Louis Armstrong Essay - 634 Words

Louis Armstrong Louis Satchmo Armstrong was one of the most popular musicians of his time. Upon initiating my research, I was surprised to find conflicting dates as to when he was born. Encarta Africa said he was born in 1901, 1001 things to know about African American history-1898, regular Encarta --1900, Little Louis and the jazz band by Angela Shelf Medearis says his date of birth is August 4, 1901. The book Jazz Stars by Richard Rennert states that Louis Armstrong was born in 1899, the book Louis Armstrong by Sam Tanenhaus says he was born on July 4, 1900. The reason why they have so many different dates is due to the fact that he probably wasnt born in a hastpital and they did not use to keep good records of black†¦show more content†¦Day night, ragtime musicdanced out of the neighborhood honky-tonks. At night, Little Louis fell asleep to the sad songs of the local blues singers. Those sorrowful songs sounded like they were full of all the pain in the world. Little Louis enjoyed all kinds of music, but he loved the music played by the brass bands most of all. Sometimes after a parade, Joe king Oliver, the best cornet player in New Orleans, would let Louis carry his cornet case. Little Louis wanted to make music too. He wanted to play a cornet just like King Oliver. In music, Armstrong discovered the path to success, after a New Years eve prank in 1913. He had taken his stepfathers .38 caliber pistol and six blanks and fired them into the air. Before he knew what was happening, a policeman had grabbed Little Louis by the arm. Off went Little Louis in the custody of the New Orleans police. The judge decided to send him to the Colored Waifs Home for boys to keep him out of trouble. The home gave poor boys a chance to finish school and learn a trade. A military man, Captain Joseph Jones and his wife ran it. He ran the home military style. Little Louis was heart broken and home sick. Then one day he heard a brass band playing. He followed the music and found himself in a room full of boys and instruments. He went to band rehearsal everyday and finally he was asked to join the band. The conductor of the band, Mr. Davis, first gave him a tambourine. Then Louis tried theShow MoreRelatedLouis Armstrong Essay850 Words   |  4 PagesLouis Armstrong Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901 to Mayanne and William Armstrong. His father abandoned his family during Louis infancy. Louis spent the first years of his life with his grandmother, Josephine Armstrong. After age five, Louis moved back with his mother and his sister, Mama Lucy. The family was forced to live in stark poverty. Louis got into some trouble when he was just 12 years old and was placed in the Waifs Home for Boys. It wasRead MoreImportance of Louis Armstrong1568 Words   |  7 PagesLouis Armstrong Louis Armstrong was the greatest of all Jazz musicians. Armstrong defined what it was to play Jazz. His amazing technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity, and amazingly quick, inventive musical mind still dominate Jazz to this day. Only Charlie Parker comes close to having as much influence on the history of Jazz as Louis Armstrong did. Like almost all early Jazz musicians, Louis was from New Orleans. He was from a very poor family and was sent to reform school when he was twelveRead More Louis Armstrong Essay1336 Words   |  6 Pages Louis Armstrongs Influential Career Louis Armstrong’s Influential Career Louis Armstrong was the most successful and talented jazz musician in history. His influence and expansive career continues to make waves in the jazz world. That is what made him become what he is to many today – a legend. Born on August 4, 1901, in the poorest section of New Orleans, Armstrong grew up with his grandparents due to his parents’ separation. On January 1, 1913 he made a mistake which turned out to be theRead MoreLouis Armstrong Essay1547 Words   |  7 PagesLouis Armstrong He was born in the south at a time when a black boy could expect nothing but to grow up, work hard at the lowest jobs all his life, and hope somehow, somewhere manage to stay healthy and get a little out of life.(P.1 Collier) Get a little out of life Louis did, a pure genius he revolutionized Americas first true form of art, jazz. Doing a paper on Louis Armstrong has been enjoyable to do and the information that is available on Armstrong is endless. So much that this paperRead MoreLouis Armstrong Essay1388 Words   |  6 PagesThe Life and Music of Louis Armstrong Among the most popular and appreciated musicians of our time, Louis Satchmo Armostrong brought a musical presence, technical mastery, and imaginative genius that so overwhelmed musicians of his day that he became their principle model, leaving an indelible imprint on the music (Kernfield 27). When reviewing Armstrongs life work, his years with us can be divided into two aspects, his personal life and his music. While giving significant background ofRead MoreThe Legacy Of Louis Armstrong Essay1401 Words   |  6 PagesLouis Armstrong, one of the most influential figures in jazz music, enjoyed a career that spans across 50 years, and through different eras of jazz. Nicknamed† Satchmo†, â€Å"Pops†, and† Ambassador Satch†, Armstrong could do it all, he sang, occasionally acted, composed music, but was most famous for his cornet and trumpet playing. Although Armstrong is well known for his amazing trumpet play, he also influenced the direction that jazz m usic during his time was headed. Over the course of this paper IRead MoreJazz, By Louis Armstrong2718 Words   |  11 PagesJazz midterm 1. Louis Armstrong is credited in the book titled Jazz as the â€Å"single most important figure in the development of jazz.† He is known as the only major figure in Western musical history to have a profound influence as a singer and an instrumentalist. His defining qualities as a performer were the emotion, beauty, and technical mastery he brought to each performance, and he knew how to please an audience. Performing jazz was a personal and powerful experience to him, and it was communicatedRead MoreLouis Armstrong : The Era Of Jazz1449 Words   |  6 PagesLouis Armstrong once said â€Å"If you ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.† Armstrong was conveying the message that jazz is whatever the performer makes of it, for there are no rules or restrictions on what the performer can do. Louis Armstrong was a famous jazz trumpeter from New Orleans who influenced the era of jazz tremendously throughout the years with his unique style, which included bringing in imp rovisation to pieces. The quote stated earlier can be applied to life, showing that in order toRead More Biography of Louis Armstrong Essay1236 Words   |  5 PagesLouis Armstrong was born in one of the poorest sections in New Orleans, August 4, 1901. Louis a hard-working kid who helped his mother and sister by working every type of job there was, including going out on street corners at night to singing for coins. Slowly making money, Louis bought his first horn, a cornet. At age eleven Armstrong was sent to juvenile Jones Home for the colored waifs for firing a pistol on New Year’s Eve. While in jail Armstrong received his first formal music lesson from oneRead MoreThe Jazz Musici Louis Armstrong1078 Words   |  5 Pagesroadhouses, dance halls and places all over the country. It’s a very fast paced sound that was different than what people had heard of before. Louis Armstrong was a very well-known jazz musician during this time. He played the trumpet and was a ve ry good jazz musician. He was in many bands, played in Broadway and traveled playing jazz for people (Wenning). Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana (Woog, 15). He grew up in a very poor area nicknamed, â€Å"The Battlefield.† Armstrong’s

Pile Traveled To A Pineapple Cultivation Cradle In The

Pile traveled to a pineapple cultivation cradle in the pineapple-growing region to the south of Ghana, specifically at Akwapim South District in Eastern Accra to test his idea’s viability (Whitfield, 2012). Pineapple growing was initiated in the early 1980s by the local smallholders of Pogrom Nsaba, that occupied the areas between Nsawam and Aburi district capitals. Most inhabitants engaged in pineapple farming in turn of the century. Smooth Cayenne, an orange-skinned pineapple that has light-yellow flesh and tangy sweet taste attributes, was grown either consuming it raw or processing. The upsurge in pineapple material for factories export demand acted as an incentive for large pineapple cultivators to intensify production. Akwapim Hills†¦show more content†¦Also, the site was convenient as it facilitated easy access to Accra’s International Airport. Although Blue Skies was happy about the Ghana business accomplishments, consumer tastes produced a detrimental effect to the company. MD2 was readily acceptable in Europe while Smooth Cayenne became no longer in demand. It was largely cultivated and sourced from Costa Rica farms, and many entrepreneurs preferred it to traditional varieties. Del Monte, a U.S. company, generated fresh produce that made its way to international markets (Whitfield, 2012). Evidently, ‘gold extra sweet’ variety became popular massively increasing Costa Rica’s fresh pineapple exports. Later, Pile thought of forming a more robust platform that Blue Skies’ operations would be anchored on amidst growing competition. Heavy reliance upon fable smallholder farmers for the pineapple supply plummeted the company’s resources. An expansion-ability opportunity was denied, farm’s profitability and sales plunged, as outputs greatly interfered with owing poor agricultural informat ion (Kleemann, 2011). Pile thought that for Blue Skies to register profitable margins, farmers had to be empowered on monitoring of their farms. For quality pineapple harvest to be realized, Blue Skies can educate the farmers on various efficient cultivation means. When farmers become agronomically supported, the output will meet European standards. Agrochemical use, regarding fertilizers

Dbq Analysis Free Essays

* ————————————————- Madison Markey * ————————————————- AP US History, P. 2 * ————————————————- 30 September 2012 * ————————————————- DBQ Homework #1 * ————————————————- * ————————————————- Question Analysis: The question is asking to explain how the French and Indian War affected the three main principles that were important during the time frame of 1740-1766. The writer could include both positive and negative sides of the war through each of the three categories. We will write a custom essay sample on Dbq Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now They could also list the causes and effects of the war. The question is also asking to highlight/paraphrase the provided documents as well as outside facts to support the well developed thesis. The question is telling the writer to describe the outcome of the relationship between Britain and it’s American colonies through the political, economic, and ideological relations. A potential problem could be forgetting to include the outcome of the war while strictly focusing on the issues and battles during the war. Another problem could be discluding the events preceding the war which is extremely vital, not only for support of thesis, but also to lay down an array of background information in the intro paragraph, in order to create the funnel affect. * ————————————————- * ————————————————- Intro: Before the French and Indian War, four other colonial wars were fought between French and British forces during the time period of 1689 and 1763. However, the French and Indian War, later known as the Seven Year’s War was the most pivotal because it ultimately destroyed the relationship between Britain and the American colonies. The main conflict aroused during the 1600’s and early 1700’s when the British began their pursuit of Salutary Neglect which provided each of Britain’s American colonies with an overabundance of freedom. Later, Britain tried to regulate the colonists lifestyle and trade routine with the Navigation Law yet, they never truly administered any of the correlating rules. The colonists enjoyed the lack of limitation midst the Salutary Neglect and when Britain began imposing laws and taxes, it infuriated them. From 1740-1766, amid the French Indian War, Britain’s greed for land, control, and restriction against the American colonies eventually caused major debt in England, harsh treatment toward their own British soldiers, and a negative aftermath of political, economic, and ideological crisis involving the American colonists * ————————————————- * ————————————————- Essay #1: The first sample essay completely deserves their score. The introduction paragraph supplies a nice background and setting. The thesis is very strong and clear. It provides a specific example of each of the three categories from the prompt. There is nothing that I would not include in this essay because everything is relevant to the topic. For the intro, they organized it by utilizing the funnel method. In the first sentence of each body paragraph, she refers back to a piece of her thesis. The anonymous states the opinion of both sides: Britain and the American colonies. She provides each of their perspectives while including her own opinion. She includes the documents by lightly referencing them and not incorporating too much of the source or not enough. While effectively utilizing the documents, anonymous fully supports the detail with her own information. Other information involving the church and state relationship could have been included because as the war progressed, the Great Awakening occurred and because of political and religious leaders, the separation of church and state was desired in many of the colonies. The anonymous restated the reference that they already used and they made the simple mistake of writing document C when it was actually a different document. Besides that, there is not much more I would have included because the essay was close to perfect and the anon completely nailed the prompt right down to a nice conclusion. Hence, the writer deserves the score of a 9. * ————————————————- * ————————————————- Essay#2: In the opening sentence, anonymous wrote that there were exactly three wars fought between the British and their rival French forces yet, there were actually a total of four wars fought. The introduction paragraph does not provide a well-developed thesis. It is very vague and unclear however, it does address the prompt. The parenthesis that they use within the first body paragraph do not fit well and they appear awkward but they do not interfere with comprehension of the essay. They provide a decent setting but not enough detail about specific events that precede the war in order to spark the war. Next, anonymous squeezes three different documents into one small paragraph with about five sentences. They should have spaced out the sources and actually explained the documents to show their understanding of the point of view and the significance. They did attempt to organize it by specifically talking about the economic aspect and how it affected the political and ideological aspects together. They begin a sentence by using a reference which I would not have included because it sounded like the paragraph was being written around the document. I would have started with a topic sentence to build up to the reference. They include a lot of minor and superficial events which are irrelevant therefore, unnecessary to include. However they do attempt to mention that of the three categories, ideological relations were the least important which is a nice way to include the category. Overall, I believe the essay deserves a little under a seven. * ————————————————- * ————————————————- Essay#3 The intro in the third essay does not include much background preceding the thesis. It strictly states that â€Å"the war had great effects† on each of the three categories it does not say whether they were positive or negative effects. The thesis is limited and poorly written and only restates the question without any other specific facts or examples. I would not have included so many [sic] symbols in my prompt because they interrupt the flow of the essay. The essay resembles a standard english essay because it is organized with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph is about one of the three categories from the thesis. In the political paragraph anonymous states very broad information and fails to cite the information about Braddock or any information at all. She contains little understanding of the documents and merely tells what events happened in each of the paragraphs but does not describe them with appropriate outside information. She also fails to include a time frame and dates for the events. In the economy paragraph she talked about unity yet failed to mention the severe debt that britain faced which was a huge economic crisis. Anonymous should have thought of the questions such as why and how while she was writing. They could have arranged their essay a little differently instead of organizing it so that with each new category comes a different time period they should have just put the events in chronological order and wrote about how it affected each of the three categories during and after the was. Anonymous also had a few conventional errors such as commas. They also use first person point of view in the third to last sentence of the third paragraph. The third paragraph is confusing and presents a lack of understanding of history because it just lists vague facts. It does not include a lead-in or transition to the conclusion. The anonymous nearly ignored the documents and failed to include 50/50 ratio. The conclusion simply restates the thesis and ends with an unspecific sentence of how the war caused change but they never argued whether it was for the worse or the better. Nor did they summarize their essay or show the reader they know that there is additional significance. In my opinion, the errors in the third essay seriously detract from the quality of the prompt ergo, the essay does deserves less than a five. ————————————————- * ————————————————- By reading the essays, I learned that mistakes are easily made when writing in a constricted time period so it is important to utilize the given time wisely. I found that some of the documents are probably tough to use but it is important to have a 50%-50% ratio of information because that is what truly proves your knowledge of history and sometimes the documents will help you recall information. Also, one should always cite the document because it looks and sounds horrible if otherwise. I learned that all information must go toward improving the case or it should not be included. Lastly, I found that developing a thesis is not that hard especially if you take a moment to analyze the question but it could ruin your entire essay if you get on the wrong track and it is extremely vital in determining the score that you end up with. I now understand that by following the strategies in the book and practicing more often, writing a DBQ will begin to come natural. * ————————————————- * ————————————————- * ————————————————- How to cite Dbq Analysis, Essay examples

Occupational Health as well as Safety

Questions: 1. Can OHS help every sector of the industry or is it restricted? 2. How is OHS dependent on the government? Answers: Mission one Hello, I would like to see myself at one of the top posts in a mid range company offering and securing occupational health as well as safety. It has been my dream, since the day I became a part of the college that I desired to be an OHS consultant and expert. The place where I would be tempted to work is anywhere within Australia as Australian law keeps a sharp check over mishaps and hazardous conditions at working place for different workers in various sectors. I would be interested in understanding the different problems faced by employees at various work places and how these work places can be improved in an appropriate manner. I would be pleased to help these employees and help them get justice against all inequalities and injustice. As already told, Australia is one of the prime locations for OHS and hence, I would like to work here in Australia only. The job of a Road traffic accident investigator gives a good pay and it is an interesting course to pursue as it suits my working style as well as my understanding level is par with the kind of duties required to accomplish in this profession of road traffic accident investigator. Key words Safe and healthy working space Union Charter of Workplace Rights Protection of health, welfare and safety. Duty of Care Personal Protective Equipment Safe Work Method Code of Practice Stress Risk Management Occupational overuse Syndrome

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Focus Group Research Essay Example

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Focus Group Research Essay Focus groups are a prominent method of enquiry, regularly used within the field of social science and in particular, qualitative research. The focus group practice involves a number of participants having an open discussion on a specific topic, set by a researcher. The researcher acts as a moderator to aid discussion by using probes to collect desirable data. This process is recorded and transcripts are used to interpret and analyse given information. Carson et al (2001, p. 114) refers to focus groups as â€Å"A research technique that collects data through group interaction on a topic or topics†. They also suggest that the central distinctive characteristic of focus groups is group interaction, which generates a mass of data, which would be inaccessible without using focus groups. Focus groups are used in many industries to collect ideas and understanding. Carson et al (pg 8) suggest that groups as a social research tool have been used for some time but the term ‘focus group’ was established in the classic study, The Focused Interview by Merton et al (1956). Merton’s study influenced the creation of the procedures that are now accepted as common practice in focus groups. Although this particular method possesses a substantial number of strengths, focus groups also occupy a number of weaknesses that disadvantage the researcher and limit findings which can be discussed in relevance to theories. Firstly, Dawn Snape and Liz Spencer (2003, p. 3) propose that it is important to define the practice of qualitative data before discussing the implications of it. They also suggest that qualitative research is difficult to define and can never entirely be classified. We will write a custom essay sample on The Strengths and Weaknesses of Focus Group Research specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Strengths and Weaknesses of Focus Group Research specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Strengths and Weaknesses of Focus Group Research specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They infer that there is a wide consensus that qualitative research is a naturalistic and interpretive approach, with an emphasis on the understanding of the meanings which people attach to phenomena. This point is supported by Alan Bryman, he comments: â€Å"The way in which people being studied understand and interpret their social reality is one of the central motifs of qualitative research. † (Bryman, 1998, P. 8) Snape and Spencer refer to qualitative research as a complex, subjective and observational approach which takes focus on participant’s frames of reference. There are no rules or single accepted way of exerting qualitative research, the methods are dependent on; ontology, the beliefs regarding the social world and epistemology, the beliefs regarding the nature of knowledge. In addition, qualitative research draws on philosophical, psychological and sociological ideas in order to search for in-depth data to aid the explanation of social phenomena. The key argument of qualitative research is that human behaviour is not simply driven by external forces; humans actively contribute to the construction of their own social world. The central purpose of qualitative research is to explore meanings by interpreting data, rather than searching for specific answers by quantifying empirical data. A major critique of qualitative research is the fact that everyone is different and holds and creates their own schemas, so therefore there can be no definitive answer or explanation. The history of qualitative research is also important to acknowledge, in order to place focus groups into context. Traditionally, social science research imitated natural science methods in an attempt to create universally accepted laws. Social science suppresses many philosophical underpinnings, which influenced this consensus. There were three key people implicated in these underpinnings, each pursuing the idea of the previous. The first key philosopher was Rene Descartes (1596-1650), an empirical researcher. In his book, Discourse on Method (1637), Descartes suggested that the search for the truth could be completed by using methods of objectivity, in order to accumulate observable evidence. Following Descartes was another key philosopher, David Hume (1711-1776), also an empirical researcher. Hume also believed that objectivity, as well as unbiased and direct observation, could produce substantial empirical evidence. Lastly, Auguste Comte (1798-1857), a sociologist and empirical researcher, proposed that the invariant laws apparent in natural science were also present in matters of social science. Comte implied that research methods used in natural science were also appropriate to the study of social science and phenomena. Comte influenced 20th Century research paradigms, which resulted in a school of thought called positivism. Positivism states that only observable phenomena count as knowledge. Positivism also promotes scientific research methods and empirical testing of hypotheses. Positivism encouraged the formalising of quantitative research methods, collecting numerical data. However, other philosophical perspectives challenged positivism. Immanuel Kant, (1724-1804), a philosopher, suggested that there were other ways to understand the world. He believed knowledge could be acquired through interpretations and experiences. Other perspectives, such as that of Kant, consequently led to the employment of another school of thought called interpretivism. Interpretivism promotes subjective understanding of meaningful experiences. Interpretivism encouraged the formalising of Qualitative research methods to overcome the limitations that quantitative research possessed. The use of focus groups as a qualitative and interpretive method of enquiry comprises of a number of strengths and weaknesses. One of the most prominent strength of focus groups is the ability to collect both new and rich information. Carson et al (p. 114) suggest that the new results that focus groups produce could not be possible with other methods of enquiry as they do not allow the same sense of exploration. They argue that focus groups are an exploratory and developmental method of enquiry, not limited to just listening to what people have to say but by using interpretation skills, generates insights into the sources of certain behaviours and perceptions. Furthermore, Carson et al (p. 115) argue that focus groups can contribute information that may help to; obtain pre-conceived ideas and stimulate new ideas on, help to diagnose former or potential problems, generate further research ideas and establish how participants discuss and construct their own schema of phenomena. Additionally, they believe that meaningful construct is interpreted from the highlighting, exchanging and revising of opinions, perceptions and differences. Another strength of focus groups is the depth of understanding of the generated information. Carson et al (p. 115-116) imply that depth of understanding enabled by focus group allows a deeper appreciation of the phenomenon. They also outline the fact that focus groups bring together and allow the analysis of diverse opinions rather than a single one, which would generate from other methods of enquiry. The discussion of these opinions, which allow participants to share their own ideas and listen to others, creates a type of forum. This allows the researcher to note the response of one participant to another. As a result, the researcher is at an advantage as they have no need to speculate about differences in participants and data as this is evident within the focus group transcript. Ritchie and Lewis (2003, p. 87) agree with this theory as they imply that allowing the participants of a focus group to refer to their own personal experiences influences them to build upon what other participants have said and refine their own view, this creates a more in depth discussion and findings. However, Silverman (2001, p. 221) argues that researchers should not rely on experience to count as knowledge: â€Å"The assumption that ‘experience’ is paramount is not at all new†¦to focus on ‘experience’ alone undermines what we know about the cultural and linguistic fo rms which structure what we count as ‘experience’. Furthermore, another prominent strength of focus groups as a research tool is flexibility and group interaction. Flexibility and group interaction is the most fundamental and unique aspect of focus groups. Ritchie and Lewis (p. 175) suggest that group interaction is a major strength of focus groups as it allows an open and energetic discussion built on motivation and enjoyment. Ritchie and Lewis (p. 188) also propose that these conditions allow a more truthful debate, which are more in depth and passionate. Ritchie and Lewis explain that group interaction enables participants to work together, quickly developing a ‘synergy’ which allows greater depth of insight into even the most challenging of subjects. This confidence allows the participants to dominate the focus group procedure thus allowing them to determine their own narrative, helping to expose the culture and values of each individual. Ritchie and Lewis describe this strength as â€Å"the most productive phase of the group process. †(Ritchie and Lewis J, 2003, p. 176) Carson et al (p. 16) agree with Ritchie and Lewis by suggesting that â€Å"interaction is a unique strength of focus groups and should improve the quality of the ideas and opinions generated†. They propose that the participants act upon their own comparisons and ideas rather than relying on the moderator as a medium of discussion or speculation. Carson et al further their explanation by emphasizing that the vital strength of focus groups, as a qualitative and interpretive research tool, is its capacity to expose intricate behaviours and motivations. Carson et al infer that this strength is a simultaneous reaction to group interaction. Furthermore, the role of the researcher within this interaction is also advantaged. Ritchie and Lewis highlight the fact that the role of the researcher in the group is more active and physical than in interviews. Denzin and Lincoln (1994, unknown source) agree by stating: â€Å"Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world. † This quote infers that they believe that focus groups allow the researcher to situate themselves and get involved. This is a significant strength of focus groups as it allows the researcher to actively listen then act upon given information by using appropriate probes to gain further or richer information. However, this theory is over shadowed by a weakness of focus groups, the lack of control and high level of unpredictability. Ritchie and Lewis (p. 116) state that sometimes it is difficult for the researcher to dominate a focus group. Participants can easily move from the focal topic of discussion to a topic that they would prefer to talk about; this may have no relevance to the phenomena being researched. Never the less, group interaction, according to Ritchie and Lewis ( p. 175), allows prominent socially accepted views, behaviours and norms to be revealed to the researcher. Ritchie and Lewis refer to this feature as a potentially valuable aspect of data as it allows the researcher to assess the context and vulnerability of the participant’s ideas. However, it is important to note that this data must be monitored and compared to transcripts later on, as the participants generally become more comfortable with expressing less confirming views. This is evident in a prominent weakness of focus groups called demand characteristics. Ritchie and Lewis (p. 185) suggest that participants may realise the intentions of the researcher and as a result give them information that they think they want, instead of their true opinions. This can cause false interpretations and therefore invalid information. Furthermore, Ritchie and Lewis discuss real or imaginary pressure, which can also cause problems; â€Å"a common criticism of focus groups is that the group exerts a pressure on its participants. † (Ritchie. R and Lewis, J, 2003, p. 88). Participants may feel the need to give politically acceptable answers, feel under pressure to conform to other participants or adjust their views to fulfil social norms; this can cause inconsistency in the findings. None the less, another suggestion of why group interaction is a primary strength of focus groups is it allows the advantage of group diversity. Ritchie and Lewis (p. 188) consider tha t group discussion can reveal differences and diversities between participants which awards the researcher with a key opportunity to explore group diversity. Ritchie and Lewis believe that delving into diversity and dimensions of difference can both explain and explore causes, effects and consequences. Additionally, they suggest that by using heterogeneous rather than homogeneous participants, the resulted discussion can provide different perspective and views, which should need no persuasion by the moderator to be aired. However, too much diversity can result in weak data. Ritchie and Lewis (p. 190-191) also discuss that too much diversity can actually inhibit discussion. For example, major diversities in socio-demographic makeup, such as social status, of a group of participants can influence how open the group are. Participants may feel uncomfortable, threatened by others or anxious about the response they may receive. This weakness may make it difficult for the researcher to cover key topics in depth. Ritchie and Lewis emphasise the need for a balance in diversity of the participants Another strength of focus groups is the advantage of a good sample. By using certain participants within a focus group a researcher can gain strong results. Ritchie and Lewis (p. 192) suggest that using participants, who know each other or hold some type of relationship, can trigger pre existing memories which are extremely valuable for exploring and interpreting shared meanings. Furthermore, this set up can create a feeling of a safer atmosphere for participants to air their views or opinions. In comparison, using a sample of strangers can also be comforting for the individuals as they feel they may never see the other participants again therefore feel no need to hold back. However, a weakness in sampling is also present. Ritchie and Lewis (p. 192) note that a substantial problem with using a preconceived group of participants is group norms may dominate, limiting the openness of discussion. Furthermore, they state that any shared meanings may not be expanded on enough, as they may be taken for granted. This may result in the meanings having no value at all. Additionally, strangers may hold back discussion too much and fail to develop a ‘synergy’. The last strength of focus groups as a qualitative and interpretive method of enquiry is the advantage of saving time and money. Carson et al (p. 116) explain that the same number of participants used in other methods of research, such as interviews, can contribute information in the same or less time within a focus group as the latter are conducted in a group setting, rather than in repetitive and tedious, individual settings. Additionally, analysing and transcripts of information only need to be completed once. Consequently, this also saves the researcher money too. All fees are only payable once, such as room hire, or recording equipment. However, Morgan and Krueger (1993) criticise this account by stating that recruiting willing participants for focus groups can be both time consuming and costly unless participants are easily accessible. Many people are reluctant to take part without an incentive, refreshments and even paid travel, which can also be costly. In conclusion, focus groups as a qualitative and interpretive method of enquiry possess a substantial number of strengths and weaknesses. The main advantages are the collection of new information, the depth of understanding, group interaction, strong samples and savings in time and money. However, these strengths are also over shadowed by a number of weaknesses which could interrupt the consistency of data. However, as Carson et al (p. 117) suggest, the mass of advantages of focus groups easily outweigh the disadvantages. This may be because it is evident that focus groups as a method of enquiry, achieve more insight and depth of understanding than would individually be generated. Furthermore focus groups hold a unique strength, group interaction, not found in any other method. Finally, when evaluating the quality of results from a focus group, it is important to remember, as Ritchie and Lewis (p. 196) explain, that the most stimulating and successful focus groups come with experience.

Helpful Lessons for Warm Fires in the Firewood Poem

Helpful Lessons for Warm Fires in the 'Firewood Poem' This Firewood Poem was written by the wife of World War I British Hero Sir Walter Norris Congreve.  Lady Celia Congreve is believed to have written it around 1922 for a published book entitled  Garden of Verse.  This particular verse expresses how information in the form of a poem can both beautifully  describe things and serve as a guide for burning wood. This poem fetchingly describes the value of certain tree species for their ability to provide or failure to provide heat from seasoned and unseasoned wood. Lady Congreve likely composed the poem using traditional English folktales passed down through the centuries. It is amazing how accurately and charmingly the poem captures the properties of firewood. The Firewood Poem Beechwood fires are bright and clearIf the logs are kept a year,Chestnuts only good they say,If for logs tis laid away.Make a fire of Elder tree,Death within your house will be;But ash new or ash old,Is fit for a queen with crown of gold Birch and fir logs burn too fastBlaze up bright and do not last,it is by the Irish saidHawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,Een the very flames are coldBut ash green or ash brownIs fit for a queen with golden crown. Poplar gives a bitter smoke,Fills your eyes and makes you choke,Apple wood will scent your roomPear wood smells like flowers in bloomOaken logs, if dry and oldkeep away the winters coldBut ash wet or ash drya king shall warm his slippers by. Lady  Congreves Firewood Explained Traditional folk legends are quite often expressions of early wisdom acquired over time and passed along by word of mouth. Lady Congreve must have taken anecdotes from these to compose this very accurate depiction of the properties of wood and how different tree species burn. She especially pens praises for beech, ash, oak and aromatic fruit trees like apple and pear. Wood science and measurements of the heating properties of wood totally support her recommendations. The best trees  have a dense cellular wood structure that, when  dry, have greater weight than lighter woods. Wood that is dense will also have to ability to produce more heat over a longer period of time with longer-lasting coals. On the other hand, her assessments of chestnut, elder, birch, elm, and poplar are spot on and deserve her bad review. They all have low wood cellular densities that rapidly burn with low heat but few coals. These woods produce a lot of smoke but very little heat. Lady Celia Congreves  poem is a cleverly written but non-scientific approach to selecting firewood. It is certainly supported by the sound science of wood burning and heating values.

Critics of the World Bank Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Critics of the World Bank - Case Study Example Still there remain a lot of issues that point out at the loopholes. Though the World Bank in known for its achievements over the past few decades, it has been subject to various criticisms over the years for its policies, functions and activities. The World Bank is attack from all sides by critics on grounds that it is not efficient, not accountable or responsible, not democratic or legitimate, and most importantly that the World Bank is not relevant in a global economy which is presently subjugated by private capital, production and ideas. This paper focuses on the critics faced by the World Bank. Ever since its establishment, it has been subject to various criticisms. At this stage it will be useful to give a brief overview of how the world bank functions and what are the divisions of World Bank. The World Bank is the largest public development institution in the world. The World Bank lends about US$ 25 billion each year to developing countries or various developmental activities with the main purpose of reducing poverty. The main goals of the World Bank, as outlined in Article One of its Articles of Agreement, are: "to assist in the reconstruction and development of territories of members by facilitating the investment of capital for productive purposes" and "to promote the long-range balanced growth of international trade and the maintenance of equilibrium in balances of payments by encouraging international investment ... thereby assisting in raising the productivity, the standard of living and conditions of labour in their territories" (Bretton Woods Project, 2005a). The World Bank is a group of five closely associated international organizations responsible for providing finance and advice to countries for the purposes of economic development and eliminating poverty. Its five agencies are: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD); International Finance Corporation (IFC); International Development Association (IDA); Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank's activities are particularly focused on economically backward developing countries. Each of these organizations has their own aims and objectives. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) aims to reduce poverty in middle-income and creditworthy poorer countries by promoting sustainable development through loans, guarantees, risk management products, and analytical and advisory services. The IBRD and IDA provide loans at preferential rates to member countrie s, as well as grants to the poorest countries for developmental activities. The main activities of the IFC and MIGA include investment in the private sector and capitalizing insurance respectively (Wikipedia, 2007). In the recent years criticism of the World Bank and the IMF on various issues has been a cause of concern to the Bank. These criticism in general centre on the fear about the approaches adopted by the World Bank and the IMF in defining their policies. Especially the socioeconomic impact these policies have on the population of countries who benefit themselves of financial assistance from these two institutions. To be more specific it can be said

Prepare budgets and financial plans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prepare budgets and financial plans - Essay Example Baby monitoring devices can also be concentrated upon as parents are devoting much of their time to work. For example, the use of USB/ Flash Disks is currently on the rise. What features of the Flash Disks do they give most importance to Is it the slimness Is it about high memory There is a need to know this - Advertisements and other sales generating and improving activities require funds. It is well known that the degree of effectiveness of promotions campaign is directly related to the customer appeal of products. An inventory of prices, survey on product features and another survey of current marketing strategies of other companies can give the following data that will surely help in decision matters in the degree of intensity of sales activities. b. Policies on International Trade - there is a need to know what the government is planning with regards to the international market. Government initiative on establishing diplomatic and business relations with other countries can open up new markets. An embargo to a certain foreign market can greatly reduce opportunities for sale. An up-to-date inquiry in appropriate government offices, past government measures regarding the business environment and analysis of the current political situations can provide the necessary information needed for this field. concerns about the toxici... 3. Budget for Personnel Development a. Training - determines how well-versed a sales personnel is making a sale b. Incentives - determines how much a personnel can expect for his performance given a rewards and bonus system Competition An inventory of prices, survey on product features and another survey of current marketing strategies of other companies can give the following data that will surely help in decision matters in the degree of intensity of sales activities. 1. Product Price Comparison Table 2. Product Specifications, Features and Qualities Comparison Matrix 3. Marketing Strategy of Other Companies 4. Competitor's Market Share These data will serve as a basis of comparison for the company's own products. It can give details on how to best improve the product's customer appeal thereby increasing sales. Government Policies 1. Economic Policy Settings a. Taxation Measures - tax imposed on product sales can greatly affect the resulting net sales revenue and the selling price of the product b. Policies on International Trade - there is a need to know what the government is planning with regards to the international market. Government initiative on establishing diplomatic and business relations with other countries can open up new markets. An embargo to a certain foreign market can greatly reduce opportunities for sale. An up-to-date inquiry in appropriate government offices, past government measures regarding the business environment and analysis of the current political situations can provide the necessary information needed for this field. Environmental Policies 1. Location Restrictions -

A REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A REPORT - Essay Example he present study discusses about the multinational firm and FMCG giant Nestle which has been among the pioneers in its product category and has a large number of Billion dollar worth brands under its umbrella. The present study would discuss the strategies that have been adopted by the firm to maintain its profitability in the industry. The study would also analyse the cross business strategies that have been employed at the firm. According to Knoll, Synergy is defined as â€Å"the effect that the combined return of the whole is greater than the sum of the returns from the individual parts†. In corporate world cross business synergy is achieved when the net returns of the combined entity formed by aggregating the different departments and units exceeds the net returns that is generated by a single entity taken as a standalone unit within the organization (Knoll, p.14, 18). The most important strategy of Nestle with regards to corporate synergy was its strategy of integrating the different departments across the organization. This strategy was named as GLOBE (Global Business Excellence) in which the different departments and the suppliers were brought together on a single common platform. This enabled real time information sharing among the different departments as well as the stakeholders that helped in generating greater efficiencies which has resulted in competitive advantage for the firm. All the 23 Research and development (popularly referred as Product Technology Centres) centres of the world were brought together on a single common platform which helped in generating greater innovations in the product line of the firm. The top management of the firm was of the strong belief that in order to sustain profitability the firm needed to continuously innovate its products line and would have to expand much beyond their borders considering the fact that Switzerland offered little potential of being a good market for the firm in terms of market size. Under their

Nature Of Online Dating And Relationships Psychology Essay

Nature Of Online Dating And Relationships Psychology Essay Early research on Internet self-efficacy focused on the performance of specific tasks such as entering World-Wide Web addresses, creating folders and bookmarks, mailing pages, using File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and telnet, constructing a hypertext index, and moving bookmarks (Nahl, 1996, 1997). Ren (1999) reported a measure of self-efficacy specific to searching for government information sources. Results were consistent with previous self-efficacy literature, with self-efficacy perceptions positively related to task performance (Nahl, 1996, 1997) and the amount of use (Ren, 1999). The prior studies did not yield a measure of self-efficacy suitable for studying overall Internet usage, and rerpoted no information about reliability and validity. In Nahl (1997), scale items confounded distinct behaviors; a single item asked about e-mail, hypertext mark-up language (HTML) scripting, telnet, and file transfer protocol. Nahls measure referred to specific subsidiary tasks (e.g., creating bookmarks) instead of overall attainments (e.g., obtaining useful information) and thus did not properly reflect the constructive definition of self-efficacy. Ren (1999) operationalized self-efficacy in a manner more consistent with its conceptual definition (e.g., search the Internet by yourself), but a single item measure was employed so its reliability could not be determined. Rens measure applied to a specific behavioral domain (i.e., seeking government information) rather than overall Internet use, limiting its future application. In an effort to further understand psychological aspects of the Digital Divide, the present study builds on past research to develop a new measure of Internet self-efficacy. It assesses reliability and analyzes the construct validity of Internet self-efficacy by comparing it to measures of other constructs thought to be positively related, negative related or unrelated on theoretical grounds (Anastasi, 1988). Nature of online dating and relationships Within the popular press and scholarly literature, online dating is referred to as cyber relationships (Joinson, 2003), online romantic relationships (Anderson,2005; Bonebrake, 2002; Levine, 2000), digital dating (Merkle Richardson, 2000) and Internet relationships (McCown, Fischer, Page Homant, 2001). Other terms include computer-mediated relationships (Scharlott Christ, 1995; Whitty Gavin, 2001), Internet dating (Hardey, 2002), online personals and mixed mode relationships (Ellison, Heino Gibbs, 2006; Gibbs, Ellison Heino, 2006) and personal relationships online (Parks Floyd, 1996). Looking at the myriad of terms referring to online dating or online relationships, it is fundamental to elucidate and define the latter. Traditional social psychological definitions and interpretations ofrelationships may contribute to the current understanding of online relationships. Schlenker (1984) believes that the existence of a relationship is a result of the interrelation of identities. M orespecifically, one develops a specific identity within each relationship with exclusive thought and behavioural patterns, which will, with relationship growth, lead to similarity and closeness. Contemporary research pertaining to online relationships presents several interpretations of online dating. First, online matchmaking defines both online dating and online dating service (Houran, 2006). Second, online dating pertains to relationships of a romantic or friendship nature formed online by using online communication (Whitty Gavin, 2002). Third, online relationships refer to relationships initiated and maintained online (Wright, 2004). Fourth, online relationships refer to mixed mode relationships, therefore online relationships develop and migrate to other environments such as the face-to-face environment (Ellison et al., 2006). Taken together, online dating pertains to an intentional, mediated search, meeting and relationship development with a preferred significant other using computer-mediated communication. Having defined online relationships, the focus of the following section is to consider the background of online dating. As noted earlier, conclusions about online relationships in the popular press and scholarly literature are ambiguous. As such, one can expect the same ambiguity pertaining to the nature of online relationships. This section provides a brief outline of the nature of online relationships rather than a comprehensive discussion. Researchers, theorists and academics are still pondering the nature of online dating. Two opposing schools of thought seem to have emerged: those deeming online relations as superficial, distant, unemotional and unsocial, and others classifying online relations as personal, unconventional, and a new alternative (Parks Floyd, 1996). For example, online dating has been referred to as an audition for a real date (Barnes, 2001) and a relevant platform for relationship formation, although insubstantial for online relations (Civin, 2000; Hardey, 2002; Hills Argyle, 2003; Utz, 2000). It is clear that the significance of online relationships is queried rather than the formation of online relationships. Evidence supporting such claims seems marginal. Opposing such claims, some researchers regard online relationships as interpersonal (Barnes, 2001; Ben-Zeev, 2004; Parks Floyd, 1996; Sherman, 2001; Walther, 1995), more significant (Parks Floyd, 1996; Wallace, 1999; Yum Hara, 2005), excitin g (Gwinnell, 1998) and real (Houran, 2006; Houran Lange, 2004; Yum Hara, 2005). Furthermore, online relationships are described as solid (Sherman, 2001) in which trust and commitment are commonly shared (Anderson Emmers-Sommer, 2006; Whitty Gavin, 2001). Subsequently, one can assume that interpersonal online relationships are interactive and personal relations between two individuals. Focussing on peoples expectations and self-presentation, Gibbs et al. (2006) propose a model of perceived success of online relationships in their investigation of online dating relationships that migrate to face-to-face contexts (figure 1 illustrates this model). Figure 1: Perception of successful online relationships model (Gibbs et al., 2006) This model proposes that the perceived success of online relationships depends on the successful use of certain self-presentation strategies online. Three interacting processes contribute to the success of an online relationship: (a) relationship goals these goals include growth and relationship migration (b) self-disclosure pertains to the quantity, the positive or negative nature thereof, future intention and honesty in revealing personal information, (c) online dating experience describes online dating behaviour in terms of the magnitude of relationships initiated online and learning ability (namely, a persons ability to learn from previous experiences and then draw on this information in future online relations). (d) Perception of success, Successful presentation of the self and strategic success. Thus, successful online relationships that migrate to a face-to-face context may be achieved by fostering long-term goals, deliberately disclosing positive and additional personal information, and learning form previous online dating experiences (Gibbs et al., 2006). Research suggests that online relationships are mostly heterogeneous with a romantic or friendship-like nature (Hardey, 2004; Parks Roberts, 1998; Whitty Gavin, 2002; Wolak, Mitchell Finkelhor, 2002; Yum Hara, 2005). Furthermore, online relationships typically progress to other environments such as telephone and face-to-face contact (McKenna et al., 2002; Parks et al., 1996; Sveningsson, 2002). More recently, Wright (2004)identified two types of online relationships, namely primarily Internet-based relationships, that is relationships that are initiated in a face-to-face setting and maintained online, and exclusively Internet-based relationships, referring to relationships initiated and maintained entirely online. Online relationships may migrate to other environments or remain and develop online. This may be an important consideration in investigating the online persona. Ben-Zeev (2004) explains the nature of online relations as contradictory, firstly because of the geographical distance between those involved versus the immediacy of online communication. Secondly, online communication is rich in meaning because of the high level of self-disclosure, but impoverished in terms of a lack of visual cues. Thirdly, despite the higher level of self-disclosure, participants stay anonymous. Fourthly, online relations are emotionally continuous and discontinuous because communication takes place with intervals at any time. Lastly, the intellectual and emotional input by far surpasses the physical effort. In summary, the broad characteristics of online relations include, but are not necessarily limited to, anonymity, self-disclosure and attraction, which include proximity and similarity. An understanding of these characteristics is needed to comprehend the online persona, which follows later. Because two people disclose and share personal information, build trust and interdependence, and develop emotional closeness prior to physical attraction, these online relationships seem interpersonal. Therefore, in uncovering the online dating persona it is important to consider online relationships, specifically their formation, maintenance and success. Subsequently, the discussion turns its focus to online relationship formation. Theoretical perspectives Face-to-face relationship formation has received a great deal of attention from theorists and researchers. In contrast, online relationship formation lacks empirical enquiry, with investigations into this field being very new and recent. This section reviews traditional and contemporary theories pertaining specifically to the formation of interpersonal relationships. In addition, this section examines contemporary research findings pertaining to online relationship formation compared to face-to-face relationships. To conceptualise the formation of close interpersonal relationships within a face-to-face environment, the approach of Chelune, Robison and Kommor (1984) seems comprehensive. This traditional approach regards close interpersonal relationship formation as a mutual process of development. First, this approach assumes that the increased disclosure of personal information facilitates learning about a significant other. Second, continued interaction permits the mutual sharing of personal information, resulting in an enhanced sense of familiarity between those interacting. Third, the reciprocal interrelation of dependence, support and understanding builds a structure of future dependency. Fourth, with the acceptance and anticipation of the indefinite continuation of the relationship, this structure allows for behaviour alterations and develops to include mutual care, affection and trust (Chelune et al., 1984). This approach assumes the stages of face-to-face relationship formation to be self-disclosure, followed by familiarity, interdependence and closeness. These stages mirror those in the formation of online relationships; however, the developmental sequence differs. The relational theory of development (Parks, 1997) is relevant in examining the formation of online relationships. Based on traditional social psychological theories pertaining to social relationships such as the social exchange theory and uncertainty reduction theory, Parks (1997) developed the relational theory of development. This theory specifically addresses online relationship formation with the premise that online relationships either grow or deteriorate on a continuum ranging from impersonal to personal dimensions (Parks Floyd, 1996). Below is a description of each dimension along this continuum (Parks Floyd, 1996): (a) Dimension 1: Interdependence pertains to the mutual influence that increases with relationship growth, thus building a relationship embedded in mutual trust; (b) Dimension 2: Breadth explicates the increasing frequency of communication and social interaction; (c) Dimension 3: Depth refers to the increasing level of self-disclosure that facilitates familiarity and closeness; (d) Dimension 4: Commitment concerns the future predictions regarding the success or failure of the online relationship in accordance with the individuals goals and attitude; (e) Dimension 5: Predictability and understanding pertains to the mutual agreement and understanding of a unique set of rules of preferred, acceptable and desired behaviour and interaction. (f) Dimension 6: Code change pertains to the development of a unique set of cultural and linguistic codes, referring to how the individuals express themselves and communicate, for example, with the use of emoticons. (g) Dimension 7: Online network convergence refersto the snowball effect of the social circle, whereby the relationship continuously expands to significant others and migrates to other communication channels such as telephonic communication. Evidently, this theory captures the core features of online relational formation as a progressive process from the initial meeting, to maintenance and termination or migration to other contexts. Several studies findings support the relational theory of development (e.g., Anderson, 2005; Gibbs et al., 2006; Soukup, 1999; Whitty Gavin, 2001; Wolak et al., 2002; Wright, 2004). 1. It is easy to be fooled by inaccurate signals online. According to Binazir (2011), there are several pitfalls in online dating. If one thinks of him/herself as beautiful. ? What most people call beauty is actually evolutions very thorough system of broadcasting our suitability as a mate. Clear skin, good posture, broad shoulders, sonorous voice, bright eyes, shiny hair, graceful movements, pleasant aroma, facial symmetry, articulate speech: evolution has engineered features such as these into us to signal health, fertility, strength and intelligence. When one goes online, instead of seeing a person up-close, hearing him speak and watching her move, what one gets is a blurry, postage-stamp size series of static photos which cannot be heard, felt, or smelt. Most important of the missing signals may very well be smell, which some scientists believe underlies most of male-female attraction what literally constitutes sexual chemistry. Studies show that we sense immune compatibility through smell one way in which evolution decides whether two people should have kids together or not. This compatibility is vital to the viability of offspring, so its bypassed at our peril. So when you go online, youre subverting a process that has worked just fine for propagating the human species for the past 3 million years. Add to that the fact that pictures can easily lie about age, complexion and physique, and youve got yourself a lot of inaccurate signals to go on (Binazir, 2011). 2. You can waste a lot of time online chasing what you dont want. Heres the timeline of a typical online courtship for a guy: He sees a profile of a woman he likes. He writes her. A day or two later, he gets a response. An online correspondence ensues. If shes receptive, the conversation moves to email after a few exchanges. Binazir (2011) succinctly put it thus, If her interest continues, they speak on the phone, and begin to plan a meeting. A week or two later, after anywhere from three to 10 or more points of online- and phone contact, they meet in person. And it turns out that she has bad skin (which didnt show in the flatteringly lit photos) or her butt is gigantic (which didnt show in her waist-up photos), or hes 6 inches shorter than advertised or some other insurmountable shortcoming that could have been ascertained in the first 30 milliseconds of an in-person encounter. In an instant, all those hours spent on witty emails, all of that effort to be charming on the phone, learning all about him or impressing her go whoosh! down the toilet. In short, it pays to stop chasing shadows. 3. Deception in online dating In an online dating context, users writing their profiles have competing motivations to present themselves as attractively as possible, in order to draw attention from potential dates, and to present themselves accurately, so that people who would find them attractive partners in real life can identify them as such online. Moreover, Fiore and Donath (2004) suggest that users might consider a certain amount of exaggeration necessary if they perceive, as per the popular conception, that everyone else is exaggerating already then they must exaggerate as well just to remain competitive. Stories of deception in online dating are common the date who turns out to be 20 years older or 30 pounds heavier in person than his picture suggested, or one whose verbal charms in email vanish in a face to face meeting (e.g., Epstein 2007, Mapes 2004). Although these stories might indicate willful deception, they could also reflect disappointment in the offline reality as compared to expectations developed online, where a combination of selective self-presentation i.e., strategic self-enhancement and heightened levels of affinity developed through a mediated channel, which Walthers (1996) theory of hyperpersonal interaction predicts, might lead users to see as a soul-mate someone who in fact would make at best a decent tennis partner. Thats not to say online daters dont tell some outright lies. Hancock and colleagues found that 81 percent of online dating users in their sample lied about their weight, height, or age. But many of these lies were small enough that it would be hard to detect the discrepancy between, e.g., claimed and actual weight face-to-face (Hancock et al. 2007). The participants in this study might have been engaging in strategic self enhancement, but nonetheless they kept their descriptions within a few percentage points of reality. Ellison et al. (2006) offer other explanations for why users feel that others are presenting themselves deceptively online. First, users might be viewing themselves through a foggy mirror that is, failing to perceive themselves accurately. Thus, if they report their own self-perceptions, they are not lying on purpose, even though these perceptions might not coincide with those of an outside observer. Second, users might either deliberately or subconsciously describe their ideal selves who they would like to be rather than their actual selves, making the self-presentation more aspirational than factual. As one interviewee put it: In their profile they write about their dreams as if they are reality (Ellison et al. 2006). Whether this is effective is uncertain, though; McKenna et al. (2002) found that those who were able to share their true selves online were more successful in forming close relationships through computer-mediated communication that carried over to the offline world. 4. Online sites present an unhelpful excess of choice. When one logs into a dating website, the site presents one with several faces of prospective clients seeking being patronized. This is referred to as pot of fish (POF). Schwartz (2003) in his book The Paradox of Choice: Why Less is More explained that more choice does not make us happier. More choice actually makes us more miserable. A typical online dating yields thousand of participants who seem to match our choice. Yet, it is not so easy to choose. One ends up been confused. 5. Irrelevant information presented out of context can pre-empt a good match. Binazir (2011) observed that since we are inundated with floods of people beckoning to us on a dating website with amorous smiles there is great chance that we keep up a dating game with a prospective lover with the readiness to do away such opportunity for another one at any flimsy excuse. 6. People online behave more rudely than they do in person. Have you noticed how much sheer hatred and incivility there is online? Under the mask of e-anonymity, people feel they can behave anyhow because to a great extent they are untouchable. As a result, it becomes easy to dismiss summarily a message that an admirer has invested time, effort and emotion to craft in fervent hopes of gaining your attention. A man who would never be ignored in person can be blown off hundreds of times online. And, as the authors of the book Freakonomics pointed out, over 90 percent of men on dating sites never end up meeting a woman. 7. Strangers with low accountability can get away with antisocial behavior. In his book The Tao of Dating: The Smart Womans Guide to Being Irresistible, Binazir (2011) emphasized that women should only date men who are embedded within their social network a friend of a friend at the very least. That social accountability reduces the chances of their being axe murderers or other ungentlemanly tendencies. When you go online, theres no guarantee of anyone having a back-connection into your social network. Especially in a big city, people will do bizarre, rude things under the cover of unaccountability. Stories abound about the girl who ordered everything on the menu at an expensive restaurant, or the guy who showed up to the date already drunk and proceeded to hit on the waitress or far worse. The statements above are straight from heart as the world is full of mentally deranged individuals who get thrilled with cyber stalking and playing on peoples emotion. There is need to extremely carefully. Even though they make great stories in retrospect, these are not experiences that you need to have even once per lifetime. Going out with people whom you implicitly know and trust keeps you safe and reduces the chances of weird shit happening to you.

Learning Patience and Responsibility at Hells Pizza Essay -- Peter Pi

Learning Patience and Responsibility at Hell's Pizza Even the job from hell can teach you patience and responsibility. When you hear the name Peter Piper Pizza, you may think a fun family restaurant. When I hear Peter Piper Pizza I get chills down my spine. Having worked there for about two years, I started to get annoyed over every little thing that was a part of my job. I had the worst position that they had, Game Technician. When I first applied for the job, the game guy was going to be the easiest job that I could find. Little did I know that this position taught me the more about being patient and responsible than any other experience I have had. It was mid sophomore year of high school when I started the job hunt. I applied to many places, grocery stores, restaurants, and even the movie theaters. No reply from any of them. It was about a month and a half when Bob from Peter Piper Pizza called me up looking for new employees. â€Å"Hey this is Bob from Peter Piper Pizza, is this Brandon† Bob asked. â€Å"Yes it is† I replied. â€Å"How would you like to come in and work for us at Peter Piper Pizza† asked Bob? â€Å"I would love to,† as I smiled with a huge grin on my face. â€Å"Well ok I will see you tomorrow for your interview† Bob stated. â€Å"Ok see you there† I said. I was so excited that I was finally going to have a job. I was a little nervous about the job interview, but that was a piece of cake. The interview lasted only about five minutes. An easy question here and an easy one there, and before I knew it I was the new game technician at Peter Piper Pizza. I was so happy once the interview was over; I was telling everyone that I had just got a job. Right after the interview me any my mom went and got me my food handlers card. ... ...Brandon there are customers at the prize counter† Bob stated. I would deal with this working environment every day. With so much responsibility and work to complete, my manager would sometimes think that it was fine if I would work the oven on my shift. So now I have to hand out all of the prizes, fix any broken game and ones that were acting up, hand out lost tokens to customers, get the pizza out of the oven to cut it and call it over the intercom to the customers. Working this job for nearly two years, it made me significantly more responsible and taught me many things about being patient. Having to deal with many different things at once, I learned how to balance things and take duties one step at a time and not get overwhelmed. This job was like taking a two year class on how to be responsible and be patient when difficulties are stacking up against you.