The conflicts of the play Essay Example for Free

The conflicts of the play Essay How does Arthur Miller use the stage and dramatic techniques to introduce the conflicts of the play? The Crucible was written by Arthur Miller; the play is about the witch trials that took place in Salem, Massachutes in 1692. Arthur Miller wrote the play because the communist trials were taking place at that time in the United States. Miller and some of his friends were involved in the trials. Many of the conflicts of the communist trials were similar to the Salem witch trials, which is why I think that Miller wrote The Crucible. In act 1 and act 2 Miller uses the staging and dramatic techniques to reflect these conflicts. The main conflicts of the play are: good verses evil, which is show in act 1. Public invading the private this is also show in act 1, and the personal relationship between John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor, this is shown in act 2. Arthur Miller starts to introduce the conflicts of the play with his set design. Act 1 takes place in Reverend Parriss house, in the attic room. The characters involved in the opening set are Parris and his young daughter Betty. Act 2 takes place in the Proctors house, it is set in the common room. There are no characters in the opening of act 2 but soon after John Proctor and Elizabeth enter. Act 1 the room is lit by light from the sun, Through its leaded panes the morning sunlight streams the light is pure which symbolises reverend Parris as pure. However it is entering the room is through a narrow window, which shows Parris is a narrow-minded person. This symbolises that in act 1 the characters are pure but restrictive as the window is leaded. This shows the conflict of good verses evil. Whereas in act 2 the room is described as low dark and rather long living room this shows that the proctors are dark and shows that they are hiding a secret, the secret is that john had committed adultery with Abigail. The only light in the room is that from the fireplace. This symbolises that in act 2 characters are dark and gloomy people. In act 1 the bedroom is upstairs with a staircase leading downstairs, this symbolises that the characters in this scene start off with a high status but throughout the play they are moving downwards towards hell. There are also people downstairs, which shows the conflict of the public are intruding on their private lives, whereas the Proctors lives are private and personal. The warmth in each sets also shows the differences between the characters, in act 1 the room is lit by only a candle, this symbolises that Reverend Parris is a cold-hearted man, however the Proctors house is also very cold its winter in here. Another difference between the set designs is that act 1 has a clean spareness this shows that its empty of love and nurturing. In act 2 the room is cold because Elizabeth is cold of suspicion. The idea of a crucible plays a large part in both acts. A crucible removes impurities through intense heat, which is what the play is about, the characters are put thorough an intense trial which at the end will prove who is pure and who isnt. As the curtain rises in act 1 we are shown Betty lying inert and sickly on the bed. Reverend Parris is praying at the side of the bed. He is concerned about Betty, he is on his knee, which symbolises that he is asking for forgiveness. Tituba rushes in, as she is concerned about Betty. We can see that she is troubled and distressed, but as soon as she steps in she immediately steps backwards, this symbolises that she is worried about Betty but she also know her place as a servant and is afraid of Parris. Parris is concerned about Betty but he is more concerned about his reputation ith the people downstairs. Act 2 opens on a dark and low room, but we can hear Elizabeth softly singing to the children, this shows that she is a loving mother. John Procter walks in with a gun and places it down, he then walks over to the food and tastes it then he adds salt this shows he is not satisfied with Elizabeths cooking. The stew is a symbol of John and Elizabeths relationship, the stew is plain like Elizabeth, so John spices it up with salt the same way he spiced up his life by committing adultery with Abigail. After that he washes his hands and sits down for dinner when Elizabeth joins him. He washes his washes his hands when he hears Elizabeth coming, this shows that it is a guilty act. She brings him his food and sits with him while he eats. When john is asked how the food tastes by Elizabeth he lies and says its well seasoned he lies to her to cover up the guilt of having an affair with Abigail. When they are talking to each other we can sense some distance between them, John is trying to make it up to her I mean to please you, Elizabeth but Elizabeth is finding it hard to forgive him as she finds it hard to reply to him. In my opinion I think Arthur Millers style was very effective. He used different ways to symbolise the differences between the scenes and characters. His set designs were very helpful to judge the type of people the play was about.

Globalization And Impact On Indian Banking Sector Finance Essay

Globalization And Impact On Indian Banking Sector Finance Essay INTRODUCTION PREVIEW This is an introduction chapter which describes the structure of the dissertation. It begins with a brief introduction to the area of research, purpose and aims and objectives set for this research. This section also includes justification for selecting banking sector to study the impact of globalization for this study. 1.2 INTRODUCTION A bank is a licensed body by the government which is primarily engaged in the process of borrowing and lending money which in turn helps in economic development of the country. The customers of a bank are mainly households government, public/ private corporations who invest and borrow funds from these institutions. Banks have a monopoly in creating credit in the market. If companies are provided with finance, it encourages enterprises which leads to increase in production, leads to promotion of jobs, less reliance on foreign imports. If personal customers are provided with finance it would stimulate the demand for goods which then leads to an in increase production of goods. Therefore banks play a very important role in the economic development of the country (Cox 1983, pg2-4). Initially there were many barriers in the banking sector through out the world. These were lack of information about foreign companies, tax liability which was applicable to income earned from these transactions, cost of executing international transactions were expensive. Regulations were eliminated in 1980s and early 1990s. Government allowed privatization in 1990. Government owned firms were sold to individuals, trading of stocks of firms was allowed publicly. This led to globalization, deregulation and liberalization. Under the influence of globalization Internet and telephone banking, ATM, credit and debit cards and many other services provided by the banking sector were introduced which has increased the efficiency of banks and has brought the banking revolution( Madura 1995, pg-7 ). Globalization has led to a revolution in the banking sector though Indian banks stiff face severe challenges . This study will highlight these challenges and the researcher will also suggests some of solutions found in the literature to overcome these challenges and will co-relate solutions found through primary research. This will help in understanding the Indian banking sector in dept. In addition to this if the Indian banking sector overcome these challenges it can mark its place with other leading global titans. 1.3 RESEARCH AREA To examine critically the impact of globalization on Indian banking sector highlighting the challenges faced by the Indian banks is the primary focus of this research. Since the days of Bretton Woods era financial world has witnessed tremendous changes. Technological change and cut throat competition has enforced the financial world to adopt better techniques and attract customers. The range of products and services were limited in the 70s(Raul 2005, pp 39). After gaining independence in 1947 Until 1991 there has been regulations like administered interest rates and government control etc. upon implementation of recommendations by Narsimha committee led to rapid and radical changes. Now the banking sector offers wide range of services like securitization, leasing and hire purchase, custodial service, depositories , factoring etc. New financial institution, dis-intermediation, greater professionalism and technological innovation have emerged as a result of liberalization, privatization and globalization. In addition to this capital adequacy norms, income recognition and assets classification were introduced in the ambit of banking activities and banks are compelled to cope up with the process of deregulation, competition, asset liability management and globalization(Raul 2005, pp 39). 1.4 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The main aim of this research work is to analyze critically and examine the concept of globalization and its impact on the Indian banking sector along with and challenges which arise as a result of globalization. The researcher also aims to find out the adverse effect of these challenges and what measures can be taken to reduce them. Research question A study on the impact of globalization on the Indian banking sector highlighting the challenges faced by the public sector banks in India. The main objectives of this research are as follows:- To examine the the challenges faced by the Indian public sector banks with regards to technology, human resource, customer service , NPAs. To analyze and explore the potential solutions to overcome these challenges. 1.5 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Indian banking sector is resilient and has shown tremendous growth yet it faces many challenges which needs to be controlled and managed. Recently there have been waves of bank failures throughout the world. Banks became insolvent due to which there was financial downturn globally. Banks are highly volatile in nature and have a direct impact on the economy of a country. So every country should aim to make their banking system stable and sound only then they will be able to withstand the shocks. Many changes have taken place in the Indian economy since 1990s that has revolutionized and revitalized the Indian economy. During this phase the key growth sectors and consumer demands have undergone a series of changes. The researcher is keen on investigating the impact of changes with respect to banking sector. India is a developing economy there lies many areas in the Indian banking sector to be explored also this is an untouched area in the UWIC. All the above mentioned points motivated the researcher to study in detail about the Indian banking sector, impact of globalization on it, and challenges arising as a result of globalization also highlighting potential solutions. This piece of work can provide guidance or a framework for other developing countries which are also facing similar challenges. Moreover ,The researcher is a permanent resident of India and would be able to gain access or conduct interviews of the bank managers to retrieve information which would further form a basis of research. 1.6 JUSTIFICATION FOR THE RESEARCH ROLE OF UBLIC SECTOR IN BANKING Anglo Saxon and Asian model are the two models of ownership by the banks. Many developed countries have adopted the Anglo Saxon model. Under this model the key decisions are taken by the top executives independently dictated by short term requirements and regulations may not be stringent .The latter model is adopted by many developing countries like India . India has a financial system which has substantial ownership by the public sector and has a different structure of incentives for the top executives. It is more likely that in this model where more complex products are involved there is less financial innovation . thus this sector is likely to be less efficient and less innovative but would be more steady. The advantage of this sector during the time of crisis is the perceived sovereign backing. While the former model during crisis came under pressure whereas the later model like the presence of public sector made the Indian financial system sound and stable. It was evident from t he fact that during 2oo8 and 2oo9 foreign and private sector banks NA ratio increased significantly and as an after effect of crisis , the public sectors NA ratio declined. It was lowest amongst all bank groups. For the Indian Banking sector , the public ownership has proved to be a source of strength rather than weakness. On the contrary to the belief that public ownership weakens the efficiency of a firm does not stand true in the case of the Indian banking sector. RBI organized an analytical exercise which indicates that cost and technical efficiency of the public sector banks have been much higher than private and foreign banks in India recently. Moreover public sector banks key role played by the banks is social development and to meet the objectives of developmental finance which is very essential for a developing economy like India. public ownership plays a significant role in the economic development of the country. (RBI 2OO7 2OO8 , pp 22 In addition to the above mentioned reasons the main motive of the researcher to highlight the challenges faced the public sector banks was because if these banks overcome their challenges they can mark a place for itself with the other leading banks. 1.7 STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY This dissertation is divided into five chapters which are as follows:- Chapter 1- This is an introductory chapter. It highlight the aims and objectives; purpose ; justification of the study. This chapter explains the structure/body of this dissertation . Chapter 2- This chapter forms a base/ platform for this dissertation. It consists of ideas and opinions put forward by scholars and different authors who have successfully researched on this field. The researcher has critically reviewed the literature also highlighted the key issues, ideas, arguments by different authors. This chapter mainly covers globalization , its characteristics, theory of globalization, Indian banking sector and challenges faced by the Indian banks. Chapter 3- Primary focus of this chapter is on the methodology adopted for this research. This will include the research design, data collection methods, research ethics, validity and reliability. It also includes limitations of this study. Chapter 4- This chapter explains the analysis of the data/information gathered . Interviews and questionnaires are critically analyzed to give a clear picture about the study. Chapter 5- The previous chapter of data analysis enabled the researcher to draw conclusions and provide recommendations which is described in this chapter, along with the research findings and research area which the researcher intends to cover and undertake next year after successful completion of this research. 1.8 SUMMARY This chapter explicitly explains the structure of this dissertation along with aims and objectives set up for the study by the researcher. It also explains about the research area, purpose and highlights the reason for selection of banking sector in Indian to study the impact of globalization.

The Celebritization Of Monarchy Media Essay

The Celebritization Of Monarchy Media Essay Introduction Celebrities are a staple of the media industry. From tabloids that promise exclusive looks into their homes to television talk shows that offer audiences the chance to get up close and personal with actors, singers and reality TV stars, todays mediated world is awash with celebrity. Advances in media technology, the availability of 24-hour news and entertainment channels, as well as the advent of the Internet and social media, have meant that there is more celebrity available now than ever before, because there are more outlets for both those seeking news about their idols or trying to be famous themselves   (Ferris, 2010). Even in a seemingly democratized media such as social networking sites, the brightest stars are still traditional celebrities 9 out of the top 10 Twitter accounts with the most number of followers are pop stars and actors. Only US president Barack Obama is the non-celebrity in the top 10 list, although it has been argued that his image in popular culture is ce rtainly reminiscent to that of a celebrity which was both a blessing and a curse during his 2008 presidential campaign (Alexander, 2010a). It is easy to take for granted the fact that celebrities are in the public eye because they are famous; most tend to forget that celebrities are not born they are created. Through careful management of images, on-air and off-air personas, a celebrity can be manufactured out of virtually anyone (Turner, 2004). Indeed, the boom in reality TV content, which gave ordinary people a chance to be famous, and the popularity of manufactured pop stars who are auditioned, recruited, and moulded specifically to appeal to the masses, seem to prove that it is the image that is celebrated, not the person (Turner, 2004). Boorstin (1961) described a celebrity as a person who is known for his well-knownness à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a human pseudo-event. Some researchers have suggested that the adoration of celebrities as role models are a normal part of identity development (e.g., Giles Maltby, 2004; Yue Cheung, 2000; cited in Swami et al., 2011). In other words, society needs celebrities in order to learn about ourselves, and needless to say, celebrities need an adoring public, without whom they would not exist. Some researchers have called this relationship a celebrity-worship culture, proposing that a psychological absorption with a celebrity results in a heightened sense of reality of the idolized celebrity, which leads to an addiction on the fans part to maintain a sense of connectedness (McCutcheon et al., 2002). One researcher even drew a comparison between modern societys celebrities and the wooden totems and masks of primitive cultures, both of which sustain meaning, ritual, and solidarity (Alexander, 2010). Celebrities, then, are the most powerful icons of our time (Alexander, 2010). What is it that makes a celebrity? Ferris (2010) offers four aspects of the personas relationship with fans or outsiders that characterize celebrity in contemporary society; the first of which is widespread recognizability meaning, you would be able to recognize George Clooney out of a crowd. The second aspect is relational asymmetry, whereby fans get to know celebrities through films or television, but it is a one-sided intimacy, as the celebrities themselves have no equivalent knowledge of fans, and few avenues through which to obtain it (Ferris, 2010). This contributes to the lack of conventional mutuality and lack of physical co-presence, where the celebrities and fans do not occupy the same space, making rare encounters and celebrity sightings a special moment, almost as if making contact with the divine (Alexander, 2010). The same could be said of monarchies; far more than ordinary celebrities, royal families live in a different world, inaccessible by the public, and the chance to meet them is a once-in-a-lifetime event riddled with special protocols. Even the worlds most prominent politicians have fumbled when meeting the Queen gaffs which ultimately make it to the news as items of, at worst, ridicule and humiliation, and at best, a surprisingly generous gesture on the Queens part, as in the case of Michelle Obamas infamous break of protocol by hugging the Queen (Thornton, 2012). In this paper, we explore the relationship between the British royal family and the media. We argue that both the technological advances in news production and consumption as well as societys evolving appetite for celebrity news have shaped the treatment and coverage of the British monarchy, likening them to celebrities in the media. Drawing from relevant cases at specific points in history, we explore the role of the media, the public, and the royal family themselves in the creation of an iconic institution. Utilizing the media The modern monarchys relationship with the media has always been a delicate one (Baldini, 2012). In 1952, the BBC then a monopoly broadcaster in Britain approached the palace for permission to broadcast the coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II. Against the advice of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the church, who felt that inviting cameras (and the public) to watch the ceremony would make profane an otherwise sacred event (Turnock, 2005), the Queen agreed that it was important for the event to be televised. The coronation ceremony, the first royal event to be broadcast live, became a defining moment in the development of British broadcasting (Turnock, 2005). 20 million Britons watched the ceremony on TV (Hastings, 2012), and this single event has been credited for the sharp increase in televisions owned in Britain 2.1 million in 1953 from 1.4 million the year before. It was the first time in history that the masses witnessed this traditionally sacred and secret event, bridging the gap between the public and the distant palace. Future evolutions in the media landscape such as the emergence of tabloids and paparazzi culture, social media and the Internet would further blur the line between the masses and the sacred world of royals, but it was Queen Elizabeth IIs foresight in making the event accessible to the public that endeared her to them as their new ruler (Hastings, 2012). It would be impossible to guess the Queens true intentions at the time, but her insistence that cameras be present at Westminster Abbey signaled a motive to be in the spotlight, and demonstrated an understanding that the position of the royal family depends on public support which, in turn, depends on public access. She, above all, understood that modern monarchs will be judged for who they are, not what they do (Hastings, 2012). From the framework of Gramscis hegemonic dominance theory, the event can be seen as a stealthy assertion of power rather than being imposed from above, hegemony involves the active seeking of consent from ordinary people to comply with their own subordination (Duffett, 2004). Furthermore, the use of television to bring the coronation event into peoples homes via television can be viewed as a deliberate strategy to infiltrate peoples everyday lives, as hegemonic leadership has to operate on the terrain of common sense and in the seemingly apolitical marshla nds of popular culture (Duffett, 2004). Breaking into the media The Queens understanding of the medias power to shape public opinion can be supported by the change in the British monarchys royal persona over the years, as evident with the changing appeals in its representation from being a distant, imperious body to a lighter, brighter, more accessible dynasty, whose palaces could be toured via holiday packages, exploits reported freely and lives documented glossily on cinema and TV (Times of India, 2012). In her 60-year reign, the Queen has been the single most visually recorded human being in history (The Art Newspaper, 2012). Since her ascension to the throne in 1952, millions of images have been captured of her, but it was the media expansion of the 1920s and 1930s that helped to shape the publics demand and subsequent reception of these images. The eras media expansion saw the rapid increase of the publics demand for the personal lives of film stars and celebrities (Fraser Brown, 2002), which launched fame as a commodity in itself, manufactured and distributed by media professionals (Fame, 1931, p. 450). Instead of a byproduct of film and music, fame became an industry, which Lippmann (1960) regarded as an engine of publicity such as the world has never known before (Fraser Brown, 2002). The BBC has arguably played a critical role in maintaining the image of the royal family in the public sphere, while keeping a respectful distance. When it was a monopoly and public broadcaster in 1945, news was the staple programming and the BBC aimed to carry into the greatest number of homes everything that was best in every department of human knowledge (Clayton, 2010). The prevalent media ideology was to educate rather than attract the highest level of viewership. The launch of commercial television and radio meant selling advertising space and hence, attaining more viewership. This was seen by many as the point in time when mass media led to the dumbing down or sexing up of news and entertainment to increase their viewership. Moulding celebrity Media has been instrumental in the changing royal persona from its 1945 aura of mystique and detachment when it connected with the masses only during public events or Christmas Day broadcast to imparting them with a celebrity status, with paparazzi following their every move and the public eagerly consuming news that surrounds them. The publics need to look to the royal family as celebrities can be traced back to the enduring themes of heroes in folklore; all cultures have narratives that articulate larger-than-life personas, and todays stars and idols are a similar narrative of dynasties and gods, kings and heroes (Dale, 2001). Heroes, however, are moral characters who reach for a higher calling or defeat a villain in defense of his country. Celebrities are amoral; normal rules do not apply, and behaviour usually shunned by normal people in our lives is accepted as evidence that celebrities are not ordinary people (Campbell, 1998). Despite this clear distinction, people develop psyc hological bonds with both heroes and celebrities and seek to emulate their lives (Campbell, 1998, p.127). Nevertheless, one cant but ignore the fact that World Wars brought a large degree of social leveling, leading to apparent changes in the social dynamics of the authority figures such as the British royals family. They had to adapt from being powerful, elite and detached from the public to maintain the authority of being the rulers to connect with them socially with the change in the political power it enjoyed. Owing to their collective sacrifice, ordinary people began to feel entitled to things which had been the preserve of their betters in previous generations (Clayton, 2010). Therefore, the changing media atmosphere dictated by commercialisation led them to focus on providing the masses escapist fare with their keen interest in celebrity stories and the socio-political changes adapted by the monarchy guided the persona of the British monarchy. Documenting royalty In his article Television and the Decline of Deference, Clayton (2010) cites examples that support the fact that media have been creating both a respectful as well as critical image of the royal family. Some documentaries that showed royals in deferential light are the 2007 BBC documentary Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work; the 2008 ITV documentary on the Duke of Edinburgh and the hit film The Queen (2006), which showed the Queen in a very good light in her actions immediately following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales (Clayton, 2010). Some other documentaries which have been critical of the royal family include the The Royal Family (1969), which attempted to show the royals in an informal setting to boost their popularity with the British public. A further notorious example was Its A Royal Knockout in 1987. The show, which involved Prince Edward, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew running around obstacle courses in costumes, was largely designed to help Prince Edward establish a career in television. The show was a public relations disaster which lowered the dignity of the royals in the eyes of the public (Clayton, 2010). Above all, the divorce and scandals that surrounded Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in the mid-1990s marked a watershed in the treatment of the royal family. The intrusion of the media coupled with peoples interest in the British royals and the Monarchys willingness to enjoy celebrity status has shaped the public opinion in terms of awe, affection, love, respect, empathy or despair towards the royals. Private to public The marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer was an inevitably public affair from the beginning. The young and beautiful Lady Diana, who rose from obscurity to capture the heart of a prince, captivated the nation who identified with her humble background as a kindergarten teacher and saw her as one of their own (Pillow Cassill, 2001). The royal wedding a rare enough event became a media spectacle; it was a wedding made for television, and television knew it (Castro Cronin, 1981). 28 million people watched the televised wedding in Britain, along with 750 million viewers in 61 countries across the globe. Media coverage of the wedding emphasized its Cinderella quality (Kirby Sorensen, 2010), with a notable difference between British (which tended to be more stately) and American media, which was more up close and personal (Castro Cronin, 1981). The wedding captured front-page headlines around the world; the Times of London published a colour photograph of the royal couple as a souvenir front, and   The Economist printed its news pages in colour for the first time in its 138-year history. Even the highest circulating newspaper in the world at the time, Japans Yomiuri Shimbun (circulation 8 million), deemed the wedding story important enough to rush in a color photo midway through its evening press run (Castro Cronin, 1981). Although these figures and anecdotes are impressive, it is doubted whether the wedding of Charles and Diana attracted such media coverage because there was public demand for it, or if the medias treatment of the event that pushed the news into a global spectacle. The media environment was, after all, far less cluttered in 1981, and cable television reached fewer than 25% of all households. With the majority of people only having access to five or six channels to choose from, and all the networks covering the wedding, it became one of the last events that saw everyone tune in at the same time (Thomson, quoted in Kirby Sorensen, 2010).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Likewise, a relatively clutter-free media environment could have been responsible for the creation and public acceptance of Princess Dianas image as a global icon. Diana was one of the worlds famous media personalities, and her celebrity status was a result of people following her life story all around the world (Pujik, 2009). She was often hounded by the media, and the public loved her, nevertheless to the say, the media followed her everywhere she went and reported what she what she wore, said or was doing. The publics considered here as one of them. Her image of not being too royal, nor too ordinary, but royal and ordinary, was loved by the public (Thomas,. 2008). Shared grief Dianas death turned the public against paparazzi because they were believed to have played a part in her accident; at the same time, the public was united in grief and Dianas image was immortalized. Mendelson (2007) stated that the subsequent handwringing by members of the press, the public and governments after the death of Diana was drew tension between paparazzi and celebrities, causing heightened tension between celebrities and their right to privacy. For many, it was like losing a member of their family. In fact, many believed they knew the Princess better than anyone else in their lives. It is quite ironic how the entire world was mourning over the pictures that were clicked by the same paparazzi which they had criticized. Did the media have a set agenda behind this? According to agenda setting theory, the mass news media have a large influence on audiences by their choice of what stories to consider newsworthy and how much prominence and space to give them (McCombs, et al.,   1972). As in the case of the Dianas death, the mass media had a large influence on shaping the opinion of the audiences by continuously feeding them with reports of the sudden death of Diana. The media reaction to the Dianas death was unprecedented in its intensity and scale, a flashpoint in recent global media history in which the concerns of national and international media were united (Turner et al., 2000: 6). But the press argued that it was merely t heir duty to reflect what the public felt. As Merrin (1999) wrote, they were caught out by the outpouring of public grief at Dianas death and so quickly devoted themselves to reflecting the mood of the nation (Merrin, 1999). Here we can see that McLuhans theory of the media as the message (1962) holds through, since the very fact that the media was so clearly present in those times reflected the events significance. It has been also been argued that with regard to such media events, the public had to a greater or lesser extent been conditioned to learn their reaction from the media (Dayan Katz, 1992; Linenthal, 2001). The British media gave the death of Diana so much prominence that it turned out to be extremely newsworthy. The coverage was so exaggerated that it even was the extent of crowding out the death of another newsworthy personality Mother Theresa. The media continuously ran stories about the universal grief and how they loved Diana. The views of people who did not share the same opinion were not aired by the media. There were many who raised questions in the public, and were in turn harassed.   For those who felt coolly towards Diana, it was prudent to simply keep silent (Black Smith, 1999; Smith, P., Riley, A. 2011).   During Dianas funeral, it was reported that the whole world was watching, and mourned like they mourned the loss of a family member or friend (Brown, et. al. 2003). Noelle Neumanns (1993, 1984) theory of spiral of silence can be critically applied here to how public opinion was moulded with the persona created around Princesses Diana, her private life, her wedding to Charles, her celebrity status, her children, her divorce, her death and coupled with agenda setting people framed opinion based on the Medias agenda and those who didnt agree to the media framing tended to remain silent. Breaking down barriers Zelizer (1991) states that the media plays an important role in breaking down the boundaries between the private and public world. Since people interpret, discuss, and react to what they see, it can be argued that the media works as a two-way channel in the dissemination of information. In the earlier studies of Dianas wedding and television viewing, a public sphere, as stated by Zelizer, stems from a sense of connectiveness among the public. Audiences organize around media events in a strategic and directed fashion that allows them to connect effectively with othersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The result is an intrusion of the public sphere into the private domain (Zelizer, 1991). Embracing the media in its totality, the royal wedding of Prince William and Katherine Middleton echoed the spectacle of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981, involving over 8,000 reporting staff, broadcasting the event live worldwide. The Guardian reported, More than 36 studios, for broadcasters including the BBC, Sky News, ABC, NBC, CBS and Al-Jazeera, are housed in the three-storey structure, with outside broadcast vans and other equipment taking up so much space that part of Green Park has been closed to the public (The Guardian, April 28, 2011). Since the media today have to operate on a business model, the media took advantage of this event as a means for revenue. The Huffington Post reported that the couples uber celebrity-royal status have created a stir on the Internet and social networking sites which boosted ad revenue for online news organizations. (The Huffington Post, 11 March, 2011). The article further stated that advertisers started calling to reserve space on the website for April 29 within a nanosecond of the wedding date being announced. Thus, it could be argued that in some ways, the media too benefited from the grand occasion and celebritization of the royals. While the hype was generated by the media, social media played a large role this time round, with the general public feeding themselves with information shared over social networking sites. An analysis of social media mentions around the Royal Wedding revealed that there were over 200,000 mentions of Royal Wedding on April 27, two days before the wedding day. This increase of 1,215% mentions from the month before demonstrated that the public was indeed excited about the upcoming event (Radwanick, 2011). On the day itself, CNN reported 300 tweets with the Royal Wedding hashtag per second (CNN, April 29, 2011). The wedding was an event without borders, and anyone with a phone in their pockets could participate which was the crucial difference to the 1981 royal wedding. The existence of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter blew the event up in scale, larger than was ever expected. Bruns (2012) visualization of Twitter activity on the day of the wedding showed a sharp increase in the number of original tweets at specific points of the ceremony. The most significant spike of the day occurred at around 12:30pm the minute of the newlyweds first kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. It was as if the world let out a communal awwwà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ at that very moment (Bruns, 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At a time when the UK was in economic recession, lavish public affairs funded by taxpayers was feared to cause public uproar (Dalrymple, 2011) the Queen had called off the palaces Christmas celebrations the year before in sensitivity to public sentiment (McVeigh, 2011). However, as the royal wedding prompted some parties to question the need for a monarchy and expensive events funded by taxpayers (Hastings, 2012), as demonstrated by social media, others were more than happy to participate in the media spectacle that it became. Latching on to this idea of celebrity, fashion played a big role in grappling the interest of the public. While many watched the event for its significance, there were a few different angles in which the wedding was featured. The event that saw Hollywood celebrities arriving in style was almost a fashion event in itself. Even news websites got into the action; The Telegraph Online showcased the wedding dress, with headlines using words like secret dress to hype up the wedding gown, as well as mentions of her guests hats, which became an icon of the wedding (fashion.telegraph.co.uk). Changing with the times In the ultimate signal of progression with the times, the Queen is even present on social media with a specially-made Facebook page called The British Monarchy. While users cannot poke the Queen or send her friend requests, they can like the page and become fans of the Queen. The Queen also launched a Flickr account, making more than 600 photographs of the Royal Family at work and play available to the public for the first time. A Royal Twitter account was launched in 2009 and Royal Channel went live on YouTube in 2007. The Queen also podcast her first Christmas Day message in 2006, and launched a website for herself and other members of the Royal Family in 1997. According to the Times of India published on June 5, 2012, the British Monarchy once reigned supreme as the head of the colonial rule extracting revenue which has now become the modern day revenue-earning machines. The transition is not a result of revolutions but evolution of the British Monarchy especially the Persona of the Queen. Post World War II, the monarchy understood that a cult of celebrity was fascinating the people across the globe but it was only available democratically to millions of those who were interested in reading about the lives of the celebrities or watching Hollywood. This sparked a change in the appeal and aura of the British Royal Persona and one could visibly see the domineering image giving way to the friendlier dynasty which could be documented on cinema and TV. There was a time in the history when this normalization seemed under threat with the tragic end of Princess Diana the Peoples Princess when the Royals were criticised for their coldness. But, Dia na provided the Persona with the right amount of sadness that is required of the celebrity cult. The 60th anniversary celebration of the Queens reign is a splendid example of the social and cultural status enjoyed by the Monarchy as the event was marked by millions of Celebrity fans lining the banks of the Thames to catch a glimpse of the royal flotilla sailing past. Conclusion While medieval societies viewed and accepted the top hierarchal position of royal families as ordained by God, modern society values individualism and an unprecedented mobility whereby people are no longer necessarily defined by their birthright (Handler, 1986). In a modern constitutional monarchy such as the United Kingdom, where governments are democratically elected and economic influence lies with mega-corporations rather than a handful of elite individuals, the role of royal families, too, has evolved to a more symbolic role of nationhood sovereignty rather than actual power (Duffett, 2004). Even the British monarchy, at one time commanding vast armies to colonize distant lands, has seen its political power dwindle a centuries-long process during which the Crown ceded power to government to ensure its own survival (Duffett, 2004). For the House of Windsor, public support is vital to remain relevant in a society that is no longer convinced that people are born into certain roles, or that Gods will ordains the very need for an aristocracy. The royal family, then, can be said to have a motive for being in the limelight; it needs to remain influential culturally and socially, even if limited politically in the publics eyes. Celebrity is the new royalty, and royalty needs to keep up. Unlike celebrities as defined in the introduction, whose motives of fame are usually preceded by the motivation of selling CDs, merchandise or personal brand, a royal is born in the limelight and remains there for the rest of his or her life with nothing to sell but the idea that his or her place, power and privileges in society is valid. Similarly, the media can be said to be imposing its influence in shaping public opinion in its celebritization of the royal family. A normalization of hegemonic dominance is established (Duffett, 2004), and the status quo is maintained. Beyond the medias profit-driven motives and prevalent belief that anything celebrity-related sells, is the rather sinister notion of keeping the public subordinated. Support for the monarchy, Duffett (2004) writes, implies consent for a national constitution that ensures people are governed in a particular way: by a hypercentralized state, as subjects not citizens, and, ultimately, through rule rather than total democracy. It also implies agreement that wealth and privilege should be distributed on the basis of birth rather than need, and that tradition is an acceptable reason for social inequality. Ultimately, the eager consumers of news surrounding the royal family and the citizens willingly accepting the role of the monarchy are the public, for whom the media and monarchy supposedly serve, and without whom the media and monarchy collapse. In 2008, Nepals 238-year-old monarchy faced the threat of being redundant and ousted in a contemporary society equipped with 24-hour mass media and an increasingly urban, literate and middle class population (Baltutis, 2011). Attempting to consolidate his loosening grip on national power, King Gyanendra and the royal government raised highly visible billboards as propagandistic advertisements (Baltutis, 2011). These proved to be unsuccessful, demonstrating that even with significant ruling power and an international media blackout King   Gyanendra had banned international communication in 2005 an unwilling public will not tolerate a redundant monarchy.

The Power of Baseball and Role Models in Latin America Essay -- Sociol

The Power of Baseball and Role Models in Latin America In many countries around the world, the socioeconomic problem is so bad that they are granted the title of a Third World country. Countries that are not quite as bad, such as most Latin American countries like Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, often have trouble, on a smaller level, of creating jobs and job security for its people to inspire work ethic and incentive to raise the socioeconomic bar that has been set below average. Sometimes, all it takes is a role model; a person who is from that respective country who has made a name for themself of continental proportion to inspire the rest of the country to fight against the low standard that has been acquired. This paper will discuss how in Latin America, the people of these countries have found hope and incentive to work through the hardship and hard work of certain professional baseball players that had either defected or were lucky enough to work their way into the American professional baseball system. Because these players have struck gold on such an enormous level, a global level, they have given the poorer and disadvantaged people of their country a reason to fight to make their situation better. These players have given back considerably to their communities and their countries which makes them the role models they are today. Puerto Rico â€Å"Puerto Rico is a self-governing commonwealth of the United States and is not subject to the imposition of tax levies by the continental United States except for Social Security, workman’s compensation and several additional labor benefits† (Sennholz). So, the apparent question is, why is Puerto Rico such a poor country? To be perfectly honest, their lack of... ...it to the U.S. and pursue a career in baseball and then even further on to jobs that even entail coaching and managing, are the kind of role models who stand out in these Latin American countries and are the reason baseball is continually embraced there today. These role models send the right message back home and have and will continue to be role models to not only their home country, but to many others throughout the world for their dedication, hard work, and perseverance. Works Cited Ender, Eric. â€Å"Cuban Baseball: The Road to the Majors,† www.espn.com. 2 Feb. 2000. Accessed site: 30 May 2003. Paese, Gabriella. â€Å"Injuries Sideline 5 Puerto Ricans in the Major Leagues,† Puerto Rican Herald. 19 Apr. 2002. Accessed site: 1 June 2003. Sennholz, Hanz. â€Å"El Pasatiempo Nacional,† www.puertoricobaseball.com/baseballnotes/. 3 July 2001. Accessed site: 2 June 2003.

Sex and Sexuality in Dracula Essay -- European Literature Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, published in 1897, explores various sexual erotic possibilities in the vampire's embrace, as discussed by Leonard Wolf. The novel confronts Victorian fears of homosexuality; that were current at the time due to the trial of playwright Oscar Wilde. The vampire's embrace could also be interpreted as an illustration of Victorian fears of the changing role of women. Therefore it is important to consider: the historical context of the novel; the Victorian notion of the `New Woman' specifically the character of Lucy Westenra; the inversion of gender roles; notions of sexuality; and the emasculation of men, by lessening their power over women; in the novel Dracula. In doing this I will be able to explore the effects of the vampire's embrace in depth, and achieve a wider understanding of the variety of erotic undercurrents Stoker incorporated into the novel. Stoker was born in Ireland in 1847, and later he graduated from Trinity College in 1867, and joined the civil service. While working, as a freelance journalist and drama critic enabled him to meet Henry Irving and entered London's literary circles, which included figures such as Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde. In the course of Irving's tours he also had the chance to travel around the world. Stoker later married Florence Balcome, who had previously had a romantic affair with Oscar Wilde. In my opinnion Stoker could not fail to be infuleced by these people while he was writing Dracula. In Dracula, Stoker relied greatly upon the conventions of Gothic fiction. Traditionally gothic elements such as dark and sublime settings, and the innocent threatened by the ineffable evil obviously feature in Dracula. Stoker modernises his novel by bringing the set... ...toker, B. (1994) Dracula, Penguin Classics, London. Weissman, J. (1988) Dracula as a Victorian Novel in Dracula: The Vampire and the Critics, UMI Press. Wolf, L. (1993) The essential Dracula, Byron Preiss. Wolf, L. (1972) A Dream of Dracula: In Search of the Living Dead, Popular Library, New York. (1997) Oscar Wilde [internet] can be found at http://www.neuroticpoets.com/wilde/ [accessed 10-11-2005] (2000) Clash of Cultures: The New Woman [internet] can be found at http://history.osu.edu/Projects/Clash/NewWoman/newwomen-page1.htm [accessed on 10-11-2005] (1997) Thor [internet] can be found at http://www.pantheon.org/articles/t/thor.html [accessed on 10-11-2005]

Chem 238 Final Exam

CHEM 238 Winter, 2001 FINAL EXAM Name Prof. Sasaki Please circle your TA: Dirk Schweitzer , Tyan Carter, Carla McDowell 175 points TOTAL Good Luck! Note: Only answers in the box will be graded. _______________________________________________________________________ _ 1. (30) (a) Draw a stepwise mechanism for the following reaction. Use curved arrows to indicate the movement of electrons. O O H3 C H+ HO OH CH3 O H3 C O CH3 O . (b) Briefly explain the fact that, although hemiacetal formation between methanol and cyclohexanone is thermodynamically disfavored, addition of methanol to cyclopropane goes essentially to completion.O CH3OH HO OCH3 O , cyclopropanone cyclohexanone CHEM 238 page 2 Name . 2. (35) A ? , ? -unsaturated carbonyl compound rearranges to a more stable conjugated ? ,? -unsaturated compound in the presence of either acid or base. O H+ or OHO A ! ,†-unsaturated carbonyl compound A #,! -unsaturated carbonyl compound (a) Propose a mechanism for the base-catalyzed rea rrangement. (b) Propose a mechanism for the acid-catalyzed rearrangement. CHEM 238 page 3 Name . 3. (35) Predict the structures of the products or starting materials in the following equations.Show stereochemistry when it is known. (a) O P + CH3 (b) H3 CO 1) BH3 :THF 2) H2 O2 , OH- (c) H3 C 1) Mg, THF H3 CO Br 2) D2 O (d) O H3 C O H N CH3 HNO3 H2 SO4 (e) O O O 1) NH2 -NH2 2) NaOH, heat CHEM 238 page 4 Name . 4. (35) (a) Provide a reasonable synthesis for the following compounds from the indicated materials. You may use any reagents that you wish to use. (a) CH2 OH from CH2 OH CH3 CH2 O O OCH2 CH3 and compounds with 4 carbons or less O (b) O from benzene and any compounds with 2 carbons or less.CHEM 238 page 5 Name . 5. (35) A number of plants produce chemical substances that prevent insects from feeding on them. Some steps in the synthesis of such a compound, called an antifeedant, are shown bellow. Supply reagents for the transformations. (The wavy lines indicate either that stereo chemistry is not known or that a mixture of stereoisomers may exist. ) H3 C O H3 C O O A H3 C H3 C B H3 C H3 CO O OH H C H3 CO O D H3 C H CH2 H3 C H3 CO O EtO- Na+ EtOH H3 C H3 CO O O H O H E H3 C O H3 C H CH2 A: B: C: D: E:

Conscious Efforts Equate to Saving Lives

Livery cab driver killings — the challenge that New York City had to combat and a situation that allowed authorities to prove that they were doing their job. The killing of livery cab drivers was a time that united the people of New York (Rashbaum, 2000). Livery cab driver killings had been a major problem in New York for over 30 years. Every year, policemen and the government had to deal with countless investigations to provide justice for dozens of killed drivers each year. Not only were the livery cab drivers killed — they were also robbed (Rashbaum, 2000). The people who had enough means and power to do something about it, like the government and the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, did something about it, and here are as follows: The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers led by Fernando A. Mateo employed several safety measures to reduce livery cab driver killings. Mateo and his subordinates obliged all livery cab drivers to put bulletproof partitions inside the livery cabs. Because of this, the livery cab drivers were divided into parts where the livery cab driver was protected from his passenger who may have been a potential robber or murderer, through a wall or divider. While the wall or divider, or what the federation technically terms as partition, can prevent robbery, it obviously may not keep the livery cab drivers from murder at all since bullets can pass through walls. This possibility was a major concern of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers. To counterattack what was left of the problem, the federation ordered livery cab drivers to use bulletproof partitions. Bulletproof material prevented the livery cab drivers from getting shot. To further make this protective measure effective, livery cab drivers were ordered to close the partitions all the time. While it was true bulletproof material was used as a shield from gun shots and other means of killing, these partitions still made a driver susceptible to killing once it is left open. The use of surveillance cameras was also ordered by the city and the federation. Through this, a livery cab driver was given the chance to put another eye at the passenger's area. The driver can readily see the potential harms a passenger may do even before he does it. A passenger, for example, who releases a gun from his bag, will be readily seen by the driver. The time the potential murderer is releasing a gun is also the time a driver can call the police or employ other preventive measures to protect his own life. That time, every time a driver became suspicious of a passenger, he can readily report it to the policemen who were monitoring him through a secret alarm system. The city's mayor, Rudolph W. Giuliani, showed his support for these safety measures by providing each livery cab driver with enough financial assistance. The city released $5 million worth of protection equipment. Each livery cab driver in New York City was given $325. This amount of money served as an assistance to pay for the needed equipment like partitions and bulletproofing. Surveillance cameras cost $700. This means that the city paid for half the total expense of a driver for one surveillance camera. If a driver chose to put up a partition inside his livery cab, then he may put up one which cost $275 on the average. The city, together with the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, employed other preventive and protective measures without the use of material things. The city revised its law regarding the punishment for liver cab driver killers and robbers. Tougher sanction was applied in which another two to three years were added to the years a convict will have to spend in jail. Police decoy was also widely used. This was another preventive and protective measure to investigate murder and robbery cases more efficiently. With the use of police decoy, an officer pretended to be a livery cab driver. He went around the neighborhood to get passengers and picked up their fares. This was an effective step since robbery and murder reduced from 2,000 to 455 cases. The efficient investigation allowed for this impressive change in the statistics. Aside from police decoys who served as patrols, protection was maximized especially when livery cab drivers were required to stop at areas where there were police officers. These officers obliged drivers to pull over to see their current condition. The police officers ensure the safety and protection of drivers by checking the passengers. Police officers were able to prevent 50 possible livery cab driver killings by spotting 50 passengers with guns. Such intense conscious effort caused very pronounced victory than expected. Before 2000, no single year has passed without dozens of livery cab drivers being killed. When these aforementioned measures were employed, the year came when no single case of livery cab driver killing or robbery was reported. With this change in statistics, the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers and the government of New York City proved that with efficient action, achieving a goal becomes possible. Because of this, the federation and the city became more inspired with employing more measures to totally alleviate killings so that such victory won't last for only a year. To maintain positive changes, the federation and the government worked hand in hand to put up tracking systems for the drivers. This way, the drivers were always monitored. The police tracked down the whereabouts of every livery cab driver. Adolfo Carrion, Jr., New York City's councilman, was willing to co-sponsor this to further improve livery cab driver killings. In 2000, statistics dramatically changed from drastic to impressive when it comes to cases of killings. Every livery cab driver did not just begin to feel safer and more secured with his job — his children and wife patiently waiting at home were finally able to sleep soundly at night. All they needed to wait for was a goodnight kiss from their father. References: Michaelluo. (2004). Police Measures Avert Livery Cab Killings. New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/07/nyregion/07livery.html ?ei=5007&en=f4b0e5806c7261c&ex=1391576400&adxnnl=1&partner= USERLAND&adxnnlx=11143479799ScWbxozk+DIlE+9e5ddS Rashbaum, W. K. (2000). After Deaths, City Plans Millions for Livery Cab Safety. The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2007 from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html ?res=950CE2DA1631F936A25757C0A9669C8B63 Â   Â   Â