The Moon Landing Hoax Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Moon Landing Hoax - Research Paper Example The problem with so many conspiracy theories or claims of well-organized hoaxes, however, is that they can never agree on exactly who did what, when, and why. For those 9/11 truthers out there as many reasons for the conspiracy as there are grains of sand. Likewise for the moon landing hoax. It is a cottage industry without any professional credibility. A lot of it has to do with resentment and hatred of the government which some people believe is an all-powerful, malign force. Events like Watergate and the build-up to the Iraq War do not inspire much confidence in people, but most historians and political observers see these events as isolated incidents or even undirected actions. Conspiracy theorists, however, see a moving finger behind everything that happens in the world. Take for example this sample of moon hoax rhetoric: The Apollo record, as it currently stands, is not the sum of the whole but only the part that has been revealed to the public—until now. Irrespective of individual opinions as to the validity of the exploration of space, to dismiss the Apollo Space Project because it was too long ago, or unimportant, is to permit a history based on a false premise to stand unchallenged. In so doing we become the slaves of an elite who it seems will stop at nothing to achieve their aims—and the one firm objective they hold is the domination of this planet via the medium of space. (Bennett, 4).  It is always interesting to examine the reasons why people embrace such theories.  

Political attitudes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Political attitudes - Essay Example In the real world, this is what happens when local and national leaders are campaigning for various positions in the government. Hence, I can say that being in college has enabled me to understand different forms of governance and the expected role of every citizen in any country. This has had a lot of effects in my understanding and interpretations especially in matters of democracy. Through various subjects, I have been able to understand how a democratic republic should be like and the whole essence of a federal government. Secondly, it has changed my mentality and view of that politics a dirty game meant for the powerful in the society. Rather, every minded citizen should vie for any political position and serve the people. College faculty are very effective in indoctrinating students because it is at this level they are exposed to different systems of governance by electing students representatives to represent them in the school administration. Therefore, I believe that it is at this level future leader can define their political

External Environment Analysis For The Newspaper Industry Media Essay

External Environment Analysis For The Newspaper Industry Media Essay The Newspaper industry is going through a decline and is suffering through what could be its worst financial crisis as the advertising revenues are plummeting due to the economic downturn. Following the downturn in print media industry several newspapers either forgo their daily print for web or have cut the delivery of print version to 3 days a week, Major publication houses filled bankruptcy. The situation is alarming and same across Britain, US and Europe. The Decline of once great newspaper is not without cost, it means the end of certain kind of civic sensibility that was build on broad agreement about what is important and what is not. Is it the end of the Newspaper Industry? The industry is in the midst of reconstruction buffeted by deep recession. That is battering crucial advertising revenue, structured challenges as consumer turns to free news and information on web. Before year 2000 newspaper industry was a cash cow and people working as journalist never worried about looking for another job. But then internet posed threats to the business model and forced industry to cut down on cost, profit margins and reduce work force. According to American Society of news editors employment in newsroom has fallen by 15% in last two years. Advertising has been shifting from print media to new media resulting decline in profits. Paid Circulation has declined while advertising revenue which makes bulk of the newspapers income has also declined. The traditional use of newspaper being delivered at home is changing. Introduction of internet 2.1 Effect of internet Technology has not broadened the audience for news but has enabled well informed people to become better informed. Newspapers even have more readers then ever but problem is that fewer of them are paying. Consumer feels like a fool paying because they get fair selection of useful information free online. With the increasing online readership advertising brought a rising tide of revenue for aggregators, search engines there by affecting the revenue of newspapers. 2.2 Industry Reaction Business model which newspaper industry was following is not viable with intervention of technology. It was based on 3 revenue sources newsstand sales, subscription and advertising and now it relies only on advertising. Henry Luce co-founder of time found this notion of relying on ad revenue is Morally abhorrent and Economically self defeating. Internet has broken newspapers monopoly of production and distribution. This change has made situation which resulted a business that is smaller, less profitable, competitive but also efficient and innovative. Every newspaper is trying to come up with business models and Strategies to handle issues like declining revenues and expansion of media choice to consumer. Industry Condition The news industry has to fight back with reinvention and innovation. They need to identify factor that may be critical determinants of threats and opportunity that industry is facing or may face in future. 3.1 Industry Cost Cutting: Key to Survival? Bill gates said who can afford to do professional work for nothing. After Newspaper industry identified that their business model is disintegrating and is unbundling advertisement and content then they tried to make for it by putting their content onto free websites. Some publications drastically cut their print editions and focus on their ad supported websites. Newspaper Industry is now on the verge of being hanged and further rounds of cost cutting would not stave off the hangman. If they want to survive then they have to come up with cost effective revenue model. Some newspapers like financial times, Wall Street Journal came up with business model to charge certain content or certain user but they were unable to dictate there terms to the buyer as their micro payment model was unable to please buyers. Given that there were many options available to buyers and most of them free, the power of the buyers was high. One of the reasons for seller not having power was that they were not focusing on their core product which was content. Newspapers were unable to sell as they didnt had power and due to that aggregators were making money by knelling readers past ads. News folks say that aggregators are Parasites that profit from their work. Newspaper managed to survive by careful combination of free and paid for content than by new technology. 3.2 Declining Advertising Revenues, Recession, and Internet Warren Buffet said that It is hard to make money buying business that is in permanent decline. But people can make money if they capitalize on opportunity and identify threats to act accordingly. The news Market is likely to remain unstable, favouring different provider at different point in political, economical and Technological cycle. Example: An American website aggregate news and option polls, it became essential reading during last year presidential race. Its popularity plunged 75% and rivals lost readers. In Britain journalist have more competition from government rather than local crowd. British authorities have created newsletter that carry advertisings and also annual budget for state owned website is far more then countrys national newspaper. Newspapers have to think about innovations as sociologically there has been a transition in audience. The share of youth having no news at all raised from 25% to 34%, they now prefer their iPhone, PDAs and aggregators for news. Publishers and editors are thinking of reinvention and innovation that will work, one example is NRC-Next a daily magazine which aimed directly at lost generation of rich young readers. They made it look and feel cooler so that reader feel that this is better. According to Pedersen VG Netts MD they try to identify sexiest story of the day no matter how important it is in newspaper terms.VG Nett came up with innovative idea of co-operative journalism. They had dedicated phone line-2200 where anyone can transfer photos automatically from cell phone to their Server. News industry has economical factors that affect its growth. One major factor is advertising only revenue model. Other factors such as aggregator making money and online advertising revenue fall in 2008 due to recession, failure of current micro payment system. Internet littered with failed micropayment companies like digicash, cyber cash and also some successful micropayment systems such as PayPal, iTunes. If newspapers can come up with easy methods of micro payments then they can earn value for most of the content. The future lies in technology and media integration. To compete with potential entrants and substitutes like aggregators, search engines, bloggers newspapers need to adapt digital technologies and come up with business model to provide public interest journalism and still get revenue. Spread of digital technology has enabled ordinary people to file pictures and report news directly. Now first photo of any big event comes first on net from an ordinary person not a journalist. 3.3 Searching for New Business Models The Players within the Strategic group need to adapt technology and internet based business model but at the same time they have to compete within the group and face the industry rivalry. They need to understand consumer behaviour to identify the target audience and also differentiate their product from the rest. Business strategies are varying in industry as guardians strategy is to become international voice of liberal opinion so it is investing in stories of international interest like Iraq. While Daily wants to build a reputation of celebrity newspaper. Strategies can be based on consumer or product. Financial time attempted to fuse subscription model by making certain type of user pay on the other hand Wall Street Journal charges certain type of content for their e-papers. Some have Strategy of presenting days sexiest news no matter how important it is in journalism terms. But still newspaper industry need to figure out micro payment model which is easy and works well for consum er. 3.4 Industry Structure Even in diminished state newspapers attracts rich businessmen who believe that there is money to be made after all. Boundaries between Products and customer segments are blurred in strategic group so can be a potential threat for players in the group. The value of core product i.e. content is not that important now because newspapers are focusing on advertising. The intensity of competition is so high that if any newspaper doesnt adapt technology correctly and doesnt come up with business model that is cost effective is out of the game. The bargaining power in the value chain is so low that newspapers have to work on low profit margins to thrive in price war. Professor Charlie Backett argues that it matters little whether which newspaper get more online readers, it is irrelevant economically. According to calculation made by digital deliverances crosbie it takes 16 online readers to make up for one lost print reader. Industry Proposal and recommendations To safeguard from chill winds of market newspapers need to combine digital media experience with traditional media to create a co-creation experience for consumer. Newspapers should come up with business models that provide interactive services and is based on efficient micropayment model. Also they should promote public interest co-operative model of journalism i.e. use professional journalism, citizen journalism and community feedback to its best. If we think about world with no professional journalism then the situation will be very alarming, how internet aggregator and bloggers will get their content. We may have to save newspapers from bleeding red ink for saving quality journalism to service community. Making newspapers non profitable and tax free may help in keeping it alive. May be a structure that can help newspapers to share revenues with aggregator will help. What we are seeing is shift in the structure of media institution which understands importance of much more partici patory media. In current scenario newspaper represent both a problem and necessity to society and now it depends upon media houses that how they take advantage of migration of traditional platform like newspaper to digital medium and also to preserve print media. Future of Newspaper Industry In future newspaper will definitely move towards digital technology and will challenge print version. May be future will lie in digital notebooks, kindles, digital readers with integrated advertising and micropayment model in it.Revenues from newspapers digital products will help combat the erosion of traditional newspaper revenues.

Jim Morrison Essay example -- essays research papers

I don't quite recall when I first heard a Doors' song, but I could safely assume that it was Jim Morrison wailing the tune "Light My Fire" or "Break on Through". After all, these two anthems are the foundations upon which the Doors' legend was built, and to this day remain the band's gems. But as I have come to learn through the years of reading about and scouring over regurgitated bits of information of this group is that they are so much more than a member of the genre of those 1960s bands who musically fell in love with drugs, love, and repetitive choruses. Gathering knowledge from a countless number of books, newspaper articles, and documentaries about the band's lead singer, Jim Morrison, has led me to scorn the drunken, obnoxious hippie identity that a majority of the public has perceived him to be some thirty years after his passing. There was a time when I shared these prejudicial views with the casual listeners, but it's been quite a long road to persona lly come to the conclusion that Jim was a poet who had something valuable to say when he was performing. However, a public misconception of Morrison and the Doors still remains, and will linger for the simple reason that we cannot re-live the late 1960s and become acquainted with this rock n roll icon. Thus, this very fact incited me to gain a better understanding of the legend that's been bogged in criticism for the last thirty years. Now, before I commend Jim for all that he's accomplished in his twenty-seven years on this earth, it is only reasonable and fair to point out that he was not flawless. He was not one to compromise with authority, and undoubtedly expiremented in drugs and risky situations. Indeed, he often put himself in danger, and the result was a payment of the ultimate price: death. Death from years of alcohol abuse, late night partying, and frolicking around town. Death from a haggard soul that had done and seen almost everything that anyone could conceive. However, it should be cited that he had never purposely intended to harm another soul on his downward spiral through life. He would often saturate his mind with liquor, but consciously close the flood gates just as he was to plummet from the edge of sanity. The same "loud-mouthed, insane, drug-induced monster" who once sang with a straight face of killing his father and having sexual intercourse wi... ...e suicide of a twenty-seven year old rock star that at one time seemingly had it all. However, I wouldn't be doing my duty as a Doors fan if I were to simply accept the fact that Jim Morrison, the Lizard King, took his own life solely because of a disappointment with life. The critics; the media; the same people who adored and worshipped Morrison when he was a do-good American pop icon pushed their beloved son until he couldn't handle life any more. They criticized and publicly crucified Jim Morrison for having an open mind and expressing himself through his music. The same country that was built on the right that gave every citizen allowance to voice his or her opinion on the state of society killed Jim Morrison for doing just that. The land of the free....... Jim was led to his demise by the cruel surrounding we call our society. He couldn't take the pain anymore, so there was one surefire way to end it all. As he was notorious for doing, he worded it best in the Doors' classic "The Soft Parade" by surrendering himself: "Can you give me sancuary?/ I must find a place to hide.......Can you find me soft asylum?/ I can't make it anymore/ The Man is at the door."

Planning and Measuring Essay

Planning and Measuring Performance MGT 521/Management March 18, 2013 Planning and Measuring Performance All organizations need appropriate standards to measure organizational performance. Those standards are usually determined based on goals set by the company or industry principles. Some of the goals for Kellogg are to strengthen its brand through advertising and consumer promotion and to increase revenue to an estimated $15 billion annually with Pringles business. Standards to evaluate these goals would include annual sales results, number of coupons redeemed, and a comparison between advertising expenses and revenues. It is important for managers to know which measures will give them the information needed regarding organizational performance. Productivity, effectiveness, and rankings are three common measures used to determine performance. These measures are used to figure out the accumulated results of all of a company’s work related activities. The goal of all organizations is to be productive. Productivity varies from business to business and the standards for measuring productivity also differ. Effectiveness considers organizational goals and how well those goals are being met. Rankings are used to show how companies compare to other companies in specific categories. Kellogg could benefit from using both the balanced scorecard approach and benchmarking as tools for measuring its organizational performance. The four areas of focus for the balanced scorecard measuring tool are: financial, customer, internal processes, and people/innovation/growth assets. This tool would help the company gain insight on how their advertising strategies are increasing sales. Once the standard is added to the scorecard, the results of advertising can be compared to what was expected. Those results then could be used to create recommendations based on any gaps between actual performance and expected performance. Benchmarking would also be an appropriate measuring tool for Kellogg. There are several major competitors in the same industry that have experienced success over the years. Taking a look at some of the internal  processes of competitors would force Kellogg to do self-evaluations to ensure that their performance gives them competitive advantages. Internal benchmarking to identify departments within the organization that are functioning well will provide motivation to other departments as well as give valuable knowledge about possible changes. Measuring organizational performance requires a functioning system of checks and balances within the organization. Information that leads to continued success depends on unbiased and untainted results that are based on accumulated work activity. Practices within the organization need to be based on strategies and goals. Organizations need to plan in order to identify the best practices for reaching those goals. From there, rewards and recognitions for maintaining the culture should be designed. Best practices should be not only identified but also communicated throughout the organization. Those practices also need to be nurtured in all areas of the company.

Contrasting Differences in Family Life in USA and Mexico Essay

The family is the basic unit of any particular society or community. It is therefore imperative that for the society to exist the family has to be there to produce members into the community. The community or national character any particular country is basically determined by the nature of the family values. An individual is shaped in the early ages by the family. In the contemporary society there are increased diversity changes in the family a characteristic of the many changes in culture, political, economic, social, and psychological and even the environment. The content definition of has not been agreed upon because of the great changes that are so accommodating. In the previous many years the family was considered as the people who are related by blood. This definition based on the kinship ties has been revoked due to the influence of many forms of families which has stripped off the family its actual definition. For instance there can husband and wife who do not have any kinship ties and they go ahead to adopt children. Another case that has changed such a definition of the family based on kinship ties is the increasing number of intermarriage within the context of race or ethnicity. This brings out a mixture of offspring and therefore it is difficult to trace the family bonds based on kinship ties. The issue of who is next to kin is no longer important in the current families. The most common aspect in the current families is the bonding based on mutual understanding. The many changes of husband and wife have been changed by the introduction of lesbianism and gay. These try to go against the grain of opposite gender type of marriage. The concept of marriage has changed from opposite gender type of marriage to a mixture of gay, lesbianism and opposite gender marriages. These are some of the dynamisms that are facing the contemporary families. This paper shall give an indebt analysis of the family, the changes in roles and functions of the families and the general effects of such changes to the contemporary families. A close reference and examples shall be drawn from the US and Mexico, the countries that border each other geographically. The contrasting differences I n family issues shall be pointed out clearly. Family life in the United States The family relationship in the United States has undergone several transformations due to the effect of globalization. Race and ethnicity are the most significant factors in shaping the variety of values, attitudes and behaviour amongst the families in the United States. There are a number of changes in families in the United States. These changes range from political, social, economic, and psychological to spiritual. The social dislocations have given rise to new ideas and values especially there is increased individualism among the members of the community. In the US there increased diversity in the organizational structures. There are many cases of divorce and separation in the United Stated which has grabbed the family the unity and love that is supposed to be enjoyed. Most the single families that are common in the US are as a result of divorce and remarriage due to greater democratization. (Hines & Morrison, 2005) Cultural diversity in the US is accounting for the many different types of families that have emerged in the recent past. The United States constitutes almost all races and ethnic groups in the world. For this reason there are diverse cultural values as a resulting of this contact. The factor that there are free intermarriages between these diverse races and ethnic groups has made the US to have diverse cultural values which transcend the native culture. The immigrants who move to the United State try to maintain their native language despite the fact that they are forced to learn the official language of the United States, which is English. The immigrants from Spanish speaking countries (Hispanic) when they move to the United States they try to maintain their languages. The culture of the people is usually transmitted through language and due to the numerous languages in the United States there exists different cultures. This means that there are very many family clusters formed through the sharing of the languages. For instance most of the Hispanic immigrants have formed family clusters in the sides of Florida. The black American speaks a variety of English as they identify themselves as belonging or originating from one family. These disparities have affected the notion of the family because these people are allowed to mix freely with people from different cultures. The concept of the family in the United States is changing even the more during the advent of the green card where people from different pasts acquire citizenship. Many people from different races and ethnic groups have found their way to the US and as such most of them are allowed to move with their families. The nuclear family still remains an ideal source of the society in the United States. The United States families are characterized by the great social stratification. In the United the families are organized according to different classes. Among these classes there are great disparities in terms of economic value. The choice of families has not taken shift from mutual understanding to materials and resources. This has affected relationships from a sociological point of view. This issue of the class is a dominant phenomenon among the families in the United States as those who are rich wants to maintain the status quo. This is done through the inheritance that is passed within the nuclear families. The nuclear families in the United States are created and broken up and then reconstituted. This has led to the decline of family values which consequently affects the family patterns. This diversity in family pattern has been identified as the cause of problems such as violence, crime and drug use in the united state. The parents are usually very busy with their duties (United States, Congress, 1992). The increasing cases of divorce and separation in the United States have a negative effect on maintaining the ideal norms of the nuclear family value. The families that are exposed to values outside the parental domain are likely to deviate from norms. The human rights in the United States are considered fundamental. There is protection of the universal human right which is a recipe to the process of democratization. This the reason why the US government invest huge amount of money in education health and other basic sectors so as to enhance the promotion of the human rights among the citizens. The Family Life in Mexico Most people have preferred to live in Mexico for a variety of reasons such as social, political, economic and even good climatic reasons. Living in Mexico requires one to learn the Spanish language so as to increase effective communication. This is because the families are socialized in the Spanish language. The Mexican people are extremely warm and friendly as they are organized in smaller communities that come from the mutually intelligible families. This means that the socialization process is high since there tow much contact between the families. The family bonds are tightly held together and for this reason there is cultural uniformity. The society per se is integrated under common cultural values through the common language shared. Piped water is relatively inexpensive, but not always potable (drinkable). Decades of under-investment, combined with an attitude of impertinence towards paying water bills, has left Mexico’s mains water system in poor condition. As a result, most people purchase bottled water, often in 20L containers. Bottled water is very expensive. Rents in Mexico can be higher than in equivalent-sized US towns or cities if the place is popular or fashionable, particularly places within easy reach of the US border. Mexico has a centralized economy: that is, most of the country’s economic activity revolves around. The Mexican pace of life is relatively slower than in the US Especially when the life in major cities is given consideration. The families in Mexico are closely tied as most of the families have time to attend to their families. There is a high degree of parental responsibility among the families. This transcends to greater heights of good values that the society enjoys. Mexico’s culture has a rich history in a consolidated family religion, people and tradition. The Mexican people are proud of their culture that they keep on passing from one generation to another. This is because there is little infusion of the foreign cultures. The family is the basic unit in Mexico and a cornerstone to the maintenance of the culture. The rate of socialization and interaction among these people is too high. It is a usual phenomenon to meet two or more families meeting for a common interest or for a special event. This part of the family function in Mexico, people in Mexico have free time to visit resort centers for the purpose of relaxation which is not a common phenomenon in the United States, where people are too busy. (Heymann, 2006) The Mexican People are too religious which is a big contrast with the United States where people feel that they are in control; of their own life. A large number of people are Christian and they are usually committed to going to church. When you walk in the Mexican homes it is easy for you to see the religious images. In America people stay a non-religious life thus an effect of religious intermingling that has made it difficult for the people to which religious practice to adopt. Thus they resign from subscribing to any of the religious practice. The social stratification is not prevalent in the Mexican family as it is in the United States; people are seeking for money the Mexican people strive for titles. The professionals in Mexico prefer to be addressed with the titles that they deserve. This is as a result of the traditional emphasis given to the tittles within the family domain. The economic living standards in Mexico are slightly lower than in the United State. There are many poor people in Mexico than in the United States. The impact of these high levels of poverty in Mexico has necessitated the immigration of most Mexican families to the United States in search of better jobs and pay of most illegal immigrants from Mexico have gotten their way into the United States through the Mexican borders. These immigrants have settled in cities such as Florida. Working in the United States gives them better pay. This aspect of brain drain is lowering the general development of the families in Mexico as most of the people move leaving behind other family members Basically the cost of living in Mexico is lower than that of the US particularly for agricultural produce. Other sectors such as transport and communication are also lower in Mexico than I n the United States. Other utilities as electricity are more expensive compared to the United State. Working families in the United States, observing how parents struggled to find a balance between caring for children and earning a decent income. When parents split and one of the parents went from Mexico to the United States and was no longer available to give the necessary care, families suffer. What significantly exacerbates the problem is when the borders are so tight that they prevent families from reuniting. This has been a common phenomenon when the immigrants are not given the opportunity by the America to even visit their families in back home in Mexico. (Poole M. et al, 1993) Globalization of the economy created increased pressure for workers to accept lower labor standards, accept lower wages, longer hours, fewer benefits, and less paid leave. Both Nations likewise feel pressure from economic globalization not to implement family-friendly policies, such as paid leave for illness or when a child is sick, or paid parental leave. And that leaves working families struggling to balance work and their care-giving duties. The globalization process has affected families in both Mexico and United States economy was transforming the relationship between work and care-giving in similar ways everywhere. Globalization has forcing both countries to at a very high pace as far as labor standards and social policies are concerned hence leaving working parents with less and less time to raise their children. Parents’ work has shifted markedly around the world and that goes for every region. The child rearing process has been left in the hands of maids who offer supportive care while the parents are away working till late hours of the day. Men in particular have been moving away from one place to another in search of better jobs especially in various industries. Globalization has made men and women to work day and night and this has made them move away from their homes to go work in various places. A good example is that of outsourcing where people work in shifts where some work during the day and others at night. Women, likewise, have moved into the paid labor force and away from the home. From the period between 1960 and 2000 the number of women in the labor force went from 26 to 38 percent in America. The percentage of women in the workplace has increased both in the United States and Mexico. This has adversely affected the family care services that were provided by the women while their men were working in various sectors. This is a result of civilization which been brought about by the factors such as education, religion, work, urbanization among others. These factors have changed the various roles that were supposed to be executed by the family so as to prepare an individual to be a responsible member of the society. (Cecil, 1992) What has happened is that the world has seen women get better job opportunities which has assisted then them raise income to cater for their families. The increased number of single parent families has made it possible for the women to struggle to get money for rearing their families. While this is was going on there is also massive urbanization occurring all across the world. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as people who move from very poor rural areas to urban areas often get better jobs, and become less dependent on, for instance, a good rain to feed their families. (Rowntree, Lewis, Price & Wyckoff, 2006). References Hines D. A. , Morrison K. (2005) Family Violence in the United States: Defining, Understanding, and Combating. Sage Publisher. Heymann J. (2006) Forgotten Families: Ending the Growing Crisis Confronting Children and Working Parents in the Global Economy. Oxford University Press Poole M. et al (1993) Family: Changing Families, Changing Times. Allen & Unwin publisher. Robinson, Cecil. (1992). No short journeys: The interplay of cultures in the history and Literature of the borderlands. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Rowntree L. , Lewis M. , Price M. and Wyckoff W. (2006). Diversity amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development. United States, Congress. House America’s (1992) Families: Conditions, Trends, Hopes, and Fears: Family policy. United States, Congress, House publisher.