My Initial Impression Of The Museum Was That They Should Really Invest

My initial impression of the museum was that they should really invest in more elevators and stairways. There were so many people getting on and off the elevators and getting in each other's way that I thought I would not have enough time to see all the exhibits. But once on the tour, I was completely focused on the many different exhibits. The many artifacts from the holocaust were amazing. Complete Nazi war uniforms, and weapons, actual concentration camp bunk beds, and many personal effects belonging to victims and survivors. The exhibit that most impressed me was the replica of the entry gates to a concentration camp and the replica of a gas chamber. The exactness and detail was incredible. The two exhibits that made the biggest impression on me were the L.A. riot exhibit and the holocaust survivor guest speaker. The L.A. riot exhibit consisted of an interactive time line that portrays the series of event that led to the riots starting at the beating of Rodney King, to the acquittal of the police officers involved, to the riots and on to the aftermath. Each section has consists of video and text of the topic, the has a question and answer section where I was given the opportunity to voice my opinion, then the computer showed a graph showing the opinions of others. The other exhibit wasn't actually an exhibit, it was an actual holocaust survivor that told of her experiences before, during and after the holocaust. And at the end of the lecture, she held a question and answer session. Her name was Greta Goldberg, she was 18 years old at the time of her incarceration at the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp. Although she was unskilled, she worked as a nurse in the camp hospital. Fortunately, her cousin was a doctor and was able to pass her off as a nurse to the guards. Her stay in Auschwitz definitely wasn't a pleasant one, but it was better than most others. Mrs. Goldberg interacted with Josef Mengele almost on a daily basis as he came through the hospital to decide who lived and who died. She talked of how hard it was for her to live a somewhat decent life while her friends and family lived in squalor. Mrs. Goldberg and her cousin were the only members of her immediate family to survive the camp. She lost both parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, a total of 35 relatives. At the end of her story she was asked if she still missed her parents. She replied with a poem. It said that during the whole experience, she was so sure that her family was alive because the guards told her so that she didn't mourn for them. When she was liberated after 8 months of incarceration she was sure that they would be waiting for her at home, so she still didn't mourn for them. And by the time she realized that they weren't coming home, she hadn't yet mourned for them, and so 55 years later she still mourns for them. I don't feel that I learned anything new as far as racism, injustice, or intolerance are concerned, I think that I have a clear understanding of the mechanics of these things. What I did learn from my visit to The Museum of Tolerance are the stories of individuals that were witness to the events that took place during the L.A. riots and the holocaust. The L.A. riot exhibit allowed me to see the many acts of courage and acts of injustice that I was previously unaware of. This exhibit affected me more than the holocaust survivor guest speaker because it was personal to me. My father is a Los Angeles police officer and was called into action at the onset of the riot. My mom and I didn't hear from him for almost 24 hours and didn't know what to think. We were more concerned with our own drama than the many other dramas portrayed on the news. But in seeing the riot exhibit, I was almost moved to tears by viewing the atrocities people were inflicting on other people and the heroic acts of kindness of other people. I knew about

Samuel Johnsons deceptively subtle satire The History of Rasselas Prince of Abissinia Essays

Samuel Johnsons deceptively subtle satire The History of Rasselas Prince of Abissinia Essays Samuel Johnsons deceptively subtle satire The History of Rasselas Prince of Abissinia Paper Samuel Johnsons deceptively subtle satire The History of Rasselas Prince of Abissinia Paper Essay Topic: Literature The Prince Samuel Johnsons deceptively subtle satire The History of Rasselas Prince of Abissinia depicts Rasselas and his companions in their pursuit of the happiness acquired from the correct choice of life. The narrative consists of an extensive vocabulary, which is conveyed through an elegant style, and is written in the third person, in order to construct the illusion of objectivity and subsequently evoke an intellectual response. One could consider these stylistic devices to produce an instructive and pragmatic moral tale, designed to rectify the belief that ultimate happiness is inherent in life. However, this essay will examine how Johnson challenges our preconceptions of happiness, of the role of the narrator, and of culture and society, through the employment of single faceted characters, frame narrative, and rhetorical language, to imply that the concept of happiness is diverse, that we cannot live by anothers instruction, and that we must dispense time wisely. I also intend to contest Womersleys claim that Johnsons prose avoids dogmatising, and in contrast submit that he relies upon the assertion of one attitude to induce a variety of responses in us, the reader. Johnson contorts our conceptualisation of an external narrative voice from the commencement of the novel. The reader is acquainted with the notion of a narrator that controls the narrative discourse, while existing independently from it, but expects an unbiased account from the narrator, which is not delivered. Ye who listen with credulity to the whispers of fancy, and persue with eagerness the phantoms of hope; who expect that age will perform the promises of youth, and that the deficiencies of the present day will be supplied by the morrow; attend to the history of Rasselas prince of Abissinia. Johnsons rhetorical use of language in this paragraph creates a rhythm, which emphasises nouns such as phantoms, and the onomatopoeic whispers, to convey insubstantiality and diminish the meaning of the word promises. The tone created y the hard consonance of ps and ds is derisory, and leaves the words hope and youth unstressed, which can be interpreted as bitterness, lamentation, or simple wistfulness. The direct address of the pronoun Ye, has an interrogative undertone, and implicates the reader in the criticism, suggesting that as the story is being related for our benefit, attentiveness is necessary. The condemnation of the reader becomes more pronounced through the realisation that we, like Rasselas, are captivated by the inferred insight and the conviction of an oratory that lacks substance. By examining the first paragraph more thoroughly, one acknowledges that as there is no justification to accept the narrators disparagements, and that as each line merely echoes the preceding implication, the inclination to concur depreciates. Therefore, an attentiveness to Johnsons style alters the readers perspective of a narrator, and conveys that it is not mandatory to attribute authority automatically to someone because of a preconception, as we are all limited by our experiences. The consequence of this revelation is that as the wisdom that can be attained is restricted, and as we cannot live passively, we must direct our conduct according our own decisions. It could be argued that this limitation of his wisdom invalidates his moral claims, however Johnsons style implies that their definition must be adjusted from righteous instructions, to considered suggestions that we are at liberty to accept or disregard. Johnsons style, although eloquent, is deceptively simple and generally does not bombard the reader with a succession of stylistic devices, such as simile and metaphor. This style induces an initial sense of objectivity while we formulate opinions on the ventures and conclusions of the characters, and our role as a spectator is enhanced by Johnsons choice to place the tale outside of Europe. One purpose for this decision is that at the time of writing the British Empire was still thriving, and Europe was considered a place of cultural refinement and erudition, so by setting his moral tale in a society that the reader only associates with spaciousness and romance, and deems unsophisticated, we are not threatened or offended at the disclosed observations. However, one criticism is that Johnson displays ignorance to other cultures in expecting the flaws of one society to be present in another, while a modern reader may contest the assumption that they share the views of a reader in Georgian society. Yet the application of simple style alludes to a sense commonality, and suggests that every society, despite the diversity, possesses deficiencies, and that these particular defects have been chosen because he is satirising his and the readers society. Johnson provides comfort in our objectivity and permits us to establish our perceptions before challenges them. His first attack is upon our discernment of Abissinia, by altering the fundamental premises through his description of the happy valley: surrounded on every side by mountains From the mountains on every side, rivulets descended that filled all the valley with verdure and fertility. The style is simple, which means that, although one can obtain many intentions from the content, there is at least one common interpretation for each individual. The impression of spaciousness is diminished as the repetition of every side conjures the image of imprisonment; the connotation is that the valley and its inhabitants like the citizens of the British Isles would perish without the external influences from which it protects itself. Johnson facilitates the transference of criticism to the reader by coaxing us to affiliate ourselves with the main characters, which are assigned the distinction of intellectuals and royalty although it is a notably powerless station, such a prince fourth in line for the throne. Despite this impotence, throughout the work they are often presented by their titles, such as the prince, yet it is also the way many characters are described, for example, the poet, and the hermit, to establish the sense of a manifestation of lifestyles and attitudes rather than actual people. This postulation is accentuated by attentiveness to the speech of the characters as, despite background and rank, each has been prescribed with a similar articulate expression. To him that lives well, answered the hermit, every form of life is good; nor can I give any other rule for choice, than to remove from all apparent evil. Johnson manipulates the syntax of each characters speech, placing the name of the generic group in this instance the hermit within their speech, to construct the impression that although their label and their attitude restricts them, they also constitutes their lives. The exploitation of syntax conveys that immediate awareness of which character is speaking is incons equential, as the value lies in the attitude. The reader is informed that the hermit has existed in solitude for fifteen years, but knows little of his previous station, yet he is assigned proverbial speech, established through simple, monosyllabic words with soft consonants and elongated vowel sounds. Johnsons choice to attribute the characters with similar speech could be interpreted as a limitation on his ability as a writer; however, the moral aspect of the narrative suggests that the intended effect is that all opinions are equal. Yet, there is an apparent contradiction, as the speech reflects the style in all other areas of the narrative, and when a characters behaviour is deemed worthless, their discourse is omitted, for example the men of spirit and gaiety. Rasselas considers himself as a sage man, and when confronted with people who are not like-minded, he dismisses them, in the same way that the narrator excludes their conversation from the narrative. Johnson provides objectivity through his simple style and basic generalisations in order to scrutinise the manner in which we utilise it. He illustrates the difficulty in understanding anything transcending our experience as no amount of research or observation can provide an accurate grasp of anothers lifestyle. For example, the prosperous Rasselas is incapable of entirely appreciating the ordeal of a striving impoverished merchants son. Yet, although we do not share the conditions of another, it is implied that we should respect it, rather than dismiss it or impress opinions upon it, as more than one manner of living exists and we each follow our own. The first impression of the work is that it complies with the style of a traditional eastern tale, through the utilisation of a frame narrative; however, by removing the luxury of an entirely resolved conclusion it parodys tradition, and consequently condemns the tendency of writers to provide a single solution when considering a subject as varied as life. It has been suggested by J. P Hardy that Johnsons conclusion enforces the realisation that no such happiness exists1, which through a succession of miserable depictions of the human condition, is arguably an accurate description. Yet, although Johnson challenges the concept of a conclusion through the apparition of a negligible achievement, it is feasible that by understanding that there is not one perfect way to live, and by adopting veneration for the diversity of conduct, while being at peace with ones own, one attains a happy conclusion. The vital aspect of the narrative is that despite the postulations of critics such as David Womersley, that suggest that Johnsons prose is restless, and is always alert to the vanity of dogmatising, it is inescapable that Johnson has used symbolic characters to represented a single, and unfavourable, facet of the human condition. However, in Womersleys favour, by dogmatically pursuing several desolate resolutions, Johnson excites the intellect of the individual reader, and provides us the freedom to interpret the determine of the seemingly desolate narrative. The messages contained within the narrative are suggestions, and therefore the conclusion must be considered as an option rather than a moral truth, hence reactions will vary from compliance, to possibly constructive rebellion. For example, Rosa Parks, who in 1955 refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man, at a time when black Americans were fighting for civil rights, proving how nonconformity can benefit society, and denying the sentiment that we must be content in our lives and not pursue greater happiness. The technique of frame narrative is combined with subtle repetition, semi-episodic chapters titled to disclose the proceeding information and a unique exploitation of syntax, to manipulate and comment upon the internal and external passage of time. Johnson constructs a conflict between the movement of the narrative and the narrative discourse. One example is when Rasselas is pending the completion of the wings: Thus passed twenty months of the life of Rasselas. The line appears succinct as it is littered with many monosyllabic words, and in comparison to other more elongated sentences attains the illusion of brevity, communicating the rapidity with which time can disappear unheeded. However, the repetition of the prefix of, the extended vowels sounds, and the sibilance, lengthen the line, assisting the notion that a significant measure of time is often spent without achievement. This concept is enhanced when one considers that throughout the narrative the present is filled with reflection upon the past, and lamentation of the misappropriation of time and opportunity. One example of this irony is when Rasselas wastes several hours grieving over lost time: I have lost that which can never be restored: I have seen the sun rise and set for twenty months, an idle gazer on the light of heaven: In this time the birds have left the nest of their mother, and committed themselves to the woods and to the skies: the kid has forsaken the teat and learned by degrees to climb the rocks in quest of independent sustenance. I only have made no advances. The reoccurrence of the pronoun I and the conjunction and, compounded with intentionally clichi d metaphors that reiterate the sentiment that a long time has passed, inspire annoyance towards his pathetic self-involvement, rather than pity. Through this meditation, one becomes aware of the significance imposed on the past and the future, for example when Lady Pekuah is missing, the princess uses her time to remember her, and anticipate the satisfaction of retrieving her. The readers appreciation of the vice of misspent time induces the realisation that we are implicated. To realise wholly this implication, Johnson uses titled semi-episodic chapters give the initial impression that they are designed to eradicate the anticipation to allow the us to reader more conscientiously, for example, Description of a palace in a valley. One interpretation of these titles is that life is a series of definable events, and displays the negligible achievements that we perceive as significant, such as The prince continues to grieve and muse. However, another interpretation is that the present is deemphasised, as the reader is conscious of the subject of the chapter, and explains the human condition as a succession of reflection and expectations. The reader is forced to realise that we reflect the behaviour of the characters, when we read a narrative we are not always concerned with what is occurring, only where it will lead and how it will end. The preceding level of understanding is that we are diverting ourselves from life by attempting to gain wisdom from a work of fiction. Johnsons style requires great attentiveness, but by succeeding in this endeavour, we display aversion to the present, by using time to uncover concepts that would have obtained through living, rather than passively and academically assimilating how to live. In one respect Rasselas is a narrative concerning the right of passage of a nai ve prince, in another it is a realistic morality tale, providing a conclusion to portray the inevitable disappoint of idealistic dreams. However, through attentiveness to Johnsons style the central message is not to live passively and to respect the gift of time by employing it efficiently. These suggestions are implied subtly, as he initial gives us objectivity through third person narration, frame narrative, single facetted characters, setting, and to an extent, through his simple, eloquent language. Yet, closer inspection reveals that the narrator is unreliable, through the dogmatic attitude conveyed through rhetorical language, and therefore the sentiment conveyed is one interpretation of the diverse nature of life and happiness, that cannot be dictated to us by others, and that we are not entitled to judge. The imparted advice that we must respect the gift of time is accomplished by leading us to acknowledge this folly in the characters, then as the achievement is only recognisable through attention to his style illuminates the irony that although we condemn their folly, we are guilty of wasting time, and displaying credulity towards the mere implication of insight. These conclusions insinuate his work to be a reflection of life rather than a method of guidance. Johnson expects each reader to bring individual experience, attitudes, and preconceptions to the reading of his work, and allows the interpretations to vary and to influence accordingly. Therefore, although it is established that each aspect of his style implies a message, and attentiveness towards it and provides greater understanding of the meaning, it is not possible to determine what this meaning is as the essence of the implications is that every individual lives his life in the same manner in which he interprets a novel: differently.

The Effects of Global Warming on the United States and Sudan Essay

The Effects of Global Warming on the United States and Sudan - Essay Example Global warming has similar negative effects on human rights issues because of its impacts on health and water and food security in the U.S. and Sudan, but Sudan experiences a different negative effect of potentially greater conflict because of the scarcity of basic needs. The history of human rights in Sudan and the U.S. are dissimilar in values because they have different human rights conditions. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides basic guidelines for all nations regarding the establishment and protection of equal human rights. The U.S. has a Constitution and Bill of Rights that aim to promote basic human rights, as well as access to civil and political freedoms. After the Civil Rights Movement, equality laws and other laws reinforced equality and banned discrimination of any form. The U.S. also has a vision of environmental justice that is essential to environmental rights. In 1994, President Bill Clinton issued Executive Order 12898 that mandated federal agencies to pursue environmental justice (Dawson 326). Six years afterwards, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued instructions for the state agencies, so that they can handle environmental justice lawsuits (Dawson 326). This movement declined under the Bush administrati on because of the dominance of business interests, while Obama returned the importance of environmental concerns (Dawson 326). Based on the history of human rights and environmental issues in the U.S., it has been a series of ups and downs on the basis of environmental rights, although basic rights and freedoms are relatively stable since human rights and freedoms are instituted through equality and other similar laws. The U.S. generally supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Sudan, on the opposite, experiences a troubled human rights history. Human rights in Sudan became harder to access since 2012 because of the

Decision making & problem solving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Decision making & problem solving - Essay Example The National Health Services, a publicly funded healthcare organization, was founded in UK near about fifty years ago. Their focus on modernization in the management has given new edge to the functioning of the NHS. It is significant that the NHS management has readily recognized the need for the charges, and timely implemented the plan But the momentum for the charge has only started gaining pace. These changes are not necessarily the result of the internal market for health. They arise partly also from developments in the science of medicine itself. Four changes will have particular impact on the future organization of the NHS (Leathard, 1991, p.126).Assuming that medical science remains in continual state of development and evolution, differences of opinions between doctors become inevitable. The law regarding medical negligence permits wide range of practice variations.Though the NHS does not have a profit motive, it is, of course, enormously concerned with control of expenditure . Surprisingly, however, it still lacks any real continuous evaluation of its performance against criteria.Concerns about the irrational use of medicines has led the government to introduce scheme designed to put downward pressure on indiscriminate prescription. GP spending on pharmaceuticals is now subject to regulation by indicative amounts, or 'target budgets'. In the past, the stance of the British Medical ... The concept of the 'general' hospital, with broad range of services designed to cater for the needs of a variety patients, will decline. Instead, there will be smaller number of specialist units which maximize the use made of expensive equipment (Astley & Van de, 1983, p.245-273). This will bring out movement from secondary to primary care and an increase in the power of GPs both in terms of the numbers of patients they treat and their influence over the distribution of health service resources. Their role as passive partners in the enterprise of health, removed from the reality of hard decisions about costs and benefits, will be change. Inevitably, they will become more involved in the debate about priorities in health care. Secondly, since the power to decide how resources should be spent gets decentralized, tension will arise between the duty of the Secretary of State to promote national strategies and objectives and the wishes of local doctors and health managers as to their own goals and aspirations. Thirdly, the use of market for health care will not discourage this trend. The use of the word 'market' is undoubtedly contentious and the exact future of the current system of funding, obviously, will be subject to the winds of political change. Equally, both main political parties would endorse the following two principles: (i) that effective care in the NHS is enhanced by the use of some measure of financial incentives for employees who achieve most, and (ii) that an entirely unregulated market for health care in the NHS would be largely ineffective and wasteful. Fourthly, the distinction between public and private care will become increasingly blurred. Private hospitals will be encouraged liberally and be able to sell their services to

History of American Education

History of American Education The twentieth century is a century in which major events such as The Great Depression, rights for minority, two world war and rise and fall of radical politics that which shapes a better American society in the present day. One of the advancements that made modern American today would be education and life in American universities. Historian Frederick Rudolph wrote a comprehensive history of American higher education that became one of the standard in the field and published the book titled The American college and Universities. It describes how American education system had shaped over the twentieth century. It explores a wide range of issue from education curriculum, how institutions finance in activities and programs to the education of immigrants, blacks and women. ÂÂ  During twentieth century, American especially teenagers from all walks of life had a one question in mind when comes to the idea of university in the United States which was, What should the American university be? [1]The university idea was a configuration which was far more complex than it seems, it involves financial resources, a wide range of agencies, public and private sectors to shape it. The book mentioned the complexities of college life due to events happening in America and the rise of college athletics. It gave a narrative review from historical bibliography on American college and the author Frederick Rudolphs own perspective on development of higher education in United States. The topic of education in America gave a huge and serious debate to improve to encourage a cohesive environment for all. The author questioned on the consequences have in American college and universities that have developed. He writes as a national educator historian, and he aware of how federal and state policies including religious differences effects on the intitutions.2 From the class material, progressive thinker such as John Dewey mentioned that a comprehensive system of education was important for a democracy nation to be successful. Progressives thinkers believed that it was a necessity for compulsory education and they worked hard to improve and expand education at all levels. These reformers reform numerous aspects of education such as standardization of testing, avoid corporal punishment and emphasized on equal education standard for both genders. They transformed education to be a driving force in modernizing the society and create great leaders regardless of race and gender. College was early recognized as an agency for economic and social mobility for the young adult. It coincides with the beginnings of feminism which one of the main goal was to give equal rights to education for women in United States. The higher education of women was a success. By 1950, there were about half a million women in the college as compared to a mere less than 100,000 back in 1900. It also gave the women to understand and exercise their social responsibilities and importance of voting. A study in 1935 had shown that 62% of women graduated from college voted as compared to less than 50% of women who did not attend higher education. Women were encouraging to take electives that are deemed feminine such as teaching or home economics.[3] However, there were still negative thoughts of women in higher education. An example will be Dean Briggs of Harvard, which he suggested that the movement for collegiate education for women may cause danger in intellectual unrest and deemed wome n will lost their role as a housewives or mother in later life due to high accomplishments. The employment rate of women significant increases with more women got higher education.[4 ]The author did not discuss during the Great Depression period of women education when fathers and husbands resented their wives and daughters to take over breadwinning roles which may be an effect from women getting higher education. From the class material, due to high unemployment rates among the men during Great Depression, there were states laws that which causes 10 million women to be fired from the job and Social Security pension system exclude certain female dominated occupations. This may cause a decline in women enrolled to higher education due to setback and little opportunity to advance during the Great Depression. The higher education main idea during twentieth century for the education of women will be established a college where the dignity of faculties and charm of the highest literary c ulture may be acquired by women without loss to womens crowning glory of grace and gentleness.[5] During the 1920s, American college and universities had discovered something that students cared about passionately due to the rise of American football. To satisfy the students, universities build foot field house that is big enough to handle a football game and creating banners and motto for the football team.[6] It was also a solution to integrate ethnic minorities into a game to ease racial tension. Not only that, football drew a huge enthusiasm among the ladies to support their team as compared to intercollegiate baseball. Inclusive of ethnic minorities into a college team will help in progress of race relation. The author continuing mentioning on how each university fund the American football and the enthusiasm of the ladies comparing American football to gladiators.[7] From the class material, Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play baseball in major leagues since 19th century, resulting numerous ethnic minorities to follow the footstep of Robinson. However, they faced obstacles, such as off-field discrimination and often will not be chosen to play for major matches. Education played a huge role in American society during the mid-twentieth century. After Word War 2, population in United States dramatically increased with a baby boom. In 1944, the American Congress passed the GI bill which provides subsidies for veterans to attend colleges and universities. Millions of veterans took advantage of the opportunity resulting in drastically increased in number of people in college. This resulted in higher education to experience a huge increase in enrollment of students and graduates in the1950s. Frederick Rudolphs bibliography had given me an understand of American higher education from nineteenth century till the twentieth century and how university such as Harvard, Yale or Michigan finance their institute, their policies and the development of curriculum to the ethnic minorities and women and rise of sports in the college. This book gave information of the beginnings of education, complications the higher education institutions had faced and how the how higher education institutions overcome it, be carefully documented using numerous secondary blogography. By narrowing down to history of American education, it really gave a brief idea of how the periods in twentieth century affects the college and university policies and complexities of the students. It could be better categorizing chronological by year and the events happening around United States, to show how America higher education had progress over the years. It will help readers to better understand the progress and materials of the book.ÂÂ   The materials will be better if there were demographic and statistical analyses to connect education history to the social history of America, such as how The Great Depression causes women to lose its employment and education rights. Given the fact that this book was based on numerous secondary bibliographic with inordinate reliance of institutional histories, the author did a splendid work in convincing the readers in important historical perspective on the development of colleges and universities in United States. The author minimizes biasness, cross referencing numerous sources and summarizing history of American higher education in great details. [1] RUDOLPH, FREDERICK, and JOHN R. THELIN. The American College and University: A History. University of Georgia Press, 1990, p.357-58. 2 RUDOLPH, FREDERICK, and JOHN R. THELIN. The American College and University: A History. University of Georgia Press, 1990, p.368. [3] RUDOLPH, FREDERICK, and JOHN R. THELIN. The American College and University: A History. University of Georgia Press, 1990, p.310-11. [4 ]4 RUDOLPH, FREDERICK, and JOHN R. THELIN. The American College and University: A History. University of Georgia Press, 1990, p.325. [5] RUDOLPH, FREDERICK, and JOHN R. THELIN. The American College and University: A History. University of Georgia Press, 1990, p.328. [6] RUDOLPH, FREDERICK, and JOHN R. THELIN. The American College and University: A History. University of Georgia Press, 1990, p.374 [7] RUDOLPH, FREDERICK, and JOHN R. THELIN. The American College and University: A History. University of Georgia Press, 1990, p.391.

Theme of Death in White Noise Essay examples -- White Noise Don DeLill

White Noise Death is probably the most feared word in the English language. Its undesired uncertainty threatens society’s desire to believe that life never ends. Don DeLillo’s novel White Noise tells the bizarre story of how Jack Gladney and his family illustrate the postmodern ideas of religion, death, and popular culture. The theme of death’s influence over the character mentality, consumer lifestyle, and media manipulation is used often throughout DeLillo’s story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perhaps, the character most responsive to death is Jack Gladney. In fact, he is so consumed by his fear of death that his ordinary thought processes are often interrupted by the question: â€Å"Who will die first† (DeLillo 15)? In Jack’s mind: â€Å"This question comes up from time to time, like where are the car keys† (DeLillo 15). Jack finds the aura of death to be very noticeable and real, and he relies on his consumer lifestyle as an escape from his fear of death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jack uses the supermarket as his base for his consumer lifestyle and a place to escape, which is validated by the interpretation of his friend and colleague Murray Siskind. Murray views the supermarket as almost a holy place, an atmosphere with rays and â€Å"white noise† everywhere. It’s full of psychic data†¦.Everything is concealed in symbolism, hidden by veils of mystery and layers of cultural material†¦The large doors slide open, they close unbidden†¦.All the letters and numbers are here, all the colors of the spectrum, all the voices and sounds, all the code words and ceremonial phrases. It is just a question of deciphering, rearranging, peeling off the layers of unspeakability†¦. We don’t have to cling to life artificially, or to death for that matter. We simply walk toward the sliding doors. Waves and radiation. Look how well-lighted the place is. The place is sealed off, self-contained†¦. It is timeless†¦. Here we don’t die, we shop. But the difference is less marked than you think (DeLillo 37-38).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John N. Duvall, author of â€Å"The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated Mediation in DeLillo’s White Noise,† believes that â€Å"Murray’s interpretations become Jack’s convictions; Murray’s speculations, Jack’s experiences† (143). Drawing on Murray’s speculation‘s, Jack embraces Murray’s analysis as a truth and uses the supermarket as security, a place where colors and names always in the same place, a place where ... ... profoundly important questions about death, the afterlife, God, worlds and space, yet they exist in an almost Pop Art atmosphere(268).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By treating these false tracts of literature as some sort of god, consumers can escape the reality of death since the content is not in day to day, ordinary life. Death is a fear that has attacked the minds of man since the beginning. For years people have treated death as a unspeakable occurrence, and White Noise shows those desperate attempts through postmodern imagery. According to Don DeLillo, death is an assailant that creeps its way into the subconscious of society but is prevented from tainting the gratification of life by way of the postmodern army- technology. Works Cited Conroy, Mark. â€Å"From Tombstone to Tabloid: Authority Figured in White Noise.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Critique 35.2 (1994): 97-110. DeLillo, Don. White Noise. New York: Penguin Books 1999. Duvall, John N. â€Å"The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mediation in DeLillo’s White Noise.† Arizona Quarterly 50.3 (1994):   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  127-153. Maltby, Paul. â€Å"The Romantic Metaphysics of Don DeLillo.† Contemporary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Literature 37.2 (1996): 258-277.

Green Ox Essay

The new products division of Palmer Jackson, Inc. , a Cincinnati-based food and beverages manufacturer, successfully perfect a technique for dissolving common antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Selenium into high-glucose beverages. As a result a new line of sports beverages with added benefit of antioxidants occur. Palmer Jackson hired AccuityBrand, a brand consultancy specializing in developing product names and logos, to name and develop creative packaging for this new product. The new beverage was named Green Ox, and after a short discussion with management, the name was approved. Now that the name Green Ox was approved by the management Palmer Jackson needed to make several important decisions about the introduction of the new product. Palmer Jackson hired Marketing Studies Incorporated (MSI), a well-respected marketing research firm, to work on this product and to provide some basic competitive intelligence. Management believed the main competitors of Green Ox were recognized sports drinks and some vegetable juices, most particularly V7 and surprisingly strong interest among those who currently purchase antioxidants in pill form. Research conducted by MSI that up to10% of the people who purchased antioxidants in pill form would be interested in obtaining these vitamins and minerals from beverage rather than a pill. The objective of this case is to make a new beverage to compare it to the other old beverages that track record of successful sales in other channels. This is to test whether the new product is more efficient than the others. Where, the Green Ox successfully perfected a technique to dissolve common antioxidants into high-glucose beverage The campaign we want to launch for the new line of products seeks to distinguish â€Å"Green Ox† from its rivals by promoting its antioxidant content. The promotion will be designed, firstly to drive awareness of Green Ox and its key point of differentiation: antioxidants. We will use advertising for education. A website will e created which will five all the information about the products ad their benefits for heath and physical conditioning. Because of antioxidants content, Green Ox is a functional drink that is truly different from its competitors. Palmer Jackson realizes that product, price distribution, and promotion decisions for Green Ox all rely on the decisions they make, that all four of the †P† decisions are tangled and depend on each other. They feel that the place to start is with some notion of how many flavors of Green Ox they should introduce and at what price. The problem exist because of the several social trends that the senior management at Palmer Jackson believed might be important in determining the success and growth potential of Green Ox. Some problems that the company encountered are to decide quickly the segment(s) to target, and how the product would be positioned in the minds of its potential consumers. It also needed to decide how the product would be priced to the retailer as well as how many flavors should be introduced. Complicating matters was management’s keen understanding that all of these decisions depended on each other. Alternative identification and evaluation The company can solve the problem by managing their time in deciding what seems to be the exact target. The company should also be active and responsible enough to know what price and how it will be presentable to the potential consumers. Even in complicated matters the management should be open-minded and they must agree among themselves every decision that they make. These are the advantages of the product: it has more benefits added to their product than the V7 products; it produces new flavor; even though it’s expensive it is worth it; it is also a good alternative for the other sports drinks. We will use advertising for education. A website will be created which will five all the information about the products and their benefits for health and physical conditioning. The whole campaign will emphasize our competitive advantage. Solution Conclusion: Palmer Jackson Inc has developed a new line of sports beverages which have the added benefit of antioxidants. They have developed several elements of their brand strategy with the agency Accuity Brands which is a branding consultancy, where there are marketing strategy specialists. They have also hired Marketing Studies Incorporated, a well-respected marketing research firm, to work with the management team. The most important issue for Palmer Jackson Inc is the positioning and segmentation of their new drink, Green Ox. There are three main competitive markets: Sport Drink, Antioxidant & V7 in which Green Ox will compete for market share.