Advertisement In Media Right or Wrong ?

We all are living in the era of commercialism, modernization and sophistication. Where we don’t care of even ourselves in ethical means or as a human being. In our daily life we come across with a lot of events and incidents which put an important impact in our daily life. Here advertisement of different things plays a key role in our life. When talking about advertisement in media, it has both Positive impact as well as stigmatic effects on our lives, which means that up to some extent Advertisement in media is acceptable for our minds; otherwise it is not less than a curse. Lets have a glance in our life in previous times. Yes we were passing through a very simple but pure and meaningful life which was free from advertisements and commercialism. When talking about our society, people were living a balanced life. Our ancestors had given time to each other to establish a mature society. While we talk about the negative impacts of advertisement in news papers, TV or magazines we generally face these type of effects in our Quality of life, like demoralization of our Social as well as ethical values. We have often heard that it is an international rule that every advertisement in media, TV, or magazine must have to pass the Code of Conduct before publishing. In code of conduct there includes various prohibitions, for example use of kids as a a target audience in advertisement is strictly restricted but the situation is reverse in every cultural society apart from Pakistan. Similarly abuse material should not be advertised e. g. Cigarettes advertisement etc We have talked about the demoralization of Social values in our society by advertisement; like for example when we travel through the metropolitan streets we see a lot of Billboards having the display of different products of different types. In these billboards most of companies, advertising their products have displayed ladies to attract the people toward them. Just think as a Muslim, whether it is good or bad? Because Islam has given very respectful status to women. But instead of advocating that status is it right to hang the picture of a lady on billboards? Obviously not . So continue to talk about the negative impacts of advertisement in our society. Now a days advertisement in either media or in Newspaper, and magazines have become more glamour oriented. These glamour oriented advertisements. It is there fore said that Advertisement in an exaggerated way has created a destructive effect in our attitudes, habits and mindsets. For example in our society like Pakistan here more than 7o% people run after his bread and butter of life. Glamour in advertisement or exaggeration in advertisement creates greediness among people. Because one thing is very simple and clear that ‘’EVERY ONE FIGHTS FOR THE THING, HE DOES NOT HAVE’’ Said by Hitler. Most of the time the products that are advertised on sign boards or TV, media and magazines are costly. That’s why people want to get those things by hook or by crook. As we see that glamour in advertisement of different products attracts people of society. In other words it creates feelings of Self deprivation among people which consequently boost up the crime rate in our society so we can say that glamour in advertising create a negative role in our lower middle class and in lower Class people. Similarly we live in Pakistan where like every cultural society in the world , a layman is unable to get the basic necessities of life, so when we see the different companies advertising their products in a quite aggressive fashion, these companies spend lot of money on it. But the simple thing is that if these companies spend money on advertising in a moderate way, then they people can save a lot of money and can improve the quality of life of poor people . We should not ignore the positive effects of advertising as well. While talking about the positive impacts of advertising. We can say advertising is a gateway of information of new things, products, services and awareness. In the recent technological era there is introduction of various new things including electronics, household appliances, pharmaceutical products and etc. So awareness regarding these things are very much needed at public level. In this regard Advertisement has played a vital role to upgrade the life of human beings in our society. Advertisement in TV. Newspaper and in Magazines etc has improved the taste of slice of life of people in a positive way as well. When we talk about the health segment of society we shall come to know that by spreading awareness about different topics or diseases, our people have improved their way of living as well as their health. In this regard we if focus diabetes, we will conclude that a decade ago diabetes in our society considered to be a deadly disease but know of course advertisement in media an at public level has totally change the old concept of diabetes. Similar is the case with other awareness programs of health as well. Advertisement is a very ready and sophisticated source to spread the information. I think that if advertisement is in moderate way and if it is not like that of today, the automatically we can balance our society and regain the loosed rapport among ourselves and each other.

Pudd’Nhead Wilson Theme

A persistent theme throughout Pudd’nhead Wilson is nature versus nature. This covers the social issues of identity and reputation in a broader sense than man versus man. Mark Twain does not lean towards one side more than the other, however. Racial distinctions are a major topic discussed in this story. This contributes to the other themes of honor and betrayal.. Mark Twain was able to discuss many complex themes in this story.I believe that one of the most persistent themes in Pudd’nhead Wilson is nature versus nature, rather than man versus man. This is because rather than focusing on how men interact with other men, Twain asks why they act a certain way. What determines a person’s identity? What do they inherit from their surrounding environments? Tension between nature and nurture is most clearly seen in the character of Tom Driscoll. Tom was raised as a rich, spoiled kid. He eventually grows to become a lazy, untrustworthy man.These characteristics were said to come from his inherited â€Å"slave† qualities, which shows how racial distinctions play a part in this theme. There is a beautiful, intelligent woman in Pudd’nhead Wilson named Roxy, who appears to be white. However, due to a tiny fraction of her blood being black, she is condemned to a life of slavery. But she is incredibly clever and could be very successful. The racial classification is seen through the switching of babies.Roxy’s baby is destined to a life of slavery; while her master’s son, Tom, is guaranteed fortune and luxury his whole life. Honor and betrayal is seen specifically when Tom gets himself into trouble with gambling debts. Roxy is willing to make a huge sacrifice for her son. She offered to forfeit her freedom and to be sold back into slavery in order to raise enough money to pay off Tom’s debt. Twain portrays Roxy as an honorable woman by emphasizing on how she- a slave- is willing to sacrifice for Tom- a fortunate, dishone st man.She asks two things of him by making this sacrifice: that she is sold up north and that he buys her back a year later. Tom expresses gratitude for his mother, but is quick to betray her. The theme of man versus man could not cover the complexity of the themes in Pudd’nhead Wilson. Nature versus nature is a major theme in the story. This includes racial distinctions and other social issues. Honor and betrayal is another theme revealed in Pudd’nhead Wilson. Twain did an excellent job at â€Å"weaving† all these themes together in this story.

Smythson of Bond Street Brand Positioning

Smythson of Bond Street is a British luxury leather goods and personalized stationery brand. It is a synonym of exclusivity, discreet good taste, elegance, and British heritage. It was founded in 1887 in London and ever since, the brand has received clients such as the Queen Victoria, the Royal Family, Grace Kelly, and Madonna. Besides that, Smythson is positioned as the â€Å"British Hermes† according to its current CEO Andy Janowski; whom along with the new Design Director Rory O’ Honlon wants to consolidate the brand as an â€Å"iconic British luxury leather goods brand†.They want to raise their global awareness and the brand’s image by highlighting Smythson’s expression of contemporary classicism, its 125 year heritage, and unique craftsmanship. Smythson offers a variety of luxury leather goods such as handbags, clutches, wallets, travel accessories, books and diaries, home accessories, covers for high-tech tools, and high-end stationery; all pr oducts with minimalist designs that fit Smythson’s aesthetics.Plus, customers customizing and engraving options go from gold stamped initials to personalized motifs and monograms. Furthermore, the brand appeals to high-end customers both men and women looking for exclusive, high quality, detailed leather accessories, who value first class stationery and paper goods. On the other hand, possible competitors for Smythson are Luxury brands such as Burberry and Gucci. First, Burberry is also a British luxury brand that wants to penetrate the market by highlighting their British Heritage.Unlike Smythson, Burberry has a ready-to-wear line and it does not carry stationery goods. Second, another competitor could be the Italian brand Gucci, because it also sells luxury leather goods but the brand images are different. Gucci appeals more to customers looking for sexy, glamorous, and extravagant goods, while Smythson is targeted towards a more conservative, classic, yet fashionable custo mer.

Person-centred counselling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Person-centred counselling - Essay Example   One of the most important principles of person-centred counselling is the presentation of the client as the expert (Arnason 2001, 299).   It aims to help the client to explore, express, and understand his own emotions.   It is believed that the client is able to understand what he feels as well as why he feels so.   Person-centred approach is based on the technologies of the self – the ones that permit the individual to effect by their own means or with the help of the other a certain number of operations in their own bodies, souls, thoughts and way of being.   This type of counselling helps individuals to transform themselves in order to become happy, pure, wise and perfect.     It should be added that person-centred approach to counselling places the great value on self-reliance and self-respect, individual initiative and responsibility (Arnason 2001, 299).   Similar to other types of counselling, person-centred approach requires that dialogues between the client and counsellor should be varied in pace and style within sessions.   There may be long periods of silences as well as lots of story telling from the client (Schapira 2000, 54).   In any case, the counsellors give the clients the opportunity to tell about their troubles and worried without any pressure.   Such relations help to establish the mutual trust and encourage the client to speak openly and voluntary.     Carl Rogers, as the founder of person-centred approach, felt no need to devise theories – trying to fit to the theory meant for him.... In any case, the counsellors give the clients the opportunity to tell about their troubles and worried without any pressure. Such relations help to establish the mutual trust and encourage the client to speak openly and voluntary. Carl Rogers, as the founder of person-centred approach, felt no need to devise theories - trying to fit to the theory meant for him that the experiences and perceptions of the client were ignored (Mytton 1999, 66). Person-centred therapy is the humanistic approach and instead of the focusing on the childhood origins of the client's problems, it is focused on the present experiences. Most of the underlining concepts of person-centred approach are the result of Rogers' childhood experiences: he was brought up to believe that human nature was corrupt and worthless. From this pessimistic view of the world, he has managed to develop the positive theory of personality. Similar to the plants who have the innate tendency to grow from the seed to their full potential, person-centred approach in relation to humans calls this approach the actualizing tendency. Actualizing tendency is the drive which continues throughout the life as humans move towards the fulfilment of all that is possible for them to achieve. Actualization for humans is more than mere physical growth and survival, it includes the reduction and satisfaction of psychological needs, the desire for live and safety, the drive to learn and be creative. Moreover, Rogers believed that actualizing tendency was the only motive needed to account for all human behaviour. The human world consists of memories, sensations, perceptions and meanings that are available to consciousness - internal frame

Welfare of Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Welfare of Government - Essay Example This paper discusses the ways in which various governments influence the process of innovation and technological developments, and ways in which the government approaches can help achieve sustainable levels of energy use. Innovation and the Government Governments across the globe support technological innovations, including their creation and demonstration, to give confidence and promote the private investors in their countries to adopt these new technologies. Governments will get involved in innovations through initiating technological research, development and demonstration projects in which they offer wide financial support. Further, governments support innovations and technological developments in their nations through subsidizing programs that support these developments (Deutch 2005). The governments have acknowledged that innovation is the process through which they can effectively achieve technical change. The governments are actively involved in the initial step of innovation , which is the creation of technology in their countries. This is often accomplished through supporting the discovery of new technologies and sciences. As earlier mentioned governments together with the help of the private sector and other foundations, sponsor and fund the discovery activities (Deutch 2005). The research and development activities are performed in industries, hospitals, universities as well as laboratories. Governments also help to deploy new discoveries of science and technology in business enterprises or society. Governments encounter challenges in technological changes when deploying new technological innovations because of the uncertain investment decisions involved, the changes involved in the production process with the personnel and customizing these new products or services to meet the needs and the demands of the customers (Deutch 2005). Government Energy Policy Options The governments are greatly concerned with the energy sector and its policies across the globe. The governments’ involvement in energy policies is because energy is a very significant aspect of the economy. The availability, the pricing and the efficiency of energy in all countries affects the performance of the economy. In addition, energy use significantly affects the environment, more specifically the global climate change, which must be addressed by the governments. In certain governments, such as the United States, the reliance on imported oil, and progressively more gas, has essential security implications for the country as well as its partners (Deutch 2005). Most of the global energy policies for various governments are a shift from nuclear dominated power to renewable energy because of their capacity to be environmentally sustainable. Options in energy policy are defined by security of the energy, the reduced costs and alternatives that aim at promoting sustainable environment across the globe. This renewable energy policy options can be achieved by gov ernments reducing their dependence on the nuclear powering their medium and long-term policy plans (Maeda 2012). More important, the governments should enhance the safety of energy in their countries. Moreover, to achieve environmentally sustainable use of energy levels, the governments ought to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, and reduce the levels of carbon monoxide emissions into the atmosphere (Maeda 2012). Support Options Governments can support the technological innovations through setting the regulations and rules that govern the innovation activities. This will enable the innovations and influence the performance of the process. The support options by the governments include

Solve the questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Solve the questions - Essay Example The fact that smaller creatures are able to simulate and identify potential effects of pesticide exposure on humans is most intriguing. Animal testing is an integral part of the product and drug trails before their commercialization. The benefits of testing animals are the fact that it acts as a prototype through which the effects of the drug or product on human life can be simulated. The value of human life cannot be compared with that of animals, for this reason these product or drug trials cannot be tested on humans directly. The research helps increase the yield and betters result. On the negative aspect, the testing exacerbates the animal to early exposure and diseases. Others argue that testing effects on animals do not accurately simulate human’s response to the same drugs. This creates the problem associated with misleading results. Animal testing is essential in order to simulate and understand effects of toxicity in humans. This is proven by vaginal cancer and uterine deformities in offspring’s of rats that were exposed to DES. Offspring’s of humans that had been exposed to DES also developed similar symptoms as those seen in rats. The DES exposure case similarity in rats and humans clearly pointed out that animal testing does give accurate results that can be related to humans. Dr. Tyrone Hayes talks about using rats to simulate effects of toxicity in humans. Dr Hayes argued that effects of toxicity in rats reflect possible effects of exposure in humans. He presented the case of DES exposures in both rats and humans. DES exposure caused vaginal cancer and uterine deformities in offspring’s of those rats that had been exposed. Similarly, DES exposure in humans has caused similar symptoms to develop in offspring’s. Similarly, Atrazine exposure in humans can cause the same effects that it causes in rats. If you were a farmer that dependent on high yield of crops for a living do you think that you would use

Article reflection Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Reflection - Article Example Larsen-Freeman and Long, (1999) have however discussed the second language acquisition from the culture of the western nations only and this therefore means that their research is only culture specific and cannot be generalized to other cultures in the world. According to Todd and Gonzalez, (2011), Different cultures have different language acquisitions and their first language is not always English. Further research therefore needs to be conducted which will lead to the application of information of SL, NNS and NS to other cultures or generalize the information above so that it considers other cultures as well and benefits their recipients such as the children equally. Even though Larsen-Freeman and Long, (1999) are not culturally competent in their discussion of second language acquisition my emulation of their information in teaching will involve offering specific attention to each student language-wise no matter their cultural differences. I believe that children are different from each other and the needs of one cannot be generalized to that of another. The information provided about second language acquisition has and will continue enabling me concentrate even more with the students also use the knowledge provided by Todd and Gonzalez, (2011), to try to bring them to the same level as the rest of the children. The research article together with the research by Todd and Gonzalez, (2011), has changed my understanding of the NS-NNS as well as the second language acquisition of the children which were previously misunderstood as cheekiness or even rudeness. The information gathered will lead to changing of thinking perspective and ensure putting more into the thought process and even engage in multi-dimensional thinking to avoid making assumptions and hence delaying to assist the people in need at the right time. One question about the

European Expansionism and the Influences of Religion, Military and Research Paper

European Expansionism and the Influences of Religion, Military and Economics - Research Paper Example Owing to the monarch’s sole and indisputable sovereignty, the unilateral decisions made were considered unalterable and ultimately beneficial to the nation’s interests. This magnitude of power residing in the king was absolute. â€Å"Russia watched its (European) neighbors and crafted its own brand of absolutism. In the process, Tsar Alexei legally combined millions of slaves and free peasants into a single serf class bound to the land of their aristocratic masters.† European nations, inclusive of Russia constructed their own versions of empire which ended up stratifying society as states became hotly embattled as they competed with one another for land, resources and power. Extension of kingdoms inevitably breeds imperialism. Through his series of conquests, Napoleon â€Å"came near to establishing France as the sole power of the Western world.† The French Napoleonic empire soon stands as a threat against the other European nations as they conjecture that a â€Å"reinvigorated France might pose a threat to England’s colonial empire.† Religious, military and intellectual movement fostered and facilitated European expansion. Patronized by Christianity, European rulers would empower themselves claiming their own authority as divinely ordained.  European leaders employed religion as â€Å"the cultural and organizational foundations for †¦ European imperialism, if only to facilitate†¦ evangelization and conversion to  Christianity†4  Acting on the power of divine right, Christianity strengthens its hegemony by nullifying and suppressing other traditions. As a result, European nations gain the ascendancy through wars and forced conversions. Seeing themselves as royal representatives selected by Providence, the monarchs were â€Å"ministers of God and lieutenants on Earth5.† Therefore, being subject to God equates to being subject to the European king. Divine right decrees that God bestowed entit lement to rulers to hold sway over their states. This divinely appointed king is then assured of unswerving loyalty and unquestionable authority. Since Christianity ruled religio-politically in Europe, the king sees it as his duty to extend not only his kingdom, but to proselytize the vanquished and have them accept his faith. The Chronicle of Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti (1798) cites Napoleon espousing the belief in divine right since he was â€Å"appointing (him)self controller of God’s secrets.†6 Encountering devout Muslims in Egypt, they view Napoleon as attempting to usurp an authority that belonged to God alone. Other evidences of the prevalence of the concept of divine right are manifest in Prince Klemens von Metternich’s Results of the Congress at Laybach (1821) in which Metternich pronounces the certainty of Providence creating and supporting the emperor Tsar Alexander of Russia and the king of Naples addressed in his correspondence.7 This magnitude of poli tical power was total, especially coupled with a preponderant military. One of the predominant ways of control a people is to overpower and conquer them by force. Kings implemented duress through open warfare to re-align nations with their own political designs. The 16th to the 19th century was a period in which might was right. Military prowess was secured via state-of-the-art navies and expert soldiers and cutting-edge martial tactics and arms; hence one sees that â€Å"Europeans enjoyed an advantage in terms of  military  technology†8. The British navy and the Spanish armada were held in great respect for their nautical proficiency. Napoleon Bonaparte was a military general with exceeding ambition to reign over the world. Very swiftly, Napoleon â€Å"

"Critique on Rupert Murdoch's tweet and being a muslim in Article

"Critique on Rupert Murdoch's tweet and being a muslim in the european society" - Article Example Terror attacks have traditionally been linked to Islamic extremism than any other religion in the world. Since the terror attack on 9/11 in U.S, most people across the world have developed islamaphobia with every subsequent terror attack such as the one directed to French Newspaper (Erlanger, & Bennhold, 2015). However, Islam has been on the receiving end of unwarranted criticism because terror attacks have always been orchestrated by a few extremist groups and not the entire Islam community. According to U.S Congress linking terrorism to Islam only fuels hatred and fear, which is a plus for the terrorists (2007). Therefore, Murdoch’s sentiments should be reviewed in this light. Indeed, Islamic leaders across the world have always condemned hundreds of terror attacks. Additionally, there are a number of terror attacks already organized and executed by non-Muslims. It can be argued that Murdoch’s tweet represents a mindset of many people across cultural settings. According to him, Islam needs to carry the cross whenever any terror orchestrated by Islamic extremism happens. Whereas Islamic leaders such as Olivier Roy have condemned terror attacks every time attacks happen (Erlanger, & Bennhold, 2015) , the entire Islamic community has not taken a strong and long lasting stand against terrorism. For instance, Islamic leaders have not been on the global forefront in funding anti-terror related organizations and campaigns. Most of the support Islam has given to anti-terrorism activities has mostly remained verbal (Frost, 2008). From Murdoch’s perspective, Islam has a more rigorous job to do when it comes to fighting terrorism. However, Murdoch has been highly criticized together with other people who share his ideology regarding Islam and terrorism. It is arguably impossible for the entire Islam community to fight

The risk of depression in elderly individuals Essay Example for Free

The risk of depression in elderly individuals Essay This study aims at investigating whether there is significant difference between depressed and non depressed individuals level of physical activity. The study will involve two groups of participants: depressed and non depressed groups. Depressed individuals will be selected on the criteria that an individual has been in the past diagnosed with chronic or acute depression in any of the hospitals in the location while non depressed participant will be people who have never been diagnosed with depression in their life time. Data from both groups will be collected through time series analysis where the physical activity of the participants will be monitored three times a day at regular intervals during the day. This will be followed by analysis of temporal dynamic for participants between physical activity and depression through investigation of vector autoregressive. Each participant in the study will be required to fill a self- registration form for 3 times of a day. In addition each participant will be fitted with accelerometer to monitor their motions to determine their physical activity. The research will be based in name of the location. Time series approach will be used for objective comparison between the two types of the study groups. This will give adequate information on the state depressed individuals and those that are not on the nature of their physical fitness that reflect direct to their physical activities. Mood of the participants will be measured using positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS; Watson, Clark and Tellegen 1988). The positive affects will include the following terms as related to the study; active, excited, alert, attentive, enthusiastic, determined, proud, inspired, strong, and proud in addition to happiness (Ingram, 2009). On the other hand negative affects will include afraid, hostile, ashamed, guilty, distressed, guilty, irritable, nervous, jittery, sacred, and scared in addition to sadness (Ingram, 2009). Other factors contributing to physical inactivity in both the groups under study will be considered so that a better conclusion on the research question can be reached. Consequent ly, questionnaires will be a rich tool to examine the past history of the two groups under the study so as to be able to get details on their physical activities for a given period of time. The data on physical activities between the two groups of people will be entered and analyzed using various appropriate statistical tools such as statistical package for social scientists (SPSS). The data will be compared between the participants with depression and those without so as to determine whether there is significant difference between patients’ with depression and those without. Further, depression will be investigated whether it affects the physical fitness of a person thus affecting his or her physical activities. Elective period description The elective period will involve data collection from both the group of participants by use of time series analysis and questionnaires. The data that will be collected will then be analysed using various statistical methods in order to compare the findings in relation to the study question. Depression is a condition that is becoming common to populations in the world. It is among the five non-communicable diseases that are prevalent across social class in societies (Bloom et al, 2011). The burden of the condition has continued to increase year and year and it was found recently to be between 10 and 15% globallyThe condition is associated with negative effects to the quality of health and life, which are major determinants of physical activity in patients diagnosed with it (Onat, DelialioÄŸlu, Uà §ar, 2014). The main symptoms of depression are depression mood and lack of interests in various activities. The depression condition has been linked with physical inactiveness. The physical inactivity has been the major hindrance to depression treatments because of impaired body metabolic processes (Teychenne, Ball, Salmon, 2008). Therefore, the physical activity presents is an important indicator of depression Depression is caused by environmental, biochemical and genetic factors. Some environmental causes include marital conflicts, stress due to loss of employment, death of a close relative, and other social related issues (Chen et al, 2014). Biochemical factors include depletion of monoamine and hormonal imbalances that might be triggered by environmental factors. Genetic factors have also been linked to depression where some genes mutations that are inherited in family lineages cause heredity transfer of the condition (Chen et al, 2014). The numerous causes has led to increased incidences of depression and so there is need to find ways in which the effect of the condition can be reduced so as to ensure high quality of life and health among populations (Hafslund, Espehaug, Nortvedt, 2012). It has well been documented that patients with depression experiences physical inactivates. However, much of the studies carried out on the relationship between depression and physical activities have showed inconsistence (Teychenne et al, 2008). People that have not experienced depression experiences decreased physical inactivity that has been related to other causes other than depression. Few studies have been conducted to compare how physical activities differ between these two groups of populations. Physical activity is an important factor in remission of depressed patients (Dinas, Koutedakis, Flouris, 2011; Azar et al, 2010). Therefore, it is important to study the physical activity in depressed people and compare it with non depressed people. Any significant difference between the two groups will be important in therapeutic management of depression and thus lowering its burden. This research study investigates whether there is significant difference between depressed and non depressed individual physical activities in name of the location of the study. The population has its own characteristics in terms of social, ethnic and economic characteristics. A problem statement/question Physical activity is an important therapeutic consideration in depressed people. However, few studies have been conducted and therefore inadequate data is available to ascertain physical inactivity as one of the factors in depressed people. To contribute more on this data, the research aim to address the question, if there are difference between depressed and non depressed individual’s physical activity. Indication of the importance/significance of the study This study will highly target audience from medical profession, rehabilitation centre who are particularly involved in management of depression, patients suffering from depression, and communities at large. The results of the study will be expected to increase and build on the knowledge on how depression relates to the physical activities thus improving depression management and treatment. The outcome will be important to health profession in making decision on what type of management that should be adapted to depressed patients. Moreover, the results will help policy makers in health care system to develop appropriate policies that will help health care providers to deal with the condition. Therefore, the study will impact positively to health care system. The study will increase knowledge to patients with depression and help them to increase physical activity thus reducing the negative impact of depression. Hence, the study will play an important role in reducing the burden of depr ession globally. Moreover, this study will form the basis in which other similar studies can be conducted and developed. Hypotheses statement Do depressed and non-depressed individuals differ significantly on their levels of physical activities? The null hypothesis will be there is no significant difference between the depressed and non depressed individual physical activities while the alternative will be that there is significant difference between depressed and non depressed physical activity. Detailed work plan In the figure 1 below, the research process will involve reassessment period of two weeks. During the two weeks prior to the study, potential participants will be notified through posters and meetings and the whole procedure of the study communicated so as to prepare them for the whole period. In addition, the period will involve screening of depressed participants as detailed below. At the end of the 2 weeks, a sample of 30 depressed and 30 non depressed participants will be drawn. This will be followed by the research process that will take a period of one month (4 weeks). The actual data collection process will take place in this place and the research tools will be employed at this phase. Data analysis processes will take place for a period of 4 weeks, which will be followed by report completion and submission that is estimated that will take place for 2 weeks. This will mark the end of the research study processed. The project will run for one month (30 days) for both groups of individuals. The data will be collected 3 times a day for the entire period for both self reported reports and questionnaires detailing participants past physical activity. The accelerometers will be inserted to patients for the entire period of the study so as to monitor their movement or motion during the period of the study. A total of 60 participants will form the study sample. 30 will be depressed patients recruited from outpatient clinic in the name of the hospital. On the other hand, 30 non depressed patients will be recruited from the general population who have never been diagnosed with depression. The participants’ inclusion criteria will involve of age of between 20 and 50 years limit; able to complete the whole study for 30 days through filling self reports and wearing accelerometer for 24 hours the entire period. To determine illegibility of depressed participants they will be screened for depressive symptoms using various depression diagnostic protocols such as Beck depressions inventory (Stulz, Crits-Christoph, 2010). Similarly, non-depressive patients will be assessed using the same diagnostic evaluator to prevent erroneous inclusion of depressed participant in non depressed sample. The importance of carrying out the assessment before the study is to ensure that participants are placed correctly in the study groups. On the other hand, the participants will be excluded in the study if they have been diagnosed of Psychotic Disorder or Bipolar Disorder; Somatic disorders mainly affecting HPA axis function, or under ANS- Medication, which affects HPA function and vis ual-hearing impairments, and finally pregnant participants will be excluded through carrying out a pregnancy test). The self report will be used to measure depressive symptoms (time analysis series). This will involve a regular measurement at the frequency of three times a day for three months. Self report is an important tool that measures depressed symptoms in a more reliable way thus giving high valid results (Uher et al, 2012). In addition to self report, questionnaires will be used to measure depression symptoms. The data collection will involve self-filled reports and questionnaires. In addition, readings on accelerometers will be monitored in 24 hours and the readings recorded on self-report for 30 days. Questionnaires that will be conducted inform of interviews are expected to give the outcome of the patients depression history and the physical activities. The time series analysis is expected to give details of events and physical activities on time interval that will be recorded in the self-report. The accelerometer is expected to give the results on the motion of the participant throughout the study period. The motion of the participants will be important in determining how active the participant has been during the study. Expected results The outcome of this study is expected to answer the study question. The expected results will be that there is significant difference between depressed and non depressed patients. Depressed patients are expected to show decreased activities while non depressed participants are expected to show increased physical activities thus linking depression to physical inactiveness. Decreased physical is a characteristic of depressed people and therefore, an increase in physical activity in theses people is associated with positive impact of depression by decreasing it. Plan for elective period The research will involve a period of 30 days to carry the actual study by administering questionnaires, monitoring time series analysis, and accelerometer. The other period that will be few weeks will involve data analysis and writing of the project report to finality. This will ensure that the desired objective of the study will be accomplished within the study period. References Azar, D., Ball, K., Salmon, J., Cleland, V. J. (2010). Physical activity correlates in young women with depressive symptoms: a qualitative study. International journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 7(1), 3.Bloom, D.E., Cafiero, E.T., Janà ©-Llopis, E., Abrahams-Gessel, S., Bloom, L.R., Fathima, S., Feigl,A.B., Gaziano, T., Mowafi, M., Pandya, A., Prettner, K., Rosenberg, L., Seligman, B., Stein, A.Z., Weinstein, C. (2011).The Global Economic Burden of Noncommunicable Diseases. Geneva: World Economic Forum Chen, J., Li, X., Natsuaki, M., Leve, L., Harold, G. (2014). Genetic and Environmental Influences on Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Adolescents. Behavior Genetics, 44(1), 36-44. Dinas, P. C., Koutedakis, Y., Flouris, A. D. (2011). Effects of exercise and physical activity on depression. Irish journal of medical science, 180(2), 319-325.Hafslund, B., Espehaug, B., Nortvedt, M. (2012). Health-related quality of life, anxiety and depression related to mammography screening in Norway. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 21(21/22), 3223-3234 Ingram, R. E. (2009). The international encyclopedia of depression. New York: Springer Là ©pine, J. P., Briley, M. (2011). The increasing burden of depression. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat, 7(Suppl 1), 3-7. Onat, Åž., DelialioÄŸlu, S., Uà §ar, D. (2014). The risk of depression in elderly individuals, the factors which related to depression, the effect of depression to functional activity and quality of life. Turkish Journal Of Geriatrics / Tà ¼rk Geriatri Dergisi, 17(1), 35-43. Stulz, N., Crits-Christoph, P. (2010). Distinguishing anxiety and depression in self-report: purification of the beck anxiety inventory and beck depression inventory-II. Journal Of Clinical Psychology, 66(9), 927-940. Teychenne, M., Ball, K., Salmon, J. (2008). Physical activity and likelihood of depression in adults: A review. Prev Med 46, 397-411 Uher, R., Perlis, R. H., Placentino, A., DernovÃ… ¡ek, M., Henigsberg, N., Mors, O., Farmer, A. (2012). Self-report and clinician-rated measures of depression severity: can one replace the other?. Depression Anxiety (1091-4269), 29(12), 1043-1049. Watson, D., Clark., L., A., Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 54:1063-1070. Source document

The Impact Of Maybank Online Banking Information Technology Essay

The Impact Of Maybank Online Banking Information Technology Essay Computing and IT in the workplace is one of the vital modules that must be deeply studied due to its widely importance which effect on organizations development and behaviour. In this report we will provides an explanation about Online Banking system in Maybank. And we will review what the functionality, advantages and disadvantages, and the impact of Maybank Online Banking system. In addition, we will discuss the similarities and differences of Maybank Online Banking system with Internet and The World Wide Web, Security Issues, and Real-Time-Systems with a recommendations and solutions for future enhancement. Introduction As mentioned on (maybank2u.com.my, 2010) Malayan Banking Berhad or Maybank was incorporated in Malaysia on 31 May 1960 and commenced operations on 12 September 1960. On 17 February 1962, Maybank was listed on the then Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (today Bursa Malaysia). Maybank is today among the top companies by market capitalisation on Bursa Malaysia. Maybank is Malaysias largest financial services group with total assets exceeding RM330 billion. The Group has an extensive global network of 1,750 offices in 14 countries namely Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, United Kingdom, U.S.A., Bahrain, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.   The Group offers a comprehensive range of financial services and products ranging from commercial banking, investment banking, Islamic banking, cards issuance, offshore banking, leasing and hire purchase, insurance, factoring, trustee services, asset management, stock broking, nominee services, venture capital and Internet banking. Today, the Maybank Group has over 39,000 employees who serve over 16 million customers worldwide, with 9.5 million customers in Malaysia alone. Maybank has been consistently ranked among Malaysias most valuable brands. It is also ranked first among Malaysian banks by Brand Finance in its Global 500 survey and 118th among the top 1,000 banks in the world by The Banker Magazine. A Legacy of Growth and Leadership Maybank is the largest bancasssurance player in the region and its internet banking enjoys over 50% of market share in Malaysia. Its Islamic banking arm, Maybank Islamic Berhad, is No 1 in the Asia Pacific region today and among the worlds top 15 Islamic banks. The Groups Insurance Business under the Etiqa brand is among the top in the industry offering Life and General conventional insurance as well as Family and General Takaful plans. Investment Banking Group, spearheaded by Maybank Investment Bank, one of the leading investment banks in Malaysia, offers a comprehensive range of investment solutions, from corporate finance to debt capital markets, equity markets to research and strategic advisory. Maybank has received numerous awards as testimony to its leadership and innovation in product offerings and services. The Groups foundation of strength, consistent record of profitability and strong balance sheet is testament to its resilience in all economic cycles. Corporate Responsibility The Group has over the years placed a priority on being a responsible corporate citizen through various activities, initiatives and programmes, with the primary objective of making a difference in the community, environment and human capital development. As a responsible organisation, we embrace industry best practices in corporate governance by promoting a culture of excellence, transparency, integrity and accountability in our daily operations. Celebrating 50 years in 2010 This year, Maybank celebrates its 50th anniversary. Functionality of maybank Online Banking MayBank online system allows people to perform Banking activities. It provides a fast and convenient way of performing common banking transactions on the Internet. If you have a computer with Internet access, a web browser, youll be able to do your banking from the comforts of home, office or virtually anywhere else in the world. Maybank ATM/credit card holder has to apply before he can get to Maybank internet banking system online for the first time only. Here, more details on how to apply as mentioned on (maybank2u.com.my, 2010): Go to the nearest Maybank ATM. Enter you Maybank ATM/credit card. From the main menu, Choose Maybank2u Services. Choose Maybank2u Application. Enter your own 6-digit Maybank2u.com PIN. Repeat the same PIN again to confirm. Then, Maybank ATM/credit card holder has to complete registration by: Go to www.maybank2u.com. Click on Login. Click on Login for new users. Read the Terms and Conditions, then click on the Accept button. Enter the ATM/credit card number that you used to apply for your Maybank2u.com in the Access Number field. Enter the 6-digit Maybank2u.com PIN that you have selected and click on Activate. Enter your preferred username and password for all future access. Now, Applying and registration has been completed. And the Maybank ATM/credit card holder can access his account easily by: Go to www.maybank2u.com. Click on login. Enter your username and password that you select before. By accessing Maybank online system user can banking online and performs his/her banking activities remotely. The system provides a lot of functions which make the banking Processes easier for the users. Here more details on what user can do through the system. Accounts Banking: Allow users to view and manage their accounts, make payments, and transfer funds. Bill Payment: allow users to pay their bills from almost 600 payee corporations available, pay their Maybankard credit card bill, pay their income tax to LHDN, make DMP Payment, and pay their American Express charge card bills. Transfers: allow users to transfer funds between their own accounts, to another persons Maybank account, to a local account or to an account overseas. Fixed Deposits: allow users to view their existing fixed deposit account details, make an online placement or upliftment. Rewards Points: allow users to check their TreatsPoints or their American Express rewards. Investment: Allow users to trade using Online Stocks, make an EPF payment or manage their EPF accounts, apply for eShare or manage their CDS accounts, choose a fund allocation, view a Maybank Investment portfolio report, register their ASNB Account and make Additional Purchases, view their FCA account details, and view their GSPA account details. Insurance: Allow users to purchase and renew their insurance policy or purchase. Loans: Allow users to view and manage their personal, home, and car loans. Mobile Banking: Allow users to sign up for Mobile Financial Services (mobile banking account), register their number and change their Service Provider. Personal Details: Allow users to change their login password, update customer contact information, view their personal details and update their profile. Buy Online: Allow users to top up their mobile prepaid, buy prepaid mobile and MYeCASH PIN, reload or buy their IDD/STD card and internet prepaid. Maybank @ SG: Allow users to access their Maybank Singapore account. Bills Statements: Allow users to view their bank trading statement, bills and credit card statements, loans statement, and their debit and credit banking advices and notices. Advantages of MayBank Online Banking Pay a bill: Electronic bill payment service allows a depositor to send money from his or her online account to a creditor or merchant, for example to a public utility or a department store. There is no need to stand in a long line on a weekend morning to handle your transactions.   Transfer funds: With online banking, you can make money transfer between your own accounts, or send money to a third party account. All you need is recipient/payee information and enough funds in your account. Quite often, the operations are performed in real time   View automatically updated spending report: All your purchases are sorted into familiar categories automatically to save, no expenses to enter. It is easy to see where your money goes. Track your payment history: Online banking gives you an opportunity to search your payments by transaction type, date, description or amount. When did you last pay Company X? When did you buy your computer? To whom did you make your most recent payment? Your bank knows the answers.   Schedule payments in advance: Most banks offer customers the ability to schedule a payment on a specified date. Once the amount is entered and the payee is checked off, the funds are automatically deducted from your online bank account.   Take advantage of online brokerage: Internet banking lets you invest online. You can place and confirm trades 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Most banks provide a wide range of money market instruments from various issuers. Change contact details:   You can log in to your online account and change contact information (e-mail address, telephone number, password, etc.). It is more secure than to send this information by e-mail. Get alerts: This service allows you to receive timely e-mail messages from your bank about any critical changes related to your Internet accounts. For example, you can get alerts when you make a withdrawal or change your contact information. Disadvantages of MayBank Online Banking Security: Yes, online banking is generally secure, but it certainly isnt always secure. Identity theft is running rampant, and banks are by no means immune. And once your information is compromised, it can take months or even years to correct the damage, not to mention possibly costing you thousands of dollars, as well. Some online banks are more stable than others. Not all online setups are an extension of a brick-and-mortar bank. Some operate completely in cyberspace, without the benefit of an branch that you can actually visit if need be. With no way to physically check out the operation, you must be sure to thoroughly do your homework about the banks background before giving them any of your money Learning curve: Customer service can be below the quality that youre used to. Some people simply take comfort in being able to talk to another human being face-to-face if they experience a problem. Although most major banks employ a dedicated customer service department specifically for online users, going through the dreaded telephone menu can still be quite irritating to many. Again, some are considerably better (or worse) than others. Slow processing: From the moment you entered a financial transaction with your bank via the computer.   Usually the bank will require you to submit certain documents like an identification card, signature and the like.   Not only will the bank online require you to submit documents but also to provide special power of attorney in cases where you want to do transactions together with your spouse.   A concrete example is when you want to manage all your wealth and resources together as a couple and you wish to view it online.   Certain technical procedures regarding online banking may be taxing too and complicated. As a result, not all online transactions are immediate. Online banking is subject to the same business-day parameters as traditional banking. Therefore, printing out and keeping receipts is still very important, even when banking online. The Impact of MayBank Online Banking: The Online Banking services in Maybank have profound changes during the last decade. The most obvious change has been the large number of bank mergers, which have increased both the average size of banks and the area over which they operate. Other changes may also prove dramatic but are at this point just getting under way the growth of Internet banking and the combination of banking with other financial services, such as insurance and securities underwriting. The implications of these changes for the profitability and safety of banks have been widely discussed, but what do they mean for local economies? Some analysts argue that the changes will benefit most communities by increasing the publics access to financial services and making it easier for banks to continue lending during regional economic downturns. Others argue that the changes will end up hurting many communities, especially smaller ones, because the large organizations created by mergers will be uninterested in serving small customers and will siphon off funds from smaller markets to lend in big cities. To shed light on the debate, this article focuses on the two groups that are most likely to be affected by the transformation of banking. Consumers and small businesses. Before the recent changes, surveys consistently found that these two groups relied heavily on local banks for their credit and payments needs. It stands to reason, therefore, that they would also be the groups most affected by any changes in local banking practices resulting from consolidation, Internet banking, or financial integration. A further reason for focusing on small businesses is that these enterprises play an especially important role in the economic performance of smaller communities the communities where there has been the greatest concern about the possible adverse effects of the transformation in banking. The article concludes that the recent changes in banking are likely to benefit consumers and small businesses in most communities, as long as they remain free to choose between small and large banks for their banking services. The first section of the article reviews the three major Changes in the banking system consolidation, Internet banking, and financial integration. The next two sections argue that these changes are likely to benefit both consumers and small businesses, provided small banks are available to fill any gaps in service or credit to smaller customers. The last section concludes that small banks face a major but not insurmountable obstacle in continuing to fill this role-the increased difficulty of obtaining funds. THE IMPACT OF THE ONLINE BANKING ON CONSUMERS: Consumers have traditionally relied on nearby banks and branches for many of their banking services. The transformation of online banking in Maybank now under way will hurt consumers by raising the price or reducing the quality of these services. Or the changes benefit consumers by expanding the array of services will offered by banks and allowing consumers to go outside the local market for banking services. It was once thought that the main benefit to consumers of online banking would be lower fees for banking services or higher rates on deposits. According to this view, the cost to banks of online transactions would be much lower than the cost of traditional transactions through a normal branch. As a result, consumers would be charged lower fees or Paid higher deposit rates if they banked online instead of going to a branch office. Proponents of this view pointed to the example of online brokers, who charge investors much less for trading stocks than either discount brokers or traditional full-commission brokers (Marks). THE IMPACT OF ONLINE BANKING ON SMALL BUSSINESS: Like consumers, small businesses have traditionally obtained most of their banking services from nearby banks and branches. Will the transformation of banking hurt small businesses by shifting ownership of these banking offices to large, distant organizations uninterested in dealing with small customers? Or will it help small businesses by making banking and other financial services cheaper and more convenient. As noted earlier, mergers have significantly increased the share of banking resources controlled by large, widely dispersed organizations. Some observers worry that this change in the banking system will end up reducing the total supply of credit to small businesses. These observers acknowledge that some of the businesses that are denied credit as a result of bank mergers may be bad risks that should not have received loans in the first place. They argue, however, that mergers will also reduce the supply of credit to many good risks, hurting the local economy. As in the case of consumers, the main benefit of online banking in Maybank to small businesses is likely to be greater convenience. For several years, large businesses have enjoyed electronic access to their banks through private computer networks. Internet banking in Maybank is now extending that access to smaller businesses. Some bank web sites allow small business customers to view their balances in real time, transfer money between accounts, and originate wire transfers. A smaller number of bank web sites also offer cash management services and payroll services. Industry observers predict that more banks will offer such services over time because small businesses are among their most profitable customers. Large banks have shown particular interest in this area, apparently viewing online banking as a way to lure small business customers away from smaller banks Internet and World Wide Web Maybank File Transfer and the Internet: The internet is a worldwide collection of networks that connects millions of computers and it plays the main role in Maybank transaction system especially online banking, because all the transaction is done by Internet and without the internet there is no online banking. Maybank has become very popular in a world of electronic debits and transfers and other banking activity that, until recently, you would have to have made a trip to the bank to do. All aspects of modern society has benefited from online banking because of the convenience that the internet offers. Internet banks have to make themselves attractive to potential customers. They do this by offering high-yield checking accounts. Internet banks have the comfort of doing so because they do not have the same overhead cost as normal banks. Internet banks are much cheaper to operate than traditional banks, so Internet banks can pass the savings on to their customers. Once they have secured your business, Internet banks offer yo u other services. You will be able to complete your checking, savings, credit cards, mortgages, investments, bill payments and much more from the comfort of your own living room. Maybank has developed a product package designed to provide simple and secure file exchange between the bank and its customers through any of three (3) delivery channels: Web, Desktop Connection or Secure FTP. But in todays networked world of the internet, the browser and e-mail are the ubiquitous software tools used for information exchange. These tools do not adequately support secure file transfer of anything but small files while the ability to track and audit file movement is limited. With M-Secure File Transfer OBS, banks can transmit and receive data automatically without scripts or manual intervention using the web, OBS Desktop Connection Client or Secure FTP. Online Messenger will regularly check for files to be delivered to clients or sent to the bank from designated folders on the customers PC. Customers only have to place a file in the designated send folder and the file will be automatically transmitted to the bank. No complicated FTP processes, no modems, no scripts. Da ta Delivery is secure, using a strong encryption algorithm blowfish with a 448-bit key. Each user has a unique User ID and Password that must be changed every 30 days. E-Commerce E-commerce is business transaction that occurs over the internet and online banking system in Maybank makes it easier, for instance, all these business and transactions can be done and paid at home if you use Maybank online banking. Without the online banking, e-commerce would be difficult and we will have to do these businesses by ourselves because once you want to buy something from the internet youll have to transfer the money and that means going to the bank and do all the transactions and that costs us time, effort and money. Communications: One type of internet banking that Maybank has is Communicative and this type of Internet banking system allows some interaction between the banks systems and the customer. The interaction may be limited to electronic mail, account inquiry, loan applications, or static file updates (name and address changes). Because these servers may have a path to the banks internal networks, the risk is higher with this configuration than with informational systems. Recommendations: Here are some recommendations for Maybank in order to achieve a better online banking: Probably the first thing to think about with online banking would be the convenience. I suggest for Maybank to give us the access to the online banking anytime of the day by improving their online system, because sometimes I have to transfer money for emergency but when I try to access my online banking I found it suspended and thats causes a lot of troubles. Compare the online banking services in Maybank with other banks in order to offer the best services to the customers. Train all the employees on questions customers will ask about online banking in order to make them get a clear idea about it, because some people till now are still afraid of online banking and dont use it. I also suggest for Maybank to make advertisements about this point. As a conclusion, online banking is a part of Internet and all the transactions system occurs by the internet. Like the internet, online banking has his own services and those services such as transfer money which cant be done without the internet and thats one the common things between them. I suggest for Maybank to improve the convenience system and train all the employees to make people get a clear idea about online banking. Security Issues Similarities/ Secure Websites: A secure website is a website using encryption and authentication standards to protect the confidentiality of web transactions. Digital certificates: Digital certificate is a form of electronic credentials for the Internet. Digital certificate is issued by a trusted third party to establish the identity of the ID holder. The third party who issues certificates is known as a Certification Authority (CA). Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol from Verisign Certificate Authority. SSL is a secure way of transferring information between two computers on the Internet using encryption. Strong end to end encryption is also adopted within the banks computer networks and resources. To ensure data confidentiality and integrity, all information transmitted over the Internet is encrypted using the 128-bit (maybank2u.com.my, 2010). Maybank2u.com is WebTrust certified. This certifies our compliance with leading international security standards and Best Practices, as well as our commitment to maintaining a secure environment. WebTrust is an independent corporation that monitors and tests our facilities to assure that we maintain the highest and most current standards in Internet information security and exchange (maybank2u.com.my, 2010). As mentioned on (info.ssl.com, 2006) There are two ways to make sure that Maybank2u.com.my is a secure website: 1) Check the web page URL Normally, when browsing the web, the URLs (web page addresses) begin with the letters http.   However, over a secure connection the address displayed should begin with https note the s at the end. 2) Check for the Lock icon There is a de facto standard among web browsers to display a lock icon somewhere in the window of the browser (NOT in the web page display area!)   For example, Microsoft Internet Explorer displays the lock icon in the lower-right of the browser window: As another example, Mozillas FireFox Web Browser displays the lock icon in the lower-left corner. -Backup: Making copies of data so that these additional copies may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. Backup procedure A backup procedure represents the way you back up your files.   Any backup procedure starts with a concept of a data repository. The backup data needs to be stored and organized. Therefore, its important to establish your backup procedure before choosing the backup solution that is right for you. Different backup procedure has different advantages. Maybank has its own backup procedure performing as follow: Day of Week Weekly Full Backup with Daily Differential Backup Weekly Full Backup with Daily Incremental Backup Sunday A full backup is performed. A full backup is performed. Monday A differential backup contains all changes since Sunday. An incremental backup contains changes since Sunday. Tuesday A differential backup contains all changes since Sunday. An incremental backup contains changes since Monday. Wednesday A differential backup contains all changes since Sunday. An incremental backup contains changes since Tuesday. Thursday A differential backup contains all changes since Sunday. An incremental backup contains changes since Wednesday. Friday A differential backup contains all changes since Sunday. An incremental backup contains changes since Thursday. Saturday A differential backup contains all changes since Sunday. An incremental backup contains changes since Friday. Differences/ -Sensitive username and Password to access bank account online To prevent unauthorised access to our online financial services, every customer is required to select a username and an alphanumeric password, which provides access to their financial information. The username must be between 6 to 16 characters and the alphanumeric password between 8 to 12 characters. The password must include both alphabets and numbers but you may also use special characters (e.g. * $) except spaces (maybank2u.com.my, 2010). -Phishing: Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up messages to attempt to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, and / other sensitive information.Phishing is the term coined by hackers who imitate legitimate companies in e-mails to entice people to share passwords or credit card numbers. Report on phishing: Maybank made a hotline which you can contact and report about phishing and avoid being a victim of it. To protect yourself from being a victim of email or SMS Phisihng! If you receive suspicious messages, contact immediately at 03-5891 4744. Real-Time-Systems My bank technology system is functional now, but as a feasibility demonstration, not a supported product. Its ability to transfer funds between its internal micro acounts and external accounts via the Automated Clearing House is turned off. The name, my bank, is a place holder for an eventual company name. Many online banking customers reuse their banking login credentials to access other websites, putting themselves at risk of account hijacking and online banking fraud, according to a study by Trusteer Inc. MY BANK-based online security vendor found that 73% of bank customers use their Internet banking password to access non-financial and less secure websites. Forty-seven percent use both their online banking user ID and password on other websites. The practice puts online banking customers at risk because criminals are using a variety of methods including database hacks, brute forcing and phishing to harvest login credentials from non-financial websites, such as social networking sites and Web-based email services, according to Trusteer. Thieves can then test the credentials on financial-services sites to hijack accounts and commit online banking fraud. Money Trouble in MY BANK A series of upsets could spell trouble for my banks virtual economy Theres a long line of avatars waiting to use the automatic-teller machines for Ginko Financial, a virtual bank in the online game Second Life. For more than a week, account holders have been demanding their money back in what some folks are calling a bank run. Set off by high interest rates and a recent ban on in-game gambling, the bank run could ultimately have a major effect on the games economy. The theft of approximately $12,000 from the My bank World Stock Exchange doesnt help matters either. My bank, is an online world where players can buy and sell all kinds of goods and services. The games economy is based on fictional currency, called Linden dollars. But those dollars do have real-world value: players can buy or sell Linden dollars at a rate of about L$270 to $1 on the Lindex market. My banks website even boasts that thousands of residents are making part or all of their real life income from their My bank businesses. Now the entire My bank economywhich could affect more than 8.5 million playersis in trouble. Although financial institutions in My bank are careful to define themselves as games, some My bank banks offer more than 100 percent annual interesta tempting rate when combined with the possibility of turning Lindens into U.S. dollars via the Lindex. Right along with the promise of turning virtual currency into real-life riches are problems with how some Second Life financial institutions are run, says Robert Bloomfield, an economist at Cornell University who makes a serious hobby of studying My banks economy. The average person who goes to a [real-world] bank isnt aware that theres a large regulatory body keeping track of the reserves the bank has, he says. But banks in Second Life, which Bloomfield compares with the Wild West, are mysterious and unregulated. Ginko Financials CEO, Andre Sanchez, of Sao Paolo, Brazil, has refused to release records of Ginkos investments or financial history, and he has not revealed a clear plan for returning peoples money NOW THER IS 3 Reasons Not to Use Online Bank Accounts * Customer Service with Online Bank Accounts One reason to avoid online banks is that you may run into bad customer service. With a brick-and-mortar bank, youll likely have some familiarity with the staff. At a small credit union, the staff might know you well. Why does this matter? Its easier to get good service if you know the staff and they know you. You can pick and choose who you deal with. However, if your online bank account offers any phone service, you have to take your chances with the 1-800 Lottery. You might get somebody helpful and knowledgeable, or you might not. * Online Bank Accounts and Speed of Clearing The internet is supposed to make things faster. However, you might have to wait a long time for checks to clear. You certainly cant ask for a cashiers check if youre in the middle of a crisis and you need settled money yesterday. Likewise, deposits to your online

Implications of Capitalism on Objective News Content Essay -- politics,

While Capitalism might first be seen as a positive influence on free and open access to information, in fact, it can also have a detrimental impact. Inaccurate news stories, sensationalized material, and manipulation through the media are all repercussions of the effects of capitalism. Capitalism’s influence in the media skews content in favour of the market, preventing the public from access to democratic, objective news content. Too often, capitalist influence dominates the media market through conglomerate control, structured by the ever-growing desire to gain capital, treating the audience as a commodity regardless of the negative repercussions that ensue. As opposed to presenting balanced, unbiased issues that are relevant and open to the interpretation of the media consumers in order to best meet the needs of society, the result is a cycle of information that does not broaden public democratic discourse, but channels it with bias. Perhaps the best place to begin a review of the relationship between media, capitalism and democracy is the United States of America, where democracy is held up as its foundation, freedom of speech is protected in its Declaration of Independence, and its society has held up capitalism as the best option for prosperity and equality for its citizens. Within the USA, news channels have long been accepted as having obvious links to political philosophies. Depending on the corporate interest, media channel content will display bias, supporting either a left-leaning, right-leaning, or neutral point of view to best serve the corporation. Stanford University professor Magnuson highlights, â€Å"The media plays a significant role in American democracy; it wields serious influential power; it uses this ... ...t. Thousand Oaks, Calif. Pine Forge Press, 2006. Print. "How To Detect Bias In News Media." FAIR Fairness Accuracy In Reporting. N.p., n.d. Web. May, Rollo. The Courage to Create. New York: Bantam Books. Print. Magnuson, A. J. "The Implications of Capitalism for Media: How Democracy Suffers. â€Å"Stanford University (2003): n. pag. Print. McChesney, Robert Waterman. Corporate Media and the Threat to Democracy. New York: Seven Stories, 1997. Print. Mills Cary, Adams James, and Taylor Kate. "CBC Sees government funding slashed by $115 million." Globe and Mail (Ottawa), March 29, 2012, sec. Politics. Schelzig, Erik. "Gore Takes Aim at Corporate Influence over Media in New Book, Defends Sale of Current TV." n.d.: n. pag. Global News. Web. Ting Thao, Yan. "The Effect of News Media on Public Opinion Toward Environmental Issues." Yahoo Contributor Network. N.p., n.d. Web.

Court Case Number 15: Bowers V. Hardwick (june 30, 1986) :: essays research papers

Court Case Number 15: Bowers v. Hardwick (June 30, 1986)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In August of 1982, Michael Hardwick was charged with violating the Georgia statute criminalizing sodomy by committing that act with another adult male in the bedroom of Hardwick's home. Hardwick then brought suit in the Federal District Court, therefore challenging the constitutionality of the statute as it criminalized sodomy. Hardwick asserted that he was a practicing homosexual, that the Georgia statute, as administered by the defendants, placed him in imminent danger of arrest and that the statute for several reasons violates the Federal Constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I oppose the Court of Appeals decision that Michael Hardwick's complaint was dismissed by evidence seen through rights readily identifiable in the Constitution's text involved much more that the imposition of the Justices' own choice of values on the States and the Federal Government, the Court sought to identify the nature of rights for heightened judicial protection. Such landmark court decisions as Palko v. Connecticut stated this category includes those fundamental liberties that are â€Å"implicit in the concept of ordered liberty,† such that â€Å"neither liberty nor justice would exist if any fundamental liberties were sacrificed.† In Moore v. East Cleveland, fundamental liberties are characterized as those liberties that are â€Å"deeply rooted in this Nation's history and tradition.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Proscriptions against a fundamental right to homosexuals to engage in acts of consensual sodomy have ancient roots. Sodomy was a criminal offense at common law and was forbidden by the laws of the original thirteen States when they ratified the Bill of Rights. In 1868, when the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified, all but five of the thirty-seven States in the Union had criminal sodomy laws. In fact, until 1961, all fifty States and the District of Columbia continue to provide criminal penalties for sodomy performed in private and between consenting adults.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As his honorable Justice John Paul Stevens opinion stated, sodomy was condemned as an odious and sinful type of behavior during the formative period of the common law. That condemnation was equally damning for heterosexual and homosexual sodomy. Moreover, it provided no special exemption for married couples. The license to cohabit and to produce legitimate offspring simply did not include any permission to engage in sexual conduct that was considered a â€Å" crime against nature.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One the more prominent features of Bowers v. Hardwick involved the Georgia statute, â€Å"the presumed belief of a majority of the electorate in Georgia that homosexual sodomy is immoral and unacceptable.† The Georgia electorate enacted a law that presumably reflects the belief that all sodomy is immoral and unacceptable. Unless the Court is prepared to conclude that such a law is

Sleepy Hollow:Heads Will Roll Essay -- Art

Sleepy Hollow:Heads Will Roll Have you ever heard of The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow? It’s a wonderful story, written by Washington Irving in 1819. It was then made into a movie entitled Sleepy Hollow by the gothic film maker Tim Burton in 1999. Basically, it tells the story of a constable named Ichabod Crane sent to a small Dutch community called Sleepy Hollow in the state of New York to investigate the deaths of many people found with their heads cut off. The locals say that the murders have been committed by the legendary Headless Horseman and Ichabod does not believe this, but with the help of the fair Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of the town’s richest man, and the young son of one of the victims, young Masbath, he finds out indeed that a horseman was the key to the murders, but that he was controlled by a person of flesh and blood that possessed his skull, Katrina’s evil stepmother! She killed everyone that made her family suffer in the past to avenge herself and she also assassinated everyone that stood in her path to steal the richest man in town’s fortune: her husband. So Ichabod then recuperates the skull, gives it back to the horseman who then takes Katrina’s mother into his bloody g rave with him. The story takes place in 1799, and the movie represents that time very well. For example, when they write, they use a feather and some ink instead of a pen. Also, there are no cars in the movie, only horses are used. Another thing that is representative of the e...

Primary School classroom Essay

These Poets write Honestly about their Experiences. Explore the Memories Expressed in their Poems and consider what Views they are sharing about Growing Up  Carol Ann Duffy expresses her views and gives her true experiences to do with childhood and growing up. She uses a range of techniques in her poems, like similes to emphasize her feelings and emotions and imagery, where she uses metaphors to help create the picture and mood of the atmosphere of each poem. For example, the Primary School classroom. Simon Armitage also writes about everyday experiences, childhood, growing up, changes and regrets. He uses less imagery than Carol Ann Duffy, but in one particular poem ‘Kid’, he uses a great more rhyme. They both include experiences towards school life, where Carol Ann Duffy writes about the younger years and Simon Armitage writes about the older years at school. These two poets are similar in some ways, but can be quite different in others. For example, in Duffy’s ‘Stealing’ it shares the feelings of a child who steals for no reason and Duffy adds comments from her own experiences. It can make the reader feel quite depressed and sad, whereas in ‘I am very Bothered’ by Simon Armitage, it is again about a child with regret for something he did at school, but instead of being sad it uses black humour and is more horrible â€Å"†¦stench of branded skin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In ‘Mrs Tilscher’s Class’, Carol Ann Duffy starts with â€Å"you†, which makes it personal and sets the scene â€Å"travel up the Blue Nile†.  She identifies things like Primary School aspects very well â€Å"†¦with your finger, tracing the route†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is a good reminder to what children do when they are little. She creates the picture of the blackboard â€Å"chalky Pyramids rubbed into dust†. This suggests break time and â€Å"the laugh of a bell swung by a running child† creates a jolly, happy time that all the kids look forward to. This gives a comparison between home and school. â€Å"This was better than home†. There are more interesting things to be found at school, like â€Å"enthralling books†, which is obviously what she doesn’t have at home.  She uses similes to describe the classroom. â€Å"The classroom glowed like a sweet shop†. This creates the idea of colour that a sweet shop would have.  She tells of a negative memory â€Å"Brady and Hindley†, which â€Å"faded, like the faint, uneasy smudge of a mistake†. School has so many good memories that it is able to make the bad ones disappear. She uses emotion â€Å"Mrs Tilscher loved you†, and alliteration â€Å"good gold star†, which makes the poem flow easier. It also sounds a bit like a child’s expression.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A xylophone’s nonsense† gives the impression of tuneless playing, which kids do in Primary School, they don’t care about accuracy, just about having fun. It also appeals to the senses by using sounds as well as visual images.

Ethical Considerations of Banning or Restricting the Developing World’s Access to the Cheaper Technologies

1. What are the possible ethical considerations of banning or restricting the developing world's access to the same cheaper technologies that made the US what it is today?Current news and politics is full of concern about the environment, particularly as it is related to oil use and the auto industry. There are a number of ethical considerations that arise out of these issues.Please be sure to answer ALL of the following questions:†¢Some propose that these concerns could be alleviated if our use of cars was limited by increased gasoline taxes–if gas is more expensive, we will use less of it and, as a beneficial by-product, improve the environment. What do you think of this proposal and what theory would support your position? Are there injustices built into such measures? If so, is there any practical way to avoid them?†¢What about the possibility that the US auto industry, encouraged by its partial owner, the US government, will no longer produce large gas guzzlers (think Hummer) or will subsidize hybrid or green cars? Is it ethical for the government to essentially prevent a US company from producing a legal good or encourage a company to produce one good over another? What ethical theory supports your position? †¢What are the possible ethical considerations of banning or restricting the developing world's access to the same cheaper technologies (fluorocarbons, coal burning plants, etc.) that made the US what it is today?†¢Finally, the world today is full of news about fracking, the process by which a high volume of liquid is pumped into the ground to fracture rock and extract natural gas. What are the ethical considerations of either permitting or prohibiting property owners from using their property in this manner?Make sure that you have adequately dealt with all the subtleties of the particular theory. The answers to these questions can be found in the text but merely quoting from the text or paraphrasing the text will earn minim al credit–the answers should be in your own words and should involve some  explanation and discussion of what these concepts mean.

Science and Technology Have Done More Harm Than Good

Science and technology have done more harm than good. There is no doubt that science and technology affected our lives. There are a lot of scientists who are working on different science and modern technology projects these days. However, with the new science and technology developments most people underestimate the damage it gives us. First of all, I would like to say, that with these new science and technical appliances people became to be lazy. They rarely go out to work on foot or by a bicycle. Now there are a lot of modern cars in the cities, which are said to be emitting less gas. But still their emitted gasses damage the environment, so to my mind, that is why pollution of our environment is increasing. Secondly, it seems to me, that technologies are throwing away our free time. For example, these new laptop computer or those touch-screen devices are full of entertaining programs, which are attracting people effectively. Then people forget how to communicate with others in real life, not through international communication systems like â€Å"Skype† or â€Å"Facebook†. On the other hand, my opinion is that science and technology has far increased by the past few decades. New medical treatment, new computer technologies and other useful technical appliances are helping people to solve variety of problems more easily than it used to be. Overall, these new science and technology inventions harm not only our environment, but even us. So in my view, we should start thinking what technologies we use. 256 words. 2012_10_07

Skywest Case Study

SkyWest, Inc. , and the Regional Airline Industry in 2009 Strategic Profile and Case Analysis Purpose: The US regional airline industry like any industry has experienced some major pitfalls that can be attributed to the current economic global downturn. As a result, major stakeholders in the industry are looking for better strategies to cope.Among the pressing challenges are; the increasing and fluctuating cost of fueling the jets, the prohibitive costs of acquiring funds to purchase new jets, the intense competition among the major players, the dwindling market of business and leisure travelers, regulations that have increased costs, and the effects of September 11, 2001 terror attacks which has brought enhanced security which for the airline industry means long checks and overall dissatisfaction in customer service.Although it looks like the sky is falling for the airline industry, the gleam of hope that regionals like SkyWest are bringing to the complex airline business is showing a slow but hopeful recovery for the airline industry. This case analysis will first detail the internal workings of the regional airline industry and will specifically address SkyWest, Inc. , with regards to its strategies including the challenges it faces and the core competencies it has in its operations. This analysis will also focus on the product SkyWest, Inc. ells and the challenges, strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats (including financial) it faces in the regional airline industry and will recommend strategies that will strengthen the brand of the company. Industry analysis: Regional carriers like SkyWest airlines provide transportation to and from small communities through large airports where the major airlines operate, which in the industry lingo is called a regional feed. They also help to increase frequency of service in mainline markets during times of day of the week when demand does not call for use of large aircraft.The service that regionals provide is a s a result of partnerships with the major airlines that are usually contractual. This partnership is a symbiotic relationship that caters to the needs of both segments. Aircraft used by regionals include turboprops and jets that are usually owned by the regionals but carry the major airline’s flag. Regionals also own and operate their own brands that mostly cater to small communities; the term commuter airline is usually used when they perform this role.In the past decade, US Regional airlines enjoyed robust growth and financial returns over the past several years when major’s or network partners reduced capacity and outsourced flying due to financial trouble. SkyWest, Inc. , is a leader in the regional arena and this case will be based on that premise. SkyWest Strategy: Strategy according to the textbook is â€Å"doing what competitors don’t do or, even better, doing what they can’t do†. (Page 9). SkyWest is focusing on a low-cost provider strateg y in the regional airline industry.By focusing on a narrow market niche, SkyWest is building a competitive edge by doing a better job than its rivals. Another strategy it employs is growth; the company has realized an internal growth through the expansion of its partnerships, geographic growth and the pursuit of new partnerships. But most importantly the reasons why SkyWest is successful is the efficiency it employs by the way: †¢It manages its fleet, thus less accidents and downtimes. †¢It empowers its employees better than other regionals; benefits, pay, continuous education. †¢On time performance- by consistently being the best in on time arrivals. Most importantly is how it manages its finances. Cost control is a major company undertaking and the ability to anticipate and cut costs has made the company competitive. The company has fine-tuned its core competencies through partnerships with Delta Connection and United Express which has created growth opportunities t hrough the volume of business these two airlines brought. By having a strong, focused and forward strategy, SkyWest benefited when these two major airlines were in bankruptcy. SWOT ANALYSIS: (Strength). †¢Safety – exceeds conventional safety standards. †¢Low-cost provider Cost efficient – the company has ordered jets that will be cost efficient/fuel. †¢Market reputation – on-time arrivals and cancellations- this attribute makes it attractive for other major airlines who can benefit using SkyWest as their regional servicer. †¢Financial stability – consistent growth in operating revenues/income. †¢Implementation of Stetson Quality Suite. Weakness – First, ASA (Atlantic Southeast Airline) – the acquisition of ASA from Delta in 2005 expanded the company business, however the labor unions that represent ASA employees is a weakness that can ground the company in case of a strike.Secondly, SkyWest was ranked low on customer service; this in the airline industry is a major requirement for competition since the product is universally the same when viewed by the customer. Developing and maintaining a high level of customer service is crucial. Third, the partnerships with Delta and United are also a weakness since the two major have similar business models. The majority of the company business comes from these two and the fact that both companies had undergone bankruptcy signals SkyWest to diversify its operation.The reliance on only these two is a major weakness that has to be addressed. Delta’s decision for not paying the $25 million it owed SkyWest is a . To add on this, issues like lost baggage accounted for a terrible rating of 9. 53 reports per 1000, which was double the industry average. Also a high number of customer complaints Airline quality rating study found SkyWest near the bottom of 16 airlines for customer service. Passengers also see the small planes as less safe than the bigger and more spacious airplanes that the majors operate.The company is bounded by the â€Å"scope clause† after the ASA acquisition. OPPORTUNITIES: †¢Low cost partnerships – SkyWest currently has no partnerships with this segment of the business. Creating partnerships with low cost providers is a future opportunity that can increase revenue. †¢Increase in business travelers- in the past the majors had the bulk of these niche, however regionals can get into this market because business travelers are becoming cost conscious and are frequent users thus untapped revenues can be realized. Changing industry – the major airlines are going through tough financial times thus there is more business to be realized from their outsourcing to regionals like SkyWest. †¢Global market – the company currently has operations in Europe, Latin America and China. Other avenues in the expanding global market can be explored. THREATS: †¢Labor unions – threat from acquisitions like ASA, which is union oriented. †¢Cost of fuel – the unpredictability of the energy industry is always causing uncertainty in the airline industry. Any increase in demand (from ASIA-especially China) can cause the cost of fuel to increase. Majors’ airlines may start their own low cost providers, competition is getting stiffer. †¢Government regulations- for instance the current restrictions placed on entrants to some markets and the $262 to $577 cost of regulation to the industry. †¢The economy – if it follows the current trajectory, competition for scarce revenues will continue. †¢Shutdown of major airline hubs †¢Competitors – Republic Airways Holdings acquired Midwest and Frontier †¢Scope Clause- it would limit the size of aircraft the company operates Financial Analysis:Looking at the company finances, the outlooks looks gloom. However, the nature of the current economy has contributed largely to SkyWes t, Inc. , reduction in revenue. Lost in the numbers are factors that were beyond the company’s control including costs like acquiring ASA, and figures like the $5. 2 million lost because of the Denver International Airport closure in December 2006.. Consequently, because SkyWest depends on revenues from its major partners, the cost of fuel that the partners reported in 2009 were reported as revenue, which means the numbers were not accurate.In addition, even with the growth in revenue in 2008, a decline in reported income of $111. 4 million was reported from the previous year (2007) and a decline of $29. 8 million for the quarter ending in December 31, 2008. Of particular importance is the $18. 3 million decline that was due to â€Å"reductions in flight schedules made by the company major partners†. (page c-208). ASA (which serves the southeast region) experienced cancellations and delays due to weather and grounding of 60 aircrafts due to safety issues which further reduced revenues by $7. 6 million.A further $5 was lost due to negotiations with Delta Airlines in regard to expenses. A more revealing picture is when the operating profit margin (left over revenue after paying variable cost) is calculated. SkyWest declined from 12. 5% in 2004 to 7. 30% in 2008. In contrast, the news is not all that bad. SkyWest management predicts a promising future. The combined revenue passenger miles increased by 4. 9% in June 2009 and its overall load factor were up by 2. 3%. Recommendations: SkyWest, Inc. , has all the necessary ingredients to sustain its leadership in the regional airline business.Case and point was when its consolidated revenues were $3,114 million at the end of the year 2006, up from $1,964 million the year before. However, the strategy of growth that the company is currently on signals pitfalls that are in its future. For instance, the partnership dependence that it places on the major airlines like Delta and United makes it vulnerable. B oth majors underwent bankruptcy and relying on them for revenues is risky for the company. Delta refused to pay the $25 million owed because it knew that SkyWest would not sue them because of their business.SkyWest should acquire low cost providers or even acquire other regionals to decrease adventures like ASA (unionized, poor performance culture). In addition, it should look into code sharing ventures that are less risky because the growth pattern it is capable of pursuing will yield more revenues. Of particular importance are the rival regionals like Frontier (owned by Republic), Southwest and the Mesa Air Group. In order to be competitive, SkyWest should look for ways that the company can acquire rivals. The move to pre-empt rivals will extend the reach of the company geographically and it would discourage new entrants.In addition, the company has to improve its customer service (training frontline employees) because the cost of losing customers translates directly into lost rev enues. ASA in particular came with a terrible image and the transfer of core competencies/culture from the parent company will improve the overall outlook and brand of the company. Moreover, after the ASA acquisition, the issue of unionized employees who joined the company has to be addressed. If the option of negotiation between the company and the union ever fails, major problems can be experienced.SkyWest, Inc. should keep ASA separate because in the event of a strike, business will be affected. Finally, the issue of going global in the regional airline industry is important. SkyWest operates in Europe, China and Latin America. The opportunities in China, Mexico and Latin America are possibilities that the company should explore. However, the decision to expand can make SkyWest, Inc. , vulnerable at the home market; thus a careful well researched and strategic plan should be implemented before embarking on a global arena. by capitalizing on external opportunities and fortifying t heir internal strengths, SkyWest, Inc. , can achieve better shareholder returns and remain the leader in the regional airline industry†. (USATODAY). Works Cited Thompson, A. A. , Strickland. A. J. and Gamble, J. (2005) Crafting and Executing Strategy (18th edition), McGraw-Hill, New York, pages C-206– C-226). USA TODAY (2009). Regional airline thrive while the big boys cut back. Retrieved from http://www. usatoday. com/travel/column/grossman/2013-21-3regional-airlines_N. htm

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

Gilgamesh - Essay Example The Epic Hero stands as more than just the conquerer, but also as a role model and an ideal man, an allegory for the struggle to meet one’s truest potential. Every culture has their own version of the Epic Hero, who occupies a distinct place in the scheme of the society. Separate from his contemporaries, the Epic Hero straddles the line between man and god, unable to fully commit to one realm or another. He must separate himself from the common people, either by choice or by necessity, in order to undertake the tasks that must be completed. Gilgamesh epitomizes the Epic Hero. We see him as the beloved king, the indomitable ruler, occupying a station above all others that is simultaneously ruled over by fickle deities. He concerns himself with tasks beyond the scope of mortal possibilities, ridding the world of evil beings and challenging the permanence of death. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic in more than name — King Gilgamesh’s undertaking is ambitious almost to a fault and in his journey, he undergoes intense personal transformation from an irreverent, self-important child to a motivated, intuitive ruler. Motivated by his quest, the Epic Hero moves through the physical world as a sort of outsider whose actions and reactions come from a more direct relationship with the material and preternatural elements of his environment. The Epic Hero reflects the nature of his origin culture by demonstrating the ideal man, an icon that reflects the values and mores of the people. People relate to the Epic Hero because he represents the beliefs that they have been taught to accept and revere. This archetype has influenced more than fictional literature. Alexander the Great, for instance, was indeed a real historical figure, but he has taken on many of the elements of the Epic Hero demonstrated in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Much of the traditional narrative of Alexander reflects the power and prestige associated with the Epic Hero, but the metaphysical as pect of the legend carries other similarities. Alexander’s search for the water of life in later Islamic mythos mirrors that of Gilgamesh, and, like Gilgamesh, Alexander fails in his quest to become immortal (Jastrow). Similarly, themes of divine anger and details reminiscent of Gilgamesh appear extensively in Genesis — so much so that historians believe the Biblical flood story to be heavily influenced its Mesopotamian counterpart (Millard 13). Enraged by the sins of the world, the Semitic god decides to flood the world (Gen. 6.17). Noah, the pious man who assumes the role of the Epic Hero, delivers his family from danger by building a great ark at the insistence of the divine, demonstrating to the reader the importance of following god’s commandments. Although the Mesopotamian version does not incorporate the same level of moral implication, both flood stories demonstrate the continued involvement of the gods in the day-to-day survival of the world. Regardless of the era, deities play a distinct role in the epic narrative. They shape and define the path of the hero, alternately offering aid and raising barriers. Respect is demanded from all participating parties and, as demonstrated by the rampage of the Bull of Heaven, a lack of due respect results in disaster. Irreverence is punished harshly. The hero, who does not quite fit into the mortal realm, often