How to be happy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How to be happy - Essay Example The quote illustrates the differences in perceptions, the complexities in the society and peace of mind that results from personal fulfillment. Equally, people have particular hobbies and leisure activities. There is no point in life that someone’s view of life or actions shall please everyone. It is in this context that the quote becomes handy by telling people to take responsibility for their happiness. The society will always find a fault in someone’s actions, dressing, education levels, or development. It is imperative to practice what you feel comfortable in and aim to make life enjoyable. The society has mixed characters, and we have to learn to accommodate everyone without hurting our feelings. Some people appreciate our efforts while others are jealous of every progress. Therefore, to be happy people should not care about others views so long as the actions are right. Happiness emanates from an individual’s satisfaction with him/herself. Hence, persons should act according to their principles to reduce instances of stress, acquire life fulfillment and happiness. Precisely, life is a cycle. The actions we undertake in the present shall influence our future. However, it is important to incorporate the aspect of one’s happiness in the pursuit of good health and long life. It is also essential to note that we are responsible for our happiness. We may end up living a boring and stressful life if we seek happiness from other persons. Therefore, take action to improve and appreciate yourself.

Procurement Analysis Implementation

Procurement Analysis Implementation The development of procurement strategy follows the stages in the life of a project. Initially, a preliminary strategy is determined. It is based on a broad definition of objectives and is an essential step in establishing the way forward for the project. It encourages the client to consider strategy early. The preliminary procurement strategy is usually developed with help from the clients adviser and possibly other consultants. Procurement strategy development has three components: †¢ analysis assessing and setting the priorities of the project objectives and requirements; †¢ choice considering possible options, evaluating them and selecting the most appropriate; and †¢ implementation putting the chosen strategy into effect. During strategy preparation, it may be necessary to seek specialist advice from other consultants, for example, in relation to expected costs for the project. The adviser should advise the client on this. Specialist advice should besought when developing the strategy for novel or especially difficult projects. Until construction contracts are let, the client, with help from his adviser, must systematically ensure that the strategy is on course to meet the projects established objectives. This is important because objectives sometimes change. Procurement Methods There are various methods of procurement which can be broadly classified under the following headings: Traditional Design and Build Two Stage Tendering Public Private Partnerships / Private Finance Initiative Management Contracting Construction Management Framework Agreements Each method has different aspects of risk transfer and no one method can be classed as best overall. Traditional Procurement In this method the Contractor builds to a defined scope of works for a fixed price lump sum. The client retains the responsibility for the design and the project team. The contractor will be appointed normally following a tender process or negotiation and will sign up to a contract for the works. There are a number of standard forms of building contract available for this purpose. Design and Build Procurement The Client appoints a building contractor, as before standard forms of contract are available for this purpose to provide a completed building to an agreed cost and programme. The Contractor is responsible for design and construction. The Contractor can be chosen through a tender process or through negotiation. The Client can appoint a consultant to oversee the works. Maximum risk is transferred following this method of procurement, although a commercial response to design in order to address contract conditions can result. An alternative is to appoint a contractor when designs have been developed in order to retain control of the important elements of design and specification. The Design Team can then transfer their contractual obligations to the contractor and complete the designs on behalf of the Contractor. This process is called Novation. Two Stage Tender Procurement In this process, the Contractor is appointed on the basis of a first stage tender which determines the level of overhead and profit for each Contractor. The Contractor then works with the Project Team during the second stage to develop the designs and establish detailed costings for separate project work elements. This process will provide for a fixed price on a detailed design basis. The provider can then enter into a contract on this fixed price basis and also pursue the opportunity to novate the Design Team as with the Design and Build Procurement route as previously noted. This process requires a long second stage period in which to design and tender the different work elements and therefore a start on site would occur later than normal. Public Private Partnerships Public Private Partnerships (PPP), particularly Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) projects are created for the provision of services and not specifically for the exclusive provision of capital assets such as buildings. It is therefore preferable to investigate PPPs as soon as possible after a user need has been identified rather than leaving it until a conventional construction project has been selected as the solution. It should be noted that the tendering process in this procurement route is expensive and requires negotiation rather than competitive tendering. In comparison with other procurement routes the time from commencement of the project to attaining a start on site is substantially longer. Management Contracting This is a fast track strategy which overlaps the design and construction stages and allows early elements of the construction process to be commenced before design has been completed. The Management Contractor is engaged to manage the overall contract in return for a fee. The Management Contractor can therefore be appointed early in the design and can advise on buildability and programming. In addition to the contract with the Management Contractor, the contracts for the individual work packages are between the Management Contractor and the individual sub-contractors. A cost plan is utilised to control the development costs although actual costs cannot be obtained until the final work package has been awarded. Construction Management This is also a fast track strategy where individual elements of the project are let before the design of later work packages or elements have been completed. The provider will appoint a Construction Manager to manage the overall contract in return for a management fee as with Management Contracting. Also, as before, the project can benefit from early involvement of the Contractor. In this process the contracts for the sub-contractors are placed directly between the Client and the sub-contractor and the Client will need to have a high level of involvement during the design development and the construction phases of the work. As with Management Contracting, the final costs will only be known once the final work elements have been awarded. Framework Agreements Framework Agreements can be established with single suppliers or with a limited number of suppliers. Frameworks can allow suppliers to be brought together with the relevant expertise and experience which can result in savings to both parties where a number of projects are involved. These agreements can cover different forms of procurement including Design and Build, Traditional, etc. The LSC are currently developing framework agreements for consultancy services accross the country. These should be available for use by colleges by early 2008. Following on from this, the LSC will also be working on developing a contractors framework. London Heathrow Airport (LHA/EGLL) Terminal 5, United Kingdom Terminal 5 is one of Europes largest and most complex construction projects. With 16 major projects and over 147 sub-projects, it has encompassed a vast and hugely complex programme of works. Key Data Start Year September 2002 Project Type New terminal construction Location London, UK Contract Value  £4.2bn Completion Phase 1 April 2008Phase 2 2011 Key Players Sponsors BAA, private investment, HM Government Lead Architect Richard Rogers Partnership Strategic Planning and Design Services Halcrow Group Ltd Cost Consultant Services E C Harris Group Ltd Turner and Townsend Group Planning Supervisor Bovis Engineering Ltd Structural Tunnel and Rail Consultant Mott MacDonald Ltd Project Management and Support Services Parsons Brinkerhoff Ltd Civil construction infrastructure and logistics delivery Laing ORourke Civil Engineering Ltd Architectural station design consultant architectural production and brief development HOK International Ltd Construction management Mace Ltd Technical features: In addition to the main terminal building, Terminal 5 also consists of two satellite buildings (the second of which will be completed by 2010), 60 aircraft stands, a new air traffic control tower, a 4,000 space multi storey car park, the creation of a new spur road from the M25, a 600 bed hotel, the diversion of two rivers and over 13 kilometres of bored tunnel, including extensions to the Heathrow Express and Piccadilly Line services. This work encompasses a multitude of construction related skills including civil engineering, building, highway engineering, mechanical  and  electrical engineering, tunnelling, railway engineering, specialist systems technology and project logistics management. The Stages of Construction: Stage1: Site preparation and enabling words Firstly the 260 hectare site was surveyed and excavated by archaeologists.   Preparation for construction then involved levelling the site, removing the sludge lagoons and building temporary facilities including roads, offices and logistics centres. Stage 2: Groundworks substructures This phase included the earthworks and the construction of the foundations and substructures for the terminal basements. It also included building the drainage systems and the rail tunnels.  Ã‚   A total of 9 million cubic meters of earth will have been excavated during the earthworks phase. A proportion of this earth was used to create the embankments for the M25 spur road and landscape the Colne Valley, while the rest is used to backfill the main site. Stage 3: Major structures This phase included erecting the huge free standing roof structure of the main terminal building (T5A), and its interior superstructure. It also included the superstructure and roof of the first satellite (T5B) as well as the multi-storey car park and ancillary buildings such as the energy centre. Stage 4: Fit out This involved the fit out of the buildings interiors including, the building services modules (ie, power, heating and ventilation systems), the baggage system, the track transit system (people mover) and specialist electronic systems.   It also included the fixtures and fittings and the retail areas. Stage 5: Implementation of operational readiness Operational readiness is necessary to ensure that Terminal 5s infrastructure and systems are fully complete and tested, that staff working in the terminal are properly trained and that all the necessary operational procedures for Terminal 5s opening day on 27 March 2008 are in place. Phase 2: Construction for the basements for the second satellite building (T5C) and additional aircraft stands commenced in 2006.   However, the main building structure will not be completed until 2010. Procurement Strategy Adopted T5 Agreement From the outset BAA recognised that the risk associated with such a huge and complex infrastructure project required a fresh approach to construction management.  Research conducted by BAA into major construction projects highlighted two key areas that seemed to undermine progress; cultural confusion and the reluctance to acknowledge risk.In a move to prevent Terminal 5 from suffering from costly delays and budget over-runs, BAA developed a unique and bespoke commercial partnering agreement with contractors and suppliers called The Terminal 5 agreement.  A contract based on relations and behaviours, it was designed to expose risk rather than transfer it to other parties. Advantages: a)UK construction best practice is expected as a minimum standard on, and in light of this the project has had to ensure key milestones are met on time, on cost and to high quality and safety standards. b)An incentive scheme encourages teams to work together in order to find the most efficient way of achieving these milestones. c)Through the agreement BAA accepts that it carries all of the risk for the construction project. d) Focus on managing out the cause of problems, not the effects if they happen e) Work in truly integrated teams in a successful, if uncertain environment f) Focus on proactively managing risk rather than avoiding litigation. g)With the burden of accountability lifted, those working on T5 can do so innovatively and positively. While traditional arrangements can result in a highly unproductive culture of blame and confrontation if something goes wrong, h)Under the T5 Agreement a premium is placed on delivering solutions and results. I)Many of the suppliers involved in Terminal 5 were brought on-board at the earliest stages of the planning process. This enabled completely integrated expert teams to work together to identify potential problems and issues before designs were finalised and fabrication and construction began. As a result the teams of suppliers and consultants are in a position to add value whilst designing safe solutions within the time, quality, cost and safety targets. j)UK construction best practice performance on Terminal 5 is expected as a minimum standard. In light of this, the project has to ensure key milestones are met on time, on cost and to high quality and safety standards. k) BAA only has a direct contractual relationship with ‘First Tier suppliers, of which there are around 60. It is the First Tier suppliers who are responsible for the appointment and management of ‘Second Tiersuppliers or subcontractors. In doing so they too are expected to operate within the spirit of the T5 Agreement. The English national stadium project at Wembley Key Facts about Wembley: The stadium will be used primarily for football and rugby league but will also, after adaptation, be capable of hosting major international athletics events. ! The project is expected to cost  £757 million and is scheduled for completion early in 2006. ! The Football Association is contributing  £148 million to the project and commercial lenders have provided debt facilities of  £433 million. ! The public sector funders are providing  £161 million ( £120 million of lottery money from Sport England,  £20 million from the Department for CultureMedia and Sport and  £21 million from the London Development Agency) to the project. ! The stadium will be owned and operated by Wembley National Stadium Limited,a wholly owned subsidiary of the Football Association. ! Profits from the operation of the stadium will be used by the Football Association in accordance with its objects for the benefit of football. ! Starting five years after the stadium opens, Wembley National Stadium Limited will donate one per cent of its turnover each year for distribution to sports education and other projects. Key Features: With 90,000 seats, the new Wembley is the largest stadium in the world with every seat under cover. This capacity is separated into 3 tiers of seating, with the lower tier holding 34,303 spectators, the middle one 16,932 and the upper one 39,165[14] The stadium contains 2,618 toilets, more than any other venue in the world.[15] The stadium has a circumference of 1  km (0.6  mi).[2] At its peak, there were more than 3,500 construction workers on site.[16] 4,000 separate piles form the foundations of the new stadium,[2] the deepest of which is 35  m (115  ft).[2] There are 56 km (35 miles) of heavy-duty power cables in the stadium.[2] 90,000  m ³ (120,000  cu  yds) of concrete and 23,000 tonnes (25,000 short tons) of steel were used in the construction of the new stadium.[2] The total length of the escalators is 400  m ( ¼Ã‚  mi).[2] The Wembley Arch has a diameter greater than that of a cross-channel train.[17][18]

Compare and Contrast: ‘A desirable society’ Essays -- Literary Analysi

Both Andre Brink’s ‘A Dry White Season’ and James Joyce’s ‘The Dead’ display two very different societies undergoing artistic, cultural and political transitions. In 1914, Ireland saw the Nationalist party at its peak, where Irish society was desperately searching for a sense of cultural identity and political stability. Joyce takes an apolitical approach in order to objectively show Dublin to his fellow Dubliners in his ‘nicely polished looking glass.’ Andre Brink, in comparison, documents a temporal shift into 1976, during the Soweto uprising, in which the non-white population of South Africa protested against the Nationalist Party’s apartheid regime. Brink, like Joyce, draws upon this inspiration to offer a truthful commentary upon South African society. Although both novels are placed within entirely contrasting contexts, both display similar themes of political unrest and social division, which reveals two very flaw ed and undesirable societies. In this essay I will compare and contrast the ways in which Joyce and Brink portray the societies that they are a part of. I will compare the treatment of colonisation, segregation and both cultural and nationalistic identity in each novel, and argue the integrity of each author’s commentary and critiques upon two transforming nations. Colonisation plays an important role in both Brink’s A Dry White Season and Joyce’s The Dead. Brink bases the events of his novel around the Soweto uprising, in which South Africa’s non-whites fought against the Nationalist Party’s apartheid regime. The main conflict was over the Nationalist Party proposing schooling in non-white schools to be carried out in both English and Afrikaans languages. The non-white student population much preferr... ...ue of national identity, with the influence of colonisation and conflicting ideas. One detail that is consistent in both Joyce’s The Dead and Brink’s A Dry White Season is the completely apolitical and factual approach the authors take. Without forcing any ideas upon the reader, Joyce and Brink allow us to construct our own opinions upon the way in which their societies operate. Works Cited Deane, Seamus. 1982. Joyce and Nationalism. Sussex: The Harvester Press Diala, Isidore. 2002. History and the inscriptions of torture as a purgatorial fire in Andre Brink’s fiction. Texas: University of North Texas Levenson, Michael. 1994. Living History in â€Å"The Dead.† New York: St Martin’s Press Pecora, Vincent P. 1986. â€Å"The Dead† and the Generosity of the Word. PMLA 101.2 Schwarz, Daniel R. 1994. â€Å"The Dead† A Critical History. New York: St Martin’s Press

Former president of South Africa Essay

My friends and I had joined and have been a member of the African National Congress for a long time. Our non-stop mission is to remove apartheid. Since 1944, when I had just joined the antiapartheid organization ANC, we have been trying to talk with the government officials about the unfairness and the disadvantages of apartheid. Our non-violent mission to get rid of apartheid seems to go nowhere. The United Nations and the United States, too, is backing us up with our couple of hundred black colored folks. Since the government is mostly white dominated, they wouldn’t listen to our concerns because removing apartheid would be a great disadvantage for them. Most factory or company owners are white. Removing apartheid would mean that they would have to pay the blacks and the colored folks the same money since right now white people get more paid than us. This is just one of the many things the whites would suffer if an antiapartheid nation was formed. In the footsteps of Mohandas Gandhi we pursue a non-violent protest. â€Å"I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.† Clearly, one could draw the point on how miserable our lives were and under these circumstances you suffer greatly or stand up for your culture, stand up for your country and the meaning of our tribes. A changing world demands redefinition of old concepts. Africa, first step where humans took on this planet and we follow the biblical rules. â€Å"I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.† Dear Journal: November 1962 This is my first night in prison. I do not write to you in shame since I believe to be lucky enough to escape hanging. I am currently imprisoned at Robben Island with some of my colleagues for protesting against the true Africans not having any democratic rights, which wiped out the possibility of bringing peace to South Africa. We Africans do not even have any of the Basic Human Rights. We are born with these rights and unless we give them up  for a certain type of government they are ours to keep. Us not having any human rights was an unarguable point since at Sharpeville in March of 1960 the police fired at an African crowd and killing 67. Most of them were shot in the back. â€Å"No one in his right senses would choose such a life, but there comes a time when a man is denied the right to live a normal life, when he can only live the life of an outlaw because the government had so decreed to use the law.† I could have continued with my life with what I was taught to do in life; fight, and since I was almost considerably a professional boxer I could have made good money and have a high-social life. But I chose to fight for our Basic Human rights, bring peace and end apartheid. And is this what I get for trying to get equal rights? I have been sentenced for life in this forbidding, desolate place. â€Å"This was my home. It was so big at the time. I don’t know why it is so small now.† I am treated harshly in this place. We do not receive healthy food and we have to work in a lime quarry. I can only write letters no longer than 500 words every six months and eventually I was able to talk with Winnie my dearest wife. We were not allowed to read books nor newspapers so the only way I could get information about what is going outside was through Winnie and her letters. Dear Journal:December 27, 1988 You could say I’m getting used to my imprisonment. Since December, I was moved to a cottage at Victor Verster Prison. The reason I believe why the government moved me to this comfortable prison is because; back in August, when I became very ill the government was afraid that if I died there would be a massive revolt. Because of my enormous popular support, I was taken to one of the best medical centers in the country. When in October I felt better, I was moved here. I feel much safer and more comfortable. This was just a prison farm even with a swimming pool. At least I do not have to work on fixing roads and collecting seaweed on hot summer days. During the winter, back at Robben Island, we worked at Limestone Quarry and after 10 years of labor my doctor told me that I shouldn’t lift so hard. The South African Government published my photos to show how much comfort I was living in. After all the restrictions I have received, these were the first photos of myself since 1966. â€Å"In the name of the law, I found myself treated as a  criminal†¦not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of my conscience.† After all I did expect them to treat me harshly, I was the one of few man who stood up for my country and because of what I was trying to accomplish made it so unbearable towards the government. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.† The United Nations Article states that all men shall have the basic human right, independence and equal treatment. So I shall receive that right. Dear Journal:August 17, 1984 I have been telling you about in how horrible living conditions that black people live in. But maybe you don’t exactly know what they are. Well let me tell you a broad definition of apartheid. Apartheid was a law unfair to black people in South Africa and it was made even before I was born. It limited our civil rights. We couldn’t vote nor have proper jobs. We endured bad housing such as slums with no electricity or pluming. Black people were arrested most of the time for no major particular reason and put into really bad prisons. So now you know why it is so important for me to end apartheid. â€Å"A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness†¦.The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.† After 20 years at Robben Island, the state’s most guarded prison, my people were asking for my independence. In my isolation section, I was secretly able to keep track of what was going on at the outside world. According to the information I received, newspapers started writing headlines such as â€Å"FREE MANDELA† and â€Å"LET MANDELA GO.† I was so respected and recognized that the whole world started to notice how much the people wanted to free me. What I don’t understand is why they waited so long. It was hard to know what was going on but I made it my business to keep track of what was happening in my nation and in the world. The United States and Great Britain were naming streets and parks after me. I didn’t realize till today how people looked up to me  and considered me important, for what I have tried to do and will still try; end apartheid. Human rights groups and Universities gave me honors and awards but it was impossible for them to ever reach me. It’s not like they’re papers which could be sneaked in, well I will just have to wait till I receive my independence. Dear Journal:May 11, 1994 Yesterday was one the happiest days of my life. I was the president of South America. After 27 years if suffering in prisons. After the next 4 years of my release I had been involved in rebels against the government, beside my followers. These last 4 years chaotic and violent. My supporters fought viciously with the Inkatha Party of the Zulu chief Gatsha Buthelezi. Many were killed on their side but unfortunately so did many on our side. When in 1986 I started to make negotiations with Botha I had refused his deal to give me my freedom under such conditions where I had to live in Transkei, reject violence and many other things. If I accepted these conditions just for my freedom, it would be a violation of what I stand for in my spot at the ANC. I kept it a secret till when I had to tell my friends so they could help me get my freedom and I could do well for my nation. The new President of South Africa and leader of the National Party, F.W. de Klerk, in the end decided to release myself and the other political prisoners. He also made ANC legal so I when I asked him for my freedom he released me. On February, 1990 I was released. But my joyful days weren’t over yet. A general election was held in April, 1994. And about a year after the elections, yesterday I became the new and first black president of South America. â€Å"Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another†¦. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!† The people were dependant on me because they knew that I would spare a civil war and follow whatever the ANC says to do so. As the people saw me end apartheid along F.W. de Klerk back in 1993 and received the Nobel Peace price, they expected me to bring many other good reforms. I promise to change the whole perception towards black people.

De Stijl

De Stijl in Dutch means â€Å" The Style†, also known as neoplasticism, was a Dutch artistic movement founded in 1917. The movement was mainly about creating geometric abstract paintings. In a narrower sense, De Stijl was a term used refers to a body of work from 1917 to 1931 founded in Netherlands. De Stijl was also the name of the journal, which published by the Dutch painter, designer, writer, and critic Theo van Doesburg (1883 ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œ1931), propagating the group’s theories.Besides him, the principal members of De Stijl group include painters Piet Mondrian (1872–1944), Vilmos Huszar (1884–1960), and Bart van der leck (1876-1958), and the architects Gerrit Rietveld (1888–1964), Robert van’t Hoff (1887–1979), and J. J. P. Oud (1890–1963). The basic artistic philosophy of the group’s work was known as neoplasticism — â€Å"the new plastic art (or Nieuwe Beelding in Dutch). †In general, De Stijl used only straight horizontal and vertical lines and rectangular forms to proposed both in architecture and painring , the ultimate simplicity and abstraction. For example,the Red and Blue Chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1917. They used limited colors like red, yellow, and blue as their formal vocabulary. And they had three primary values, black, white, and grey. Their works used opposition to avoid symmetry and attained aesthetic balance. This element of the movement embodies the second meaning of stijl: a post, jamb or support†. It was the best example of the constructive crossing joints, most commonly seen in carpentry. De Stijl was influenced by Cubist painting as well as by the mysticism and the ideas about â€Å"ideal† geometric forms in the neoplatonic philosophy of mathematician M. H. J. Schoenmaekers. This movement also influenced the Bauhaus style and the international style of architecture as well as clothing and interior design.However, different from Bauhaus, D e Stijl didn’t follow the general guidelines of an â€Å"ism† (Cubism, Futurism, Surrealism), nor did it held the principles of art schools like the Bauhaus. It was a collection of artworks and a joint enterprise. De Stijl completely rejected to use any concrete element. They advocated the use of pure geometric abstraction to express the pure spirit. They thought only to put aside specific description and details to avoid the individuality and specificity of an artwork, and then art could obtain the common human sense.

Mass Media Essay Essays

Mass Media Essay Essays Mass Media Essay Essay Mass Media Essay Essay Mass Media’s Influence on Americas’ Youth Does mass media influence children and teenagers more than their friends and family? That’s the question mainstream America is asking. America’s youth today is faced with an issue that adolescents in past decades never experienced. Young people today are flooded with media such as television, music, movies, magazines, newspapers, internet, and more. Media is overly accessible and virtually impossible to hide from in a world now dependent on it. The main concern that always comes up in the discussion of mass media is its many negative impacts on children and teens in American society. Mass media is a dominant force in the United States and across the world that shapes and molds young people in a variety of ways, creating ideas and theories that hold huge influence in the perceptions and actions of these adolescents. Many times these perceptions and ideals shown through mass media are very harmful to the development of children and teenagers in the United States. Mass media in the United States lacks government intervention and regulation. One of the reasons that there may not be strict enough rules for mass media could be that most broadcast companies in the United States are privately owned. These private companies receive no government funding. For example, public radio and public television are funded and controlled by government. Therefore, the government holds little leverage in telling these corporations what to do. Mass media’s effect in regards to violent behavior shows why the government regulation of mass media needs to be stricter than they currently are. The watching of violence is a very popular form of entertainment in mainstream America. A crowd of pedestrians enjoy a street fight just as the Greek enjoyed watching Spartans battle in the arena. Boxing and Wrestling are one of the most popular spectator sports on television in the United States and around the world. Violence is the most frequently depicted genre in television and movies. News programs provide extensive coverage of violent crimes just to bump up their ratings. Another way these kids are viewing this violence is through their videogames. Videogames such as Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty are among the most popular videogame titles on the market. According to CNN Grand Theft Auto sold 3. million copies and generated $310 million dollars in sales in its first day. The more violent the videogames are, the more copies they sell. Just imagine how different things might be in a world without children playing violent videogames or watching gory movies nearly every day. In a research study reported in the Journal of Adolescent Health the results reported were that on 23 channels recorded more than half of the material was filled with violence (Brown and Witherspoon 2002). Many of these television shows that contain violent material depict unrealistic effects. For example, there could be an extremely horrific gun shooting or stabbing in a movie and the character lives. However, the reality is that a gun shooting or a stabbing will most likely result in death. One common example of violent behavior being glorified through television and movies is bank robberies. These movies make robbing banks seem appealing because of the ease in which they take the money while underplaying the consequences that go along with a serious crime such as this. Many parents observe their children and teenagers copying behaviors that they have picked up in films and TV shows. It is quite apparent that this process leads to a greater frequency of violence. Mass media’s influence on sexuality is another controversial topic. Media is one way America’s youth learn and see sexual behavior. â€Å"Adolescence is the stage when individuals develop independent identities by disengaging from their parents and interacting more extensively with their peers† (Paek et al. 2011). Considering that at this stage adolescents are not guided by their parents as much as in prior stages of their life it becomes increasingly important that the mass media influences adolescent sexuality. The mass media are an increasingly accessible way for people to learn about and view sexual behavior. The media is especially important and influential for teenagers as they begin developing their own sexual beliefs and patterns of behavior. Media is often the only influence in these young people’s life as parents and schools remain reluctant to discuss sexual topics. In the United States, young people spend 6 to 7 hours each day on average with some form of media (Brown and Witherspoon 2002). Brown and Witherspoon report, â€Å"almost all teens have their own source of music †¦ and more than wo-thirds have their own television †¦ in their bedroom† (Brown and Witherspoon 2002). Many of those televisions also are hooked up to cable. These numbers will have surely increased over the past decade if history repeats itself. A report published in the Journal of Sex Research concluded that mass media has a profound influence on adolescent sexual attitudes and sexual practices (Brown 2002). The availability of sexual content continues to increase. According to Forbes Magazine internet pornography is now a billion dollar per year industry. Sexual content is flooding through mainstream media. It is clear in regards to sexuality in media that it influences the way adolescents think and behave sexually. Media also effects how early young people begin to start having sexual activities. Young people interpret sexual media content differently than adults; they also evaluate and incorporate what they are seeing into their own lives. â€Å"Both children and adults have been reported to believe the media is a central source of information on sex and sexuality for young people† (Werner-Wilson, Fitzharris, Morrisey 2004). Considering that adults are reportedly looking to the internet as a resource for sexual questions or curiosity it’s easy to understand why children are also looking to the internet as a sexual resource. Young teens in America are having sex earlier, and with more partners because of what they see in the media. It’s simply natural to behave the way you see others behaving. Another disturbing effect caused by mass media is in regards to health. Mass media continues to put out content that does nothing to promote good health and a lot to cause unhealthy behavior among young people. A study on media and American teenagers showed that 8 to 18 year-olds spend 6 to 7 hours a day with some type of media and over 20 hours a week just with music (Brown and Witherspoon 2002). The most dangerous health effects caused by media are on young women. Young women all over the United States and the world are starving themselves in an effort to become skinnier. The reason these women are striving to become skinnier is because of the perception that mass media has created on what beauty is. In a study shown by the Society for Adolescent Medicine, nearly one quarter of college girls are engaging in some form of anorexic behavior (Brown and Witherspoon 2002). Not only has this standard of what a woman should look like affected these women physically but it has also completely diminished many of these women’s self-esteem. According to the National Institute of Mental Health anorexia often develops during teen years or young adulthood. Since it is already known that the teen years are when adolescents are most impressionable, it makes perfect sense that anorexia often develops during this period. The full name for this disorder is anorexia nervosa. The characteristics of anorexia include emaciation, starvation, self-esteem issues, and fear of weight gain. The effects of this eating disorder can be deadly. Some of the most serious problems include brain damage and organ failure. Tobacco is largely depicted in the media. According to the National Institute of Health, people who start smoking before the age of 21 have the hardest time quitting. About 30% of youth smokers will continue smoking and die early from a smoking-related disease. Teen smokers are more likely to use alcohol and illegal drugs they are more likely to have panic attacks, anxiety disorders and depression. A research study conducted by Hye-Jin Peak, Albert Gunther, Douglas McLeod, and Thomas Hove explored the degree that peer perceptions effect adolescents’ truthfully reporting whether or not they have been exposed to anti-smoking efforts thru mass media (Peak, Gunther, McLeod, and Hove 2011). This study also evaluated how peer perceptions affect adolescents’ effect whether or not the teens smoke or how they feel about smoking (Peak et al. 011). The research study results explained that media influence on adolescents showed a strong correlation between increased media and increased smoking in adolescents (Peak et al. 2011). Considering the research results leads one to believe that if stricter laws were made on commercials for tobacco then maybe fewer kids would be smoking. If the United States Government examined how other nations re gulate mass media they may be enlightened. â€Å"Recognition of the harmful effects of smoking has led many countries to restrict tobacco advertising. In some, such as New Zealand and Norway, cigarette consumption decreased significantly after the bans† (Brown and Witherspoon 2002). Media Portrayal of cigarette popularity contributes to the likelihood of adolescents beginning to smoke. As of today there are some restrictions on tobacco marketing, but these restrictions are very weak and hardly effective. As for image advertising, the agreement does not ban actual photos of people trying to entice adolescents to start smoking, only the cartoon images for cigarette advertising (Petty 1999). All advertisements are still allowed to picture people (Petty 1999). â€Å"Beer and wine are also among the most heavily advertised products on television and radio† (Brown and Witherspoon 2002). Considering that beer and wine are so heavily advertised in the mass media main stream America should really be considering the impact of alcohol use on United States’ adolescent population. According to the National Institute of Health there were 2. 8 million alcohol related injury deaths among 18 to 24 year-old college students from 1998 to 2001. If the Mass Media didn’t idealize alcohol as glamorous then certainly there would not have been as many tragic unnecessary deaths of young people during this 3 year period. The number of negative effects caused by mass media is extraordinary. Media negatively affects individual’s self-concept, attitudes, and behavior. It is impossible not to see how much the negative effects on youth out-weigh the positives. What can be done to change the status quo media has set in the U. S.? Focusing on a variety of categories; not just violence, sexuality, and self-esteem may be helpful. Perhaps if from the time children became toddlers they are not able to see Hustler and Penthouse magazines that contain explicit nudity at a party store or gas station counter that would be step one in gaining some kind of protection or censorship for our children. The world is constantly evolving. â€Å"Young people today are growing up in a world unlike anything previous generations have experienced. Today’s youth have greater access to forms of communication than ever before† (Brown and Cantor 2000). Surely the future of America’s adolescents is extremely important to most all Americans. Therefore, it only makes sense that since mass media is changing drastically then the rules regulating mass media must change drastically too. Brown, Jane. â€Å"Mass Media Influences on Sexuality. † The Journal of Sex Research 39. 1, Promoting Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior (Feb. , 2002), pp. 42-45. Jstor. Oakland Community University. 28 Jul. 2011 Brown, Jane, and Elizabeth M. Witherspoon. â€Å"The Mass Media and American Adolescents’ Health. † The Journal of Adolescent Health 31. 6s, (2002) pp. 154-167. Oakland Community University. 8 Jul. 2011 Brown, Jane, and Joanne Cantor. â€Å"An Agenda for Research on Youth and the Media†. The Journal of Adolescent Health 27. 2s, (2000) pp. 1-7. Oakland Community University. 28 Jul. 2011 Paek, Hye-Jin, Albert C. Gunther, Douglas M. McCleod, and Thomas Hove. â€Å"How Adolescents Perceived Media Influence on Peers Affects Smoking Decisions. † The Journal of Consumer Affairs pp. 123-146. (201 1). Wayne State University. 12 Aug. 2011 Petty, Ross. â€Å"Tobacco Marketing Restrictions in the Multistate Attorneys General Settlement: Is This Good Public Policy. Journal of Public Policy Marketing 18. 2, (1999), pp. 249-257. Jstor. Oakland Community University. 6 Aug. 2011 Thompson, Kenneth, and Anita Sharma. â€Å"Secularization, Moral Regulation and the Mass Media. † The British Journal of Sociology 49. 3, (1998), pp. 434-455. Jstor. Oakland Community University. 6 Aug. 2011 Werner-Wilson, Ronald Jay, Jennifer Lynn Fitzharris, and Kathleen M. Morrissey. â€Å"Adolescent and Parent Perceptions of Media Influence on Adolescent Sexuality. † Adolescence 39. 154 (2004). Wayne State University. 12 Aug. 011 CNN on the Web. 14 August 2011. http://articles. cnn. com/2008-05-08/tech/gta. sales_1_ea-sales-grand-theft-auto-iv? _s=PM:TECH. NIH on the Web. 14 August 2011 nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/smokingandyouth. html. NIMH on the Web. 14 August 2011 nimh. nih. gov/healt h/publications/eating-disorders/complete-index. shtml. FORBES on the Web. 14 August 2011 forbes. com/2001/05/25/0524porn. html. Web. August 14 collegedrinkingprevention. gov/media/Mag_and_Prev_ARPH_April_2005. pdf.

Gambling Casinos essays

Gambling Casinos essays Gambling Casinos: A Plague on Society Gamblers no longer need to trek to Las Vegas or Atlantic City to find the action they so badly crave. It is available today in their own hometowns. Legalized gambling is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. Gamblings tremendous popularity is evident in the recent increase in the number of off-track betting parlors (OTBs) and riverboat casinos that dot the midwest and the Mississippi Delta. Billboards on major highways depict the action and excitement available at such facilities. For most of the industrys patrons, gambling is fun and a form of harmless entertainment. For the four to six percent of gamblers who become problem or pathological (compulsive) gamblers, however, it can be a devastating illness that negatively affects every aspect of their lives. Im worried that the more legalized gambling havens that open up, the more problems we can expect as a result of them. The greatest social cost of legalized gambling is the probable increase in problem and pathological gambling. In Connecticut for example, the Foxwoods Resort Casino opened up in 1995 and the number of pathological gamblers sky-rocketed. In 1994, there were 235 calls to the Gambling Anonymous hotline and in 1995 (after the casino opened), there were 588. In 1997, the state of Connecticut also launched a massive media campaign for community awareness of the social problem and encourage to get help for people with gambling addictions because at least 70,000 adults in Connecticut have gambling problems. Pathological gambling is a progressive disease that devastates not only the gambler, but everyone with whom he or she has a significant relationship. In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association accepted pathological gambling as a disorder of impulse control . It is an illness that is chronic and progressive, but it can be diagnosed and ...