

Introduction â€Å"Culture jamming† is a strategy often utilized by the anti-globalization movement in the creation and reappropriation of memes, or memorable and persistent ideas. Traditional culture jamming strategies have included a variety of actions, ranging from billboard liberation, wherein artists reclaim billboards as public space, to media activism, wherein activists attempt to garner news coverage through some form of direct action in order to have their message heard. Additional tactics such as spoof advertisements geared to mock a particular brand or industry and branding removal, wherein activists remove all marks of branding from products, have also been deployed. Culture jammers attempt to expose the norms of western industrial society and call them into question but often their attempts are not popular enough to reach a large audience and encourage a large scale questioning of the status quo. The goals of the culture jamming community are to introduce new norms into societies that effectively turn back the meanings of current social norms. Despite the best intentions of those working within the movement, traditional culture jamming rarely makes it into popular culture and is thus often thwarted in the attempt to successfully challenge the norms perpetuated by globalization. The purpose of this study is to examine the ways in which culture jamming that permeates the media and crosses the line from subculture to pop culture can challenge hegemonic structures of power while simultaneously reinforcing those challenges by increasing their popularity. Through the study of popular culture artifacts from a variety of genres I hope to determine whether or not popular culture may serve as an effective strategic forum for the introduction of culture jamming artifacts, as opposed to the traditional and more subversive tactics being deployed by culture jammers. Towards an Understanding of Culture Jamming Culture jamming and studies of culture jamming have typically focused on the ability of an activist group or individual to effectively redeploy the signs and symbols of a dominant system in a manner that disrupts their meaning and critiques the overall system from which the symbols originate. In his recently republished 1993 pamphlet on culture jamming, Mark Dery (2001) states that culture jammers: †¦ introduce noise into the signal as it passes from transmitter to receiver, encouraging idiosyncratic, unintended interpretations. Intruding on the intruders, they invest ads, newscasts, and other media artifacts with subversive meanings; simultaneously, they decrypt them, rendering their seductions impotent (para. 36). From Dery’s perspective culture jamming can be seen as actions or artifacts that are politically or subversively charged. Jamming can range from parody to media gags, but always aims to make a statement against a particular target of power or popularity within a culture. Similarly, semiotic theorist Umberto Eco (1984) advocates that one form of media can be utilized to spread criticism pointed at another type of medium in order to â€Å"restore a critical dimension to passive reception† (p. 138). Eco refers to acts and artifacts that have this potential to be part of â€Å"semiotic guerilla warfare.† The signs and symbols of a culture are open to interpretation. While within a culture there may be a common meaning for these signs and symbols within a culture that meaning is not set in stone. A sign or a symbol may be used to contradict its own popular meaning. Thus we can see how semiotics plays an important role in developing tools for the toolbox of the culture jammer. The lack of fixed meaning in the signs we see on a daily basis allow culture jammers to turn back symbols as semiotic weapons against their creators. Kalle Lasn (2000) defines culture jamming as the demarketing of marketing. As the founder of Adbusters magazine, Lasn has pushed for the reclaiming and redeployment of particular brand names, icons, and advertising campaigns through a process known to culture jammers as subvertising. Lasn explains in his book, Culture Jam that culture jammers utilize Debord’s notion of detournement, or turning back specific aspects of a spectacle against itself. In the case of culture jamming, brands and their advertising are turned back upon themselves to reveal questions and inconsistencies about a particular advertiser’s ideals as seen through its campaigns. Lasn (2000) also claims that successful culture jamming can function as a pincer movement utilizing both high profile media campaigns that challenge industry in combination with grass roots campaigns for local action. The challenge to an industry or target combined with encouragement of behavioral change has the potential to change the perception of the target on a broad scale while also reducing support for the target. A well-organized pincer will get millions of people thinking about their lives—about eating better, driving less, jumping off the fashion treadmill, downshifting. Eventually the national mood will evolve (pg136). Lasn’s pincer attack attempts to make that which is currently chic or popular in a society unpopular on a massive scale. As fewer people within the society buy into the imagery of a particular industry or brand the industry loses financial support and must either change its practices or face rejection by the community at large. Lasn has spear headed grass roots campaigns such as â€Å"Buy Nothing Day;† an annual campaign urging consumers to avoid buying anything on the last Friday of November (a date commonly known among retailers as â€Å"Black Friday† as it often marks record profits for retailers as a result of holiday shopping). Lasn combines this grassroots campaign with thirty-second television ad spots on CNN each year as well as more locally oriented promotion such as fliers that activists can print off the Internet and disseminate at will. Christine Harold (2004) claims that the culture jammer â€Å"seeks to undermine the marketing rhetoric of multinational corporations, specifically through such practices as media hoaxing, corporate sabotage, billboard ‘liberation,’ and trademark infringement† (p. 190). These strategies are used by jammers in an effort to â€Å"glut the system† by supplying audiences with contradictory messages. Their goal is to generate a qualitative change in the minds of the audience about the subject matter targeted. Harold (2004) critiques traditional culture jamming as a rhetorical strategy because it often relies upon revelation of hidden truths and rejection of the systems it attempts to play upon. In her analysis, Harold specifically indicts Lasn’s publications and others who deploy parody or direct negation of corporate logos in their attempts to cause questioning of norms. Reliance on parody as a mechanism for revealing truth requires audiences to deconstruct the common meaning of a sign with little to work with but the sign itself. Additionally, parody causes a commitment to rhetorical binaries that articulate rejection of the targeted idea with little room for the idea to be reframed. Dominant powers within a criticized system can easily utilize these tactics for their own means. The reliance on a recognized symbol helps to maintain its cultural prominence. The rhetorical binary used by culture jammers allows the targeted entity to easily deflect criticism and quash the questioning of norms. While Adbusters and activists of similar ideology may put forth a message of rebellion and rejection corporate targets can use these concepts of rebellion and rejection to sell their products. Recent advertisements for Sprite illustrate this concept well as they focus on rejecting celebrity culture and embracing one’s own character by purchasing the product. Harold (2004) advocates a more appropriative approach to culture jamming seeks to be appropriated by commercial media in order to redirect the focus of dominant media systems. Much of Harold’s argument focuses on the value of media activism via prank, pointing to groups such as the Barbie Liberation Organization (BLO) and Biotic Baking Brigade (BBB) as groups that have successfully received positive media coverage through their pranks. Clearly, we can see that culture jamming may be an effective strategy for putting dominant hierarchies, organizations, and systems into question. However, Reinsborough and Harold (2004) both raise interesting points in terms of the effectiveness of the strategy, with Harold illustrating the problems of strategies that are not appropriative and Reinsborough recognizing that subversive media strategies (such as those Harold advocates) are often limited in scope. When considering Reinsborough’s (2003) usage of the word meme the concept that he is referring to is not necessarily identical to that articulated by memetic theorists. Susan Blackmore (1999) has broadly defined memes as â€Å"everything that you have learned by imitation† (pg6). The definition of imitation from a memetic perspective should not be confused with â€Å"copycat† acts. Instead, imitation should be seen as memes passing from one mind to another. In his article on culture jammers and the World Wide Web, Stephen Downes (1999) defines the meme as a â€Å"contagious idea that spreads from one mind to another† (para. 2). He articulates that memes are a way to represent the ideas contained within advertising and explains that in order for ideas to take hold in one’s mind they must appeal to the audience in a way that helps them to be remembered. Similarly, Kalle Lasn (2000) speaks of â€Å"infotoxins,† or â€Å"infoviruses,† that permeate dominant media forums. Lasn claims that disinformation is propagated through media and public relations spin resulting in the establishment of incorrect beliefs about the world. In one example, Lasn refers to the media’s portrayal of anti-automobile activists as limiters of personal freedom as a contributing factor in the failure of activists to popularize their message. The movement becomes unable to stimulate a mindset shift towards a culture that is less dependent upon petroleum products. As the activists are seen as â€Å"anti-freedom† harms they are attempting to solve such as global warming are not taken seriously. Additionally, he argues that while the effects of global warming can be seen on both local and global scales, disinformation that has been spread through dominant media forums has led to a sense of complacency about the issue in the minds of Americans. Lasn believes these â€Å"infoviruses† are untruthful memes that must be challenged through the production of counteractive memes that outperform those that movements wish to question. â€Å"We build our own meme factory, put out a better product and beat the corporations at their own game. We identify the macromemes and the metamemes—the core ideas without which a sustainable future is unthinkable—and deploy them† (pg124). Both Reinsborough (2003) and Lasn (2000) seem to be identifying that memes are memorable and popular concepts that have the ability to be spread in order to transform cultural norms. Blackmore (1999) and Downes (1999) clearly illustrate that memes are made up of ideas that are picked up from popular culture and imitated. The process of culture jamming can be seen as one generating memes that hold a meaning that challenges existing norms. To return to the analogy of the gene, culture jamming can be seen as a form of â€Å"memetic engineering† with a goal of producing a dominant and meaningful meme that causes new â€Å"traits,† or meanings, to become exemplified within a culture. Understanding the Transformative Potential of Popular Culture Communication and mass media scholars have examined the extent to which popular culture may contribute to the formation of cultural norms and social structure. Guy Debord (1977) implicates popular culture in large portion of what he labels â€Å"the society of the spectacle.† Debord’s (1977) view of the world in the era of global capitalism is one in which popular culture serves to provide images or representations of the world that do not represent its historical state, but instead inspire audiences to digest the world around them as commodities as a replacement for the real. Artifacts such as films are not representative of art, but are tools to inspire audiences to strive towards the acquisition of consumer goods and respect the hierarchal structure. Debord (1977) points out that the society of the spectacle is replete with images and representations that drive audiences to become consumers. This consumption leads audiences to respect the structural hierarchies that repress them. In essence, the complacency most audiences have towards the consumption of images and subsequently the world around them drives this structuralism. While Debord (1977) implicates popular culture and the spectacle as paramount in the construction of a social order of consumption, he does offer some hope for those striving to work against the consumptive nature of capitalist hierarchies in the form of â€Å"detournement† By creating contradictions, negations, or parodies of a given work, â€Å"corrections† can be made to the meaning of the work in order to create a meaning that is more representative of the â€Å"true† states of societies. Marshall McLuhan (1964) argued in his groundbreaking work, Understanding Media, that popular culture experienced a drastic shift with the advent of technologies such as film, radio and television. Whereas popular culture had been print dominated in years previous, the shift to new types of media changed the way media was created and the effect was dramatic. McLuhan argues that the introduction of printed texts into cultures undermined the tribal aspect of communities and collective ideas that had once dominated small communities. Cultures became more individualistic and increased the power of logic and rationale of the written word as opposed to commonality among group members. The advent of new media brought about a more collective consciousness as individuals were drawn to its aesthetics. New tribal communities formed that were rooted in both local and global norms. Audience exposure to new and different sights and sounds increased the shared understanding across cultures. McLuhan also illustrates that the spread of media united people as a result of the media’s importance by comparing media to staples of a society’s economy. Television, for example, can be used to construct the cultural norms of a society. Those people who are active audience members of a particular television show or genre are likely to have shared beliefs, forming a tribal community of their own. McLuhan argued that the community building potential of television and the syndication of programming created the potential for these cultures to spread globally. While McLuhan’s work was performed in the 1960s the subsequent popularity of the Internet seems to confirm at the very least that communities of people who make up television audiences extend worldwide as fan sites, bulletin boards, and blogs dedicated to television programs cross multiple borders and cultures. Television, much of McLuhan’s media, is a part of popular culture. Research has also been conducted suggesting that popular culture has the ability to reaffirm existing cultural norms or as a tool in transforming current norms. Lee Artz (2004) has examined the cultural norms that are present in the bulk of the animation produced by the Walt Disney Co. Artz argues that the autocratic production process embraced by Disney executives results in four dominant themes present in nearly every animated film the company has released. These themes include the naturalization of hierarchy, the defense of elite coercion and power, promotion of hyper-individualism and the denigration of democratic solidarity (p. 126). The prevalence of these themes can be identified through study of the narratives contained within Disney films as well as through the stylistic elements of the animation itself. The ease with which animated film can be translated and transported into the languages and cultures of peoples worldwide offers a large audience to Disney in marketing its films and film-related products. The portability of Disney products from one culture to another is a problematic notion for Artz (2004), as he explains the social stratification present and reaffirmed in the films produced is largely representative of the global capital system that allows Disney to thrive as a media giant. Artz suggests that effective resistance against these thematic representations cannot be implemented by rogue Disney artists injecting subversive messages into films. Instead, â€Å"cooperative creations and narratives† and the appropriation and subsequent use of animation technology by artists, writers, and producers committed to the promotion of democracy would be more effective. This conclusion appears to be impirically proven. While not discussed in Artz’s work, subversive strategies have been employed by disgruntled artists involved in the production of Disney films (such as the post-production inclusion of an image of a topless woman in the background artwork of The Rescuers). However these acts did not generate substantial negative publicity for the company. Peter Simonson (2001) has examined the successes the animal-rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have experienced as a result of using communication strategies rooted in popular culture. PETA seeks to change predominant cultural norms in the area of animal welfare. Their traditional communicative strategies have relied on the generating news controversy and gaining news coverage. Simonson proposes that social movements and organizations seeking to change popular morals or norms rely upon social noise—a multifaceted concept that can be defined as messages that are compelling or loud enough to be heard amidst the signals of mass-media. Noise disrupts commonly held social meanings and is often discordant or disagreeable to a subset of the audience. Scholars have also focused on what makes a particular artifact or action popular. John Fiske (1989) studied culture as popular culture in terms of texts. By making textual analysis of artifacts in popular culture, Fiske began to make claims about the structure of popular messages. Fiske introduced the concept of the producerly text as a primary characteristic of popular culture. The producerly text is conceptually anchored in the distinctions made by Barthes (1977) between the writerly and readerly texts. Barthes contends that readerly texts are those that we are able to read passively. Interactions between the audience and these texts are receptive; there is no need to question or interpret the text in a different way than it is written. Writerly texts can be seen as those texts that require the reader to constantly evaluate and rewrite the meaning of the text, and writerly texts usually require some specialized knowledge or a toolset to decode (Fiske 1989). Many scholars and activists concur that there is a risk when entering into pop culture that the rhetoric used by those critiquing dominant ideologies and structures may be co-opted. The potential exists for the message to be appropriated by those in power for their own means; the message becomes incorporated by those in power in order to embolden their own claims or profits. The same process that allows activists to change the meaning of texts is available to everyone. Popular culture has the potential to create and transform both societal structure and norms. Additionally, communities of common exposure and belief can be developed using popular culture as a medium. There may be a risk of that subversive ideas can be incorporated by dominant systems of power, but this incorporation does not necessarily limit the transformative potential popular culture holds. When considering the culture jammer’s intent of questioning and changing norms popular culture becomes an interesting point of cultural injection. Conclusion In essence, the popular culture jam seeks to be appropriated into pop culture- it becomes pop culture and helps to redefine that which is popular. The result is a sort of â€Å"subpropriation,† where in the author seeks to have his or her work popularized in order to simultaneously popularize a previously subversive concept or idea. However, this appeal to the popular does not necessarily stop culture jamming from occurring. Entry into popular culture does not dictate that the message will be recuperated by industry. Rather, popular culture jamming takes place at a different point than other types of culture jamming. The â€Å"jam† in popular culture jamming occurs at the point that the artifact, action, or behavior becomes popular. The most obvious effect of moving towards a jamming of popular culture is the increased access to larger audiences. Popular culture does not request to be covered in the same way that news-oriented communication or advertisements often do. Instead, popular culture places demands upon media outlets to not only be covered but also be distributed to the masses. This sense of demand results because the popular is attractive to the media as a potential form of profit. Again, we see Fiske’s (1989) theories on production and incorporation at work. A popular culture jam spreads as a result of its popularity. Often this popularity is created by the irresistible profits that may be yielded from an artifact’s incorporation into the popular. In essence, one aspect of the structures that propagate and allow for globalization (and the subsequent problems that those in anti-globalization movements perceive to be resultant from it) to persist and thrive are turned back to criticize either itself or another portion of the hierarchal structure. Popular culture, despite the criticisms it often faces for lack of sophistication or intelligence, is an important element of our lives. Popular culture may also serve as a tool for those struggling against globalization, rampant consumerism, and capitalist exploitation. Each time we turn on a television or listen to the radio or log on to the Internet we are exposing ourselves to popular culture. Popular culture should not be perceived as an intellectual wasteland. While much of that which makes up popular culture may be perceived as being detrimental to society by any number of people, activists and media scholars cannot ignore or reject it. Popular culture needs to be embraced and transformed through the use of producerly texts in order to improve and transform the genre into another persuasive conduit for activists. Popular culture is not going away. In the age of new media popular culture is becoming even more pervasive in our lives as media formats are combined. If embraced as a rhetorical forum by culture jammers, popular culture can be transformed into a more revelatory and revolutionary space for communicating ideals that activists wish to make popular. References Artz, L., (2004), The Righteousness of Self-centered Royals: The World According to Disney Animation, Critical Arts Journal, Vol. 18, No. 1, 116-146. Blackmore, S., (1999). The meme machine, 1st ed., Oxford University Press. Debord, G., (1977), The Society of the Spectacle. Available at http://library.nothingness.org/articles/SI/en/pub_contents. Dery, M., (2004, Oct 10), Culture jamming: hacking, slashing and sniping in the empire of signs. Available at: http://www.markdery.com/archives/2004/10/cultureJamming_l.html. Downes, S., (1999, Oct. 4), Hacking memes. First Monday, 4.10. Available at: http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue4_l 0/downes/index.html. Eco, U., (1984), Semiotics and the philosophy of language, 1st ed., Bloomington, USA: Indiana University Press. Fiske, J., (1989), Understanding popular culture. 1st ed. Boston, USA: Unwin Hyman. Harold, C. (2004). Pranking rhetoric: â€Å"culture jamming† as media activism. Critical Studies in Media Communication, Vol. 21, No. 3, 189-211. Lasn, K., (2000), Culture Jam: How to Reverse America’s Suicidal Consumer Binge—And Why We Must, 1st ed. New York, USA: HarperCollins Publishers. McLuhan, M., (1964), Understanding Media. London, England: Routledge Press. Reinsborough, P., (2003, Aug.), Decolonizing the revolutionary imagination, Journal of Aesthetics and Protest, No.1, Available at: http://www.journalofaestheticsandprotest.org/l/de_colonizing/index.html. Simonson, P., (2001), Social Noise and Segmented Rhythms: News, Entertainment, and Celebrity in the Crusade for Animal Rights, Communication Review, Vol. 4, No. , 399-420.