Chocolate and Brownies Essay Example for Free

Chocolate and Brownies Essay Baking brownies seems easy enough, but have you ever followed every step on the back of the box and weren’t happy with the outcome? I think we all have done that a number of times. If you want to know how to create the most amazing mouth-watering brownies keep reading. You and anyone who will get the pleasure of enjoying the brownies won’t be disappointed with your new and improved recipe. Start off by making a grocery list to purchase the items you do not have. The main ingredients are as follows: 1 small avocado, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, 2 tbsp sunflower oil, 1 tbsp ground chia seeds, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp dark roasted coffee (or instant), 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, 1 ? cup whole grain spelt flour, ? cup cocoa powder, ? tsp baking powder, ? tsp baking soda, ? tsp Himalayan sea salt. This may seem like an extensive list, but trust me, your taste buds will be going crazy as soon as the first bite is taken. Not only are these brownies going to be a delicious satisfaction to the chocolate craving many of us wish to fulfill, but the actually are not as bad for you as you may think. The ingredients listed substitute a lot of the ingredients in boxed brownies such as oils and eggs which may leave you feeling guilty after indulging. Ok, so as soon as you have the ingredients needed make sure you are working in a clean area. Before mixing the ingredients together preheat the oven to 350F, line an 8† pan with parchment paper, or cover with non-stick spray and set aside. In a large bowl, gently smash the avocado with a fork to break apart followed by a hand mixer (you don’t want any chunks). The avocado is used as a substitute and for texture, not necessarily for flavoring as you’ll notice in the final product you cannot taste it at all. Next, add in the brown sugar, maple syrup, oil, chia, vanilla extract, and coffee; mix this until smooth. Put the large bowl aside and grab a medium one. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add these dry ingredients to the wet mix on low with a mixer, or stir by hand until the dry mix is no longer visible. Stir in the chocolate chips, toss in a few extra if you’d like. Dump the mixture onto the baking pan, the batter will be extremely thick but do not worry, dipping your spatula into cold water will make it easier to spread out the batter. Once your batter is the way you want it to be in the pan, place it in the oven and let it cook for 20-25 minutes and no more. The batter may be giving you mixed signals while cooking, but I know from experience how shocking it is that 25 minutes could cook it thoroughly considering how thick it is first going into the oven. Try not to open the oven too much while it is cooking, only check on it after about 20 minutes. While the brownies are baking is a great time to clean up the bowls and spatula you used. Let them soak in hot soapy water because the batter being so thick takes quite a while scrubbing to be completely clean. Also be careful not to make the water too hot, you don’t want to be dipping your hand into scalding hot water. It’s time! The oven has buzzed and you probably cannot wait to peek at your wonderful brownies. Be sure to get oven mitts to remove the dish from the oven, test the center of the brownies with a fork and as long as it comes out clean they are fully cooked. It should come out clean, but if for some reason it hasn’t put them back in for no longer than 2 minutes. Nothing is worse than an over cooked brownie. Let the brownies cool for 20 minutes before diving in. After the 20 minutes has passed, cut the brownies into the size you desire. I have found a pizza cutter to be the easiest to get through the thick layers of fudge. You’re finished! You have just completed the best brownies you will ever experience in your life. Put a large scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and enjoy! Be sure not to give away your secret to others who will be sure to be envious.

An analysis of sigmund freuds level of consciousness Essay Example for Free

An analysis of sigmund freuds level of consciousness Essay Sigmund Freud, born in 1856, was an Austrian neurologist and physiologist. Today, Freud is known as â€Å"one of the most influential and authoritative thinkers of the twentieth century†(Berger). Throughout his lifetime, which had ended in September of 1939, Freud had many theories, however, his most well known as the â€Å"psychoanalytic theory of personality development,† which argued that the human psyche is divided into three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. In the novel Lord of the Flies, many readers believed that the author, William Goldberg, applied Freud’s theory to the characters in the book. Based off of Sigmund Freud’s â€Å"psychoanalytic theory of personality development,† Jack Merridew was the id in the story, while Piggy was the superego, and Ralph was the ego. According to Freud’s theory, the id relies directly on instinct as they go through life, ignoring the logistics of reality and the possible consequences. Freud gives an example of an id by comparing it to an infant, who often demands immediate satisfaction, and will react poorly if their needs are not immediately fulfilled. In Lord of the Flies, Jack Merridew is a representation of how a newborn child with power and motor skills could act. When Jack and his hunters leave to hunt for pig and neglected his fireside duties, there is a connection with Freud’s theory. Jack did what would give him direct pleasure, which was, at the time, to hunt. However, because of Jack’s needs, the fire had been allowed to go out and the boys missed one of their only opportunities of rescue, as a ship traveled by the island, but there was no signal smoke. This event highlights Jack’s connections to the id because he had no consideration or thought of what the outcome would be if he was constantly caught up in his own needs. Another time when Jack’s actions relate to Freud’s theory is when the boys are having an assembly to discuss the best sightings. During the assembly, Jack attempts to take Ralph’s power away by causing a disturbance and questioning Ralph’s leadership in front of the whole group. Once again breaking the rules of the conch, Jack shouts, â€Å"And you shut up! Who are you, anyway? Sitting there telling people what to do. You can’t hunt, you can’t sing—†(Golding 91). Clearly, Jack is challenging Ralph’s authority in an attempt to shift it to himself, ignoring the fact that Ralph is a better leader. Jack’s overwhelming need for power convinces him that the position of the leader should be his. Before Ralph, Roger, and Jack start their climb up the mountain to see the beast, Ralph says something that highlights Jack’s connections to the id throughout the whole book. While Ralph was challenging Jack, the text reads, â€Å"For the first time since he had first known Jack, Ralph could feel him hesitate†(Goldberg 122). This quote backs up the fact that for the most part, Jack had gone through his days on the island acting on instinct without a single hesitation. It was only in this moment of time that Ralph could sense any sort of hesitation from Jack, and it would be the only time.

Social Networking Relationships

Social Networking Relationships Social Networking Relation 1.0 Introduction â€Å"Social networking is really recommendation between people about the things that they are interested in and they like†¦ this has stimulated people’s attention in terms of the importance of public relation. The people who are going on these sites didn’t want to be monetised, they didn’t want to be advertised to, so again editorial communication is so powerful, they would rather be communities that can exchange views that are untarnished.† Sir Martin Sorrell Social media is a global phenomenon in which old demographics no longer apply. Conversations happen at the click of a button. New communities are born every day and brands need to be involved; in the first instance to listen, and then to participate. Social media is booming. Every day new statistics, white papers and articles appear discussing its continued growth. Independent market analyst Datamonitor (2008) has revealed how quickly the number of people participating in online social networking is growing: the United Kingdom currently leads Europe, in terms of membership, and is expected to reach 27 million users a threefold increase on todays figures by 2012 (www.datamonitor.com). â€Å"Social networking sites are the reality television of the Internet,† said Jon Gibs (Senior Director of Media, Nielsen//NetRatings). â€Å"The content is relatively inexpensive for publishers to produce, and social networking is not a fad that will disappear. If anything, it will become more ingrained in mainstream sites, just as reality TV programming has become ubiquitous in network programming,† Gibs continued (www.acnielsen.com). â€Å"However, again like reality programming, the concept of ‘reality’ alone, or in this case ‘social networking,’ is not enough. In this competitive marketplace, sites also have to provide consumers with distinct content they can identify with.† A new survey reveals that almost 50 percent of attorneys are members of online social networks and over 40 percent of attorneys believe professional networking has the potential to change the business and practice of law over the next five years. â€Å"Online professional networking is a growing area of importance in the legal industry,† said Ralph Calistri, Chief Executive Officer of Martindale Hubbell and senior vice president of Global Client Development at LexisNexis. â€Å"As we develop a global network for the legal community through Martindale-Hubbell, objective research such as this survey by Leader Networks serves as an important way for us to listen to clients and guide our efforts.† Table: United States: Top 10 Social Networking Sites (March 2008) Source: AC Nielsen The Internet has broadened the area of word of mouth influences from interpersonal communication among acquaintances to online communication to general public (e.g. posting reviews). Harrison-Walker (2001) defined word of mouth as â€Å"informal person-to-person communication between a perceived non-commercial communicator and a receiver regarding a brand, a product, an organization, or a service.† Marketing practitioners try to encourage such â€Å"informal† communication in a positive manner, and several approaches such as â€Å"viral marketing† (Wilson 2000) and â€Å"buzz marketing† (Rosen 2000) have been developed. Facebook was created in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, a student at Harvard University. According to Zuckerberg, â€Å"The idea for the website was motivated by a social need at Harvard to be able to identify people in other residential houses† (Moyle, 2004). Today Facebook has more than 7.5 million registered members at over 2,000 U.S. colleges and is the seventh-most-popular site on the entire Web with respect to total page views (Cassidy, 2006). Social networking sites are online spaces that allow individuals to present themselves, articulate their social networks, and establish or maintain connections with others. These sites can be oriented towards work-related contexts (e.g. LinkedIn.com), romantic relationship initiation, or connecting those with shared interests such as music or politics (e.g. MySpace.com). Users may use the sites’ communication tools to interact with those they know from offline contexts, such as school, or they may use the sites to meet new people. The way in which these sites allow for new connections to be made between individuals has resulted in proposed legislation which would bar libraries and schools to block minors’ access to social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook (McCullagh, 2006). MySpace in particular has generated public concern due to its large member base 78 million registered accounts according to one source (Wright, 2006) many of whom are teenagers. There is little academic work examining online social networks. A 2005 survey of academic community members found that 90% of the undergraduates participated in a social network community, primarily Facebook, MySpace, and Friendster, and that many of them disclosed personal information such as email address (Stutzman, 2006). In her ethnographic work examining self-presentation and social connections among Friendster users, boyd (2004) notes that users have a variety of motivations for using the site, including connecting with old friends, meeting new acquaintances, dating, and furthering professional networks. In one of the few pieces to examine this new breed of online fora, Donath and boyd (2004) point out that one of the chief hallmarks of these sites is that links between individuals are mutual, public, unnuanced and decontextualized. In the sites that Donath and boyd examine, public displays of connections serve to warrant, or signal the reliability of, one’s identity claims. Social networking sites are distinguished from the first wave of virtual community sites in that they allow for both maintenance of existing social ties and formation of new connections. A hallmark of the early research on computer-mediated communication and virtual communities in particular is the assumption that individuals using these systems would be connecting with those outside their pre-existing social group or location, liberating individuals to form communities around shared interests, as opposed to shared geography (Wellman et al., 1996). However, some online community researchers have explored how online communities present opportunities for people in a common offline community to extend their interaction. Such a theme is articulated by Wellman et al. (1996), who note that â€Å"Although CSSNs [computer supported social networks] do transcend time and space, not all ties are either totally on-line or off-line. Much on-line contact is between people who see each other in person and live locally† (p.222). 1.1 Research Question This research studies the importance of social networking sites and aims to identify how motivations for using social networking sites influence the degree of interaction and the generation of word-of-mouth. Next, in order to study use patterns of social networking sites between users in United Kingdom and to explore the relationship between the degree of interaction and the generation of word-of-mouth, the following questions are generated. Why / how often do people use social networking sites? Are social networking sites users generating word-of-mouth? If so, what makes users generate word-of-mouth? Do the motivations of using social networking sites influence on the degree of interaction or on the generation of word-of-mouth? H1 Exploring the relationship between the purpose of using social networking sites and the degree of users’ interaction H2 Exploring the relationship between the purpose of using social networking sites and the generation of word-of-mouth H3 Exploring the relationship between the degree of users’ interaction and the generation of word-of-mouth in social networking sites Main Research Question: How effective are motivations for using social networking sites influencing degree of interaction and word of mouth in United Kingdom? At the same time, the growing importance of word-of-mouth on social networking sites is understood and discussed by both marketing practitioners and academics, and online word-of-mouth communication is considered as a new marketing tool (Kozinets, 1999; Croteau, 2006; Peattie, 2007; McKinsey Quarterly, 2007). Due to the similar characteristics between social networking sites and word-of-mouth communication, namely, relationship and interaction among people, a number of researchers tried to find out the connection between online communities and word-of-mouth, then, came up with various ways to measure word-of-mouth in the virtual world (Kozinets, 2002; Godes et al, 2005; Dwyer, 2007). In addition, after their introduction, social networking sites brought in a new organisational framework for online communities. According to Boyd and Ellison (2008), early online communities were constructed as ‘communities of interest’, but social networking sites these days are constructed as personal. In other words, social networking sites are centred around people rather than topics or ‘topical hierarchies’. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 General Overview The study of personal influence and the idea that there are certain people who are especially influential over others has fascinated researchers, practitioners, and the general public for more than 60 years. Variously named in academic and popular circles, these people have been called opinion leaders (Katz Lazarsfeld, 1955), early adopters (Rogers, 1962/2003), influential (Weimann, 1994), and Influential Americans ® (Keller Berry, 2003), while the process of personal influence has been linked to, or synonymous with, various phenomena such as compliance gaining (strategic attempts to seek compliance from others in interpersonal settings; Wilson, 2002), the diffusion of innovations (how ideas spread in a culture; Rogers, 1962/2003), buzz (contagious word-of-mouth commentary about products, services, brands, and ideas; Walker, 2004), and tipping points (the point at which an idea, behavior, or product â€Å"tips,† crossing a threshold from being a minor phenomenon to a wild epidemic; Gladwell, 2000). Numerous organizations, for-profit and not-for-profit, in an assortment of industries (consumer products, fashion, health care, law, higher education, etc.) have sought to capitalize on a renewed awareness and interest in the influential role that informal conversation and relational networks play internally to an organization (e.g., in terms of sharing knowledge within and across organizational units; Cross Parker, 2004; May Zorn, 2002) and especially to external audiences (e.g., in the case of viral and buzz marketing). Thus, although the power of stimulating word-of-mouth and relational networks has been known for some time (Arndt, 1967; Whyte, 1954), a more recent phenomenon is when certain firms seek to consciously engineer buzz in relational networks (Balter Butman, 2005; Dye, 2000; Godin, 2001; Ozcan, 2004; Rosen, 2000;Walker, 2004). For example, some firms (such as Big Fat Inc.) pay people to go out and talk up a brand, either in face-toface or online settings, where the fact that they are employed by a marketing agency is not disclosed (a form of â€Å"undercover† marketing). Other firms (such as BzzAgent, Inc.) actively recruit volunteers who willingly participate in a campaign by going out and buzzing the product or service (oftentimes in exchange for points that can be redeemed for prizes or the knowledge that they are the first among their peers to have access to a new product) and then report back to the buzz marketing company their own and others’ feedback about the product (the company then compiles and analyzes these various reports from the field and presents them to the client). Still others (e.g., Proctor Gamble’s Tremor program) form an extensive network of carefully selected teenagers to create buzz among peers for their clients’ brands and products (Wells, 2004). These distinct kinds of organizational marketing practices have raised a number of ethical concerns, some more than others. In addition to whether or not the institutional identity of the agent is disclosed, whether or not the person buzzing the brand is doing so for some form of compensation, and whether or not agents involve minors younger than age 13 (Wells, 2004), a significant concern is that through buzz marketing marketers are better able to infiltrate everyday conversations and relationships (Walker, 2004), which might be regarded as further instantiation of corporate colonization of the lifeworld (Deetz, 1992). With traditional forms of marketing and advertising efforts, consumer audiences can â€Å"tune out† or â€Å"turn off† the advertising. However, what happens when the marketing is your friend or family member, in online and offline conversations? Is society increasingly falling prey to the â€Å"commercialization of chit-chat?†(Walker, 2004). Although these concerns are not new— for example, marketing to known others has been well-documented and critiqued in terms of Tupperware parties (Frenzen Davis, 1990; Taylor, 1978) and multilevel marketing companies (Biggart, 1989; Carl, 2004; Fitzpatrick Reynolds, 1997)—the fact that increasing numbers of well-known, mainstream organizations seek to amplify buzz in social networks has elevated the concern (Vranica, 2005). 2.2 Word of mouth Word-of-mouth has grown in popularity over the past several years as a marketing and research medium (BzzAgent, 2005). Marketers seeking to find new methods for reaching customers and communicating with them have wondered if word-of-mouth could provide a potential solution to the dwindling return of traditional marketing platforms. Since the beginning of organized marketing programs, marketers viewed word-of-mouth as an incredibly valuable, yet uncontrollable, result of effective marketing practices. Many marketers have implemented plans to fool word of mouth into occurring, seeding the marketplace with shills (paid actors talking up products and services). They found the results effective but extremely risky, since consumers didn’t like being deceived. In recent years, a number of companies have formed, seeking to harness the power of authentic word of mouth (BzzAgent, 2005). By organizing real consumers, they train them to share their honest opinions more effectively. Defining word of mouth can be tricky, especially in light of the Internet and recent emergence of buzz marketing firms. According to Buttle’s (1998) review of marketing research, Arndt (1967) discussed word of mouth as face-to-face communication about a brand, product, or service between people who are perceived as not having connections to a commercial entity. Bone’s (1992) definition is similar though she noted that word of mouth could be a group phenomenon: â€Å"An exchange of comments, thoughts, and ideas among two or more individuals in which none of the individuals represent a marketing source† (p. 579). Stern (1994) distinguished word of mouth from advertising in that word of mouth is face-to-face, interactive, ephemeral, spontaneous, and does not include such features as clever turns of phrases or jingles. Buttle (1998), however, found these definitions unsatisfactory because (a) Word of mouth can include talk about an organization (in addition to a brand, product, or service), (b) it can be electronically mediated (such as cell phone, chat rooms, e-mail, Web sites, â€Å"tell-a-friend† hyperlinks, etc.), and (c) more and more companies may offer incentives or rewards for consumers to spread word of mouth or make referrals (e.g., to refer friends and family members for a company’s services). Buttle concluded that currently the only distinguishing feature of word of mouth may be that â€Å"word of mouth is uttered by sources that are assumed by receivers to be independent of corporate influence† (p. 243). In contrast to traditional word of mouth marketing research, research on buzz marketing is still in its infancy. Verlegh, Verkerk, Tuk, and Smidts (2004) mentioned, but did not study, buzz marketers in their experimental research on whether or not financial incentives used when stimulating customer referrals alter the meaning of the situation such that consumers would perceive the word of mouth episode to be â€Å"persuasive† rather than just friendly, peer advice. Thomas (2004) represented an early conceptual piece on buzz marketing where it was defined as the â€Å"amplification of initial marketing efforts by third parties through their passive or active influence† (p. 64). An early empirical study that applied insights from existing word of mouth and social network research from a firm’s perspective was conducted by Godes and Mayzlin (2004). Abundant research demonstrates that word of mouth (WOM) is one of the most influential channels of communication in the marketplace. The reasons for WOMs power are evident: word of mouth is seen as more credible than marketer initiated communications because it is perceived as having passed through the unbiased filter of people like me. At a time of declining trust in institutions, research shows that its influence is growing stronger. In a recent national survey (Harris Interactive, 2006a), U.S. consumers were asked which information sources they find useful when deciding which products to buy in four common product categories. WOM and recommendations from friends/family/people at work/school were by far the most influential sources for fast food, cold medicine, and breakfast cereal. For personal computers, a highly technical category, we saw a strong reliance on expert advice in the form of product reviews and websites, followed by WOM as the next most useful. The consumer marketplace in which any enterprise operates is a complex, dynamic system. A study found that disinterested, ill-prepared and unwelcoming salespeople lead to more lost business and bad word-of-mouth than any other management challenge in retailing. There are a variety of different triggers for having a bad shopping experience, including things like parking or how well the store is organized. Some of those things retailers can do something about and some of them they cant. But frankly, a very important part of the retail experience is the interaction with the sales associate, says Wharton marketing professor Stephen J. Hoch, director of the Baker Initiative. In a telephone survey of 1,000 shoppers who were asked about their most recent retail experience, 33% reported they had been unable to find a salesperson to help them. Many of these shoppers were so annoyed by this one problem that they said they would not return to the store. According to the Wharton analysis, sales associates who are missing in action cost American retailers six percent of their customers. Add to that the 25% of consumers reporting they were ignored outright by sales associates no greeting, no smile, not even eye contact (Arndt, 1967; Aaker et al, 1996; Reingen and Kernan, 1986). This lack of engagement turned off three percent of customers to the point where they said they would permanently stay way from the store in which they encountered this behaviour. Hoch remains puzzled by sales associates who retreat from potential customers. You would think that if these sales associates are spending the whole day interacting with people, they would be a lot happier in their own life if they were friendly. Instead, they pull into their shell (Brown and Reingen, 1987). Whats wrong with saying, Hi, how are you doing?' According to Paula Courtney, president of the Verde Group, survey respondents were not frustrated by sales associates who seemed overworked or outmanned by shoppers. Its the conscious ignoring that irritates them, she says. Customers would walk into a store and the store representative would see them and continue to put items on the shelf or watch the cash register or do administrative work absolutely ignoring the fact that an actual person was in the store (Cox, 1963, cited in Brown at el, 2007). In the above example, the degree of interaction was bad with consumers at a particular retail outlet. This provided bad word of mouth and hampered long term sustainability for the retailer. In other words, this forms the central part of the dissertation that degree of interaction and word of mouth are slightly interrelated. 2.3 Motives of Social networking British anthropologist Robin Dunbar estimates that humans can only maintain stable relationships with around 150 people. That number refers to significant relationships like those in a family or tribe and other purposeful groups. Yet in todays over-informed digital business world, where bloated data moves at the speed of thought, its not who you know that really counts, but who knows you (Kozinets, 1999; Boyd and Ellison, 2008). Professional online social networking tools are invaluable in creating personal brand equity and raising awareness about who you are, especially beyond your 150 closest friends (BBC News, 2005). Online social networking software enables you to find quality people who may not be familiar with you, or with your organization, and creates an opportunity to connect with them and sell them on your opportunities (Boyd and Ellison, 2008). They may be unfamiliar with your company or business, or may not have even been looking for something. Because you already know someone who knows them, you can feel more comfortable that they are a quality prospect or at least can do some checking around (Boyd and Ellison, 2008). Also, because of that mutual connection, you can more easily overcome cumbersome barriers and begin a relationship with a little more trust and warmth than with a total stranger. Like Six degrees of Kevin Bacon, social networking sheds light on the contacts you never knew you had. For example, you can contact people in your network to: Rekindle old connections Maximize value in your weak connections Build business relationships with clients or hiring managers Find and meet prospective job-seekers Grow a referral network Heighten your corporate and personal brand Make new connections and grow your sphere of influence Open doors to future career opportunities, increased pay, or promotions Increase visibility, which improves influence and effectiveness internally with your organization as well as externally Social networking also helps you find new leads for networking into companies to: Educate yourself and ask questions about other organizations Conduct competitive intelligence on companies, industries, or individuals Make fewer cold calls and better prepare for them Leverage contacts you already have With the help of existing literature, Ridings and Gefen (2004) categorised four reasons to join online communities: ‘information exchange’, ‘social support exchange’, ‘friendship, and ‘recreation’. Firstly, people choose to use online communities to access and exchange information. By using online communities, people can access a huge amount of information generated by other users since online community providers offer effective systems or technologies in order to make their users easily exchange, create, request and search information (Hagel and Armstrong, 1997). The second reason why users participate in online communities is to obtain the social support. Wellman et al (1996) suggested that online communities give emotional support and sociability to their users by giving ‘a sense of belonging’. For instance, Mickelson (1997) gave examples of online communities which focus on recovering social problems such as alcohol and drug addicts in order to explain why the social support can be the motivation of using online communities. Thirdly, people join online communities to manage relationships. To seek friendship or to generate social capital, which can be defined as the resources gathered through the relationships among people (Coleman, 1988), online community users interact with other users with the aim of establishing and continuing relationships. For example, offline social capital can be generated by means of online tools, especially using social networking sites when people want to expand or keep up their offline relationships. Lastly, recreation is another reason why people experience online communities. In conclusion, how word-of-mouth affects consumer behaviour can be described by those three factors; tie strength, homophily, and source credibility. As mentioned above, Brown et al (2007) and other researchers (Silverman, 1997; Money et al, 1998; Bansal and Voyer, 2000) explored the nature of word-of-mouth in online communities. Finally, the summary of the research above is compared by Brown et al (2007) as the following Table 1. Table 1: A Comparison between offline and online social network constructs Offline Online Tie Strength Definition The intensity of a social relation between pairs of individuals The intensity of an interactive and personalised relationship between an individual and a website Homophily Definition The degree to which pairs of individuals are similar in terms of certain attributes The congruence between a user’s psychological attributes and website content Source Credibility Definition Perceived competence of the individual source providing information Perceived competence of the website and its membership Source: Brown et al, 2007, pp. 10 Table 1 Bottom line: It could be seen that different internet users have diverse motives to enter social networking sites. Fulfilment of motives can enhance positive word of mouth and higher degree of interaction of a particular website. As per previous academic literature there have been negligible cases that internet users have entered social networking with out motivations. This forms the foundation of dissertation. 3.0 Research Model 3.1 Research approach The research strategy we intend to adopt is a combination of multi-methods, of deductive, inductive and exploratory. Quantitative data will be collected throughout the life cycle of the project, from secondary sources: journals, databases, past dissertations, newspapers and magazine articles etc. We propose to use the following secondary databases to conduct quantitative data research: Emerald Full text Emerald Reviews Emerald Abstracts Swet Wise Reuters Business Insight Regional Business News Questia Media Primary research will be conducted, using a closed questionnaire designed to predict average behaviour of children in general (Saunders et al. 2003). The inductive approach takes to account interpretivism or social considerations, which enables to establish the intentions of the respondents more clearly. Saunders et al (2003) says that data collected using open-ended questions allows individuals more flexibility in answering, which may confirm a hypothesis or other wise. The limitation or disadvantage of this approach is that it is subjective and can only be applied to a limited sample of participants (Saunders et el. 2003). Exploratory research will be conducted on a pilot group consisting of young internet users (mainly with Orkut profiles) within the age group 15-20 who will participate in a discussion on the following; the influence of motivations for using social networking sites on degree of interaction and word of mouth in United Kingdom. 3.2 Research Design A research design is a program that guides the investigator in the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting observations. According to Nachmias Nachmias (1987) it is logical model of proof that allows the researcher to draw inferences concerning causal relationships among the variables under investigation. Consequently, the appropriate research design will depend on the problem to be investigated (Churchill, 1991), the purpose of the research, the research questions, and the state of the knowledge existing prior to the research plan (Eisenhardt, 1989). Research methods and data collection, form an elementary part of the research design. Typically, the research methods and the data collection techniques are functions of the purpose of the research design. The purpose of the research may be organized into three groups based on what the researcher is trying to accomplish: explore a new topic, describe social phenomena or explain why something occurs. The three basic types of research designs are: Exploratory (Case Studies), Descriptive and Casual. 3.2.1 Case Study The case study approach is the most widely used in management fraternity. A Case study is the collection and presentation of detailed information about a particular participant or small group, frequently including the accounts of subjects themselves. It’s a form of qualitative descriptive research and it deals intensely at an individual or small participant pool, drawing conclusions only about that participant or group and only in that specific context. This research design is not used to focus on topics such as discovery of a universal, general

Essay --

Martin Luther a German theologian and religious reformer was the founding figure of the protestant reformation, the break from the Catholic Church, which in many ways marks the beginning of modern Europe. A well-expressed preacher and huge writer, Luther attacked many abuses of the Catholic Church, especially the papacy. The source of his spiritual revelation was not political or institutional but came from his inner fight of conscience. Like other people of his day, Luther was horrified that god would in the end reject him for his sins. He found a word in the bible called â€Å"Law† which increased his terror, but he also discovered a word god called â€Å"Gospel,† the good news and promise of mercy in Christ, which shed all of his worries. By his words and actions, Luther caused an action that reformulated certain rudimentary Christian belief and the division of Western Church between Roman Catholics and the Protestant traditions. He is one of the most influential per son in the history of Christianity. Luther started his education at a Latin school in Mansfield. There he received training in the Latin language and learned about the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer and morning and evening prayers. In 1497 Luther was sent to a school in Magdeburg run by the Brethren of the Common Life, a lay monastic group whose focus on personal piety had a lasting influence on him. In 1501 he enrolled at the University of Erfurt, the best University of the time in Germany. Luther took course in the liberal arts and received the baccalaureate degree in 1502. He obtained his master’s degree three years later. Since Luther graduated from the arts faculty he could chose to pursue graduate work in one of the three disciplines law, medicine, or theology. Due... ... without the need for good works and definitely not by paying money to the Catholic Church. In Luther’s view one only needs to believe in Christ and his works to be justified. Christ is just and his works are perfect and Christ is the object of our faith. As long as Christ is present in our lives and we put our faith in him and simple believe the promises that come with the gospel, God imputes righteousness to sinners, righteousness that we sinners do not deserve (Peters 2005). Tradition says the reformation began in October 31 1517 when Luther nailed 95 theses to the church door in contrasts to the practices of selling indulgence. Annoyed by Johann Tetzel a Dominican friar who preached indulgence. Tetzel was chosen to be inquisitor for Poland (1509) and afterward for Saxony. His skills as a preacher of indulgences gain the attention of Albert, archbishop of Mainz

Suffragettes :: American America History

Suffragettes In Great Britain, woman suffrage was first advocated by Mary Wollstonecraft in her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) and was demanded by the Chartist movement of the 1840s. The demand for woman suffrage was increasingly taken up by prominent liberal intellectuals in England from the 1850s on, notably by John Stuart Mill and his wife, Harriet. The first woman suffrage committee was formed in Manchester in 1865, and in 1867 Mill presented to Parliament this society's petition, which demanded the vote for women and contained about 1,550 signatures. The Reform Bill of 1867 contained no provision for woman suffrage, but meanwhile woman suffrage societies were forming in most of the major cities of Britain, and in the 1870s these organizations submitted to Parliament petitions demanding the franchise for women and containing a total of almost three million signatures. The succeeding years saw the defeat of every major suffrage bill brought before Parliament. This was chiefly because neither of the leading politicians of the day, William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli, cared to affront Queen Victoria's implacable opposition to the women's movement. In 1869, however, Parliament did grant women taxpayers the right to vote in municipal elections, and in the ensuing decades women became eligible to sit on county and city councils. The right to vote in parliamentary elections was still denied to women, however, despite the considerable support that existed in Parliament for legislation to that effect. In 1897 the various suffragist societies united into one National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, thus bringing a greater degree of coherence and organization to the movement. Out of frustration at the lack of governmental action, however, a segment of the woman suffrage movement became more militant under the leadership of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel. After the return to power of the Liberal Party in 1906, the succeeding years saw the defeat of seven suffrage bills in Parliament. As a consequence, many suffragists became involved in increasingly violent actions as time went on. These women militants, or suffragettes, as they were known, were sent to prison and continued their protests there by engaging in hunger strikes. Meanwhile, public support of the woman suffrage movement grew in volume, and public demonstrations, exhibitions, and processions were organized in support of women's right to vote (see photograph). When World War I began, the woman suffrage organizations shifted their energies to aiding the war effort, and their effectiveness did much to win the public wholeheartedly to the suffragist cause. Suffragettes :: American America History Suffragettes In Great Britain, woman suffrage was first advocated by Mary Wollstonecraft in her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) and was demanded by the Chartist movement of the 1840s. The demand for woman suffrage was increasingly taken up by prominent liberal intellectuals in England from the 1850s on, notably by John Stuart Mill and his wife, Harriet. The first woman suffrage committee was formed in Manchester in 1865, and in 1867 Mill presented to Parliament this society's petition, which demanded the vote for women and contained about 1,550 signatures. The Reform Bill of 1867 contained no provision for woman suffrage, but meanwhile woman suffrage societies were forming in most of the major cities of Britain, and in the 1870s these organizations submitted to Parliament petitions demanding the franchise for women and containing a total of almost three million signatures. The succeeding years saw the defeat of every major suffrage bill brought before Parliament. This was chiefly because neither of the leading politicians of the day, William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli, cared to affront Queen Victoria's implacable opposition to the women's movement. In 1869, however, Parliament did grant women taxpayers the right to vote in municipal elections, and in the ensuing decades women became eligible to sit on county and city councils. The right to vote in parliamentary elections was still denied to women, however, despite the considerable support that existed in Parliament for legislation to that effect. In 1897 the various suffragist societies united into one National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, thus bringing a greater degree of coherence and organization to the movement. Out of frustration at the lack of governmental action, however, a segment of the woman suffrage movement became more militant under the leadership of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel. After the return to power of the Liberal Party in 1906, the succeeding years saw the defeat of seven suffrage bills in Parliament. As a consequence, many suffragists became involved in increasingly violent actions as time went on. These women militants, or suffragettes, as they were known, were sent to prison and continued their protests there by engaging in hunger strikes. Meanwhile, public support of the woman suffrage movement grew in volume, and public demonstrations, exhibitions, and processions were organized in support of women's right to vote (see photograph). When World War I began, the woman suffrage organizations shifted their energies to aiding the war effort, and their effectiveness did much to win the public wholeheartedly to the suffragist cause.

Claude Monet

Art History 9 November 2012 Claude Monet: The Impressionist Claude Monet was a French Impressionist painter born on November 14th, 1840. Monet was born in Paris and was the second son to Claude Adolphe Monet and Louise Justine Aubree. On May 20th 1841, Claude Monet was baptized in the local parish church under the name of Oscar-Claude. Shortly after his birth and baptism, Claude Monet and his family moved to Le Havre in Normandy. The mid-forties brought with it a serious economic crisis and apparently a fall in trade for Monet’s father.Monet’s father was in the grocery business and he expected Monet to follow in his footsteps and carry out the family business. Monet grew up in a commercially-oriented household. Only his mother showed an interest in the arts. Her early death in 1857 was a severe blow to the seventeen year old Monet. He found sympathy for his artistic leanings with his aunt, Marie-Jeanne Lecadre. Madame Lecadre was not only in contact with the Parisian pa inter Armand Gautier, but had her own studio where she painted for pleasure and in which Monet was a welcome visitor.Monet’s relationship with his father deteriorated with time and was not improved when he decided to leave school in 1857; not to mention Monet left school shortly before his final exams. Not helping his case much. At school he received his first drawing lesson from Francois-Charles Ochard. These lessons appear to have had no profound influence on Monet, however. His memories of the period refer exclusively to the witty drawings and caricatures of his teachers and other things. Monet’s caricatures of the citizens of Le Havre, which rapidly earned him 2000 Francs, brought him a degree of local celebrity.In fig. 2, is an example of one of Monet’s caricature drawing, (Caricature of a Man with a Large Nose graphite on paper 25 x 15 cm. ) Monet was introduced to Boudin who praised Monet for his drawings. It was a turning point. Boudin took the young man with him on painting excursions into the surrounding countryside. He convinced Monet that objects painted directly in front of the motif possessed a greater vitality that those created in the studio. Monet later ascribed his decision to become a painter to his encounter with Boudin, with whom he remained in close contact with for the rest of his life. The fact that I’ve become a painter I owe to Boudin. In his infinite kindness, Boudin undertook my instruction. My eyes were slowly opened and I finally understood nature. I learned at the same time to love it. I analyzed its forms, I studied its colours. Six months later†¦I announced to my father that I wanted to become a painter and went off to Paris to study art. † So Monet wanted to become a painter. It was an idea his father eventually accepted but not without difficulty and after much persuasion from Monet’s aunt. Monet’s first oil painting was, â€Å"View of Rouelles† (seen in fig. 3. This painting was also known as, â€Å"Vue des bords de la Lezarde† because it showed a valley and streams either the Rouelles or the Lezarde, which the Rouelles flowed into. Presumed lost, the painting was discovered after hundred years and positively identified. He joined the studio of the Swiss-born painter Charles Gleyre in Paris, in 1862, where he had been for approximately two years. There he met Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Frederic Bazille and Alfred Sisley. All four of them had new approaches to art and they all painted the effects of light â€Å"en plain air† with broken color and rapid brushstrokes.That's exactly what became known as Impressionism. This period was very important; it was the culmination point of the movement Impressionism and some of Monet's best works had been painted in Argenteuil. One of the most famous Monet's paintings is â€Å"Impression: The Sunrise† (seen in fig. 4) painted in 1872 or 1873, from whose title the entire movement had got na me. It was art critic Louis Leroy, who coined the term Impressionism, and it had been derogatory, but, Impressionists had liked it and had found it very appropriate for them.The painting â€Å"Impression: The Sunrise† was exhibited 1874 at the first Impressionist exhibition in the studio of Nadar. Today, it is displayed in the Musee Marmottan-Monet in Paris. Monet continued to revise his craft until his death in 1926. With his eyesight deteriorating, one of his final and greatest feats included his creation of â€Å"The Water Lilies† paintings. (Seen in fig. 5) He worked on twelve large canvases and donated them to France. Monet is a household name that lives on in the hearts and minds of the artistic individuals and the lovers of art and its creators everywhere.When looking at Claude Monet’s life, I came to a realization, that he blazed a trail in the art world and he never looked back. Never took no for an answer. Inspired others to find their voice, and creat ed a movement that challenged the status quo in the painting world. The question shouldn’t be, â€Å"what did Monet contribute to the art world? No. In this case it should be â€Å"what didn’t Monet contribute to the art world? Monet's extraordinarily long life and large artistic output befit the enormity of his contemporary popularity.Impressionism, for which he is a pillar, continues to be one of the most reproduced styles of art for popular consumption in the form of calendars, postcards, and posters. Additionally, his paintings command top prices at auctions. Monet's work is in every major museum worldwide and continues to be sought after. While there have been major internationally touring retrospectives of his work, even the presence of one Monet painting can anchor an entire exhibition for the audience. The impact of his experiments with changing mood and light on static surfaces can be seen in most major artistic movements of the early twentieth century.When reading books about Monet’s life and his life work, I started to make a list of what made up the â€Å"Impressionist† style. Some elements I found talked about were, absence of light and shade and local tone, division of color and systematic use of complimentary colors and finally, plein-airism which is to try and recreate the outdoor light and air while painting in daylight. Monet was able to gather these elements and use them to help express his style in a unique way artistically, and allowed others to follow him. Through Impressionism, Monet was allowed freedom and a zest for life.Not staying in the lines or playing it safe. Monet shed some light on following your true calling and doing what you feel truly called to do. Monet runs the risk of shattering the traditional image of things as he pushes on towards his dream of the Impressionistic movement. For example, Monet isn’t afraid to give his canvases that chalky appearance which is indicated by the subject under contemplation. His craftsmanship is never systematic, whether he is showing fields of grass, or rocks and the sea. He has long strokes as well as fragmented ones.Then sometimes there’s a lot of what is called â€Å"brisk fluttering† which moves about the painting much like a butterfly would fly around. From far away his work can feel like a mash up of colors. But when you get closer you begin to see what he saw. What he was trying to portray through his works. I think what really stands out to me are the â€Å"Water Lilies† ( see figure 6) from a distance all you see is color and you don’t see the distinct shapes. But I guess that’s the thing, the shapes aren’t distinct. They are up for interpretation.That’s sort of the whole point of Impressionism, or that’s what I think anyways. Monet brought spontaneity to the art world. He brought rhythm and harmony but in an unconventional way. Monet brought freedom of expression bac k to art and took it to new heights. Monet breathed hope back into the arts, bringing â€Å"poetry back to science. † Monet taught us a new way to see the world, perceive it, and recreate it in a way we see fit. Growing up we had one of Monet’s infamous â€Å"Water Lilies† paintings hanging on our wall. It was called, â€Å"Bridge over a Pool of Water Lilies. † (See fig. ) I was young, but I remember it hanging around, literally, in our old house and for a while in the house we live in now. Truthfully, I thought it was a painting of turtles in water. The way the water lilies sat next to each other I could clearly make out eyes and the body of turtles. Oh how I laugh when I think of that. It’s funny. But that’s what I got out of Monet’s paintings when I was little. In fact when I glance at it now, that’s still what I see. I wonder what Monet would think if he were alive today and I told him that. Maybe he would laugh. Maybe he w ould say it was okay I got it wrong.But it was my own interpretation, so was it wrong? I appreciate Impressionistic art; a lot. I appreciate Monet and what he stood for and worked for. I appreciate the fact that it is an impression of what the world looks like but if they colors aren’t perfect or the lines are straight, it’s still okay. One picture that I really enjoyed was, â€Å"Woman with a Parasol – Madame Monet and Her Son. † (See fig. 8) When looking at this picture you can feel the wind on her face, in her hair, around her dress. All you have to do is look at this painting and you can really feel it.I can also see the chalky or abrupt strokes he used in the sky. The whites are not mixed in with the blues and its sticks out and I like that. It’s not formal. I love all the colors in the blades of grass. I don’t know about you but when I think of grass one color comes to mind, yep, green. But when Monet thinks of grass he sees greens, br owns, yellows, red, gray†¦I could keep going. But it all works so well together. All those stokes of color. One stroke, that’s all it takes. Monet doesn’t mix his colors together. They stand by themselves, proud and ready to be seen. I enjoy that.The mystery he conveys in the woman’s face is also intriguing. The picture makes you think, your mind doesn’t get bored quickly when you look at this painting. The details in the young boy’s hat are nice. The pop of red on the ribbon that goes around the hat, it stands out the eye and you catch it right away. It also helps bring out the reds in the blades of grass. Some other works that fascinated me while I was reading about Monet was his little series on boats. I enjoyed, â€Å"Boating on the Epte† and â€Å"In the Rowing Boat. † (See fig. 9 and 10). When looking at these paintings I was quickly reminded of the movie The Notebook.Specifically because in the movie the main characters ar e in a boat much like the ones in the pictures, and they have a sort of romance about them. They just look so romantic, the paintings. I don’t know if that was the intention behind these but its how I have interpreted them. It just amazes me, how Monet has such a loose stroke or a loose way of painting and yet it still turns out looking so good with great accuracy. He was a pretty good drawer before he started to paint so I’m sure that helps, but just looking at the details in these paintings I have grown such a respect for the Impressionists of the world.I respect them and their craft. I couldn’t do it, and they do it with what looks like ease. Monet makes me believe that if I put my mind to it, anything is possible. I know that sounds a bit cliche, but it’s true. Monet started a movement, and it opened a whole new way of thinking for artists. I think if I were to seriously pursue painting or something of that sort, Monet would definitely be role model. I’m really into fashion, and in a way, Monet’s style of painting could inspire a clothing line. The colors of his paintings surely would do the trick.His earthy tones would do great in the fall, and the whites and cool blues for winter. So I guess, Monet didn’t only have an impact on the art world, he kind of has an impact on the whole world. His styles could be used for more than painting. I’ve learned nothing is too big to chase. Monet is a classic get knocked down seven times, stand up eight kind of stories. Life changes every day. Nothing stays the same. It is always up for interpretation. I think Monet captured that idea and thought through a brush and paint. Monet is telling us we call all do the same, in our own way.

Formal certification and accreditation (C&A) process Essay

The PKI must go through a formal certification and accreditation (C&A) process before it can be deployed in Quality Medical Company (QMC) operational environment. An independent Third Party must certify all (HIPPA) PKI systems. We will use system certification as a formal procedure for testing security safeguards in the computer system or major application to determine if they meet applicable requirements and specifications outlined. System accreditation is the formal authorization by a management official for system operation and an explicit acceptance of the associated risk. The management official ensures that all equipment resides on the network under his authority is operated using approved security standards. All C&A evaluations or annual reviews must be conducted by a third party who must have not developed the present PKI solution or have any other business relationship with QMC. QMC Associate Chief Information Technology Security Officer: – Ensure compliance requirements of this policy concerning data at rest and role-holders access to managed networks, systems and servers – Ensure public-companies regulations are implemented and in compliance – Provide security standards for implementation of PKI in HIPPA information technology environments to ensure that they can handle sensitive data and require non-repudiation; – Review company plans to implement this policy; – Review requests for exceptions or exceptions to this policy; and – Conduct reviews of U.S. Securities and Exchange (SEC) and HIPPA compliance to ensure compliance of this policy. – Receive, review and coordinate a response with the QMC Chief Information Technology Officer for any exception requests for exceptions to this policy. – Periodically review and update this notice as required; QMC Chief Information Technology Officer will: – Ensure the provisions of this policy are implemented and enforced; – Ensure  that the requirements of PKI policy are satisfied prior to deployment of this technology on any QMC system; – Ensure that a backup of the encryption private key(s) is obtained that will be securely stored so encrypted documents may be historically retrieved. The signing private key will exist only on the key token or profile issued to the individual. The solution must provide a means for archival of private decryption keys, and support for the recovery of a private decryption key on request; – Ensure that agency server administrators, staff offices responsible for server administration, ISSPMs and security staff are acquainted and comply with the provisions of OCIO Cyber Security Guidance Regarding C2 Controlled Access Protection (CS-013 dated 3/6/02); -Assure that agency server administrators, staff offices responsible for server administration, information system security program managers and security staff are trained to implement and, maintain PKI at a functional C2 level and fully understand the ongoing responsibilities to preserve that level of server security. QMC Information Systems Security Program Manager will: – Monitor all agency PKI installations to ensure that the provisions of this policy are followed; – Coordinate with agency server administrators to ensure that precautions are taken to properly preserve the required level of server security; – Coordinate with agency personnel to ensure proper certification and accreditation occur on all PKI systems prior to deployment; – Coordinate with agency system owners to ensure that PKI private key pairs are properly stored. QMC System Administrators/Security Administrators responsible for server administration will: – Monitor vendor release notes for new security patches, service packs, software upgrades and updates; – Follow internal configuration management practices in installing security patches and updates; and – Maintain a configuration control manual that documents all changes to the servers with sensitive information.