Tax Increment Financing Contrasting Effects Essays - Urban Planning

Tax Increment Financing: Contrasting Effects suburbanization in america Limmer (1) AHousing is an outward expression of the inner human nature; no society can be understood apart from the residences of its [emailprotected] That is a quote from the suburban historian Kenneth T. Jackson, from his magnificent piece on suburbanization Crabgrass Frontier. Suburbanization has been probably the most significant factor of change in U.S. cities over the last 50 years, and began 150 years ago. It represents Aa reliance upon the private automobile, upward mobility, the separation of the family into nuclear units, the widening division between work and leisure, and a tendency toward racial and economic [emailprotected] Overall it may represent the change in attitude of the American people. Suburbanization has been occurring for the last 150 years in this country and in Europe, although the Europeans haven=t had the change that the United States has witnessed. The causes of change on such a larger scale can be pointed at four aspects of metropolitan areas also pointe d out in Jackson=s work on suburbanization. The first on is that Americans have such low density residential areas, and often their is not a distinction between urban and rural. Our cities were laid out over space, with even New York City and Philadelphia not as densely populated as some cities in Europe. The next distinguishing factor is a want to own a home. At least two-thirds of all Americans own their own home, with rates less than half of that present in cities in Europe. Next, is the average length that American travel to work, also being much higher than in other countries. Finally, the last distinguishing factor is that social status and income correlate with suburbs, the further away from the central business district, the higher the income level. It is believed that the average income in cities goes up 8% every mile away from the CBD, with their being many exceptions. Such an economic shift is identified as being a result of Awhite [emailprotected], where the urban Limmer (2) whites fled to the suburbs after WWII, with the immigrants, blacks, and rural dwellers moving in. The economy switched from an industrial economy to a post-industrial or service economy, with the older factories being replaced by smaller factories (computers, airplanes, appliances), requiring higher skilled workers. In effect these new factories were located outside the city in the suburbs. The central city would be left with nothing, and virtually no opportunities of any magnitude. Detroit is a city that I believe can be identified as the city which went through the greatest amount of change, being heavily relied on one industry. During the first half of the twentieth century, Detroit was probably the most economically booming city in the United States. Since about 1950, Detroit has gone from Aarsenal of [emailprotected], having one of the fastest growing populations and was home to the highest paid working-class workers as well, to losing nearly 1 million people. Many jobs we re also lost with many business leaving the city of today empty and sometimes complete city blocks left completely empty. Detroit has also been home to a host of infrastructure woes, as can be reflected in many other cities in the Industrial Belt of the northeast with decaying roads, sewers, and other physical features. What could cause a city to go from such a center of economic activity to a decayed, depopulated, and unemployed? Where did all of the poor come from? Why has racism played such a powerful role in Detroit the last fifty years? What happened to all of the activity and where did it move to? First, I will discuss the period before the great suburbanization process began, to get an idea of what type of shape the city was in. Then I will discuss how Detroit and it=s central city suffered from the process of suburbanization, movement of center of economic activity into counties to the north like Oakland, Macomb, and Livingston. Suburbanization is a complex process with many components, however I have identified four physical things and one Limmer (3) psychological factor that changed American cities. The wave of technological innovation such as the automobile, changes in government policy which brought about the

I woke up one day essays

I woke up one day essays When I woke up I had my family next to me. My memories were faded but I started recollecting all that had happened up to the accident. Soon after my gaining consciousness the doctors told me that I had not sustained any major injuries during the accident and that I was very lucky. They also told me that due to a blow to my head some part of my brain had stopped functioning and at the time of the accident there was no medical treatment that could wake me up from my comatose condition. But recently a new treatment was introduced and with my familys approval this treatment was tried on me and it was successful. They told me that the treatment involved using nanotechnology to release nanobots into the brain that repaired damage to my brain at the nanometer level. A nanobot is a nanotechnological robot, that is, a robot whose operating components are molecular and whose size is comparable to biological cells. All of this didnt make any sense to me at that time but after further explanatio n and questioning I found out that Nanotechnology is the creation of functional materials, devices, and systems through control of matter on the nanometer (1 to 100+ nm) length scale and the exploitation of properties and phenomena developed at that scale. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter (10-9 m). This is roughly ten times the size of an individual atom. A cube 2.5 NM on a side would contain about a thousand atoms. I had heard of this technology before I went into comma, and I was very surprised to find out that this technology had grown so fast. I also found out that nanotechnology was being used to cure certain cancers. Nanobots are released into the body that search and destroy cancerous cells and only those cells. A typical blood borne medical nanobot would be around three micrometres in size, because that is the maximum size possible due to capillary passage requirement. Carbon would be the element used to build these nanobots due t...

1886 Earthquake of Charleston Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

1886 Earthquake of Charleston - Research Paper Example Even though the quake lasted less than one minute, its implications on Charleston were significantly damaging to property and life.1 It is estimated that the earthquake resulted in the destruction of more than 2,000 structures and buildings. The value of the damages which the earthquake caused is approximated to be over $145 million. The loss of human life is estimated to be about 108 people. Some of the negative implications of the 1886 Charleston earthquake are observed even up to the present days.2 This paper gives a critical analysis of the Charleston quake of 1886 with illustrations of its consequence for the region at the time and of what it means to the modern political, social and economic systems. The physical damages that the earthquake caused in the Charleston region include the displacement of large portions of tracks and curvy formations in addition to longitudinal land movements. In the region, more than 75 km of rail lines were also destroyed. Geographic malformations such as fissuring and craters were formed extensively in the region.3 These malformations indicate the powerful nature of the earthquake. Therefore, both economic and social implications were felt as a result of the earthquake, as revealed by the deaths of people, displacement and destruction of infrastructure which served to support the economy within this region. The regions surrounding Charleston also felt the impact of the earthquake which was experienced even more than 60 miles away. Other sources reported that structures were damaged as far as in Kentucky, Ohio and Alabama which are located hundreds of miles away for the region of Charleston. Toward the Northern Side, reports showed that the quake was experienced in Boston and New Orleans to the West.4 The extensive nature of the earthquake is illustrated by its reach and the geographical scale that it was measured to have reached. The measurement of the quake was estimated to have reached up to 7.3 as revealed in the Richter scale. The soil liquefaction which characterized this earthquake was recorded along the affected areas. It is said that there are minor quake activities in this region which have been recorded and measured by geologists in order to determine the possibility of a major quake happening again and the implications that would result from it. The minor activities of quakes experienced in the Charleston area have been attributed to the aftershocks of the 1886 quake. This implies that the major Charleston quake is being experienced up to the present days through in a smaller scale. The damaging Charleston earthquake has been explained by geologists as a consequence of the faults and malformations which occurred when the Pangaea was breaking. However, some scientists argue that there were less significant earthquakes which were experienced in the Charleston region and they would be attributed to the severity of the 1886 earthquake and the extensive damage which resulted out of it.5 The impli cations of geological studies and investigations of earthquakes in the present times are related to the fact that the faults of the Pangaea breaking may have future consequences in other parts of America such as the Northern coast. Because of the high magnitude of the Charleston Earthquake of 1886, it is an area of extensive study and investigation. As an example of an intra-plate earthquake, scientists and geologists study the Charleston quake with an aim of predicting the possibility of future experiences of such quakes. As a result of these studies, geographic and political implications of earthquakes have increasingly become significant in America.6 The severity of the Charleston quake was demonstrated by the widespread ejection of sand along the epicentral region. Geologists say

Advantage and Disadvantage of Electrical Pre-fabricated cable Dissertation

Advantage and Disadvantage of Electrical Pre-fabricated cable - Dissertation Example Regardless of mixed reactions, it has been known for long periods of time that the preassembled electrical components have several benefits and problems. This research paper has, therefore, identified both the advantages and disadvantages of employing pre-fabricated electrical cables and other electrical components in electrical installation. The research paper has also explored the impacts of prefabrication technology on electrical installation and construction industry at large. In addition to identifying the advantages and disadvantages of employing pre-fabricated electrical cables, research paper has investigated the current trends in the use of prefabrication technology. The paper has also discussed how the prefabricated electrical cables are applied or used in the construction and electrical installation industry. In order to achieve its objectives, the research involved both secondary and primary data. With the regard to primary data, qualitative research was carried to gather the perceptions of public (particularly those who have some on knowledge on prefabricated and on-site fabricated electrical cables) and contractors regarding the advantages and disadvantages prefabricated electrical cables. In this case, a number of electricians and contractors were interviewed in the quantitative research part of the dissertation. In the case of the secondary data, qualitative research was carried out on the organizations that produce (manufacture) these prefabricated electrical cables. ... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I take this opportunity to acknowledge with great thanks the contributions that have been made towards the completion of this research by my Supervisor. I further take this precious time to acknowledge the contribution made by friends, classmates and family members towards the contribution made towards the completion of this project (dissertation). TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.INTRODUCTION 8 1.2 Research Aims and Objectives 9 1.3 Research problem statement 9 2.LITERATURE REVIEW 10 2.1 Description of Terms and Expressions 10 2.1.1 Prefabrication 11 2.1.2 Modularization 11 2.1.3 Preassembly 12 2.1.4 Industrialization 12 2.1.5 Prework methods of manufacturing 13 2.1.4 Advantages of prework methods of manufacturing 13 2.1.4 Disadvantages of pre-work methods of manufacturing 15 2.2 Trends and historical development of Prefabrication of electrical cables 16 2.2.1 Challenges that have faced prefabrication of electrical components 17 2.2.2 Trends and evolution of prefabrication 19 2. 3 Prefabricated Components in general 19 2.3.1 Advantages of Prefabricated components in general 20 2.3.2 Disadvantages of the prefabricated components in general 21 2.4 Prefabricated electrical cables. 22 2.4.1 Advantages and disadvantages of using prefabricated electrical cables and components 23 2.5 Application of Prefabricated electrical cables 26 2.5.1 Prefabricated electrical wiring systems 26 2.5.2 Merits of Prefabricated electrical wiring systems 27 2.5.3 Demerits of Prefabricated electrical wiring systems 30 2.5.4 The Basics of Prefabricated (Modular) electrical wiring systems 31 2.5.5 Perceptions associated with the adoption of Prefabricated wiring systems 33

The Classical empires such as Han China Essay Example for Free

The Classical empires such as Han China Essay The Classical empires such as Han China of 206 BCE 220 CE and Rome of 31 BCE 476 CE had similar and different means of imperial administration. Both empires focused on maintaing a bureacracy in addition a centralized administration. However they both differed in their resistence to govern. Yet both empires were successful. Both Han China and Imperial Rome were controlled beneath one leader. The leader of the Han dynasty had the general power, however he started districts ruled by officers. The emperor also used confucianism as a method to train people to become educated bureaucrats. These individuals would then be enforced to his policies. Although, the ruler of Imperial Rome discovered a monarchy, disguised as a Republic, so that he could maintain complete control over his citizens. This allowed the citizens to feel as if they were contributing to government, and also enable the emperor to maintain control over his empire. Both societies also created a lot of centralized governments by developing large expanses of roads to promote trade, as well as imposing taxes to stimulate economic prosperity. Han China and Imperial Rome also wanted to expand the borders of their empires through imperial growth. Han China invaded territories in central and east Asia. Imperial Rome likewise conquered all of the Mediterranean area. both empires had vast armies to manage and conquer new territories and the ones and therefore the prepared had within their grasp. However, in contrast to Han China, Rome was very tolerant and fair to its new conquered territories by allowing them freedoms and exemption from taxes.

Features of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Features of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Introduction Communication is extremely important in our life. Due to the need for protection, companionship and nourishment, our ancestors had communicated and gathered to form a community. Effective communication, both verbal and nonverbal communication helped us to become successful as an individual and species. Business relationships, interpersonal relationships, and also our physical and psychological well-being are shaped by the verbal and nonverbal communication. To nurture relationships and enhance positive communication, we have to understand the different features of verbal and nonverbal communication. Main Body According to Lucas (2014), verbal communication includes many forms of communication, such as written, words, signed or spoken. The news we read in the morning, the text message send by parents are both verbal communication. Language is the one which enable us to communicate rather than merely sounds. Besides, technology also allows us to communicate although we are far from each other. Verbal communication is often use to inform, either it is to impart knowledge or inform our needs. Besides, it is also use to correct a wrong. The words â€Å"I’m sorry†, is definitely more effective than action. Verbal communication deepens and creates new relationships and also provides an opportunity to debate. Robert M. Krauss, a professor in the Psychology Department at Columbia University had written an article with the title of The Psychology of Verbal Communication†. In the article, he said that â€Å"A species survival depends critically upon its ability to communicate effectively, and the quality of its social life is determined in large measure by how and what it can communicate. (Krauss, 2002) While nonverbal communication consists of body language such as facial expressions, gestures, posture and eye contact. It is coexists along with verbal communication. â€Å"Bodily Communication†, a book written by Michael Argyle, stated that the five main functions of nonverbal communication are reflect personality, express emotions, support verbal interaction, communicate interpersonal relationships and also perform rituals. (Argyle, 1975) Touch is a nonverbal communication that shows a person’s feelings, personal characteristics, as well as level of comfort. A timid handshake and a firm handshake; a warm hug and a loose pat on the back are both very different. The tone, pitch and volume of our voice are also nonverbal communication. Sometimes, the meaning of a person’s word is entirely different from the literal meaning, which is sarcasm. When a man trying to attract a woman, a playful wink is always more effective than saying a well-thought sentence. According to the paper â€Å"The Importance of Effective Communication† written by Edward G. Wertheim, Ph.D, mentioned that how verbal communication interacts with non-verbal communication. We can substitute, emphasize, contradict, reinforce, and complement our verbal communication with non-verbal cues such as expressions, gestures and vocal inflection. Baby use nonverbal cues while they still not able to speak. Belasco (2013) said that a 19-month-old baby, Matthew Orozco uses a few signs in American Sign Language (ASL) while communicating with his parents although he has no hearing impairment and has normal speech development. Signing is very important to children as it is the bridge to the verbal world. Why are we more likely to believe nonverbal behaviours than words when the two conflict? People often send conflicting verbal and nonverbal messages. When a nonverbal message conflicts with the verbal message, people will always believe the nonverbal message. As the saying said actions speak louder than words. Dr. Albert Mehrabian had written an article titled â€Å"Silent Messages† which he analysed the messages people send. The messages are divided into three parts, which are verbal, vocal and nonverbal. The actual words we use in message is the verbal part. Then, the vocal part is the tone while we speak. The message will has different meaning when we speak in sarcastic tone or sincere tone. While the nonverbal part of the message consists the physical aspects such as gestures, expressions, eye contact and posture. Dr. Mehrabian estimates that there are 7 percent of a message is verbal, and vocal is 38 percent. So, it means that 55 percent of a message is nonverbal, and it involve in each message in a few ways. (Mehrabian, 1971) Nonverbal cues have the functions of complement, regulate, repeat, replace, contradict, and accentuate our vocal and verbal messages. A message is complement by nonverbal cues via adding reinforcement to it. The intended message is supported by the nonverbal cues, for example, the distance between people. Most of the employees tend to stand nearer to their colleague compare to their boss. This does not express the message much by itself, but when it is coupled with a simple sentence such as â€Å"How are you?† or â€Å"Good morning†, it does. This shows that the employee is respectful and responsive and is not challenging the authority of the boss. Besides, by controlling the course of the discussion, nonverbal cues can regulate a conversation. For example, touching someone will be a signal that you wish to interrupt and wish to speak to that person. When a verbal message could stand alone but nonverbal cue is added to it, it is repeating the message. For instance, when someone told you some information and you said â€Å"I do not believe it† and at the same time you rolled your eyes, then the message is repeated. Actions speak louder than words; verbal can be replaced by nonverbal cues. For example, when an employee receives an unwanted assignment from the boss, the employee gives a few seconds of cold stares at the boss before returning to work instead of protest verbally or refuse the task. Contradict happens when the nonverbal and verbal messages carrying a totally opposite meaning. An example will be when an employee is looking bored and distracted while his or her boss is discussing about a boring topic, but the employee gives a comment such as â€Å"How interesting!† Accenting is used to punctuate part of a message, instead of giving the entire message a general support. It is different from complement a message. For instance, pounding fist on a table is accenting the verbal message. (College of DuPage, 1998) Stewart (2011) said that nonverbal communication is bound to culture and sex. In detail, different cultures and nationalities have different relative value of talk versus action, silence versus speech, the social role of gossip or small talk, and the role of rhyme, animation and exaggeration in speech. While male and female are different in emotional expressiveness, vocalics, eye contact, appearance and the need of personal space. So, the study of verbal and nonverbal communication always been done within a cultural or social context due to these differences. A study which carried out by the Buffalo State (n.d.) shows that nonverbal communication is separated into a few categories, which are kinesics, occulesics, proxemics, haptics, vocalics, chronemics, appearance, environments, artifacts, olfactics and synchrony. Kinesics, also called as body language, deals with the movement physically. Traditional linguistics principles are applied in the study to the whole body or to specific parts of a body, mainly the hands, face and arms. The eye and facial expressions, such as rolling of the eyes or arching of eyebrows as well as the posture of sitting and standing are also included. Kinesics is different depends on the culture. For instance, a Japanese may act less excited compared to a person from Mediterranean culture when expressing anger. The person from Mediterranean culture may use extensive body gestures and hand movements while the Japanese may just have a slight movements. Furthermore, usage of frowning, smiling giggling and others also included as kinesics, they are all different in different cultures. The sign language that counts on expressions and gestures is an alternative to spoken language, it is not kinesics. Kinesics is supported and reinforced by physical gestures and emblems to what is being said verbally. There are some emblems are universal, but some are differs in cultural, or even different interpretations between men and women. Uplifted shoulders and upturned hands that represents â€Å"I don’t know† which can be seen everywhere in this world is an example of universal emblem. An encircled thumb and forefinger would be an example of culture-bound emblem. In Japan, the gesture is interpreted as money; in France, it is interpreted as worthless; a curse in Arab; OK in United States; and in Brazil, Australia and Germany, it is an obscenity. Occulesics is dealing with eye behaviour as part of communication. Part of the occulesics deal with a dynamic eye movement versus a fixed or static gaze. The interpretation of eye contact is very hard to predict as it is interpret differently in different cultures. Direct eye contact is very common in the western countries, they look into other people’s eye about 70 percent of the time while listening and 40 percent while talking. While it is more common to look at other people’s throat while talking in Japan. Direct eye contact is considered as bad manners in Indonesia and China, so they are practice to lower their eyes. In Hispanic culture, it is a form of challenge and disrespect when look into other people’s eyes. However, it is common for both listeners and speakers to have direct eye contact for a long period in Arab’s culture, it represents that they are interested in the conversation. The usage of social space in a communication situation is termed as proxemics. The distance between people when they speak is one of the aspects of proxemics. The distance is from a public distance (more than 12 feet) to social or formal distance (4-12 feet) to personal or informal distance (18 inches to 4 feet), and intimate space (less than 18 inches). The effective use of space in social settings also being deal by proxemics, for example the arrangement of space in businesses and homes can encourage or inhibit communication. Other than the above, haptics emphasize on touching as one of the elements of communication. Haptics also vary in different cultures, just like other elements of nonverbal communication. For instance, the culture in Middle Eastern, Latin America and Mediterranean include a lot of social touching in their conversation, such as hand holding and embraces. So, they are categorised as high-contact cultures. In Northern Europe and North America, they only touch occasionally, such as back slapping and handshakes. They are considered as moderate-touch culture. In Northern Asian cultures, which considered as low contact culture, social touching is not always happen. But, for example, people in the nation of Philippines include a lot of social touching in their conversation. Haptics may vary although is in the same culture. For instance, the strength and length of handshakes depends on the intimacy level of the two people shaking hands. Vocalics or paralanguage, deals with vocal, or more emphasize it is referred as the nonphonemic qualities of language. The loudness, pitch, accent, tempo, tone, cadence, nasality, insofar and even the rate of speech are included in vocalics, all these carrying different meaning. Vocalics also vary in different cultures. For example, the practice of belching is accepted in different ways depend on the cultures. Other than that, the vocal qualifiers such as pitch, volume, tempo and rhythm also associated with different cultures. Speaking loudly represents sincerity in Arab culture, but it is considered as aggressive in North America. Chronemics is about the usage of time as a component of communication. Minutes, hours and days are categorised as formal time, while informal time includes seasons, lunar cycles and social customs. Chronemics includes specifics, for example the punctuality together with the forms of dominance or the deference during a communication situation. For instance, men are more likely to interrupt or dominate a conversation compared to women. Besides, chronemics also deals with arriving time to a social setting. Americans tends to arriving early for a business meeting but will be â€Å"fashionably late† for social activities. However, Sioux are very relaxed toward time as the word â€Å"late† is not even exists in Sioux language. Chronemics are divided into monochronemics and polychronemics. Monochronemic is define as doing one thing at a time, and is stress on agendas and promptness; while polychronemic means doing several things at a time, it emphasis on relationships. In North America and Northern Europe, monochronemic conversation is common. While people are more likely to use polychronemic conversation in Asia countries, Middle East, Latin America and Mediterranean. Appearance is dealing with a person’s physical appearance or look. It deals with the physical aspects such as hair colour, body shape, dressing which included accessories and clothing, skin tone and the use of appearance enhancement such as body tattoos and piercings. The public speakers in North and Western Africa are prefer to wear big sleeves and long robes so that they are able to raise their hands, they are looking bigger and more elegant as the extra sleeve cloth will slips through their arms and puffs up their shoulder. Environment is also very important in nonverbal communication, for example the physical space such as location, room size and colour, and accessibility. In a company, there are significant meanings about the size of desk and the design or location of the office. For instance, the most important people in a company will locate his or her office at the highest floor of the building. Furthermore, artifacts deals with the visible objects in communicative aspects, this may indicates a person’s status or even revealing the lifestyle of a person. For example, the choice of automobile is carrying much meaning about a person. However, artifacts always important in some cultures, for instance, rugs are prestigious in Arab. Olfactics is dealing with smell, such as the use of perfume and spices. In communication, the smell is more likely to be relevant when the people are closer. It is normal that a person get close enough to smell other people during a conversation in high-contact cultures such as Arab and Samoan. According to the teaching of Prophet, smell nice for others is a charity. So, it is known that Muslims and Arabian like to use perfume. Lastly, synchrony deals with the amount of coordination in the behaviour of people when their nonverbal cues are synchronise with another person, for example, mimicry, mirroring and also behavioural meshing. Lucas (2014) also mentioned that to enhance a person’s verbal communication skills, he or she needs to be an affective listener. The person needs to understand the point of view of another person, it is not just hearing. So, takes time think before speak to ensure that the information that expressed is correct. While to enhance nonverbal communication’s skills, a person needs to observe the facial expressions and intonations, body language, and also being aware of own feelings and physicality. Conclusion In a nutshell, communication is really significant in our daily life. Effective communication can only be achieve when all types of communication is proper used. No matter it is communicating verbally or nonverbally, both the sender and receiver need to understand the message. So, a sender should have good communication skills and the receivers should have good understanding and interpreting skills by understand the functions of both verbal and nonverbal communication. References Lucas, A., 2014. The Importance of Verbal Non Verbal Communication. [online] Available at: http://www.livestrong.com/article/156961-the-importance-of-verbal-non-verbal-communication/ [Accessed on 20 June 2014] Krauss, R. M., 2002. The Psychology of Verbal Communication. [online] Available at: http://www.columbia.edu/~rmk7/PDF/IESBS.pdf [Accessed on 21 June 2014] Argyle, M., 1975. Bodily Communication. York: Methuen. Belasco, J., 2013. Babies signing before speaking. The Star, 19 Sep. p.46. Mehrabian, Albert (1971). Silent Messages (1st ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. College of DuPage, 1998. Communication. [online] College of DuPage. Available at: http://www.cod.edu/Course/Mgt100/mgtcomm.htm [Accessed on 22 June 2014] Stewart,J., 2011. Bridges Not Walls. 11th Edition. McGraw-Hill. Buffalo State, n.d.. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication. [online] Buffalo State, The State University of New York. Available at: http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/smithrd/UAE%20Communication/Unit2.pdf [Accessed on 22 June 2014]

Pricing strategy in video game industry Essay

Video Gaming industry has gone dramatic changes when more and more digital platforms emerge and improved technology in portable devices, mainly in social games(Facebook, Myspace) and mobile games. 27% of US online population play at least one game on social network, and Facebook gaming revenue hit $1. 32 billion in U. S market in 20111. Also, as more than more people have smart phone especially apple’s iOS devices, gaming application becomes more and more popular in mobile market(72% game applications on iTune)2. There are traditional console game players such as EA, Activision, Nintendo and Ubisoft in this industry, also there are leading company in the social game area such as Zynga in the market. Traditionally, console games are sold in retail stores with $39. 99 to $59. 99 retail price for the whole disc content. Hard-core games such as Call of Duty(Activision), Assassin’s Creed(Ubisoft) and etc. usually price at $59. 99 while casual titles such as Nintendo wii games price around 30$. Usually the pricing approach for these console game companies is the industry standard – means every player in this market follows the same rule as the same price. It can be considered as based on cost structure because of the long time of development (18 to 36 months), money-consuming game development cost and all kinds of add-on cost (packaging, marketing and third-party licensing etc. )3 They also only have two months’ shelf time as the game lunch. Because of the high entry barrier in the console game industry and high brand perception among customers, several main competitors dominate the market. The console game price does not differentiate too much among these players. However, as facebook’s extreme success leads to people’s behavior change to be more â€Å"social† associated, a plenty of small companies start to enter into social gaming market and undergo blast growth speed such as Zynga. Zynga’s pricing strategy is â€Å"Free-to-Play† and charging in-game micro-transaction items such as virtual gift or buildings. The free-to-play concept is not new in this industry because plenty of Korean online game companies such as Nexon, NcSoft already using this business model while traditional online games use subscription model ($15. 99 per month) such as World of WarCraft(Blizzard) and EVE Online(CCP Games). As the internet bandwidth improvement and more internet users in US(250 million)4, online games and social games represent strong growth trend comparing to traditional console games. And as users have more options in â€Å"free† games rather than premium games, more and more companies enter into this industry by offering products for free with micro-transaction options. Zynga’s most popular title â€Å"CityVille† has over 70 million monthly active users while best selling single console game Call of Duty(Activision) has 14 million copies sold in US market. Facing the competition of Facebook games with free to play concept and high growth potential of online game market, some of the traditional package-good game companies start to offer cross-platform Facebook game titles to increase their competency in the market such as EA, Sony and Ubisoft. Their main strategy is to develop Facebook companion games(Free to Play) to featured console game title. Those companions games not only offer free-to-play game content but also allow users to unlock items in the main console game such as Dragon Age Legend(EA). They intend to leverage their brand awareness in the gaming industry, acquire more users to play main games and increase monetization channel to increase revenue. EA responded very quickly in this digital trend by doing aggressive acquisitions for popular facebook or mobile game studios. However, a lot of other traditional console game companies react very slow (Ubisoft, Sony) or refuse to change (Nintendo). Most of console game companies conduct a conservative strategy and will develop several social games(much shorter develop time) to make trial because overall the console retail sales revenue is much higher than that in social and mobile market. Others are not capable of following this fast-paced digital step and suffered loss (THQ laid off 200 employees in 2011 because of decreasing sales in retail products). Most customers that play hard-core video console games generally are not satisfied with the â€Å"free-to-play† social companion games because of lower quality of overall game content and totally different game play with main games. A low quality companion product of Facebook platform will damage the company’s reputation in this industry for new users. However, since the users profile between hardcore players (average 29 years old male) and social players (average 35 years old female) are so different with very few overlap, it makes these console game companies indifferent to the failure of Facebook product. Online game market, on the other hand, the free to play options have a big impact to customers’ options. For example, World of Warcraft ( Most popular Massive Multiplayer Role Playing game, 12million users with $15. 99 monthly subscription fee) lost 600,000 users since 2008 while RuneScape(Jagex) (free-to-play game with subscription options at $5) has 150 million registered users and over 10 million active users. Blizzard responded to the competition since 2011 on â€Å"free to Play† options until level 20 in the game. Another game Lord of the Rings switched from subscription model to free to play model and saw double revenue and 400% user growth immediately. I would suggest the pricing decision maker in video game industry to look at customer, company capability, product feature, customer and competitors’ issues. Company – Analyze company’s positioning in terms of digital trend in the industry and focus on the products with higher profit margins – Analyze company’s cost structure and allocate reasonable resources on other platform product development based on financial forecast Product. – Since console game products have fixed price in the retail stores, figure out other possible channels for monetization such as digital add-on contents, special side-product package etc. – Decide possible virtual buying items based on the game mechanics and gamers motivation (self-expression, social status and social network) Distributor – Corporate and form good relationship with retail distributors for more resources on shelf presence and brand promotion Customer. – Deliver social companion games with high-quality contents to enhance main game – Deliver social games that directly target Facebook users – Promote company brand and establish community to highly engage with users Competitor – Learn from competitors on the digital content development – Expand to other country that competitors did not focus. Resources: 1. www. bizreport. com/2011/07/2011-social-gaming-revenues-to-exceed-1billion. html 2. http://mashable. com/2011/07/13/mobile-gaming-trends/ http://www. businessinsider. com/getting-into-the-mobile-gaming-game-2011-7.

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â€Å"The Lost Girl† Declamation by dhang I am a girl, young in heart and in mind†¦ I am carefree, I enjoy doing nothing but play,play and play†¦ I seldom go to school but hmp! nobody cares! Instead,you will see me roaming around standing at the nearby canto, or hanging around at the sari-sari store standing beside the internet cafe†¦ One day I asked, I asked my mother to teach me how to behave, to live, and appreciate all the beautiful things in life. Would you like to know what she told me? She said†¦ † Can’t you see, I have to hurry up for my majong session! † So I turned to my father to console me. But what a wonderful word he did tell me†¦ Child, I have to finish my overtime work†¦Here’s 500 pesos, go and ask your teacher about that question†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sadly,I attended my class†¦ But I heard nothing but the echoing voice of my teacher,torturing me with her words†¦ † Hey yo lazy girl! Why waste your time studying those things? When up to now you can’t even multiply seven by nine? Go home and don’t bother me!!! † I am lost†¦confused†¦I don’t know what to do with myself†¦ Where are my parents to guide me? My teachers to give me inspirations? My friends, when I play? I’m lazy and irresponsible. When I try to study, I get punished for not being able to answer.Where now†¦I’m confused†¦ Somebody, please help me†¦ You say that the world is beautiful, why is it treating me this way? Hear me please! Help me please! Help me†¦ I am lost†¦ Short Declamation Piece: Desiderata Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the s pirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; or always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, racefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the univer se, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. Short Declamation Piece: Trades I want to be a carpenter, To work all day long in clean wood, Shaving it into little this slivers Which screw up into curls behind my plane; Pounding square, black nails into white boards, With the claws of my hammer glistening Like the tongue of a snake. I want to shingle a house, Sitting on a ridgepole, in a bright breeze. I want to put the shingles on neatly, Taking great care that each is directly between two others. I want my hands to have the tang of wood; Spruce, cedar, cypress.I want to draw a line on a board with a flat pencil, And then saw along that line, With the sweet-smelling sawdust piling up in a yellow heap at my feet. That is the life I want to be! Heigh-ho! Sleet and shift for the slippery climb, How they stop a fire, or tinker a tire – and pull into town on time. The city takes, and it goes its way, and the great dark hulks reload, While mechanics grease; and test, and check, to make them safe for the road; Then the crates are stacked and the boxes packed and the padding placed – and then The tailboards slam, and the trailers ram, and the great trucks roll again!Short Declamation: Man Upon The Cross Upon the cross against the hills of the night They nailed the man, and while they speared his breast they made him drink the bile. He bore the pains alone, alone But in the hallowed darkness saw Sweet Mary’s face upturned in grief below. Tears filmed her eyes, but love chastened the tragic beauty of her face which neither death nor sorrow could erase. He saw and feeb ly in the silence strove to speak a few remembered words: but now the whispers left his lips like tender birds. His arms were cold and death was in his eyes; the streams of blood were dry upon the whiteness of his limbs.His breath was like a wounded bird wanting to stay, to stay, bereft now Mary rose and treasuring his sorrow, left. Declamation â€Å"Their Only Son† You’re a hell of a cow-man, you are! You, and your yaller shoes! How would you look a-straddle of a Roman-nosed cayuse ! Where would you be in a round-up, or a mix with the Greasers, say ? Where is the boy I loved – the feller I sent away? He had some style about him! He was a boy! All through ! But he went away to college – and the college has sent back you ! I should have brung you a go-cart, not a real hoss to ride ! I reckon you’re God’s rebuke for me totin’ too damn much pride.For I was plumb proud of you- I grieved when you went away; I couldn’t say half the t hings I had in my heart to say; And-What is that thing you’re wearin’? A wrist watch! Holy cats! And what are them white things on you? What is it you call ‘em, spats . And why are your pants so tight? And why don’t they reach your shoes ? Gee ! But you would play hell on the back of a wild cayuse ! And when your poor mother sees you-Climb onto your hoss and ride ! Don’t you see the town-folks lookin’ ? Come on an’ let’s get outside ! If we’d a-stayed there much longer someone would have laughed, and thenI’d had to have started something I couldn’t undo again; For you are my son-God help me! – and no one may laugh at you And not have your father call him. This place we are comin’ to Is where that there young school teacher was caught by that Greaser band- Oh, well, we won’t talk about that. I reckon you can’t understand How a real he-man gets feelin’-Hold up! What is that a head? It’s the same band! Ridin’ for us! God! Look at ‘em ride and spread! Your hoss hasn’t had no rider-he’s fresh as he started out! Don’t ever take time to look when you get him turned about, But ride him like hell to town, and get out the posse–quick.Tell them to make the river and head off the band! I’ll stick. My hoss couldn’t make the distance ahead of that rush no how- And I never turned back on a Greaser! And I ain’t beginnin’ now! When it’s safe and the fight is over, come back where I am, and by The Greasers I’ve sent to hell you’ll see how a man can die. Tell your mother I thought about her-And give him the spurs and ride! Don’t you see them cut tin’ around us? Oh, God! With a he-man I’d Go through ‘em like hell a-poppin’! Go on! Make your get-away! What’s that you are sayin’ to me? Made up your mind to stay? You have ? Shoot yo ur hoss then!Shoot him! Here! Let me ! That’s the how! That’s it, get down behind him! Now for my own hoss! Now! What’s that you are handlin’ that way, and boldin’ so tight- my son? That one of them automatics? I’ve beard of that kind of gun! I wonder if you can use it-Hi-golly! You got that cuss ! I wish that your ma could see us! You bet she’d be proud of us! I’m strong for the old six-gun, son-Sho! That went a little high! I guess they have got your father-feels like a broken thigh- You got that one’s hoss that time! And I got the rider – dead! Say! We will go ridin’ bell-ward with half of that band ahead!And if your poor ma could see us-You got ‘im! You got ‘im! She When they have found us I reckon will be proud of her boy and me! What’s that? We ain’t got ‘em running’? The posse! And just in time! I reckon they’ll have to tote me; I ain’t in no shape to climb On a hoss; but, son, ride by me, I’m proud of the way you done! And your mother will be proud of you. The lord bas give us a son! And if the spats you are wearin’ and the pants you have on suit you I’m for ‘em! From bell to breakfast! And I’m for the wrist watch too ! And the boys that’s riding’ for us bas got to outfit like that, With spats and skin-tight britches, and rist-watch and dinky hat! Declamation Piece â€Å"I Demand Death! † My hands are wet with blood. They are crimsoned with the blood of a man I have just killed. I have come here today to confess. I have committed murder, deliberate, premeditated murder. I have killed a man in cold blood. That man is my master. I am here not to ask for pity but for justice. Simple, elementary justice. I am a tenant†¦ My father was a tenant before me and so was his father before him. This misery is my inheritance and perhaps this will be my legacy to my children. I ha ve labored on a patch of land not mine.But I have learned to love that land, for it is the only thing that lies between me and complete destitution. It is the only world that I have learned to cherish. And somewhere on that land I have managed to build what is now the dilapidated nipa shack that has been home to me. I have but a few world possessions, mostly rags. My debts are heavy. They are sum total of my ignorance and the inspired arithmetic of my master, which I do not understand. I labor like a slave and out of the fruits of that labor I get but a mere pittance for a share. And I have to stretch that mere pittance to keep myself and my family alive.My poverty has reduced me to the bare necessities of life. And the constant fear of rejection from the land has made me totally subservient to my master. You tell me that under the constitution, I am a free man-free to do what I believe is just, free to do what I think is right, and free to worship God according to the dictate of my conscience. But I do not understand the meaning of all these for I have never known freedom. I have always obeyed the wishes of my master out of fear. I have always regarded myself as no better than a slave to the man who owns the land on which I live.I do not ask you to forgive me nor to mitigate my crime. I have taken the law into my own hands, and I must pay for it in atonement. But kill this system. Kill this system and you kill despotism. Kill this system and you kill slavery. Kill this despotism and you set the human soul to liberty and freedom. Kill this slavery and you release the human spirit into happiness and contentment. For the cause of human liberty, of human happiness and contentment, thousands and even millions have died and will continue to die. Mine is only one life.Take me if you must but let it be a sacrifice to the cause which countless others have been given before and will be given again and again, until the oppressive economic system has completely perished, until the sons of toil have been liberated from enslavement, and until man has been fully restored to decency and self respect. You tell me of the right to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But I have known no rights, only obligations; I have known no happiness; only despair in the encumbered existence that has always been my lot. My dear friend, I am a peace-loving citizen. I have nothing but love for my fellowmen.And yet, why did I kill this man? It is because he was the symbol of an economic system which has made him and me what we are: He, a master, and I, a slave. Out of a deliberate design I killed him because I could no longer stand this life of constant fear and being a servant. I could no longer suffer the thought of being perpetually a slave. I committed the murder as an abject lesson. I want to blow that spelled the death of my master to be a death blow to the institution of the economic slavery which shamelessly exists in the bright sunlight of freedom that is guaranteed by the constitution to every man.My dear friend: I do anguish from the weak and helpless and has laid upon the back of the ignorant labor burdens that are too heavy to be borne, I demand death! To this callous system of exploitation that has tightened the fetters of perpetual bondage in the hands of thousands, and has killed the spirit of freedom in the hearts of men, I demand death. To this oppression that has denied liberty to the free and unbounded children of God, I DEMAND DEATH!

5 Peculiarities of the German Alphabet

5 Peculiarities of the German Alphabet The following are five peculiarities of the German alphabet and its pronunciation that every beginner German student should know about. Additional Letters in the German Alphabet There are more than twenty-six letters in the German alphabet. Technically speaking the German alphabet has only one additional letter that is different- the eszett. It looks like a capital letter B with a tail hanging from it: ß However, there is also something that Germans call â€Å"der Umlaut.† This is when two dots are placed above a letter. In German, this happens only above the vowels a, o and u. The umlaut placed upon these vowels makes the following sound shifts: similar to the short e in bed; à ¶, similar to the u sound in further, and à ¼. similar to the French u sound. Unfortunately,  there is no English equivalent for the sound à ¼. To pronounce the à ¼ sound, you need to say u while your lips are in a puckering position. The ß, on the other hand, is simply like an over-pronounced s. It is rightly called in German ein scharfes s (a sharp s). In fact, when people don’t have access to the German keyboard, they often will substitute a double s for the ß. However, in German, there are further rules about when it is correct to write either ss or ß. (See article German s, ss or ß) The only way to avoid the ß Â  is to move to Switzerland since Swiss Germans don’t use the ß at all. V Is W and Sounds Like F The standard name of the letter V, as it is in many languages, is actually the letter name of W in German. This means that if you were singing the alphabet in German, the section TUVW, would sound as follows (Tà ©/Fau/Và ©). Yes, this confuses a lot of beginners! But wait, there’s more: the letter V in German sounds like F! For instance, the word der Vogel you would pronounce as Fogel (with a hard g). As for the letter W in German? This peculiarity at least makes the most sense: the letter W in German, which is named like a V sounds like a V. The Spitting Combo Now for a little humor that actually helps you remember! The pronunciation spitting combo helps students remember the peculiarities of these three very common German sounds: ch – sch – sp. Say them quickly one after another and it sounds like, first - the preparation for the spit ch/ch, the start of the spit – sch (like sh in English), and finally the actual ejaculation of the spit – sp. Beginners tend at first to over vocalize the ch sound and forget the sh sound in sp. Better practice some pronunciation spitting then! The K Reigns Even though the letter C is in the German alphabet, by itself it plays only a minor role, since most German words that start with the letter C followed by a vowel, stem from foreign words. For example,  der Caddie, die Camouflage, das Cello. It is only in these types of words where you’ll find the soft c or hard c sound. Otherwise, the letter c is actually only popular in German consonant combinations, such as sch and ch, as stated in the preceding paragraph. You will find the German version of the hard â€Å"c† sound in the letter K. Consequently, you will often see words that start with a hard c sound in English spelled with a K in German: Kanada, der Kaffee, die Konstruktion, der Konjunktiv, die Kamera, das Kalzium. Position Is Everything At least when it comes to the letters B, D, and G. When you place these letters either at the end of a word or before a consonant, then the sound transformation is usually as follows: das Grab/ the grave (the b sounds like a soft p), die Hand/ hand (the d sounds like a soft t) beliebig/ any (the sounds like a soft k). Of course, this is expected in Hochdeutsch (standard German) only, it might be different when speaking German dialects or with accents of different German regions. Since these letter shifts sound very subtle when speaking, it is more important to pay attention to their correctness when writing them.

Essay on The relationship between prints and painting on copper

Essay on The relationship between prints and painting on copper Essay on The relationship between prints and painting on copper Essay on The relationship between prints and painting on copperThe emergence of oil copper painting and copper printing contributed to consistent changes in the visual art. At the same time, copper painting and copper printing emerged as two different branches in the development of the visual art, although they had similar roots and used copper as the core of the technique used in painting and printing on copper. Therefore, the introduction of copper in the visual art contributed to the emergence of oil copper painting first and then stimulated the development of copper prints.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The introduction of copper in the visual art was an innovation that had had a considerable impact on the further development of the visual art. Artists had started to use copper in their paintings to make them more durable since existing materials used in paintings did not provide the long lasting effects. The traditional canvas used in painting soon resulted in the loss of color and irrevocable changes that led to the fast destruction of canvases and loss of paintings. In this regard, the use of copper contributed to consistent changes in the durability of paintings with the use of copper.   Moreover, they brought considerable changes in the brightness and shine of colors. As a result, paintings with the use of copper became more attractive for artists because they could make colors brighter and they were more shining, whereas paintings became more durable compared to conventional canvases.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the same time, the successful use of copper in painting contributed to further experiments in the use of copper in prints. In fact, the use of copper in prints was the natural consequence of using copper in painting because prints were even more suitable for using copper than painting. To put it more precisely, prints allowed wider production of art works based on the use of copper. They became more realistic , shining and attractive for consumers. As a result, artists used copper prints to make their works of art more attractive and realistic. In addition, copper prints became quite popular because they were easy to create and opened the way for the mass production. In such a way, the development of copper printing stimulated the further progress of printing and experiments involving copper and other materials.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, it is also worth mentioning the fact that the emergence of both copper painting and printing became possible due to the progress of copper production technology and adaptation of copper to use in   painting. For example, the use of copper in painting required the production of the copper powder. In addition, the copper plates used for copper prints required the high quality of copper production to minimize defects of copper that deteriorated the overall quality of copper prints making them impossible to use for the creation o f art works. In such a way, the development and improvement of the copper production technology and the evolution of painting opened the way for the emergence of copper painting.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, experiments of artists in the field of visual art contributed to the appearance of new techniques of painting. In this regard, copper painting became one of the most important steps toward the further development of visual arts and appearance of durable painting, which used new shining and bright colors, while the appearance of copper painting stimulated the appearance of copper printing.

Critique Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critique - Research Paper Example The book is a natural follow up for the regular readers of Stephen Covey who have already been introduced to his unique life philosophies and ideas on effectiveness and ambition. Covey is famous for his book ‘Seven habits of highly effective people’, which is considered to be the one of the most influential books on personal development and strengthening of the 1990s. Stephen Covey, an MBA from Harvard started his professional life as a college professor at Brigham Young University and during his tenure cultivated, organized and codified his thoughts and philosophies on the ways to achieve the best out of life. These were taught through seminars and conferences and eventually Stephen Covey became the co-founder of the Franklin-covey organization which works towards finding practical solutions to the problems faced by businesses and organization through the application of Covey’s ‘principle-centered’ approach to management and leadership. Touted as one of Times magazine’s 25 most influential Americans, Covey has conveyed his principled life message through his many books and annual seminars; that success in life is achi evable if we adopt central principles of ethics, empathy and resource management in both our personal and professional lives. The books provide a framework for cultivating the frame of mind to allow the adoption of these principles and they have resonated greatly with people in all ages and occupations. Covey’s seven habits have found almost a cult like following in fields as diverse as academia, Church groups and the corporate culture. Subsequently all his follow up books seem to have been directly or indirectly written to support and provide further instructions for his original readers. Titles such as Such as seven habits of highly effective families and living the seven habits provided further insight into the philosophies while the Third alternative is a more thorough

Rainbows, Mirages, and the Green Flash Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Rainbows, Mirages, and the Green Flash - Essay Example On that point rainbows are formed when white light from the sun travels through the raindrops. Apparently, dispersion occurs, which is the separation of white light into its constituent colors as a result of the refraction. Notably, if one needs to see the rainbow, one must look towards the sun. Essentially, the level of the sky does not matter, however, the colours appears at different parts of the sky for instance red appears on the high sky an violet on the lower. On that point, the secondary rainbow occurs when the colours in the raindrop after being refracted are reflected twice and it appears above the primary rainbow. On the contrary, supernumerary arcs can be defined as the shades of pink and green observed under the primary rainbow. Mirage can be defined as the phenomenon of bending light travelling into the warmer low density medium to the ground. Evidently, the inferior medium is commonly observed in the desert and this form of refraction makes hot, dry surfaces appear wet. In addition, superior mirage occurs when the air next to the ground is cold and thus rays are bent away from the ground. Incidentally, we can distinguish superior and inferior mirages by their effect, for instance, inferior mirages, cause an inverted image of the object on the ground while in superior, the image appears upright, in other words makes mountains appear longer. Lastly, green flash occurs when the sun is setting and it involves the bending of light in the upper atmosphere. Notably, the bending is usually exaggerated. It is worth noting that the occurrence is hard to spot. Notably, I have never seen the phenomenon. To this end, refraction has vast application in nature, thus an interesting topic to study. The formation of rainbows, mirages, and the green flash. (2005, September 14). The formation of rainbows, mirages, and the green flash. Retrieved April 28, 2014, from