Film Review The Movie Enemy - 1325 Words

If there is at least one film that I almost ended up liking, but the â€Å"almost† part hit the curve real fast by the end of the film, then that film was Enemy. There are some elements in a film that make a film work well and look great and they include many things, like concepts of photography, music and art direction to acting and many other factors, but ultimately it all breaks down to the story. You could enjoy a film and still consider it bad because it failed to give you a good story. In Enemy, I feel like there was a cool story behind it, but what became of it onscreen ended up being a mess. Enemy is directed by Denis Villeneuve, who is well known for great award-winning movies such as Prisoners and Sicario. This Canadian production also stars the famous Jake Gyllenhaal in a multiple lead role. Talking about receiving awards, Enemy did get a bunch of them as well. But I don’t know why it deserved them. The film tells the story of a middle aged college history professor, Adam who is living with his girlfriend and is dissatisfied with his life up until the point where he discovers his doppelganger, Anthony who is a part time actor and suddenly finds a little excitement and drama. Adam starts to pay a great deal of interest in Anthony’s life and the plot continues from there onwards. There is a great deal of symbolism in this film, which makes the film deviate from the original plot. The complexity in the story arises not because one wouldn’t understand that everything thatShow MoreRelatedWe Were Soldiers Analysis Essay1591 Words   |  7 PagesScott J ohnson 04/14/09 HIST. 1700 Term Project Film Analysis/Review WE WERE SOLDIERS It’s a known fact that that the Vietnam War was fought by young American soldiers that bled and died next to one another in the jungles of Vietnam. With many wins and loses throughout the war there were over 58,000 American casualties by wars end. The movie, â€Å"We Were Soldiers† focuses on the role of the United State’s 7th Calvary Regiment in the Battle of Ia Drang, which was the first large-unit battleRead MoreTengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Gurren-Hen Essay844 Words   |  4 PagesCongratulations! Gainax! Bravo! You may be wondering why I’m starting this review with so much praise, but is it praise? Maybe it’s cleverly placed sarcasm just to mask the faà §ade of this show? Well as much as I love doing negative reviews and just making fun of how a story presents itself, Tengen toppa Gurren Lagann: Gurren-Hen, also known as Gurren Lagann is just an amazing film; only if you decide not to take it seriously. If you decide to analyze this show thoroughly from the inside-out you wouldRead MoreClint Eastwoods _Letters from Iwo Jima_ Essay1129 Words   |  5 Pages2006, a film directed by Clint Eastwood was released in theatres around the world titled Letters from Iwo Jima. Unlike most war movies that are produced for the American public, this film entirely captures the World War II battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the enemy. For a rare change, Letters from Iwo Jima shows the cultural aspect and daily life the Japanese soldiers experienced during the war. Although the film was given many positive reviews and was noted as one of the best films of 2006Read MoreMovie Review : A Film Review On High Noon1028 Words   |  5 Pages I have decided to write my film review on High Noon because it is a movie fresh into my mind that I really enjoyed. It is the best movie shown in the class so far. It seems like a movie way ahead of its time for being made in 1952. The exposition was quick and gave us all the info we needed about the characters to move on with the story. The rising action was my favorite part of the movie believe it or not. It shows us even more background and Wills struggle to get people to help. Every time heRead MoreMovie Analysis : Going Audience1181 Words   |  5 PagesWhenever any film is released to the mainstream American movie going audience, it becomes subject to the wrath or appraise of movie critics. Audiences not set on whether or not they intend to see a particular film usually turn to these critics for their professional opinions and judge whether or not the movie will be worth the time and money. When Election hit the silver screen in 1999, it was met with critical acclaim and well-received by audiences. Since its premier, the film was gained a legacyRead MoreFamily in â€Å"The Public Enemy (1931)†700 Words   |  3 PagesFamily in â€Å"The Public Enemy (1931)† 　　　　A family is defined in different ways and at different perspectives based on the context and experiences of a person. Despite being a basic social unit that influences the society around it, a family remains a dynamic topic whose description has varied over time. To discuss the family and the definitions that the social unit this paper reviews and analysis the movie â€Å"The Public Enemy (1931)† produced by William. In regard to the analysis, this paper will exploreRead MoreMasculinity in Movies: Full Metal Jacket Essay753 Words   |  4 PagesMasculinity in Movies: Full Metal Jacket Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 film which portrays the early careers of U.S. Marine Corps recruits preparing for the Vietnam War. Throughout the movie, one recognizes concepts covered in the TV and film analysis film class; specifically the issue of masculinity. The first part of this movie is an accurate representation of recruit training, enforcing the well known mantra â€Å"tear down then build up.† Present in this leadership style widelyRead MoreMovie Review: We Were Soldiers Essay1368 Words   |  6 PagesMovie Review: We Were Soldiers We all like to take a time out and sit down with our loved ones, and watch a heart touching movie every once in a while. What we dont do is actually take time to really focus and understand completely what the point of the movie is or what it is trying to get across to the audience. I was able to take time and sit down, and enjoy and evaluate the movie, We Were Soldiers. I was able to come to the conclusion that it is a very accurate movie, give or take a few factsRead MoreRacial Representation in American History X Essay1399 Words   |  6 PagesA movie American History X (1988) deals with white supremacy and racism. We can see a variety of racial representation in this movie. We’re going to see implicit racial associations and racist stereotypes seen in the film first with the framework of John Russell’s discussion in his research â€Å"Race as Ricorso: Blackface(s), Racial Representation, and the Transnational Apologetics of Historical Amnesia in the United States and Japan,† examine the background and arguments on race in the movie, and seeRead MoreFilm Review Of Precious Knowledge : A Critical Review1076 Words   |  5 PagesThe film Precious Knowledge takes a deeper look into the defense and fall of the Ethnic Studies program within the Tucson Unified School District. During the standoff, as Arizona lawmakers bombarded the students and educators with threats and false claims. A major question surrounding the film is whether or not this program’s failure was preventable. Jeff Biggers approaches the situation from a politically centralized point of view, having written for The New York Times, The Nation, and The Washington

Internal Migration in India and Citizenship implications Free Essays

An essay on eye-scanning, Indian’s floating population and inclusive governance. â€Å"That will give me an identity,† he said, gesturing at the computer station where he had Just completed his enrolment. â€Å"It will show that I am a human being, that I am alive, that I live on this planet. We will write a custom essay sample on Internal Migration in India and Citizenship implications or any similar topic only for you Order Now It will prove I am an Indian. † – Mohammed Jail, (New York Times 2011 Introduction The 2011 report of the MIAMI on internal migration and human development in India estimated the number of internal migrants to be around 400 million people, at that time roughly a third of the total population. The MIMI was launched by EUNICE and UNESCO to respond to the many problems existing around this population, also referred to as the ‘floating population’. These migrants, often never really settled, face great difficulties in accessing social security as this is often linked to residence. This is but one of the many ways in which these people are treated as ‘second-class citizens’, discrimination, a lack of political representation and low wage work being other examples. The aim of the MIMI to ensure: â€Å"†¦ Hat processes of urban development are socially equitable† 2 crystallized In the launching of an â€Å"informal outwork of 200 researchers, NAGS, policy makers. I-JNI agencies and key partners† focused on raising attention given to internal migrants in policy and practices (UNESCO, 2011). The Indian government project called ‘Dharma’ might be an interesting development to these problems. It is a hugely scoped project aim ed at providing all Indian residents with an identity by scanning their eyes and entrusting them with a number, enabling them to claim for example social benefits and a bank account . In this paper I seek to answer the question whether this project might actually benefit this floating population, and how this can be embedded In a broader discussion on citizenship and legibility. Indian’s floating population’ As the MIMI report stressed to be the basis for its creation, the internal migrant population of India has up till now received very little attention from either research or polices, partly because of the difficulties In gathering data. Most attention got diverted to international migrants, as their positive potential to contribute to development was well researched and backed by political and economic interest. First of all, speaking of the floating population does ignore the diverse backgrounds, practices and reasons to migrate of the people concerned. Goodling and West (2002) stress in their paper on the floating population in China that there is no set definition for this concept. It Is mostly used to denote the part of a population someplace else than where they are registered (Ibid. , 2002). Definitions and ambiguities put aside, this category does provide us with new and potentially better tailored ways of looking at urban development issues. A quick glance at Indian swapper articles concerning internal migrants helps gain some insight in the myriad of problems surrounding this issue. A 2012 article in the Times of India reports how the floating population (in Locknut, India), mostly not accounted for in enumerations, appear to be the cause of major water shortages, as the water supply is based on the number of permanently settled. Other articles report discrimination migrants face. An article from 2008 (CNN- BIN)4 for instance shows how migrants become the subject of political discrimination and commotion in Iambi. Political leaders articulate and incite an anger against the migrants, aerating an ‘other’ which is blamed to be an economic burden, obstructing the freedom of ‘normal’ citizens and â€Å"milking Mamba’s resources† (Ibid. 2008). Whereas some government policies seek to tackle the problems surrounding this population through settlement relocation and infrastructural improvements (Times of India 2013)5, initiatives such as the aforementioned MIMI pursue making them visible and included in society. As was shortly noted in the introduction, the MIMI recognizes a trend of expanded use of rights based approaches in Indian law and policy. This generally means a ore equal citizenship and ways of governing, as government institutions are built more around the focus of ensuring and fulfilling human rights of all. The Indian Supreme Court has been a fundamental actor in demanding this change in government approach, and has for instance ordered the government in 2001 to provide a daily warm meal to every Indian schoolchild as part of the right to food. But how to ensure and fulfill the rights of those who can’t be seen? In the particular case of the MIMI it means: â€Å"focus development of policy frameworks and practical strategies awards ensuring that all migrants have access to services and entitlements as enshrined in policies and law; and that urban settlements become inclusive spaces as they expand in size and diversity’. In practice it means slow and arduous changes and redefinitions of social and economic rights. As the migrants are politically underrepresented, lobbying on their behalf is done largely by bodies such as the IM†. One particular government project might provide the nation’s poor, as well as the floating ones, a shortcut to claiming some of the rights hitherto denied to them. Scanning eyes and citizenship As of 2009 the Indian government has initiated a project aimed at identifying and registering all 1. 2 billion Indian residents and giving them an identification number: Dharma. It is done combined with a retina-scan to ensure the uniqueness of the identity. As Sabine Demented, working for one of the companies hired to carry out the identification, puts it: â€Å"It will enable people to open checking accounts, apply for loans, insurance, pensions, property deeds, etc. What’s more, the government wants to make sure that welfare benefits go directly to the right person† (Saffron Magazine, 010). The only demands made of people in order to register are a retina-scan and fingerprint, name, gender (even transgender is possible), address and date of birth. Million people as of March 20146. For one, it circumvents the widely used village- based identity system, making it hard or impossible for migrants to claim rights in a place where they are not registered. Some of the other assumed potentials, as framed in an article by the New York Times (2011)7, are ways in which citizenship will be less mediated through caste- , religious- or kin groups, but rather through an individual national identity. For the floating population, who often experience discrimination based on their respective group-identity, or exclusion because a lack thereof, this might prove to be a real structural change to their good. It is also argued that this form of e-governance bypasses corruption, which is often linked to the inability of the poor to assert their rights through official bodies. Interaction with the state is hence deadline from local gatekeepers, which is important as, according to the Dharma director Ram Seven Sahara: â€Å"One cannot improve human beings†¦ But nee can certainly improve systems†. This, of course, is questionable in its own right. Reanimating (2012) sees this kind of service-consumer relationship, as is excreted through such systems, as a hindrance to political citizenship and a representative democracy (p. 129). Accessibility might be improved, but the means to criticize remain weak. As the project is still being implemented it is not easy nor feasible to entirely predict its potentials or flaws. In theory, though, one could wonder to what extension this project really brings about a first-class citizenship for all. The simplicity of the Dharma identification number gives it great inclusive strength. Whereas before traditional group- or village based identification made it hard for internal migrants to claim certain rights, as the negotiation is often done through the same channels, a more direct way of interacting with government services has been made possible. The simplicity also lays bare the eventual narrow implications to the poor. As Harvey stresses in ‘The Right to the City (2003): â€Å"The freedom to make and remake ourselves and our cities is, I want to argue, one of the most precious yet most neglected of our human rights† (p. 2). If citizenship means recognition by state and law and henceforth attaining the human rights bestowed upon citizens in a democracy, Dharma falls short in scope. It does not enable people to vote, nor does it empower them in gaining settlement rights. Furthermore, although it is not something to blame the project itself for, other structural as well as social and economic constraints keeping the floating population away from full citizenship still remain firmly rooted. Still too little attention is directed towards tackling real societal problems, such as discriminatory practices and uncontrolled arbitration. To conclude, I do believe the first steps toward including this huge neglected part of the Indian population are being taken, and that in itself can be seen as a very good development indeed. Improving legibility, which this project in essence is to the government ( and which James Scott might condemn in other conditions), can in such abominable conditions of inequality truly contribute to strengthening the position of the weakest, albeit in really small steps. How to cite Internal Migration in India and Citizenship implications, Papers

Why the Death Penalty Should Be Abolished Essay Example For Students

Why the Death Penalty Should Be Abolished Essay Outline1 Introduction2 Capital punishment risks lives of the innocent3 Electrocution system is expensive4 Death punishment is not a deterrence to crime5 The mentally ailing are often executed6 Capital punishment is traumatizing to jurors and executioners7 The death penalty is racially instigated8 Federal death degrades the aim of retribution9 Conclusion Introduction Those supporting decapitations have been arguing that demise is the ultimate price to be paid for violent crimes. Nevertheless, studies have shown a repeated pattern in violent crime when one is executed. This article will address loopholes in the criminal justice systems across the world and how it has sacrificed innocent people for persecution in expenses of the guilty. Biases have not be left out during presentation of felony cases. The death penalty should be abolished since it violets the international standards and laws. Suspects end up spending years on a death row depriving them the noble human freedom of associating with their families and friends while incarcerated. The principle of modern criminology is the rehabilitation of criminals, this barbaric act violets the primary objective of the criminal law. Killing doesnt have restorative value. Capital punishment risks lives of the innocent Innocent suspects have been released from a federal death sentence, others spared minutes to execution. Â  Various investigations have poked holes where innocent men and women have been taken to the hangman. Only later to learn of their innocence after implementation of the heinous deed. Taking away a guiltless life is ethically reprehensible, a risk we cannot afford. During retrial the number of acquittals is high, showing discrepancies and errors in judgments. Electrocution system is expensive Getting to know the facts why the death penalty has become expensive in recent years is such a complicated affair. But this has been much attributed to the intensification in law that takes into consideration scientific methods and evidence, and changes in law and general public opinion, all these impacts the legal fee of representation. The high costs are as a result of a thorough jury selection up to the appellate and the extensive checks to ensure the innocent are not executed. However, it is still happening, suggesting the due diligence isnt effective. Death punishment is not a deterrence to crime Science has failed to persuasively explain how the death penalty deters people from committing capital offenses. This is enough reason why we should do away with impalement. It is evident that countries without rub out system have fewer murder rate compared to their neighboring countries with the death penalty. Criminologists are unable to assemble evidence and thesis on how guillotine deters felony crimes. It is the conscience that decides. Theres a steady drop in violent crime without necessarily being correlated to capital punishment. The mentally ailing are often executed Ten percent of total people strangled are mentally ill, this according to the Amnesty International. The mentally disabled suspects do not take part fully in the due process during the trial. They feel cold and at times appear unengaged before the judge since some their speech isn’t audible enough. Some have been forcefully given drugs to appear competent to stand trial and possibly face shooting. Some states have abolished executing mentally disabled persons while others are taken them before the hangman. Capital punishment is traumatizing to jurors and executioners The conversation around the lethal injection and gassing should put into consideration as it pauses possible psychological effect towards those involved in instilling this kind of justice. Executioner and jurors are indirect victims of the death penalty. The wardens and prison authorities engaged in beheading suffer from depression for killing. It is inhumane to put the mental health of correctional officers at stake for vengeance. .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 , .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .postImageUrl , .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 , .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8:hover , .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8:visited , .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8:active { border:0!important; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8:active , .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8 .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u90af2220d49c38b6640fb5426725a4a8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: solar energy EssayThe death penalty is racially instigated The America Bar Association quoted: The disparities in administering guillotine are racially driven with very little done to stabilize the worsening situation. Suspects are sentenced in relation to race. The Black who makes 14 percent of the total American population constitutes 49% of those on death row. The possibility of being handed to the hangman increases by 27 percent if the accused is Black. Worst still at times Blacks are excluded from the fair hearing. Federal death degrades the aim of retribution Putting to death perpetrator of capital offenses in public is extremely inhuman for indefensible reasons. Â  It doesnt serve the objectives instead of increasing the cruelty and helping illegitimate all process. Any form of the death penalty to the people violets the right to life. When undertaken in public is gross disrespect to human dignity. Governments cannot justify the elimination of prisoners since this topic cant divorce from the human right. Conclusion Capital punishment by death should be banned in totality. Murder is a grave offense that should never be justifiable, should be condemned without further reasons. Never the less, grave offenses should be punished by life imprisonment without an option of parole. This eliminates the possibility of an irreversible fault, which keeps the public at peace. Most of the inmates on death row have reformed; born-again Christians and astute Muslims steadfast in their faith. The pardoned and released ones, there is no reported case of rearrest for a major crime. The all discussion revolving around the death penalty is split between moral principle and pragmatism. With citations contradicting each other; Eye for an eye from the proponents of why the death penalty should be abolished and, Thou shalt not kill by the opponents.

Origin of Life Essay Sample free essay sample

Life and its beginnings have spurred many a theories. guesss and arguments. Among the well-known theories on how life started include abiogenesis- development. self-generated coevals. panspermia-and creationism. Abiogenesisclaims that life originated spontaneously from inanimate affair ( ex. H2O. C dioxide. H. N ) â€Å"under proper conditions† ( Why is Abiogenesis Impossible? n. d. ) . It is a to a great extent contested theory and many critics point out to the sheer impossibleness of such a proposition for practical grounds. For one. whatever groundss are laid in support of this theory are missing in substance. strength and measure. The earlier signifiers of autogenesis such as the one purported by Aristotle have already been debunked because of the outgrowth of cogent evidence showing the contrary such as the experiments of Louis Pasteur and John Tyndall. Even the modern versions ( ex. theory of development ) suffer from so many loopholes in footings of elaborate. elaborate history on the procedure of the outgrowth of life. We will write a custom essay sample on Origin of Life Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In other words. there is a resonant absence of a comprehensive account that can be substantiated with stuff cogent evidence. One critical component that is squalidly missing in modern autogenesis is the designation. sketching and hallmark of phases taking to the creative activity of life. In the theory of development propounded by Charles Darwin. there are ‘missing links’ that are believed to consist the spread that is to finish and impart acceptableness to the theory. These ‘missing links’ are the transformational phases or processes that connect the lesser. more crude evolutionary signifiers to worlds ( gay sapiens ) . Furthermore. the autogenesis theory does non account for the complexness of the biological composing of human life. Life merely can non be generated in a additive consecutive form of growing phases. Surveies in modern biological science ( genetic sciences ) have shown the intricate procedures and design of cell formation and regeneration so by deduction the creative activity of higher life signifiers ( ex. bacteriums. Protozoa ) involves more than merely simplified. sectionalized phases of development and growing. Panspermia â€Å"Panspermia is the name for the theory that life exists and is distributed throughout the existence in the signifier of sources or spores†( Sims 1990 ) . This theory presupposes that life originated from other planets or planetal organic structures through stones. meteorites. etc. incorporating simple life signifiers ( ex. bacteriums ) that were transported on Earth. survived. regenerated and which finally evolved into higher. organic life signifiers. The groundss for panspermia include thedoggedness and survival inherent aptitude of bacteriums holding proven to dodge the effects of ultraviolet radiation. cold and protons barrage ; and the presence of life in meteorites such as aminic acids. bacteriums and C( Panspermia Theory. n. d. ) This theory pans a web of contention because what it proposes as a conjectural beginning of life shakes the belief. the nucleus impression that human existences are the centre of everything. It seems a absurd thought. after all. to presume that life comes from an foreigner beginning and that worlds are posterities of unknown. unidentified life signifiers. What is considered to be debatable about panspermia is the failure of the theory to account for the beginning of life. It does non explicate how life came to be in the existence where life on Earth purportedly sprung from. ( Baird 2008 ) . Hydrothermal Hydrothermal beginning of life theorizes that â€Å"life could hold arisen in a pigboat hydrothermal vent† ( Sarfati 1999 ) . The job with this theory is that it merely created hexaglycine as the most complicated life signifier during one of the experimental trials done by some Nipponese research workers ( 1999 ) . In other words. the consequences of the experiment did non back up the claims of the hydrothermal theory ( 1999 ) . Mentions Baird. Alexis. ( 2008 ) . The argument of panspernia: are we the posterities of foreigners? Retrieved March 06. 2008 from SerendipUpdate’sBlog: hypertext transfer protocol: //serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/node/1919 Bergman. Jerry. ( 1999 ) . Why autogenesis is impossible.Creation Research Society Quarterly. vol 36. No. 4. March 2000. Retrieved March 06. 2008. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. trueorigin. org/abio. asp Panspernia Theory. Panspermia. Retrieved March 06. 2008 from hypertext transfer protocol: //leiwenwu. tripod. com/panspermia. htm Sarfati. Jonathan ( 1999 ) . Hydrothermal beginning of life.Creation Ex Nihilo Technical Journal.Vol 13. No. 2. Retrieved March 06. 2008. from hypertext transfer protocol: //leiwenwu. tripod. com/panspermia. htm

buffalo wild wings food review Essay Example

buffalo wild wings food review Essay Example buffalo wild wings food review Paper buffalo wild wings food review Paper Essay Topic: Call of the Wild Into the Wild Wild The Path of an International Student to Assimilation through American Cuisine What can an average college guy ask for in life? A good college football game in which their favorite team wins, some pretty girls, and a few drinks with some good food; all can be found in the nationally renowned Joint called Buffalo Wild Wings. Located Just off Price Forks Rd. in the college town of Blacksburg, Virginia, the franchise has established a reputation of serving authentic American food with the pleasurable experience of communal gathering for young people and the association with rofessional sports. As college students, it is hard to make ends meet, and B- dubs (as it is known in common slang) gives you what its worth, giving a foreign student like myself an honest taste of American culture. Nowhere in the world can you find a venture like Buffalo Wild Wings. The company founded in 1982 in Ohio quickly became a rapidly growing franchise, spreading to over 600 locations in North America. Walking in as a foreigner, it is overwhelming, seeing the many large screens and unrecognizable club emblems. The facility has a very mature feel to it because of he bar. The lighting is dim, highlighting the d? ©cor of the place, and allowing the plasma TV screens on which various sporting events are shown to stand out. There is a smell of oak wood seeping through my nostrils as I evaluate the polished wooden tables and think of the smoked meat on the grill. The main dining plaza is large, obviously meant to hold a large number of sports fans during tournaments, however during the midday hours in the middle of the week the place has only a few groups of people enjoying their lunch. As a sports bar, Buffalo Wild Wings attempts to create n environment of competition and with a sports event going on, it is always a bit noisy as the energetic aura envelops the diner. Stunned by the grandiose nature of d? ©cor, I am brought back to reality by the voice of the waitress politely asking me to follow her to a free table. Sitting down, I am handed a menu- all bright and vibrant, with a funky font that stands out; so unlike restaurants around the world where the menu is apathetically boring. At the bottom of the menu there is an infographic portraying the numerous sauces that Buffalo Wild Wings offers and their level of hotness, a true example of American promotion. As I was not familiar with the many dishes on the menu, as many foreign college students would not be, I asked for assistance. The waitress told me what the dishes offer as well as their pros and cons, helping me make my choice. Virtues of patience and honesty not usually expected from staff of most restaurants, which focus more on profit than customer satisfaction, was definitely present here and made a foreigner more comfortable in the unfamiliar environment. For my order I chose to try the traditional hot wings with several sauces hich this franchise is acclaimed for. Although being distinctly American, the Joint attempts to adopt cuisine of various cultures through their sauces which represent the authentic tastes around the world. For a foreigner, this brings a nostalgic feeling of belonging, but by being in another country, it allows for assimilation through the most unusual medium of all: food. Despite my predicament of being by myself, I saw a group of guys who were seemingly mesmerized by a soccer match of the European League on television. Surprised that anybody would be interested in such unknown tudents from Europe and South America. I instantly connected with the guys and having common interests, we chatted the whole time until the food war ready. I found this to be a defining role of Buffalo Wild Wings in the community, bringing people together through sports fanaticism. This is an aspect not seen in other food institutions allowing patrons to interact on a personal level. Finally the waitress brings out the food. Almost instantly the smell of well cooked meat fills the room as one can smell the potent mix of ingredients, spices, and sauces to create a beautifully rafted but ironically simple meal. The food is served in paper baskets, with an extra one given for bones. My meal is not large and is not arranged in a superficial manner that most restaurants attempt as part of the culinary tradition. It is almost as the disorganization of the meal in this Joint is its own aesthetic experience, challenging one to try before dealing out Judgment. As I ate my chicken wings, the meat seemed to be melting in my mouth, sending the most wildly delicious tastes into my mouth. I feel the sauce dripping down into my mouth, making the meat appetizingly Juicy. It is a taste of something new but also gave me a sense of home. By trying Buffalo Wild Wings it was a catharsis for my taste buds. Overall my venture to Buffalo Wild Wings proved to be unexpectedly satisfying, giving me a true taste of the local cuisine and giving me a sense of the community. It is a restaurant I would definitely come back to and advise every international student to try, to fit in and to have a great time. After this visit, the franchise which distinguishes itself from all others in so many ways, truly stood out in my eyes as a place of ardent cuisine.

Black People and Larger Racial Minorities

Associate Program Material Racial Diversity: Historical Worksheet Answer the following questions in 100 to 250 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. * Throughout most of U. S. history, in most locations, what race has been in the majority? What is the common ancestral background of most members of this group? White people have been the majority of the population. The common ancestral background of most of the members in this group are Europeans. * What are some of the larger racial minorities in U. S. history? What have been the common ancestral backgrounds of each of these groups? When did each become a significant or notable minority group? Whites and blacks are a larger race in us. Europeans are the common ancestral background of whites and African American common ancestral background was from the west. The whites became a significant minority group in the 1600’s and blacks became a significant minority group in the 1800’s * In what ways have laws been used to enforce discrimination? Provide examples. These laws were intended against which racial minorities? Laws have been enforcing discrimination by making sure that all races have the same opportunity at a job. This is the civil rights act and it was made so that blacks and other races could all have a fair chance at a job and could not be rejected because of their race. If a black person would try to get a job and not get hired but a white person goes in and has everything the same as the black person but gets hired the black person can take that company to court for discrimination. These laws where intended for all racial minorities so everyone has the same opportunity. * In what ways have laws been used to eliminate discrimination? Provide examples. Did the laws work to eliminate discrimination? Allowing blacks and white to attend the same schools and allowing them to sit anywhere on a bus. Back years ago blacks had to sit in the back of the bus and if a white person needed a seat they had to give up theirs, as far as the schooling goes now black and whites can go to the same schools. I think the laws worked to eliminate discrimination because you do not see anyone making a black person move for a white person or having a school with only white kids. They laws have helped us become one country instead of 2 and everyone has a better look at each other now that we can combine races.

Project Goals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Goals - Essay Example One of the simplest concepts from project management that I learned that is very important for the functionality of a project is the fact that projects are tracked based on deliverables. The sequence of deliverables determines the project map. In the first round of the simulation I had to create a sequence of deliverables needed to transport the elephants from Zaminaka National Park to Ungoba National Park. The exercise of creating a sequence of activities was an example of a work breakdown structure. I learned from the simulation that project managers have to adapt to the situations based on circumstances and that minimizing risks is important in order to improve the possibilities of successfully completing a project. Project managers must make decisions based on tradeoffs between time, cost, and performance. The simulation shows that despite all the planning unforeseen circumstances occur. A reality about the business world is that a lot of projects are going to fail. In the pharma ceutical industry it takes approximately $800 million dollar to develop a new drug due to the cost of all the failed new drug projects the company has to absorb. The expenses that a company incurs in a failed project are considered sunk costs (Economist). The use of work breakdown structures is an advantage of the application of project management. WBS enables the project manager to accurately track the time of completion of many deliverables. Even if a project has over 100 deliverables to be completed the correct implementation of a work breakdown structure will ensure that the project manager can manage time and cost of the project effectively. A major limitation that was illustrated throughout the simulation was time. When a project gets delays it causes a ripple effect that affects all future deliverables of a project. Time becomes more sensitive when dealing with the health of live creatures. It is the responsibility of mankind to protect the animal kingdom and the endangered s pecies. Another advantage of the use of project management is that it provides a flexible leadership structure that employees understand. The project manager is the person responsible of the project, but he depends on the self-discipline and leadership skills of all the team members. Project management also offers advantages to a corporation such as the ability to separate special projects away from the normal operations of the firm. A project manager can focus on the performance of a specific project without worrying about the implication the project has on the corporation as a whole. A way to minimize the effects of bottlenecks on an operation is by performing adequate preparation. It is important to categorize the different types of bottlenecks. Seven types of bottlenecks are staffing, budget, people issues, client dependencies, vendor dependencies, task completion, and process dependencies (Sisco). Once bottlenecks are identified the project manager can develop contingency plans to deal with different scenarios based on each bottleneck category. All the alternative solutions to deal with different types of bottlenecks must be documented by the project manager. As a project manager if I was required to crunch a project and I had to select between sacrificing risks or time I would sacrifice the risk variable. Once a risk is identified even if a company incur in the risky behavior there are ways to minimize the e

Bipolar disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bipolar disorder - Essay Example Many famous names are also there in the list of people who are victims of this disease. Such names include Robin Williams, Jim Carry, Winston Churchill and many others. As there are different symptoms that are found in different patients of bipolar disorder thus the doctors have divided it in four categories so that the patients can be treated according to their individual requirements. These four levels are, bipolar I, bipolar II, Cyclothymiacs Disorder, or Bipolar Disorder. These classifications are made on the basis of Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale (BSDS). This disease although usually occurs in the earlier twenties, is not uncommon amongst teenagers or even children, therefore we can say that people belonging to any age group are prone to it (Ghaemi 2005). Further, as this problem is related to the brain other aspects of behavior, feelings and attitude are also affected. Often other people around fail to understand this change in personality and blame the patient for this change. They do not see it as an illness, but a choice made by the victim. Some people who experience this problem turn to temporary solutions such as doping or drinking. However, this temporary solution aggravates the problem in the long run. Doctors and scientists suggest multiple causes of this illness. They suggest that usually a conglomeration of these reasons result in this disease. The reasons include genetic inheritance of the disease, biochemical disorder and also social and environmental factors. As far as the genetic factor is concerned, if a close relative of a certain person has this disease the chances are elevated that it will be passed down to that person even, however it is not a sure shot thing. It has even been discovered through research related to identical twins that both might not inherit this disease. This clearly illustrates that genes does not alone determine this problem. Researchers are still working on

Gender Roles in American Households Essay Example for Free

Gender Roles in American Households Essay The social phenomenon of changing gender roles in American households is explored in this paper. Are men and women sharing more equally in assuming household responsibilities? Do women still bear the majority of the responsibility? How do race, age, and cultural influence play a role in the division of labor in the household? I have done research on the change in gender roles among people of different ages, genders, and race. Data was collected to see if there is a difference in change between races, if there is a significant change in roles between generations, and if men and women view the change the same or differently. To gain the data I used surveying and interviewing as my research methodologies. These methods were used as they were the most practical ways to obtain enough information needed to form conclusions. Caucasian, Asian, and African Americans of both genders and diverse ages were surveyed and interviewed. I feel my research will show that with each generation, as more women entered the work force, the households of all races have undergone significant change in which women and men are sharing both work and domestic duties more equitably. That being said, the distribution of domestic chores does contribute to household stratification of gender roles. Both currently and historically race plays a role in that stratification. Gender role research is socially relevant because each individual in a household is impacted by it. Gender roles in the household can be a factor in whether a marriage is happy and successful. They also influence decision making in the family and parent and child relationships. Researchers could use my data to delve deeper into the impact of gender roles in different types of households. Since everyone grows up in some type of household setting, the research could have far reaching implications for most of the population. The first research method I choose to collect data is the survey. Using a survey to collect data allowed me to reach a large number of people. Family and friends helped in distributing and collecting the surveys. My parents work at a hospital, my Aunt is a teacher, and my friend attends a large university. That allowed me to reach the age groups, genders, and races I needed in order to collect enough data. Included in my survey were both questions about today and about the past. In addition, using a survey allowed me to ask questions that were not opened ended and could easily be converted to statistical data. In the end, I had responses from a minimum of fifteen respondents in each of eighteen categories. The categories are Caucasian females ages 19-30, Caucasian males ages 19-30, Caucasian females ages 31-49, Caucasian males ages 31-49, Caucasian females ages 50 and above, Caucasian males age 50 and above, and the same for both African Americans and Asian Americans. Because of the large number of groups I needed to collect data on, I felt 15 individuals per category would be a large enough number to get a representative sample. I looked at the responses and felt I had a good sample. Had that not been the case, I would have handed out more surveys. Included in the survey were questions on the household the person grew up in and questions about their household today. For example, respondents were asked if they were raised in a two parent home. This is a question I checked the responses to when I determined if I had collected enough surveys. It was necessary to have enough positive answers to this question since gender roles is the issue I am looking at. Also on the survey were questions asking your race and age, who you were raised by, if your mother worked outside the home, percentage of division of household chores, and whether the perceived change in gender roles is positive. I did not have any problems with the survey itself. The only difficulty was finding fifteen respondents for a few of the categories. The second research methodology I used was the interview. In interviewing I was hoping to be able to ask follow up questions and steer the interview in a direction that would supply me with the information I needed. The survey did not lend itself to follow up questions. In addition, participant observation and experimentation methodologies were not at all suited to investigate the question of changing household gender roles. I interviewed one person from each of the three races I was researching. In addition, each was from a different age category. All of the interviews were conducted separately as I would not have wanted to inconvenience the people who were nice enough to participate. All were interviewed once in an informal manner since I believe that discussing your childhood and present home life is best accomplished in a comfortable setting. I interviewed Dr. Espejo, a 49 year old of Asian decent by telephone as she was unavailable in person. Helen Bonokallie, a 24 year old of African decent was my second interview. I spoke with Helen at her workplace as she works third shift and that was most convenient for her. My last interview was with Sylvia Johnson, a 66 year old Caucasian. I interviewed her in her living room. I have known Sylvia my entire life and have a close personal bond with her. Aside from choosing my subjects for interviewing and directing the questions to get the answers I needed I did not shape the outcome of the interview. The survey results revealed several trends related to gender roles in American families. The following charts and statistical analysis help to clarify the collected data from the surveys. The three tables that follow represent each of the three races I surveyed. Each chart shows the three age groups surveyed and their responses to two questions. The first, as a child what percentage of household work was done by each of your parents? The second, in your home today, what percentage of household work is done by the male and what percentage is done by the female? Looking at the charts a few trends are seen. First, regardless of race, the percentage of work done by the male is greater in the adult household as compared to the father in the childhood home. That indicates that with each generation gender roles in the home have changed. Ratio of CaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasian work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult In %householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-504%40%0%38%0%0% 60-400%40%4%31%0%40% 70-3012%20%15%23%0%40% 75-250%0%11%8%0%13% 80-2014%0%0%0%20%7% 85-1512%0%11%0%3%0% 90-1058%0%30%0%30%0% 95-50%0%11%0%27%0% 100-00%0%18%0%20%0%. Ratio of AsianAsianAsianAsianAsianAsian work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-500%26%0%0%0%0% 60-400%39%0%16%0%0% 70-307%30%0%36%0%28% 75-2510%0%0%12%0%0% 80-2023%5%17%24%3%22% 85-157%0%10%12%13%0% 90-1050%0%30%0%23%36% 95-50%0%30%0%25%0% 100-03%0%13%0%36%14% Ratio of African AfricanAfricanAfricanAfricanAfrican work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-500%0%0%0%0%6%. 60-400%63%0%18%0%18% 70-3031%31%7%28%0%38% 75-2531%0%8%12%5%7% 80-2015%6%8%36%25%12% 85-150%0%23%0%0%0% 90-1023%0%46%6%30%19% 95-50%0%8%0%25%0% 100-00%0%0%0%15%0% In addition, under no circumstance did the males of any race or age perform more household work than the females. The data also shows that there is no difference in gender roles today among Caucasians, African Americans, and Asian Americans in the 19-30 age group. In the Asian American group of individuals fifty and older, 72% of women still do 80-100% of the household work today. In contrast, in the same age group, only 7% of Caucasian women and 31% of African American women perform 80-100% of household work. According to the 2004 United States Census, 69% of Asians were born in another country (Lee and Pituc 2007). This is significant in that many older Asian-Americans adhere to traditional cultural values. Traditional Asian gender roles prescribe for women to place the role of wife and mother above all others: men are expected to be the breadwinner and spokesperson. Asian cultural values consequently encourage distinct spheres for men and women and a gendered household division of labor in which the burden of household duties such as housekeeping tasks and childcare rest heavily on women (Lee and Pituc 2007: 1). The following graph was compiled based on the survey question; did your mother work outside the home? The y-axis is percentage of working mothers and the x-axis is the age of those surveyed. The graph shows that over time more mothers have become workers outside the home. It also indicates that for all age categories 70% of African American women were in the workforce. Kane stated â€Å"White women have a history of lower levels of labor force participation and higher levels of economic dependence on men than do African-American women† (2000 p. 421). This graph when looked at in conjunction with the 3 charts above shows a correlation between women working outside the home and men giving more help around the house. The last survey question was do you think the change in gender roles in the household is positive or negative. The results were 99% positive and 1% negative. The information obtained from my interviews mirrored the information I got from the surveys. Talking to Sylvia, the 66 year old Caucasian, the idea that generation and women in the workplace play a part in changing gender roles was reinforced. Sylvia related what her home was like as a child, indicating that household work was entirely done by her non-working mom. Her home on the other hand is different in that her husband does help out to some extent. She also said her children’s homes are even more equitable when it comes to dividing household chores. Dr. Espejo’s parents worked together and shared responsibilities in the home. It is the same in her home today, where she and her husband, both physicians, share household duties. Dr. Espejo stated that she feels sharing of household responsibilities strengthens the relationship between a husband and wife and between parents and children. This may be explained by a 2003 study conducted by Y. Espiritu. Trask (2006) states: Based on an analyses of various studies of Asian-American families, Espiritu found that more educated couples tended to share and practice greater egalitarian relationships within households. While women still performed more of the housework, their husbands did participate in all aspects of family work. This increased participation by men may be explained due to an equal monetary contribution from men and women which led to wives successfully forcing their husbands to participate in domestic chores. (P. 4) In my interview with Helen, she pointed out that sharing responsibility around the house helps to equalize the stress between both male and female. In the African- American household she grew up in her father did the cooking and laundry while her mother cleaned and helped the children with homework. A recent study has a possible explanation for the sharing of household work in Helen’s childhood home. The study concluded, â€Å"When referencing the family and work, black men may be less traditional because they are more sensitive to oppression in general, may share resistance with black women to racial inequality, and often gain acceptance of women in the workforce during early years while being raised by a single working mother† (Carter 2006: 209). In addition, Blee and Tickamyer state, â€Å"African American men do not equate masculinity with success, wealth, ambition, and power, but rather with self-determinism and accountability† (1995 p. 21). All three interview subjects expressed that change in gender roles where there is a more equal distribution of household responsibilities is very positive. The research I have done shows that over time gender roles have changed among the three races I studied. Every group I looked at had fathers who helped out less around the house than the males in their homes today. One important reason for this could be the fact that over time more women have entered the workforce outside the home. It simply has become a necessity for men to help out more around the house. In addition to more women in the work force, culture and race play a role in gender and the household stratification of gender roles. Culture remains important to many Asians Americans, especially the older generation. In those cultures Asian men are seen as the breadwinner and women as household caretakers. That dictates women being almost entirely responsible for the household. In contrast, African American men do not define their masculinity by success, but instead by accountability. That leads to many African American men being more equitable in sharing household chores. Since everyone in a household is affected by gender roles, this subject is very important socially. It is a subject worth investigating further as the findings could impact many people. References Blee, Kathleen and Ann Tickamyer. 1995. â€Å"Racial Differences in Men’s Attitudes about Women’s Gender Roles. † In Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 57, pps 21-30. Carter, J. Scott and Mamadi Corra. 2009. â€Å"The Interaction of Race and Gender: Changing Gender Role Attitudes, 1974-2006. † In Social Science Quarterly. Vol. 90, pps 196-211 Kane, Emily. 2000. â€Å"Racial and Ethnic Variations in Gender-Related Attitudes. † In Annual Review of Sociology. Vol. 26, pps 419-436 Lee, Sandra and Stephanie Pituc. 2007. â€Å"Asian Women and Work-Family Issues. † In Sloan Work and Family Research Encyclopedia. pps 1-6 Trask, Bahira. 2006. â€Å"Traditional Gender Roles. † In Sloan Work and Family Research Encyclopedia. pps 1-5.

Three Passions Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The three passions that have dictated the direction of my life have been sports, friends and family. My first passion, sports, has guided me through temptations such as drugs and dropping out of school and has kept me on the right track. My second passion, much the same as my first has helped to deflect the many temptations of life. It is my friends who have stuck with me through the ups and downs and it is to them that I owe much of what I am today. My third and strongest passion is my family, and more specifically my father. He brought me up as a single father when my mother wanted nothing to do with me; he fought to give me what he could and it is to him that I owe everything.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sports, my first passion, has been instrumental i...

Changing the Image of Minorities in Ameria

So the question is asked, â€Å"What will you do personally to improve the image of Black Males in America? † I believe by breaking the stereotype of black males will be a start on changing or improving the image of African American Males. With stereotypes, It tends to put a heavy label on Individuals which becomes holders to success. So, the Image of black males according to different sources such as, the news, and media in general, from displayed actions of some Individuals; claims to think that black males have lack of male role models, simple-minded, behavioral issues, negative influences, and the list goes on and on.I know that, not everyone is alike in life. Everyone has a designated path they choose to follow and with those choices becomes your future. I strongly believe that every African American Male has the ability to be notwithstanding to critical Judgments and prove critics wrong. To improve these barbaric analyses there should be a metamorphosing program that hel ps black males finds out who they are and help them obtain desired goals. Which we do have but the organizations are few. This program could be a very beneficial set to the communities and most importantly the individuals striving for success.In society we see media presenting African American Males as animals, want-to-be gangsters, rappers, living In low social economical environments, and vice seeking. It is not totally the media fault for the poor representation of blacks in America but, It Is a start towards where the vain message is occurring. Some black males even uphold or even take pride of stereotypes as if they have accomplished something significant. While on the topic of black males being portrayed by the media, I'm not too sure on why the media focuses their attention on the negative inducing news but, generally bad news makes good news for a newscast.As for what I'll do, I will set myself up as demonstration to show how black males can fight off stereotypes and critici sm. Despite of home situations and obstacles I try to put my best foot forward towards where I can accomplish my dreams. I believe my life would be a good example of fighting off stereotypes. During elementary, middle school, and the beginning of my 9th grade year In high school I was classified as Special De. This label put me In a session where I doubted my self esteem and that I would amount to anything.My parents and as well as my grandparents instilled in me that no matter what label someone put on you or what they classify you as, you have to prove them wrong. So I began to improve my behavior, the way I carried myself, grammar, and just generally who I was. On the journey to creating a new me I found that there were a lot of people around me and who I hung around who influenced my behavior. These where the people I needed to eliminate myself from life. By eliminating them, I created ace within myself. With that peace I started to think cumulatively.I started to not render mys elf to them willingly and not get focused on how I appeared to people. That's probably a main concern with the youth today. Many youth, preferably African American males are at cosmetic levels. Cosmetic pertaining to how they look to others that they forget their mall goals and focuses. So this gave a good demonstration for me. Sometimes examples are the only way some people can accumulate Ideas. Succeed. I also believe that changing the mind and attitude of black males will improve the image.Altitude is descried as, the height of an object or point in relation to sea level or ground level or Just great height. So if black males were to change their minds and attitude then their altitude would go to greater heights. Due to circumstances such as financial situations, environments we live in, and etc. Black males tend to not think highly of achievement. So we have to change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. As we approach a challenge we might encounter a voice that says, †Å"Are you sure about this? You probably aren't fit for it. What if you fail – you'll be a failure. † As this voice inside us tries to set us back, we need should take it as a setup. It is an advantage on our part because, we have the chance to take negative criticism and turn it into positive criticism. How we interpret challenges, setbacks, and criticism is totally up to us. We can interpret them in a fixed mindset as signs that are fixed abilities and talents need improving. Or we can simply interpret them in a growth mindset as signs that we need to ramp up our strategies and effort, stretch our self, and expand our abilities.So as we approach a challenge, our fixed mindset says, â€Å"Are you sure you can do it? † The growth mindset answer says, â€Å"I'm not sure I can do it now, but I think I can learn to with time and enough effort. † Over time our mind becomes completely under our submission and will. Whether we take on challenges wholeheartedly, l earn from set backs and try again, hear negative criticism and act on it in our own hands. We have to learn to tune the distracting voice out and overcome it within. So having a growth mindset means that you believe your personality, skills and traits can be changed.

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 10

Jerome didn't seem very happy to hear from me the next morning. â€Å"Do you have any idea what time it is, Georgie?† he growled into the phone. â€Å"Why are you whining? You don't even need to sleep.† â€Å"Make this fast.† I told him about my experience at the concert and my inability to ID the mystery immortal. â€Å"He wasn't one of us. Er, I mean, you know†¦not part of our†¦pantheon,† I finished lamely. â€Å"‘Pantheon?' I've never heard it put quite like that – outside of an introductory mythology class, of course.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So what?† â€Å"So isn't that weird? I've met hundreds of different immortals and never felt one like this. He didn't feel†¦normal. I mean, he did feel like an immortal, but it was just weird.† â€Å"Well, hard as it is to believe, there are still a lot of things out there you haven't experienced – despite your vast age. â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah, I know I'm an infant, all right? But doesn't this worry you at all?† He yawned. â€Å"Not in the least. Something angelic ordemonic would, but some random demigod or satyr? Hardly. They're not part of the game. Well, they're all part of the Game. What I mean is, they're not part of our game. They don't have to get permission to be here. As long as they don't interfere with our business, I don't really care. They do their own thing. We'll just catalog them and move on.† â€Å"Catalog? You've got a record then?† â€Å"Well, I don't, of course. That's one of Grace and Mei's things.† No surprise there. Jerome wasn't really big on†¦well, work. Grace and Mei were subordinate demonesses who did a lot of the dirty jobs he didn't want to. I hardly ever saw them. â€Å"I'll have to page them,† I murmured, mind spinning. â€Å"You know, I suppose it goes without saying that there are a hundred other more useful projects you could be channeling your energy into. Like, say, helping your incubus friend. From what I hear, he's stuck high and dry out in the suburbs. Emphasis on the high.† â€Å"Hey,† I said, defensive of Bastien's honor, â€Å"he's just taking his time. You can't rush quality work. Besides, he learned everything he knows from me. â€Å" â€Å"Somehow that doesn't reassure me.† Jerome disconnected. I hunted down Grace and Mei's number. I waited for the tone, punched in my call-back number, and hung up. A minute later, a Fourth of July worthy shower of sparks appeared in my living room and the two demonesses stood before me. For having chosen two very different bodies, the pair looked remarkably alike. Grace was slim in an all-business, non-nubile sort of way, enhanced by the designer black skirt and jacket she wore. She had pale blond hair cut bluntly at chin length, brown-black eyes, and skin that never saw the sun. The only true color on her was the fire engine red lipstick she wore. Mei dressed exactly the same, down to the red lipstick. Her hair, also chin-length, was a deep blue-black. Despite the softer lines, higher cheekbones, and delicate almond shape of her dark eyes, she radiated no more warmth or friendliness than her counterpart. The two always stuck together, and I assumed they must be friends. Sort of. I had no doubt they'd claw each other's eyes out – or Jerome's, for that matter – if an opportunity for power or promotion was on the line. â€Å"Georgina,† said Mei. â€Å"Long time no see,† said Grace. Both watched me expectantly. Aubrey watched them from the back of my couch, her hair on end and tail poofed out. â€Å"Hey guys,† I replied uneasily. â€Å"Thanks for coming over so fast. Slow day?† They both stared at me. â€Å"Um, so, okay. Jerome said you keep records of immortals who pass in and out of the city. Immortals who are outside of our†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Game?† suggested Grace. â€Å"Pantheon?† suggested Mei. â€Å"Yeah. Sure. So†¦do you?† â€Å"Who are you looking for?† asked Mei. â€Å"What kind of immortal?† asked Grace. â€Å"That's the problem.† I told them everything I knew about him, which mostly included appearance and other encounters when I'd felt that weird sensation. Describing his signature was harder. I couldn't exactly say he felt like an incubus or an angel or a nymph or an oni. I hadn't run across his type before. The demonesses processed this information, glanced at each other, and then shook their heads. â€Å"He doesn't sound familiar,† said Grace. â€Å"But we can double-check the records,† said Mei. â€Å"Thanks,† I told them. â€Å"I'd really appreciate it.† They nodded curtly and turned as if to leave. Mei suddenly glanced back at me. â€Å"You should hang out with us sometime,† she said unexpectedly. â€Å"Cleo's in Capitol Hill has great specials on Ladies Night.† â€Å"There are so few of us girls around here,† added Grace. â€Å"We need to stick together.† They smiled and disappeared. I shivered. Going to a bar with those two sounded only marginally more appealing than stamping with Dana's CPFV friends. Speaking of which, I decided to visit Bastien later that afternoon. I hadn't heard from him in a few days. â€Å"Do you have any idea how much I don't care about your mortal friends?† he snapped when I told him about the whole bizarre situation surrounding Doug, Alec, and the mystery man. â€Å"I have real problems here. I'm dying. I'm getting nowhere with Dana. I keep seeing her, she's nice, and that's it! It's like she only wants – â€Å" â€Å"To be friends?† He stopped pacing around his kitchen and cut me an arch look. â€Å"Women are never just friends with me.† He leaned against the counter and closed his eyes. â€Å"I just can't think what else to do. If I don't act fast, one of our superiors is going to find out how bad things are.† I decided not to mention Jerome's â€Å"high and dry† comment just then. â€Å"Well, jeez, take a break and do something fun. Peter's having another poker game. Come over and play with us. I'm going to bring Seth.† â€Å"I thought you said this was going to be fun.† â€Å"Hey! Who was that a dig at? Peter or Seth?† â€Å"Pick one, Fleur .Although, admittedly, Peter does make a pretty decentsouffle. What can the author do?† â€Å"I wish you'd stop picking on Seth. You don't even know him.† Bastien shrugged. â€Å"Sorry. You just make it so easy.† â€Å"You're jealous.† â€Å"Hardly,† he snorted. â€Å"I've had my share of mortal infatuations, thank you. So have you, if memory serves. And you've also had a number of immortal boyfriends you seemed to have liked reasonably well. None of them ever gave you as much grief as this guy.† â€Å"Seth's different. I can't explain it. Being with him just feels so†¦right. I feel like I've known him forever. â€Å" † Fleur , I've known you forever. You've only known this guy for a couple months.† We had gotten involved pretty quickly, and it did bug me sometimes, but I truly believed in the strength and depth of my feelings for Seth. They were neither superficial nor transient – I hoped. He had once told me there was no one else in the world for him but me. When I'd pointed out that was a bold statement in light of how long we'd known each other, he'd simply said, â€Å"Sometimes you just know.† It was remarkably similar to what my husband, Kyriakos, had told me when we'd first met, back in my long-ago, dust-covered days as a mortal. I'd been fifteen at the time, and my father had sent me down to the docks of our town with a message for Kyriakos, father. Sending me alone was a bit unorthodox, but my father hadn't thought much about it since he was only a short distance away at the market. Nonetheless, I found it a frightening walk. Sweaty, dirty men worked ceaselessly, unloading and loading in the hot sun while the turquoise Mediterranean shimmered beyond them. I got directions from a short, bald man who leered up at me when he finished. â€Å"You're a tall girl,† he observed. â€Å"Bet that might bother some men, but not me. You're just the right height as far as I'm concerned.† He laughed, and some of his companions laughed too. The man's face came up right to the height of my chest. I hurried past them with lowered eyes, honing in on the indicated ship. Relief flooded me when I found Kyriakos checking lines and talking to some of the workers. I'd never spoken to him, but I knew who his father was and knew he was trustworthy. He looked up at my approach and smiled. â€Å"You're Marthanes, daughter, right? Letha?† I nodded. â€Å"I'm supposed to tell your father that the shipment can be ready this evening if he wants it early.† â€Å"I'll let him know. He's not here.† â€Å"All right.† We stood there awkwardly for a moment. I could sense him studying me out of the corner of his eye while pretending to study the workers. He looked like he wanted to say something, but when nothing came, I made motions to go. â€Å"Well, thanks. I should get back.† â€Å"Wait, Letha.† He reached out a hand to stop me from turning, then shyly pulled back before actually touching me. â€Å"You†¦didn't walk here by yourself, did you?† â€Å"My father said it wasn't that far. And that I wasn't in much danger of attracting interest. â€Å" Kyriakos made a harsh sound in his throat. â€Å"Your father's a fool. Let me walk you back.† He hesitated. â€Å"But don't tell your father I called him a fool.† He exchanged a few curt words with one of his men and then set out back to town with me. He was older than me, his face tanned from sun and sea. His hair was black and messy, about chin-length, and he stood almost – but not quite – as tall as I did. â€Å"I saw you at that wedding a few days ago,† he said after a long stretch of silence. â€Å"You were dancing with some other girls. You know†¦you're really good.† The compliment surprised me. â€Å"I think the wine helped.† â€Å"No. The wine helped the other girls – or hindered, maybe. I'm not sure.† He glanced over at me, and I nearly stumbled at the intensity in his dark eyes. â€Å"But you†¦dancing lives inside of you. The music spoke to you, and you understood it.† â€Å"You were playing a flute,† I recalled, trying not to blush at the regard in his voice. â€Å"Yes.† He sounded happy that I remembered. Silence fell again. We were almost to the market; the sounds of people and commerce drifted down to us. Kyriakos clearly wanted us to keep talking. â€Å"So†¦I heard your sister got married last spring.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"What about you?† I eyed him. â€Å"I didn't get married last spring.† A smile turned up the edges of his lips. â€Å"What about next spring?† â€Å"Are you offering?† â€Å"Just checking. I heard my father say†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped walking near the edge of the market, so I could look him in the eye again. People and animals moved around us, and across a walkway I could see my father talking to a fruit vendor. â€Å"Look,† I said brusquely, â€Å"I heard my father say it too – how they're thinking about making a marriage between our families. It'd create good trade deals. But if you're trolling for that, you should talk to your father about one of my sisters, not me.† â€Å"What? Don't you want to get married?† His smile faltered. â€Å"Or is someone else lined up for you?† I stared incredulously. â€Å"No, of course not. You just don't want to marry me, that's all.† â€Å"I don't?† â€Å"No. You want one of my sisters.† â€Å"I do?† â€Å"Yes. They're shorter, prettier, nicer – and softer spoken.† â€Å"Can they dance?† I considered. â€Å"No. They're terrible.† His shy smile returned. â€Å"Then I want you.† â€Å"You're crazy. You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know anything about me. † Of course, in those days, most people knew little about their betrothed. What I found remarkable was his conviction that we were compatible. â€Å"It doesn't matter. I can just tell that you're the one. Can't you feel it?† I met his eyes and felt a shiver go through me, like I'd stumbled into something bigger and more powerful than both of us. For just a moment, I allowed myself to consider that this man from a highly respected family might legitimately be interested in me. It was a heady feeling, and not just from the honor involved. It was from the way he looked at me and spoke to me, like I was both worthy and an equal. Something built between us, drawing me to him, and it confused me. â€Å"You don't know anything about me,† I repeated quietly, my mouth feeling dry. His tentative smile grew bolder. â€Å"I know plenty. I know that you dance and that you're smart – too smart, according to my father. And I know that your family is banned from Lais, bakery because you called her daughter a – â€Å" â€Å"That wasn't my fault,† I interjected quickly. Across the way, my father caught sight of us. I held up a hand of greeting, and he impatiently gestured me over. â€Å"My father wants me.† Kyriakos cast an uncertain look over there and hastily turned back. If I was known for a sharp tongue, my father was reputed to be worse, and however love struck and brazen, Kyriakos apparently wasn't quite up to facing him yet. â€Å"I'll have my father talk to yours.† The earlier joking was gone; Kyriakos was all seriousness now. But there was more than just that. His eyes were looking at me in a way I'd never been looked at before. I felt hot, then cold, and then hot again. A tingle played along my flesh. I couldn't take my eyes away from his. â€Å"This isn't about trade deals,† I whispered. â€Å"No. This is about you and me. You're the one.† I stared, uncharacteristically short on words. My shock now came more from that crazy feeling swirling inside of me, not from the preposterous nature of his proposal – one he shouldn't have even brought up without the involvement of our families. Later I'd learn what a leap this whole conversation had been for him. He was not given to long speeches or bold behavior. He said little, as a general rule, more content to express himself through his eyes and his music, and later†¦after we were married, his lovemaking. â€Å"Look,† he said, suddenly growing nervous as he misinterpreted my silence and expression, â€Å"I've saved. We can get a nice house. You won't have to live with so many people anymore. I'll be gone a lot, but you can probably run things and make deals better than me anyway. Not being able to buy bread will be problematic, but we might be able to afford a servant, or you can learn to – â€Å" â€Å"Shut up,† I said. He stared. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Just shut up. You're wasting time. Go tell your father to talk to mine. And,† I added wryly, â€Å"I know how to make bread.† He caught his breath. â€Å"You're sure?† â€Å"About the bread? Yes, I'm sure.† A slow smile bloomed across his face, spreading up into his eyes, making them smolder. I felt my pulse quicken and smiled back. Nothing else needed to be said. My father yelled again, and I ran off to join him. Pondering this memory and what was now happening with Seth, I stared dazedly out the front window and caught sight of Jody checking the mail. â€Å"Hey,† I told Bastien. â€Å"I want to go say hi to her.† I ran outside and waved, making her break out into one of her big, beautiful smiles. To my surprise, she even hugged me. â€Å"Ooh! I'm so glad to see you. How have you been?† We exchanged a few pleasantries, and then she grabbed my arm excitedly. â€Å"Are you busy today? You want to go to the mall?† To my surprise, that actually sounded like fun. More fun than listening to Bastien bitch and moan. â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Great. I'll go tell Dana.†

Social Boundaries essays

Social Boundaries essays High school is undoubtedly one of the most socially segregated places anywhere. No matter how welcoming and open a high school may seem, it is almost a guarantee that there will be social groupings that students will fall into. From my experience at Marshall County High School I have seen the various social boundaries and have seen their benefits and downfalls. Overall, I think that the social groupings are beneficial, although they can cause many undesirable problems. MCHS has a diverse student body. On any given day, you can walk into the cafeteria at lunchtime and see several different social groups. Some of these social groupings are more obvious than others and may even be considered stereotypical. One of the largest and most commonly seen groupings is the preps, who usually dress nicely, are generally concerned with their appearance, and may be athletic enthusiasts. Another social grouping I have seen at the high school is referred to as the rednecks. This group includes students who are less concerned with personal appearance and may enjoy activities such as hunting. There are also many smaller social groups and cliques among the student body. It is only natural for people to flock toward other people who share the same interests or characteristics. If there were no differences in social preferences, the world would seem like a pretty boring place. From what I have seen, I feel that most other students enjoy our social groupings. This allows students to associate with other students that they are likely to connect with and stay away from students they might not be compatible with. Personally, I like the social system at the high school sometimes, because I have met many friends who have happened to be associating themselves with the same group with which I was associating myself. However, I do feel that this system of social boundaries and groupings has its drawbacks. ...

Capital Gains and Losses Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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English Literature Lesson 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Social Behavioral Change of sugery drinks - Essay Example s the belief that sugary drinks cause diseases including obesity and diabetes and without exercising, may cause people to be fat due to the high calories and sugar. An attitude towards water and juice being healthy is that they have low sugar and calories content and are good for the body development and health. The perception on the importance to the community is that the issue affects the community and is very important because of the rampant effects of obesity and diabetes in recent years. This affects the community through a reduction in work force and use of money to cure these diseases caused by a preference to sugary and high calories content drinks. It is important to change the behavior to taking healthy drinks that have low sugar content to ensure the people are less affected by these lifetime diseases to live a better life. The type of message that could help them change their behavior is a message that highlights the dangers or unhealthiness of sugary drinks when taken by the members of the society. This message should highlight the effects of unhealthy drinks on the body, the measures to take to avoid these effects, and the kind of steps to take in changing the behavior albeit slowly. This will allow the people to understand the dangers and despite being difficult to change the behavior, follow the guidelines in the message until they are free of habits of taking sugary

Impact of currency devaluation output growth in the long run Research Paper

Impact of currency devaluation output growth in the long run - Research Paper Example The other group of researchers argues that continuous depreciation or devaluation is an indicator of economic weakness therefore; in the long run this relationship is no longer positive. In order to evaluate the early research work that studies the relationship between currency devaluation and output level, the literature review has been created. In this section, the research work of various researchers will be discussed and their methodologies and findings will be also reported to gain a significant insight to the topic under investigation. Various economic models such as Keynesian model argue that devaluation of currency has an expansionary impact on domestic output (Lai & Chang, 1989). According to the orthodox view devaluation has a positive impact and has a very significant role in the balance of payments stabilization whereas, the New Structuralist School argues that currency devaluation has a contractionary impact (Agà ©nor, 1999). The depreciation of currency improved the demand of exports and shifts the aggregate demand curve to the right, thereby, increasing the real GDP (Lee, 2002). Christopoulos (2004) studied the impact of currency devaluation on output expansion in Asian countries for the period 1968-1999 by using panel data unit root tests and cointegration tests and found that currency devaluation affects output growth in the long run. Huang, Hsu and Kang (2010) used an empirical model and econometric methodology to study the impact of current devaluation on output in Asian countries and their empirical results showed a positive relationship between currency depreciation and output growth in Asian countries. On the other hand various researchers found the relationship between currency devaluation and output level negative, neutral or positive in the short term. Krugman and Taylor (2002) studied the contractionary impact of currency devaluation

Impact of Culture on Consumer Behaviour

Impact of Culture on Consumer Behaviour China is the fastest growing and most dynamic economy and is becoming one of the most important markets in the world. With a total population of 1.3 billion and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$10.2 trillion, China accounts for 12% of the worlds GDP. Luna Gupta (2001) noted that the key factors contributing to the significant economic growth in China encompass: Integration into the global economies and export growth; Being the world manufacturing hub; Expansion of Chinas domestic market and inland China growth; and Commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO). To excel in China, the understanding of Chinese culture is important. Culture is human activities and environment where sets of values and norms followed by a group of people with inherited ethical habits that are symbolic, meaningful and identifiable whether abstract and material (Blackwell et al., 2007). It is to be noted that every form of the culture elements (materials, social institutions, beliefs and value systems, aesthetics and languages) cannot be viewed singly as they are intricately intertwined as each has its synergistic effect with the other. The national culture of any country is shaped by its core values and is the source of considerable amount of mental programming (Hofstede, 1991; Banerjee, 2008). Therefore, it is imperative for marketers to better understand Chinese consumers behaviour (Cui Liu, 2000; Zhou et al., 2009). The impact of national culture is derived and measured from Hofstedes Dimension of Culture Individualism versus Collectivism; Power Distance; Masculinity versus Femininity; Uncertainty Avoidance and Long-term Orientation versus Short-term Orientation. National culture has considerable influence on consumer behaviour (Jaishankar, 1998; Banerjee, 2008) and is outer stimuli, influencing the diffusion of product across countries (Kumar et al., 1998; Banerjee, 2008). China being a large and complex society with 56 ethnic groups each with its own culture and values, there are different mindsets and values in different regions in China (Ralston et al., 1996; Zhou et al., 2009). It has thus been observed that China is a heterogeneous consumer market and not a homogeneous market (Dou et al., 2006; Zhou et al., 2009). Coastal regions of China have long been the gateway to the West through the import and export activities whilst the vast inland has traditionally relied on agriculture with all related industries depended on the natural resources (Veek et al., 2007; Zhou et al., 2009). Therefore, there are two important cultural differences between the two regions the residents from the coastal regions are more open, individualistic and innovative whereas the inland regions are more conservative and collectivistic (Cui Liu, 2000; Zheng, 2006; Zhou et al., 2009). The different regional subcultures are definitely reflected in the different patterns of consumers shopping behaviours. Therefore, it is pertinent to understand the influence of culture of the regions to avoid confounding the cultural dimension. Luna Gupta (2001) noted that culture affects consumer behaviour which reinforces the manifestation of culture. An individuals consumption behaviour is a result of the individual culture value system developed over time as they socialise in a particular group which is in turn influenced by regional sub-cultures and familial values. The first stage of understanding buyer behaviour is to focus on the factors that determine the buyer characteristics in the black box. These can be summarised as follows: The 7Ps of marketing Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Process, People and Physical Evidence shall be conceptualised and operationalised in a culturally-sensitive environment. Such analysis on consumer behaviour provides to marketers the basic and underlying motives for consumption that helps in understanding the fundamental needs, wants and different forms of the consumers decision making variables. This paper aims to review the impact of culture on the consumer behaviour in China focusing on three of the culture elements which are values, languages and aesthetics and how culture elements shape the purchasing patterns of the Chinese. 2.0 The impact of values on consumer behaviour 2.1 Definition of values Values can be defined as moral or professional standards of behaviour. Literally, it means a set of emotional rules people follow to help make the right decisions in life. It instils a sense of integrity, honesty and diligence in people. As reported by Rokeach, (1968, 1973); Tai, (2008), value is defined as an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct personally or socially preferable. 2.2 Overview of Chinese values Values, attitudes, lifestyles and consumption patterns for the people of China have been deeply influenced by their long historical and cultural traditions. It is therefore important to have a comprehensive understanding of the significant aspects of Chinese cultural norms that have been shaped and formed mainly from interpersonal relationships and social orientations of the Chinese people. Religion has been diffused throughout the society and the term religionà ¥Ã‚ ®- à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã¢â€ž ¢ (zÃ…Â ng-jià  o) did not even exist in the Chinese lexicon until the 19th century. It is highlighted that the above behavioural pattern has its origin from the works of Confucius, whose doctrines constitute the basic pillars of the Chinese life and ways of living (Bhasin, 2007; Qian, Abdur Razzaque Keng, 2007). Bhasin, (2007) also recognised that Confucianism had the most profound and lasting effect on Chinese society, where it promoted harmony through moral tenets at all levels of human rela tionships, especially the family and nation. 2.3 Values are regional Industrialisation which began on the coastal areas of China was unevenly spread and hence most of the inland regions were isolated from industrialisation. People in coastal regions with higher industrialisation levels have more interaction with imported products compare to the inland people and thus, adopt more western values. While Chinas coastal and inland regions share the same overall Chinese culture, they may also have their own distinctive values and norms (Huo Randall, 1991; Zhang, Grigoriou Li, 2008). As a result of that, coastal consumers are more individualistic compare to their inland counterparts which are more collectivistic. 2.4 Core Chinese values Understanding basic cultural competence is important when doing business in China. The Chinese core values which affect the consumers behaviour are conversed below. Family and group orientation Chinese society is made up of network of families with cultural values derived exclusively from the same. It strengthens the thought that the Chinese in general are collectivist. It is the family and kinship relations that pass on the heritage to the children and not the educational institutions (Qian, Abdur Razzaque Keng, 2007). Guanxi (à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ³ à §Ã‚ ³Ã‚ » guÄ n xà ¬) Literally consists of two Chinese characters; guan refers to a gate or a hurdle, while xi means a tie. Taken together, guanxi means pass a gate or a hurdle and get connected (Ambler, 1994; Zhuang, Xi Tsang, 2010). It is an interactive behaviour or tie between two or more individuals that established the closeness of one relationship. The larger ones guanxi network is, the more powerful the person becomes (Qian, Abdur Razzaque Keng, 2007). Renqing (à ¤Ã‚ ºÃ‚ º à ¦Ã†â€™Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ rà ©n qà ­ng) Renqing is a social relationship concept according to an implicit set of rules. It can be interpreted as kind of resources, assistance or favour that one gives others and one should return the assistance given once the opportunity arises. Lee Dawes, (2005); Zhuang, Xi Tsang, (2010) explained that Renqing requires that, in a group, all members should help those in need and that all assistance or favours should be repaid. Those who do not repay assistance are considered untrustworthy. Renqing also can be termed as reciprocity. Mianzi (à ©Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ à ¥Ã‚ ­Ã‚  mià  n zÇ ) Mianzi can be directly translated as face. (Zhuang, Xi Tsang, 2010) indicated that one is given face when he or she is made to feel respected or important. The fact that saving face is so significant to the Chinese, a person is more concerned with other peoples perception of him or herself and with maintenance of his or her own status (Lee Green, 1991; Qian, Abdur Razzaque Keng, 2007). The strong notion of face saving to a certain extent discourages consumer from voicing their products dissatisfaction, where one loses face in front of others if no positive outcome from the complaint is obtained. Yuan (à §Ã‚ ¼Ã‹Å" yuà ¡n) Yuan can be interpreted as karma or destiny. Chinese believe that there are predetermined things that are beyond ones control. Generally they have low expectations towards the purchased products and tend to attribute failure of the product to fate rather than to the manufacturer. Thrift Thrift has been identified as one of the core Chinese values. Faure Fang (2008) recognised that thrift has a functional impact on social life. Traditionally, Chinese people would bargain over the price when buying goods (Faure Fang, 2008). Chinese in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai put half of their annual per capita earnings into savings (Orr, 2004; Wang Lin, 2009). Traditional creeds Traditional creeds take place in Chinese society due to absence of faith and deep spirituality. The Chinese are characterised as extremely superstitious but not religious (Fang, 1999; Faure Fang, 2008). Chinese tend to believe in all sorts of supernatural powers that can intervene in their daily life (Faure, 2000; Pye, 1986; Faure Fang, 2008). Astrology and geomancy (feng shui) are believed to have direct effect on life, from the date of birth to marriage or buying a new office to the choosing of the opening date. Long-term orientation Traditionally, time is not a main concern for the Chinese. Faure Fang (2008) cited that time is perceived as an unlimited resource such as the air that people breathe. Companies and people could have a long term and continuous perspective about life and time. The long-term orientation relevant to the study of consumer behaviour is exemplified with the habit of saving for the future by the Chinese and hence they may spend less on unnecessary items. The case of Procter Gambles Crest toothpaste which entered the Chinese market in 1997 with green tea flavoured toothpaste that built on the traditional Chinese belief that green tea is healthy and good for teeth, resulted in their revenues increased in China by 24% per year between 2002 and 2006 (Suessmuth-Dyckerhoff, Hexter St-Maurice, 2008). On the other hand Starbucks, despite having more than 400 coffee shops in China failed to recognise the cultural sensitivity of the Chinese when they opened an outlet inside Beijings Forbidden City. Starbucks represents low context culture and are not compatible with the refined taste of cultural legacy condensed in the Forbidden City (Han Zhang, 2009). As a result, the shop had to be closed down under tremendous public pressure. The examples presented clearly show that values do impact consumer behaviour in terms of consumption patterns, lifestyles and the priority of needs. Urbanisation and industrialisation do give some influences on the values but Chinese do not seem to have given up its cultural characteristic, especially in deciding on a particular product. They tend to make judgments in the most traditional manner, thinking about issues of face, respect, trust and even guanxi. Thus, marketers need to engage in different approaches when dealing with the Chinese consumers with different value orientations. 3. The impact of Languages 3.1 Overview of Chinese Language China official language is Mandarin or Putonghua (common language) where an estimate of around 80% of the urban population in China use as their main language of communication (Zhou, 1999; Li, 2004) and there are also numerous major Chinese oral dialects as depicted in Table 3. The complexity of Chinese language is due to one of its attributes, which is a tonal language that relies on four distinct tones with 5 levels of pitch range (Chan Huang, 1997). Table 3: The Sinitic language (Han Chinese) as observed by Swanson, 1999, p.35 Language is arguably the most distinct differences when it comes to culture. For Chinese as observed by Alon, Littrel Chan (2009), they associate written name with the long history of written communication in China and beautiful crafted characters can yield positive brand perceptions. Due to the numerous dialects in different regions within China, communication within different regions are not fully understood, for example, Northern Chinese (who speak Mandarin) may not fully understand Southern Chinese (who speak Cantonese) and vice versa. This results in complications when it comes to making a universal Chinese branding strategy to market in China, and care must be taken when products brand names are being transliterated so that they will have positive appeal to consumers. 3.2 Standardised Written Chinese Characters The solution to unite language in China is the introduction of standardised Chinese writing to either Traditional (primarily outside Mainland China) or Simplified (primarily within Mainland China). The Government officiated Simplified Chinese or pinyin in 1958, which relies on effort to Romanised the pronunciation of Chinese characters. Marketers have long acknowledged the importance of localising their brand names, so that their brand names recall highly amongst Chinese consumers, as this is one of the best ways to attract attention. Coca Cola transliterated its name to à ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ £Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã‚  (kĆº-kÇ’u-kĆº-là ¨) which means to allow the mouth to be able to rejoice is a clear example of localising brand name as indicated by Alon, Littrel Chan (2009). It can be further noted that in selecting brand names, it is essential that they are easy to remember, spell and pronounce (Li Shooshtari 2003; Alon, Littrel Chan, 2009). In a clear adherence to this, German automakers BMW can be transliterated to à ¥Ã‚ ®Ã‚ Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ©Ã‚ ¬ (bÇÅ ½o mÇÅ ½), meaning treasure horse and Mercedes Benz can be transliterated to à ¥Ã‚ ¥Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ©Ã‚ ° (bÄâ€Å"n chà ­), meaning dashing speed. The knowledge of naming products which have meaningful words in China woul d ensure the acceptance and success in the Chinese market. 3.3 Two-Syllable Brand Names Due to the complexity of Chinese characters, the work of Alon, Littrel Chan (2009) noted that out of 9,400 morphemes which relate to one syllable, a combination of these morphemes, rather than individually used, created a 70% Chinese words comprising of two morphemes or syllables. Ideally, two-syllable brand names are preferred as they are easier to pronounce and remember (Chan Huang 2001; Alon, Littrel Chan, 2009). In the case of Coca Cola, when it was first launched in China in 1928, people called by its four syllables brand à ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ £Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã‚  (kĆº-kÇ’u-kĆº-là ¨) and as its popularity and acceptance grew, Chinese consumers started calling the brand by its two syllables as à ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¹Ã‚  (kĆº-là ¨) as noted in the report of Chan Huang (2001). In the case of another popular soft drink, Sprite, it is a one-syllable brand that has been popularly known by its two-syllable name in China as à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ª à §Ã‚ ¢ (xuĆº-bà ¬) which means snow-blue, which coincidentally also denotes coldness-related word which are very positive words in China for drinks (Chan Huang, 2001). 3.4 Word-Of-Mouth Communication China is predominantly a high context culture country, whereby information on purchase decision is usually referred to family members and friends. With 67% of Chinese consumers rely on word-of-mouth communication to know about a new brand as observed by Nunes, et al. (2010), and Chinese consumers rate word-of-mouth communication seven times more credible than television advertisements (Suessmuth-Dyckerhoff, Hexter, St-Maurice, 2008). Online discussion on the internet is also an effective tool of word-of-mouth communication albeit in a different forum. This leads to companies launching internet campaigns like KFCs China website focusing on interactive discussion with a Chinese web portal, QQ.com which is accessible at kfc.qq.com (Alon, Littrel Chan, 2009). The role of language in consumer behaviour relies heavily on getting a meaningful name in brand naming. Cross cultural translation must be approached sensibly to better understand culture of China. This is often a difficult task as direct translation is not easily achievable due to the fact that Mandarin is radically different from Roman-alphabet-based language. However if done correctly, the combination of chosen Chinese characters can play an important role, thus able to communicate product attributes and benefits, traditional or modern values, beliefs and customs (Fan, 2002; Alon, Littrel Chan, 2009). 4. The impact of Aesthetics on consumer behaviour: 4.1 Definition of Aesthetics Aesthetics relate to beauty and what the senses feel, see, touch, smell and appreciate. Aesthetics are of particular interest to the marketer because of their role in interpreting the symbolic meanings of various methods of artistic expression, colour and standards of beauty in each culture. The uniqueness of a culture can be spotted quickly in symbols having distinct meanings (Ghauri Cateora, 2006 p. 87). In the perspective of marketing and consumer behaviour the term aesthetics relate to the consumers five senses of vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell in response to an object and has a direct bearing on consumer behaviour. 4.2 The relevance of aesthetics for the Chinese Market To create an impact and succeed in China market and attract consumer by culturally adapting brand names to help the product become a success in China. Various industries need to take into consideration the Chinese rich culture. Colours Colour has significant value for the Chinese due to cultural superstition in terms of product logos and package designs. The colour red (especially when combined with the colour gold) became a symbol of good luck and prosperity (Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd., 2010), however the colour black is deemed to bring bad luck or symbolises death. Logos Logo perception and designs can lead to attraction or distraction for the Chinese Consumer. Brand name, symbols and designs should not offend the local culture. Logo designs and shapes indicate the following: Even shapes like round and symmetrical signify prosperity, dynamism and harmony while uneven shapes indicate conflicts to the Chinese consumers. Numbers Numbers can be deemed to bring good or bad luck. Certain numbers such 8, 11 and 13 have positive connotation while 4 has been associated with bad luck in the Mandarin language (Fletcher, 2006). Good example for auspicious number: 6, 8 and 9 like the official opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics 2008 began at 8.00pm on 08/08/08 and non-auspicious numbers: 1, 4 and 7 denote bad luck where pronunciation of Si in Mandarin refers to death. Long-term brand viability is more likely as design is not based on of the moment creativity, but rather strategically timeless aesthetics that depict brand attitudes (Blumenthal, 2001). Henderson et al. (2003) suggest that the role of logo design in contributing to brand equity is of primary importance in less industrialized countries, when operating abroad, or in countries with logographic writing styles. India and China, for example, have diverse dialects, making language a significant barrier to communication. (Pittard, Ewing Jevons, 2007). Aesthetics and application to local Chinese customs is important for the success of international companies entering China. Consulting local Chinese experts to strategize market penetration in terms of aesthetics looking at wording, logo, designs and meaning will further enhance their success to Chinese consumers resulting in long term customer satisfaction. 4.3 Aesthetics and Brand Names Mobile phone industry where the aesthetics and looks of the product is important to enhance customer satisfaction and long term commitment is a good example. In China, study was done conducted to test the customer behaviour towards selected brands within the Chinese mobile phone market. The outcome indicates brand image influences Chinese consumer behaviour but the study is not conclusive as factors like language and location of study could limit the bigger picture. (Ogba Tan, 2009) Chinese consumers have readily embraced global brands such as Louis Vuitton, BMW, Nokia, Starbucks and McDonalds. Customisation and localisation are the key words in the strategies of foreign companies catering to the needs and preferences of Chinese consumers. (Euromonitor International from trade sources/national statistics, 2008). 5. Conclusion The impacts of culture on consumer behaviour from the perspective of values, languages and aesthetics in China have been proven to be complex and challenging tasks to the global marketers. Thus, a thorough understanding of culture is a necessary ingredient in the development of effective marketing strategy (Yaprak, 2008). The result of rapid industrialization has prompted the emergence of consumer market and culture. Consumer preferences are also changing in tandem with higher disposable income, increased consumer information and wider product selections and distribution channels which highlights the emerging growth of hedonic consumption values. The upshot of this is that the Chinese consumers are looking for more fun, gratification and pleasure in their consumption experience and it is found that hedonic values have a positive impact on the choice and consumption patterns of the Chinese consumers especially for brand consciousness and preference for foreign brands (Wang Lin, 2009). Although cultural characteristics in China often seem to be permanently enduring, a closer analysis reveals that cultural inclinations change from time to time since societies adopt and adapt to different lifestyles and priorities. This is due to the fact that individuals which constitute a particular culture continuously alter their perceptions, attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviours in light of societal and global changes. These perceptions, attitudes, values and behaviours are typified by the buying patterns of the Chinese. During the Mao era, the word sexy was completely forbidden from general use by the public. This is because a sexy attitude was held to be synonymous with shamelessness (Faure Fang, 2008) and the wearing of short skirt by women was banned. However, these days not only the Chinese media freely discuss and portray sexuality in its colourful variety but the Chinese people confidently flaunt their freedom of dressing with all sorts of skimpy fashion. The annual China Sex Culture Festival in Guangzhou exemplifies how open China has become and is a testament to a major cultural shift. It would not go out of context to highlight here that during the infamous Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the Chinese were all wearing grey and green Mao uniforms and that the roads were all full with black bicycles as the famous mode of transportation. These images remain only in grainy black and white photographs of the yesteryears since these days the Chinese, at least in the coastal megacities like Shang hai and Guangzhou clad themselves in fashionable dresses and drive big imported cars. These examples show that the shift in value perception and attitudes do have their impact on the consumer behaviour in China in the sense that culture does evolve from time to time and its evolution alters the preference of the buying masses. Cultural evolutions must then be understood by the international marketers so as to develop relevant, suitable and effective marketing strategy in the Chinese markets. In conclusion, culture and its various core elements including values, languages and aesthetics must be seen in a constantly growing perspective. This is the reason why the understanding and appreciation of culture and its limitations in the context of consumer behaviour needs to be broadened. Culture must thus be viewed as a dynamic and holistic force that constantly shapes and reshapes its elements according to the variables of time. The ability of globalisation and modernisation in impacting the Chinese consumer values are almost limitless in its scope and intent. However, China seems to have never given up its single most important cultural characteristics, which is the ability to manage paradoxes (Faure Fang, 2008). Therefore, whilst certain aspects of the culture are still adhered to, other values closely associated with that same culture is slowly or rapidly losing ground. Word count = 3995