Day After Tomorrow

FTER Hollywood cinema and climate change: The Day After Tomorrow. Ingram, David. In Words on Water: Literary and Cultural Representations, Devine, Maureen and Christa Grewe-Volpp (eds. ) (Trier: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier, 2008). Climate change, like many other environmental problems, is slow to develop, not amenable to simple or fast solutions, and caused by factors that are both invisible and complex (Adam 17).Making a narrative film about climate change therefore does not fit easily into the commercial formulae of mainstream Hollywood, which favour human-interest stories in which individual protagonists undergo a moral transformation before they resolve their problems through heroic action in the final act. Can such classical narratives mediate an issue as complex as climate change without being not only inadequate, but even dangerous, lulling their audience into a false sense of security about our ability to deal with such problems?Ecocritic Richard Kerridge observes that a British journalist responded to the nuclear accident at Chernobyl in 1986 by framing it within the familiar narrative of the Second World War, with its emphasis on ‘a successful outcome and a narrative closure'. For Kerridge, such narrative strategies may be an overly reassuring way of representing environmental threats, and reveal therefore that the ‘real, material ecological crisis' is ‘also a cultural crisis, a crisis of representation' (Kerridge 4).Yet, as Jim Collins argues, ‘mass-mediated cultures', including those of popular Hollywood cinema, are characterised by ‘semiotic complexities of meaning production', which leave even popular, generic texts open to multiple interpretations (Collins 17). Film theorist Stephen Prince describes a Hollywood movie as a ‘polysemous, multivalent set of images, characters, and narrative situations', which therefore constitute what he calls an ‘ideological agglomeration', rather than a single, coherent ideological position (Prince 40).This polysemy may arise from the Hollywood industry's commercial intention to maximize profits by appealing to as wide and diverse an audience as possible by making movies which, ideologically speaking, seek to have it all ways at once. One consequence is that, when we theorize about the effects popular movies may or may not have on public awareness of environmental issues, those effects are more complex, and less deterministic, than is often assumed is some academic film theories.This essay will explore the range of meanings generated by The Day After Tomorrow (2004), which frames the issue of anthropogenic climate change within the familiar genres of the disaster and science fiction movie. Ideological analysis of the film, combined with a study of its audience reception, suggests that even a classical Hollywood narrative can generate a degree of ideological ambiguity which makes it open to various interpretations, both liberal and conservative. Th e ideological ambiguity of The Day After Tomorrow derives in part from the way its narrative mixes the modes of realism, fantasy and melodrama.A realist film will attempt to correspond to what we understand as reality, mainly through the optical realism of its mise-en-scene and the sense of psychological plausibility produced by both its script and the performance of its actors. Melodrama, on the other hand, will simplify character and heighten action and emotion beyond the everyday. Hollywood movies tend to work by moving between these two modes of representation. Some genres, such as science fiction and horror, also move between realism and fantasy, a mode which exceeds realist plausibility by creating a totally fictive and impossible diegetic world.As a science fiction movie, then, The Day After Tomorrow deliberately blurs the distinction between realism and fantasy. The narrative begins from a scientifically plausible premise: the melting of the Artic ice-cap, caused by anthropo genic global warming, cools the North Atlantic Current, colloquially known as the ‘Gulf Stream', and thereby affects the weather in the Northern hemisphere. The movie then extrapolates from this premise beyond even the worst-case scenarios proposed by climate scientists.The switching off of the thermohaline current generates a global superstorm, as a result of which an ice sheet covers Scotland and a tsunami floods Manhattan. The movie's literary source, it is worth noting, was The Coming Global Superstorm (1999), by Art Bell and Whitely Streiber, whose television talk show on the paranormal suggests an interest in the ‘parascientific'; that is, in speculation beyond what is provable or falsifiable by scientific method. When interpreted literally, that is, as realism, The Day After Tomorrow clearly violates notions of scientific plausibility.The basic climatology in the movie is inaccurate: hurricanes can only form over large bodies of warm water, not the cold seas found in high latitudes, where polar lows are the main storm systems. The movie also distorts the science of climate change, mainly by accelerating the time frame within which its effects take place, and by making them much worse than predicted. Any slowdown in the thermohaline current would take a period of years, at least, and probably centuries, rather than the days featured in the film.Moreover, even if the North Atlantic Current did switch off, average temperatures would still be likely to rise, rather than fall, because of the greenhouse gasses already in the atmosphere (Henson 112-5). The film's central narrative, in which government paleoclimatologist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) walks in sub-zero temperatures all the way from north of Philadelphia to the New York Public Library, to rescue his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhall) who is sheltering there, is thus impossible: neither would survive such low temperatures.For helicopters to freeze in mid-air, temperatures would not only be too cold for snow, but also too cold for human survival. Burning books in a library would be insufficient to keep people alive. Such implausibilities are worth pointing out, not because cinema audiences necessarily take what they see as scientific truth, but because science fiction often provides an opportunity to learn some real science. Indeed, as we will see later in this essay, environmental groups used the release of the movie as a ‘teachable moment' on the science of climate change (Leiserowitz 6).The two-disc DVD edition of the movie includes a documentary on the science of climate change; screenwriter Jeffrey Nachmanoff commented on its release that, although ‘our primary concern' in making the film ‘was entertainment rather than education. On the DVD, there's room for both'. Acknowledging that the time frame he created for the movie was accelerated for fictional purposes, and that the ‘superfreeze' was ‘purely a cinematic device', he added that ‘t he political, agricultural and societal consequences of a sudden change in the ocean currents would still be catastrophic' (Nachmanoff 1).To dismiss The Day After Tomorrow purely for its scientific inaccuracies, then, clearly misses the point of the movie, which is to use realist elements of climate science as a starting point for melodrama and fantasy, so that it can dwell on the spectacle of extreme weather, appropriate for a blockbuster disaster movie, and also invite the audience's emotional engagement with the human-interest story that becomes the main focus of narrative. It is to these elements in the film that we will now turn.As a ‘natural disaster' melodrama, the film works on an opposition between nature and civilization, and invites an ambiguous identification on the part of the viewer: in Hollywood terms, we are invited to ‘root for' both nature and civilization at various points in the narrative, although the values of civilization eventually become the domi nant ones. Before that happens, however, the scenes of extreme weather make the experience of environmental apocalypse strangely attractive. As Maurice Yacowar observes, the natural disaster movie ‘dramatizes people's helplessness against the forces of nature' (Yacowar 218).The set pieces of extreme weather in The Day After Tomorrow reveal the sublime power of wild nature: violent, chaotic, powerful beyond human control, and therefore exciting and seductive. Environmentalist Paul Hawken writes that the concept of doomsday ‘has always had a perverse appeal, waking us from our humdrum existence to the allure of a future harrowing drama' (Hawken 204). As Stephen Keane points out, although disaster movies regularly feature television news reports commenting on the events that are taking place, they do not go on ‘to make the critical point that we are all electronic voyeurs' (Keane 84).The Day After Tomorrow follows this pattern. The audience's complicity in seeking cin ematic thrills in the scenarios of mass death and destruction caused by the weather is encouraged, rather than questioned, by the movie itself. Indeed, such thrills are the raison d'etre of its genre. Yet the aesthetics of the sublime have always been based on vicariousness; if we take pleasure in the destructive forces of nature, it is from the safe distance of our movie seats, where we are in the position of voyeurs, rather than of victims.This construction of victimhood in the disaster movie depends on narrative alignment: when people die, we do not dwell on them, nor on the bereaved people they leave behind. Typical of the disaster genre, the focus of nature's destructiveness in The Day After Tomorrow is the city. Hollywood disaster movies, writes Geoff King, share with millennial groups ‘a certain delirious investment in the destruction of the metropolis' (King 158). When a series of tornadoes attack Los Angeles, the mise-en-scene focuses on familiar landmarks: the Hollyw ood sign, the Capitol Records building, and a billboard advertising the model Angelyne.Screenwriter Jeffrey Nachmanoff observes on the DVD commentary that preview audiences greeted the moment where the Angelyne sign flattens the television reporter with cheers and applause (Emmerich). The sense of retribution is difficult to avoid: perhaps there is poetic justice in the media figure, parasitical on other people's suffering, finding his nemesis in Angelyne, the model and aspiring actress who paid to advertise herself on her own billboards, and thus became for some emblematic of the meretricious values of the city.As Mike Davis observes, Los Angeles is often given special treatment in apocalyptic narratives. ‘No other city,' he writes, ‘seems to excite such dark rapture'. Unlike other cities, the destruction of Los Angeles ‘is often depicted as, or at least secretly experienced as, a victory for civilization' (Davis 277). Geoff King draws upon Mikhail Bakhtin's notio n of the ‘carnivalesque' to account for such moments of ‘licensed enjoyment of destruction', based on an ‘overturning of cultural norms' (King 162). But the destruction is too cruel, as well as unfocussed and generalised, to be simply an anti-authoritarian gesture.As Susan Sontag noted, science fiction films provide a ‘morally acceptable fantasy where one can give outlet to cruel or at least amoral feelings' (Sontag 215). Freud's notion of the ‘death wish' thus better captures the dark side of such fantasies. For Freud, such aggressions were natural drives that need to be controlled; art provides catharsis for such anti-social instincts. Patricia Mellencamp draws on Freud to argue that American television is both ‘shock and therapy; it both produces and discharges anxiety' (Mellencamp 246).The disaster movie works in a similar way, mobilising and exploiting our negative drives and emotions. But are there unconscious meanings specific to the natura l disaster movie? One reading of such movies is as ‘revenge of nature' narratives, which enact a fantasy of nature getting its own back for its mistreatment at the hands of human beings. Psychoanalyst Karl Figlio draws on the theories of Melanie Klein to argue that scientific thinking itself is an act of repressive violence towards Nature. ‘Nature killed,' he writes, ‘is nature in a vengeful mood, a primitive retaliatory phantasy that fuels apocalyptic forebodings.The more scientific the culture, the more it is at the mercy of irrational fears, and the more it is dependent on scientific protection from them' (Figlio 72). He cites Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as an ‘extreme example of scientific mapping that calls forth revenge from nature' (75). According to this reading, then, when we watch nature getting its revenge, we as viewers are able to purge our guilt about its degradation. However, as Yacowar notes, the moral attitude of the typical disaster movie is ambiguous. Poetic justice in disaster films,' he writes, ‘derives from the assumption that there is some relationship between a person's due and his or her doom'. However, this notion breaks down when the ‘good die with the evil' (Yacowar 232). The Day After Tomorrow works according to these generic expectations, with Nature at times appearing amoral in its destructiveness, and at other times, a force of moral retribution and punishment. The arrogant businessmen who bribe the bus driver, and the corruptible bus driver himself, get their comeuppance when they drown in the tidal wave that engulfs Manhattan.Jeffrey Nachmanoff reveals in the DVD commentary that, in an early draft of the script, the businessman had been negotiating an insider deal with the Japanese businessman killed by the hailstorm in Tokyo (Emmerich). In the final version, the latter lies to his wife on his cell phone moments before his death. The ethical critique in these scenes fits into the ideological agenda of many disaster films. As King writes, such films ‘include an element of criticism of capitalism, but this is a gesture that for the most part leaves its core values largely intact.A few ‘excesses' are singled out, such as the greedy cost-cutting that undermines the integrity of the eponymous star of The Towering Inferno, leaving the remainder mostly untouched' (King 153). In The Day After Tomorrow, then, greedy, self-interested individuals are punished. Yet innocent people also die in the movie, including the climate scientists who freeze to death in Scotland, led by the avuncular Terry Rapson (Ian Holm), and Jack's friend Frank (Jay O. Sanders), who falls to his death through the roof of a building, after cutting his own rope to prevent his friends from endangering their lives in trying to rescue him.These are figures of heroic sacrifice, also central to the disaster genre, because they bring out the redemptive aspects of the apocalypse. The film does not stat e clearly where the British royal family stand in this hierarchy of innocence and guilt: what is clear, is that death by climate change is no respecter of class privilege and wealth. The disaster movie, then, is about which values are the key to survival. The rescue of the innocent, French-speaking African family is thus crucial in einforcing the movie's ethical hierarchy based on racial, national and gender differences: they are saved by the white American woman (Laura), who in turn is saved by the white American male (Sam), thereby enacting in miniature two important themes in the movie. The most important of these is the narrative of male heroism and redemption. Melodrama, writes Linda Williams, is about a ‘retrieval and staging of innocence' (Williams 7). In this film, the melodramatic plot of father rescuing son makes the moral point that hard-working fathers need to take a more active role in bringing up their sons.The movie implies that, although millions of people may be dead, if one American family can be saved, then at least some good has come out of the eco-apocalypse. This message is more liberal, or at least not as unambiguously patriarchal, as in earlier disaster movies. In keeping with Stephen Prince's notion of ideological agglomeration, mentioned earlier, although Jack's wife is a doctor, she ends up playing the role of surrogate mother to a seven-year old boy with cancer, separated from his parents by the storm.The movie can thus be interpreted as either liberal (she is a doctor) or conservative (she is placed in the stereotypical female role of nurturer). The second important theme in the movie is the United States' self-appointed role as global protector-policeman. The rescue narrative trumpets the frontier values of male physical heroism, strong leadership and individualism, encapsulated by the iconic image of the torch of the Statue of Liberty emerging from the waves of the tsunami that engulfs Manhattan.However, America's role in w orld politics is also questioned by a more liberal discourse in the movie, when American refugees are forced to flee illegally into Mexico, in an ironic reversal of the real politics on the national border. This ironic reversal is itself made ambiguous, though, when later the United States government writes off all Third World debt, but in return, wins the right for its citizens to live as ‘guests' in those countries. It should be noted that not all Hollywood movies with environmental themes are as individualistic in their proposed solutions as The Day After Tomorrow.Some have endorsed more collective forms of action, even in narratives led by strong individuals: an image of placard-waving protestors recurs in Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995) and Fly Away Home (1996) as a sign of collective resistance. Ultimately, The Day After Tomorrow prefers American notions of liberal individualism, which it turns into universal values by identifying them with human civilization as a whole. Indeed, civilization, rather than wild nature, becomes the real object of audience identification by the end.The choice of the New York Public Library as the place of sanctuary and rescue is significant in this respect. One of the survivors makes sure he preserves the Gutenberg Bible from burning, not because he believes in God, he says, but because, as the first book ever printed, it represents ‘the dawn of the age of reason'. ‘If Western civilization is finished', he adds, ‘I'm going to save at least one little piece of it'. Ultimately, then, the movie celebrates reason and science as the values most central to Western civilization. Unusually for a Hollywood disaster movie, scientists are neither evil nor incompetent.As Yacowar notes, specialists in disaster movies, including scientists, ‘are almost never able to control the forces loose against them'. The genre thus serves ‘the mystery that dwarfs science' (Yacowar 228). This is also true of The Day After Tomorrow, in that the scientists are unable to contain the devastating effects of climate change once they have begun. ‘Ultimately,' writes ecocritic Sylvia Mayer, ‘the movie makes the point that the most advanced and dedicated scientific work is still powerless against the forces of nature once they are unleashed' (Mayer 111).Nevertheless, the scientists are the heroes of the movie. Their advice on the risks of climate change was ignored by the politicians until it was too late. As the director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration angrily tells the Vice-President: ‘You didn't want to heat about the science when it would have made a difference'. The scientists' computer models prove correct: in the movie, unlike in real life, climate science provides the clear, certain and unambiguous knowledge necessary for survival.Moreover, advanced technology is ultimately a force for good. Jack is able to locate his son in the Public Library un der the frozen wastes of Manhattan because of his friend's portable satellite navigation system (which, of course, would not work in such a massive storm). He is also seen driving a hybrid Toyota Prius earlier in the film. Reason, science and technology thus win the day. However, as Sylvia Mayer also notes, the movie stops short of simplistically advocating a technological fix for environmental problems as complex as climate change (Mayer 117).The values of civilization finally triumph over the destructive forces of wild nature when the pack of wolves, which escaped from Central Park Zoo earlier in the movie, return to attack Sam and his friends when they are searching for medicine and food. That the wolves are computer-generated special effects only adds an extra layer of irony to the triumph of civilization and benign technology in the movie. Indeed, the movie itself can be seen as a paean to the imaginative power of Computer Generated Imaging.In Eco Media (2005), Sean Cubitt argu es that The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2002-3) can be read as a celebration of the computer technologies from which it was made, which are an artisanal mode of production that demonstrates a creative place for technology within ‘green' thinking. There is an ‘increasing belief', he suggests, ‘that through the development of highly technologised creative industries, it is possible to devise a mode of economic development that does not compromise the land' (Cubitt 10). The thematic resolution of The Day After Tomorrow is ambiguous, however.The ending of the movie follows the recurrent pattern of the genre identified by Geoff King, in which ‘the possibility of apocalyptic destruction is confronted and depicted with a potentially horrifying special effects/spectacular ‘reality', only to be withdrawn or limited in its extent' (King 145). Typically, then, destruction is extensive, but total apocalypse is prevented at the last moment. The superstorm passes, the reby confirming Jack's earlier opinion that the storms will last ‘until the imbalance that created them is corrected' by ‘a global realignment'.Gazing at a beautiful, calm Earth, an astronaut in the International Space Station comments that he has ‘never seen the air so clear'. In Winston Wheeler Dixon's phrase, this could be the ‘exit point for the viewer' that disaster movies invariably provide (Dixon 133); the moment where the audience is let off the hook with a simplistic, evasive solution to the seemingly intractable problem explored in the rest of the movie. To return to the question posed at the start of this essay, does such an ending merely encourage evasion, denial and complacency in regard to issues such as anthropogenic climate change?Dixon argues that contemporary American cinema serves those who ‘wish to toy with the themes of destruction', from movies about atomic apocalypse to those that flirt with Nazism. This cinematic ‘cult of d eath', he concludes, is ‘the ultimate recreation' for an exhausted, media-saturated culture, a cult which ‘remains remote, carefully contained within a box of homicidal and genocidal dreams' (Dixon 139). But the ideological ambiguity of The Day After Tomorrow, as well as its audience reception, suggests that the process of interpretation is more open and varied than this.From an environmentalist perspective, the melodramatic ending of the film is ambiguous. No matter what human beings do, it appears, the Earth will heal itself. According to this reading, the message of the movie is that, because the storm eventually passes, we don't need to worry. This message resembles the right-wing appropriation of the Gaia hypothesis; that is, the idea, proposed by the British chemist James Lovelock, that the Earth as a whole is a self-regulating system in a natural state of homeostatic balance.In his 1999 book Hard Green: Saving the Environment from the Environmentalists, Peter Hube r used the concept of Gaia to justify a conservative manifesto that called for the dismantling of existing environmental regulations. The ‘most efficient way to control' pollutants such as greenhouses gases, he argued, ‘is not to worry about them at all. Let them be. Leave them to Gaia' (Huber 128). The notion of Gaia, we should note, is not the sole property of New Age environmentalists or deep ecologists.According to this interpretation, the movie appears to endorse the idea that humanity, through a combination of ingenuity, courage and chance, can survive whatever Nature may throw at us, an argument used by conservatives like Huber to justify a non-interventionist approach to environmental issues. It is a mistake, however, to assume that the final moments of a movie, when narrative closure is achieved, dictate its overall meaning. An analogy may be drawn here with the critical analysis of the role of women in film noir.As Janey Place argues of the female characters in films such as Double Indemnity (1946), ‘it is not their inevitable demise we remember but rather their strong, dangerous, and above all, exciting sexuality' (Place 48). In a similar way, the most memorable images in The Day After Tomorrow are probably the scenes of extreme weather. The main advertising image for the movie showed the shot of the hand of the Statue of Liberty held above the storm surge: an image of survival which at least includes a sense of struggle, rather than the calm, reposeful Earth revealed at the close of the film.Indeed, the above interpretation of the film as conservative is contradicted by its more explicit message, which advocated liberal political reform in the election year of 2004. Early in the film, Vice-President Becker, played by an actor who bears an obvious resemblance to Dick Cheney, refuses to listen to the advice of scientists on global warming, arguing that to take action would harm the American economy. In another reference to George W. Bush's presidency, we are told that the administration in the movie has also refused to sign up to the Kyoto Protocol on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.At the end of the movie, Becker, now President, appears on television to apologise to the nation out of a newfound sense of humility: ‘For years we operated under the belief that we could continue consuming our planet's natural resources without consequence. We were wrong. I was wrong'. Perhaps the most unbelievable part of the whole movie, the President's public apology confirms the words of the African-American homeless man earlier in the film, who refers to people with their ‘cars and their exhausts, and they're just polluting the atmosphere'.The disaster has been a wake-up call for America, and the new start will allow for the changes in lifestyle necessary for a more sustainable future. The government will also change its attitude to the Third World from one of arrogance to gratitude. In these moments, th e movie works as a secular form of jeremiad; ‘secular' because the environmental catastrophe is not seen as punishment from God, but as human-created. Opie and Elliott argue that both ‘implementational and evocative strategies' are necessary in successful jeremiads, and cite Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962) as a powerful exemplar (Opie and Elliott 35).The Day After Tomorrow also uses both pathos and rational argument to convince its audience of the need to take steps to avoid environmental catastrophe. Critical speculation on the effectiveness or otherwise of making a disaster movie about global warming can draw on the conclusions of an empirical study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research of the reception of the movie in Germany. This found that the movie did not appear to reinforce feelings of fatalism in its audience. Less than 10% of the sample agreed with the statement, ‘There's nothing we can do anyway', whereas 82% preferred, ‘We hav e to stop climate change'. Reusswig). Indeed, the Potsdam study makes hopeful reading for environmentalists. It found that the publicity surrounding the film triggered a new interest in climate change, and raised some issues previously unfamiliar to audiences, such as the role of oceans in global warming. A similar study of reception in the United States concluded that the film ‘led moviegoers to have higher levels of concern and worry about global warming, to estimate various impacts on the United States as more likely, and to shift their conceptual understanding of the climate system toward a threshold model.Further, the movie encouraged watchers to engage in personal, political, and social action to address climate change and to elevate global warming as a national priority'. However, whether such changes constituted merely a ‘momentary blip' in public perceptions remained to be seen (Leiserowitz 7). These empirical studies are important because they show that audienc e reception is a more complex and variable process than it is sometimes taken for in film theory. According to some versions of psychoanalytic ‘subject positioning' theory, Hollywood movies like The Day After Tomorrow tend to render spectators passive.Under the influence of Bertolt Brecht's theories of narrative, film academics such Colin McCabe and Steven Heath argued that only modernist or avant-garde narrative techniques can produce a more active (even revolutionary) film spectator. As the 1992 textbook New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics puts it, psychoanalytic film theory ‘sees the viewer not as a person, a flesh-and-blood individual, but as an artificial construct, produced and activated by the cinematic apparatus' (Stam 147). In his book The Crisis of Political Modernism (1999), D.N. Rodowick exposes the flaws in such thinking. The politics of political modernism, he writes, assume ‘an intrinsic and intractable relation between texts and their spectators, reg ardless of the historical or social context of that relation' (Rodowick 34). But film viewers are flesh-and-blood individuals, and when they are treated as such by film theorists and researchers, the phenomenon of film reception becomes more complex and nuanced, and less deterministic and stereotyped, than that imagined by subject positioning theory.Empirical audience research shows that we do not all watch the same movie in the same way, and that audience responses are complexly determined by a long list of variables, such as nation, region, locality, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race and, last but certainly not least, individual temperament. When we look at the public reception of The Day After Tomorrow, then, it is clear that different interest groups appropriated the movie in different ways.Both sides of the public debate about climate change interpreted the movie within a realist framework, either positively or negatively, and produced selective readings in order to fur ther their own agendas. Patrick Michaels, one of the minority of scientists who stills rejects the idea of human-created climate change, pointed out the scientific flaws in the movie, and damned Hollywood for irresponsibly playing into the hands of liberal environmentalists by exaggerating the threat of global warming (Michaels 1).Liberal-left environmental campaigners also understood that the movie's foundation in science was flawed. However, they found its scientific exaggerations and inaccuracies less important than what they saw as its realistic portrayal of the American government's denial of the scientific evidence for global warming. As former Vice-President Al Gore put it, ‘there are two sets of fiction to deal with. One is the movie, the other is the Bush administration's presentation of global warming' (Mooney 1). Gore joined with the liberal Internet advocacy organization MoveOn. rg, which used the movie's release as an opportunity to organize a national advocacy ca mpaign on climate change. Senators McCain and Lieberman also used the movie to promote the reintroduction of their Climate Stewardship Act in Congress (Nisbet 1). Greenpeace endorsed the ‘underlying premise' of the film, that ‘extreme weather events are already on the rise, and global warming can be expected to make them more frequent and more severe'. It summed up its response to the movie with the line: ‘Fear is justified' (Greenpeace 1-2).The use of this movie to encourage environmental debate suggests that it is perhaps only if Hollywood movies like The Day After Tomorrow are people's sole, or even main, source of information on the environment that we should worry. As Sylvia Mayer argues, Hollywood environmentalist movies ‘have the potential to contribute to the development of an ‘environmentally informed sense of self' that is characterised by an awareness of environmental threats, by the wish to gain more effective knowledge about them and by a d isposition to participate actively in efforts to remedy the problem' (Mayer 107).In this respect, a classical, Hollywood-style narrative does not necessarily inculcate or reinforce a feeling a complacency or denial it its audience. In any case, no narrative can be as complex as the reality to which it refers; all art is a process of simplifying, selecting and giving shape to reality. Classical narrative forms and genre movies such as The Day After Tomorrow can focus thought and provide an imaginative and provocative response to environmental crisis. WORKS CITED Adam, Barbara (1998), Timescapes of Modernity: The Environment and Invisible Hazards, Routledge, London and New York.Bell, Art and Streiber, Whitely (1999), The Coming Global Superstorm, Pocket Star Books, New York. Collins, Jim (1989), Uncommon Cultures: Popular Culture and Post-Modernism, Routledge, New York and London. Cubitt, Sean (2005), Eco Media, Rodopi, Amsterdam and New York. Davis, Mike (1998), Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster, Henry Holt and Co. , New York. Dixon, Wheeler Winston (2003), Visions of the Apocalypse: Spectacles of Destruction in American Cinema, Wallflower Press, London and New York.Emmerich, Roland, director (2004), The Day After Tomorrow, 20th Century Fox, Two-disc DVD. 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No, but This Movie (And Democrats) Hope You'll Think So. ‘ The Washington Post, May 16th 2004, B01. www. washingtonpost. com/ac2/wp-dyn/A28338-2004May14? language=printer Mooney, Chris (2004), ‘Learning From Nonsense? ‘, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, http://www. csicop. org/doubtandabout/global-warming Nachmanoff, Jeffrey (2004), ‘Jeffrey Nachmanoff on The Day After Tomorrow'. http:// www. amazon. co. uk/gp/feature. html.Nisbet, Matthew (2004), ‘Evaluating the Impact of The Day After Tomorrow: Can a Blockbuster Film Shape the Public's Understanding of a Science Controversy? ‘, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, http://www. csicop. org/ Opie, John and Elliott, Norbert (1996), ‘Tracking the Elusive Jeremiad: The Rhetorical Character of American Environmental Discourse', in James G. Cantrill and Christine L. Oravec (eds), The Symboli c Earth: Discourse and Our Creation of the Environment, University Press of Kentucky, Lexington. Place, Janey (1978), ‘Women in Film Noir', in E. 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Yacowar, Maurice (1986), ‘The Bug in the Rug: Notes on the Disaster Genre', in Barry Keith Grant (ed), Film Genre Reader, University of Texas Press, Austin.

Management Styles through Different Leaders

Management Styles through Different Leaders Essay – A growing body of evidence in the business environment supports that leaders are made and not born. However, a good leader must have patience, commitment, knowledge, and experience to manage the subordinates. In other words, a good leadership style is developed through training, education, self-commitment, and accumulation of experience. (Zaleznik, 2004). More importantly, leadership is one of the most researched concepts in business studies because of the contributions of a leader to the organizational achievement. This study also compares the management styles through different leaders by reviewing leadership styles of Carlo Slim and Bill Gates. A good leader transforms an organization and shapes the economy. Carlo Slim and Bill Gate are the examples of the leaders who use their different management styles to transform the economy and their respective organizations.The objective of this document is to provide an analysis of management styles through leaders. This study also compares the leadership styles of Carlo Slim and Bill Gates.Management Styles through Different LeadersK?yak, et al. (2011) define the conceptual leadership as a selective, role-taking, empathetic and selective process that assist in handling the strategic initiative of an organization. Clarks, (2009) points out that leadership is the major factor that determines the success or failure of an organization. However, leadership and management overlap because an individual must have both leadership and management skills to be effective in an organization. Management involves an ability to achieve a specific task. However, leadership is a broader concept that involves a process by which leaders nurture and communicate ideas to the subordinates.To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayA strategic leadership plays an expanding role in enhancing competitive advantages. In a healthcare organization, leaders are called upon to use their problem-solving skills and knowledge to develop creative solutions to problems. Creative leadership involves the ability to invent or develop new solutions to challenging problems. One of the exemplified leaders in the healthcare organization was Robert, a nurse leader, who used democratic leadership style to assist her staff growing independently. (Clark,. 2009). Henry Fayol argues that both leaders and managers delegate powers to their subordinates to assist an organization to balance responsibility and authority to achieve a specific task. However, management process involves planning, staffing, organizing, controlling and directing. In this Essay we will compare the management styles through different leaders.Bill GatesBill Gates is one of the exemplified leaders who integrate management process into his leadership ability to achieve competitive advantages for the Microsoft Corporation. He is a business giant, and highly regarded in the IT and business world, often ranked in the Fortune 500 as one of the top 10 most admired business leaders. Bill used autocratic leadership styles to direct his subordinates before his retirement from Microsoft in 2008. Gates’ success was attributed to his controlling ability and quick decision-making process. (Demuth, & Hammond, 2013). Sometimes, Gates exhibited more than one leadership styles depending on circumstances. While Gates used the autocratic style as the dominant leadership style in managing the business, however, Gates would not have been successful if adopted only an authoritarian style because the authoritarian style is not appropriate for innovation and can hinder the creative ability of followers. Zentner, (2016) believed that Bill was a servant leader who focused on helping others to achieve their goals. â€Å"Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interests, needs, and ambitions of others’ above one’s own.† (Zentner, 2016 p 1). When a servant leadership style is implemented appropriately, it can enhance employee behaviors and outlook, which drives motivation for higher performances and changes.To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayCarlos SlimCarlos Slim is another leader in Mexico who integrates the transformational leadership styles in his management style to transform himself into a business giant. Mr. Slim is a native originally from Mexico. At a tender age, he received a business lesson, which helped him to understand the method to increase his personal fund. At the age of 12, he started investing in shares and after completing an engineering course at the University of Mexico at the age of 25, Slim incorporated his first company named Inmobiliaria Carso in 1966. He inculcated the spirit of transformational leadership by diversifying his business ventures using the visionary skills to actively invest in various businesses when Mexico was facing the economic problems.Management Styles through Different Leaders – Carlo Slim and Bill GatesCarlo Slim leadership style is influenced by his personal beliefs and principles, which he has inculcated in transforming his business empire. Unlike founder of Microsoft who used the autocratic leadership style in managing the Microsoft Corporation, Slim incorporated the transformational leadership styles when making a business decision. Yavirach, (2015) argues transformational leaders use the intellectual capability to stimulate their subordinates to achieve better performances. Slim uses the transformational leaders to transform Telmex into the biggest telecommunication company in the Latin America. Although, both Slims and Gates are entrepreneurs, and multi-billionaires in the North America, however, their leadership principles are different. While Gates uses the combination of autocratic, and servant leadership styles in running his business empire, Slim focuses on the transformational leadership style using the intellectual capabilities and charismatic qualities to solve the business problems. While both leaders use different styles in managing their business, both have been successful in their line of businesses.Conclusion Many leaders in the North American have been able to combine both the management and leadership styles to transform their organizations into business empires. This study proves that management styles through different leaders do overlap, however, a combination of both leadership and management skills is critical to achieving compet itive market advantages. The study also compares Gates and Slim management styles through different leaders, and the results of the analysis reveal Gates uses the combination of servant and autocratic leadership styles to manage his businesses, however, Slim relies on transformational leadership style to solve business problems. To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayReferencesClark, C. C. (2009). Creative nursing leadership & management. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Demuth, P., & Hammond, T. (2013). Who is Bill GatesNew York: Grosset & Dunlap, An Imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. K?yak, M., Bozaykut, T., Gungor, P., & Aktas, E. (2011). Strategic Leadership Styles and Organizational Financial Performance: A Qualitative Study on Private Hospitals. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 24, 1521-1529. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.09.090 Yavirach, N. (2015). The Impact of Transformational and Transactional Leadership to Subordinates Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment Affect to Team Effectiveness. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2159035 Zaleznik, A. (2004). Managers and Leaders: Are They DifferentHarvard Business Review. Zentner, A. (2016). Bill Gates: A Servant Leader. Research Gate JournalTo modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us Today

300 Movie

The film I chose to evaluate is the fantasy action film, â€Å"300. † 300 is a fictional retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae, in which the Greeks tried to hold off an invasion of the Persian Empire. The author’s message, from a leadership perspective, shows what a group of soldier would do for their king and how they inspire a country. A number of scenes from the film will depict that King Leonidas is a great leader with great conviction for what he believes in. Leonidas has many great leadership traits. Leonidas has all the traits a good leader needs. He has intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability. Even though Leonidas has assigned leadership, he also has emergent leadership. He is appointed king only after he has been tested by the rigorous traditional Spartan initiations into adulthood. After being inspected at birth to see if he was worthy of being a Sparta, Leonidas was thrown into the wild at the age of 7 and left to survive. Leonidas came back alive to prove to his father, and his people that he is capable to be their king. As king, Leonidas command legitimate, coercive, and reward power like his counterpart, Xerxes of Persia. But Leonidas also has referent power that Xerxes does not. Leonidas’ soldiers liked him and would die for him. Xerces’ army was made up of slaves and beasts that fear for their lives. They are forced to fight, and when they fail, Xerxes becomes enraged and beheads them. Leonidas’ leadership style is both directive and supportive. He gave specific instructions on how to battle against the overwhelming Persian Army and he also engages in combat with his army. After a victory he praises his soldier for their bravery and courage. He respects and acknowledges each soldier’s effort in the battles. Leonidas has high task and high relationship behavior with his army. Leonidas faced many challenges throughout the movie. One example was in the beginning, when the Persian messenger came to Leonidas and gave him Xerxes’ ultimatum. He had a difficult decision to make. His decision would impact the whole nation. Should he give in to the Persian army or should he declare war? As he ponders his answer, he looked at his people, their children, and his wife. He thought about his Spartan heritage and values. Spartans don’t surrender or fear anything. Acting according to authentic leadership defined, he lead by kicking the Persian messenger into the well. His actions show his people that he would not let anyone invade the empire, no matter the opposition. He showed them that his leadership is genuine and he would not coward even if he is greatly outmatched. Leonidas is a perfect leader for the situations in the film. In battle, a leader must have authoritative powers. He must have loyalty and attraction of his soldiers. He must also have highly structured strategic plans for his soldiers. The phalanx formation the Spartans use requires the soldiers to fight as one to be strong. The contingency theory of leadership would define Leonidas as being in a very favorable situation. In a favorable situation, the leader and followers will be effective. As seen through most of the film, Leonidas and his soldiers were victorious in all their battles until they were out flanked by the Persians at the end. Leonidas has good dyadic relationships with his men. He and his Captain, Artemis fought alongside each other when they were young. He also develops mutual trust and respect from Artemis and his soldiers, how could he of convince the 300 men to fight the whole Persian army. He knows that each man is a soldier and that they have heirs at home. They are also proud to fight alongside Leonidas. He doesn’t enlist them and take them to war. It is evident when he met up with the Arcadians. When the Arcadian General, Daxos ridicule Leonidas about how few men he brought to the war front, Leonidas asked three Arcadians for their profession. They responded with Potter, Sculptor, and Blacksmith. Leonidas then turns to his soldiers and asked them. They responded with supporting and confident grunts of courage for their leader. According to the Leader-Member Exchange Theory, leadership is a process that is centered on interactions between the leader and his followers. By having high-quality leader-member exchanges with his men, Leonidas is able to have positive performances and commitment from his men and be victorious in the battles. Leonidas was also able to lead through transformational leadership. Transformational leadership brings about positive change to the leader and to those who follow. Leonidas headed into an unfavorable war courageously so that his people may remain free. After multiple attacks on the Spartans had fail, Xerxes call for an audience with Leonidas. He offered Leonidas royalties if he put down his arms and be Xerxes’ general. But Leonidas thought of his people and his kingdom. His people would have to serve the Persians and if he surrendered, how could he answer to his ancestors. By surrendering he would not be a true Spartan. Leonidas kept his honor and brushed off Xerxes. He thought about his followers before himself. By doing this, even in death Leonidas was able to inspire and stimulate the Greek country to collaborate and fend off the Persian Invasion. In conclusion, Leonidas is a good leader as depicted in the film. He has a broad range of leadership skills and traits, but I believe Leonidas is best at leading with transformational leadership. His charisma strongly warrants him to lead through transformational leadership and given the situations of the film, Leonidas is best to use transformational leadership. Also, the message the film entitles is that one great man or nation can inspire a whole country to stand as one and unite towards a common goal.

The use of blowflies in forensic entomology to determine approximate Essay

The use of blowflies in forensic entomology to determine approximate time of death - Essay Example The life cycle of insects encompasses four discrete stages (Amendt, Campobasso, Gaudry, Reiter, LeBlanc & Hall, 2007). Despite the effectiveness of forensic entomology in determining the time of death, only less than one percent of homicide cases are resolves using forensic entomology. However, forensic entomology can be utilized in a broad area of forensic science, for instance to ascertain whether the corpse was moved posthumously and the accurate time of death. This paper will assess the determination of time of death through the use of blowflies in forensic entomology. In blowflies, the initial life cycle stage encompasses eggs, which hatch into maggots or larvae in the second stage. At the larvae stage, the anterior end of blowflies has a pair of sharp digging hooks, which are used for both feeding and movement. The posterior end of larvae consists of the insect’s respiratory system that ensures that maggots receive sufficient oxygen as they rummage through the corpse (Go ff, 2000). Typically, as soon as blowflies’ maggots attain their full size, they stop feeding and start moving into drier regions of the surrounding, often into the soil. During the third stage of development, blowfly maggots develop into pupae; during this stage, the outer skin of the insect hardens, forming a tough protective casing around the insect. In a week’s time, the pupa goes through metamorphosis, emerging from the shell in the form of an adult blowfly to mark the concluding stage of the insect’s life cycle (Amendt, Campobasso, Gaudry, Reiter, LeBlanc & Hall, 2007). Insects such as blowflies can serve as an easy tool of ascertaining the unknown, especially with regards to the time of death. For instance, when a coroner seeks to find out the time of death of a corpse, the entomologist only has to examine the blowflies around the corpse and report details. However, it is hardly this easy since investigators take into account a number of variables, includ ing the temperature of the immediate region in order to ascertain the speed of larvae growth in a corpse. For instance, when someone is killed during summer and left outside for a number of days, the ambient temperature neighbouring the corpse changes dramatically. Different types of blowflies develop speedily in warm weather; however, the development rate diminishes when temperatures drop (Greenberg & Kunich, 2002). Blowflies discovered on a corpse that has been outside for several weeks or months are indicative of drastic variations in the growth cycles of the insects. Therefore, entomologists must carefully assess the available specimens in order to determine a probable range of times of death. The use of insects to solve crimes in forensic entomology dates back to the 13th century when investigators found the murderer of a rice field worker by examining the trend of blowflies, which flocked to the murderer’s sickle after being attracted by the smell of blood. Ultimately, the murderer confessed to the crime (Goff, 2000). Today, forensic entomologists use post-mortem interval or PMI in order to ascertain the total quantity of time that has lapsed since death. The development and age of the maggot, as well as the utilization of successive insect waves, provides a succinct determination of the duration of the interval between the time of death and the time the corpse was discovered. As soon as a person dies, the first creatures to

Sources of disease transmission Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sources of disease transmission - Assignment Example Furthermore, the presence of certain poisons in these transport systems, for example; the presence of aerosol contaminants is also a source of disease transmission and infection. Public transport surfaces are also sources of diseases as they tend to host different pathogens that may transmit different infections (Dawson, 2012). The public health authorities and services are the best possible sources of information on the spread and prevention of disease and infection among the public. It is their responsibility to ensure that the public is educated on some of the ways in which they are susceptible to diseases and infection, especially when using public transport. When individuals are aware of how diseases and infections are spread and their sources, it becomes easier to take precautions, especially when handling or dealing with the sources; directly or indirectly. The transport networks available can also provide useful information on how to approach different situations, especially when faced with potential threats to their health. These systems must work hand in hand to ensure that the general public is protected against any and all potential hazards, thus; improving society’s overall health status (Hawker, Begg & Blair,

Brotherhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Brotherhood - Essay Example The brotherhood love makes people to share and support each other in times of joy, pain and sorrow. Brothers trust and rely on each other, allowing one to be prepared for all circumstances that might arise. A brother will not permit another to venture into the world or face a challenge when not well prepared. Men offer to join brotherhood groups so that they can improve and help each other. Joining a new country which has a new culture and language was meant to be a major challenge. Adapting to the lifestyle, meals, culture as well as communicating using a new language would prove to be a challenge. This made it necessary to form and join a group of people who face the same challenge. Since Blue Ridge school is a boy’s boarding school, all group members were of same gender. This proved to be a challenge at first but it had its own advantages. Group members could share freely and openly and others would understand and intervene without discrimination. Being a new member of a boy’s boarding school, it was through the intervention of others that adapting and settling to the school routine was made easier. Communication barriers were well bridged by the group members who better understood English. The older members assisted new members in settling in including teaching the new members how to tie a neck tie, which was quite a new experience. It was after spending some time in the institution that the interaction with other students led to meeting with other Korean students. Sharing the same background improved the relationship between these twenty Korean students leading to organized interaction sessions during the school hours reserved for sporting activities. Sharing Korean meals, getting involved in similar activities and studying together made the bond between the group members to be stronger every passing day. Through the intervention of the brotherhood group, I was able to

The Lincol Memorial as an art object Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Lincol Memorial as an art object - Essay Example t and would not have been strong enough to support the structure of the Lincoln Memorial, supports for the structure were built by embedding them down almost 100 feet into bedrock, thereby creating cave like formations under the stairs that exist under the stairs and forms stalactites and stalagmites of calcium carbonate.(www2.nature.nps.gov) As pointed out by Professor Smith (1996), the Lincoln Memorial is built in the neo-classical style of art, derived from the Greek high, classical art forms as evidenced in the Parthenon. The Lincoln Memorial is built with similar fluted columns and represents an attempt to sanctify an American President by making Lincoln sitting within a recess behind the columns in the same manner as the statute of Athena sits within the Parthenon.(Smith, 1996). The Memorial is erected as a Temple, representing the dawn of a new age, in much the same manner the construction of the Parthenon in Greece represented the dawn of a new era of freedom and enlightenment among the Greeks. The art form of the Lincoln Memorial is also filled with symbolism. For example, the 36 columns comprising the structure represent the 36 states that were in existence at the time that Lincoln died (Nathan, 1998). The attic above the columns however contains 48 stone festoons which are intended to represent the number of states that existed during the time that the monument was actually constructed. The murals on the monument are also symbolic in nature and the figures represented in the murals stand for justice, fraternity, charity immortality and unity.(Nathan 1998). The murals titled Emancipation and Reunion are painted by Jules Guerin. The painting Emancipation which hangs on the southern wall is of the Angel of Truth standing with her arms stretched out above her head and slaves breaking free within her wings.(www2.nature.nps.gov). The words contained in Lincoln’s Gettysburg address are engraved on the limestone wall. The painting Reunion on the other

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 46

Case Study Example Of course though this option is not preferred because labor cost is a major component of the Mailing Place’s expenses, and keeping this at the same level is central to the organization’s success. As such, it would be better that Jill try and rework her department so that the new work is able to be handled by current staff members and also not affect any of the current work taking place. 3. I would suggest that the Mailing Place increases its labor budget as part of the planning process. It is obvious that the company is already doing very well, but taking on a whole lot more work might disrupt current work. It would be better if the company hired more workers. Also, for scheduling the company needs to make sure that employees are trained to use all the machines and PC programs within enough time before the new work commences. 1. For job candidates, placing their resumes on the World Wide Web allows them to be noticed by a wider selection of employees and also in a much faster timeframe. Previously, job placement ads had to be spotted and individualized letters sent out to each employer; now this process has been simplified by giving greater power and control for the job seeker. The World Wide Web can also help to match employers to job candidates, and this can reduce the time spent wasted on job candidates who either do not fit the job description or are not capable of performing that particular job. 2. Electronic resumes can help to identify a job candidate with specific technical skills because it can showcase some of their previous work. In this instance, this is actually better than a list of skills and qualifications because it allows the employer to see just exactly what the job candidate is capable of. If I found out that another person had developed the candidate’s homepage, then it would depend on the particular job as to what I would do. If the job had to do with computers then I would immediately rule them out; however, if the home page

Assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Assignment - Coursework Example The energy can entirely be derived from the ocean and wind currents to produce electricity. The whole idea here is prudent as it can save the non-renewable energy into extinction. Reactive loading control is an optimal control approach entailing the adjustment of the primary converter dynamic parameters to ensure that all frequencies absorb maximum energy. These primary converters includes, inertia, the spring constant and the energy absorbing damping. Optimal power absorption dictates that the rate of kinetic energy radiated from the device be equal to the energy absorption rate and the primary converter feels no reactive force in such a scenario (Drew, Plummer and Sahinkaya). This control is important in widening of the wave energy converter (WEC) efficiency range on each side of the resonant range. On either side of the resonant frequency the spring of the device goes into a deflection caused by the wave force, or the overall frequency is reduced by accelerating the inertia. Reactive loading control also cancels some of the undesirable inertia or stiffness by introducing a phase shift into the power-take-off (PTO) force (Drew, Plummer and

The Reigh Of Louis XVII Essay Example for Free

The Reigh Of Louis XVII Essay Louis XVII came to the throne in 1814 as the rightful heir. After the defeat of Napoleon there were two possible branches of the Bourbon family. The elder branch, which was Louis XVIII (brother to guillotined Louis XVII) and the younger branch, which was Louis Phillippe, duc dOrleons. It was left to the allies to choose who should rule, and they did not want France to be a republic. However Europe could no establish who should be the new ruler of France. They therefore decided to let France choose for herself. This was just a way of covering up the fact that they couldnt choose a ruler themselves. However there was no intention of consulting the people of France through any system of voting. Talleyrand, once Napoleons legal servant, was in favour of the Bourbons returning. It was therefore him who convinced the allies that there was widespread support in France for the restoration of the Bourbons, and when Wellington entered Bordeaux to be met by crowds of people shouting vive le roi (long live the king) it convinced the allies that the restoration was stood a good chance of success. Therefore in April 1814 Louis XVIII returned as king. Louis XVIII, at the time he came to the throne, was aged fifty-nine years old. He was over weight and walked with difficulty. His personality was dull and uninspiring. He was known to be a firm believer in the divine right of kings. His character was such that he lacked charm and the truth was, that he was wanted for what he stood for, rather than what we really was. When Louis XVIII came to power, the economy was strong, and this was therefore good and positive for his reign. Louis XVIII did not squander the advantages he possessed. By supporting capable ministers, especially his favourite, Elie Decazes, he ensured the governments finance was on a firm footing. With the war fees paid off by 1818 foreign troops withdrawn, the country was able to settle down after the costly glory of Napoleonic era. In fact under Louis XVIII an effective system for controlling government spending was developed that was to last with out any major adjustment for more than a hundred years. The allies feared because they thought French people grown use to national glory would soon get bored of a dull monarchy. They need not to worry. It seems that although most French people were pleased to bask in the glory, they did not immediately miss the pleasure when it was no longer available. Louis XVIIIs greatest success was managing to convince the pays legal that he intended to make the charter if 1814 a working reality. He did this by restraining those supporters who wanted to undermine the charter, or even do away with it altogether. Also by communicating a general belief that in it as providing the basis for political life in France in the future. These Ultra-Royalist, known as the Ultras, were even more Royalist than the King himself. They hoped to day with the charter as soon as possible. However Louis XVIII was in sympathy with some of their views. Yet because he did not possess great strength of character, he was unable to resist all their demands. The Ultras, however, did gain some success. When the law to compensate the ÃÆ' ©migrÃÆ' ©s was passed in 1825, the reaction of the pays legal was very hostile. For ten years the ÃÆ' ©migrÃÆ' ©s felt discontent that their loyalty to the royal family and the ancien regime, which had lost them their lands and fortunes, had received scant reward. Many of them had been given official positions to fill and their ranks recognised. However most of them still lacked financial security and they would therefore have liked their lands restored back to them. But even Charles X saw that to attempt this would be such a basic attack on the revolutionary settlement that it would probably have been resisted by force So the law of 1825 confirmed the rights of present owners of the market value of any land that had been confiscated in the 1790s, and by compensating the ÃÆ' ©migrÃÆ' ©s by making them an annual grant of money. Louis XVIII success also included the Charter. As stated above, Louis managed to convince the pays legal that he intended to make the charter a working reality. Th Charter of 1814 stated that there would be freedom for the press, although there would be laws passed to check the abuse of this freedom. It had been assumed by most of the pays legal that this meant that people would be free to publish what they wanted although they would be liable for legal action after the events if they had printed anything  contrary to the law. This was not how the Charter was interpreted by Louis XVIII, and he made efforts to prevent the publication of anything they regarded as hostile to the regime. Between 1814 and 1822 the government generally tried to control the press by insisting that no political news or comment was published until it had been passed by the censor. Despite Louiss age, his immobility, his belief in the divine rights of the king, his heavily influence by Madam du Cayla and his failure to compensate the ÃÆ' ©migrÃÆ' ©s, I strongly believe that his strengthens and successes out weighed these. Among his successes, he managed to convince the pays legal that he intended to make the Charter a working reality, keep his throne while managing to suppress opponents, acted according to the Charter and did not allow the Ultras to get much power and dominate. He also did not allow himself in party politics, which meant he could be neutral and not favour one party over another. This meant a downfall of a minister would not bring him down. Lastly, Louis XVIII was the rightful king in France and therefore he could diminish opposition.

Jørn Utzons House in Hellebæk

Jà ¸rn Utzons House in Hellebà ¦k The Architects house in Hellebà ¦k, Denmark, fifty kilometres north of Copenhagen, was built in 1953 on the designs of the great architect, Jà ¸rn Utzon, aimed to be his own home in one of his most loved areas of his country. Small, yet spacious, this dwelling is hidden in the green Danish forests not far away from the place he grew up and loved so much. This house was built at the commencement of Utzons career with limited funds: The story goes that Utzon could only afford a regular suburban lot but bought one at the end of a street, cancelled the driveway and persuaded the local forester to let him enter trough the forest instead. (Anon., May 2008) In this essay I intend to look at how this house functions, both aesthetically as well as ergonomically. I will analyze its style, layout and both its external and internal structure with references to the time and location it was built in. I will also examine the practical functions it provides. Subsequently, I am going to compare it to two other houses which either have been an inspiration for the architect or have been themselves influenced by Utzons Hellebà ¦k house. The House at Hellebà ¦k is not just another paradigm of a typical modern mid-century house but one of the very first structures to feature the trend of single-storey, flat-roofed residences with long glass walls. The whole faà §ade of the house is made up of yellow brick and large glass panels which create long uninterrupted, parallel walls. The north brick wall is completely blank in the sense that the architect punctured no windows in it at all except for the front door. As for the interior, the kitchen and the living room are situated in the core of the house while the bedrooms are at the sides and are only illuminated by roof openings due to Utzons desire to keep the bareness of the north wall. His determination to avoiding openings lead that the internal walls have no doors but mere gaps between them as passageways, and he achieved that by arranging them in such a way that the doors were ceiling high. The walls extend from ceiling to floor with black-painted wooden strips so the walls can be moved, the rooms re-arranged according to the need later on. (Jorn Utzon) By designing this house, the architects aim, was to make a modern and attractive residence that accommodated his wants and needs. At that time, he was married with children and needed a family house that would please him both aesthetically and emotionally by allowing him to enjoy the beauty of the Danish woods on his slightly elevated porch. On the other hand, he needed it to have enough room for a family while keeping the construction on a low budget. What is interesting about this residence is the fact that if you inspect it from the south, you will see a lightweight structure with thin timber framing and glass plates. On the other hand, if you stand on the north side, you will observe a heavy, stone building with no openings for the building to breathe. The south lighter side which stands on a solid brick wall, is said to be inspired by eastern, Chinese architecture. (20th century houses) With the construction of this house, Jà ¸rn Utzon was the first to bring the open-plan movement to the then conservative Denmark as it features a large open space and minimizes the use of small, enclosed rooms. This is in strong contrast with the traditional Danish houses with strictly defined rooms (Denmark, Unofficial Handbook, Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 622-644). This house is yet an even more contradictory structure to that area due to the architects choice not to provide north-facing openings since the conventional housing of the 50s used to have large windows on every side. Yet, the south side and the use of brick balance everything up. One of the things that catches my eye on this house is the precise geometry in which the yellow bricks are placed. The entire building seems like it has been very carefully constructed, taking into consideration every little detail. The geometry is emphasised by the two very long parallel walls on either side. The structure of the house, resembles that of a traditional Japanese house that was designed according to the ancient Kiwari modular system. This was a very simple method of building based on standard dimensions and spacing between columns which was measured in 6 to 6.5 Shaku (1818mm to 1969.5mm)(Davies book 2). Utzon borrows this scheme and converts it into his own culture, the traditional Danish brick. In the Utzon house it is the humble brick that sets the module both externally and internally.(Davies). All the proportions are planned on an 120mm grid which is devised by Danish brick and cement joints, timber panels, floor tiles and brick paving. The Japanese influence is not only apparent in the structural elements of the house but in the interiors and decoration as well. The materials used outside are the same as inside: yellow brick, Oregon pine, aluminium and black-painted skirting boards and ceiling strips. The whole plainness of it all is what reminds me of Japanese quality. Photos of the interiors which are geometric, with straight edges, a grid-like placement of furniture, ample wide, open space and a very generous usage of long timber planks bring to my mind the simple lines that traditional Japanese architecture followed. The architect himself recalls all the different sorts of materials used in this project; walls and doors are framed with Oregon pine boards, the kitchen, grill niche, shower and bathroom are all adorned with the same yellow brick but glazed white and shiny like porcelain. The flooring in the entrance hall, kitchen and round the fireplace consists of yellow-brown oblong tiles made of clay. Utzons main inspiration for creating the Hellebà ¦k house, were Frank Lloyd Wrights Usonian houses (1936) and especially Jacobs House which was the first out of this series of small ranches in West America. The windows, the single-storey and open plan structure as well as the flat roof and the use of brick and timber were obvious elements which Utzon mimicked after Wrights work. After the Second World War, Utzon decided to travel to the United States where he stayed with Frank Lloyd Wright for several months. He closely observed the great architect who was at the peak of his career as he worked. This is very noticeable in Utzons work following that journey. Jacobs House is located in Madison, Wisconsin and was created by Wright during a major pause of his career in the 30s due to being affected by the times depression. The architects main intention was to create a large collection of such houses that were both economical and environmentally friendly. The materials used in this project were timber, stone, glass and bricks made out of baked clay, a series of resources that state a clear relation to the areas vernacular(www.usonia1.com). This is exactly what Utzon did for his own house. Wrights concept included an L-shaped floor plan with a two by two grid as a guideline. Utzon consequently used a certain pattern as well by making everything a multiple of 120mm. The living and dining areas as well as the kitchen are all in a single open area in contrast to the two bedrooms and the study which are enclosed in their own rooms. He, as well as Utzon, make the same clear distinction between the private and public areas of the house, the serving and served. The whole house is characterized by the simplicity of the materials and space. Floor heating, Chinese method. Both houses. A house in which was undoubtedly influenced by Utzons creation is Richard Hordens residence in Poole Dorset. Utzon is a great mind in the history of architecture and his Hellebà ¦k house still remains as an example of how well he could implement modern structures of the mid-century. The yellow brick is still standing symmetrically and geometrically inside the deep Danish woods.

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues - Homosexuals Should be Allowed Same-Sex Marriage :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Free Argumentative Essays - Homosexuals Should be Allowed to Marry A gay California man, whose partner died in the September 11 terrorist attacks has become "legally vulnerable in ways (he) could never imagine"(Urges 1). Keith Brodowski lost his life partner, Jeff Coleman, to American Airlines flight 11, which was the first plane to hit the World Trade Center. Coleman was a flight attendant. Brodowski is now battling the state and the nation for survivors' benefits, granted to the widows of those who died. It took the powerful words of Brodowski's testimony to move legislation to grant partial inheritance rights for registered domestic partners in California(Lambda 1). Married couples had to go through nothing of this caliper for their benefits. Marcye and Karen Nicholson-McFadden have a child. When the baby was born, they faced a hospital full of staff who refused to acknowledge them as a couple. Now, two years later, they are expecting another child and do not want to face the same trials again. Marital rights would protect their children, their jointly owned business, and their hospital care. Marcye asks "How do we let our children know that our family is as valuable as traditional families even though the government doesn't think so?"(Staiton 1). These are only two examples of troubles facing homosexuals today. In a survey conducted by Partners Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Couples, over fifty percent of lesbians and forty percent of gay men had faced problems obtaining employment benefits, lower tax rates, and insurance breaks because civil unions are not recognized as a legal marriage. Other discriminations included employment, housing, hotels, hospital visitation, adoption, and many more. (Partners 3) These problems could have been eliminated if the couple had been legally recognized as married. In their own eyes, 88% of the women and 56% of the men considered themselves married (Partners 7). Their relationships need to be recognized in the eyes of the law! When a married person dies, his or her spouse is considered the next of kin. This A homosexual's surviving partner does not have that right. Even in cases where wills are present, family members have sued for burial rights, property etc.

Biosphere 2 :: Papers

Biosphere 2 Biosphere 2 is a supersealed â€Å"greenhouse† enclosing an area of 3.15 acres. Exit and entry is through a double airlock. It consists of several different ecosystems within the â€Å"greenhouse.† It houses a tropical rainforest, savannah, scrub forest, desert, fresh- and salt-water marshes and a miniocean that even contains a coral reef. This biosphere is inhabited by over 4000 species in all. The biosphere is able to preserve it environment because; water vapor from evaporation and transpiration of plants is condensed to produce high amounts of rainfall over the tropical rainforest. From there the water runs back towards the marshes and ocean as is filters through the soil, providing for an ample supply of fresh water for the humans as well as the ecosystems. The carbon dioxide released from respiration is absorbed for photosynthesis and necessary oxygen is replenished. Thus, meeting the necessary requirements for a sustainable biosphere. Biosphere 2 is not completely self-sufficient, it does depend on solar energy, and the energy demands that are created to power the necessary machinery, would require another 30 acres of solar collectors. The conclusion of the â€Å"cycle† is that not everything went exactly as planned. The oxygen level at one point dropped and additional oxygen had to be added to compensate for the underestimated amount of oxygen used by the decomposers in the soil. Larger amounts of carbon dioxide were used because of chemical reactions with exposed concrete. A large number of the species introduced especially insects necessary for pollination, died off, requiring pollination of many plants by hand. Despite these drawbacks the water, soil, and nutrients they started with were the same as when finished, having gone through the cycle a countless number of times. We have learned from this experiment that it is possible to build a biosphere, that integrates humans, and have it function within the tolerable limits of sustainability. Future versions of this experiment may be used in constructing permanent space stations or for long distance space exploration. If we continue mistreating our present biosphere we may end up living in structures similar to Biosphere 2. In my opinion this experiment proved to be very valuable if we wish to set up colonies on the Moon or other planets. This experiment is the beginning of the necessary information that will be needed to construct a completely self-sufficient biosphere.

Charles Dickens Aimed His Books At Criticizing America Essay -- essays

Charles Dickens Aimed His Books at Criticizing America Europe in the 1800s was beginning to develop a deep cultural sense for literature. Romanticism and Romantic novels were quickly becoming popular, and authors such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe from Germany and poets such as James Macpherson from England, were rapidly becoming icons of their nations, as well as the beginners of influential and opinionated novel writing. Charles Dickens was, and still is, an extremely renowned English Romantic writer, generally considered to be one of the greatest of the Victorian period. He has written almost fifty pieces, of which many books we still hear about today: A Christmas Carol, The Pitwick Papers, American Notes, and Great Expectations – amongst another fourteen novels, five novellas, many poems and plays, and illustrations. However, one of his most famous and critical works is his story of Martin Chuzzlewit. Being Americans, although we may respect and enjoy many of Dickens’ books and novels, we yet have a reason to d islike him: the tale of Martin Chuzzlewit, along with Hard Times, and American notes were directly aimed at criticizing and ‘trashing’ America. Through these books, Dickens’ purposely satirized and disparaged our American lifestyle. Charles Dickens was born in Portsea, Hampshire, in 1812. In 1814 Dickens moved to London, and then to Chatham, where he received some education. In 1824, at the age of twelve, Dickens was sent to work for some months at a blacking factory at the Hungerford Market, London, while his father, John Dickens, was in Marshalea Debtor's Prison. In the years 1824-27 Dickens studied at Wellington House Academy, London, and at Mr. Dawson's school in 1827. From 1827 to 1828 he was... ...ntly almost inexistent in sophisticated England – he got these ideas from events in his stay in America. The book was an obviously disturbing portrayal of a morally corrupt American society. When Charles Dickens was in America, the social norms and values he was raised with clashed with everything he observed in the Americans lifestyles. He was taken off balance at the amount of freedom people had when it came to etiquette and proper behavior. Furthermore, he was completely disgusted and appalled by even the day-to-day activities such as the way people ate, spoke, and conducted themselves in public. He clearly and strongly expressed this revulsion in his books Martin Chuzzlewit, Hard Times, and American Notes. He was quick to judge, and did not take time to simply appreciate the fact that us Americans lived a different culture – equally worthy of respect.

Consumer Buying Behavior of Hybrid Vehicles Essay

Introduction 1 Background of the Study With the air pollution level rising day by day caused by the emission from conventional vehicles, many government bodies have put in effort to enforce emission control policy since the late of 1960, and it is becoming strict with the EURO committee being the leader until today, where their emission policy and grading system being accepted or referenced worldwide even in Malaysia. The grading system based of emission cleanliness as of today is from Euro 1 to Euro 6, where Euro 1 being the worst emission standard and Euro 6 being the environmental friendly. This is the scene where most modern vehicles are fitted with catalytic converter since late 1975, a simple device that can reduce the harmful emission such as un-burn hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide by converting them into cleaner substances such as oxygen and hydrogen through chemical catalyst effect within (Tony & Andrew, 2006). The effect of this is that the rise of the awareness of fuel efficiency, as many will further relate that if fuel efficiency can be increased, then the emission can be further improved, as well as to reduce wastage. Many automobile makers has since then began development of fuel efficient engine in order to make a stand, and consequently lead to the trend of Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). 2 Problem Statement However, emission is only one environmental factor as there is other factor which bothers a driver financial aspect, the fuel and its prices. No matter the fuel is expensive and cheap, if one can travel further with a given set amount of fuel, then one can certainly save him/her some money (Tony & Andrew, 2006). And back to the environmental area, fossil fuel is non-renewable energy resources and depletion is certainly inevitable. This is why in recent years, many western automobile makers started to look into building fuel efficient vehicles, by building fuel efficient engines through various ways, most notably by downsizing the engine displacement and compensate it with force induction such as low pressure turbocharger. The effect of this implementation is that using a smaller capacity engine but can achieve the power delivery of a high capacity engine, yet with lower fuel consumption. However back in the eastern automobile industry, where the Japanese being the leader they had something else in mind, not only they wanted fuel efficiency but at the same time they wished to maximize the go green concept. Henceforth they come up with the idea of hybrid vehicle, where in general terms a vehicle is powered by 2 sources of input, which is a normal internal combustion engine, supported by an additional electric motor which requires special battery pack. The advantages of this implementation is that the fuel consumption and emission is superior over the formal, while the drawback is the maintenance and cost of replacement for faulty battery pack is very expensive. With the hybrid being the hot trend now given the promising sales figures from European countries and the USA, generally the maintenance factor is not an issue for them, however in this research we need to find out the factors that influence a buyer into considering, buying a hybrid vehicle over here in Malaysia, as the hybrid trend is still very new here in Malaysia, generally starting on the year of 2006 where Honda introduces Civic Hybrid. However with the recent tax exemption on hybrid vehicles from the Malaysia government, the trend seems to be changing positively and now we have several models from Honda and Toyota to offer in response to the policy. 3 Research Objectives a) What are the factors that influence consumer into considering a hybrid vehicle? b) What are the factors that support consumer into buying a hybrid vehicle? c) What are the factors that consumer worries about when purchasing a hybrid vehicle? 4 Significance of the Study This study into the factors that affect the buying decision of hybrid vehicles in Malaysia could project the trend and acceptance of hybrid vehicles here in Malaysia. With that information, local automobile makers can consider into developing our own hybrid vehicles to offer the local markets a broader choice, as well as to stay competitive in the market. Additionally, this will be a good catalyst to spark off â€Å"Go Green† concept into consumers’ mind that is beneficial to the restoration and perseverance of the environment. 5 Scope of the Study In this research, we will first take a general look and introduction into both the low pressure force induction technology and the hybrid technology further then compare and contrast the pros and cons in detail. With both concept understood, we will begin to focus on the trend of hybrid vehicles here in Malaysia, finding out the factors that support or deter the acceptance of hybrid vehicle through questionnaire aimed at hybrid owners and potential hybrid owners, from then we can know what are the main factors and concern of buyer upon making a decision for a hybrid vehicle, and then conclude what can be done to further increase the acceptance level of hybrid vehicles. Literature Review According to Markel & Simpson (2006), the implementation of hybrid electric vehicles can effectively reduce petroleum consumption up to 30% when compared to conventional vehicle, however a fully plug-in hybrid electric vehicle shall be undergo development to further improve the savings and reduce the wastage, as current hybrid electric vehicles uses electric motor powered by battery pack to assist the engine, which is costly when one needs to replace, and it did not provide much desired power. The manufacturer can of course put in a bigger battery pack to punch out better power and durability, but with every 15% of improvement the cost is nearly doubled. This issue is also mentioned before way back in year 2001, where the development of hybrid vehicles began with the aim in providing a superior fuel efficiency vehicles with minimal wastage and pollutants emitted, in prior to address two major problems (Allella et al, 2001): a) Consumption of fuel : World petroleum reserves and residues are unlikely able to sustain against the ever growing necessity of consumption b) Pollution : Generally referred to the harmful emission that can damage the environmental health. The most common hybrid vehicle design is found within the famous Japanese automobile makers, respectively the Honda & the Toyota. The idea is to fit an electric motor powered by a battery pack that will recharge itself using the lost energy during the braking procedure, to assist a smaller capacity conventional engine in acceleration. With the motor assistant, the engine need not work and rev up that hard to get the vehicle moving therefore fuel consumption can be lowered. When certain conditions are met, the vehicles may also run solely on the electric motor itself most probably during low speed cruising. Putting the vehicle design aside, as stated by Kuo & Wang (2011), the disciplinary in driving, as well as the climate is major factor in reducing fuel consumption. Kuo & Wang pointed out that in countries that have tropical climate, such as those near to the equator, tend to have higher fuel consumption index compared to other countries with 4 seasons climate, this is mainly due to the fact that fuel burns better and more efficient when the air temperature is colder, as colder air is more dense and henceforth carries more oxygen molecules. Other than that, since the temperature is generally high throughout the year for tropical climate countries, drivers tend to switch on the air-conditioner (A/C) most of the time to withstand the hot weather, and A/C draws power from the engine to power up the compressor and cooling coil, therefore it results in loss of power from engine and leads to higher fuel consumption. On the disciplinary side, traveling below or way above the optimum speed of a vehicle, usually around 90KM/H to 110KM/H will affect the fuel consumption, where most drivers tend to speed when the chances arise. One should also try to plan their traveling route ahead, in order to avoid unnecessary traffic congestion which can result in poor fuel consumption, as start-stop driving proven to have 60% increased fuel consumption compared to smooth non-stop driving. This is generally experienced by most drivers that they can achieve better mileage if they travel on the highway often. Research Methodology 1 Theoretical Framework [pic] 2 Generation of Hypothesis Assume that a) H0 = Null Hypothesis (No relationship between IV & DV) b) H1 = Alternative Hypothesis (Significant relationship between IV & DV) |H1 |H0 – There is no relationship between maintenance and purchase decision of hybrid vehicles. | | |H1 – There is significant relationship between maintenance and purchase decision of hybrid vehicles. | |H2 |H0 – There is no relationship between fuel consumption and purchase decision of hybrid vehicles. | | |H1 – There is significant relationship between fuel consumption and purchase decision of hybrid vehicles. | |H3 |H0 – There is no relationship between tax exemption and purchase decision of hybrid vehicles. | | |H1 – There is significant relationship between tax exemption and purchase decision of hybrid vehicles. | |H4 |H0 – There is no relationship between personal view and purchase decision of hybrid vehicles. | | |H1 – There is significant relationship between personal view and purchase decision of hybrid vehicles. | Conclusion In conclusion, no matter it is partial hybrid or fully plug-in hybrid, the main objectives are to prolong the sustainability of petroleum through improved fuel consumption. By going green, the hybrid technology can also help in reducing wastage and guarantee cleaner emission that can contribute to better environmental health and quality. Therefore with all the benefits and savings, we should try to adopt and embrace the implementation of hybrid vehicles. However, there is still room for improvement given the hybrid technology is still new within a decade of time. Government should come out with policy that can help greatly in promoting the adaptation of this green technology. Reference: 1) Allella et al, (2001), Negative Log-gamma Distribution for Data Uncertainty Modeling in Reliability Analysis of Complex System Methodology and Robustness, International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, Vol. 18, Napoli, Italy. 2) Allela et al, (2005), Optimal Reliability Allocation Under Uncertain Conditions With Application to Hybrid Vehicle Design [Online], International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, Vol. 22, Napoli, Italy. Available from (www. emeraldinsight. com/0265-671X. htm) [Accessed June 6 2011] 3) Apaydin O.& Gonullu MT, (2008), Emission Control With Route Optimization In Solid Waste Collection Process, Vol. 33, Sadhana. 4) Davis S. & Diegel S, (2004), Transportation Energy Databook, 24th Edition. 5) Duval M, (2004), Advanced Batteries for Electric Drive Vehicles, EPRI. 6) Hirsch et al, (2005), Peaking of World Oil Production: Impracts, Risks, and Mitigation. 7) Kuo Y. & Wang CC, (2011), Optimizing the VRP by Minimizing Fuel Consumption [Online], International Journal of Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 22. Available from (www. emeraldinsight. com/1477-7835. htm) [Accessed 8 June 2011] 8) Markel T. & Simpson A, (2005), Energy Storage Considerations for Grid-Charged Hybrid Electric Vehicles, IEEE Vehicular Technologies Conference, Chicago, IL. 9) Markel T. & Simpson A, (2006), Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Energy Storage System Design [Online], National Renewable Energy Laboratory, available from (http://www. nrel. gov/vehiclesandfuels/vsa/pdfs/39614. pdf) [Accessed 8 June 2011].

Anti-Social Media: the Role of Technology in Creating Superficial Ties

ANTI-SOCIAL MEDIA: THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN CREATING SUPERFICIAL TIES INTRODUCTION: The general topic that I would like to explore is communication and relationships through social media. In particular I am interested in the way that social media affects the way that we create or maintain relationships and different identities, and if this alienates us from human understanding in relationships. This topic is connected to the concepts of online communication and personal relationships, the concept of self-disclosure and the construction of identity (Duck & McMahon, 2012).Is the bite-sized world of social media leading to bite-sized and unsubstantial personal relationships? This was a question I asked myself recently when looking at some of my own relationships — friendship, romantic, professional, and family alike. Social media plays a role in many of those relationships these days, and what I noticed is that it isn’t always for the better. The main academic articles I will reference are written by; Pavica Sheldon (M. M. C. , Louisiana State University), a graduate teaching assistant and Ph. D. tudent in the Department of Communication Studies at Louisiana State University, Xin-An Lu, an Associate Professor in The Department of Human Communication Studies at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, USA, and Sally Dunlop, a professor at University of Australia, school of public health, and her two co-authors, Eian More and Daniel Romer, both professors at the University of Pennsylvania. This paper will first outline the main points of the aforementioned articles. I will then draw upon their themes to help answer my research questions, and I will conclude with the derivations that can be drawn.THEORY REVIEW: In the Rocky Mountain Communication Review, Sheldon (2009) looks at the motivations for the use of social media, Facebook in particular, and the difference in use between genders. She examines 260 university students across four common factors f or logging onto Facebook; relationship maintenance, passing time, entertainment, and virtual community. She finds through these parameters that â€Å"Females used Facebook to maintain their relationships, to be entertained, and to pass time. Males, on the other hand, used Facebook to develop new relationships† (Sheldon 54).Specifically, she found through her focus groups that those who frequent the social networking site more are doing so out of loneliness (Sheldon 55). This links directly with Xin-An Lu’s paper published in Proteus 27 (2011). Lu takes a much broader approach; looking at the affects of social media on the creation of identity and the modern formation of non-geographical communities. Lu argues that online community helps to reduce and remove social restraints and gives the user the ability to experiment with different identities, coming together based on shared and meaning (Lu 53).However, these new text-based relationships may not have existed before a nd we cannot use them to replace face-to-face interactions as they are ‘media-poor’, which is defined by Lu as â€Å"possess[ing] less immediate feedback, fewer cues and channels, and weakened personalization and language variety† (Lu 52), because â€Å"relationships formed in this environment may be weak, superficial, and impoverished, as compared with those formed in [face-to-face] communication† (Lu 52).We must be wary as we read through this review of the comparisons of studies conducted years apart with different conclusions, and we must remember that technology advances at such a rate that should be taken into account when looking at conclusions of past scholars. Finally, Dunlop, More and Romer discuss the positive aspects for having an enlarged network of support, especially for adolescents who have been exposed to, or are thinking of suicide, stating that â€Å"social networking sites may provide both greater exposure to such information and also greater social support to those who obtain this information† (Dunlop et al. 078). This article, published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, suggests that online forums, which are often anonymous and have no connection back to the user, are â€Å"more strongly related to increases in [suicide] ideation† (Dunlop et al. 1078) than social networking sites. Nevertheless, the study shows that social networking sites increase exposure to stories of other suicides, and increased exposure causes increased suicide ideation, and increased curiosity to research and find forums and blogs.This is important to an article discussing youth and the internet, as new innovations are taking place at an alarming rate, and there are new ways to communicate and receive information every day. This article is succinct and fact based, studying the different uses for the internet and social networking sites, and identity creation and anonymity on the World Wide Web. DISCUSSION: Co mmunication is more than just the exchange of words, it involves a transaction between two people that results in a shared meaning and understanding (Duck and McMahon 82).This greater level of communication involves more than the sending or exchanging of symbols, but more the negotiation of the shared meaning between people based on their personal connections. A key element to creating this understanding is engaged listening which allows the listener to move beyond the words said for a greater understanding of the overall message. Usually, this involves the richness of face-to-face interaction. Online communications lack this richness due to the lack of incorporation of non-verbal communications, such as facial expressions and tone of voice, with the words being said (Duck and McMahon 228).The ease with which online communications become asynchronous cause concern for the development of understanding of social cues that are present in face to face interactions that hinder those who use the failsafe of online interaction to save face and to compensate for their own perceived shortcomings. Duck and McMahan state that online media has significantly increased the number of significant ties that people maintain, while the number of core ties remains the same.We can become so seduced by the ease of connecting with others online that we begin to think that these relationships are more intense, more committed and more complete than they really are. We run the risk of alienating the people who populate our daily lives in pursuit of intimacy with our online friends. Another downside of social media relationships is that we are potentially subject to emotional contagion effects, as illustrated in research by John Cacioppo, a researcher at the University of Chicago. His studies show that loneliness is transmitted via social networks.Cacioppo’s findings suggest that if a direct connection of yours is lonely, you are 52% more likely to be lonely; if the connection is a friend of a friend, 25% more lonely, if the connection is 3 degrees out (a friend of a friend of a friend), it’s 15%. While this research looked at offline social networks, it may have some implications for online social networking as well. If someone in your online social network is angry, lonely, or hostile, and takes it out on you, you are more likely to transmit this mood yourself.This means that even though you may never have met this person or interacted with them in real life, their â€Å"bad behaviour† can still influence yours. I have personally noted people interacting in mean and critical ways that, I imagine, they would find more difficult to do in real life. This is a problem, because any kind of negativity and bad manners has the possibility to multiply exponentially. The Internet is an amazing tool. Even as it is shrinking the world and brought us closer together, it is threatening to push us further apart.Like any useful tool, to make technology serv e us well requires the exercise of good judgment. For whatever reason, the restraints that stop most of us from blurting out things in public we know we should not seem far weaker when our mode of communication is typing. Unfortunately, typed messages often wound even more gravely, while electronic messages of remorse have little power to heal (Lickerman). Perhaps we just do not think such messages have the same power to harm as when we say them in person. Perhaps in the heat of the moment without a physical presence to hold us back, we just do not care.Whatever the reason, it is clearly far easier for us to be meaner to one another online. CONCLUSION: Social networking websites provide tools by which people can communicate, share information, and create new relationships. With the popularity of social networking websites on the rise, our social interaction is effected in multiple ways as we adapt to our increasingly technological world. The way that web 2. 0 users interact and talk to each other has changed and continues to change. These users now socialize through the Internet and it takes away from the in person socialization that has been around forever.Social networking websites effect our social interaction by changing the way we interact face-to-face, how we receive information, and the dynamics of our social groups and friendships. Communicating through the Internet and social networking websites is quite different than communicating in person. When users communicate through these websites, they use things like IM and chatting as well as status or Twitter updates to talk to friends and express themselves. Chatting online is quick and easy and allows you to connect to an almost unlimited amount of people from all over the Earth. Although theInternet connects millions of people and allows them to chat, it changes the traditional in person conversation that is important to our social lives and friendships. This change to our social interaction is not nece ssarily positive or negative. The change expands the different outlets through which we can communicate and as long as we remember the importance of face-to-face contact in our social lives, we can find a healthy balance between the two. These social networking websites also affect the way we receive information and news. The sites open up different portals through which we get information and create a more diverse news outlet.Rather than reading the newspaper or hearing the news on TV, we rely on our â€Å"friends† on the sites to give us updates on the world around us. Through Facebook or Myspace statuses, posts, comments, etc. , web 2. 0 users find new information that is most likely relevant to them. These new diverse outlets lead to users discussing world news or other information on the sites and can remove the need to discuss these events in person. Another way that web 2. 0 sites affect the way we socially interact with one another is by changing the dynamics of our s ocial groups and friendships.Social networking sites create a new model of social interaction and friendships. As people’s social circles grow, the ties of the online friendships are not always as strong as in person close friendships. Although these sites can alter the dynamics of friendships in that way, it also creates lots of new friendships and increases our social interaction. The many effects of social networking websites on our social interaction with one another can be both positive and negative, all that is sure is that there is a definite effect. We must embrace the increasing use of web 2. 0 sites and the different roles they play in our social lives.There is not really a need to focus on the positive or negative effects of these sites because whether the effects are good or bad depends upon the things in society that you value, and that is different for most every person. These sites will most likely continue to grow in popularity and continue to alter the way we socialize with one another and we must embrace it. SOURCES: Duck, Steve & McMahon, David T. The Basics Of Communication: A Relational Perspective. Los Angeles: Sage 2012. Print Dunlop, S. , More, E. , & Romer, D. (2011). Where do youth learn about suicides on the Internet, and what influence does this have on suicidal ideation?Journal o Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 52:10 pp 1073-1080. Landau, Elizabeth. â€Å"Loneliness Spreads In Social Networks. † CNN. 4 December 2009. Turner Broadcasting System Inc. 1 March 2012. . Lickerman, Alex. â€Å"The Effect Of Technology On Relationships. † Psychology Today. 8 June 2010. Sussex Publishers, LLC. 1 March 2012. . Lu, X. (2011) Social Networking and Virtual Community. Proteus 27, 1, 51-55 Sheldon, P. (2009). Maintain or Develop New Relationships? Gender Differences in Facebook Use. Rocky Mountain Communication Review. 6-1, 51-56.