10 Soft Insults in German and What They Mean

10 Soft Insults in German and What They Mean When you come to Germany and walk through the streets you might listen to some slang or curse words in the German language. They are very often used to make fun of certain aspects of someone’s behavior. Here are some of the more interesting ones that you might hear when you are an attentive listener. Warmduscher This is someone who likes to take hot showers.  In Germany, it is an often discussed myth that showering with ice-cold water is considered as masculine.  Well, somehow they had to see the bright side of a life without electricity and put it like that.  Today we just joke and say Warmduscher to people who like it comfortable or might be a little cowardly. Sitzpinkler A man who is peeing sitting on the toilet instead of standing. Real men stand when they mark their territory - and hopefully clean it afterward. Streber This is an interesting one because it describes a striver or nerd.  And as nerd† is cooler than â€Å"Streber†, we started to use â€Å"nerd† too in German when we talk about Streber. If someone is very eager or is behaving like Hermione Granger- you can call him a Streber. Angeber The â€Å"Angeber† is a poser, a show-off.  This is much stronger and you will hear it for sure when you will see an expensive car at a traffic light and the owner is playing with the pedal to impress the people in the street.   Teletubbyzurà ¼ckwinker Remember the Teletubbies? Well, this word describes someone who would wave back to the Teletubbies and this is, unless you are two years old, considered to be really wimpy. Cool grown-ups don’t do this unless they lost a bet. So if you want to use this, do not apply it to yourself and make sure the person you consider as a Teletubbyzurà ¼ckwinkler is far away so he or she would not hear you. Tee-Trinker In Germany, the country of beer drinking, drinking tea while others have a beer is uncool- sorry to the British and other tea drinkers. Of course, you are not supposed to get drunk and become an alcoholic, neither should you feel forced to have a beer- it is just this feeling of having a real â€Å"Feierabend Bier† (after-work beer) that makes drinking tea look like a weird idea for a real German. Schattenparker A word which describes someone who parks his car in the shadow because he can not stand the heat. A real man is supposed to stand any heat. Well, if you believe that- have fun during German summer in the city. Weichei Literally, a soft egg. This is simply a wimp, a coward.  This could be said in any imaginable situation. Verzà ¶gerungsgenießer This word comes from the German-dubbed movie Vanilla Sky. It describes persons who like to enjoy not everything at once but bit by bit. â€Å"Verzà ¶gerung†- means delay. Frauenversteher This is most likely a word a woman wouldnt use as an insult. Most women would probably love to be understood by a man. But men have turned this quality into a non-virtue and a lack of masculinity. Enjoy this little counterexample of a women understander by one of the better-known comedians from some time ago. If those insults above are not manly enough for you, try this Beleidigungsgenerator, which wont beat around the bush. Hopefully, this list gives you a little insight into the mindset of some Germans, which is still surprisingly macho.

Globilization of MTV essays

Globilization of MTV essays No longer do you have to be in America to watch some of your favorite MTV shows. You can now be in Asia and be in time to watch Punkd. Not only that, but even hip-hop music is receiving global attention. Western culture have been dominating globally so much that there are 6,000 Starbucks across the globe (Andrzejczyk). This type of influence characterizes the dominance of western consumer culture. Countries who are becoming more of a consumer culture have had its negative side effects. People in other countries did not ever have to pay for as much money as they did before Starbucks put local businesses bankrupt. Even local stores and markets are now in danger of going out of business now in Mexico because of Wal-Marts super store that was established. Credit card debts are continuously accumulating since it has been around in South Korea. But what about MTVs entertainment that they are providing and hip-hop music; do they pose negative effects in other countries because of t he influences of the western world? Despite the negative effects of westernization, I believe that the globalization of MTV and hip-hop music is doing more good than harm? MTV is now touching the screens all across Asia. Its arrival in 1992 has impacted Asian culture. MTV airs in several countries including Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and many more countries in Asia. Asian countries have never had a 24-hour music channel before, so it fascinated many viewers tuning in the first time. Since then, MTV started to combine its western style of music and entertainment with local music and entertainment to capture the interest of people in their own countries. What make makes MTV so popular it that it is a global brand which thinks and acts locally (Santana). Since Asian countries interests are different, subdivision channels have been created to meet the demands of local interest. I think that is...

Manet's "Olympia" and Monet's "Les Coursework

Manet's "Olympia" and Monet's "Les Nympheas" (The Water Lilies) - Coursework Example A nude woman portrayed in his painting does not possess idealistic features of goddesses from Renaissance portraits, for instance. There is no perfect beauty in the woman lying on a couch of her Paris apartment. Moreover, this woman was recognized as a prostitute, which added an element of vulgarity to the painting. In every detail of the painting Manet was trying to unmask a perfect illusion, which portraits of nude women used to have before. 2. A spectacular painting The Water Lilies was created by Claude Monet after the death of his wife and the death of his son in the decline of his years. This painting was not just an attempt to capture the beauty of this world found in his earlier paintings but a desire to preserve a certain sense of a beautiful moment that was to pass like any other. The surface is somewhat rough and is painted with dry brush layer by layer. A fabulous color harmony makes the painting of a small pond located in Monets backyard even more beautiful than reality. Monet places a viewer in a strange position, from which neither the ground nor the horizon could be seen. The reflection of weeping willows in the water frames the painting just like trees do in classical landscape paintings, but the lack of perspective to the horizon defies classical standards of landscape painting aesthetics. Monet managed to convey the infinity of depth of the water combined with the infinite sky and saturated clouds refle cted in the pond, which altogether give us a sense of permanence and transcendence at the same

Ecotourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ecotourism - Essay Example The World Tourism Organization (WTO) (n.d., p.4) defines ecotourism as a form of tourism having the characteristic of a â€Å"nature-based form of tourism† that attracts travellers who are seeking to visit natural spots, especially those that have preserved their â€Å"traditional cultures and natural sceneries.† Other characteristics of ecotourism are the following: (i) â€Å"contains educational and interpretation features; (ii) organised for small, locally-owned businesses and foreign operators that organised ecotourism tourism tours for small groups; (iii) lessens the negative effect on the natural and socio-cultural environment† (WTO, n.d., p.4). Ecotourism opens vast opportunities to local areas and small-sized companies, which eventually improves the status of living (WTO, n.d., p.5). It also encourages the local communities and tourists on paying attention to environmental preservation, especially nowadays in which the impact of environmental destruction is highly apparent (p.5). Argument: Ecotourism as a Minor Market Segment Ecotourism has found a competent position in a niche market within the tourism industry where it is being run by certain market forces and policies (Wood, 2002, p.10). In the market, ecotourism is usually being promoted as nature tourism (p.10). Nevertheless, this small, but gradually growing market segment is being developed to become a key driver of growth in the tourism industry.... In the market, ecotourism is usually being promoted as nature tourism (p.10). Nevertheless, this small, but gradually growing market segment is being developed to become a key driver of growth in the tourism industry. Still, there is a growing concern over the social and environmental policies and programs that nations implement to support ecotourism. Some nations are determined to enforce socio-environmental policies and programs for the improvement of ecotourism, but other nations are not that stern to implement such programs and policies (Wood, 2002, p.10). As a consequence, there is a variation with regard to how nations interpret ecotourism, and why it is deemed a major or minor sector of the tourism market in different nations. Ecotourism is under nature tourism, but it is as well connected to rural and cultural tourism. Most often, ecotourism is categorised as a small-scale tourism, since it caters only a limited number of tourists with them, seeking for the services of small tour groups and hotels; these hotels are those that have no more than 100 beds usually owned by small and medium-sized companies (Wood, 2002, p.11). Ecotourism is a market segment that focuses on the accommodation of small groups, hence, guiding them to natural areas in a way that is educational enough for them to realise the value of the place (p.11). Ecotourism in the UK There is not much of information with regard to the sector of ecotourism in the UK. Most of the time, the information is more on the tourism industry as a whole and not on ecotourism as a major part of the industry. Nevertheless, it has been stated that ecotourism comprised 20% of the entire tourism market (Hodgson, 2012). With this

Philosophy paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Philosophy paper - Essay Example Their affiliation determines who they like and don't like. If Euthyphro says "What is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious" then it would be proven illogical in Socrates' counter argument that Athena and Ares consider the same group of people both pious and impious. These qualities should be universal but they are not. This is the principle of Euthyphro's Dilemma.(Round 3) The gods can agree and be universal in their choices. Definition Round 3 : "the pious is what all gods love.. and what all the gods hate, is the impious†¦" Socrates gives strenuous opposition because the answer is not straight forward. "Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?" Euthyphro agrees that it cannot be answered universally. The gods love some things because they are pious or good. This shows that that the god- loved and pious have to be different. The idea of right and wrong have to have an intrinsic anchor. Socrates goes ahead an explains cause and effect. Euthyphro's arguments cannot only be based on the same laws of the physical universe. He based his laws of piety on the same laws of the physical universe. The laws of piety are not rules and regulations which can been governed by gods or bodies of government. The best answer accepted by both Socrates and Euthyphro is to question one because the pious can be immaterial grammatically as it can be a person or an animal. The moment gods like it the "thing becomes pious. The Euthyphro Dilemma is presented by Socrates as showing that pious cannot be grammatically defined as it was done in ancient Greek. 2)If the Universe is like a watch the universe represents a complex organism of parts which function together . Paley never develops the analogy but compares the universe to a rock in the woods and a watch. He uses this comparison to develop his version of the Design argument which is later refuted by Hume's counter arguments. He knows that a rock would not be easily accepted as having a Designer as a creator. Using the watch as an analogy to the comparison to the world assumes that there is a designer to the universe who must be God. Functionality assumes a designer which assumes the existence of God. The watch analogy shows the complexity of natural order and thus an existence of a creator. The natural events in life cannot be contributed to happenstance. Yes a watch has problems as does nature. A watch has a maker though you don't see him. You cannot see the inner workings of the watch though they exist. They have been put together as the universe was put together. They were designed before they were created. The universe functions because of the work of the presence of an omnipotent designer. Even though the watch can have problems in working properly, it was designed in its inception. A perfect example would be the climatic problems we are having in the world. The weather system was designed but it is not working as it s hould. If the watch is missing a battery or needs to be taken to a watch maker because it is no longer keeping proper time, these are two conditions we would not be able to fix because of our lack of understanding. This does not assume that there was not a designer. The casing of the watch as well as all other items in the world have structure, otherwise there would be total chaos. The watch would not be able to hold together its parts. He uses a deductive argument if noticeable things were

Liberal and Mercantilist Theories of Political Economy

Liberal and Mercantilist Theories of Political Economy Contrast liberal and mercantilist theories of international political economy and consider which approach is most apparent in the contemporary world. The following seeks to contrast liberal and mercantilist theories that have developed to describe and analyze the international political economy. Once the contrasts have been made conclusions as to which theory is the most apt or apparent in the contemporary world will be drawn. Both liberal and mercantilist theories have advantages and disadvantages when used to understand the international political economy in the present global system. Perhaps it would be more apt to describe the liberal theory as being neo-liberal as it has undergone a recent revival in popularity. It must be remembered that whether a state is most influenced by liberal or mercantilists theories that trade will never be completely free of duty and tariffs, as they are useful sources of revenue for governments. Governments also have to have relationships with other governments and non-state actors that may or may not share their worldview. Liberalism itself can be dated back to the English, American and French revolutions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when the mercantilist economic system evolved into capitalism. Liberals were originally regarded as being politically centrist or left wing in outlook but favoring little or no state intervention in the economy. In its original form liberal economic theory strongly advocated a free market approach with states not using tariffs to prevent competition from other countries and not interfering in their own internal markets (Comfort, 1993, p. 345). The basis of liberal theory was the right to gain property or capital to be used however states, businesses or individuals felt appropriate combined with freedom of action and belief (Eatwell and Wright, 2003, p. 27). In classical liberal theory the free market sets the prices for goods, currency exchanges, resources and even wages. However fluctuations within the free market can have serious political as well as econ omic consequences such as unemployment and poverty that can be made worse by international competitors. Governments have attempted to circumvent these problems by setting up welfare states, imposing strict tariff restrictions on imports or subsidizing industries and businesses. The restriction of trade and the use of tariffs are the main basis of mercantilist theory (Harvey, 1995, p. 6). Liberalism was apparently strongest in the international political economy during the 19th century as Britain dominated world trade removing barriers in its way to free trade. Liberal capitalism seemed to be unstoppable during this period. The economic elites of the less developed states were content to play a subordinate role as they were still making profits for themselves (Hobsbawm, 1975, p. 38). However, there were moves away from free trade towards a more mercantilist or restrictive trade practices most notably in Germany and United States whilst even the British started to doubt free trade. After World War One liberal theory seemed to decline in prominence within the international political economy (Hobsbawm, 1987, p. 54). It was a great paradox that liberal theory would regain some of its prominence in international political economy after 1945 just as the free market within most of the world was either tempered by welfare states or communist takeovers. The United States promoted freer trade both out of self-interest and the desire to prevent the great failings within the international political economy during the inter-war period. Through the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Bretton Woods agreement the United States government ushered in an era of liberalism that is still in operation to this day. However, it was not the unrestrained free trade international political economy of the 19th century but without American aid it is doubtful if Western Europe and Japan would have recovered so well to play such key roles in the present global economy. However the World Bank and the IMF are founded on the principles of liberal theory and generally insist that all countries they loan money t o adopt those free trade policies that stem from liberalism. Governments that have to accept these loans leave their economies open to multinational companies and have to reduce spending on welfare and education (Keegan, 1992, pp.16-17). United States domination of the international political economy meant that it could promote the liberal theory of free trade even if it allowed its partners to have tariffs whilst it did not. United States share of world trade declined its share of global exports declining to 13% in the 1980s from its high point of 29% in 1953. However the American based multinational companies such as Coca-Cola and Microsoft have great influence on the global economy due to their size and profitability. Americans continue to believe that liberal theory holds the key to ensuring international prosperity and many nations either through choice or lack of autonomy pursue liberal policies as well (DuBoff, 1989.p.158). Liberal theory does not completely dominate the international political economy as tariffs were not completely removed from all countries and there was the establishment of trading blocs. Blocs such as the European Union (EU), The North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) and Mercosaur in Latin America offer favoured trading terms to members but not always to non-members. The economic advantages offered by free trading areas act as an incentive for non members to adopt liberal policies, for instance the former communists states of central and eastern Europe. For much of the post war period there was also the apparent rival economic and political theory of communism represented by the Soviet Union and its Central and Eastern European satellites. The collapse of communism certainly made liberal concepts within international political economy more apparent in the contemporary world (Keegan, 1992, pp. 3-4). The former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Soviet U nion have all to some extent attempted the twin convergence to liberal democracy and capitalist economy. The opening up of these countries to liberal free trade led to unemployment, the closure of uncompetitive factories and inflation. Russia and its young reformers was not the only country to attempt shock therapy to cure the stagnation caused by central planning (Freeland, 1999, pp. 34-35). However, the economic and political transitions have been more successful in Poland, Hungary and the Baltic States that have since joined the EU. It could be argued that liberal theory of free trade proved attractive to reformers whilst ordinary, people wished to have higher standards of living as in the United States, Japan and Western Europe (Agh, 1998, p.3). The mercantilist theory is in effect the opposite theory to the liberal theory. Mercantilist theory equates to restrictions being placed upon free trade when governments are more prepared to intervene in the international political economy or if needs be to by pass it. Mercantilist theory and practice led to the creation (or explained it at any rate) of separate trading blocs and economic nationalism within the international political economy. Economists and historians have argued that modern capitalism developed from an earlier mercantilist period when the empires built up by the European states such as France, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal competed for global domination and tried to restrict trade to within their own empires. Each country would try to increase its power by gaining colonies, economic influence and more consumers for its goods. Britain by virtue of its naval supremacy and earlier industrialization was able to dominate the international political economy. Where possible Britain removed mercantilist restrictions to trade, allowing workers, businesses and investments to flow more freely (Hobsbawm, 1975, pp. 36-37). However, mercantilist theory and policies remained and still remain in the international political economy. Countries such as Germany, Russia, Japan and the United States used protectionism to start up and enhance their industrialization preventing more efficient rivals from shutting it down. Japan would become the role model for importing superior foreign goods, copying them and them exporting cheaper versions. Meanwhile a renewed wave of imperialism at the end of the 19th century increased the competition for colonies and captive markets. Mercantilist theory was popular then and is attractive now because of its emphasis on national self -interest and gaining at the expense of others. However, the advantages of domestic popularity and employment protection need to be considered in relation to consequences within the international political economy. The United States is as keen to pursue free trade liberal policies as the British used to be, because they gain the most from those policies. Smaller nations on the other hand are dependent on the richer nations and might prefer to restrict trade to protect their industries and jobs but often have that choice taken away from them (Hobsbawm, 1987, p. 54). There are various ways in which mercantilist theory can be put into effect. Methods include the imposition and weighting of tariffs (more restrictive towards unfriendly nations, less restrictive for friends or allies), the restriction or complete ban of certain goods and quotas. Not only can restrictions be used to gain economic advantage they can also be used as political and economic sanctions against states that have transgressed in some way. The effectiveness of sanctions in forcing countries to change their behaviour remains largely unproved both in the past and in the contemporary international political economy. The possible exception to this is the supply of crude oil, which is so crucial to the economies of North America, Europe and Asia. This reliance upon oil gave the oil embargo of 1973-74 such damaging effects on the global economy. The further price rises following the Iranian revolution in 1979; the Gulf War of 1990-91 and more recently the invasion of Iraq demonstrate the vulnerability of the international political economy to the restriction of essential resources. However the governments of the oil producing states are normally happy to take part in free trade even if liberalism is the last thing they would support at the domestic and national level (Harvey, 1995, pp. 288-89). The inter-war period provides the best examples of the bad consequences of an imbalance between liberal and mercantilist influences on the international political economy. Tariffs were raised through out that period yet offered little but short-term advantage at the expense of international co-operation and trade. Whilst Britain and France increased their exports to their colonies and restricted imports from rivals, Italy, Japan and Germany looked at conquest as a means of economic expansion. These mercantilist measures did little to protect and in fact further harmed the international political economy following the great depression after 1929 (Brendon, 2000, p. 165). Added to the instability was the harshness of the Versailles settlement that prevented Germanys economic revival and badly effected the economic fortunes of the rest of Europe. Resentment of the settlement assisted the Nazis Party aided by economic weakness (Smith, 2003, p. 160). The events of the inter-war period are relevant to an understanding of the contemporary international political economy due to the way in which governments and organisations have tried to prevent similar events happening again. Liberalism is seen as the best means of achieving stability and prosperity just as much now as it did in the past (Smith, 2003, p. 161). After 1945 the United States government extended aid not only to its allies such as Britain and France but also defeated enemies in the form of Germany, Italy and Japan. Under the Marshall plan $17 billions of American aid boosted reconstruction in Western Europe (Central and Eastern European countries were forced to refuse by the Soviet Union) that ensured long term stability and prosperity. This is relevant to the present international political economy because it assured the predominance of liberal theory even though it did not completely eliminate mercantilist theory (Ambrose Brinkley, 1997, p. 87). The post-war economic growth of Germany and Japan (the Western part anyway) was aided by the selective use of subsidies and tariffs to promote the most effective parts of the economy rather than the least effective. Germany of course also had to set tariffs in line with its EU partners whilst Japan has not such constraints (Keegan, 1992, p.145). Countries within the international political economy have to find a balance between national self- interest and maintaining worthwhile international trading relationships. Whether guided by liberal, mercantilist or any other theory governments are often guided in their approach to the internationalist political economy by pragmatic considerations. Decisions made on pragmatic basis can later be justified in the mane of liberal or mercantilist theory. The rise of international trading blocs has generally led to a liberalization of trade within those blocs most notably within the single market and single currency of the EU (Smith, 2003, p.230). The cost of failure or the benefits of success of liberalization of trade within the international political economy are great. The General Agreement on Trade Tariffs (GATT) has often been involved in complex trade deals and tariff reductions. Failure to agree can lead to the costly maintenance or extension of trade restrictions. Reductions in t ariffs have been substantial. For instance the cuts agreed to at the Uruguay round of GATT amounted to a $744 billion reduction in tariffs across the international political economy. Such deals demonstrate the intentions of many governments to make the international political economy as liberal in nature as possible but without losing too much of their own position (Ambrose Brinkley, 1997, p. 410). Arguably the liberal theory is the most apparent within the contemporary international political economy. However this has to be considered with remaining vestiges of mercantilist theory. Liberal theory received a revival from the 1970s onwards with the emergence of neo-liberalism. Neo-liberalism became most closely associated with Margaret Thatcher in Britain and Ronald Reagan in United States being referred to as Reaganomoics and Thatcherism. They wished to turn the clock back to unrestricted free trade internationally and the free market domestically with reduced welfare states (Keegan, 1992, p.25). Ronald Reagan in fact increased public spending particularly in a renewed arms race with the Soviet Union. An unintended consequence of that policy was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the communist regimes of Central and Eastern Europe (Carroll Noble, 1988, p.433). The re-emergence of liberal democracy and capitalism in the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe stren gthened the role of liberal theory in the international political economy. This strengthening happened because of the liberal minded policies of reformers in those countries even though the transitions proved far from straight forward (Agh, 1998, pp. 2-3) Therefore within the present international political economy liberal theory is more apparent than mercantilist theory. The apparent dominance of liberal theory can be explained by the continued strength of American and other major multinational companies, and the political, economic and military might of the United States. Liberal theory is further promoted by institutions such as the IMF that influence developing states into pursuing free trade policies. Developing and former communist states such as Poland also see that adopting liberal theory can be to their political and economic advantage, especially if it allows them access to trading blocs like the European Union. Trading blocs may operate liberal theory within the confines of their members but they can display mercantilist tendencies by restricting trade with non-members. Liberal theory is also promoted by the process of globalization that makes it easier for multinationals to operate within. The increasing use of information technology allows trade to be carried out faster with less chance of governments intervening. Yet mercantilist theory is not likely to disappear from the international political economy just yet as governments are as likely to be guided by national self-interest and pragmatism as they have always been. Bibliography Agh, A. (1998) The Politics of Central Europe, Sage Publications, London. Ambrose S E Brinkley, D G (1997) Rise to Globalism American Foreign Policy Since 1938, Eighth Revised Edition, Penguin Books, New York Brendon, P (2000) The Dark Valley A Panorama of the 1930s, Jonathan Cape, London Carroll, P. N and Noble, D. W (1988) The Free and the Unfree A new history of the United States 2nd edition, Penguin Books, New York Comfort, N. (1993) Brewers Politics A Phrase and Fable Dictionary, 2nd edition, Cassell, London. DuBoff, R B (1989) Accumulation Power An Economic History of the United States, M E Sharpe Inc. New York Eatwell, R and Wright, A (2003) Contemporary Political ideologies, 2nd edition, Continuum, London Freeland, C (2000) Sale of the Century -the inside story of the Second Russian Revolution, Little Brown and Company, London Harvey, J (1995) Mastering Economics 4th edition, Macmillan, London Hobsbawm, E (1975) The Age of Capital 1848-1875, Weidenfeld Nicholson, London Hobsbawm, E (1987) The Age of Empire 1875-1914, Weidenfeld Nicholson, London Keegan, W (1992) The Spectre of Capitalism the future of the World economy after the fall of Communism. Smith, D (2003) Free Lunch -Easily Digestible Economics, Served on a plate, Profile Books, London

A Tommy Hilfiger Advertisement that Insults America Essay -- Advertise

A Tommy Hilfiger Advertisement that Insults America There are a lot different types of sitcoms, and other types of advertising out there in this day in age. The one ad that fell upon my eyes, and pulled me enough its way to persuade me to write a paper on is a Tommy Hilfiger Advertisement. This advertisement is a true way to show how much advertisement has become demoralizing, and appealing to the eye. â€Å"They sell values, images, and concepts of success and worth, love, and sexuality, popularity and normalcy†. (Kilbourne, 178) Advertising has taken many different methods throughout history to attract people to its products. Advertisers use television, newspapers, magazines, and many other methods. It uses different types of color, and measures to attract people. They try to put many different objects and things with their product that actually half of the time does not even belong. The most charming ads sometimes even stick in our minds for long periods of time. That is a goal of the advertiser. To make an ad that sticks in someone’s mind. These days though, advertising has been so plagued by false advertisement. The reason I picked the ad I did is because of how much false advertisement, and deception the picture is portraying. Firstly I will describe everything in the picture. It’s an ad advertising a fragrance from Tommy Hilfiger. There is an American flag in the background. There is an American flag covered couch people are sitting on. There is a big house in the background. There are six people total in the picture. Each person is wearing all Tommy Hilfiger brand clothes. The people are a mix in between different cultures as well. Plus the people all generally look very good. Then lastly, the caption reads as â€Å"the real American fragrance†. Can you see how offensive it is already? What kind of baloney is it that they would use the American symbol in three different ways just to represent their product? The America flag represents so much to everyone in United States. It represents â€Å"freedom†. It reminds different people of many different things. It can range from memories of all the past battles brave men have fought so that this land still remains ours, or it could have many other dynamic meanings to other people. How dare this ad uses the American flag with its advertising scheme. Tommy Hilfiger has nothing to... ...m it seems like. â€Å"Style is a personal choice.† (Trimbur, 215) We should make our own choices as adults, and as teenagers. We should look pass the fancy clothes, the stereotypes, and the brand name, and buy clothes that define ourselves. That colors the character that is behind us, not the character that advertisers encourages us to be. Bibliography: 1. Reading Culture: Contexts for Critical Reading and Writing. Diana George and John Trimbur. â€Å"They sell values, images, and concepts of success and worth, love, and sexuality, popularity and normalcy†. (Kilbourne, 178) 2. Reading Culture: Contexts for Critical Reading and Writing. Diana George and John Trimbur. â€Å"Media images are so persuasive, they can easily become prototypes of style, class, or even profession.† (Brownmiller, 209) 3. Reading Culture: Contexts for Critical Reading and Writing. Diana George and John Trimbur. They are each generally exposed to over 2,000 ads a day as Kilbourne states. (Kilbourne, 178) 4. Reading Culture: Contexts for Critical Reading and Writing. Diana George and John Trimbur. â€Å"Style is a personal choice.† (Trimbur, 215)

Buying a Car Essay

My generation ( Gen Y) are known as the global generation, culturally diverse; we have mobile careers , we are travellers and basically we don’t like being tied down to long term commitments. So I am not overly excited at the prospects of buying a car. They cost a lot, I could use that money to pay off my HECS debt or go overseas with this money. Besides anything else, it’s dangerous being on the road, according to statistics young people are far more likely to be involved in a road crash than any other age group on the road and besides, public transport allows me to use my ‘i’ stuff and keep connected with my friends and family rather than spending hours on the road concentrating trying to avoid crashing. So, do I really want a car? Introduction Buying a new car has legal and fiscal consequences. Without a full understanding of your rights and responsibilities you could leave yourself open to costly legal battles, fines or end up with a poor credit rating that would have consequences for many years to come. Purchasing a new car requires research, consideration and an understanding of your rights and responsibilities under the law before any contracts are signed or any vehicles purchased. The legal and fiscal responsibilities include loan repayments, registration, insurance, running cost and awareness of your consumer rights. I will be discussing responsibilities as a responsible consumer and inform you of your consumer rights in relation to purchasing a vehicle. Body The guidelines for this research are to following, a budget of $35,000 and then select either a new, 2013, KIA hatchback at $15400 or a used, 2009, Mazda 3 at $12000. The two financial institutions that I chose from were the ANZ bank and the Nation Australia Bank, known as NAB. From this I had to purchase a vehicle as well as making sure I had enough money to maintain the car as well, according to my needs. Loans for cars are obtained from financial institutions such as banks and building societies. The loan for the purchase and running costs of the car was financed by the ANZ bank rather than the NAB. Both are reputable institutions, however the cheaper rate in combination with investments I already had with the bank made it the better choice . The repayments were compared with NAB with a rate of 13.76% which was more expensive when compared with ANZ’s 12.99%. The loan with ANZ worked out at repayments of $ 186.12 per week which would total at $9678.24 per year. The loan taken out is a personal loan for $35,000 not a specific car loan. A secured car loan would have been cheaper as the institution would have the car as security. However I wanted more than the cost of the car so the extra needed to be a personal. Registration of a car is a legal requirement for the vehicle to be on the road, with dire consequences if this registration is not maintained. The registration allows for common safety standards to be enforced and provides an efficient system to prevent the re-registration of stolen or unroadworthy vehicles . A car must legally be registered to drive on roads and can be registered for 6 or 12 months. The cost for both cars was $173.80 for six months with a yearly cost of $347.60. Cars are registered at the Department of Main Roads customer service section. The following steps are needed to complete registration, a road worthy or safety certificate, a completed registration application form, a compulsory third party certificate if not included in registration, old registration papers, evidence of a vehicles garage address, evidence of an individual’s identification and a means of paying registration fees. There are two main types of insurances for cars. One is compulsory and the other optional. The compulsory insurance is called compulsory third party insurance and is collected as part of your vehicle registration in Queensland. It indemnifies vehicle owners and drivers who are legally liable for personal injury to any other party in a crash, however the coast of the third part vehicle are not covered. Comprehensive insurance, covers you and your property in the case of a crash. You can get third party property car insurance, however this does not cover damage to your own vehicle so I decided not to explore the option any further. Two insurance companies were researched, AAMI and RACQ. AAMI ‘s new car insurance calculated to $412.60 per year. This was compared with RACQ, which came to$ 617.20 per year. Insurance can be paid online which is cheaper, or at the insurance companies’ call centre. Used car comprehensive insurance was $441.98 dollars per year. AAMI was chosen as it was the cheapest insurance. It is a reputable company and the terms and conditions of the insurance policy suitable for the car’s requirements. Running costs are a fiscal responsibility that needs to be calculated into a budget when purchasing a vehicle. The following running costs have been calculated on the cars stipulated in the research guidelines. The new car running costs include fuel at $1357.20 for the year. This was calculated using an average kilometre usage of 15,080 kilometres per year. Servicing came to $ 904.80 and tyres came to $174.92 per year. Cleaning costs were included adding up to $1040 per year. The total running costs for a new car is $3477. The used car costs were similar with fuel at $1357.20, servicing at $821.86 and tyres $168.89.The costs of cleaning over a year was calculated to $1040 dollars. The total running costs for the used car for 12 months came to $3387.95, making the difference almost negligible. Consumer rights are the rights that are protected under law for every Australian. Car dealers,insurance companies and finance corporations are legally bound to comply with the terms and conditions of their deals. Consumers and companies are bound under government acts and policies to adhere to the loan, insurance terms & conditions and warranties. The new car has a warranty which ensures that the dealership should guarantee any faults that occur and are listed on the warranty. If they do not, you have the right to go to the Department Of Consumer Affairs, fill in a consumer complaint form and the department will act on your behalf. The dealership is obliged by law under the motor vehicle dealership act to guarantee a warranty. Even if the used car that does not have a warranty, The dealership must comply with what was advertised when selling the car or consumer affairs can support the complaint form. If you buy a car privately, there will be no warranty. You should invest in a Vehicle Inspection to determine the condition of the vehicle before you purchase. You should also check with the Personal Properties Securities Register (PPSR) to ensure that the seller has clear title on the vehicle and that any hire purchase or other loan agreements related to the vehicle have been paid out. If the seller does owe money on the vehicle, it could prevent you becoming the legal owner. You should also check the registration papers to ensure that the owner is the seller. If the vehicle is unlicensed you need to obtain proof that the seller has the right to sell the vehicle. Conclusion The total costs for the new car is $30577.68 with $4422.32 left over. The used car total costs come to $25018.09 with left over money of $9981.91. My budget allows for me to buy both either the used car or the new car with left over money from both. I have decided to buy the new car as it is covered with a warranty and my consumer rights will ensure I am covered if the dealer reneges on the contract. I also like the peace of mind of knowing that the car is new and reliable. I am not taking on a car that has been used with no guarantee on its reliability. So after all that; do I really want to buy a car? I have taken into account the costs and the legal responsibilities of buying a car, including my consumer rights and obligations .So, you know what; I am going to stick with public transport and where I have a lot of rights and no responsibilities, except to pay for my ticket and keep my mouth shut. Thanks for listening everyone and all the best for making smart choices when purchasing a vehicle.

Free Essays on The Tamingof The Shrew

To what extent do Katherina and Bianca conform to the ideal of women and marriage in Shakespeareà ­s time? It is curious to note the role of women in Shakespearean literature. Many critics have lambasted the female characters in his plays as two-dimensional and unrealistic portrayals of subservient women. Others have asserted that the roles of women in his plays were prominent for the time and culture that he lived in. It is only with close examination of his works that we are able to suppose his intent in creating characters that inspire so much controversy. One will see that while Shakespeare, ostensibly conforms to his contemporaneous attitudes of women, he actually circumvents them by creating resolute female characters with a strong sense of self. The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, and has weathered well into our modern era with adaptations into popular films such as à «ten things I hate about youà ­. For all the praises it has garnered throughout the centuries, it is curious to note that many have considered it to be one of his most controversial in his treatment of women. The "taming" of Katherine has been contended as being excessively cruel by many writers and critics of the modern era. George Bernard Shaw himself pressed for ità ­s banning during the 19th century (Peralta). The subservience of Katherine has been labeled as barbaric, antiquated, and generally demeaning. The play centers on her and her lack of suitors. It establishes in the first act her shrewish demeanor and its repercussions on her family. It is only with the introduction of the witty Petruchio as her suitor, that one begins to see an evolution in her character. Through an elaborate charade of humiliating behavior, Petru chio humbles her and by the end of the play, she will instruct other women on the nature of being a good and dutiful wife. The women in à ¬the taming of the shrewà ® provide a clear insight into the role of... Free Essays on The Tamingof The Shrew Free Essays on The Tamingof The Shrew To what extent do Katherina and Bianca conform to the ideal of women and marriage in Shakespeareà ­s time? It is curious to note the role of women in Shakespearean literature. Many critics have lambasted the female characters in his plays as two-dimensional and unrealistic portrayals of subservient women. Others have asserted that the roles of women in his plays were prominent for the time and culture that he lived in. It is only with close examination of his works that we are able to suppose his intent in creating characters that inspire so much controversy. One will see that while Shakespeare, ostensibly conforms to his contemporaneous attitudes of women, he actually circumvents them by creating resolute female characters with a strong sense of self. The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, and has weathered well into our modern era with adaptations into popular films such as à «ten things I hate about youà ­. For all the praises it has garnered throughout the centuries, it is curious to note that many have considered it to be one of his most controversial in his treatment of women. The "taming" of Katherine has been contended as being excessively cruel by many writers and critics of the modern era. George Bernard Shaw himself pressed for ità ­s banning during the 19th century (Peralta). The subservience of Katherine has been labeled as barbaric, antiquated, and generally demeaning. The play centers on her and her lack of suitors. It establishes in the first act her shrewish demeanor and its repercussions on her family. It is only with the introduction of the witty Petruchio as her suitor, that one begins to see an evolution in her character. Through an elaborate charade of humiliating behavior, Petru chio humbles her and by the end of the play, she will instruct other women on the nature of being a good and dutiful wife. The women in à ¬the taming of the shrewà ® provide a clear insight into the role of...

Second Battle of Ypres in World War I

Second Battle of Ypres in World War I The Second Battle Ypres was fought April 22 to May 25, 1915 during World War I (1914-1918) and saw the Germans conduct a limited offensive around the strategic town of Ypres in Flanders. During the course of the battle, the Germans debuted the use of poison gas on the Western Front. This new technology provided an initial advantage, but the Germans were ultimately stopped after heavy fighting. Though the Germans had not achieved a breakthrough, they succeeded in bringing Ypres within range of their artillery. Background With the German defeat at the First Battle of the Marne in September 1914 and the unraveling of the Schlieffen Plan, both sides commenced a series of flanking maneuvers in northern France and Flanders. As the two sides sought an advantage, they clashed in Picardy, Albert, and Artois. Finally reaching the coast, the Western Front became a continuous line stretching to the Swiss frontier. In October, the Germans attempted to breakthrough at the town of Ypres in Flanders. This resulted in the First Battle of Ypres which saw the Allies hold a salient around Ypres after brutal fighting. Conflicting Strategies As trench warfare continued, both sides began assessing their options for bringing the war to a successful conclusion. Overseeing German operations, Chief of the General Staff Erich von Falkenhayn preferred to focus on winning the war on the Western Front as he believed that a separate peace could be obtained with Russia. This approach clashed with General Paul von Hindenburg who wished to deliver a decisive blow in the East. Chief of the General Staff Erich von Falkenhayn. Public Domain The hero of Tannenberg, he was able to use his fame and political intrigue to influence the German leadership. As a result, the decision was made to focus on the Eastern Front in 1915.  This focus ultimately resulted in the stunningly successful Gorlice-Tarnà ³w Offensive in May. An Offensive in the West Though Germany had elected to follow an east-first approach, Falkenhayn started planning for an operation against Ypres to begin in April. Intended as a limited offensive, he sought to divert Allied attention from troop movements east, secure a more commanding position in Flanders, as well as to test a new weapon, poison gas. Though tear gas had been used against the Russians in January at Bolimov, the Second Battle of Ypres would mark the debut of lethal chlorine gas. In preparation for the assault, German troops moved 5,730 90 lb. canisters of chlorine gas to the front opposite Gravenstafel Ridge which was occupied by French 45th and 87th Divisions. These units were comprised of territorial and colonial troops from Algeria and Morocco (Map). Armies Commanders Allies General Sir Horace Smith-DorrienGeneral Herbert PlumerGeneral Henri PutzMajor General Armand de CeuninckMajor General Theophile Figeys8 divisions Germany Albrecht, Duke of Wà ¼rttemberg7 divisions The Germans Strike Around 5:00 PM on April 22, 1915, troops from Albrecht, Duke of Wà ¼rttembergs German 4th Army began releasing the gas towards the French troops at Gravenstafel. This was done by opening the gas cylinders by hand and relying on the prevailing winds to carry the gas towards the enemy.  A dangerous method of dispersal, it resulted in numerous casualties among the German forces. Drifting across the lines, the grey-green cloud struck the French 45th and 87th Divisions. Albrecht, Duke of Wà ¼rttemberg. Public Domain Unprepared for such an attack, the French troops began retreating as their comrades were blinded or collapsed from asphyxiation and damage to lung tissue. As the gas was denser than air it quickly filled low-lying areas, such as trenches, forcing the surviving French defenders into the open where they were susceptible to German fire. In short order, a gap of around 8,000 yards opened in the Allied lines as around 6,000 French soldiers died from gas-related causes. Moving forward, the Germans entered the Allied lines but their exploitation of the gap was slowed by darkness and a lack of reserves. Closing the Breach To seal the breach, the 1st Canadian Division of General Sir Horace Smith-Dorriens Second British Army was shifted to the area after dark. Forming up, elements of the division, led by the 10th Battalion, 2nd Canadian Brigade, counterattacked at Kitcheners Wood around 11:00 PM. In a brutal battle, they succeeded in reclaiming the area from the Germans, but sustained high casualties in the process. Continuing pressure on the northern part of the Ypres Salient, the Germans released a second gas attack on the morning of the 24th as part of an effort to take St. Julien (Map). The Allies Fight to Hold On Though the Canadian troops attempted to improvise protective measures such as covering their mouths and noses with water or urine-soaked handkerchiefs, they were ultimately forced to fall back though they exacted a high price from the Germans. Subsequent British counterattacks over the next two days failed to retake St. Julien and the units engaged sustained heavy losses. As fighting spread down the salient as far as Hill 60, Smith-Dorrien came to believe that only a major counter-offensive would be able to push the Germans back to their original positions.   Field Marshal Herbert Plumer. Library of Congress As such, he recommended withdrawing two miles to a new line in front of Ypres where his men could consolidate and re-form. This plan was rejected by the Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, Field Marshal Sir John French, who elected to sack Smith-Dorrien and replace him with the commander of V Corps, General Herbert Plumer. Assessing the situation, Plumer also recommended falling back. Following the defeat of a small counter-offensive led by General Ferdinand Foch, French directed Plumer to begin the planned retreat. New German Attacks As the withdrawal began on May 1, the Germans again attacked with gas near Hill 60. Assaulting the Allied lines, they were met by fierce resistance from the British survivors, including many from the 1st Battalion of the Dorset Regiment, and were turned back. Having consolidated their position, the Allies were again attacked by the Germans on May 8. Opening with a heavy artillery bombardment, the Germans moved against the British 27th and 28th Divisions southeast of Ypres on Frezenberg Ridge. Meeting heavy resistance, they released a gas cloud on May 10. Having endured earlier gas attacks, the British had developed new tactics such as shelling behind the cloud to strike at the advancing German infantry. In six days of bloody fighting, the Germans were only able to advance around 2,000 yards. After a pause of eleven days, the Germans resumed the battle by releasing their largest gas attack to date across a 4.5 mile section of the front. Beginning before dawn on May 24, the German assault sought to capture Bellewaarde Ridge. In two days of fighting, the British bloodied the Germans but were still forced to concede another 1,000 yards of territory. Aftermath After the effort against Bellewaarde Ridge, the Germans brought the battle to a close due to a lack of supplies and manpower. In the fighting at Second Ypres, the British suffered around 59,275 casualties, while the Germans endured 34,933. In addition, the French incurred around 10,000. Though the Germans had failed to breakthrough the Allied lines, they reduced the Ypres Salient to around three miles which allowed for the shelling of the city. In addition, they had secured much of the high ground in the area. The gas attack on the first day of the battle became one of the conflicts great missed opportunities.  Had the assault been backed with sufficient reserves, it may have broken through the Allied lines. The use of poison gas had come as a tactical surprise to the Allies who roundly condemned its use as barbaric and reprehensible. Though many neutral nations agreed with this assessment, it did not stop the Allies from developing their own gas weapons which debuted at Loos that September. The Second Battle of Ypres is also notable for being the engagement during which Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD composed the famed poem In Flanders Fields.

Ecosystems and How They Work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ecosystems and How They Work - Assignment Example Disturbances in forest influence the rate of recovery. Several studies show that the characteristics of this ecosystem influence the rate of recovery. Even though no one theory can explain all factors able to control succession, some variables appear to be more important compared to others (Wright, 2009). Introduction An ecosystem is a group of organisms living together, interacting with each other and with their surrounding (eoearth.org). It consists of two basic components namely, abiotic and biotic components. The relationship between biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem is known as holocoenosis (Fisher al et, 2009.They are different types of ecosystem; tropical rainforest, grassland, coral reef, estuary, desert among others. Here, the forces will is on tropical rainforest. Ecosystem has four basic functions; regulatory functions, habitat functions, production functions and information functions. Tropical rainforest A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs a pproximately within the latitudes 28 degrees north/south of the equator. Tropical rainforests ecosystem experiences a significant amount of rainfall and high average temperatures. These rainforests can be found in Australia, Asia Africa, Central America, South America, Mexico and on many of the Caribbean, Pacific, and Indian Ocean islands. The classification within the World Wildlife Fund’s biome describes tropical rainforests as a type of tropical wet forest or tropical moist broadleaf forest. They also referred to it as lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest. Generally, tropical rainforest biome consists; lowland equatorial evergreen rain forest, montane rain forest, flooded forest and moist deciduous and semi evergreen seasonal forest. An example of montane rainforest is the Sierra Nevada of California (WWF). Every ecosystem consists of biotic and abiotic factors; therefore, montane rainforest has both biotic and abiotic ecosystem. Generally, abiotic components include th e non-living, physical-chemical factors such as water, air, and soil among other basic elements and compounds of the environment. These abiotic factors are broadly classified  into three categories climatic factors, edaphic factors and inorganic substances. Climatic factors in Sierra Nevada are influenced by the Mediterranean climate of California. During the fall, spring and winter, haste in the area averages from 510 to 2,000 mm where it takes place mostly as snow over 1,800  m. Furthermore, summers are dry with low humidity; however, afternoon thunderstorms are usual, specifically during the North American Monsoon. Also, summer high temperatures average 6–32  Ã‚ °C. Moreover, the growing season takes 20 to 230 days, depending strongly on elevation (WWF). An alpine climate experienced in the highest elevations of the Sierra. Consequently, the steepness of the Sierra Escarpment and the height of the range, specifically at the southern end of the range bring forth a win d development referred as the "Sierra Rotor". In addition, this is a horizontal rotation of the atmosphere ,precisely east of the crest of the Sierras, set in movement as a result of strong westerly winds (Fisher et al, 2009). Edaphic factors in Sierra Nevada include; granite which is mostly found east of the crest and north of 37.2 °N. Apparently, most soils in the tropical rain forests are characterized by significant poor nutrients and leaching and; however there are fertile soils contained

Orientalism by Edward Said Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Orientalism by Edward Said - Movie Review Example United States, Said had the unique advantage of experiencing different perspectives on the issue of Palestine-Israel conflict as well as broader Arabian politics. His works on the subject of Middle East politics are informed by his first hand experiences at these places, as well as a careful study of preceding scholarship by Western intellectuals. The primary criticism in his book Orientalism, as also seen in the documentary, is directed toward the stereotyped vision of Arabs in Western media and academia. This phenomenon, Said notes, is not something new, for its origins could be dated back to the Napoleonic conquest of Egypt in late eighteenth century. Behind the Western stereotyping of the Orient is the underlying belief that the surveyed geographies and peoples are somewhat backward and unrefined compared to Western civilization. What is also evident is the process of homogenization, whereby the vast mosaic of Oriental culture, language, social norms and religious beliefs are bracketed and abstracted into a unified whole. According to Said, â€Å"Orientalism identifies a range of strategies by which 19th and 20th century scholars, writers and artists imposed their authority on the East. The Orient was represented as a theatrical stage affixed to Europe, a place where jaded aristocrats, earnest second sons and tyrannical explorers could discover timeless truths, or perhaps unimagined erotic delights. Stereotypes of eastern wise men and exotic harems removed the colonial world from history altogether, substituting a timeless realm. Orientals are seen not as people but as problems, subjects, races†. (Burrows, 1999, p.50) But the reality is far from such constructions, as accounts of people who live in different regions of the Orient attest to. And as Said suggests in the documentary film, this set of illusions about the Middle East is not accidental or due to scholarly oversight. Said identifies a subtle difference between the stereotyping of the