Historical inaccuracies in Ridley Scott’s film `Gladiator Essay

In recent years the emergence of filmmakers who expressed interest in adapting historical events as wide-screen presentations has revitalized public interest on historical events. But the usual problem is that the general public’s view usually gets distorted due to contemporary filmmakers’ nasty habit of utilizing their artistic license to its full extent More often than not, adaptations of historical events like Ridley Scott’s Gladiator offers a glimpse of early civilizations but neglects the aspect of historical accuracy which in turn cannibalizes scholarly efforts to reconcile public interest in the actual historical events. The glitz and glamour of commercial cinema is in large part responsible for the historical inaccuracies of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. Martin Winkler (17) suggests that the reason behind a historical film’s departure from its origins is that the fiction which causes the inaccuracy is what sparks viewer interest in the first place. In accordance to Winkler’s theory, the elements incorporated in Gladiator contributes to the film’s historical infidelity; its principal characters, chronology, production design, and supposed intent of exhibiting the authentic life and culture of Imperial Rome, has been diluted by the filmmakers’ aesthetics. As per what the film entails, the structure of the Gladiator’s narrative appears to be drastically shortened. Commodus’ reign was marked by numerous assassination plots, including a scheme that involved her own sister Lucilla, all accounts of murdering the treacherous emperor have neither been established nor even mentioned in the film. Historical accounts further suggest that Commodus’ reign ended 13 years later upon his assassination (Boatwright, Gargola, & Talbert 405-406), the film, on the other hand, although the time frame of events were never actually mentioned or given much attention, it illustrated that Commodus reigned no more than two years (Ward 33). The film also depicts that Emperor Commodus died in a gladiatorial duel with Maximus, obviously in a coliseum, with the intent of bringing back democracy to Rome and re-establishing the country as a republic. While the 73rd book of Cassius Dio’s eye-witness account of Roman History imparts that a wrestler who popularly went by the name Narcissus choked the life out of Commodus, and the incident happened in the emperor’s bath. The film’s characters also share an extent of inaccuracy with the actual historical personalities from which they are derived from. Evidently, from appearance to characteristics, the film’s Commodus did not reflect the Roman Emperor whom history recognized. Primarily, Commodus’, in the film, is bequeathed as a dark hared man in his mid 20s who fights with his right hand and has an underdeveloped physique (Ward 33). While the historical Emperor Commodus was and 18-year old blonde with a well developed physique and fought with his left hand (Kyle 224-227). Likewise, the actual description of Commodus’ personal traits was inconsistent with the film as the historical Commodus was notorious for his corruption, violence, and lust for blood. The film shows the aforementioned characteristics through Commodus’ fixations on sports such as beast-hunting, chariot-racing, and gladiator combat as well as his claims to have won over 1,000 battles (Ward 32). However, Scott’s incarnation contradicts the true nature of the roman emperor as he is characterized by his guiltless lack of emotion and compassion, ruthlessness, cowardice, and mental instability (Hekster 53-56). Contrary to the film’s illustration that Lucilla had an 8-year old son named Lucius Verus, Allan M. Ward’s Gladiator in Historical Perspective entails that, historically, the son who went by the name Lucius Verus died during infancy. Also, Lucilla gave birth to three children during her marriage with Lucius Verus Marcus and only one of the three children survived and grew up, an unidentified daughter who became part of the assassination scheme against Commodus. Lucilla, however, bore a son but she did so in her marriage, with Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus, and the boy’s name was Aurelius Commodus Pompeianus who was 6-years old during the time of the film’s events. Similarly, the reason behind the strained father-daughter relationship between Lucilla and Marcus was the latter’s arrangements of a second marriage for his widowed daughter. Apart from the disrespecting reality that the second marriage occurred only 9 or ten moths after Verus’ demisae as well as the tremendous gap between the couple’s ages (Lucilla was 19 while Claudius Pompeianus was approximately in his 50s), Lucilla also felt undignified by the fact that her new spouse came from a family of provincial equestrians in Antioch, Syria (Ward 33-34). However, the film did not took such event into account leaving the reason behind the cold relationships between the former emperor and former Augusta vague (Ward 33-34). The film’s central character Maximus Decimus Meridius, is a fictional character based on the archetypes of able-bodied men from the far reaches of the empire’s jurisdiction who served as the materialization of Marcus Aurelius’ persisting idea of using men beneficial to the imperial cause (Ward 38). To a similar extent, Maximus’s character is attributed to two recognizable Roman political and military personalities, Marcus Nonius Macrinus who was one of Marcus Aurelius’ closest friends and Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus who was partly responsible for the Roman triumph over Marcomannic War in the film’s beginning (Popham). George Depue Hadzsits (70) suggests that a film such as Gladiator is more likely to revive interest in the subject of history considering that scholarly efforts simply produce fragments of history which does not fulfil the human yearning for knowledge. Hadzsits furthers that despite such visual spectacles’ temporal didactic value and lack of attention on the angle of accuracy, at least the interest for the subject matter is roused (Hadzsits 71). The problem with Gladiator, conversely, is that its revival of interest in Roman History, or ancient world history for that matter, seems to delineate the supposed dissemination of ancient Roman culture and alters it with norms that the filmmaker deems right. In terms of production design, the armour and weaponry worn and yielded by the gladiators appear to have a medieval design rather than Roman. Allan Ward (39) writes that gladiators had already been placed under categories like eques or horseman, provocator which is believed to be the term for challenger, murmillo or what is considered as water combatants, hoplomachus or gladiators who wield heavy weaponry, retiarius the net fighters, and secutors or contraretriarius otherwise characterized as the light armed fighters. However, Ward (39) argues that the film does not seem to highlight the distinctions between gladiators as all of the competitors generally wore the same armour with little differences in weapons of choice. Ward furthers that each fighter category comes with a different set of weapons and armour as well as a different style in combat. The matches between two gladiators are dependent of their category and fighting abilities, a secutor, for instance was often matched with a retriarius, perhaps due to the resemblance in the nature of their weapons and battle skills. Moreover, gladiators within a similar category were not paired to pit against each other, with the exception of the horsemen and the challengers. As mentioned earlier, one of the premises tied with Gladiator is the tendency to rouse interest on the life and culture of ancient Rome, but in this context the film is also inaccurate. James R. Keller (88) implicates that Gladiator imposes the American devotion to the principles of democracy. Initially, the final confrontation between Maximus and Commodus should incite the cultural importance of gladiatorial combat in ancient Rome, however, the re-arranged plot of the film that caused the conflict between the former general and the treacherous emperor to fail in its attempt to do so. The conflict then suggests that Maximus represents every working class, freedom loving American while Commodus serves as the embodiment of the corrupt, insensitive, and inconsiderate aristocrat (Keller 88). In its inaccurate entirety, Gladiator has proven itself to be more of a costume drama adaptation rather than a re-telling of an antiquated historical tale. Despite the filmmakers’ efforts to conduct research and seek consultation for relevant information about the film’s source, the direction remained in the production people’s perspective and not with the scholarly one as the motion picture continued with the re-arranged biographical information of the characters and the reformatted events in the lives of the characters. In addition, the film simply delivered a visual spectacle rather than a knowledgeable historical fact. Martin M. Winkler (204-205) writes that film producers and other individuals concerned with marketing cultural products habitually call on scholars to guide them in marketing historical films. This is, in large part, brought about by producers’ beliefs that scholar credibility is enough to amplify the promised prestige and revenue of their product. Scholarly prestige according to Winkler is mainly vital as a marketing strategy, but a more appropriate term seems to be deceptive advertising as investing parties and supposed artists convince the public of the accuracy of their distorted historical documentation with the aid of renowned experts

Is Marxism Still Relevant Today?

The Industrial Revolution (1750-1850) had brought about significant changes in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation and technology and subsequently established an era of unprecedented economic growth in capitalist economies. It was within this era that Karl Marx had observed the deprivation and inequality experienced by men of the proletariat, the working class, who had laboured excessively for hours under inhumane conditions to earn a minimum wage while the bourgeoisie, the capitalist class, reaped the benefits.For Marx it was this fundamental inequality within the social and economic hierarchy that had enabled capitalist societies to function. While Marx’s theories, in many instances have been falsified and predictions invalid, his ideas about class struggle and conflict being a motivator for change is still relevant in contemporary society. The disparity of wealth between occupations in Australia demonstrates that class stratification is still inherent within society and the recent Qantas airline dispute is a relevant example of this.Marx’s theory of class struggle originates with his belief that â€Å"the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles† (Marx & Engel, 1848). Marx had established that conflict between classes was the key driving force of history and the main determinant of social change. For Marx, conflict originates with the deterioration of a ‘false consciousness’ and the subsequent acquisition of a unified ‘class consciousness’.Marx argued that that proletariat was under the influence of a ‘false consciousness’ brought about with the acceptance of the dominant ideology that freedom and equality could be interpreted as an equal exchange of labour for wages (van Krieken et al. , 2010). Marx however, perceived this as an exploitive relationship because in capitalism, the labourer only receives what is deemed sufficient to meet his basic needs for himself and his family, as opposed to the real value of his labour power.Marx had identified that the difference between the labourer’s wage and the value of the goods in which he produces is taken as profit, of which only the capitalist is the beneficiary (Habibis & Walter, 2009). Marx had theorised that, as a result of this exploitive relationship, alienation would occur. Marx argued that commodification of goods and services produced in conjunction with the lack of control over the end result would mean that workers would no longer recognise a connection with their labour, and hence become alienated from their labour.Only with the recognition of class exploitation and alienation would a class consciousness develop. Marx referred to class consciousness as a ‘class for itself’, denoting a collective self-awareness of the interests shared by members of a social group (van Krieken et al. , 2010). Marx predicted that class consciousness would create a conflict of interest between classes and revolution would eventuate. The bourgeoisie would be overthrown, capitalism would collapse and a classless state would emerge as its successor (van Krieken et al. , 2010). In post-modern times however, it is widely accepted that the opposite occurred.Critics insist that Marxism’s credibility was eradicated with the fall of the communist states within the ‘Eastern Bloc’. While others such as China, although still governed by a communist party, have adopted numerous capitalist policies (van Krieken et al. , 2010). Marxism has also been criticised for its over-concentration on economic relationships and its tendency to overlook other forms of non-economic conflicts (Griffith, 2005). Feminists, for example, argue that the conflicts between male and female relations are not necessarily related to economics, but patriarchal.Furthermore, Marx like other social theorists at the time had ignored the role and contribution of women. Marx had described the proletariat of industrial societies where manual labour was involved; he did not however, take into consideration a woman’s domestic or reproductive labour. Federici (2004) asserts that Marx failed to recognise the importance of reproductive labour because he had adopted the capitalist criteria for what constitutes labour and believed that a wage in exchange for labour would be the paradigm that shapes humanity. Considering that as of 2010, 45. % of the Australian labour force comprised of women it would seem that Marx’s socialist perspective is less so equal or relevant in contemporary society. Marxism is often cited as being irrelevant within contemporary society due to the fact that Marx had critiqued an almost incomparable society. McDonald & Brownlee (2001) argue that contemporary society exists in a post-modern era where westernised societies enjoy the benefits of higher living standards, where the rights of employees are elicited within the Austra lian Constitution and the rights of humans are dictated within Geneva conventions.An era where employees are entitled to government pensions, allowances, superannuation, and employees accrue sick and annual leave (McDonald & Brownlee, 2001). Furthermore employees are able to seek union representation and are legally entitled to industrial action. McDonald and Brownlee (2001) assert that Fair Work Australia, established as an institution responsible for fixating minimum wage and resolving work related disputes, perpetuates the notion that Australia is in transition to become an egalitarian society with minimal class disparity.Critics have also argued that Marxism within western society is no longer relevant due to the increased levels of social mobility. Social mobility refers to movement in an individual’s or group’s social position over time and is often assessed on their change in income over time (Borgatta & Montogomery, 2000). The traditional stratification of clas ses had a tendency to overlook the middle class and analyse the two extremes of rich and poor, bourgeoisie and proletariat (van Krieken et al. 2010). In the context of Marxism, the middle class was ignored due to their perceived limited role within the political revolution that would depose of capitalism. In contemporary society however, the traditional labouring occupations have decreased, leading to a shortage of skilled labourers and tradesman. As a result these occupations often earn a higher income, blurring the line between working class and middle class (Braverman, 1974).In August 2011 the most common occupations were distinctly white collar with the workforce comprising of 22% professionals, 15% Clerical and administrative workers and 14% Technicians and trades workers (Australian Bureau Statistics, 2011). The evident emergence of the white collar-middle class within contemporary society significantly undermines Marx’s theory of class stratification who had predicted an absorption into the working class and the emergence of a classless state. Despite this however, research has suggested that social mobility has not necessarily increased.Graetz and McAllister (1994) identified that while the shift between manual and non-manual occupations has increased since the 1970’s, most of this has been the result of structural changes in light of technological innovations and advancements in modern society, as opposed to mobility in social classes. Moreover, Leigh (2007) argues that the youth of Australia are equally likely to reproduce, or not reproduce, the class of their parents and that social mobility in the context of Australian youth, has not necessarily increased.Argy (2005) reinforces this argument and states that while Australia can be referred to as economically liberated country, there has not necessarily been an increase in equal opportunity and the distribution of wealth within Australia is an evident example of this. The National Centr e for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) was commissioned to conduct a study in relation to the distribution of wealth in Australia. NATSEM analyst Simon Kelly (2002) reported that the richest fifth of households in Australia each have, on average, forty times more wealth than the poorest fifth of the population.The NATSEM data reiterates that wealth within Australia is still concentrated in the hands of the wealthy minority who have ascertained the benefits of the economic growth in recent years by disproportionately increasing their personal wealth (Stillwell & Primrose, 2011). The disparity of wealth between occupations was a key indicator of the inequality between classes. NATSEM data identified that personal wealth is the highest for managers and administrators (men $250,000, women $183,300) and professionals (men $173,800, women $99,700).In contrast to these figures, the lowest personal wealth is held by the production and transport workers ($55,400), labourers (men 39,700 , women $29,300) and trade persons (men 60,000, women 35,000) (Stillwell & Primrose, 2011). From a sociological perspective class inequality is often represented by comparing class personal wealth and income. From a Marxism perspective however, a person’s social class isn’t defined by personal wealth but rather the level of control that a person wields over the means of production.According to Ben Hillier (2012) it is measured in terms of social wealth derived from the â€Å"control of the productive or financial apparatus of society†. This can be interpreted as the bourgeoisie having ownership of the assets that enable modern society to function such as the telecommunications infrastructure, electrical companies, newspaper enterprises, transport facilities and mines etc. The transactional influence of these assets inevitably provides its owner with the power to influence governments of capitalist societies and effects how society functions.The recent Qantas air ways dispute demonstrated how this power is exercised. One recent example of class conflict inherent within Australian society was the Qantas airways dispute. On 29th October 2011, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce issued a press release announcing the immediate grounding and cancellation of all Australian domestic and international flights and the lock-out of all employees without pay. Leading up to the unprecedented grounding, Qantas had been involved in contract negotiations with unions representing employees of the company.The unions were seeking a 3-5% wage increase and better job security for casual staff. (Mulcahy, 2011). Around the same time Qantas had announced its decision to slash 1000 jobs and restructure its fleet to move to Asia under a new airline Jetstar Japan. The traditional international routes within the North Atlantic were operating at a loss with a half year profit of $241 million a year ago, dropping by 83%, to $42 million (Ryan, 2012). Despite the evident decline in prof it the airlines had awarded Alan Joyce with a 71% lift in his total remuneration package to $5. 1 million, after he received $2. million worth of shares (Mulcahy, 2011). After two days the debacle finally ended with the intervention of the Federal government submitting an application to Fair Work Australia (FWA), terminating the industrial dispute and ordering Qantas to resume operations. The verdict stated that those involved had 21 days to finalise a settlement to the dispute and neither party could engage in further action for three years after a settlement had been made. If an agreement could not be reached the Fair Work industrial courts would arbitrate the details of the contracts (Mulcahy, 2011).The economic impact was expected to be profound, Qantas which represents approximately 65% of the aviation industry, contributes $6 billion to the Australian economy and employs 50,000 employees (Squires, 2011). Although Qantas reports that the dispute cost them $120 million, its shar e prices increased by 6% to $1. 61 (Frith, 2011). The controversy attracted much political and economic commentary speculating on who won the dispute and what this would mean for those involved. Alan Joyce explicitly stated that the FWA ruling was a favourable decision for Qantas as â€Å"nobody any more can take industrial action† (Taylor, 2011).This thereby would allow Qantas to restructure its fleet in Asia, ascertaining cheaper wages by outsourcing and offshoring labour, without any internal opposition. The unions established to represent the working class of businesses and corporations would be made obsolete for three years allowing any injustices within the workplace to remain unresolved. From a Marxist perspective this would mean that the bourgeoisie of the company, the CEO and high profile managers, who already have exceeding high salaries, would profit from the new means of production and the proletariat would be further disadvantaged with pay cuts and the isk of red undancy. Karl Marx’s critique of industrial societies developed out of the belief that conflict between stratified classes such as the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, would be the drive needed to perpetuate social change. Marx believed that with the acquisition of a class consciousness the proletariat would revolt against the exploitative capitalist institution, eradicating all class structures and establishing a socialist state. Admittedly, Marx’s critique failed to recognise essential components of society such as the middle class and female representation which has significantly undermined Marx’s theory of class struggle.Furthermore Marx’s predictions have been falsified in light of modern developments which have led to many critics casting doubt on its relevance within contemporary society. The higher living standards, government allowances and union representation enjoyed by citizens within Australia all perpetuate notions of equality and repudiate the potential collapse of capitalism. Despite this however, there are still many instances of class inequality inherent in Australian society.The disparity of wealth between occupations in Australia demonstrates that the minority with extreme wealth have control over the means of production, and have used the power derived from it to influence society’s development. The recent Qantas dispute is a testament of how this power is exercised and demonstrates how the wealthy minority are able to accumulate excess wealth at the expense of the labouring class. Thus attesting to the inherent class inequality that Marx had recognised, and acknowledging its existence within contemporary Australian society. ?

Shakespeare and Robert Browning

Intro Shakespeare and Browning both present the theme of desire through their central characters. Lady Macbeth (and Macbeth) is motivated by the desire for ambition and authority in ‘Macbeth’ whilst in the Browning monologues; the monologists are driven by the desire of power and control in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’ and revenge in ‘The laboratory’. All of which seem to have fatal conclusions as a result of each of their desires.As the texts were produced over 400years ago, audiences may have found the works of Shakespeare and Browning highly thought-provoking and entertaining whilst contemporary audiences finding the different aspects of desire relatable to modern situations. Lady Macbeth’s need for authority in her famous soliloquy ‘unsex me here’ reflects on the feelings of many women at that time longing for power.Likewise, audiences of the ‘the Laboratory’ are able to empathise with the protagonist’s desire for revenge upon their adulterous lover. In ‘Porphyria’s Lover’, Browning reveals an obsessive and controlling persona who can only satisfy his absolute love for his lover by strangling her, presenting his desire for control over others. Section 1: How do the writers introduce the central characters? LADY MACBETH Lady Macbeth’s introduction to the audience in Act 1, Scene 5 immediately makes it clear of her intentions. ‘Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty’. As this is a soliloquy, it invites the audience in to see her inner thoughts and feeling and her true desire for power. * Her use of imperative verbs, ‘come’ and ‘fill me’ not only notifies the audience of her desire for power, but the lengths she is willing go to achieve it. Lady Macbeths mention of the supernatural shows how desperate she is for her desire as she craves to posses characteristics of a man by calling upon the ‘spirits’ and this possibly confirms the dark affiliation she has to the witches prophecy as she uses commanding language ‘come’ followed by supernatural references ‘spirits’ and only calls upon them. * She says ‘come to me woman’s breast and take my milk for gall’. Stating the physical differences of males and females not only shows the limitations of her desire (she is a woman), but reflects on the position of women at the time because she is pleading to have all her feminine traits emoved to attain her desire. * Likewise, when she says ‘that tend on moral thoughts’ unsex me here’ she is asking the spirits to de-feminise and undo her natural order her as she wants to be emotionless and not feel guilty as she recognises that her desire goes against the moral order thus emphasising her strong feeling of desire and how far she will go. It could also be argued that the fact that women had to act in certain ways in the 16th century, for instance being completely against violence of any sorts, may have spurred on lady Macbeth to rebel and achieve her desire. Also, the reference to ‘direst cruelty; make thick my blood’ further supports her portrayal to the audience as an evil and corrupted character. The use of the semi-colon emphasises the use of the word ‘cruelty’ which is a trait seen to be masculine not feminine * This may have been shocking yet entertaining to the Elizabethan audiences as women at that time weren’t expected to act and think in such a way. * The fact that when we meet her when Macbeth is not present (or any one else) shows her desire for power as she is telling us what she wants THE LABORATORY Similarly, in Robert Browning’s monologue of ‘The laboratory’ the audience are made fully aware of the narrators intentions from the beginning. ‘May gaze thr o’ these faint smokes curling whitely’. The personae describes deadly arsenic fumes as something beautiful which suggests to the reader that she is somewhere where chemical reactions take place- hence the title. * The fact that we are introduced to her in this setting brings a dark atmosphere similar to intro of lady Macbeth * This may portray signs of insanity which questionable throughout the poem. Reference to the ‘devils smithy’ further enhances her desire for revenge as she knows she is doing something bad by going to a devils smithy * ‘Poison to poison her’- reinforces the narrative to kill and the first glimpse to who the revenge is on (‘her) and doesn’t mention the name * It shows how deranged the protagonist's nature has become, who goes so far as to poison her rival in love The use of rhyming quickens the pace of the poem, adding to the woman's increasing excitement as the apothecary grinds up the mixture.Many of Brownin g's poems were written about people with an unusual nature. At first glance, the poem appears to be written as if she were talking to the apothecary, but reading into it shows that she may be thinking to herself as at the start of the poem she tells the man to take his time, but as she thinks about the possibilities and power the poison will bring her she begins to hurry him. Her careless attitude towards her future crime suggests that she may have previously killed and does not care about being found out as she is proud of what she will have done. PORPHYRIA’S LOVER ‘ the rain set early tonight’- tonight is a time indicator and possibly foreshadows something that will happen tonight * Use of pathetic fallacy- weather mirrors feeling felt by the narrator * Irregular rhyme pattern- may show narrators instabilltiy * No stanzas –reflective of the narrators mental state/personality * When obsessed can’t stop talking about something * Build up of tension at the beginning to get to the climax COMPARRISON OF ALL * All start in a sinister gloomy way * Section 2: How do the writers show that desire motivates and drives these characters?LADY MACBETH * Act 1, Scene 7- ‘When you durst do it; then you were a man’ shows Lady Macbeths play on masculinity as she uses the perfect tense ‘were’ highlighting the difference now and before which provokes Macbeth and in turn manipulates him to go through with the execution of Macbeth with will get allow her to attain her desire for power (again shows how far she is willing to go to achieve happiness) * * Strong imagery and emotive lang-passionate * Blank verse instead of prose * Shakespeare uses a metaphor and contrast to show that Lady Macbeth is ruthless.In Act I scene 7, when Macbeth wants to back out of killing Duncan, she tells Macbeth â€Å"I have given suck, and know / How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: / I would, while it was smiling in my face, / Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, / And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you†. * First, Lady Macbeth uses feminine language, showing she knows what it means to be tender and nurturing with words like â€Å"tender love† and â€Å"milk†. But then, she shocks the audience by using violent language such as â€Å"dashed the brains out†.This is an upsetting image; it makes the audience understand that Lady Macbeth would put a promise before the life of her own child. * Lady Macbeth seems to have no problem with violence of the cruelest kind: violence against a child. What makes Lady Macbeth sound even more ruthless are words like as â€Å"boneless† and â€Å"smiling† because the baby sounds defenseless, yet Lady Macbeth won’t show it mercy. * By having Lady Macbeth talk about committing infanticide, Shakespeare makes her a villain in the eyes of the audience, because in the 1600s, women were seen as soft and nurturing.Behavin g this way would be seen as unnatural and would have shocked Shakespeare’s audience. * This shows how her she is driven by desire because for Lady Macbeth (who portrays a strong personae) to talk about how she knows what I’s like to be a ‘woman’ and be nurturing, which doesn’t happen very often in the play, as a way to control her husband into getting into power shows how driven she is and again how far she’ll go. THE LAB * Browning also presents the reader with a character who is completely ruthless when it comes to fulfilling her desires.Although Lady Macbeth desires power whereas the speaker in â€Å"The Laboratory† desires revenge, they share the same determination to get what they want regardless of the consequence. When talking to the chemist about her plans for revenge the speaker says â€Å"and Elize, with her head, and her breast, and her hands should drop dead! †. Just like the presentation of Lady Macbeth, Browning al so paints a vivid image of death and murder. Worryingly for the reader, Browning strongly suggests the speaker’s enjoyment of the idea of her rival’s death.By repeating the word â€Å"and† it suggests that she is relishing the idea of revenge and also that she has thought about it just as much. Section 3: How do the writers show how desire affects relationships in the text? Section 4: How do the writers show the results/consequences of desire? LADY MACBETH * In the final stages of the play the result of Lady Macbeth’s desire for power becomes clear when she loses her mental stability and starts to re-live the murder she and her husband committed. Whilst in her room she utters the phrase: * ‘Out damned spot! * Out I say! *   The use of the command here clearly shows the fact that Lady Macbeth – a once powerful and desire driven woman – is becoming increasingly unstable. Shakespeare’s use of the repetition of the word out shows how desperate she has become, how she has lost control. The repeated use of the exclamation marks highlights the intensity of her need for her hands to ‘be clean’. The ‘spot’ to which she is referring to is that of the blood of King Duncan, however in this instance the blood is a metaphorical manifestation of her guilt, and one that will never go away.Her need for power has destroyed her; she can no longer escape the consequences of what she has done. In this dialogue Lady Macbeth also alludes to the fact that she herself has been ‘damned’, just like she may never get the spot of blood off of her skin she will never be able to clean her own soul, she will never be able to escape what she has done. Through the use of the word ‘damn’ Shakespeare successfully suggests the idea of hell, one which was key in Lady Macbeth’s initial soliloquy.In this scene many may feel a sense of sympathy for Lady Macbeth, as she is going through a traumatic experience, and yet there is no sign of Macbeth, once again taken over by desire he has abandoned his wife in her time of need. However, this scene may be considered to be appropriate by Shakespearean audiences as Lady Macbeth losing her mental stability is seen as a result of her dealing with aspects of life that are deemed to be ‘not feminine’. Conclusion: present your own ideas about the varying successes of the different writers, evaluating which of the treatments you prefer and why – exemplar to follow * Whilst Shakespeare presents highly compelling characters in the shape of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, both of whom are driven to self-destruction by their strong feelings of desire, it is Browning’s monologist in ‘The Laboratory’ that conjures this desire most convincingly. Grind away, moisten and mash up thy paste,/Pound at thy powder, — I am not in haste! ’ Both the language and the form compel the reader to reluc tantly empathise with the persona. We feel drawn into the conspiracy she has arranged with her apothecary, driven by the imperative commands she expresses through the use of alliteration, exclamations and commanding verbs. Moreover, the use of bilabial plosives ‘ paste†¦ pound†¦ owder’ attracts the reader, caught up in the excitement she feels as she anticipates the deadly outcomes of the concoction being created. Of course, she is [in haste]. What is interesting is that all three texts make desire enticing (even though we know that moral boundaries are being challenged and broken). Browning not only shows the corruption that strong feelings of desire can bring but also succeeds in corrupting the reader as we ‘warm’ to her intentions †¦

BizCafe Weekly Business Review #4 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BizCafe Weekly Business Review #4 - Coursework Example The checkbook balance stands at $904.67, meaning that the business is not all drained up, but still has some revenues in the business account. The cafà © is however not operating at a loss as deposits outweighs the payments made. The net income has dropped to $13, 136.23 as compared to the previous week, which indicated the net income at $13,247.48. This could be as a result of added expanses since we had to hire another server and also part with $500 for the espresso damage. The local labor reports indicate a drop in the turnover rate, which currently stands at 13.6%; this is a great relief to the business as the previous week was harsh where one server quit, therefore inconveniencing the operations and additional expenses were incurred in recruiting of another server. The customer’s survey indicates an increase in customer satisfaction from 54% to 55%. This could have been determined by a number of reasons - great service, friendly prices, and the great coffee offered. This is as per the customer’s suggestions. According to Cochran (2003, p.2), customer satisfaction should be a priority for any business, as the customers determine the sales to be made, depending on their turn up. Satisfied customers will market the business to their friends, hence achieving customer loyalty, which increases profitability and productivity of a business. In the previous week, the management decided not to consider renovation of the cafà © as the customer’s suggestions indicated that they appreciated the current state of the cafà ©. In addition, no costs were incurred, as our aim is to minimize on costs and maximize on returns. In addition, we have agreed to a live entertainment from a local jazz band, which will not charge us. This strategy aims at attracting customers by adding a remedy to their coffee, which is music. At the same time, we will increase profitability

Ethics and Corruption at News International Essay

Ethics and Corruption at News International - Essay Example In considering the scandal it’s clear that the practices demonstrated large-scale institutional corruption, yet the breach of ethics outside of regular social legitimacy may not be as dramatic as they seem on the surface. The most overarching concern in terms of corruption at News International is the organizational breaching of ethical conduct. In this context of understanding it’s clear that one of the major contributing factors was organizational leadership. Stakeholder theory is a major conceptual model that investigates notions of organizational leadership. Essentially, stakeholder theory is an approach to business ethics that attempts to investigate what really counts in organizations (Phillips, 2003). While there are varying models in this area of analysis, in terms of News International, one considers the failure of leadership to emphasize ethical responsibility and journalistic integrity. I believe that greatly contributing to the pivotal breakdown that lead to the organizational corruption is the very nature of the subject matter that was covered. Tied in with notions of journalism are notions of contributing to the public good. Indeed, journalism has popularly been referred to as the fourth estate, as it can function almost as another aspect of government (Smith 2011). Following organizational stakeholder theory, ethical responsibility of the fourth estate is such that the ‘why’ of the organization is directly in-line with publically accepted means of information gathering and dissemination. This can be contrasted with many of the News International publications, most notably News of the World, which eschewed traditional journalistic content for an investigation of gossip that can only marginally be argued to constitute news. I believe, following the stakeholder approach to organizational ethics, that in this shift away from operating as the fourth estate, News International also shifted away from any coupling with ethical approaches to information gathering. In these regards, it follows that intrinsic to the very nature of gossip based journalism are organizational propensities towards corruption. One considers then that in addition to banning these forms of information gathering the government should consider banning the forms of gossip reporting that News International produces. Although it is easy and appropriate to fault News International for gross ethical misconduct, I believe the more pressing considerations are those that consider organizational elements that allowed for such practices to occur. One of the most pervasive theoretical models that one considers in relation to the events at News International is institutional theory. Institutional theory is an approach to organizations that argues despite individual backgrounds, including education and ethical tendencies, the force of the institution is such that individuals will tend towards a uniform paradigm (Scott 2004). I believe that in gre at part the most staggering element of the News International scandal is that it wasn’t simply an isolated incident. In these regards, the phone hacking spanned a number of years and involved a wide array of individuals employed by the

FINAL EXAM PAPER. strengths and weaknesses in american society between Term Paper

FINAL EXAM . strengths and weaknesses in american society between 1900 and present - Term Paper Example The 20th century started with the passing of the Gold Standard Act, which controlled the value of the dollar (McCulley 39). In 1901, inclusion of Cherokee, Seminole, Muscogee, Chickasaw and the Choctaw boosted cultural diversification of America. In 1907, America experienced a state of economic panic caused by a fall in the stock market (U.S. Department of the Treasury 1). The incidence affected the country’s economic performance. The year 1924 saw the granting of citizenship to Indians through the enactment of the Indian Citizenship Act (Sadiq 11). The year 1991 saw the involvement of America in the formulation of the treaty of Versailles, which positioned her as an influential country in the world. The American art industry saw which covered the civil war and the aftermath consequences. The film also  featured  the  incidence during the  assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Arnold Schoenberg influenced the music industry through the development of the twelve-tone music composition method. The year 1917 saw the buying of a war bond by the America as an initiative to support war against the central powers. Eliot, T.S. wrote the poem â€Å"The Waste Land† poem, which covers the cultural problems that resulted after the World War I. The poem marked a revolution in the art sector of the country. The Great Depression started in 1929. The consequences of the incidence were increased unemployment and the massive closure of many of the U.S banks. Franklin Roosevelt advocated the New Deal in 1933, whose aims were to set up programs to solve the economic state of the country (Boyer et al. 737). The primary social occurrence of this period was the increased support of the isolationism. Due to the profound negative effects of the world war, the Americans thought that it was wise to withdraw from their involvement in the European issues. In 1938, Mexico expropriated foreign oil companies operating in the country. As a reaction to

Math Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Math Education - Essay Example First, have the students place each M&M into a line of 15. As they place each M&M down, have them count, â€Å"1†¦ 2†¦ 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬  etc. Once they have counted to 15 and placed down each of the 15 M&M’s have them count the M&M’s again while pointing to each one to reiterate the notion that each one M&M they point to corresponds with one number they count. The order irrelevance rule can be introduced by having children count the M&M’s from 1 to 15, going backwards from right to left instead of the usual left to right. Although they are counting the M&M’s in a different order than before, they count the same way: â€Å"1†¦ 2†¦ 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬  etc. To reiterate this rule, have students group the M&M’s by color. Have them start counting with the reds one time, have them start counting with blue’s the next time, and so forth. No matter what order they count the M&M’s, it’s always the same. In order to understand the cardinality rule, students need to learn that by counting properly in order, the last number they count to represents the total number of things they just counted. This can be accomplished by having students count the 15 M&M’s: â€Å"1†¦ 2†¦ 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬  etc. and after the reach the final, 15th M&M, ask them how many M&M’s there are on their desk. The answer is the same as the last number they counted: 15. This process can be repeated by taking an M&M away each time so that there are totals of 14, 13, 12 and 11. To assess students’ ability to count rationally, ask students to count with you to 15. Count slowly, so that everybody can stay at the same pace. Every couple of numbers, don’t say the next number; instead cue the students to say the appropriate number. Repeat this process several times, leaving numbers out each time. Next, have students sit on the floor in a straight line, and stand up when pointed at. As you point to each kid they should say one number each, starting at 1 and

Why are house prices in UK subect to large cyclical variations Essay

Why are house prices in UK subect to large cyclical variations (750words) - Essay Example Normally, the fluctuations in housing prices are related with economic activity. When economic activity heats up in any economy, the real estate sector start to respond to this change also by showing a tendency to adjust prices upwardly however, when the economic activity slows down the housing cycle start to show greater variations too with prices of most of the housing units started to decline. However, what is also important is the fact that numerous research studies also suggested that the increase in pricing of housing   units is also linked with the location of the housing units. The so called momentum and reversion of the cycle of housing prices is therefore not only linked with the economic activity but also with the location of the housing units.(Capozza et .al. 2002). As discussed above that one of the main reasons for increase in the cyclical patterns of housing prices is related with the economic activity therefore in order to clearly assess the cyclicality of housing prices, it is of great importance that the impact of economic activity on housing prices shall be studied first. When economic activity picks up with lesser inflationary pressures, the real income of the households increase therefore there is always a general increase in the disposable income of individuals. With the increase in income levels, the standards of life increase also and people start to prefer more luxurious housing than their current housing therefore the general increase in demand for housing units increase thus putting pressures on prices to increase. However, when the economic activity slows down and due to inflationary pressures or other economic variables, the decrease in income level put downward pressures on the prices. UKs economic performance, over the period of time, has considerably improved. UKs real GDP increased, on average, by

The Veil - Marjane Satrapi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Veil - Marjane Satrapi - Essay Example Satrapi began her tale with the recollection of her early childhood when society was freer and her school was a place for both girls and boys, anyone can be different and it would be fine and that policies are not strictly religious but secular. Then, shortly, the idyllic scenes of playfulness and peaceful co-existence abruptly gave way to the stern faces and policies of the new authorities. Suddenly, the author found herself wearing a veil and separated from her friends. The sudden shift and difference of the tone Satrapi wanted to convey were achieved through the clever use of the two colors. The ideal times were drawn in brighter shades, characterized by white background while the days of repression were painted in dark hues and black background. The color limitation created a more powerful effect in conveying messages because it removed the clutter in each frame and emphasize the intended expressions and issue being depicted. In addition to this, the style by which characters wer e drawn, with their elongated arms and legs and the exaggerated curves and expressions that characterized the children, effectively communicated a lasting and potent representation of Marji and what she stood for in the story. The cartoonish depiction ingratiated Marji in the readers’ consciousness and would persist even after the story was finished and the book was put down. Satrapi also made it a point to emphasize contrasts. For instance, the good old days were portrayed by scenes of scattered and the multitude of characters displaying their individual personalities. Then, after she was forced to wear a veil, scenes are either dominated by a stern bearded man or soldier with the absence of animated people or sharply separated into two opposing groups, arguing against each other. It was obvious that in the author’s mind, the fundamentalist society that Iran force people to retreat inwards – within themselves, stunt creativity, enforce an unreasonable and cold- hearted regime of discipline, wherein humanity is being eroded towards a kind of existence not unlike the starkness one finds in the absence of colors. Satrapi conjured for us – in her visuals – a world that has less life and mirth, wherein those who dared to defy it found their lives tangled with tragedy. Themes Certainly, a primary theme in The Veil is the demotion of women in the Iranian society back in the 1980s. The veil or its use in the eyes of the young Marji underscored the sheer insanity of being forced to cover oneself and segregated just because of her gender. More importantly, however, is that in Satrapi's depictions, the veil appears to have achieved very little effect on the individuality and characters of women. The veiled children never lost their facial expressions, personalities and physiques. It was, obviously, Satrapi's way of saying that the veil is useless and that in the context of its symbolism for the local authorities - which is to subjugate - the women's spirits were never entirely quashed. As with the visuals in The Veil, women - in succeeding sections of Persepolis – wore their veils but that this piece of clothing never really reduced the characters into anonymity or people that have less human status. The veil also served to represent the divisions that have immediately took root in Iran in the 1980s. Besides the literal segregation of men and women, Satrapi used the veil to

Violated human dignity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Violated human dignity - Research Paper Example Technology† (Headrick, Daniel) However, the movie Idiocracy shows us a fiction of future in opposite direction that is going to decrease the quality of human life, less concerns toward intelligent and beautiful terms, and increase the number of social problems such as abandoning trash, poor security system, and hiring improper employees in extremely important field such as medical field and political field. As the movie Idiocracy sarcastically reveals the problems, we cannot deny that the problems listed above exist today. The problems can be summarized in four issues such as changes in human life style, cultural decline, corruption of morality, and materialism. The serious story begins with changes in human life style. â€Å"Lifestyle theory is composed of three interlocking models: the structural model, the functional model, and the change model.† (Walters, Glenn, P.1) A long time ago, human struggling in poor status with starvation, disease, and war has been seek for something intelligent and progressive to enhance the quality of their life. Nonetheless, people started to be interested in the opposite way, looking for satisfaction based on basic instinct when their life became wealthy and convenient. We can see the sarcastic warning from the director of Idiocracy that people could forget to develop intelligence progressive ideas; moreover, those areas would stop growing and would be even decline. To tell the truth, poetry, literature, and art were popular and developed a lot back in the day, and they really enjoyed and longed for them. Nevertheless, this generation is tamed for entertaining program, show, and unhealthy program fro m the dumping mass media. For the reason, people just want amusement and time-killing more than beautiful and intelligent delight. The changes in the future humans in Idiocracy life style caused a cultural decline. The major interests of most people would be focused on money, sex, and silly

Study abroad Essay Example for Free

Study abroad Essay Having the chance to study Fashion Merchandising in Fashion Institute of Technology in the United States is a rare opportunity given to any international student.   My direct exposure to the fashion industry in New York has strengthened my knowledge on the complexities and competitiveness of the business.   However, my keen interest to succeed in this field should not begin and end in developing a strong fashion sense.   I also need to enhance my organization and networking skills and learn to deal with distributors and various markets around the world in order to be globally competitive. One of the steps that I need to take is to expand my social, cultural and economic horizon by taking Liberal Arts subjects in Yonsei University, the university that is known in developing students to become servant leaders to the world community. Since childhood, I have a keen interest in the field of fashion and as I continue to grow in knowledge about the intricate world of this industry, I am now at a stage where I want to prepare for an endeavor where I can combine both my interest and skills in fashion and my desire to create jobs for my countrymen in Korea.   Studying Liberal Arts would help me develop strong analytical stills and broad foundation of knowledge that would prepare me to cope in this highly competitive career. Yonsei University, being one of the leading universities in the world, has foreign enrollees from different parts of the globe.  Ã‚   Being with students of different nationalities would pave the way towards cultural appreciation and awareness that would help me design and market fashionable products using materials from different countries. Although being a Korean would give me the edge in adjusting to the country and to the local students in the university, I am still interested to gain more knowledge so I can share what I have learned to the students at Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.   This effort is my way of sharing my blessings to other students so they could apply the knowledge that they have gained from my experience to their field of endeavor.

Police and the Use of Excessive Force Essay Example for Free

Police and the Use of Excessive Force Essay The use of excessive force by police organizations around the world as a crime control mechanism has been widely criticized and debated for many years. Many ask, what exactly is excessive force? What causes an officer to use excessive force and is it justified? There is much ambiguity when it comes to answering such questions. Your perception will undoubtedly create your expectation and too many times one’s failure to acknowledge, ‘the other side of the story,’ causes a misperception. How big of a role do the media play in portraying police use of excessive force as fair or unnecessary? These are all valid questions that will be addressed in this analysis as well as what is being done to address the situation. We begin with the definition of excessive force as provided by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, â€Å"excessive force is the amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling suspect† (Police use of Force, 2009). That is, police will turn to excessive force when an individual has been uncooperative. Some argue that the police’s most defining feature is their capacity to use coercive force (Katz Walker, 2008). Police use of force may include physical force as well as the power to arrest, but most importantly the power to use deadly force. It is important to keep in mind that there are laws set in place to limit the amount of force an officer uses, including excessive force. Such laws have allowed for better policing practices and an improved police/community relationship. Although police use of excessive force still arises from time to time, the number of incidents has dropped dramatically over the years. According to a study done in the years 1999 and 2000 of calls for service, force was used by police in less than one percent of the calls (Police use of Force, 2009). In actuality, the police spend most of their shift serving their community as peacekeepers as  well as helping others. So what drives a sworn police officer to use excessive force? The answer to this question is not a simple one, and rightfully so. Some argue that discrimination, stereotyping and the environment in which a n officer may patrol can contribute to the use of excessive force. People call the police because they want an officer to settle a problem: to arrest someone, to get someone to calm down, or to have someone removed from the home (Katz Walker, 2008). In other words, police are constantly put in volatile situations where the people they are dealing with can become a danger to the officer who is responding to a call and there is no telling what someone might do at any given moment. Often times when an officer has been dispatched to a scene, particularly an altercation, tempers are already flaring and what would normally be a situation calling for a simple mediation performed by the officer can easily escalate to the citizen resisting arrest for fear of going to jail, not knowing that the police is just trying to calm down the individual in order to assist with the situation more accurately. Situations like these are all too common and police can feel very much unappreciated and a sense of disrespect on behalf of those they serve. This frustration often times lead to a small number of officers easily losing their temper when confronting citizens in future instances. It must be pointed out that such instances are rare, but still do a rise from time to time. As a retired police lieutenant reflecting on his career put it, ‘The majority of cops were good, hardworking, conscientious individuals. They cared, and they wanted to do a good job. But there were enough cops—not one rotten apple, but several rotten apples—to give law enforcement the taint it had received’ ((Retired), 2000). The media, which include movies, television shows, and news organizations, have a lot of power when it comes to portraying the police as good or evil. Given the considerable ambiguity that surrounds the issue, whether police use of force is presented as police brutality and whether brutality is understood as a problem depend greatly upon which voices and views the media emphasize (Lawrence, 2000). It is the media who determine what the general public learns about street cops’ daily experience with criminals and the underclass, as well as what the middle-class public learns about other groups’ experiences with police (Lawrence, 2000). A perfect example is the famous reality television program, ‘Cops,’ where camera crews  participate in ride-along a ssignments and capture real life drama from the police officer’s viewpoint. News headlines are one of the most, if not the most, influential media forms influencing public opinion and attitude towards law enforcement. As the lawyer for a Miami policeman acquitted in the shooting death of a black motorcyclist—an acquittal that touched off days of rioting—indignantly told reporters, â€Å"If the headlines read, ‘Twice-convicted drug dealer shot while trying to run over officer,’ there wouldn’t have been any riots† (Lawrence, 2000). So the question arises, what is being done to address the situation with police use of excessive force? History has shown that policing systems and strategies can and do change. One way the situation has been dealt with in recent years is with the creation of local citizen oversight groups where complaints by citizens are reviewed to determine whether the action taken by the officer towards the individual filing the complaint was caused by a lack of policy, or a bad policy, on behalf of the police department in which case a recommendation for a new policy is sent to the department. Another way that police departments are dealing with the situation is by mounting video recorders on patrol cars as well as working with the local media and using them as a way of checks and balances. There is also the case for higher education for police officers. The subject matter of higher education as a requirement for police officers is a hot debate topic today. Study has shown that higher educated cops receive fewer complaints than those with less education (Victor E. Kappeler, 1992). Works Cited (Retired), L. A. (2000). From the Inside Looking Out. In J. Nelson, Police Brutality (p. 265). New York: Norton. Katz, C. M., Walker, S. (2008). The Police In America. New York: McGraw-Hill. Lawrence, R. G. (2000). The Politics of Force. Los Angeles: University of California Press. Police use of Force. (2009, August 04). Retrieved March 19, 2010, from National Institute of Justice web site: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/law-enforcement/use-of-force/welcome.htm#note1 Victor E. Kappeler, D. C. (1992). Police Officer Higher Education, Citizen Complaints, and Departmental Rule Violation. American Journal of Police , 37-54.

Conceptual Framework For Cloud Computing Information Technology Essay

Conceptual Framework For Cloud Computing Information Technology Essay Cloud computing is an emerging paradigm that aims at delivering hardware infrastructure and software applications as services, which users can consume on a pay per- use-basis. Cloud computing refers to the processing and storage of data through the Internet. Computing and storage become services rather than physical resources. Files and other data can be stored in the cloud and be accessed from any Internet connection. It is a style of computing where IT-related capabilities are provided as a service, allowing users to access technology-enabled services from the Internet, or cloud, without knowledge of, expertise with, or control over the technology infrastructure that supports them. The cloud separate application and information resources from the infrastructure, and the mechanism used to deliver them. Its a technology that uses the central remote severs and internet to main application and data, by allowing businesses and consumers to use applications without installation and also allows them to access their personal files at any computer with internet access. This paper present the framework for cloud computing. Key Words: Software services, Platform service, Infrastructure service, Virtualization, cloud, SLA. 1. Introduction The interest towards Cloud computing solutions is rapid growing. As a result, they have already been adopted in different scenarios such as social networking, business applications, and content delivery networks. Cloud computing is the beginning of network based computing over the internet which is considered to be the element of two totally new computing models, the Client-Cloud computing and the Terminal-Cloud computing which would create whole generations of applications and business. It is also the beginning of a new Internet based service economy such as the Internet centric, Web based, on demand, Cloud applications and computing economy. A more structured definition is given by Buyya et al. [1] who define a Cloud as a type of parallel and distributed system consisting of a collection of interconnected and virtualized computers that are dynamically provisioned and presented as one or more unified computing resources based on service-level agreement. One of the key features chara cterizing Cloud computing is the ability of delivering both infrastructure and software as services. Cloud computing is based on a very fundamental principal of `reusability of IT capabilities According to the IEEE Computer Society Cloud Computing is: A paradigm in which information is permanently stored in servers on the Internet and cached temporarily on clients that include desktops, entertainment centres, table computers, notebooks, wall computers, handhelds, etc. [2] The cloud computing draws on many existing technologies and architectures by integrating all these models, Centralizing computing power, utility computing, distributed computing and software as a service. This integration requires computing center of power to shift from processing unit to the network. Berkeley Report [3] released in Feb 2009 notes Cloud computing, the long-held dream of computing as a utility has the potential to transform a large part of the IT industry, making software even more attractive as a service. Clouds aim to power the next generation data centers by architecting them as a network of virtual services (hardware, database, user-interface, application logic) so that users are able to access and deploy applications from anywhere in the world on demand at competitive costs depending on users Quality of Service (QoS) requirements [4]. Cloud Computing enhances collaboration, agility, scaling, and availability, and provides the potential for cost reduction through optimized and efficient computing. More specifically, cloud describes the use of a collection of services, applications, information, and infrastructure comprised of pools of compute, network, information, and storage resources. 2. Cloud Computing Overview Cloud computing is global and provides services to the mass, ranging from the end-users hosting their personal documents on the Internet to enterprises outsourcing their entire IT infrastructure to external data centers. Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which include QoS requirements, are set up between customers and Cloud providers. An SLA specifies the details of the service to be provided in terms of metrics agreed upon by all parties, and penalties for violating the expectations. SLAs act as a warranty for users, who can more comfortably move their business to the Cloud.The computing power in a Cloud computing environments is supplied by a collection of data centers, which are typically installed with hundreds to thousands of servers [5]. Different solutions are available to move from the traditional science Grids and embrace the Cloud computing paradigm. Some vendors, such as Amazon Web Services and VMWare base their offering on hardware level virtualization and provide bare com pute and storage resources on demand. Google AppEngine and Microsoft Azure are focused on application level virtualization. Other solutions provide end users with a platform for developing Cloud computing applications that can rely on, or compose, some of the existing solutions. Cloud computing focuses on delivery of reliable, secure, fault-tolerant, sustainable, and scalable infrastructures for hosting Internet-based application services, It can, to a certain extent, be regarded as the natural evolution of grid computing, considering that it was conceived to satisfy the new demands of users who, once accustomed to using the web 2.0 services, perceived the need to move much of their own data onto the web. Cloud computing customers do not generally own the physical infrastructure serving as host to the software platform in question. Instead, they avoid capital expenditure by renting usage from a third-party provider. They consume resources as a service and pay only for resources that they use. Many cloud-computing offerings employ the utility computing model, which is analogous to how traditional utility services (such as electricity) are consumed, while others bill on a subscription basis. Cloud computing is the convergence of the major trends. -Virtualization where applications are separated from infrastructure -Utility computing where server capacity is access across a grid as a vary price service. -Software as a service where applications are available on demand basis. Cloud computing can be the ability to rent a server or a thousand servers and run a geophysical modelling application on the most powerful systems available anywhere. It can be the ability to rent a virtual server, load software on it, turn it on and off at will, or clone it ten times to meet a sudden workload demand. It can be storing and securing immense amounts of data that is accessible only by authorized applications and users. It can be supported by a cloud provider that sets up a platform that includes the OS, Apache, a MySQLà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ database, Perl, Python, and PHP with the ability to scale automatically in response to changing workloads. Cloud computing can be the ability to use applications on the Internet that store and protect data while providing a service anything including email, sales force automation and tax preparation. It can be using a storage cloud to hold application, business, and personal data [3]. Cloud computing users can avoid capital expenditure on hardware, software, and services when they pay a provider only for what they use. Consumption is usually billed on a utility (e.g. resources consumed, like electricity) or subscription (e.g. time based, like a newspaper) basis with little or no upfront cost. It also gives the power of flexibility and control to big business, delivering the heavy duty processing needed for a large network with many users and many different applications, while also giving the assurance of complete administrator control over security and access. Cloud computing can additionally further facilitate the working from home revolution that we are already in the midst of. [6] 3. Cloud Computing service Models Cloud service delivery is divided among three archetypal models and various derivative combinations. The three fundamental classifications are often referred to as the SPI Model, where SPI refers to Software, Platform or Infrastructure (as a Service), respectively (Fig 1). Cloud computing delivers infrastructure, platform, and software (application) as services, which are made available as subscription-based services in a pay-as-you ­go model to consumers. These services in industry are referred to as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS), respectively. Figure 1. Cloud Computing service Models Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Refer to the practice of delivering IT infrastructure based on virtual or physical resources as a commodity to customers. The capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls). Consumers are billed on a pay per use basis and have to set up their system on top of these resources that are hosted and managed in datacenters owned by the vendor. Amazon is one of the major players in providing IaaS solutions. Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) provides a large computing infrastructure and a service based on hardware virtualization. Platform as a Service (PaaS): The capability provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming languages and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, or storage, but has control over the deployed applications and possibly application hosting environment configurations. It provides an application or development platform in which users can create their own application that will run on the Cloud. PaaS implementations provide users with an application framework and a set of API that can be used by developers to program or compose applications for the Cloud. The two major players adopting this strategy are Google and Microsoft. It provides a set of APIs and an application model that allow developers to take advantage of additional services provided by Google such as Mail, Datastore, and others. Software as a Service (SaaS): They provide end users with an integrated service comprising hardware, development platforms, and applications running on a cloud infrastructure. Users are not allowed to customize the service but get access to a specific application hosted in the Cloud. The applications are accessible from various client devices through a thin client interface such as a web browser (e.g., web-based email, services provided by Google for office automation, such as Google Document and Google Calendar, which are delivered for free to the Internet users and charged for professional quality services). The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user specific application configuration settings Cloud Deployment Models There are four deployment models for cloud services, with derivative variations that address specific requirements: Public Cloud: The cloud infrastructure is made available to the general public or a large industry group and is owned by an organization selling cloud services. Private Cloud: The cloud infrastructure is operated solely for a single organization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party, and may exist on-premises or off premises. Community Cloud: The cloud infrastructure is shared by several organizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, or compliance considerations). It may be managed by the organizations or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises. Hybrid Cloud: The cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load-balancing between clouds). 4. Advantages of Cloud Computing It offers significant benefit to IT companies by freeing them from the low level tasks of setting up basic hardware (servers) and software infrastructures and thus enabling them to focus on innovation and creating business value for their services. Cloud computing infrastructure allows enterprises to achieve more efficient use of their IT hardware and software investments: it increases profitability by improving resource utilization. Pooling resources into large clouds cuts costs and increases utilization by delivering resources only for as long as those resources are needed. Cloud Computing is particularly beneficial for small and medium businesses, where effective and affordable IT tools are critical for helping them become more productive without spending a great deal of money on in ­house Cloud computing can offer expediency, delivering instant IT network infrastructure to new users in any conceivable sector. Instead of using up considerable amounts of money and time establishing a brand new network, users can plug-in to an existing cloud system and be up and running without delay. Infrastructure services address the problem of properly equipping data centers by assuring computing power when needed. The time sharing style approach are low barriers to entry, shared infrastructure and costs, low management overhead, and immediate access to a broad range of applications. Users can generally terminate the contract at any time (thereby avoiding return on investment risk and uncertainty) and the services are often covered by service level agreements (SLAs) with financial penalties. Agility improves with users able to rapidly and inexpensively re-provision technological infrastructure resources. The cost of overall computing is unchanged, however, and the providers will merely absorb up-front costs and spread costs over a longer period. Reliability improves through the use of multiple redundant sites, which makes cloud computing suitable for business continuity and disaster recovery. Nonetheless, many major cloud computing services have suffered outages, and IT and business managers can at times do little when they are affected Cloud computing offers extra level of security due to centralization of data, increased security-focused resources, etc., but concerns can persist about loss of control over certain sensitive data, and the lack of security for stored kernels. Security is often as good as or better than under traditional systems, in part because providers are able to devote resources to solving security issues that many customers cannot afford. Cloud computing also offers additional security benefits. A single central mainframe only needs a centralised firewall and malware guard software application. 5. Cloud Computing Drawback A side effect of this approach is that overall computer usage rises dramatically, as customers do not have to engineer for peak load limits. Additionally, increased high-speed bandwidth makes it possible to receive the same response times from centralized infrastructure at other sites. Transparency; Entrusting mission critical applications and data to a third party means the customer has to know exactly how cloud providers handle key security and architectural issues. How transparent providers will be about those details remains an open question. Problems currently impeding the growth of utility / cloud / grid computing include: As an emerging technology, it takes time for service providers to get over the learning curve. Service providers have been geared up for dedicated hosting for the last decade. Their infrastructure, sales channels, support systems, etc. are all built to focus on legacy systems. [7] The overriding drawback was the lack of individuality for each user and the slower processing time created by having to house every application needed by the complete user group on one mainframe and then to transfer data back and forth. 6. Conclusion Cloud Computing can be seen as a subset of grid computing as they share the same technologies and maintain the key concepts of the new distributed computing paradigm. Cloud computing can offer expediency, delivering instant IT network infrastructure to new users in any conceivable sector. Instead of using up considerable amounts of money and time establishing a brand new network, users can plug-in to an existing cloud system and be up and running without delay. Cloud computing offers tremendous opportunities for SMBs and is likely to radically change the way they use the Internet in the coming years. By developing an overall adoption strategy, or simply just recognising the importance of the wider factors mentioned above, SMBs can reduce the potential risks and ensure they get the maximum possible benefit from their journey into the cloud. Cloud computing will also have the potential to break geographical barriers to bring computing power to communities that previously did not have viable access. For example, through satellite broadband connections, remote third world locations can already gain access to first world mainframes. All they need is to be equipped with low cost basic laptop hardware. In future more and more people will want to work from home in the coming years as commuting costs rise and companies will be happy to oblige to save on office rental. Cloud computing can solve the IT problems associated with home office setup, while also meeting the budget and security requirements of business.

Making Money the Easy Way :: essays research papers

Slavery has been a very sensitive, touchy subject since, and even before, its abolition in 1865. There is no doubt whatsoever that its one, if not the, worst things to ever take place in the United States. However, this happened a long, long time ago in a different generation. The ancestors of those who were slaves have every right to be angry about what happened, but to try and claim money for it is absurd. Granted it was wrong, it was the way of life in those times. Wealthy white men owned slaves in those days. Paying back these slaves ancestors would not change anything. What’s done is done. Also there are many other needs in this country that this money could help greatly. Doing this would stir up more tension than there already is now. The fact that the country is paying back American Indians and Japanese-Americans is hard to comprehend. These people are being greedy only using their ancestors as an excuse to get their hands on some quick cash.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The world is an ever changing place with new customs, beliefs, and ideas being thought up every day. Times change, and people change. In the 1700’s and the 1800’s it was custom for the rich, white plantation owners to have slaves. As we look back now it is obvious to us that it was wrong but that is the way is was then. There was no law banning it. Think about alcohol. It is bad and causes bad things to happen sometimes, but its legal. So in 100 years will the government give money to anybody who was harmed due to alcohol? The same thing goes for cigarettes. One day down the road people will realize what alcohol and cigarettes do and they may ban them. The world evolves everyday and everyone uses the lessons they learned from past generations in order to fit in well with society and live life to the fullest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What does giving slaves ancestors money solve? Nothing. Slavery took place hundreds of years ago and paying back families does not make anything right. There is nothing that can be done to make what happened better. Paying reparations will not free the slaves. Anyone who is trying to collect reparations is a selfish fool who cares nothing about making things right, they just want money. Paying them back still would not make them feel better about slavery.

The Hero Of Con Air :: essays research papers

The Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie Con Air is a motivational movie. It is an action movie that can appeal to almost anyone. There are many factors in this movie and when combined all together, they give the movie a sense of unity. The theme and the purpose are similar and are intended to attract a wide variety of viewers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main theme of Con Air is heroism. Of course, as in most movies, the main character of Con Air displays many heroic acts. Cameron Poe is stuck on a plane transporting hardened criminals. The criminals take over the plane, forcing Poe to play the hero and â€Å"save the fucking day† as he so delicately puts it. For example, when Johnny 23, a serial rapist, attacks a woman guard in attempt to change his name to Johnny 24, Poe stands up and refuses to let the rape occur. Poe also displays his courage by refusing to give up or get off the plane until he successfully saves the innocent lives on board. Poe is not the only hero. Vince Larkin, an officer of the law also displays many acts of courage. He refuses to shoot the plane down because of the innocent victims on board. Another prisoner, Garland Green, a brutal serial killer, displays more courage. When he comes across a young girl playing alone outside her house, he has a chance to turn her into a victim. But, remarkably, he does her no harm. Not the typical heroic act, yet it still applies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Similar to the theme of heroism, is the purpose of Con Air. The purpose of this movie is to inspire people to do the right thing even when stuck in the worst environment. And what could be worse than Poe’s environment. As he describes it, â€Å"They somehow managed to get every creep and freak in the universe on this one plane, and then somehow managed to let them take it over and somehow managed to stick us right smack in the middle.† Yet he still manages to repair the damage done. Garland Green was also place in a vulnerable position, and he somehow manages to refrain from his killer instincts. These acts of heroism within the theme are effectively used to portray the purpose of inspiration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Add together the theme, purpose, and plot of this movie, and the total would create an effective movie with the capability of attracting a large audience.

Matrix Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Epistemology is the nature of knowledge. Knowledge is important when considering what is reality and what is deception. The movie â€Å"The Matrix† displays a social deception in which Neo, the main character, is caught between what he thought was once reality and a whole new world that controls everything he thought was real. If I were Neo, I would not truly be able to know that I was in the matrix. However, it is rational to believe that I am in the matrix and will eventually enter back into my reality later. The proof that that I can know that I am in the matrix and that I will return to reality comes from the responses of foundationalism, idealism, and pallibalism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To begin, foundationalism is the essence of what we are certain of. Many philosophers argue on the basis of foundationalism to find out where knowledge begins. This will help determine if Neo would be able to know or not know if he is dreaming up the matrix or in fact that it is reality. The popularity of foundationalism starts with Descartes. He challenged the previously popular skepticism. In Descartes Meditations he discusses many issues relating to the question of â€Å"where does knowledge come from?† His main arguments appear in his dreaming argument. He first begins by stating 1. I often have perceptions very much like the ones I usually have in sensation while I am dreaming. Then he goes on to say 2. There are no definite signs to distinguish dream experience from waking experience. These two premises lead to the conclusion that 3. It is possible that I am dreaming right now and that all my perceptions are false. This shows that there is no real way to know to know anything. Descartes add to his argument using foundationalism. â€Å"’Throughout my writings I have made it clear that my method imitates that of the architect. When an architect wants to build a house which is stable on ground where there is a sandy topsoil over underlying rock, or clay, or some other firm base, he begins by digging out a set of trenches from which he removes the sand, and anything resting on or mixed in with the sand, so that he can lay his foundations on firm soil. In the same way, I began by taking everything that was doubtful and throwing it out, like sand ... (Replies 7, AT 7:537)’ (Lex, Newman)†. This explains how foundationalism works; you must remove al... ...notion and the only thing that one can be certain of is them selves. Clearly then, foundationalism, idealism, and pallibalism all fit together to prove that Neo can not be certain of the matrix, but only himself. Also it further explains how it is rational for him to believe that the matrix exists through his perception of the matrix and the knowledge he obtains when he is there. The growth of knowledge in Neo’s mind is possible what is his deception. The more he perceives could possible be more he is deceived. What we know about reality is all in our minds and if we can only be certain of ourselves and our own existence then the reality that we perceive and conceive does exist. So the answer is yes, Neo can know that he is in the matrix, but this does not necessarily mean the matrix exists. As far as Neo knows the matrix does exist and that he will return to what he thought was his reality later, knowing that there is more than just his world. Works Cited   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newman, Lex, â€Å"Descartes’ Epistemology†, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 1999 Edition), Edward N, Zalta (ed.), URL= http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spring1999/entries/Descartes Matrix Essay -- essays research papers fc   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Epistemology is the nature of knowledge. Knowledge is important when considering what is reality and what is deception. The movie â€Å"The Matrix† displays a social deception in which Neo, the main character, is caught between what he thought was once reality and a whole new world that controls everything he thought was real. If I were Neo, I would not truly be able to know that I was in the matrix. However, it is rational to believe that I am in the matrix and will eventually enter back into my reality later. The proof that that I can know that I am in the matrix and that I will return to reality comes from the responses of foundationalism, idealism, and pallibalism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To begin, foundationalism is the essence of what we are certain of. Many philosophers argue on the basis of foundationalism to find out where knowledge begins. This will help determine if Neo would be able to know or not know if he is dreaming up the matrix or in fact that it is reality. The popularity of foundationalism starts with Descartes. He challenged the previously popular skepticism. In Descartes Meditations he discusses many issues relating to the question of â€Å"where does knowledge come from?† His main arguments appear in his dreaming argument. He first begins by stating 1. I often have perceptions very much like the ones I usually have in sensation while I am dreaming. Then he goes on to say 2. There are no definite signs to distinguish dream experience from waking experience. These two premises lead to the conclusion that 3. It is possible that I am dreaming right now and that all my perceptions are false. This shows that there is no real way to know to know anything. Descartes add to his argument using foundationalism. â€Å"’Throughout my writings I have made it clear that my method imitates that of the architect. When an architect wants to build a house which is stable on ground where there is a sandy topsoil over underlying rock, or clay, or some other firm base, he begins by digging out a set of trenches from which he removes the sand, and anything resting on or mixed in with the sand, so that he can lay his foundations on firm soil. In the same way, I began by taking everything that was doubtful and throwing it out, like sand ... (Replies 7, AT 7:537)’ (Lex, Newman)†. This explains how foundationalism works; you must remove al... ...notion and the only thing that one can be certain of is them selves. Clearly then, foundationalism, idealism, and pallibalism all fit together to prove that Neo can not be certain of the matrix, but only himself. Also it further explains how it is rational for him to believe that the matrix exists through his perception of the matrix and the knowledge he obtains when he is there. The growth of knowledge in Neo’s mind is possible what is his deception. The more he perceives could possible be more he is deceived. What we know about reality is all in our minds and if we can only be certain of ourselves and our own existence then the reality that we perceive and conceive does exist. So the answer is yes, Neo can know that he is in the matrix, but this does not necessarily mean the matrix exists. As far as Neo knows the matrix does exist and that he will return to what he thought was his reality later, knowing that there is more than just his world. Works Cited   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newman, Lex, â€Å"Descartes’ Epistemology†, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 1999 Edition), Edward N, Zalta (ed.), URL= http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spring1999/entries/Descartes

Samsung: Building a Great Brand

Samsung: Building a Great Brand Presented By: Michael Baccus, Marcial De Castro, Judith Dupin, Monica O’Neil, and Jose Santillan Marketing Management- MAR 3023-P80 October 5, 2011 Samsung grew its brand equity by 186 percent in just five years from 2000 to 2005. â€Å"Brand equity is the value of the brand name, its worth as an asset to the company. † (Marketing Principles, 2011, Module 6 p. 1). When new management came into the South Korean based firm, it scraped the all the various brand names that the company was selling low end electronics under, and consolidated by branding all of the company’s products as Samsung. Ten years later,Samsung is a force to be reckoned with to its competitors and a global brand name. However, the decision to only use the brand name Samsung is not the critical key to its success. Samsung has focused on innovation and product design to build its brand equity and it is working. Samsung implemented different innovative ways to inspir e and deliver great designs. The former chairman hired hundreds of new designers, implemented usability laboratories, and opened design centers around the world. The investment in product design, the progressive culture, and Samsung’s ability to step outside the box has all been invaluable in uilding a great brand. The critical activity in the process of Samsung’s transformation into a world- beating developer of new cell phone handset designs and other product line designs was its innovation with investment in product design and quality. Samsung built its brand into a superior brand by thinking and acting outside of the box. Instead of focusing on textbook product development funnels, it focused on more cutting edge methods such as the implementation design centers staffed with highly trained, creative, and skilled young designers and no bureaucracy to get in the way of design and innovation.According to Roll (2011), â€Å"Samsung has created a strong brand around in novation, cutting edge technology and world class design. † (para. 1). Samsung Chairman Lee Kun Hee concluded that â€Å"great design and innovation would be the way to build Samsung into a great global brand,† and he was correct (Marketing Principles, Module 6, p. 1). Instead of forming panels and hiring managers or more marketers to come up with new gimmicks, he hired hundreds of designers. The designers were from prestigious colleges of design and had an average age of just 33. The design force at Samsung multiplied y over 400% to over 400 designers in 10 years. This out of the take on product development allowed Samsung to transform its product line into world class. Competitors such as Sony have also followed in Samsung’s footsteps. According to Kunkel: â€Å"With nearly 250 industrial designers; graphic, packaging, and logotype designers; user- interface specialists and Web designers working in offices from Tokyo to San Francisco to Cologne, the Sony Desig n Center is responsible for nearly 2,000 new products, concepts, packaging schemes and design strategies every year, driving sales of products nd services totaling nearly $50 billion per year† (Product Description, para. 2). Although Sony also employs a lot of designers, Samsung still leads the industry in allowing their designs to inspire innovation. Samsung’s progressive culture of effective, efficient, and fast implementation is part of its advantage over competitors. According to the dynamic theory of competition presented in Marketing Principles (2011): â€Å"Suppliers with an insatiable improvement drive are more competitive. † â€Å"Suppliers who implement effectively, efficiently, and faster are more competitive. † (Module 1 p. 6).Samsung changes its product line three times as fast as its competition such as Motorola. Samsung has shown agility, according to Marketing Principles (2011) â€Å"†¦ i. e. the ability to implement change to change processes to introduce new technologies, new skills into the organization very quickly and effectively† (Module 1 p. 7). Change is managed very well at Samsung and they have lower manufacturing cost on top of their time to market being faster than that of competitors. Samsung avoids bureaucracy at its 24/7 design centers. Designers can work through problems without being delayed by non-productive orporate presentations and politics. Samsung has a constant focus on improvement and being faster and implementing the next innovation before the completion. Fackler (2006) explained, â€Å"†Our TVs are better,† Nobuyuki Oneda, Sony's chief financial officer, said in an interview earlier this year. †But Samsung's cash flow is amazing. It is hard to invest in and develop products† at the same pace as Samsung. † (para. 23). Samsung’s use of usability laboratories have been key in its market orientation skills and understanding the user interface. Sa msung does not follow the textbook best-practice of product development, which is idely now considered â€Å"yesterday’s best practice† in product development. According to Marketing Principles, Samsung uses concurrent engineering and fast prototyping in an around the clock approach to problem solving (Module 6 Case 2 p. 1). The traditional best practice only produces a success rate of 50 percent in product development. This out dated way of thinking is burdened with â€Å"gates†. These gates are where bureaucracy in an organization can delay forward movement of the product design. Samsung has â€Å"decentralized† and broke away from this way of development.It is actually criticized in the case study with the example of the use of Samsung’s design centers. Product development is free to develop in a creative environment without lawyers or other hold ups. Samsung has taken its out of the box approach and its investment in design and turned it into p rofits. As Marketing Principles explains, according to the current CEO of Samsung â€Å"we still have a lot of things to do before we are a great company. † (Module 6 Case 2 p. 2) With that approach and its constant drive to beat itself, The Samsung brand equity is likely to continue to grow. References:Marketing Principles. (2011). Portsmouth, NH: Backbone Press Frackler, M. (2006). Electronics company aims to create break-out product. The New York Times, p. C. 1. Kunkel, P. (1999, September 4). Product Description [Review of the book Digital Dreams: The Work of the Sony Design Center]. Amaonz. com. Retrieved from http://www. amazon. com/Digital-Dreams-Work-Design-Center/dp/0789302624 Roll, M. (2011). Samsung: Building brand equity through brand community. Venture Republic. Retrieved from http://www. venturerepublic. com/resources/Samsung_Building_brand_equity_through_brand_community. asp