Reality Shows

Does anyone remember when he or she starts to become so thirsty for what those ordinary people do In grocery stores or why they cheat on their lovers? Our curiosities turn Into the most powerful Incentive of TV producers to keep contriving such shows In order to fulfill the voyeurs who sit lazily on the couch In front of television everyday. We look Into three fundamental principles of reality programs to analyze the relationship between viewers and reality shows: why reality shows are so appealing to American, how those shows affect both on mentalities of ewers and in the society, and what's the purpose for reality shows to exist nowadays.Exciting and unusual things can easily capture our attentions, especially something that barely happens in our daily lives but occurs every episode in reality shows, that's why reality shows become so appealing to the audience. The audience is picky nowadays, and the TV producers knew it intelligently from the beginning. Not only need to create an impeccable content of the show, more importantly, the show must be accompanied by some dramatic and intense storyline to cater to audience's reference.Furthermore, the fad that people chat with coworkers in their break time in the office about the reality show and scorn the artificial plot that they watched last night has become a pastime of work. Even though most of the time we can tell lucidly that those exaggerated plots in the show are premeditated, we seem to enjoy indefatigably anticipating the foreseen disasters from the show. For example, American Next Top Model, a popular fashion competition show in America. The main conception of this show is to explore a super model after several deferent intentions and challenges.If you think that's all about the show, you are totally wrong. The reason why the show becomes so alluring from 2003 is because people enjoy watching the lives in the luxurious dormitory of competitors In the show, and they usually form groups in the dorm and al ways argue with each other. The show used to be Just exploring female models, but these two seasons started to Include male models. Undoubtedly, as long as the show Involves males and females, It always contains the sexual relationship which appealing to audience.TV viewers need omitting that can thrill them In front of television as well as color their lives, and such stagy dramas exactly give them what they want. Nowadays, the unreal reality shows are more rampant than before, and the twisted thoughts, which convey through the shows that we watch everyday, have imperceptibly influenced our interpretations toward the reality in our minds and in Greener to explain how the reality shows affect viewers in different groups. For the most interesting part is how Waters analyzes that most of the occupations that we see in the reality shows are entertainers, athletes, and businessmen.A mere 6 to 10 percent of television characters hold blue-collar or service Job vs.. About 60 percent in th e real work force† (Water 139), we can see the imbalance between the shows and the reality that will cause the misleading notion for teenagers before having Jobs. One of the noteworthy reality show, Keeping Up with the Sardinian, most of the stars in this show are famous entertainers and live a affluence life, but they still keep complaining about some trivial things. Every episode focuses on each of their daily lives, their parties, weddings, shopping, and working.Those extravagant expenses on everything gradually twist the value of viewers, making those young people to think about that being an entertainer can easily make lots of money and own a life like the Sardinian. Just like what Waters states, muff almost never see the farmer, the factory worker, or the small businessman† (Waters 140). The misleading thoughts from the reality shows barely give the truth of the real world that we have to face, and those thoughts especially root in adolescents' minds.The reality sh ows is indispensable for the mass media nowadays since we canto eve without them anymore, and we also can barely avoid them when we turn on the TV. Reality shows seem to conform to every type of TV programs include adventure shows, celebrity shows, competition shows, and hidden camera shows etc. We find ourselves deeply addicted to season after season of reality shows, and TV producers make our dreams come true. The reality show isn't Just a pure entertainment in our free time, but become a habit in our lives. More dramatic plots are premeditated for the audience, the higher rating the show will get from the viewers. Reality Shows Does anyone remember when he or she starts to become so thirsty for what those ordinary people do In grocery stores or why they cheat on their lovers? Our curiosities turn Into the most powerful Incentive of TV producers to keep contriving such shows In order to fulfill the voyeurs who sit lazily on the couch In front of television everyday. We look Into three fundamental principles of reality programs to analyze the relationship between viewers and reality shows: why reality shows are so appealing to American, how those shows affect both on mentalities of ewers and in the society, and what's the purpose for reality shows to exist nowadays.Exciting and unusual things can easily capture our attentions, especially something that barely happens in our daily lives but occurs every episode in reality shows, that's why reality shows become so appealing to the audience. The audience is picky nowadays, and the TV producers knew it intelligently from the beginning. Not only need to create an impeccable content of the show, more importantly, the show must be accompanied by some dramatic and intense storyline to cater to audience's reference.Furthermore, the fad that people chat with coworkers in their break time in the office about the reality show and scorn the artificial plot that they watched last night has become a pastime of work. Even though most of the time we can tell lucidly that those exaggerated plots in the show are premeditated, we seem to enjoy indefatigably anticipating the foreseen disasters from the show. For example, American Next Top Model, a popular fashion competition show in America. The main conception of this show is to explore a super model after several deferent intentions and challenges.If you think that's all about the show, you are totally wrong. The reason why the show becomes so alluring from 2003 is because people enjoy watching the lives in the luxurious dormitory of competitors In the show, and they usually form groups in the dorm and al ways argue with each other. The show used to be Just exploring female models, but these two seasons started to Include male models. Undoubtedly, as long as the show Involves males and females, It always contains the sexual relationship which appealing to audience.TV viewers need omitting that can thrill them In front of television as well as color their lives, and such stagy dramas exactly give them what they want. Nowadays, the unreal reality shows are more rampant than before, and the twisted thoughts, which convey through the shows that we watch everyday, have imperceptibly influenced our interpretations toward the reality in our minds and in Greener to explain how the reality shows affect viewers in different groups. For the most interesting part is how Waters analyzes that most of the occupations that we see in the reality shows are entertainers, athletes, and businessmen.A mere 6 to 10 percent of television characters hold blue-collar or service Job vs.. About 60 percent in th e real work force† (Water 139), we can see the imbalance between the shows and the reality that will cause the misleading notion for teenagers before having Jobs. One of the noteworthy reality show, Keeping Up with the Sardinian, most of the stars in this show are famous entertainers and live a affluence life, but they still keep complaining about some trivial things. Every episode focuses on each of their daily lives, their parties, weddings, shopping, and working.Those extravagant expenses on everything gradually twist the value of viewers, making those young people to think about that being an entertainer can easily make lots of money and own a life like the Sardinian. Just like what Waters states, muff almost never see the farmer, the factory worker, or the small businessman† (Waters 140). The misleading thoughts from the reality shows barely give the truth of the real world that we have to face, and those thoughts especially root in adolescents' minds.The reality sh ows is indispensable for the mass media nowadays since we canto eve without them anymore, and we also can barely avoid them when we turn on the TV. Reality shows seem to conform to every type of TV programs include adventure shows, celebrity shows, competition shows, and hidden camera shows etc. We find ourselves deeply addicted to season after season of reality shows, and TV producers make our dreams come true. The reality show isn't Just a pure entertainment in our free time, but become a habit in our lives. More dramatic plots are premeditated for the audience, the higher rating the show will get from the viewers.

Marbury vs. Madison

Marbury vs. Madison (5 U.S. 137, 1803) involved an application for a writ of mandamus against the then Secretary of State Madison, directing him to deliver to Marbury his commission as a Justice of the Peace for the District of Columbia.   In determining whether or not mandamus would lie, the Supreme Court made a four part inquiry involving the following questions, to wit: 1) whether or not the applicant Madison has a right to the commission he demands; 2) in the affirmative, whether or not the laws of the United States afford him a remedy for its violation; 3) in the affirmative, whether or not mandamus is the proper remedy. The case is considered a landmark case, because it was the first time that the US Supreme Court, through then Chief Justice Marshall, enunciated the doctrine of judicial review, i.e., that the Supreme Court has the power to review federal or state legislation, or acts of government officers and other individuals, to determine whether or not they are in consonance with the provisions of the Constitution, and to strike down such laws and acts if they are found to be unconstitutional.   Specifically, Chief Justice Marshall stated that: â€Å"†If an act of the legislature, repugnant to the constitution, is void, does it notwithstanding its invalidity, bind the courts, and oblige them to give it effect?†¦ It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is†¦If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each (5 U.S. 137, 178).   So if a law be in opposition to the constitution; if both the law and the constitution apply to a particular case, so that the court must either decide that case conformably to the law, disregarding the constitution; or conformably to the constitution, disregarding the law; the court must determine which of these conflicting rules governs the case. This is of the very essence of judicial duty† (5 U.S. 137, 179). Over the years, the doctrine of federal and state judicial review has been developed and enhanced, despite there being no express provision on its grant to the judicial branch of government under the constitution.   In interpreting the constitution, there are generally six forms of construction that are usually applied, i.e., historical, textual, structural, doctrinal, ethical, and prudential (Fallon, 1987). The historical construction centers on the original legislative intent behind the provision, while the textual interpretation involves the text itself, and the structural interpretation contrasts the text with the structure given in the constitution.   Ethical and prudential considerations generally involve a determination of whether or not it would be proper, ethical, or wise to make a ruling.   The doctrinal form of construction involves another doctrine, that of stare decisis. The complete Latin term is stare decisis et non quiete movere.   Literally translated, it means â€Å"stand by decisions and do not move that which is quiet.†Ã‚   The doctrine of stare decisis or of case precedents is one of the central tenets of a common law legal system.   Past precedent generally circumscribes the leeway by which a court can address a certain issue, because the rule is that once something has heretofore been judicially determined, then that is all there is to it.   â€Å"Stare decisis is usually the wise policy, because in most matters it is more important that the applicable rule of law be settled than that it be settled right. . . . This is commonly true even where the error is a matter of serious concern, provided correction can be had by legislation.   But in cases involving the Federal Constitution, where correction through legislative action is practically impossible, this Court has often overruled its earlier decisions.   The Court bows to the lessons of experience and the force of better reasoning, recognizing that the process of trial and error so fruitful in the physical sciences, is appropriate also in the judicial function† (Burnet v. Coronado Oil & Gas Co., 285 U.S. 393, 1932). For some justices, the doctrine of stare decisis would be no doctrine at all, if overruling justices gave reasons that did not go beyond pointing out that the previous decision was wrong (Nelson, 2001).   This presents a huge burden on the exercise of judicial review, especially since cases hinging on the constitutionality of statutes are usually considered landmark cases and are the basis for applying the stare decisis doctrine. The main arguments against the doctrine of judicial review are against its validity, in that, as mentioned, it is not specifically vested as a power of the judiciary in the constitution, and that it goes against the doctrine of stare decisis.   The proponents of the validity of judicial review would rely on the broad definition of judicial power under the constitution, and the fact that it has been long recognized and accepted in other common law jurisdictions. If judicial review were considered an absolute power, it would definitely undermine the common law doctrine of stare decisis, because judges and justices would be given free reign to determine what the law is and apply their interpretations on a case to case basis whenever they saw fit.   However, to think that either judicial review or stare decisis are absolutes would be absurd, because no government power is absolute. Instead of focusing on an apparent conflict or adverse relationship between the two, it is submitted that despite the criticisms against judicial review, it is an inherent function of judicial power, and should be harmonized with the stare decisis doctrine.   One author proposes thus: â€Å"Even in cases of first impression, judges do not purport to have unconstrained discretion to enforce whatever rules they please.   Many of their arguments appeal instead to external sources of law, like statutes or established customs. These external sources of law will often be indeterminate and incomplete; they will leave considerable room for judicial discretion.   But unless they are wholly indeterminate, they will still tend to produce some degree of consistency in judicial decisions.   If †¦the primary purpose of stare decisis is to protect the rule of law by avoiding an endless series of changes in judicial decisions, we may be able to achieve this purpose without applying a general presumption against overruling past decisions. We may, in short, be able to refine the doctrine of stare decisis to take advantage of the consistency that would tend to exist even in its absence† (Nelson, 2001).   The doctrine of stare decisis is about stability, while judicial review is about fairness and justice.   Applying both and harmonizing their purposes would allow for flexibility and wisdom, especially in cases when past decisions are not on all fours with the facts of the case at hand. Reference List: Burnet v. Coronado Oil & Gas Co., 285 U.S. 393 (1932) (dissenting opinion by Justice Brandeis). Fallon. (1987). A Constructivist Coherence Theory of Constitutional Interpretation. 100 Harv. L. Rev. 1189. Marbury vs. Madison, 5 U.S. 147 (1803). Nelson, C. (2001). Stare Decisis an Marbury vs. Madison Marbury vs. Madison (5 U.S. 137, 1803) involved an application for a writ of mandamus against the then Secretary of State Madison, directing him to deliver to Marbury his commission as a Justice of the Peace for the District of Columbia.   In determining whether or not mandamus would lie, the Supreme Court made a four part inquiry involving the following questions, to wit: 1) whether or not the applicant Madison has a right to the commission he demands; 2) in the affirmative, whether or not the laws of the United States afford him a remedy for its violation; 3) in the affirmative, whether or not mandamus is the proper remedy. The case is considered a landmark case, because it was the first time that the US Supreme Court, through then Chief Justice Marshall, enunciated the doctrine of judicial review, i.e., that the Supreme Court has the power to review federal or state legislation, or acts of government officers and other individuals, to determine whether or not they are in consonance with the provisions of the Constitution, and to strike down such laws and acts if they are found to be unconstitutional.   Specifically, Chief Justice Marshall stated that: â€Å"†If an act of the legislature, repugnant to the constitution, is void, does it notwithstanding its invalidity, bind the courts, and oblige them to give it effect?†¦ It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is†¦If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each (5 U.S. 137, 178).   So if a law be in opposition to the constitution; if both the law and the constitution apply to a particular case, so that the court must either decide that case conformably to the law, disregarding the constitution; or conformably to the constitution, disregarding the law; the court must determine which of these conflicting rules governs the case. This is of the very essence of judicial duty† (5 U.S. 137, 179). Over the years, the doctrine of federal and state judicial review has been developed and enhanced, despite there being no express provision on its grant to the judicial branch of government under the constitution.   In interpreting the constitution, there are generally six forms of construction that are usually applied, i.e., historical, textual, structural, doctrinal, ethical, and prudential (Fallon, 1987). The historical construction centers on the original legislative intent behind the provision, while the textual interpretation involves the text itself, and the structural interpretation contrasts the text with the structure given in the constitution.   Ethical and prudential considerations generally involve a determination of whether or not it would be proper, ethical, or wise to make a ruling.   The doctrinal form of construction involves another doctrine, that of stare decisis. The complete Latin term is stare decisis et non quiete movere.   Literally translated, it means â€Å"stand by decisions and do not move that which is quiet.†Ã‚   The doctrine of stare decisis or of case precedents is one of the central tenets of a common law legal system.   Past precedent generally circumscribes the leeway by which a court can address a certain issue, because the rule is that once something has heretofore been judicially determined, then that is all there is to it.   â€Å"Stare decisis is usually the wise policy, because in most matters it is more important that the applicable rule of law be settled than that it be settled right. . . . This is commonly true even where the error is a matter of serious concern, provided correction can be had by legislation.   But in cases involving the Federal Constitution, where correction through legislative action is practically impossible, this Court has often overruled its earlier decisions.   The Court bows to the lessons of experience and the force of better reasoning, recognizing that the process of trial and error so fruitful in the physical sciences, is appropriate also in the judicial function† (Burnet v. Coronado Oil & Gas Co., 285 U.S. 393, 1932). For some justices, the doctrine of stare decisis would be no doctrine at all, if overruling justices gave reasons that did not go beyond pointing out that the previous decision was wrong (Nelson, 2001).   This presents a huge burden on the exercise of judicial review, especially since cases hinging on the constitutionality of statutes are usually considered landmark cases and are the basis for applying the stare decisis doctrine. The main arguments against the doctrine of judicial review are against its validity, in that, as mentioned, it is not specifically vested as a power of the judiciary in the constitution, and that it goes against the doctrine of stare decisis.   The proponents of the validity of judicial review would rely on the broad definition of judicial power under the constitution, and the fact that it has been long recognized and accepted in other common law jurisdictions. If judicial review were considered an absolute power, it would definitely undermine the common law doctrine of stare decisis, because judges and justices would be given free reign to determine what the law is and apply their interpretations on a case to case basis whenever they saw fit.   However, to think that either judicial review or stare decisis are absolutes would be absurd, because no government power is absolute. Instead of focusing on an apparent conflict or adverse relationship between the two, it is submitted that despite the criticisms against judicial review, it is an inherent function of judicial power, and should be harmonized with the stare decisis doctrine.   One author proposes thus: â€Å"Even in cases of first impression, judges do not purport to have unconstrained discretion to enforce whatever rules they please.   Many of their arguments appeal instead to external sources of law, like statutes or established customs. These external sources of law will often be indeterminate and incomplete; they will leave considerable room for judicial discretion.   But unless they are wholly indeterminate, they will still tend to produce some degree of consistency in judicial decisions.   If †¦the primary purpose of stare decisis is to protect the rule of law by avoiding an endless series of changes in judicial decisions, we may be able to achieve this purpose without applying a general presumption against overruling past decisions. We may, in short, be able to refine the doctrine of stare decisis to take advantage of the consistency that would tend to exist even in its absence† (Nelson, 2001).   The doctrine of stare decisis is about stability, while judicial review is about fairness and justice.   Applying both and harmonizing their purposes would allow for flexibility and wisdom, especially in cases when past decisions are not on all fours with the facts of the case at hand. Reference List: Burnet v. Coronado Oil & Gas Co., 285 U.S. 393 (1932) (dissenting opinion by Justice Brandeis). Fallon. (1987). A Constructivist Coherence Theory of Constitutional Interpretation. 100 Harv. L. Rev. 1189. Marbury vs. Madison, 5 U.S. 147 (1803). Nelson, C. (2001). Stare Decisis an

A Synpsis of The foundation text of English literature, titled Beowulf

A Synpsis of The foundation text of English literature, titled Beowulf The foundation text of English literature, titled Beowulf (meaning â€Å"man wolf† when translated into the modern language), presents readers with a hero named Beowulf who fights three different battles, each with its own monster. Beowulf’s first battle awaits him when he travels to present day Denmark to save the Danes from a monster named Grendel that has been wreaking havoc on King Hrothgar’s men. Grendel’s defeat leads to Beowulf’s second battle with Grendel’s mother, who avenges the death of her son. Once Beowulf saves the Danes from the monsters they faced, Beowulf returns home to rule his land until he meets his death in a battle with a dragon, signifying the monster that overcame him. Although Beowulf’s success in battle with his literal monsters would name him a hero in almost any circumstance, Beowulf’s life and the situations that led him to battle fall into place with the same ideals that name him a classic hero und er Campbell’s hero archetype, where the hero must have a reason for departure, initiation through his defeat of an enemy, and a return from his journey. Beowulf’s journey of life, which was a battle until his death, relates to humans in the sense that although Beowulf’s monsters were real creatures, every individual faces their own version of a monster that phases them, but are conquered in the end. There is always one monster, however, that one can never overcome. Beowulf presents this monster as the dragon in the poem, which ties into every individual as the monster that has never been conquered: the monster of death. Campbell’s hero archetype is also known as the monomyth, or hero’s journey, that sets the framework of the traditional, classical hero. It defines a hero by the steps in the journey that the hero takes, which can be analyzed in three different stages. The first stage of the hero’s journey is his departure, which can be further explained by 5 further categories. The first of this five is â€Å"The Ordinary World,† which explains that the hero must come from an ordinary background, setting the level playing field for all heroes who fulfill Campbell’s criteria. It is important that the hero who fulfills Campbell’s archetype is an ordinary human in order for readers to relate to the story and identify with the hero. Beowulf achieves this criteria as he is known to be a Geat who lived in present-day Sweden as King Hygelac’s thane. He is described as, â€Å"of living strong men he was the strongest, fearless and gallant and great of heartâ €  (132-133), implying that Beowulf was an ordinary man except for his characteristics that set him apart from others. The second category within the departure stage is the â€Å"Call to Adventure,† in which the hero is informed of his need elsewhere. This call foreshadows the change from the character’s then-ordinary life to his journey as a hero. In Beowulf, this criterion is fulfilled when â€Å"[the] tales of the terrible deeds of Grendel reached Hygelac’s thane in his home with the Geats† (130-131), signifying Beowulf’s knowledge of the happenings with the Danes. Following this criteria is the â€Å"Refusal of the Call,† where the hero doubts his confidence with the challenge. This will cause the hero to refuse the call, but then face a shortcoming where he is forced to go on the journey. This, interestingly, is not completely evident in Beowulf, as Beowulf does not refuse the call to begin with. Much of the reason for his decision to travel to the Danes was because of his pride and reputation, putting him in a situation in which he could not refuse. If Beowulf had refused the call, however, he would have been faced with shame as he was described to be the â€Å"strongest, fearless, and gallant† (132-133), compensating for his incentive to travel in the first place. Because of this, the t hird criteria of the departure stage is fulfilled, as it can be seen that had Beowulf refused the call, he would have been pushed into seeking out Grendel anyway. The fourth stage in the departure level of Campbell’s hero archetype is â€Å"Meeting the Mentor,† where the prospective hero seeks guidance regarding the journey that he is about to begin. The mentor acts as a counselor who gives advice, re-instills confidence, or presents the hero with weapons that he will need to fulfill the quest. Although this is not seen in the very beginning as â€Å"counseling,† prior to Beowulf’s departure, â€Å"in the ship’s hold snugly they stowed their trappings, gleaming armor and battle gear† (149-150), meaning that Beowulf received weapons prior to his fight with Grendel, compensating for the lack of guidance he had received. This can also be paralleled by the way that prior to fighting Grendel’s mother, Beowulf was presented with Unferth’s Hrunting in order to kill the mother. This also fulfills the fourth criteria of Beowulf’s departure to become a hero. The fifth and final criteria in f ulfilling a hero’s departure is â€Å"Crossing the Threshold,† where the threshold is the line between the hero’s ordinary world and the alien world that he is about to enter. This is seen in the poem when Beowulf embarks the ship on his journey to the Danes, acting as if it was a journey that he could not go back on. In the poem, this is described as Beowulf â€Å"launched the bessel, the well-braced bark, seaward bound on a joyous journey† (151-152). This symbolizes the threshold that Beowulf crosses to embark on his journey as a hero. The idea of crossing the threshold also occurs when Beowulf jumps into the lake filled with sea creatures on his way to Grendel’s mother’s lair, marking the difference between the land is known and unknown. With the fulfillment of these five criteria, Beowulf embarked on his departure journey for the hero archetype. The second stage to Campbell’s hero archetype following the departure level is initiation, where the hero fulfills a series of tests and trials that will qualify him to fulfill his ultimate goal. This initiation can be more personal, such as maturing or gaining self confidence, or physical trials that the hero must endure. Like the departure level, initiation contains a set of criteria that the hero must meet in order to qualify for Campbell’s archetype. The first one is â€Å"Tests, Allies, and Enemies,† in which the hero faces challenges that test him. These obstacles can take almost any form and exists solely to disrupt the hero’s journey. In Beowulf, one of the obstacles that he immediately faces is Unferth’s challenging of Beowulf’s strength prior to Beowulf’s fight with Grendel. The poem tells this as, â€Å"Then out spoke Unferth, Ecglaf’s son, who sat at the feet of the Scylding lord, picking a quarrel for Beowulf†™s quest† (382-384). In this section, Unferth taunts Beowulf regarding a swimming match they had previously, ultimately challenging Beowulf’s honor. Beowulf overcomes this obstacle by being unfazed by Unferth’s comments and by reinforcing hope within the people in completing the ultimate goal. Following this, the bigger and more obvious challenge facing Beowulf is his fight with Grendel, his enemy. Beowulf fights unarmed and defeats him in the end, fulfilling the first criteria of the initiation journey by overcoming the challenges that he had faced during. Succeeding the tests is â€Å"Approach to the Inmost Cave,† where the hero must cross another threshold into an even greater unknown. Following Grendel’s defeat, Grendel’s mother wreaks more havoc on the Danes in order to avenge her son’s death, calling for Beowulf’s help once again. In order to fight Grendel’s mother, Beowulf first enters a lake that is filled with sea monsters that taunt him, described in the poem as, â€Å"the swimming forms of strange sea-dragons, dim serpent shapes in the watery depths, sea-beasts sunning on headland slopes† (937-939). The setting of this lake can be contrasted to Hell, emphasizing Beowulf’s crossing into the unknown. The measures that Beowulf takes in order to approach Grendel’s mother in the first place adds depth and foreshadows what is to come next, fulfilling the second part of initiation. The third stage of initiation is â€Å"Ordeal,† where the hero must overcome a physical test that will help the world he lives in. The hero often comes close to death and experiences some form of resurrection after overcomin g the dangerous task. In Beowulf, it was the defeat of Grendel’s mother. The significance of this scene in the text is that if Beowulf had not defeated the mother, he would have died and his kinsmen along with the Danes would have not been able to survive. Beowulf’s â€Å"resurrection† occurs when he comes back out of the water guarding the mother’s lair alive, which can be juxtaposed to the idea of floating up out of the water when baptized. The fulfillment of the dangerous task and thus the third stage of initiation immediately leads to the fourth, which is the reward from the task. Beowulf’s reward for slaying Grendel’s mother came in the forms of jewels and treasure from Hrothgar, along with a higher honor and reputation. Immediately following the battle, Beowulf returned with the sword hilt of Hrunting and Grendel’s slain head. With all the criteria fulfilled, Beowulf was ready for return. The final stage of Campbell’s hero journey is return, where the hero returns to where he began as closure of the quest. The first criteria of this stage is â€Å"The Road Back,† which is opposite of the â€Å"Call to Adventure.† Beowulf fulfills this stage by traveling back to his home with the Geats with ships filled with treasure from Hrothgar. Beowulf returns home with validation of his confidence and strength to be presented with the name of a ruler after King Hygelac dies. Following â€Å"The Road Back† is â€Å"Resurrection,† where the hero faces his final encounter with death. The battle in itself is a representation of a larger symbol that plays into the hero’s overall existence. In Beowulf, this is seen as the final battle between Beowulf and the dragon, which wreaks havoc on the Geats after 50 years of peace. Although Beowulf dies as a result of this battle, the dragon itself was supposed to symbolize death, and the true meaning of the battle would not have been fulfilled had Beowulf survived. The battle alone fulfills the â€Å"Resurrection† criteria of the return stage, and Beowulf’s death fulfills the final criteria in Campbell’s hero archetype altogether, which is â€Å"Return with the Elixir.† The Elixir is the lesson of death itself, which can only be fulfilled with Beowulf’s death. The overall lesson of this battle is that the hero’s journey will always and inevitably end with death, and the dragon symbolized the unconquerable monster that every individual will eventually face. Had Beowulf not died, he would not be considered a hero in the first place. Beowulf’s journey to become a traditional hero is non-traditional in the sense that instead of the journey encompassing a quest in which the hero returns to live a â€Å"happily ever after,† Beowulf’s journey was the journey of life itself, beginning with his departure to fight Grendel. He was a hero in the journey of life. This can be recognized as the most significant link between the readers and Beowulf: his story is reflective of the battles that people fight every day. Unlike other heroic stories, Beowulf’s connected with me in regards to his battles, especially with the last one being a symbol of death. As Beowulf himself declares, â€Å"death is not easily escaped from by anyone: all of us with souls, earth-dwellers and children of men, must make our way to a destination already ordained where the body, after the banqueting, sleeps on its deathbed† (1001-1007). The journey of a hero is his journey between life and death, encompassing all of the battles that he had faced to turn him into the character that he becomes when he dies. Beowulf’s journey of the archetypal hero is a representation of individual struggles we face, making humans heroes of our own life. Through Beowulf, we learn that death is the ultimate monster that overcomes us, and the quality of life is determined by the extent to which we live it.

Week 1 Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 1 - Speech or Presentation Example For decreasing, note that there are important points to be considered such as the digit 9 can only be placed in the units position and that the digit 0 can be used but only placed in the thousands position. In this method used, the tens place is used as reference: To proceed, we note how many digits can be placed in the units place considering the digit in the tens place. Here we are restricted to the digits 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 since the digit 7,8,9 will compromise the whole restriction of increasing order when use in the units position: Grouping the alphabets by 3 in succession such as ABC,BCD,EFG and limiting it with three distinct initials and alphabetical in order means that we can end only on the combination XYZ. Hence, on the 26 alphabets, only 24 combinations can be used given the restriction. Since the indicator → indicates that the truth value can only be false (=0) when the statement on the left side [[(p ∠§ q)→r] ∠§ ï ¿ ¢q ∠§ (p→ï ¿ ¢r)] is true (1), there was no need to investigate those with values =0. Since the indicator → indicates that the truth value can only be false (=0) when the statement on the left side [[p ∠¨ (q ∠¨ r)] ∠§ ï ¿ ¢q] is true (1), there was no need to investigate those with values =0. From the resulting Venn Diagram, one can verify that 60 automobiles have defective plates and 20 have both defects thus satisfying the given. 2000 – 1920 – 60 = 20 which is the number of automobiles which has defective terminals only. Therefore, the number of automobiles with defective batteries is 20 + 20 =

Astronomy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Astronomy - Assignment Example The material separation of the earth according to their density has played a vital role in this process. It has a very dense metallic core, comparatively less dense rocky mantle and low density crust. It might have happened two ways; the heat raised by radio active combination that caused the interior melting, and the energy created by its formation process. The answer for how the earth’s external crust became less dense is clear. It happened as the densest materials submerged in to the melted interior of the planet. As mentioned earlier, the heat created by the radioactive decay or the internal melting naturally have the tendency to flow out. Subsequently other natural phenomena such as convection currents, magnetic field, plate motion, faults, volcanoes, and many more occur. As the outer crusts are comparatively cooler, the outward flow of heat through them makes the earth always geologically active. The moon or other small planets are cool and inactive because they are small in size and have little heat flow from interior (Seeds, Backman,

Marketing Ogden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Ogden - Essay Example Motorcycle Classics is devotedly read by the young, middle aged and old aged people who are true motorcycle enthusiasts and live the dream of collecting and sharing information about the great iron rider. The marketing campaign for the chosen titles of Ogden Publications will be based on the concept of integrated marketing communications. According to Tony Yeshin (1998), integrated marketing communications refers to the coordination of several promotional techniques in a campaign in such a manner that the marketing objective is fulfilled. Ogden Publication needs to utilize a mix of integrated marketing tools such as public relations, direct selling, advertising, sales promotion etc. A very effective way for Ogden to promote and further strengthen its brand is through the effective use of social media marketing. The interactive form of PR will allow Ogden to communicate directly with its audience. Information about special issues, Ogden promotional fairs, sponsoring events and tips on adapting to a sustainable lifestyle will be delivered to the customers easily. The quick response about any new initiative by Ogden will serve as a feedback which would open doors for further improvement . The fans of Motorcycle Classics would find social media a great opportunity to exchange their knowledge and tips on bike riding, new and old models and finest motorcycle maintenance essentials. Fans of Mother Earth News and Utne Reader will share their views on a healthy lifestyle and personal DIY techniques effectively. It is a big challenge for Ogden to maintain the same feel and look across both online and print media. The most important way to do so is to identify the brand tone. This means that Ogden must decide if it wants to communicate in a formal or informal tone with its customers. Once identified and agreed, it must design marketing and PR campaigns in such a manner so as to maintain formality/informality in all online, print and face to face

Application essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Application - Essay Example Secondly, during the beginning of the last semester, I joined the Emory Volunteer Program. I have learnt a lot through the activities of the program. In addition, we had an opportunity to visit Furkid, an animal shelter that takes care of cats. The event was successful; we touched the lives of a number of animals. Another opportunity arose to visit Atlanta PAWS, a shelter for homeless dogs. We fed and cleaned the dogs while presenting a number of items for them. The management of the center was very pleased with our kindness while applauding the Emory fraternity for the kind-hearted deed. Thirdly, I am a member of the Sunday school of Tzu Ching Emory. This is an internationally recognized humanitarian non-governmental organization; it is the largest of its kind in the Chinese-speaking world. In addition, the NGO has a special consultative status in the UN economic and social council. We meet every Sunday to plan for the activities of the NGO as well as learning about its mandate. The motivation to join the NGO emanated from my strong passion for charity work. Fourthly, The Sight for Unit club attracted my attention while I was still fresh at Emory. This club has offered me a spectacular opportunity to be of help to others. The club’s mandate is to mobilize resources in aid of people that have lost sight and in need of help. Through the club, we have engaged in various money generating activities including selling of bubble tea and frozen yoghurt to the student community. This activity generated some substantial amount of money that we gave to Sight for Unit organization. Finally, this semester I founded the Emory Tea Ceremony club, a dream that came to me late last semester. The essence of having the club was to spread the Asian tea culture to the students at Emory. I am optimistic that the club will facilitate further celebration of cultural diversity at

Core Assessment Social Inequality Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Core Assessment Social Inequality - Term Paper Example In the above context, Mayer quotes Arthur Stinchcombe (1987) about demographic explanations and emphasizes the importance of historical changes. However, there is no dispute that the society in which one is born is the basic reason for the inequality an individual faces in his lifetime. The next aspect is regarding demographical differences that decide the formations in society. In addition to that the internal temporal ordering of individuals guided by race, class, social status, age and gender also play an important role in deciding the social inequality. Regarding life course and social inequality it is important to consider the institutional configurations in a society. In the above context it is important to observe the personality development and social conditions that affect social inequality and its affect on course of life. Hence, one can understand that the close link between psychological and socio-psychological, social and historical perspectives need focus while analyzin g and discussing the affect of social inequality in an individual's life. The affect of social inequality in making one gaining advantage or disadvantage due to the allocation of power due to the different aspects mentioned above is important in the analysis of this paper (Karl Ulrich Mayer, 2008). The social class and family structure are interconnected as the last fifty years witnessed the changes in household and family structure. ... is context Annemette Sorenson, (2008) quotes Lestaeghe (1995) about profound changes in economic foundations of marriage and gender relations that pave the way for inequality between contemporary individuals. As a family members share resources intra-generationally as well as across the generations, the influence of family on the members is decides their behavior in the society and the inequality in life course. In this context, the class position can be estimated by the position of male head of the household and when the single parent families began to rise, the family head definition itself has been changed. However, when married women's employment has been common, the financial status of the family decided the status and class of an individual. In the above mentioned situation, the social mobility of women decided the class of children in society. However, the experiences of children state that the class position also depends on designation and financial status of parents. However , in the above context, if the parents take divorce, the resultant life affects the class of the child and it is a major challenge to face social inequality thus arises. After that the economic and social conditions arise from the point of fact that the family being and economic and social unit. Hence, class boundaries decide the economic and social status of an individual. However, if the family's class position depends on designation of husband and wife, the social mobility decides the classification. Hence, social mobility as well as the designations of working husband and wife and the financial status irrespective of work status of women decides the class of a person in the society. Though the social mobility due to women empowerment decides the class of a family, the class of family

The Inca Empire and their Agriculture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Inca Empire and their Agriculture - Essay Example Almost 1800 years after their selection of agriculture as a profession, there was a session for which warm weather prevailed, thus enabling the civilization to flourish. The Incase used Llamas to transport their goods. Llamas were also a potential source of wool and meat for the Incas. As the Llamas carried goods from the jungle to the mountains, they occasionally stopped at ponds to quench their thirst and that was where they defecated communally. â€Å"This provided fertiliser which was easily collectable as today by the local people for the surrounding field systems† (Chepstow-Lusty cited in Anning, 2011). Despite the fact that the Andes are included among the tallest mountains across the world, the Incas managed to coax harvests from the sharp slopes of the Andes. Crops whose resilient breeds were developed by the Incas included but were not limited to quinoa, potatoes and corn. The Incas managed achieved this by building cisterns and irrigation and canals that wiggled all around and down the Andes. They cut terraces inside the hills that became steeper and steeper from the valley towards the slopes of the mountains. In the 1400s, the area covered by the terraces was about a million hectares. â€Å"In this way the whole hill was gradually brought under cultivation, the platforms being flattened out like stairs in a staircase, and all the cultivable and irrigable land being put to use† (Vega cited in Graber, 2011). ... The Incas compared the quality of plants including kantu flowers, grain, wheat, panti, and quinoa grown at different light intensities and altitudes. As a result of their experimentation, the Incas found that the deeper planted crops were exposed to cooler temperatures as compared to the ones planted at more heights. Also, different plants were found to react in a different way to the quantity of sunlight and water provided. The difference of temperature between the lower and higher levels was considerable. At certain places, the difference of temperature was as much as 15 ?C, which is what the difference of temperature is between a point at the sea level and another point at a height of 1000m from the sea level (Rediscover Machu Picchu, n.d.a). The agricultural cultivation done by the Incas and the irrigation systems they developed were so strong that they have continued to work to date. The Incas created stepped agricultural fields. Owing to the height of mountains surrounding the Sacred Valley region, path of the sunrays reaching down the valley is blocked while the sides of the mountain receive sunlight for a significant portion of the day. There are certain regions in the valleys where the limited space justified the use of steps to enlarge the area for cultivation of crops. The steps also enabled the Incas to achieve more control over the supply of water required for irrigating the crops. The steps provided the Incas with protection against floods and landslides as the water did not find vast horizontal regions to accumulate. â€Å"The rocks used for creating the steps strengthen the sides of the mountains, thus protecting what is in the valleys

Nationalisation of Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nationalisation of Oil Industry - Essay Example However, Argentina has been forced recently to reverse its earlier decision to privatize the company by nationalizing 51% of YPF (Minder 2012). This move has been met with a lot of fury from Spain and other major stakeholders who are strongly opposed to move if media reports are anything to go by. The nationalization has been termed a forced purchase. As a result, the Argentine government is required to pay for Rapsol shares. Tracy (2012) reported that the Argentine government made such a move because of Rapsol’s continued failure to invest in gas and oil production in the country, a scenario that has forced Argentina to over-rely on imports to keep up with its high internal demand. For instance, Tracy (2012) reveals that Argentina spent over $9.4 billion in 2011 to import energy from other countries. This was despite the fact that Argentina is considered one of the countries with the largest hydrocarbon reserves in the world. The privatization of YPF snatched away the control of the government over oil and gas usage in the country. It is important for the Argentine government to understand that nationalization of oil supplies in the country has both its advantages and disadvantages. Advantages of Nationalisation to Argentine Government Oil and gas are commodities that contribute massively to the development of the economy of Argentina. As such they are products that should never be in shortage especially now that they are on high demand almost throughout the year. The Argentine government needs to ensure that no shortage of gas and oil is experienced in the country for their economic importance and therefore needs to be in control of the supply of the commodities. One of the main advantages of the move by the Argentine government to nationalize YPF is that it will give the government power to control how gas and oil is utilized in the country. Privatization takes these powers away from the government as has been the case since the Argentine government p rivatized YPF by selling it to the Spanish company, Rapsol. As Tracy (2012) states, the privatization of this YPF gave Rapsol absolute control of how gas and oil are used in Argentina. However, since Rapsol has not been able to adequately invest in equipment to boost productivity as was expected, Argentina has had to depend on energy imports from other countries, this despite its massive potential to produce its own energy. Nationalizing the company will give the argentine government control over the country’s oil and gas resources thereby enabling the government to invest in the petroleum industry and hence reducing its dependency on oil imports. Secondly, nationalization of the company will be of great advantage to the Argentine government in the sense that it will enable the Argentine government to be able to invest heavily in its oil and gas reserves so as to increase the production of oil and gas in the country. Doing this will enable the country become energy sufficient and avoid or reduce its import of energy as noted by Porter (2001). This is based on the fact Argentina is one of the countries that experiencing high-energy demand in the country. However, just as Tracy (2012) pointed out, privatisation of YPF interferes with the sector that used to supply much of Argentina’s gas and oil. As earlier indicated, Argentina spent over $9.4 billion dollars in 2011 alone because of energy shortage in the country. However, a closer look at what caused this shortage points at the inefficiency of

A College Degree Is Not Worth It Essay Example for Free

A College Degree Is Not Worth It Essay What is a college degree worth 50,000, $150,000, $300,000? The real question should be is a college degree really worth it? A lot of students go into college not knowing what to expect, or not knowing what to do. College degrees are made of paper, the importance of these degrees are valued by all the hard work you put in. There are several reasons why a college degree is not worth it. A college degree can be connected with negative associations. Getting a degree is like getting married. It’s a big decision someone has to make. There’s a lot of  cost, a lot of ups and downs, and it can be very stressful. Someone shouldn’t just go to college because they see everyone attending college after high school. The main number one reason why everyone wants to get a college degree is because they believe once they finish college they’ll have a better employment rate rather than someone without one. According to Not All College Majors Are Created Equal, by Michelle Singletary â€Å"the highest unemployment rate for recent graduates is generally the highest in architecture (13. 9 percent), then in non- technical majors, such as arts (11.1 percent), humanities and liberal arts (9. 4 percent), social science (8. 9 percent), finally law and public policy (8. 1 percent). † Having a degree is not automatically doing to get you a job, but most graduates are working in a job that does not require a degree. Focusing so much on college and perusing the goal of earning a degree can impact your social life. For many accomplishing a degree is not only a must but it becomes part of their life from sunrise to sunset. They start losing touch with reality, friends, and everyday activities. It is as if your life only has  one signal meaning that is, your college degree. College requires so many sacrifices because you have to have time to study for exams and getting your homework done. Not having a college degree doesn’t mean that someone won’t become successful. There have been a lot of people in this world that become very successful without a degree. For example: the CEO of Coca cola, Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, and many more. A degree does not make you the richest person in the world. There are many roads for an education rather than just attending college for a degree. Many people succeed without college degrees.

Impact of Consumer Credit Laws

Impact of Consumer Credit Laws In today’s consumer based society, the need for credit is undoubted. More and more individuals and organisations are reliant upon credit to undertake their day to day activities, thus the role of credit in society has magnified in unmeasurable amounts. There are also more personal credit products available on the market than when the original Consumer Credit Act 1974 was drawn up, thus there is more of a need to regulate these products and the relationships between creditor and debtor in order to avoid any unfair conduct on the part of either party. As the Government White Paper suggests: The laws governing this market were set out a generation ago. In 1971, there was only one credit card available; now there are 1,300. 30 years ago,  £32m was owed on credit cards; now it is over  £49bn. The regulatory structure that was put in place then is not the same as the regulatory structure required today. As the credit market has developed, reforms have become necessary to modernise the current regime and update it for the 21st century.[1] This evidence clearly supports the idea that the previous rules governing consumer credit relationships are significantly outmoded and outdated, and are in dire need of updating and reworking to meet the needs of a modern society. The nature of the relationship between a debtor and their creditor or supplier has subsequently become more complex and legalistic, and requires rules that govern these specific relationships without relying upon the general principles that can be found in, say, the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, which will be discussed in more detail in due course. This brief intends to consider the new provisions of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 and determine whether this legislation goes too far in protecting the rights of debtors, as opposed to the rights of creditors and suppliers. These conclusions will be drawn based upon consideration of the primary legislation, including the previous Consumer Credit Act 1974, as well as the apparent diverse and conflicting nature of secondary sources on this issue. It appears that a number of viewpoints could be explored, and this brief intends to do just that in order to arrive at the most appropriate conclusion. The Government had already completed a review of the 1974 Act in its White Paper, which will be discussed shortly. This Paper identified key areas where the law was not protecting the rights of consumers, and often allowed credit companies to take advantage of vulnerable individuals in order to rise to the top of what has effectively become a crowded and cut-throat marketplace. Each company is trying to sell its product to consumers, each trying to maximise the revenue it can make from it. In order to avoid innocent Britons from being exploited by unregulated corporations, the Government commission its review into the Consumer Credit Act 1974 before drafting the Consumer Credit Act 2006, in order to ensure that the new law was going to address the most salient of concerns of con sumers. It was also important to define who should be afforded protection under the new law. Should it be aimed at the general British consumer, or should it have specifications that restrict who could rely upon these provisions based upon certain socio-economic factors? This is where this report will begin. Perhaps the best place to begin would be to continue considering the DTI’s White Paper on consumer credit in the 21st century. While it does not consider the current Consumer Credit Act 2006 in express terms due to its publication several years before its enactment, it does highlight the perceived inadequacies of the then existing consumer credit protections of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Firstly, it appears that the Government is concerned with establishing a transparent marketplace that prevents debtors from being taken advantage of by creditors and suppliers. It plans to accomplish this by having clear and effective regulations in place to govern the use of advertising in selling credit products.[2] This intends to address the inadequacies provided not only by the 1974 Act, but also by the Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 1989 due to the recently explosive nature of consumer credit products and contracts. The rationale behind such a move by the government can only be suggested to attempt to protect the consumer against any deceptive or misleading conduct by creditors through advertising promotional campaigns that could unduly influence them into entering into consumer credit contracts which do not specifically cater for their needs or financial situations. This would be consistent with the notion that the intention of the 2006 Act is to protect the consumer/debtor more so than the creditor, due to their more vulnerable position in the marketplace. Quite obviously, disparity does exist between the negotiation and contractual powers of debtors and creditors, and thus the intention of the Government is to create a more level playing field, allowing them to do business in a manner which is not only legal, but also moral and ethical. Another way the Government claimed this will be done in its White Paper was through standardisation of the form of consumer credit contracts.[3] This would, theoretically, ensure that there are minimal difference s between the standard terms of a consumer credit contract regardless of who the credit provider was, and regardless of what the actual lending product was. Again, this clearly is intended to protect the debtor more so than the creditor, given the disparity in contractual and negotiation abilities and resources available to the two parties. The Government even intends to reflect the changes in the way we contract that have come into existence since the 1974 Act, including online contracts. The rationale behind this is that the use of the internet in contractual dealings can often lead to an increased possibility of fraud on the part of either party.[4] What this means is that one could quite possibly enter into a contractual agreement through an online method without going through the full stringent identity criteria as they might be required to if they were personally entering into this agreement at, say, a bank. Normally a 100-point ID check, or similar procedure, may be used or r elied upon by a creditor in order to ensure that they were dealing with the person whose name appears on the contractual documents. However, this may also extend to a debtor where the reliability of the credit provider could not be ascertained. This protection would then effectively protect both the creditor and debtor to ensure that the contract was reliable, and that the correct person or entity was included as a party to the agreement. Perhaps the most important aspect of the Government White Paper regarding consumer credit contracts is the introduction of more stringent licensing criteria for credit providers. The Government’s hope, in 2003, was that the reform to the consumer credit laws would give the Office of Fair Trading more power to investigate credit providers to ensure that they were complying with the terms of the license granted upon them. Previously, the DTI claimed that the tests that a credit provider was required to pass to gain a license only determined whether they initially met these criteria, and did not illustrate whether they continued to meet the criteria, and thus remain fit to provide credit to consumers.[5] This would, theoretically, maintain the integrity of the consumer credit industry, making it much safer for consumers to deal in the sometimes overwhelming credit market. Again, this appears to be protecting the consumer’s interests more so than those of the credit supplie r. The DTI has identified a number of areas that the Consumer Credit Act 1974 was lax in upholding and protecting in the interests of consumer credit, and it would appear that, based upon the general consensus of this White Paper (a fundamental research document that highlights the Government’s intention in reforming particular laws) that the DTI is more concerned about consumers being taken advantage of due to developments in the credit market that tend to fall outside the scope of the 1974 Act. This is mainly due to social and technological advances that were not within comprehension at the time the 1974 Act came into enforcement and a lack of reform since that time. However, while the shortfalls of the Act have been duly illustrated by the DTI, what if a consumer continues to have a problem with a credit contract? To what institution do they turn to exercise their right of redress? The DTI uses its White Paper to harangue the idea of the Financial Ombudsman Service being e mpowered to investigate contractual dispute involving consumer credit. This would create an alternative dispute resolution pathway that may ultimately avoid the pomposity, risk and financial burden that was previously required in order to take a matter to court. Rather, this would make the dispute resolution procedure much more appealing and affordable to a consumer, giving them more opportunity to vindicate their legal rights where they might otherwise be precluded from doing so due to pressing financial commitments. This does gear itself towards the consumer more so than the creditor, as a credit providing company would presumably have a greater access to legal expertise and resources by comparison to the individual person, thus the DTI found it prudent to address the shortfalls of the 1974 Act in protecting individual debtors. While these have all been appropriately illustrated by the DTI’s White Paper, it is important to note that this was simply and analysis of the 1974 Act in conjunction with today’s developing credit-based society, and does not in itself give rise to any legal effect. It does, however, point out the reasons behind the Government’s wish to reform consumer credit laws, and gives one a way to measure the effectiveness of the now enacted Consumer Credit Act 2006 by applying these criteria. It is now important to consider the express provisions of this Act in order to determine whether these shortfalls identified by the DTI have been adequately addressed and protected by the new Act. Before considering the possible codification of the DTI’s discussion in the Consumer Credit Act 2006, it is important to establish the scope of application for this Act. It does not apply to businesses or corporations who enter into consumer credit contracts solely for business purposes. Rather, it serves to protect individuals that may be at less of a negotiation or contracting position than what a business would which may have access to virtually unlimited capital. The 2006 Act defines an ‘individual’ as: (a) a partnership consisting of two or three persons not all of whom are bodies corporate; and (b) an unincorporated body of persons which does not consist entirely of bodies corporate and is not a partnership.[6] The inclusion of these two categories as ‘individuals’ for the purposes of the Act gives more people protection under the Act than what may have been afforded otherwise under the 1974 Act, thus ensuring more consumers are protected. It clearly precludes large businesses and corporations from seeking protection under the Act, thus ensuring that only those who may not necessarily be able to provide their own legal protection are protected by law from being taken advantage of. Additionally, section 2 of the 2006 Act removes the previously existing financial limits for protection under the Act ( £25,000)[7] thus broadening the scope of application, however section 3 excludes consumers with a ‘high net worth’ from also obtaining protection under the Act, which subsequently re-limits the scope of application to those consumers who really are in need of consumer protection. The presence of these provisions in the 2006 Act suggests that the intention of the Act is to provide protection for those that may otherwise be at a disability to do so of their own will and accord. One of the most important changes that the 2006 Act has made to consumer credit regulation is the ability of a court to now hear matters relating to unfair credit relationships. The powers of the court in such circumstances have been defined, as have the procedural requirements for bringing such a matter before a court.[8] Under the newly amended sections of the 1974 Act, a court must have regard for the following factors when adjudicating on the issue of an unfair relationship: (a) any of the terms of the agreement or of any related agreement; (b) the way in which the creditor has exercised or enforced any of his rights under the agreement or any related agreement; (c) any other thing done (or not done) by, or on behalf of, the creditor (either before or after the making of the agreement or any related agreement).[9] Additionally, the remedies available to the court include: (a) require the creditor, or any associate or former associate of his, to repay (in whole or in part) any sum paid by the debtor or by a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement (whether paid to the creditor, the associate or the former associate or to any other person); (b) require the creditor, or any associate or former associate of his, to do or not to do (or to cease doing) anything specified in the order in connection with the agreement or any related agreement; (c) reduce or discharge any sum payable by the debtor or by a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement; (d) direct the return to a surety of any property provided by him for the purposes of a security; (e) otherwise set aside (in whole or in part) any duty imposed on the debtor or on a surety by virtue of the agreement or any related agreement; (f) alter the terms of the agreement or of any related agreement; (g) direct accounts to be taken, or (in Scotland) an accounting to be made, between any persons.[10] Essentially these provisions allow a debtor to challenge a consumer credit contract on the basis of it being ‘unfair’ to them, and empower a court to take remedial action where the law was previously vague and uncertain. It affords the debtor further protection from a creditor, given them a clear indication of their rights where they believe they have fallen victim to unfair conduct. It may serve to exonerate them from a contract they were having difficulty to adhering to because the terms were quite clearly outside their ability to keep to, or similar arguments. While this does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman, which will be discussed shortly, it still allows a debtor to seek protection from the law from a consumer credit contract that they must have otherwise been contractually obliged to perform. This does not suggest that avoidance of a contract under these provisions is easier by any means as just cause still needs to be shown pursuant to the rules a nd principles of evidence and court, however there is no disputing the fact that this statutory remedy is available to those who are in dire need of exercising it where a contract can be construed as being unfair. Unfairness may result from the terms of the contract itself, or from any conduct by the creditor arising after the commencement of the agreement, thus this legislation appears to be catering more for the debtor than the creditor. These provisions specifically cover, in their express terms, any unfairness arising from the conduct of the creditor, as does not relate to the debtor as such. When viewed in conjunction with the application and definition provisions outlined above, it is clear that this law only intends to serve the individual, and not the creditor. In addition to the ‘unfair relationship’ protection through the courts afforded to debtors by the introduction of the 2006 Act, it also contains an alternative dispute resolution pathway that can often avoid a long and arduous litigation process. Sections 59-61 of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 confer powers upon the Financial Services Ombudsman to hear any disputes that involve licensed persons (i.e. a credit provider company licensed under the 2006 Act, which will be discussed shortly), and will also bind these license holders to abide by any decisions made by the FSO in accordance with Schedule 2. Section 59 of the Act requires that any person holding a license to provide consumer credit must submit to the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service in order to resolve any disputes which the FOS is empowered by the Act to hear. In order for the dispute to fall within the scope of the jurisdiction of the FOS, it must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the new section 226A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (inserted by the 2006 Act), which are: (a) the complainant is eligible and wishes to have the complaint dealt with under the scheme; (b) the complaint falls within a description specified in consumer credit rules; (c) at the time of the act or omission the respondent was the licensee under a standard licence or was authorised to carry on an activity by virtue of section 34A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974; (d) the act or omission occurred in the course of a business being carried on by the respondent which was of a type mentioned in subsection (3); (e) at the time of the act or omission that type of business was specified in an order made by the Secretary of State; and (f) the complaint cannot be dealt with under the compulsory jurisdiction.[11] Essentially, if the complaint is one that falls under the compulsory jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service that is granted under section 226 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, then it will not fall under the new consumer credit power. The presence of these provisions makes it more effective and less costly for an aggrieved person to raise a dispute with a consumer credit contract that they have entered, which can (and most likely will) avoid the matter proceeding before a court. This makes the dispute resolution process more accessible for individual persons that may not have otherwise had the available funds to commence a legal action in court. Finally, the other main practical change that the Consumer Credit Act 2006 has made to credit law is the introduction of more stringent licensing criteria for businesses and companies wanting to enter the market to sell credit products to consumers. Section 38 of the 2006 Act inserts a provision in the 1974 Act at section 33A which empowers the Office of Fair Trading to make regulations that will govern the distribution of licenses to these parties. This allows the Government the flexibility to adapt the regulations to address the changing social climate in a way that the broad framework of the 1974 Act could not. This would, then, allow the Government to impose regulations on advertising and other consumer interaction which may otherwise escape the broad legal framework of legislation. Additionally, section 44-46 of the 2006 Act specify requirements in relation to the provision of licensing assessment information (and changes thereof) by license applicants to the OFT, which allows t he OFT to make a continual assessment as to the fitness of a party to hold a credit provision license. This was one of the key shortfalls that the White Paper suggested, and appears to have been addressed adequately in the new law. Civil penalties of up to  £50,000 now apply if a licensed person or business fails to comply with the conditions of its credit provision license.[12] Finally, an appeals system has been established by sections 55-58 of the 2006 Act which allow for appeals against a decision by the OFT to grant a license to an applicant, which gives rise to a method of review via the newly established Consumer Credit Appeals Tribunal. This provides for an administrative review of the decisions handed down by the OFT in relation to their licensing and regulative powers within the Act, which may be able to be judicially reviewed by the Court of Appeal with the leave of the Court (on questions of law, not fact).[13] This appeal procedure again appears to be consistent with the notion that the rationale of the Consumer Credit Act 2006 is to protect the rights and interests of debtors as opposed to those of creditors and suppliers. It appears that the idea of this Act is to saturate the market with new regulations that control the way creditors enter into consumer credit contracts with their debtors, and does not necessarily cater for the needs of creditors as such. In conclusion, it would appear that the Consumer Credit Act 2006 caters more so for the rights and interests of debtors than those of creditors, however it would be difficult to maintain an argument to suggest that the law goes too far in protecting these rights. The Government White Paper identified a number of salient points that the 1974 Act did not address, and the Government has appeared to have legislated accordingly. Given that the previous 1974 Act was significantly outdated and not particularly relevant to modern society in both a social and legal context, there was a real need for this law to be updated in order to afford consumers maximum protection against otherwise unfair conduct that was not recognised in law. The law was updated more out of necessity than out of spite for consumer credit providers. The application of these laws does not generally appear to infringe on the rights of credit providers, it merely suggests that the market needs more stringent controls to av oid certain parties taking advantage of otherwise vulnerable individuals. The rationale behind the introduction, as the White Paper suggests, was to create a fairer and more transparent consumer credit market, which gave the individual more competitive and legitimate rights that they are now able to exercise in an attempt to remove the disparity between consumers and credit providers in terms of their negotiation and contractual abilities. There appears to be no malice or ill-will by the Government towards credit providers, rather just a desire to exercise control in an area of commerce that has expanded exponentially since the law was last reviewed more than a generation ago. The flexibility provided under the new Act through delegation of regulative powers to the OFT and Ombudsman also allows the law to be updated as society dictates, which ensures that the law will always be given the opportunity to reflect the needs of consumers as the market changes. This means that this debate will continually be revisited as the market expands and changes and, if there is a need to review the law in the future, there is no need to go through the lengthy legislative process which has dragged this legislation through 18 months of parliamentary delays, especially due to the calling of the 2005 General Election after the Bill was only passed its Commons stages. This law appears to be perfect for the current socio-economic climate of the British consumer credit market, and to argue that it goes too far in protecting consumer’s rights is simply untenable. Bibliography Legislation Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 1989 Consumer Credit Act 1974 Consumer Credit Act 2006 (also, explanatory notes) Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 Government Publications Department of Trade and Industry, Fair, Clear and Competitive: The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century (2003), Journal Articles/Other Sources John, C, ‘Consumer Credit – The New Landscape’ (2006) 18 Compliance Monitor 9 Singleton, S, ‘In Focus: Consumer Credit Act 2006’ (2006) 29 Consumer Law Today 8 Smith, J, ‘Practice Points: Credit Where Credit Is Due’ (2006) 103.25 Law Society Gazette 34 Unknown, ‘Consumer Credit: A New Age But Old Problems’ (2004) 6 Finance and Credit Law 1 Footnotes [1] Department of Trade and Industry, Fair, Clear and Competitive: The Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century (2003), 4. [2] Ibid, 30-33. [3] Department of Trade and Industry, as above n 1, 33-36. [4] Ibid, 37-40. [5] Ibid, 45-48. [6] Consumer Credit Act 2006, s 1. [7] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 8. [8] Consumer Credit Act 2006, ss 19-22. [9] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 140A(1). [10] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 140B(1). [11] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 226A(2). [12] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 39A (as amended). [13] Consumer Credit Act 1974, s 41A (as amended).

Cindy Sherman Artist Biography

Cindy Sherman Artist Biography No other artist has ever made as extended or complex career of presenting herself to the camera as has Cindy Sherman. Yet, while all of her photographs are taken of Cindy Sherman, it is impossible to class call her works self-portraits. She has transformed and staged herself into as unnamed actresses in undefined B movies, make-believe television characters, pretend porn stars, undifferentiated young women in ambivalent emotional states, fashion mannequins, monsters form fairly tales and those which she has created, bodies with deformities, and numbers of grotesqueries. Her work as been praised and embraced by both feminist political groups and apolitical mainstream art. Essentially, Shermans photography is part of the culture and investigation of sexual and racial identity within the visual arts since the 1970s. It has been said that, The bulk of her workà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦has been constructed as a theater of femininity as it is formed and informed by mass culture (her) pictures insist on the aporia of feminine identity tout court, represented in her pictures as a potentially limitless range of masquerades, roles, projections (Sobieszek 229). Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Cindy Sherman grew up in suburban Huntington Beach on Long Island, the youngest of five children and had a regular American childhood. She was very self-involved, found of costumes, and given to spending hours at the mirror, playing with makeup (Schjeldahl 7). Cindy Sherman attended the state University College at Buffalo, New York, where she first started to create art in the medium of painting. During her college years, she painted self-portraits and realistic copies of images that she saw in photographs and magazines. Yet, she became less, and less interested in painting and became increasingly interested in conceptual, minimal, performance, body art, and film alternatives (Sherman 5). Shermans very first introductory photography class in college was a complete failure for she had difficulties with the technological aspects of making a print. After her disastrous first attempt in photography, Sherman discovered Contemporary Art, which had a profound and lasting effect on the rest of her artistic career (Thames and Hudson 1). Shermans first assignment in her photography class was to photograph something which gave her a problem, thus, Sherman chose to photograph her self naked. While this was difficult, she learned that having an idea was the most important factor in creating her art, not so much the technique that she used. While she was talented at copying with pencils and paints, this artistic method would not allow Sherman to express herself personally. But with a camera, Sherman could use her body as a tool (Sills 64). The young artist became fascinated by the way any image at all, simply being presented, activates a mysterious charge-neither subjective nor objective, but of both (Schjeldahl 7). In college, Sherman became active in the local avant-garde scene, the liveliest of two decades, and especially in Hallwalls, an artist-run alternative exhibition space (Heller 223). In 1975, while still attending college, Cindy She rman created her first series of five photographs entitled, Untitled A-E. Within these first photographs, Sherman attempts to alter her face with makeup and hats, attempting to take on different personas, such as a little girl in Untitled D, and a clown in Untitled A (Thames and Hudson 2). This first series is Shermans first attempt of documenting transformation. The Curator Linda Cathcart, saw the pictures at Hallwalls and put them at the Albright Knox Art Gallery (Heller 225). Because Sherman had such vivid imagination and became fascinated with self-transformation, Sherman often bought vintage clothes and accessories from thrift stores, which helped her to form and create different characters. So it just grew and grew until I was buying and collecting more and more of these things, and suddenly the characters came together just because I had so much of the detritus from them (Thames and Hudson 2 ). Sherman went even as far as wearing the costumes and dressing as different charact ers to gallery openings and events in Buffalo. She wore these costumes because she wanted to see how far she how transformed she could look (Haller 225). Yet, Sherman never considered dressing up for performance purposes because she was not maintaining a character but simply getting dressed up to go out (Thames and Hudson 2). Cindy Sherman began her famous series of Untitled Film Series at the end of 1977. The small black and white photographs are of Sherman impersonating female character types from old B grade movies, which speak to a generation of baby boomer women who had grown up absorbing these glamorous images ay home on their televisions, taking such portrayals as cues for their future (Thames and Hudson 1). Upon graduation of college in 1977, Cindy Sherman and her fellow student Robert Longo moved to Manhattan, New York together. She continued with her interest in role-playing and dressing up as different characters, and began to photograph herself in these different guises among different locations such as her apartment Untitled Film Still #10, in the Southwest in Untitled Film Still #43, and in Long Island in Untitled Film Still # 9. Shermans manipulation of lighting, makeup, and dress make it difficult to believe that all of the characters represented were indeed the same person (Heller 225). A ll of the portraits are of her but none of the works are in any way a self-portrait of Sherman. They are portraits of an identity that Sherman shares with every female who thinks of her life in the way of a cheap movie. For this reason alone, is why her work has been looked at for special by feminist who hold the view that women do not hold theories, but tell stories. In the stills it is important to get a deep and true understanding that her use of photography is more integral to the performance then a photographic record of what took place. (Danto 10-11). Each of the stills is about the girl in trouble, but in the aggregate they touch the myth we each carry out of childhood, of danger, love, and security that defines the human condition. Desire mixed with nostalgia fuels the allure of the Untitled Film Stills-desire for the woman depicted as well as desire to be that woman, during that time (Thames and Hudson 4). Sherman said that the last thing she wanted her pictures to have was emotion. The still only provided a framework through which her deeper artistic impulses found expression (Danto 9). She was most interested in what a character was like when they were completely emotionless (Sherman 8). These black and white photographs were purposely grainy because Sherman wanted them to look like cheap publicity shots. While, Sherman takes most of her own photographs using a remote shutter-release, some of her pictures are also taken by her family and friends. This Untitled Film Series was first exhibited in 1995, in the Hirshborn Museum of Washington D.C. In each of the photographs, Sherman is depicted alone, As a familiar but unidentifiable film heroine in an appropriate setting (Thames and Hudson 2). Some of the many characters depicted are of a perky B-movie librarian in Untitled Film Still #13; a voluptuous lower-class women from an Italian neo-realist film in Untitled Film still #35; and a young secretary in the city Untitled Film Still # 21 (Thames and Hud son 2). In terms of the untitled film still #35 and Untitled Film still #15, both depict Sherman as a seductress, Sherman says To pick a character like that was about my own ambivalence about sexuality-growing up with the woman role models that I had, and a lot of them in films, that were like that character, and yet you were supposed to be a good girl (Thames and Hudson 2). Sherman encourages the viewers participation in constructing their own narratives of her Untitled Film Still #10, Untitled Film Still # 14, and Untitled Film Still #65 (Thames and Hudson 3) Sherman created sixty-nine photographs in total, presenting her works in an array of types. According to Judith Williamson, force upon the viewers that elision of image and identity which women experience all the timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Thames and Hudson 3). Cindy Shermans Untitled Film Stills are also seen as related to feminist performance work of the 1970s by artists such as Adrian Piper and Eleanor Antin. Sherman is also noted as being heavily influenced by these artists. The Untitled Film Series are not only photographic records of performance but performative accounts of filmic images (Thames and Hudson 4). Sherman ended her sixty-nine photograph scenes in 1980, when she began to realize that she was duplicating previously used characters, clichà ©s, and stereotypes. Cindy Shermans next series or collection of photographs was her first working color called the Rear Screen Projections, which exude the artifice of a television show. With her increasing desire to work at home, Sherman created her photographs in front of a projected screen, which she projected slides of outdoor and indoor scenes. Viewing the photographs one can obviously tell that the background is fake. The very realistic and sometimes quite closely cropped images of Sherman contrast with the blurry and substantial settings, heightening the artifice of the entire scene (Thames and Hudson 5). Her second series concentrates on the 1960s and 1970s rather then the 1950s depicted in the Untitled Film Series. Rather then female victims, the Rear Screen Projections depict women who are confident and independent, usually youthful, middle-class women in the real world. The characters of the Rear Screen Projections are best identified as being counterparts of women in the media of the 1970s s uch as Mary Richards character in The Mary Tyler Moore television series (Thames and Hudson 5). In 1981, after creating a portfolio of images for an issue of Artforum, Sherman became inspired by the magazines horizontal format and produced a series of works that refer to the photo spreads in photographic magazines. This is said to be Shermans first mature work. These large photographs are in color, are cropped and close-up with each image depicting a young woman looking off to the side with a vacant and vulnerable look. She keeps background details to a minimum allowing the attention to be drawn to the figure. Shermans horizontals suggest a profound transgression against form. Within these pictures have there is no coherent point of view (Sobieszek, 25). When Sherman showed this series, she was criticized by some for having created women that reaffirm sexist stereotypes, therefore Artforum rejecting this series. Critics have found Untitled #93 as the most suggestive of all her works. This photograph shows a woman with messy hair and smudged makeup in bed covering her eyes, whil e looking toward the light that shines in her eyes. Although Sherman has stated that She was imagining someone who had just come home in the early morning from being out partying all night, and the sun wakes her shortly after she has gone to bed (Thames and Hudson 6). Critics on the other hand have read this photograph as a rape portrayal. Misreading of the centerfolds became very common because people tried to create stories from them, discovering hidden meanings where none were present (Schjeldahl 9). Much like her earlier works, the centerfolds mimic and repeat mass media modes. In the Pink Robe series, Sherman uses herself once again to imitate the stance of porno models, choosing to pose only in a pink chenille bathrobe. This series conveys a state of loveless intimacy, intimacy without understanding or personal tenderness (Schjeldahl 10). In this series, Sherman responds to the criticism of the centerfold series, and switches to a vertical format in order to do away with the vulnerability of the characters. Yet, the Pink Robe Series is just a continuation of the Centerfold series because Sherman thinks of these images as depiction of the porno model during breaks between posing for nude shots (Thames and Hudson 7). Sherman sits in front of the camera deciding to appear as un-sexy and without makeup or wigs, staring directly toward the viewer. Many critics interpret this series as the real Cindy and most revealing of all of her photographs (Thames and Hudson 7). Sherman has produced four groups of works that quote from fashion photography. In Shermans fashion series, she reminds the viewer that that fashion allows us to create and display a wide range of appearances as if we each possessed a wide range of identities (Sobieszek, 253). Her first fashion series was commissioned in 1983 for a spread in Interview magazine. Provided with designer clothes such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, Sherman undoubtedly provided an antithesis of a glamour ads. The models look silly but utterly delighted in their high fashion frocks. Her second commissioned fashion photographs are even more bizarre from the previous works, with the models looking dejected in Untitled #137, exaggeratedly wrinkled in Untitled #132, and even homicidal in Untitled #138. It appears inevitable that Sherman would be drawn to fashion spreads because fashion is yet another means of masquerade for women, and ads for clothing promise to convert the buyer into a more perfect version of herself ( Thames and Hudson 8). Like all advertisements, fashion photographs manufacture a desire in a woman that could never be filled. Sherman uses her fashion photographs to undermine the desirability of such images by emphasizing their manipulating nature (Thames and Hudson 8). In the fairy tales and monster series, Sherman reminds us of the monsters from childhood memories and may be suggesting through these photographs that everyone harbors a secret, repressed self that can shift form and shape at will (Sobieszek, 253). The undercurrent turned, rather startling in the 1980s into a torrent of gore and rage when she switched to using a larger format and often lurid colors, and to concocting increasingly horrific and surreal images (Kimmelman 142). These images represent a time in her career when her images truly become strange and surreal. These photographs are unusual not only because of their horrific images, but also because a viewer is unaccustomed to seeing such stories represented in photographs. The strangest scene appears in Untitled #150, In which an androgyn with a huge, extended tongue fills the foreground, and tiny figures stand in the landscape behind it, making it seem like a giant among Lilliputians (Thames and Hudson 9). Shermans Fairy Tales do not depict a specific example, but evoke a narrative form. By the early 1990s Sherman had tired of creating these shocking images turning to art history for inspiration. The result was a series of photographic portraits of her returning as the model, transformed by her usual false noses, bosoms, into both male and female figures as painted by various old masters of Western painting (Heller 225). Even when Sherman was creating history portraits she worked out of books, with reproduction, she says that Its the aspect of photography that I appreciate, conceptually: the idea that images can be reproduced and seen anytime, anywhere, by anyone ( Kimmelman 145). Just like all the rest of her works, the history paintings do not depict a particular painting but depicts types for the history genre. Sherman creates the most memorable and humorous pictures of women. Often spoofing the awkward depictions of the female anatomy of the Old Masters paintings. Understanding how ridiculous these history paintings are helps the viewer understand that Sherman is mocking the Western canon and its depiction of royalty and religious figures (Thames and Hudson 12). Shermans next career move was to a raunchy pornographic depiction of individuals called the Sex Pictures. Using mannequins and body parts form medical catalogues, she constructs hybrid dolls. Rather then showing the dolls having sex, Sherman proudly shows the sex. Sherman created these works in response to the controversy over the National Endowment for the arts ands the debates over the constitute obscenity in the arts. Typically, pornography portrays sex as anonymous, but in Shermans series she depicts sex as ridiculous (Thames and Hudson 14). It Shermans work, the notion of self is completely abandoned, replaced by the concept of multiplicity, dissociation, and fluidity. Yet, her portraits do not appear as performances only unstable representations in ambiguous non-narratives making brief appearances, caught in a moment of ambivalent emotional expression (Sobieszek, 253). Much of her work is clearly meant to be ambiguous. Her pictures have been interpreted as feminist indictments of gender stereotyping, but Sherman insists that she is not political (Heller 226). References Danto, Arthur C. Cindy Sherman: Untitled Film Stills. New York: Rizzoli, 1990.. Heller, Nancy G. Women Artists and Illustrated History. New York: Abbeville Press, 1987. Kimmelman, Michael. Portraits. New York: Random House, 1998. Schjeldahl, Peter. Cindy Sherman. New York: Pantheon Books, 1984. Sherman, Cindy. The complete Untitled Film Stills. New York: The museum Of Modern Art, 2003. Sills, Leslie. In Real Life: Six Women Photographers. New York: Holiday House, 2000. Sobieszek, Robert A. Photography and The Human Soul 1850-2000. Los Angles: MIT Press and Los Angles County Museum of Art, 1999 Thames and Hudson. Cindy Sherman Retrospective. Chicago: Museum of Contemporary Art, 1998.

A case study on Levis Strauss. Essay -- Economics

A case study on Levis Strauss. Introduction Levis Strauss has been the market leader of blue denim Jeans since 1853, but of late the sales have started to plummet it has lost a huge amount of its share in the market. This has lead to closures of stores throughout America and layoff staff in this report I will look at the following questions 1. What is Levis Strauss environmental domain? 2. What factors in its environment are giving rise to opportunities and threats for Levis Strauss? 3. How are Levis managers trying to manage these opportunities and threats? 4. With reference to their Web site and additional research what is Levis current position. A report on Levis Strauss Question 1 Levis Strauss and co is one the worlds leading branded apparel companies. Levis design and market Jeans related products and casual clothes. Its product is sold world-wide. Established in 1853 by Levis Strauss it headquarters are based in San Francisco. It is a company that was valued over the 7 Billion dollar mark in 1997. Its most famous product lines are Silver Tab, Red Tab, Dockers and Levisengineered brand. At the current time Levis are trying to promote their New "Silver Tab" brand. It is regarded as their most "hippest clothes" and it appeals to the core teen market. Levis plan to spend 5 times the amount they have spent on the year before on promoting their products this is because they have realized recently they have lost a large sh...