Three Gorges Dam :: China Nature Essays

Three Gorges Dam Director Owen Lammers calls it one of the "largest and most environmentally and socially destructive projects on Earth"(Maier, 1997). One of China’s oldest dreams is becoming its newest reality. Since 1914 the idea has arisen of damming the Yangtze River. China plans to do this with a 600-foot, cement wall which will take eleven years to complete and costs could rise to over 75 billion dollars. The dam is claimed to have many advantages for China and the Chinese. Three Gorges is expected to produce around one-tenth of the nation’s energy, without the use of coal, improving air quality. Also, the natural floods that occur with the Yangtze river will be stopped, supposedly saving thousands of lives in the future. The first thing needed to keep the project going is money, and many United States senators see this as a great opportunity for jobs, but it is also viewed as a good investment. Fortunately, the U.S. Export-Import Bank, (for the first time), "†¦denied financi ng solely on environmental grounds"(Giaccia, 1997). These advantages are easily outweighed by the disadvantages of this proposal; this monument threatens the environment, but construction will ensue. If the dam is so beneficial then why is it that all public debate on the issue has been banned since 1989, even for "†¦scientists and specialists"(Faison, 1997). This has probably been done to slow the process of or eliminate any opposition that may arise to this project. There are a few questions or "What if’s" about the dam, such as "What if the dam collapses?" or "What if during a war or conflict a bomb is dropped on the dam?" and since the dam is built on many seismic faults, will earthquakes be a problem? Besides all of these questions, there are numerous facts that should dissuade any proponent of the dam to insist on its construction. The dam besides hurting the environment, will also "†¦displace 1.3 million people."(Giaccia, 1997). These people were not asked to leave, they were told, and many of them still have not been compensated for their trouble, but this goes deeper than financial burdens. Individual rights have been violated, the government simply forc ed these people off their land and out of their homes and this affects children, families and livelihoods. Looking at the dam’s environmental harm specifically, it is clear that this project should immediately cause. "Environmentalists warn that sewage will back up and destroy the precious habitats for river dolphins, giant pandas and other rare animals.

Othello – Power of Words

Othello Words of Power December 12, 2011 The famous saying, â€Å"The pen is mightier than the sword† means that with words and brains, it can become a greater weapon than a sword. If such a person was to have this power with words, then one shall lead to great things, if the person wishes to do so. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago uses his skills with persuasion and words to captivate the minds around him in reaching desired outcomes. Iago definitely demonstrates his powers with his words in the play on many occasions. He firstly captivates Roderigo in doing whatever he chose him to do. The simple minded Roderigo was not the only one, as Cassio is set up into Iago's traps next. Lastly the great Othello is wrapped up by Iago's tongue and is tossed around as Iago's will. To catch a fish, bait and a hook is required, in the drama Iago plots, Cassio is the bait. Cassio is the man who provokes Othello and unknowingly kills Othello. Iago's intentions were to take Cassio's position in the ranks, because Othello gave the position to Cassio instead of him. Iago does this by exploiting Cassio's biggest flaw, his lack of drinking. Iago uses his fancy speech and talents in song, â€Å"King Stephen was a worthy peer†¦ ith that he called the tailor lown. † (II. iii 89-92) ,to encourage Cassio to drink multiple doses. This causes Cassio to get in a fight which results in Othello removing his position. â€Å"Reputation, reputation, reputation! Oh, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. † (II. iii 262-265) After being de-ranked by Othello, Cassio is haunted by the fact that he lost his reputation, but Iago convinces him reputation is worth nothing. Later on however, he tells Othello that reputation to him is everything. This is just another example of Iago's way of manipulating people's thoughts of him. Post being de-ranked by Othello, Iago convinces Cassio to talk to Desdemona about getting his rank back. Iago tells Cassio, if he can get Desdemona to sweet talk to Othello about you, then you will get your position back for sure. Cassio agrees with Iago having no clue this is just to make Othello jealous. Iago chooses Cassio to be used as bait because Othello already thinks Cassio is more suitable than himself for Desdemona. Cassio fails to recognize any of the jealousy by Othello so he continues to try and get on the good side of Desdemona, which just leads to more jealousy by Othello. Iago trapped Othello and Cassio in a predicament that they cannot escape. Roderigo, a simple man with a simple mind, a man who lets himself trust others more than his own judgment at times, is completely clouded by Iago's words. From the first pages of the play, Roderigo is seen doing what Iago chooses and obeying willingly. â€Å"Were I the Moor I would not be Iago. In following him I follow but myself†¦ For daws to peck at. I am not what I am. † (I. i. 57–65) Here Iago clearly states his motives and expresses that he is not who he appears to be. He is letting everyone know the nice, kind Iago is not the true self. Despite all this, Roderigo is still wrapped up in Iago's lies and continues to do as Iago wishes. Roderigo spends all his money on Iago to hope that Iago can work his â€Å"magic† and make Desdemona his. Iago is constantly letting Roderigo know that Desdemona will soon be his, he tells Roderigo Desdemona will soon come to her senses and run to him: â€Å"It is merely lust of the blood†¦ and go without her. † (Shakespeare, I. iii. 377-404). Even when Roderigo was on the verge of killing Iago because the promises are not coming true, he is still convinced by Iago to do one more task. This ultimately leads Roderigo to his death, because Roderigo never stopped to think everything through. When Roderigo fails to accomplish what Iago planned for him, Iago backstabs him and kills him. The dramatist Iago, is willing to do anything to keep things running smoothly for him. Iago uses Roderigo to set off his drama show, and Roderigo is played by Iago wonderfully. The general of Cyprus, the man who has won countless wars, and the hero of the city, Othello. Despite all these winning characteristics, he still lost to the twisted words of Iago. Othello, an honest black man who falls in love with Desdemona, and she him. At the beginning of the play, Othello had full trust in Desdemona and was happily married to her. As Iago steps in however, that all changes. â€Å"I'll have our Michael Cassio on the hip,  abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb. For I fear Cassio with my night-cap too. Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward me. â€Å"(II. i. 305-308) Iago says his plans to gain Othello's trust, just to betray him in the end. Othello treats Iago like a brother, and is constantly calling him â€Å"Honest Iago†. Iago's plan to destroy Othello is to destroy his love with Desdemona. He does this by making Othello think Desdemona is unfaithful. Iago acts very smoothly, directing the actions of others without them knowing his true intentions. Iago would often be reluctant to speak, seeming innocent. When he does this to Othello, it gets Othello's curiosity to set off. â€Å"I prithee, speak to me as to thy thinkings, as thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts, the worst of words. † (III. iii. 131-133) Othello begs for Iago to speak here, because he cannot bare not knowing what Iago knows. With the speaking abilities of Iago, he is able to lie with such perfection that Othello has no choice but worry about his words, worry if Desdemona is really being unfaithful. Even when Othello would put this idea in the back of his mind, Iago would constantly remind him of it. The cleverness of Iago is demonstrated when he would look like he is helping a person, but the truth is otherwise. â€Å"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss. â€Å"(III. iii. 165-167) Iago seems like he is trying to warn Othello about jealousy, but by saying this he is actually getting Othello more jealous. Othello is unaware the entire time of Iago's plot to get what he wants. As Iago's lies dig deeper into Othello's mind, Othello is forced into an incurable sense of hopelessness about Desdemona, and Othello makes the grave mistake of killing her. Othello's trust in Iago left him listening to no one else, even when he's wife pleaded she is telling the truth. This is the effectiveness of Iago's way with words, and how he uses that to set up his drama, plotting everyone against each other to his benefits. Language, the human's way of communication, a necessity amongst the population, a tool and occasionally, a weapon. Iago's way of speech gives him the advantage over others. In the book Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago uses his way of words to create situations that will lead to a result that favours himself. He manipulates Othello, Cassio, and Roderigo in ways that destroy each other but benefiting him at the same time. Iago expresses this characteristic throughout the play and he turns what would be a fairy tale ending story, into a drama with a tragic ending. Work Cited: Shakespeare, William, and Roma Gill. Othello. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1993. Print.

Mass Media Sociology

The mass media has become a big part of our society and its counterparts. In a time span of 50 years this medium has influenced society to an extent where it has created wonders. This immaculate tool can control almost every action we perform, from speaking to the actions that every human being performs in society. The mass media has brought upon a new era of idea's and changes in the world we live in. As we analysis media in depth we will find many aspects of media which overlap and some of the smallest factors and aspects of media, which create the biggest impact on society.Our main objective is to explore the mass media's effects on society and see how the media has affected out way of life. Not to mention, compare the life styles of the previous and current generation. These are aims all sociologists focus on. The mass media is seen as a medium of communication, as well as a way of delivering messages and valuable data to the masses within a matter of seconds. As we move into a m ore technological era we see vast differences in culture, values and the basic change in the way of life.The traditional way of life is dying; in-depth valuable heritage is no longer being followed. Many state that the media has blemished society which has created disparity within our traditional way of life. We are human beings with the power to take in unlimited amounts of information. The human brain contains functions that may never even be discovered by scientist due to its complexity. However, today the media has created a massacre of learning abilities and incoherent the emotional intelligence of human beings.As individuals say that the mass media is a valuable tool to society and can create great changes, it is seen to debauch within society and the minds of the new generation. Over all we see that the media has a colossal negative impact in comparison to a positive affect on society. Socialization and society is one of the main aspects in co-relation to the mass media. As s een in the recent generation, norms, values and way of life has changed to a great extent in comparison to the past generations. Media has distinctly created its mark in the socialization process.The mass media has social, developmental and various other forms of mental effects on children. A very important aspect of media society has embraced is the fact that it brings upon great awareness and understanding of the world around us. The media has exposed individuals of all ages to different aspects of the world that the previous generation was not aware of. This vast revelation has educated the youth thus making them more aware and ingenious about the world they live. Media has delivered messages to the world in a matter of seconds, providing us with intelligence about recent events around the world.Although media may provide society with many advantages, the negative impact can have immaculate affects on society. Promoting bad habits such as smoking is a conspicuous negative impact on society. Adolescents' smoking has become a big issue in today's time. † Almost 20 per cent of Canadian teens (aged 12-19) currently smoke (daily or occasionally†. Statistics state that the numbers of smokers have been increasing since 1990. The media has portrayed cigarettes to be a social and â€Å"cool† factor in society. Many youth state that they have smoked under peer pressure.Adolescents try to fit in by smoking so that they are not out casted. As social creatures it is our instinct to be apart of society and belong to a â€Å"social group†. Another growing concern amongst the current generation is the amount of television watched and how it is affecting developmental and psychological thinking. Television has become a big part of society. As many parents work it is found that children, who are home alone when their parents are at work, watch TV as soon as they come home from school. This influences their thinking more then the outside world does.N ot to mention that violence can be encouraged in the media. It is crucial to understand that when children are at that peek in their life, they tend to imitate what they see. A ponderous medium of media is video games in co-relation to violence. Video games encourage violent behavior in children as they are at a crucial stage of adaptation. Society as a whole has been immensely effected by the social realm. In the fashion world, it is media that creates the trends and genres of different types of clothes. This is seen as an identity. The fashion world markets their clothes to society thru the media.Using various sources such as, television, internet, newspaper and magazines. However there is a dark side to this industry. Today's society faces controversy about women's body figured. Size zero has become a behemoth  fad in the modeling world. The size zero topic has caused a revolution, women around the world trying to enter the modeling industry are now harming their bodies in coun tless ways in order to achieve the â€Å"ideal† body. Women today face a lot of criticism about their appearances due to the superficial ideology created by the media. This has rought a lot of criticism from feminist around the world who state that women have died from starvation only to model. Today's world has stereotypes formed from various forms of media. Stereotypes have been created ethnicities and cultures. As growing individuals we see distinct relations between the two. When we see a certain ethnicity portrayed in a particular way we judgments tend to be formed enforce them on that particular ethnicity. Eventually many individuals tend to conform to those stereotypes, thus them following the self fulfilling prophecy.This can be dangerous as people's self esteems may be affected, not to mention this activity can be harmful to society. For example, many African American people are portrayed as criminals and therefore displayed as â€Å"harmful† people in the med ia and its various forms; many fear them as they are known for causing harm and disruption. As this stereotype changes perspective of this particular ethnicity they tend to act the way they are seen in the media as society already believes that they are that certain stereotype. Since the 20th century we have seen a sudden rise empowerment in women, especially in North America.Women all over the nation fought for their freedom of right and are till this day at war for equality. Feminist state that we are currently living in a patriarchal society, where men predominantly control society and its activities. Further more feminist quote â€Å"all knowledge learned by society is created by men, thus creating biases in favor of men and predominantly male oriented situations. The media enforces this knowledge, for one gender roles are enforced through the media to children and adolescents. Although these are promoted to adults to, there is no personality harm to adults.For example, little girls and boys are shown playing sports and with toys that are meant for them, thus enforcing a stereotype and certain gender role of the behavior that is expected from these children. Disney as we know it promotes these gender roles to a great extends, with classical story lines. This shows young children how women are powerless and the male figure rescues her. This perception is seen distinctly in different forms as the child grows up. During the Second World War women refused to go back to their original jobs after then men returned from the war.As an extreme of re-socializing women, the government sent out propaganda about how women we're suppose to work in the homes and men to work in the factories. This is an extreme case of the media being used to change the perception of society. Feminist argue that media corrupted the minds of young women. Before the revolution women we're allowed a double standard of being sex objects however suppressed in society and seen as the â€Å"se cond† sex. Women nowadays are objectified by society and seen as sexual objects in the eyes of men Culture and the commercial world play a significant role in the media world.Culture is denoted as a way of life for society. It consists of beliefs, behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to the members of a social group. A valuable aspect of culture is communication as it is its central activity. Without communication there would be no society or groups as such. Communication is the core of every society and culture in the world. It can take on many forms from verbal to sign language to symbols. All these arranged in a proper manner deliver a message and contain meaning. This approach is often described as a structuralism approach, where the focus is on the analysis of the production of meaning.The term structuralism is a used to emphasize influence of society as a whole. As stated above culture and communication go hand in hand. When we compare the language used i n the 19th and 20th century we see vast difference in the language and dialect. According to researchers the internet has changed our dialect, not to mention our way of typing. The internet has introduced short forms for various words and symbols to represent certain characteristics, as time passes by these characteristics are known to change the way we think. This type of change has affected our cognition.Literature has been restricted and we are made to expresses our selves in a matter of words, twitter for example restricts the amount of words being used to expresses one's emotions and feelings. This type of change has taught society how to expresses them selves in a matter of a few powerful words. Another aspect of language is how the media has allowed people to express them selves and grow as individuals. However there is a big drawback to this, as society has started to connect to the world over the World Wide Web, there tends to be less face-to-face communication.Individuals connect over the internet thus, disrupting the socialization process. People tend to become more anti-social and keep to them selves. Youth cultures and sub-cultures are a reflection of the media; today we see many youth cultures forming sub cultures within them selves. Many of them differ in various aspects; these subcultures are formed in order to rebel against the adult culture and their way of life. When adolescents form these sub cultures they find comfort and a sense of belonging. As the media is the predominate cause of youth sub-cultures, they portray what they want to see in the current generation.The hypodermic syringe theory states that the media feeds society what they want and society accepts it without any questioning, it is a medium of message which can causes changes within a time span of a few minutes. The results can be drastic and cause massive changes in society. Not to mention, as adolescents may apply these norms and values in their adult lives. Mass media is f ast growing field, the commercial world has experiences massive amounts of development in this sector due to the rapid increasing demand. As we can see, there are many highly regarded media jobs in the commercial world today.These jobs are important to the media sector as the skills and requirements are very different in comparison to traditional jobs. Many of the core media jobs are personal relations, journalism, publishing, broadcasting, film and many more. When we look at these topics we see a significant co-relation. As the World Wide Web has rapidly increased in the recent years and has gained significance, many individuals have taken up jobs which require constant internet co-relation. Blogging is an example of an internet related job. It requires regular entries of comments, descriptions of events, or interactive media such as images or video.Blogging has brought much recognition as written experiences and articles are posted in order to guide and share information with the world around us. As we move into the commercial world there is a strong relationship between the government and mass media. Their main aim is to educate society and make sure that information about the world's events reaches the masses. We see very little government contribution in regard to the media, as it is a privately owned source. For example when we look at the American media and how it is controlled by the government, there is very little interaction between the government and the media associates.Due to the fact that the media is controlled by a predominate part of the private industry. This means that the government cannot put their views across to manipulate society in anyway to their advantage. The media is also known to create illusions/perceptions about particular situations or events. However when an individual experiences it for them selves they will see how different it is compared to how the media portrays it. For example, when someone see's how television broadcas ting takes place in reality, they realize that the media may exaggerate the event, in order to create emphasis on the situation.This is only one example of the many events or situations that are exaggerated. Furthermore the media dispelling the illusions may be one of the most important responsibilities of modern education. As media may not portray the data in the way it was, disparities about validity are created. When we look at democratic situations in society, we see a vast gap in the voting percentage and the actual population. Political campaigns spend large amounts of money on promoting their campaigns for a very small population of voters.This creates big advantages to the political campaigns, as they spent large amounts of money on promoting them selves in the media, they will eventually receive a majority of the votes. This shows us that political success increasingly depend on fundraising, usually from well-financed special interest groups, to pay for media advertising. I n the age of mass media, Americans have been made to think that democracy means having lots of consumers choices in the marketplace of products, rather than alternative choices in ideology, issues or political leadership in the marketplace of ideas.The pattern of ownership has changed in the media, thus affecting the amount of information portrayed on the television. We see that today generally businesses are no longer family businesses. However nowadays they would acquire special people to handle such delicate affairs. Not to mention specialized magazines and book publishing operations have been launched across the country and these usually have been feasible economic ventures due to the fact that they do not require huge investments in equipment required to produce a daily newspaper. When talking about the media and the commercial world there are various different aspects to it.As the media has suddenly become big in the past few decades we can say that the media and its dynamics have drastically changed. This is due to the sudden enhancement in technology; this has helped us advance out world. For example, the film industry has advanced to an immaculate level, where production has changed along with the mode of production. The theorist has various views on the mass media and their effects on society. Each sociological theorist has a view which they embrace. Functionalist believes that each part of society has a certain function they are to perform in rder for society to function to its fullest potential. They believe that there are particular functions society has to their maximum capacity. Functionalists believe that the mass media helps co-ordinate and correlate between various parts of society by gathering and dismissing valuable information. Our society conforms to a lot that they see in the media. This means that they enforce laws and regulations which keep order and control in society. We believe that there is a certain extent of social control which is enforced. When talking about the mass media, functionalist strongly enforce social control over society.Conformity is reinforces the norms and values of society. This taught the new generation how to fit into a society. The media enforced and teaches society the rules and regulations, not to mention they provide social situations of individuals disobeying the laws and regulations. This acts as a reinforcement to conform to society's rules. For example, cop shows provide an example of social situations where individuals of our society act out and the punishments they receive. This enforces rules and conformity in society. Another aspect is how they are an agent of socialization.As mentioned before children of todays are exposed to vast amounts of the mass media at very young ages, they learn their norms and values form theses sources thus acting as sources of socialization. The media plays a big role in cognitive child development and re-socialization as they provide individuals w ith the knowledge that they learn and use in the future to come. Finally the last and most predominate role the media provides according to functionalist is entertainment. Besides all the social control and socialization factors, in the end the media is our predominate form of entertainment.This is a source of relaxation and a momentary escape from the hectic world that we live in. Conflict theorist was founded by Karl Marx. He believes that there are two dominate classes in society. One being the Bourgeoisie, they we're the ruling class that controlled all the assets and controlled the modes of production, they owned most of the properly and land. The second class was The Proletariats, they we're considered the lower working class. This class had no power at all and worked hard labor jobs which consisted of a lot of manual labor.Conflict theorist states that functionalist have not paid attention to the social inequality that the mass media portrays, that the mass media benefits som e more then others. According to conflict theorists the mass media is controlled by only a number of highly influential people. This leads to a very important factor which is media bias. Media bias can incur to massive levels, which can affect society. As the media is controlled by very few highly qualified people, they can deliver their views to the media and create false assumptions about particular opinions.Ownership of the media is in the hands of very few, creating profitability to them as producers and various different industries are interested in putting across messages to the world approach these particular media industry individuals. As seen in Canada the recent trends of the media are starting to change. Fewer people are starting to control larger amounts of the media and what is broadcasted. This is a big disadvantage to society as only their views will be focused on creating large amounts of bias media. When the media is controlled by a small population controlled by fe w there tends to be less diversity.Deprivation of independent sources of information with non-biased opinions stated. Society is forced to accept what is provided to them. Propaganda will flood the media due to smaller amounts of individuals controlling it For example in Canada, Rogers Communication Inc owns the Toronto Blue Jays, creates sports and entertainment, broadcasts on television, carries the signal to viewers homes via cable stations and finally they sell at Rogers Video stores. The government controls what is presented in the media to a great extent.There are various cases where the government has punished certain journalist for publishing articles criticizing the government and their policies. What happened to freedom of speech is a question many are asking in today's modern world. The main biased mechanisms are flak, advertising and sourcing. Flak occurs when big corporations frequently attack journalist who write and state controversial articles in the media. This is d ue to government control and how they do not want negative views about them being distributed in the public. The other biased mechanism is advertising.Most of the revenue earned by the mass media is thru advertising over the internet, television, magazines, newspapers, radio and various other different predominant forms of media. Large corporations pay great sum's of money to advertise their messages over popular modes of media. This brings in a large sum of the media's income. Last but not least is sourcing. This method of gathering news is heavily used by news agencies for press releases, news conferences, and interviews organized by large corporations or the government. These sources usually have traces of preferences towards certain policies and regulations.Unofficial statistics are usually not are preferred as official documents due to the fact that they only provide reactions and minority viewpoints that are secondary to that official story. As seen in the data provided about the biased media and how influential it can be, we see that the conflict theorist in summary believe that economic inequality is reinforced due. Further to that, the core value of society is stratified as the media is controlled by a small amount of people creating diversity and portraying socially acceptable and government approved opinions.Interpretive approaches are micro sociology that believes the socialization of individuals' shapes how society will form and function. According to them each individual's personality carries an imprint to his unique experience along with the socially transmitted world view. These types of sociologist look into each individual and the reason for each individual's results along with the factors affecting them. Society is not judged as a whole. They believe that the mass media influences a passive public in common.Symbolic functionalist state that although conflict theorist and functionalist reinforce the fact that the mass media is mainly benefici al to the rich and powerful, not to mention that the mass media is a great reinforcement of core values follow by society. They do not enforce much on the extent to which audience members interpret media's messages in different ways. Interactionalist state that, the entailments of mass media does not simply change individuals behavior, there are various steps that are used to change societies mind.Consider this question: How much influence does the mass media actually exert over audiences? Great controversy surrounds this question The subject of what influences the mass media involves the link between persuasive media messages and indirect actual behavior. The process of ‘ two-step flow of communication' must take place. This process involves the communication between the mass media and the audience members. The first process involves respected individuals of society to evaluate media messages. These individuals tend to be highly educated or politically powerful in that commun ity.As their status contains power and authority they usually conduct independent judgment. The second step involves the leaders influence on attitudes and behavior of others around them. This way media's opinions are filtered by the leaders. This two step process limits the amount of influence on society. If individuals in a society are influenced to perform a certain action is it less predominant within their minds as it has been influenced by the leader. The media influences society to perform a certain action; however the leaders influence will determine whether society will perform that action or not.Symbolic interactionalist represents media through cultural studies. In-depth interviewing and participant observation is used to study how people in a society truly interpret media messages. Cultural studies does not only concentrate on the cultural meaning producers try to transmit, but on the way audiences filter and interpret mass media messages in the context of their own inte rest, experiences, and values. Sociologist, Stuart Halls states that, audience members take an active part in consuming the products of the mass media.However they filter and interpret the messages in the context of their own interest. In conclusion, the audience will only take in and interpret what they want to. Every individual has a different way of thinking. This implicates that the media does not fully influence individuals. Hall asserts, society takes in the mass media's information in the context of their own experiences, interests and values. Thus, any in-depth analysis of the mass media must take into the production and consumption of the data. In the initial stages the meaning intended by producers must be studied.Further to that, we also need to study how the audience consumes or evaluates media products. Audience members may interpret media messages in ways other than those intended by the producer. The critical attitude of the individuals exposed to the media reduces th e ability to identify strongly with many characters, personalities, and storylines. Age also affects how we relate to the television or various different forms of media. For instance, the senior viewers tend to be selective and focused on their television viewing. In comparison to individuals who grew up with TV cable and a remote control.Individuals in that vein often sift through channels, engage in conversation and do a multitude of things that detract attention to the supposed object of focus. The media does not impact these modes of viewing. This is an example of the media's effect on society and the extent to which it affects certain individuals. Conflict theorists' and functionalists' exaggerate the extent to which the media affects the society. All in all, internationalist filters, interpret, resist and sometimes reject messages that are often presented by the mass media.Feminists are another group of sociologists who believe that women are treated unfairly in society and ar e discriminated against in various types of male dominated theories. In co-relation to the media, feminists have strong views about how they created gender roles and stereotypes. Women are mostly seen as sexual objects and prizes rather then humans. In addition, women in the media are said to create a stereotype which is affective to many of the adolescents as they create artificial looks and body structures. The media's power as a predominant socializing agent adversely influences women into these modes of thinking.The media creates stereotypes which portray women as, â€Å"dumb and silly†. This pushes women down the stratification scale in the world as a whole; this is one of the reasons why the glass ceiling was created. The glass ceiling is an expression which states that women can see the top position; however due to gender discrimination, they cannot reach it. It is worth noting that, the media also creates a gender role for women from a very young age. For example, gir ls are shown on television shows playing with kitchen sets and boys are shown playing football.This demonstrates to children that they have certain roles to play and with this, these roles are embraced at a young age. Not only is there gender discrimination, many women experience racial gender discrimination. This occurs when women in the ethnic minorities are discriminated against due to their gender and ethnic background. Although there have been countless efforts to combat this type of discrimination, women in today's society are facing large amounts of discrimination, not to mention are being denied the top positions and discriminated in terms of wages.As we have analyzed the various aspects from society to the commercial world, we can say that media has created a distinct change in society. We can conclude by saying that, the mass media is a tool which can cause great change and impact on society largely. When the mass media is related to society as a whole, the media has affec ted adolescents and children more then any other group. We see that society's children and adolescents have changed their ways of life in an immaculate level. Researchers say that there has never been such a large amount of change in such a short span of time.Media is to blame for such a large change in society. Although the mass media has afforded society negative instances, there are various high points we can take away from the mere existence of the media. If it weren’t for the media society wouldn't bee informed about world events and the situations taking place in it. Many individuals criticize the media for it's over exaggeration and creation of false delusions. However, many forget to give the media credit for the intense and immediate broadcasting around the world.On a whole the media has created many advantages for society and has created a whole new generation and way of life, however on the other hand the media has corrupted the minds of children and adolescents. N ot to mention its role in the massive loss of culture and tradition that dates back thousands of years ago. In the end has the media benefited society or corrupted it?

Where (and How) to Get a Cashier’s Check 8 Simple Steps

Where (and How) to Get a Cashier’s Check 8 Simple Steps SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Making a large purchase, such as buying a car or putting a down payment on a house? If so, you may be asked to use a cashier’s check to make your payment. A cashier’s check is a guaranteed way to pay for something and is often requested during large transactions to ensure that you actually have the money you need for your purchase. But what actually is a cashier’s check? Why do you need it? And, if you need one, where can you get one? In this article, I’ll explain exactly where to get a cashier's check and how to get a cashier’s check. I’ll give you options for where to get a cashier’s check and walk you through other options you can use to pay for your purchases if you don’t wish to use a cashier’s check. What Is a Cashier’s Check? A cashier’s check is considered a safe form of payment because it’s guaranteed by the bank. When you use a cashier’s check to pay for a purchase, the bank guarantees that that funds on the check are available to the seller. That way, the seller knows that your check will clear when he or she tries to deposit it and that there’s no chance of your check bouncing. Cashier’s checks are usually required for major purchases, such as when you’re putting a down payment on a house or purchasing a car. Because there's a large sum of money involved, the seller wants to guarantee that they’ll receive the full amount. A cashier’s check helps ensure that they will. You may also be required to use a cashier’s check for slightly smaller transactions, such as a security deposit on your apartment, or even occasionally your monthly rent payment, if required by your landlord. There’s a big difference between a cashier’s check and a personal check, and it can take awhile to get a cashier’s check, so make sure you check your lease or ask your landlord if you need a cashier’s check well before your monthly payment is due. Where to Get a Cashier’s Check You can’t write a cashier’s check on your own, so what are your options for where to get a cashier's check? You’ll need to go into a bank or a credit union. To purchase a cashier’s check, you’ll need two pieces of information. First, you’ll need the exact amount of money you want to guarantee with the check. Second, you’ll need the exact name of the person or institution that’s receiving the check. Make sure you have the name correct - they won’t be able to deposit the cashier’s check if you have a different name on it. If you’re a customer of the bank or credit union, you can get a cashier’s check using the funds that are available in your account. When the bank writes the cashier’s check, they’ll automatically debit the funds for the cashier’s check from your account, which assures the seller that you have the full amount. If you want to purchase a cashier’s check from a bank or credit union where you aren't a customer, you’ll need to bring the full amount in cash. You’ll pay the bank the sum of money in cash and, in return, they’ll provide you with the cashier’s check. For the most part you’ll need to go to the bank in person in order to purchase a cashier’s check, but a few banks, like Wells Fargo, allow you to order cashier’s checks online. However, you’ll need to wait for the check to be processed online and mailed, which can take up to 10 business days. A cashier’s check must be deposited within 90 to 120 days after it’s issued, so make sure the recipient knows that they should deposit the check as soon as they get it. Cashier’s Check Fees In addition to wondering how to get a cashier’s check, customers are often concerned with finding the cheapest place to get a cashier’s check. Purchasing a cashier’s check from a bank will usually cost you a small fee, even if you have an account at the bank. Let’s take a look at the cashier’s check fees at the top 10 US banks. Bank Cashier’s Check Fee For Basic Checking Account Holders Chase $8 Bank of America $10 Wells Fargo $10 Citibank $10 U.S. Bank $7 PNC Bank $10 Capital One $10 TD Bank $8 BBT $10 Suntrust $8 Note that these fees are the fees that it costs customers who have a basic checking account at the bank in question to purchase a cashier’s check. If you’re going to a bank where you don’t have a basic checking account, you might pay more money to purchase a cashier’s check. However, if you have a high-tiered checking account (such as one with a higher monthly deposit requirement or daily minimum balance), you might have a lower fee to purchase a cashier’s check from your bank, or you may not have to pay a fee at all. Often, credit union will offer lower fees for cashier’s checks. If you’re concerned about cost, shop around to see the cheapest place to get a cashier’s check in your area. How to Get a Cashier’s Check In order to purchase a cashier’s check, you first need to go to your local bank or credit union branch. Follow these steps to make the process as painless as possible. Make sure that you’ve got the funds to cover the check before you go to the branch. Remember, your account will be immediately debited for those funds, or you’ll need to have enough cash on hand to cover the full amount. Make sure you’ve got the correct full name of the person or institution you’re paying. Make sure you’ve got your government-issued photo ID with you, such as a driver’s license or passport. If you’ve got an account at the institution you’re purchasing the cashier’s check from, make sure you have the required materials to access your account. You’ll most likely need to have your debit card and pin number, as well as a photo ID. If you don’t have a debit card, make sure you know your account number or social security number so the teller can look up your account. Wait in line at the branch location until it’s your turn to speak with a teller. Tell the teller that you’re interested in purchasing a cashier’s check. Provide the teller with your account number, or with the cash required to purchase the cashier’s check. Provide the teller with the name of the person or institution you’re paying. The teller will make sure that you’ve got enough money to cover the sum of the check. Then, the teller will draft the check and sign it, ensuring that it’s guaranteed by the bank. Cashier’s Checks Vs. Personal Checks Cashier’s checks are very different from personal checks, which is why they’re generally required for large purchases. Purchasing a cashier’s check means that your account will automatically be debited for the amount to cover the check. This debiting guarantees you’ve got enough money to cover the cost of the cashier’s check. When you write a personal check, your account isn’t debited until the check is deposited, so the check may bounce if you’ve spent money and no longer have the funds to cover the personal check’s amount. Because cashier’s checks are guaranteed, they often clear more quickly than personal checks. This means that the seller can have access to the funds for your purchase more quickly than waiting for a personal check to clear. The physical features of both checks are different. A cashier’s check is signed by a bank representative, which is part of guaranteeing the funds for the check are available. Likewise, cashier’s checks have distinguishing security features, such as watermarks, and are often written on special bond paper. Cashier’s Checks Vs. Money Orders A money order is very similar to a cashier’s check. When you purchase a money order, you’re also guaranteeing that you’ve got the funds to pay for your purchase. However, there are some key differences between the two forms of payment. A cashier’s check is issued by a bank or credit union. A money order isn’t. You can often purchase money orders at grocery stores, the post office, gas stations, or other places around town. Because you can purchase a money order from many different places, it may be more convenient to use a money order to guarantee your payment on a purchase. Money orders, however, have a maximum limit of money that you can send at one time. That means that you’ll need to use a cashier’s check for larger purchases that require you to transfer greater sums of money. Cashier’s Checks vs. ACH/Wire Transfers ACH/wire transfers are very similar to cashier’s checks, with several key differences. For both cashier’s checks and ACH/wire transfers, your account will be immediately debited when you initiate the transaction. This debiting guarantees that you’ve got the funds needed to cover the purchase. There are fees associated with ACH/wire transfers, just the same as there are fees associated with cashier’s checks. The fees associated with ACH/wire transfers are often higher than the cashier’s check fees and can depend on how quickly you want the money to be sent. When you make an ACH/wire transfer, you’re electronically transferring funds from your account to someone else’s. This means that you’ll automatically send funds to the seller, without them having to deposit a check. You can request a same day ACH/wire transfer for an added fee, which means that the money will instantly appear in the seller’s account. There are often limits for the amount of money you can send a person via wire or ACH transfer, depending on the type of transfer you’re doing, your bank’s policies, and how quickly you want to send the money. Review: Where and How to Get a Cashier's Check Cashier’s checks are considered a safe way to pay for large purchases because they’re guaranteed by a bank to have the funds to cover the sum of the check. You can get a cashier’s check from your local bank or credit union branch, which often requires paying a small fee.

Biography of Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore

Biography of Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore Tipu Sultan (November 20, 1750–May 4, 1799) is remembered by many in India and Pakistan as a heroic freedom fighter and warrior-king. He was the last ruler in India strong enough to dictate terms to the British East India Company. Known as the Tiger of Mysore, he fought long and hard, although ultimately unsuccessfully, to preserve his countrys independence. Fast Facts: Tipu Sultan Known For:  He is remembered in India and Pakistan as a warrior-king who fought brilliantly for his countrys independence from Britain.Also Known As:  Fath Ali, Tiger of MysoreBorn:  November 20, 1750 in Mysore, IndiaParents: Hyder Ali and Fatima Fakhr-un-NisaDied:  May 4, 1799 in Seringapatam, Mysore, IndiaEducation: Extensive tutoringSpouse(s): Many wives, including Sindh Sahiba  Children: Unnamed sons, two of whom were held hostage by the BritishNotable Quote: To live like a lion for a day is far better than to live for a hundred years like a jackal. Early Life Tipu Sultan was born on November 20, 1750, to military officer Hyder Ali of the Kingdom of Mysore and his wife, Fatima Fakhr-un-Nisa. They named him Fath Ali but also called him Tipu Sultan after a local Muslim saint, Tipu Mastan Aulia. His father Hyder Ali was an able soldier and won such a complete victory against an invading force of Marathas in 1758 that Mysore was able to absorb the Marathan homelands. As a result, Hyder Ali became the commander-in-chief of Mysores army, later the Sultan, and by 1761 he was the outright ruler of the kingdom. While his father rose to fame and prominence, young Tipu Sultan was receiving an education from the finest tutors available. He studied such subjects as riding, swordsmanship, shooting, Koranic studies, Islamic jurisprudence, and languages such as Urdu, Persian, and Arabic. Tipu Sultan also studied military strategy and tactics under French officers from an early age, since his father was allied with the French in southern India. In 1766 when Tipu Sultan was just 15 years old, he got the chance to apply his military training in battle for the first time when he accompanied his father on an invasion of Malabar. The youngster took charge of a force of 2,000-3,000 and cleverly managed to capture the Malabar chiefs family, which had taken refuge in a fort under heavy guard. Fearful for his family, the chief surrendered, and other local leaders soon followed his example. Hyder Ali was so proud of his son that he gave him command of 500 cavalries and assigned him to rule five districts within Mysore. It was the start of an illustrious military career for the young man. First Anglo-Mysore War During the mid-18th century, the British East India Company sought to expand its control of southern India by playing local kingdoms and principalities off one another and off the French. In 1767, the British formed a coalition with the Nizam and the Marathas, and together they attacked Mysore. Hyder Ali managed to make a separate peace with the Marathas, and then in June he sent his 17-year-old son Tipu Sultan to negotiate with the Nizam. The young diplomat arrived in the Nizam camp with gifts that included cash, jewels, 10 horses, and five trained elephants. In just one week, Tipu charmed the ruler of the Nizam into switching sides and joining the Mysorean fight against the British. Tipu Sultan then led a cavalry raid on Madras (now Chennai) itself, but his father suffered a defeat by the British at Tiruvannamalai and had to call his son back. Hyder Ali decided to take the unusual step of continuing to fight during the monsoon rains, and together with Tipu he captured two British forts. The Mysorean army was besieging a third fort when British reinforcements arrived. Tipu and his cavalry held off the British long enough to allow Hyder Alis troops to retreat in good order. Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan then went on a tear up the coast, capturing forts and British-held cities. The Mysoreans were threatening to dislodge the British from their key east coast port of Madras when the British sued for peace in March 1769. After this humiliating defeat, the British had to sign a 1769 peace agreement with Hyder Ali called the Treaty of Madras. Both sides agreed to return to their pre-war boundaries and to come to each others aid in case of attack by any other power. Under the circumstances, the British East India Company got off easy, but it still would not honor the treaty terms. Interwar Period In 1771, the Marathas attacked Mysore with an army perhaps as large as 30,000 men. Hyder Ali called upon the British to honor their duty of aid under the Treaty of Madras, but the British East India Company refused to send any troops to assist him. Tipu Sultan played a key role as Mysore fought off the Marathas, but the young commander and his father never trusted the British again. Later that decade, Britain and France came to blows over the 1776 rebellion (the American Revolution) in Britains North American colonies; France, of course, supported the rebels. In retaliation, and to draw off French support from America, Britain had decided to push the French entirely out of India. In 1778, it began to capture key French holdings in India such as Pondicherry, on the southeastern coast. The following year, the British grabbed the French-occupied port of Mahe on the Mysorean coast, prompting Hyder Ali to declare war. Second Anglo-Mysore War The Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780–1784), began when Hyder Ali led an army of 90,000 in an attack on the Carnatic, which was allied with Britain. The British governor at Madras decided to send the bulk of his army under Sir Hector Munro against the Mysoreans, and also called for a second British force under Colonel William Baillie to leave Guntur and meet up with the main force. Hyder got word of this and sent Tipu Sultan with 10,000 troops to intercept Baillie. In September 1780, Tipu and his 10,000 cavalry and infantry soldiers surrounded Baillies combined British East India Company and Indian force and inflicted on them the worst defeat the British had suffered in India. Most of the 4,000 Anglo-Indian troops surrendered and were taken prisoner, while 336 were killed. Colonel Munro refused to march to Baillies aid, for fear of losing the heavy guns and other material he had stored. By the time he finally set out, it was too late. Hyder Ali did not realize just how disorganized the British force was. Had he attacked Madras itself at that time, he likely could have taken the British base. However, he only sent Tipu Sultan and some cavalry to harass Munros retreating columns. The Mysoreans did capture all of the British stores and baggage and killed or wounded about 500 troops, but they did not attempt to seize Madras. The Second Anglo-Mysore War settled down into a series of sieges. The next significant event was Tipus February 18, 1782 defeat of East India Company troops under Colonel Braithwaite at Tanjore. Braithwaite was completely surprised by Tipu and his French ally General Lallà ©e and after 26 hours of fighting, the British and their Indian sepoys surrendered. Later, British propaganda said Tipu would have had them all massacred if the French hadnt interceded, but that is almost certainly false- none of the company troops were harmed after they surrendered. Tipu Takes the Throne While the Second Anglo-Mysore War was still raging, the 60-year-old Hyder Ali developed a serious carbuncle. His condition deteriorated throughout the fall and early winter of 1782, and he died on December 7. Tipu Sultan assumed the title of Sultan and took his fathers throne on December 29, 1782. The British hoped that this transition of power would be less than peaceful so that they would have an advantage in the ongoing war. However, Tipus smooth transition and immediate acceptance by the army thwarted them. In addition, British officers had failed to secure enough rice during the harvest, and some of their sepoys were literally starving to death. They were in no condition to launch an attack against the new sultan during the height of the monsoon season. Settlement Terms The Second Anglo-Mysore War went on until early 1784, but Tipu Sultan maintained the upper hand throughout most of that time. Finally, on March 11, 1784, the British East India Company formally capitulated with the signing of the Treaty of Mangalore. Under the terms of the treaty, the two sides once again returned to the status quo in terms of territory. Tipu Sultan agreed to release all of the British and Indian prisoners of war he had captured. Tipu Sultan the Ruler Despite two victories over the British, Tipu Sultan realized that the British East India Company remained a serious threat to his independent kingdom. He funded continuous military advances, including further development of the famous Mysore rockets- iron tubes that could fire missiles up to two kilometers, terrifying British troops and their allies. Tipu also built roads, created a new form of coinage, and encouraged silk production for international trade. He was particularly fascinated and delighted with new technologies and had always been an avid student of science and mathematics. A devout Muslim, Tipu was tolerant of his majority-Hindu subjects faith. Framed as a warrior-king and dubbed the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan proved an able ruler in times of relative peace as well. Third Anglo-Mysore War Tipu Sultan had to face the British for a third time between 1789 and 1792. This time, Mysore would receive no aid from its usual ally France, which was in the throes of the French Revolution. The British were led on this occasion by Lord Cornwallis, one of the major British commanders during the American Revolution. Unfortunately for Tipu Sultan and his people, the British had more attention and resources to invest in southern India this time around. Although the war lasted for several years, unlike past engagements, the British gained more ground than they gave. At the end of the war, after the British besieged Tipus capital city of Seringapatam, the Mysorean leader had to capitulate. In the 1793 Treaty of Seringapatam, the British and their allies, the Maratha Empire, took half of the territory of Mysore. The British also demanded that Tipu turn over two of his sons, ages 7 and 11, as hostages to ensure that the Mysorean ruler would pay war indemnities. Cornwallis held the boys captive to ensure that their father would comply with the treaty terms. Tipu quickly paid the ransom and recovered his children. Nonetheless, it was a shocking reversal for the Tiger of Mysore. Fourth Anglo-Mysore War In 1798, a French general named Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt. Unbeknownst to his superiors in the Revolutionary government in Paris, Bonaparte planned to use Egypt as a stepping-stone from which to invade India by land (through the Middle East, Persia, and Afghanistan), and wrest it from the British. With that in mind, the man who would be emperor sought an alliance with Tipu Sultan, Britains staunchest foe in southern India. This alliance was not to be, however, for several reasons. Napoleons invasion of Egypt was a military disaster. Sadly, his would-be ally, Tipu Sultan, also suffered a terrible defeat. By 1798, the British had had sufficient time to recover from the Third Anglo-Mysore War. They also had a new commander of British forces at Madras, Richard Wellesley, Earl of Mornington, who was committed to a policy of aggression and aggrandizement. Although the British had taken half of his country and a large sum of money, Tipu Sultan meanwhile had rebuilt significantly and Mysore was once more a prosperous place. The British East India Company knew that Mysore was the only thing standing between it and total domination of India. A British-led coalition of nearly 50,000 troops marched toward Tipu Sultans capital city of Seringapatam in February 1799. This was no typical colonial army of a handful of European officers and a rabble of ill-trained local recruits; this army was made up of the best and brightest from all of the British East India Companys client states. Its single goal was the destruction of Mysore. Although the British sought to enclose Mysore state in a giant pincher movement, Tipu Sultan was able to sally out and stage a surprise attack early in March that nearly destroyed one of the British contingents before reinforcements showed up. Throughout the spring, the British pressed closer and closer to the Mysorean capital. Tipu wrote to the British commander Wellesley, trying to arrange for a peace  agreement, but Wellesley deliberately offered completely unacceptable terms. His mission was to destroy Tipu Sultan, not to negotiate with him. Death At the beginning of May 1799, the British and their allies surrounded Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore. Tipu Sultan had just 30,000 defenders matched against 50,000 attackers. On May 4, the British broke through the city walls. Tipu Sultan rushed to the breach and was killed defending his city. After the battle, his body was discovered beneath a pile of defenders. Seringapatam was overrun. Legacy With Tipu Sultans death, Mysore became another princely state under the jurisdiction of the British Raj. His sons were sent into exile, and a different family became puppet rulers of Mysore under the British. In fact, Tipu Sultans family was reduced to poverty as a deliberate policy and was only restored to princely status in 2009. Tipu Sultan fought long and hard, although ultimately unsuccessfully, to preserve his countrys independence. Today, Tipu is remembered by many in India and Pakistan as a brilliant freedom fighter and as an able peacetime ruler. Sources Britains Greatest Foes: Tipu Sultan. National Army Museum, Feb. 2013.Carter, Mia Barbara Harlow. Archives of Empire: Volume I. From the East India Company to the Suez Canal. Duke University Press, 2003.The First Anglo-Mysore War (1767-1769), GKBasic, July 15, 2012.Hasan, Mohibbul. History of Tipu Sultan. Aakar Books, 2005.

Business memo Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business memo - Personal Statement Example It gives them opportunity to find practical implications of the theories involved in business communication. One major advantage of this approach is that it creates a positive learning environment within the classroom which further facilitates learning. The trained incapacities of the students can be challenged with this approach. Learning by Doing is an ideal methodology to make the learning process more customised and effective. An introductory activity which is done in connection with the teaching point creates a platform to learn by doing. The reflections and observations from this activity could be used as indicators for different theories to be taught. However, it is important that these observations are effectively deciphered by the teacher leading to the theories to be taught. More importantly it creates an environment where in the learners can involve in challenging opportunities to discuss, question and test the implications of the knowledge being shared. Thus the inhibitions on participation in learning activities are replaced with enthusiasm and activeness. In totality, these activities provide the teacher with a readily involving student group and in turn the students are provided with a collaborative environment and a community of learners. In either case, a background conductive of effective le arning is created wherein there is no fear of making mistakes. These teaching strategies facilitate learning especially in the context of introduction to business. As the subject is new to the students it is important that at the outset it is made sure that the basic concepts are conveyed to students in terms of its practical implications in business. As introduction to business is taught in a stage where the student community has not integrated completely into the academic system, it is important that a levelling of the students is ensured.

CTA #4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CTA #4 - Essay Example This is because most of his behaviours were contrary to how a coach should be. The coach should be available for the function of reinforcement, provide feedback to the employees with respect to their performance and motivate them. Instead, the supervisor was rarely available to act as reinforcement and feedback was provided rarely. My goal in future is to ensure that I function as a coach who understands the importance of coaching and the aspects involved that include feedback and motivating. This will ensure that I become a better leader in the organization. The time frame for submitting feedback to the employees would be the shortest possible because they like keeping track of their performance so that they can improve in the areas that are proven wanting. Success would be measured through comparing present and previous employee performances. If anticipated outcomes are realized, then the practice is maintained. If otherwise, additional strategies are applied until the expected results are