Atlantic Slave Trade Essay

The origins of the Atlantic Slave Trade were products of Western Europe’s expansion of power that began at the beginning of the 1500’s through the 1900‘s. The main contributing European countries to the Atlantic Slave Trade were Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and England. Portugal lead the movement during the 1400’s and arrived in Western Africa in hopes to find Christian allies to spread Christianity against the Muslims of Northern Africa. But they soon became more interested in trade (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). Slavery, however, has existed in all cultures for thousands of years. For example, Arab merchants and West African Kings imported white European slaves. At first, the slave trade focused on women and children who would serve as domestic servants. But later the trade switched to focusing on young men for agricultural labor in the Americas. The Portuguese traded primarily for gold, ivory, pepper, as well as slaves. After a few decades, the had captured hundreds of slaves (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). It’s misleading to say all slaves were captured by raiders, because in many cases they were bought from African traders. Columbus’s voyages completely changed the slave trade. Once colonies in the Americas were established, many of the Native Americans who were enslaved died of disease and overwork causing a need for more African slaves. During the 1600’s, sugar plantations, gold and silver mines produced an enormous demand for labor. Soon after, markets for coffee, tobacco and rice cultivation yet again increased the demand for African slaves (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). By the early 1700’s, the English dominated the Slave Trade, carrying about 20,000 slaves per year from Africa to the Americas. By the end of the century, over 50,000 slaves were being transported per year. After 1700, the importation of firearms heightened the intensity of many of the wars and resulted in a great increase in the numbers of enslaved peoples. European forces 2 ?intervened in some of the localized fighting and in warfare all along the Atlantic coast. They sought to obtain captives directly in battle or as political rewards for having backed the winning side (â€Å"The transatlantic slave,† ). The enormous amount of slave labor and its incredibly low cost highly contributed to the advancements of the Industrial Revolution. Also during this time, many civil wars throughout Africa produced captives which were sold as slaves in Western Africa. Raiders often tied the captives together with ropes and secured them with wooden yokes around their necks. Many captives died of hunger and exhaustion before even being put on ships. Other slave captives decided to kill themselves rather than be forced into slavery (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). Once the captives reached the coast of Western Africa, the captives were kept in â€Å"factories†, which were headquarters of the slave traders. These factories contained warehouses with supplies and dungeons to keep the captives in. In these factories, the slavers would divide families up to decrease the possibility of a rebellion happening. After a few weeks in these factories, the slave holders would brand the â€Å"fit† slaves bearing the symbol of that particular trading company (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). European brutalization of the captives was an attempt to destroy the African’s sense of self-identity. The voyage from Africa to the first stop in the Caribbean generally lasted between two and three months. As the demand for slaves increased, so did piracy. Many opposing nations would fight and attempt to steal each other’s slave ships seeing how valuable slaves were at the time (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). Other natural causes that contributed to the destruction of slave ships were hurricanes as well as doldrums, which are long periods of time with no wind gusts to propel the ships. ?The ships themselves were designed to maximize the amount of slaves to be carried. The cargo space where the slaves kept were only about five feet tall. And slaves were chained together in pairs to minimize the chance of a rebellion. Many times, especially during storms, the slavers neglected to feed the slaves or change the tubs and buckets used for toilets, as well removing dead bodies (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). Sanitation was also a major contributor to death and disease. Only about three or four toilet tubs were provided for all of the slaves. Mortality rates were exceptionally high on the ships, averaging around 15%. Overall, about one third of all slaves died during the whole process of moving them from Africa to the Americas. The main causes of mortality on the ships were diseases such as small pox, malaria, dysentery, yellow fever and measles (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). There was however still rebellions from the captive slaves aboard the ships. Rebellions usually occurred when the ship was getting ready to set sail or when they ships were still within sight of the Africa land mass, when there as still hope for the slaves to return home. Often times slaves would actually starve themselves intentionally or try to jump off the ship to drown. But to combat this, the slavers would sometimes put nets on the side of the ship to stop jumpers and to deal with those who would refuse to eat, the slavers would use hot coals to force individual’s mouths open to eat (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). The women aboard the slave ships were treated very badly as well. They were often raped and sexually abused. Many times, all of the women were kept in separate rooms to make it easier for the slavers to take advantage of them. The slave ships would generally arrive at islands in the Caribbean for rest to make them more healthy and appealing for buyers. The english preferred the island of Barbados for this 4 ?resting period. Barbados experienced a jump in its slave population from 1,000 to 20,000 in the first decade after sugar cultivation was introduced around 1640 (Smallwood, 2007). This resting period in the Caribbean came to be termed seasoning and on these islands the slavers divided into a few different categories of slaves depending on how acculturated the slaves were to the New World’s culture and lifestyle. These categories were those who were born in the Americas, those who had lived in the Americas for a long period of time, and the new slaves from Africa (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). During seasoning, the slavers would attempt to modify the behavior of the slaves to make them effective laborers. The new slaves were also given new names and were attempted to be taught English so they could obey commands (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). The planters in the Caribbean would often rely on the already acculturated slaves to train the new slaves because it was easier that way. The physical condition of the arriving slaves to buyers would many times be a disappointment to the buyers. Although the slavers would shave and wash them, the illusion of health would not always conceal the truth to the buyers. Also, many times the cargoes included too many women, children, or older people. This was also a disappointment to the buyers and the regularity of these outcomes were soon considered â€Å"normal† (Smallwood, 2007). The planters then assessed the successful seasoning of slaves by three criteria: firstly if they survived the journey, secondly if the could adapt to the new climate and new foods, and lastly if they were able to learn a new language to obey commands. However, as many as half of the slaves ended up dying within the first three years after arriving at the Americas (Smallwood, 2007). Of the estimated ten million men, women, and children who survived the Middle Passage, approximately 450,000 Africans disembarked on North America’s shores. They thus 5 ?represented only a fraction – 5 percent– of those transported during the 350-year history of the international slave trade. Brazil and the Caribbean each received about nine times as many Africans (â€Å"The transatlantic slave,† ). The Atlantic Slave trade began to diminish in the late 1700’s by both humanitarian efforts as well as declining need for slaves in the modernized industrial economy. The lasting effects of the diminishing of the slave trade proved to be negative for Africa. Many of the Western African societies had become dependent on the slave trade (Hine, Hine & Harrold, 2011). Looking at the statistics of the slave trade, from 1501-1525 it is estimated that around 13,000 slaves were transported to the Americas (â€Å"The trans-atlantic slave,† 2008). By 1601-1625, over 350,000 slaves were estimated to have been brought to the Americas. At the turn of the 18th century, from 1701-1725, over 1,000,000 slaves were transported from Africa to the Americas. The Atlantic slave trade peaked from 1776-1800 with over 2,000,000 slaves being transported during that time period. The Slave Trade holistically contributed to the enslavement and migration of over 12,500,000 slaves from 1500-1866 (â€Å"The trans-atlantic slave,† 2008). The Atlantic Slave Trade was a horrible series of events that should have never happened. At least we can be optimistic about mankind’s ability to learn from our mistakes and improve our actions.

Recycled Plastic Bio-Composites in the Consumer Industry

Consumer Industry The adaptation of natural fiber composites in the consumer industry has not had the same explosive growth as with the transportation or even the construction industry. The benefits of cost savings and weight reduction that can be obtained with natural fiber composites played a significant role for the proliferation into those respective industries. But in the consumer market, stemming from the rise of synthetic fibers starting in the 1940’s, glass fiber and carbon fibers have dominated the market for composites due to their superior mechanical properties.From the 1970’s onward, petroleum-based fibers replaced natural fiber so that, worldwide, the cropping of natural fibers entered into steep decline, causing economic stagnation in the producer regions. In addition to the competition with synthetic fibers, innovation in transport facilities also contributed to the decline of natural fibers, particularly the advent of commodity bulk handling facilities i n long distance trade, which eliminated the use of food-grade sacks altogether.Jute has always been the most important natural fiber but it too suffered long decline. In 1990, 2. 1 million hectares were planted in jute, which fell to 1. 6 million in 2000 and is projected to slump to 1. 2 million hectares by 2010, a retraction of about 3% a year. During the same period, production also fell from 3. 3 million tons to 2. 6 million tons and is projected to diminish to 2. 3 million tons by 2010. During this period jute consumed in the developed countries fell by 40% and that consumed in developing countries by 10%. 1) During the past two decades, there has been a renewed interest in development of natural fiber plastic composites for the consumer industry. Two of the most prominent factors that are fueling this resurgence originate from the environmental impact of using these composites and the technological advances that address the disadvantages of fiber composite production and usage. Natural fibers have assumed considerable environmental importance in function of being produced with renewable energy sources, consuming less energy to produce and being biodegradable and recyclable. 2) In the traditional furniture, shoe, and textile manufacturing sectors, natural fibers are increasingly being used as a substitute for fiber glass. Natural fibers have several advantages as compared to conventional plastic, such as being from 10% to 30% cheaper; having lower density, superior thermal properties and low embodied energy; involving lower tool wear in the moulding process; producing better acoustic proprieties and reducing irritation to the skin and respiratory system (3).Ironically, a number of the perceived advantages of natural fibers in composite polymers were cited in the past as disadvantages which led to the substitution of natural fiber by synthetics. Natural fibers were said to be inferior because they were not water resistant, were porous and breathable, were b iodegradable and were not adaptable to automatic sack filling. The water resistance problem has been overcome by surface modification of fibers, creating hydrophobic coatings that allow for a moisture barrier as well as better adhesion with the matrix resin.Breathability is now seen to be an advantage in reducing heat and impregnating odors, particularly in textiles. Similarly, bio-degradability is highly desirable today as well as the characteristic of being recyclable. All of these characteristics now perceived to be desirable have stimulated a good deal of research into finding other industrial applications which could cause fiber production to expand even further. (4) 1. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 2003. Medium-Term Prospects for Agricultural Commodities: Projections to the Year 2010.Rome. 2. Jan, E. G. 2009. Environmental Benefits of Natural Fibre Production and Use. In Discover Natural Fibres: Proceedings of the Symposium on Natural Fibres, p. 3- 17. Rome: FAO. 3. Suddell, B. C. 2009. Industrial Fibres: Recent and Current Developments. Discover Natural Fibres: Proceedings of the Symposium on Natural Fibres, p. 71-82. Rome: FAO. 4. Bicalho, A. M. 2009. Agricultural-Industrial Integration and New Applications of Natural Fibers: Jute Floodplain Cropping in the Amazon Reborn. Brazil

Loss and Grief

What is loss? What is grief? Loss is most often equated to death but generally, â€Å"loss occurs when an event is perceived to be negative by individuals involved, and it results in long-term changes in one's social situations, relationships, or way of viewing the world and oneself† (Marriage and Family Encyclopedia 2008). One tends to experience loss in one’s lifetime. Children usually experience loss through a death of a pet or a parent. Adults likewise experience loss through death of a spouse or because of divorce; they may also experience job or health losses.When we value something or someone that we lost, we experience grief. â€Å"Grief is the psyche’s natural healing response when faced with change and loss† (PsychCentral 2008). This suggests that grief is a normal and natural experience to a person who has experienced personal loss. Furthermore, it is said to be a â€Å"process, not an event† (PsychCentral 2008) which means that grief sho uld be allowed and given time to completely take place. Strayhorn enumerates the characteristics of grief (PsychCentral 2008). First, he says that pain is a natural part of grieving.One may choose to repress or ignore the pain but he says that further losses in life can always trigger it and eventually, the hurt only doubles. Second, he maintains that ‘grieving is a highly individualized process’ (PsychCentral 2008). This demonstrates how different each person is while in grief. Though grief is said to be a universal and a natural occurrence, the way one person grieves differs from another. Furthermore, being aware of the five stages of grief: â€Å"shock, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance† (PsychCentral 2008) helps one to cope with grief.Lastly, Strayhom states that â€Å"grief has no timetable† (PsychCentral 2008). Grief therefore should be allowed to take its own course. However, each individual in the process of grieving should also do activiti es to help them heal. Constantly sharing ones deepest sentiments to a trusted friend is always beneficial to a person in grief. There have been known grief responses, â€Å"such as a yearning for the lost person or state of affairs, a need to think repeatedly about past events, a sense of guilt, or even thoughts of suicide.(Death Reference 2008)† According to the Death Reference website (2008), Terry Martin and Kenneth Doka formulated 3 basic patterns of grief. First is the Intuitive Pattern, where the griever freely manifests his/her feelings. He/She can display intense emotions such as outbursts and crying. Any means to allow the griever to vent out his/her emotions is beneficial for coping. Second is the Instrumental Pattern where the griever would recall memories of the dead person and doing something in relation to those thoughts.An example cited by Martin and Doka (1999) where a man who has lost his daughter in a vehicular accident fixed the fence which his daughter has ruined during the accident. He said that it was the only thing he could repair. Third is the Dissonant Pattern. â€Å"Dissonant grievers are those who experience grief in one pattern but who are inhibited from finding compatible ways to express or adapt to grief that are compatible with their experience† (Death Reference 2008). For instance, when a man loses his wife, he can feel the urge to cry with his daughters and to show weakness.However, he chooses to keep it, as it is inappropriate for a man to do so. Women who lose spouses can experience the same situation, when she inhibits emotions and puts up a strong stance to protect her children. Loss and Grief on Different Perspectives There have been various studies about grief and prove that its characteristics are individualized and unique. On the one hand, children, grieve differently from adults (PsychCentral 2008). Young kids often think that the person who died will soon come back as seen in cartoon shows.Meanwhile, the re are signs which tell whether the child is experiencing significant grief. He/She tends to become immature for his/her age and there is also a considerable decrease in school performance. When these are present, Cohen advises the child be seen by a child psychologist (PsychCentral 2008). On the other hand, men and women also have distinct characteristics of grief. In an article written by Karen Carney in PsychCentral (2008), she enumerates the key points on how men grieve basing from Tom Golden’s book entitled ‘Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing’ (1997).Golden mentions that counselors tend to use approaches similar to what they use towards women, which was later on found to be ineffective to men. Men usually cope by busying themselves with any activity that would either use the mind or the body (PsychCentral 2008). Moreover, men try to go on living their lives as normal as possible like going on their usual routine. In contrast, wom en are attached to their feelings. They have the tendency to recall memories of the loved one who died (Linda-Angel 2005).It is significant to note that there are differences between the characteristics of the male and female human brain, which can be a cause of the distinction on how each sex grieves (PsychCentral 2008). In a study by Buchebner-Ferstl (2002), she mentions the differences between how a woman and a man deal with loss of a loved one (death). She said that women have broader social networks than men, and that women are often the source of social support between the couple. Being the case, she says that some experts would conclude that because of this, women cope better with loss.Moreover, â€Å"women are said to have a more emotionally-oriented behaviour, and men are said to be more problem-oriented† (Buchebner-Ferstl 2002). This means that women are more geared than men to grieve and share their emotions with other people. In addition to this, she mentions that research shows that women are said to have a â€Å"stronger sense of survivability †¦ [and] men are biologically more susceptible to the negative effects of stressors† (Buchebner-Ferstl 2002). This demonstrates that women are more apt to survive loss than men.Also, it was mentioned in the Death Reference website (2007) that men were socially conditioned to hide their emotions. In contrast, women can openly share their feelings to other people, allowing grief to take its course. Further, Louis LeGrand states that the gender difference â€Å"does not mean that men are not grieving; it does indicate that they may not accomplish the task as successfully as women† (LeGrand 1986:31). In a research conducted by Martin and Doka (1999), the differences between how women and men grieve were tackled. Their research showed the following:†¢ Upon the death of a spouse, the widower would usually engage in activities such as working or gym activities and are likely to resor t to alcohol. Conversely, widows spend time with friends and family for emotional support. †¢ Similarly, for those parents who have lost a child, the mothers tend to show emotions than the father. †¢ For those middle-aged children who lost a parent, the sons were more likely to engage in busy activities to deal with the loss while daughters show grief. †¢ Basing on the older generation, there are only slight differences on manifesting grief.†¢ â€Å"Differences in gender are also affected by other variables such as social class, generational differences, and cultural differences† (Death Reference 2008). †¢ The paper suggests that studies show varying results in terms of which gender copes with grief more effectively. The study of grief on the basis of gender is remarkable however Doka claims that the â€Å"[grief] pattern is not determined by gender† (Death Reference 2008) alone but is affected by other factors as well. Cultures differ in socia l norms and practices.There are societies where the sight of a man crying in grief is as acceptable as when a woman does (Death Reference 2008). Additionally, cultures differ in valuing relationships and attachment towards people and things, thus they also differ in grief experiences. Models of Loss and Grief There have been a number of loss and grief models that is based on the notion that every person in grief goes more or less in ‘the same sequence of stages in the recovery from grief, and at relatively the same speed’(Slap-Shelton 2008). Particularly on death, Kubler-Ross has formulated a model composed of 5 stages, as follows:1. ‘Denial and Isolation’ – The person who experienced death cannot accept that he/she actually lost a loved one. In severe cases, the person completely denies that death took place (Slap-Shelton 2008). 2. ‘Anger’- Here the person expresses anger towards others, and towards God, questioning Him why the loss had to happen to him/her (Slap-Shelton 2008). 3. ‘Bargaining’ – This is when one bargains and tries to compromise with God. 4. ‘Depression’ – As the person realizes and acknowledges the loss, he/she now experiences depression and deep sadness.5. ‘Acceptance’- The bereaved now accepts the reality of loss and is able to project a new life ahead. Based on a number of literatures on grief, Kubler-Ross’s model has become one of the most known and familiar. This model appears to define the stages of dying, phases of grief and is applicable not only to death but in other losses such as divorce or a break up. In the University of Kentucky website, Kastenbaum criticizes Kubler-Ross’s model, saying that these are not supposed to be stages as they do not happen chronologically (1998).In addition, he says that all these five stages are not necessarily undergone by a person dying or grieving. He further maintains that grief is uniqu e to every individual (University of Kentucky 1998). This demonstrates that these stages limit the process of grieving which is supposed to be individualized. Following this, various theoretical models on loss and grief were formulated. Charles Corr, specifically believed in the individuality of coping with death (University of Kentucky 1998). People differ in values therefore they also differ in need and coping mechanism for the same experience of loss.Meanwhile, Worden, Leick & Davidsen-Nielson (1991) proposed four means to understand loss and help accept its reality. First, one should recognize the fact that someone died or left for good. Second, one should not suppress the emotions but let them take their course. According to Slap-Shelton, (1998) among the intense emotions that one can feel during loss include â€Å"sadness, despair, anger, guilt, fear, loneliness, shame, jealousy. † Furthermore, to allow feeling these and letting these manifest will help in recovering ov er the loss.Third, it is advisable to let in something new in your life. For instance, one can learn a new skill or find a new set of friends. Through the process the person who experienced loss can grow despite the circumstance. Lastly, one ought to â€Å"reinvest emotional energy into the present† (Slap-Shelton 1998). This means that the bereaved person should focus on what is ahead and what he/she can do to live this new life without the person who died. Some, for example, do activities that commemorate and celebrate the goodness of the dead person.Furthermore, grief can be more understood in two other perspectives: psychoanalytic and attachment perspectives Basing from psychoanalysis, grief stems out of the griever’s uncertainty of where his/her relationship stands, now that the partner died. At the same time, â€Å"the psychological function of grief is to free the individual of the tie to the deceased and allow him or her to achieve a gradual detachment by means of a process of grief work† (Death Reference 2008). Many counselors and therapists have been influenced by this however such theory has also been criticized.On the other hand, Bowlby’s theory was based on the biological aspects of grieving. He maintains â€Å"that the biological function of grief was to regain proximity to the attachment figure, separation from which had caused anxiety† (Death Reference 2008). This means that when humans are separated from a figure whom or which they had attachment to, this results to reactions of grief. Conclusion According to the Marriage and Family Encyclopedia (2008), more recent models on loss and grief are now focused on â€Å"identifying symptoms [rather than] the process of grieving† (Marriage and Family Encyclopedia 2008).Stroebe and Schut (1990) formulated the Dual Process Model of Coping. Humans cope with grief with a combination of both â€Å"loss orientation† and â€Å"restoration orientation†. Loss orientation is allowing grief to take place for instance crying and reaching out to others while restoration orientation is â€Å"adjusting to the many changes triggered by loss† by engaging in new activities. Such dual model recognizes grief as a â€Å"dynamic and fluctuating process, labeled ‘oscillation,’ that incorporates confrontation and avoidance of different components at different times, and includes both positive and negative reappraisals† (Death Reference 2008).For instance, a man who lost his wife learns how to paint and takes pleasure in the activity (restoration orientation). However in the process, he is asked to paint a memorable place and thus reminded of the wife who has died and feels sad about it (loss orientation). Basing from the literature reviewed, grief can be described as universal since all humans at one point in their lives experience grief. Grief is natural since it is said to be an inevitable response to loss. However, th ere has not been an encompassing theory that can gauge grief; perhaps due to its vastness and complexity.Further studies and research, particularly on the biological perspective, how grief starts and where it ends, will allow a deeper understanding of human grief. List of References Buchebner-Ferstl, S 2002, Gender-specific differences in coping with bereavement, Osterreichisches Institut fur Familienforschung, Austria, viewed 30 Maarch 2008, . Carney, K 2006, How men grieve, 4 November, viewed 1 April 2008, . Cohen, H 2007, Children and grief, 4 June, viewed 1 April 2008 Coping With Loss 2008. Marriage and Family Encyclopedia viewed 28 March 2008 . Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. 2008. [online]. [accessed 29-31 March 2008]. Available from World Wide Web: . LeGrand, L. 1986 Coping with separation and loss as a young adult. Springfield, IL: Charles C.Thomas. Martin, T. & Doka, J. 1999. Men don't cry, women do: Transcending gender stereotypes of grief. Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis . Rosenblatt, P. , Walsh, R. & Jackson, D. 1976. Grief and mourning in cross-cultural perspective. Washington, DC: HRAF Press. Schwab, R n. d. ,Gender, Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, viewed 29 March 2008, . Slap-Shelton, S 1991, The phases and tasks of grief work, Self Help Magazine, viewed 31 March 2008, .Strayhorn, D 2008, Surviving a life crisis, 21 January, Psych Central, viewed 1 April 2008,. Stroebe, M. , & Schut, H. , 1990. The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement: Rationale and Description. Death Studies 23, p. 197–224. Stroebe, M, Stroebe, W & Schut, H, Theories on grief, viewed 29 March 2008, . Women, men & grief 2005, Child Bereavement Trust, viewed 31 M arch 2008, .

Reconstruction Surgery is a Modern Miracle Essay

Reconstruction Surgery is a Modern Miracle - Essay Example Yet, few would deny the rationale of performing reconstruction surgery on a child that had been disfigured in an accident. As the practice of treating our mental well being has become more accepted by the medical community, the line between medical, cosmetic, and psychological has shifted and blurred. For millions of people, self-image has become as important as cholesterol in terms of overall health and highlighted the importance of these modern procedures. Reconstruction surgery has offered a viable means to improve our self-image, our mental health, and our enjoyment of life. The value of any plastic surgery, or reconstruction procedure, needs to be examined on an individual basis to determine its value to the recipient. With the vast array of options available, what may be right for John Doe, may be wrong for Jane. The value of the procedure needs to be measured at a personal level. When examined one at a time, the effect of these procedures can be measured by the impact they have on the individual involved. Our mental well-being is often a direct reflection of the person we see staring back at us as we gaze into a mirror. For millions, cosmetic surgery has provided a way to view themselves as younger and more attractive. Enhanced by the removal of unwanted facial hair, breast augmentation, and liposuction, these individuals become more self-confident, self-assertive, and more at ease with the world around them. As Caplan asserts, "Medical technology has become, in the popular imagination, a way of revealing and displaying an identity that has been hidd en by nature, circumstance or pathology". For some this is a medical imperative, while for others it is a modern convenience. In a world of highly competitive career and business, these improvements give them an edge that would otherwise be missing. Their quality of life is improved as they become more of the person that they want to be, more able to meet the world on their terms and not through the eyes of a judgmental and pessimistic world. Often, plastic surgery is used to correct a feature that society has deemed to be unattractive. This removes the stigma that the person feels in public and provides them a greater sense of individual well-being. This is not excessive. Consider the case of Lucy Grealy, whose face was disfigured by the removal of her jaw during the treatment of bone cancer. She tells of the feeling as, "the deep bottomless pit of griefcalled ugliness" (qtd. in Gleeson). Society has an obligation to provide what is often trivialized as technical enhancements to improve the lives of these patients. It was not trivial to Lucy as she laments, "How could I pass up this chanceto fix my face, fix my life, my soul" (qtd. in Gleeson). This is using science to enhance a life, which results in greater happiness and opens the door to greater opportunity and achievement. Geary's tale of the stigma that was attached to her physical appearance is revealed when she is allowed to go into public on Halloween wearing a mask. Her appearance was all encompassing to her well being. It inhabited every other feeling she knew. Geary's mental condition was directly linked to her self-perception when she says, "It was easier to slip back into my depression and blame my face for everything" (127). Reconstruction was not a luxury for Geary, it was a necessary step to gain self

CAUSES OF RENT ARREARS IN SOCIAL HOUSING -- (A LITERATURE REVIEW) review

CAUSES OF RENT ARREARS IN SOCIAL HOUSING -- (A ) - Literature review Example This is usually due to the low income that the renter is on, but there are other reasons which will be discussed in this essay. The causes of rent arrears in social housing is important because knowing the causes can help show why people have problems, if social housing rental prices need to be lowered, and how the agencies involved can help social housing tenants. Reducing the causes of rent arrears could lower the amount of rent arrears, causing less stress for the tenants and less financial burden on the government or supplying agency. Rent arrears might also lead to homelessness in cases when people have no other option, and this is something that needs to be avoided. The information is also interesting because it will help illustrate some social problems that these people have and this could be used in a wider context to understand social housing and perhaps rent arrears in general. The literature used in this review will be mainly found in housing journals, but some information will be found from other journals if they contain relevant information. Using this information, the essay will uncover the main reasons why people go into arrears on their rent in social housing by finding the key themes in the literature. This review is limited to research since the year 2000 because the most recent research is usually the most relevant to the situation, and the 21st century is interesting in many ways. Key Themes in the Literature One of the main themes in the literature is that rent arrears are a really important reason for many peoples homelessness. Crane (2000) suggests that 7% of all homeless men are homeless because they were evicted for rent arrears from social housing and a 29% more of these were in arrears to other companies. This suggests that many people struggle with financial management in social housing and this one of the main reasons why people get into rent arrears in social housing. There are suggestions that the government should sponsor some ed ucation for financial management (Collier, 2005) because this would help reduce one of the main causes of rent arrears. Research by Anderson & Christian (2003) also suggests that a number of people are homeless because they had gotten into rent arrears and often this was in social housing, although it does not give the specific causes of the rent arrears. A related theme is that some people in social housing may just not be able to afford it. Although the government or another agency does subsidise the cost of the rent, it may still be too expensive for some people. These people may have several children, no benefits, no job or many other things. This topic is found in the work of Milligan (2003) who suggests that the problems in Australia with rent arrears are mainly due to these factors and that work needs to be done on providing the housing at an even lower cost if possible. This will be the only way that rent arrears will be less common. This problem was also found in the United Kingdom and talked about by Hills (2007), who again suggested that the costs need to be lowered to make rent arrears less common in the UK. Priemus & Dieleman (2002) show that rent arrears due to the high cost of social housing are found throughout Europe and that prices are rising. More evidence from Yates & Wulff (2000) suggests that the amount of low cost social housing is being reduced meaning that more people are forced to take on housing which is too expensive for them and this

Selection of Global Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Selection of Global Leadership - Assignment Example Nevertheless, experts have reacted by instigating broad appraisal concepts covering the obligation to comprehend what is expected from institutional directors, as well as to analyze the mindset along with individual probabilities critical for constructive administration. Though, only minimal basic analysis has been accomplished in the faculty, while a separate recent evaluation in the field has instead opposes most of the reports that were forwarded for the shortage of systematical multiplicity along with logical elasticity. However, generally the appraisal conception is broad and necessitates a lengthy duration to establish as well as to incorporate in the central proficiencies for constructive international direction alongside how to effectually nurture such qualities. Selection practices Among the most dynamic mechanism accessible for global agencies is recruitment; which in the presence of appropriate approach might be the most decisive in appraising latent executive contenders. Even though, integral diversity of an agency as well as the contender could prove to be permanent obstruct during the cross-examination program. Numerous aspects should be weighed when analyzing the ideal mechanism to utilize during a recruitment course, since edifying diversities presents a vast liability in choosing the most predisposed examination practice an agency might adopt to find the most productive workforce. If the company’s resource agent is incompetent of handling cultural diversities imposed by the contenders then the recruitment might definitely result in unconstructive outcome. In such a situation, the foundation would aspire to acquire personnel’s with critical ability to integrate ethical assortments. The interviewee should also be capable of detecting the clandestine distinctions such as eye contact among other individual characters that would represent dissimilar features in separate societies as reported by Mendenhall (2008). According to Edwards ( 2011), numerous models of expression should notably be comprehended for effectual cross-examination program. If recruiting proves to be unfeasible, ethnic understanding entailing various societal coaching concepts might be incorporated to ensure vibrant hiring. Guaranteeing that a recruiter is expansively informed as well as conscious of the duty prior to an interview course should be basic to outlining dynamic staff. Familiarity with the local language can also prove to be an essential device for ensuring an effective interview course. Since the contenders would presume that the agency has no contemplation for the native culture if the executive has not displayed the basic sensitiveness of the surrounding ethnicity and customs. Common variations in linguistics could also result in reflective implication as well as create language obstacles. Over the recruitment course, it might further be extensively constructive to master facts of the interview sessions as well as to be certain th at the contenders have comprehended the relevant inquiries they are to answer (Edwards, 2011). Verifying the scope of hatred that might be apparent between the agency and the immediate contiguous society would also be a prime aspect in outlining an appropriate hiring model. In case there is considerable scope of hatred, then an appraisal model should be adopted to instigate ideal staff for the firm. Assessment might be applied to verify if an aspirant has the precise

Environmental Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Environmental Economics - Essay Example Ragweed plants are not native to Europe but were imported into the continent from America in the 19th century (Borenstein). According to the study co-author Robert Vautard, a scientist at the Climate and Environment Sciences Laboratory in Yvette, ragweed are not yet spread across the continent but they will have covered most parts by 2050 (Borenstein). According to Robert, some parts of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany do not have the deadly allergens. According to Daniel Chapman, a species expert at Center for Ecology and Hydrology in Edinburgh, the increase in temperatures and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will enable ragweed to be more active thus spreading further north. Although he did not participate in the study, Chapman praised the study and stated that the number of allergic sufferers will definitely increase (Borenstein). By using computer simulations with varying concentrations of carbon dioxide, the researchers estimated that if the amount of emissions from oil, coal, and gas are not reduced as expected, there will be annual pollen increase of 100 to 1100 percent (Borenstein). According to Vaudart, the study, which was simulated for 35 years, shows that the average increase in pollen concentration will be 300 percent. In addition to that, Vaudart added that only one third of the increased ragweed is caused by land use and the manner in which these plants take over new territories. The rest of the ragweed increase is mainly caused by climate change (Borenstein). According to earlier research and studies, ragweed season for pollen grain dissemination has extended its duration by around three weeks in North America mainly due to climate change (Borenstein). Michael Kolian, a US Environmental Protection Agency scientist stated that the new study matches with previous studies and US National Climate Assessment which established that climate change and the

The Health and Wellness Industry is Being Proclaimed as a Revolution Essay

The Health and Wellness Industry is Being Proclaimed as a Revolution in Consumer Demand and Potentially Worth Trillions of Dolla - Essay Example To satisfy the demand and expectations of these health-conscious consumers further, the tourism industry is awash with resorts, spas, and hotels, which offer superior consumer services such as comprehensive spa, bodywork treatments, indoor/outdoor physical activity, delicious and health-conscious cuisine, interactive health, and wellness education programs assisted by world-class professionals. Moreover, the increased demand for a relaxing and freshening environment has prompted many a resort to be established in serene and gentle surroundings with clean and lapping river/swamp waters, breathtaking sceneries, and fresh forest air, all of which combine to create a powerful wellness and health experience for consumers (Bookman & Bookman, 2007). The rising demand for wellness and health products has also implied that resort and hotel managements provide services that empower consumers to change their lifestyles for the better, thus bringing out the best out of their body’s natura l beauty, healing abilities, longevity, and wellbeing (Ginger, 2009). Importantly, products that bring about healing from illnesses and learning skills to consumers have been incorporated in resort and hotel wellness and health programs as their demand continues to increase. This paper explores the impacts that the rising demand of wellness and health products by consumers has on hotel and resort management. The Impacts of Increasing Wellness/Health Demand on Resorts The increasing health and wellness consciousness among consumers is one of the major factors that have set the international industry/trend that is health and wellness tourism (Reisinger, 2009). Most of these health-conscious consumers seek to improve their health and well being as they travel to various destinations and sample various hospitality treats and experiences. They do not only set out to feel better but also to look better, in the process enjoying effects such as slowed aging, reduced discomfort, lower stress levels, and relieved pain. In addition, these health- and wellness-conscious consumers have the privilege of partaking in the consumption of natural supplements such as minerals and vitamins, which further improve their health. With the number of health-conscious consumers on a rapid increase, the number of resorts and hotels joining the health and wellness industry has steadily risen in recent times. However, only a few have managed to cover the entire scope of services and goods currently demanded by wellness and health consumers (Lagace, 2008). That is, some resorts and hotels have not been in a position to offer the range of health and wellness services and goods offered by spas. Nonetheless, a good number of resorts and day spas are now offering a variety of health and wellness services and have added more health and wellness programming options in their services. It is important at this point to distinguish between wellness and health since the two products have quite differe nt meanings and applications. While health tourism refers to the services designed for tourists or clients with medical conditions and requires the experiences of these healing

Organizing Religious Landscapes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organizing Religious Landscapes - Essay Example Seeking to bring the analysis into a relevant current day application, the essay will seek to understand the means by which religious landscapes continue to define life, politics, and culture within the counties that comprise central Wisconsin. As a function of seeking to understand such a reality, it will be the hope of this author that such a level of research will help to shed a level of understanding on how and why certain regions have developed and exhibit some of the key indicators of both culture, religion, and politics that they do. Returning to the way in which religious barriers can differentiate a region or define a culture in a different way, one need look no further than the way in which many of the cultural and religious boundaries that exist within Europe have differentiated the entire continent in a way that it would not likely have been differentiated had religious differences not existed in the first place. Whereas the study of geography, anthropology, and sociology leads one to the understanding of how natural barriers and language barriers help to define and distinguish one group from another, religion serves no lesser nor more important purpose in achieving the same level of differentiation among individuals. To see a prime example of how geography can be decided upon religious terms alone, one need look no further than the way in which the British or French colonialists divided much of the world both in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia based upon religious lines. Evidence of this can of course be seen with regards to the creation of Lebanon, the creation of Papua New Guinea as compared to Indonesia, or the way in which African nations had their borders drawn specifically as a means of differentiating between animist, Muslim and/or Christian. However, geography and the means by which it is defined is not always chosen by an outside force. Oftentimes, the means by which geographic representations are determined are more often than not the r esult of domestic decisions and choices made at the lowest levels. This low-level decision making about what defines â€Å"the other† is oftentimes a result of the way in which religion and the practice thereof helps to differentiate one culture with regards to its neighbors. Due to the inherent truth that religion by its very nature seeks to instill a certain personal and group dynamic within the individuals that practice it, it is necessarily a formulary of the way in which culture is defined and comes to shape a given geography. However, it should not be understood that religious differences necessarily leads to the splitting of a nation or a state of war and/or conflict with another group of individuals. Rather, there are many religiously diverse regions within the world that live in more or less social cohesion and harmony. An obvious example of this would be with regards to the United States and many regions within Africa, Western Europe, and elsewhere around the globe. However, merely because a level of conflict does not exist should not be seen as an indication that the existence and adherence to different religions within diverse geographies does not have a

What is meant by technological determinism Please evaluate Essay

Technological Determinism - Essay Example However, an understanding of technological determinism will be required in order to prove this argument. In addition, the analysis of various concepts of technological determinism will be required so that the role of technology in facilitating the modern social networks and communication can be achieved. The main question of the essay: Is it true that technology is the cause of the changes in the modern society in regards to the socialization process within online communities as argued by technological determinists?  Ã‚  In order to answer the above question, various journal sources of information on the topic will be used within the main essay. According to Hartman (2007), the definition of technological determinism and the meaning of this phrase go beyond faster computing and technological processes. This article is a credible material that will be used to achieve an accurate definition of the term technological determinism. Using this article the various concepts which relate to this phrase will also is described so that a basis for its analysis can be set. The theoretical framework surrounding technological determinism will also be analyzed within the main essay. This will involve an evaluation of opposing theories such as Moore’s law and Marxism in relation technological determinism so that different understanding of the role of technology in social change can be ascertained. In describing and analyzing the theoretical aspects which describe technological determinism, articles by Sherman (2008) and Ceruzzi (2007) will be referred to in the main essay. Sherman (2008) will allow an understanding of technological determinism from the Marxism point of view.   On the other hand, Ceruzzi (2007) in his article will enable a clear understanding of technological determinism in line with the advances in technology such as an increased computer processing speeds and its use within social networks.   

The live concert Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The live concert - Essay Example I love going to the symphony due to the fact that the music has more quality than any other type of live music I have ever attended. The magic Flute,† Mozart’s timeless comic opera is all about young love which features some of the composer’s most wonderful music. Some critics argue that some parts of the show are really silly, but the fact is Mozart wrote really fun comic music that’s filled with the infectious enthusiasm of two teenagers who are in love for the first time. The part I enjoyed most was when the magic flute was being played, because it was intense where the artist showed all his energy and passion in order to bring Pamina, a character in the comedy, to him in process charming even the wild animals to him. The Arizona symphony orchestra is a vital part of community resource that plays a role in uniting performers and audiences through their passion for music. It’s also acknowledged through presenting world premieres, seldom performed t reasures and classical gems. Founded in 1979, it holds an important place in the world of symphonic music. In the concert the band had a cast of more than 100 students, 40 to 50 actors/ singers, a dozen dancers and another 40 musicians in the pit. The band is under the leadership of Music Director, Dr. Thomas Cockrell, one of the most experienced conductors of his generation. The band performs at the Crowder hall, where people from all walks of life come to enjoy the symphony through art, comedy and live music presentation.

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay As Lenny Wilkens explains, the American Dream is not an inevitable realization. There is no certainty that one can obtain their American Dream. One must work hard and be dedicated in order to achieve it. However, this dream is sometimes out of reach and impossible to obtain. For example, during the 1920’s many individuals pursued the dream of becoming rich and prosperous. Then, in the early 1930’s the Great Depression hit America and their hopes were destroyed by a dwindling economy. F. Scott Fitzgerald presents the same idea of an unattainable dream in the novel, The Great Gatsby. One of the main characters, Jay Gatsby, falls in love with Daisy, but he is unable to stay with her because he is poor. He devotes his life to fulfilling his American Dream of marrying her and living the rest of his life with her. However, he cannot see that Daisy has moved on with her life without him. Through the use of episode, character and symbol in the novel, we can see that Gatsby pursues his American Dream, determined that he will achieve it, however, oblivious to the fact that it is unattainable. During the episode when Nick explains Gatsby’s early encounters with Daisy, we can see that Gatsby is lured into the illusion that he can be with Daisy, but he doesn’t see that his dream is not possible. When Gatsby first meets Daisy, he puts on a persona that allows him to temporarily be with her: â€Å"However glorious might be his future as Jay Gatsby, he was at present a penniless young man without a past, and at any moment the invisible cloak of his uniform might slip from his shoulders†¦ eventually he took Daisy one still October night, took her because he had no real right to touch her hand† (156). Because of Gatsby’s social status, he does not belong with Daisy. However, he is so obsessed with the idea of being with her that he lies to her and shows that he is a wealthy person. He thinks that he can become wealthy enough in the future and earn the right to marry her. However, this accomplishment would take far too long for Daisy to wait for him. When Gatsby is a young man, he realizes that he cannot be with Daisy at the moment because of his social status: â€Å"He found that he had committed himself to the following of a grail†¦ She vanished into her rich house, into herrich, full life, leaving Gatsby—nothing. He felt married to her, that was all† (156-157). Gatsby realizes that it is impossible to be with Daisy while he is poor, so he commits himself to obtaining material possessions to impress her and get her to love him again. What he cannot understand is that Daisy does not feel the same way about him as he does about her. Gatsby creates an illusion that she will wait for him until he is worthy of her social status, but his illusion is misleading. Daisy cannot wait for Gatsby because she wants to move on with her life: â€Å"She wanted her life shaped now, immediately—and the decision must be made by some force—of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality—that was close at hand† (159). After Gatsby left for the war and did not see Daisy for a long time, his love for her was still strong. However, her ephemeral love for him could not last. Daisy believed that she should find someone who could love and support her. She did not wait for Gatsby because she needed to find someone and move on with her life. Gatsby cannot come to the realization that he had lost her in the gap of their social statuses. Therefore, he dedicates himself to an unattainable American dream. Through the episode explaining Gatsby’s initial interactions with Daisy, the novel shows that a person can be lured into following the ghost of an American dream. The character Jay Gatsby is determined to achieve his dream of marrying Daisy, but he is unable to see that this dream cannot be reached. Nick, the narrator of the novel, explains that Gatsby has a significant quality of pursuing his dreams: â€Å" If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away† (6). Gatsby has the quality of determination to get what he wants. His dream of marrying Daisy seems like a promise of life to him and he expects it to come true . Although this dream is very distant, Gatsby has no doubt that he will succeed in achieving it. When Gatsby meets up with Daisy for the first time in years, he becomes very nervous and acts in a different manner: â€Å"Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes† (91). When Gatsby is finally face to face with his ultimate dream, he does not want to mess up the situation. Daisy is very important to him and he has a lot of pressure on him to impress her. He is overwhelmed by this pressure and seems to be very uncomfortable with the fact that he might lose his dream. Nick explains that Gatsby’s dream is one built on immoral grounds: â€Å"It is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men† (6-7). Gatsby is so obsessed with being with Daisy that he cannot understand that what he is trying to accomplish is both immoral and selfish. By seeking Daisy’s love, he is trying to end Tom and Daisy’s marriage. His desire to be with Daisy creates an illusion in his mind that Daisy had never loved Tom and had only loved him, but he cannot see that this is not the case. He doesn’t understand that Daisy had moved on without him and that his dream cannot come true. Through the use of the character, Jay Gatsby, the novel exemplifies the fact that the American dream is sometimes out of reach. In the novel, a green light at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolizes the unreachable dream for Jay Gatsby. Nick sees Gatsby standing at the edge of the water, gazing toward Daisy’s house: â€Å"He gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone—he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily, I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away† (25-26). Gatsby views this green light as a representation of Daisy and the future. Its presence alone gives Gatsby hope that one day he will achieve his dream. However, this light is far away, across an entire lake, representing Gatsby’s inability to fulfill his desired future. After Gatsby discusses the green light with Daisy, he believes that his dream is not so far after all: â€Å"Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed to absorb what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever† (98). Gatsby and Daisy meet up for the first time and tour his mansion. Daisy seems impressed, but Gatsby views her reaction as more significant than it actually is. Now that Gatsby thinks that his dream is becoming real, he views the green light differently. To Gatsby, it no longer symbolizes the fact that Daisy is far away. In this manner, Gatsby is lured into believing that his dream is obtainable. Nick explains that the green light signified hope for Gatsby, but he didn’t realize that this hope was false: I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him†¦ Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us†¦ So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past (189). The green light was a guiding force for Gatsby in that it would remind him of the great future that he thought he could have. He had worked so hard to obtain his dream, but his future was not certain, like he believed it was. Nick explains that Gatsby was never moving toward the future, but he was always stuck in the dissatisfaction of the past. The green light is a symbol of Gatsby’s impractical American dream; despite his overwhelming desire to be with Daisy, Gatsby’s dream cannot be reached. Jay Gatsby, through his obsession with Daisy, creates an illusion that Daisy had always loved him and wanted to be with him. He becomes tempted to pursue his dream of being with Daisy, but he is oblivious to the fact that she does not share the same goal. While she moves on with her life, Gatsby is stuck trying to solve the problems of his past. He follows a dream that was never possible to achieve. Although Gatsby is determined to fulfill his dream and dedicates himself to it, his dream is impossible. Gatsby is ultimately lured into pursing an unattainable American dream, one that leaves him lost in the past.

Exile As Motif In Lenrie Peters English Literature Essay

Exile As Motif In Lenrie Peters English Literature Essay Christopher Babatunde Ogunyemi is a PhD research fellow at the Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. He was educated at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria. He holds a Master degree in Comparative Literature from Dalarna University and he lectures English and Literature at Joseph Ayo Babalola University Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State in Nigeria. He is the author of Male Autobiographical Narratives and Gender Imperatives, Topical Issues in Literature and Globalization and Narratology and Contemporary Fiction which were all published by VDM-Publisher and Lap-Lambert Academic Publishing in Germany. He has leading papers in international journals of high repute. Dr. Niyi Akingbe teaches Comparative Literature, African Literature and Protest studies at the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, Nigeria. He has written two critical works: Social Protest and the Literary Imagination in Nigerian Novels and Myth, Orality and Tradition in Ben Okris Literary Landscape. His articles have appeared in leading journals on African Literature. Abosede Adebola Otemuyiwa is a lecturer in the Department of English, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji- Arakeji, Osun State, Nigeria. She has published some articles in some scholarly journals. Living Anonymity: Exile as Motif in Lenrie Peters He Walks Alone Christopher Babatunde Ogunyemi Department of English Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Nigeria. [emailprotected] and Niyi Akingbe Department of English Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Nigeria [emailprotected] Abosede Adebola Otemuyiwa Department of English Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Nigeria [emailprotected] Introduction Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true home: its essential sadness can never be surmounted. And while it is true that literature and history contain heroic romantic, glorious, even triumphant episodes in an exiles life, these are no more than efforts meant to overcome the achievements of exile permanently undermined by the loss of something left behind for ever. (Edward Said, 2001:137) Edward Saids submission above best explains the fundamentals about writings on Exile which portends either self-identity or collective identity of a group of people who live in a continuum. This kind of writing either informs, educates or entertains but the major motif here is to criticize and to sarcastically inform the people within the literary ethos about the exigency of exile, its psychological effects, sociological effects and even its political effects on African people. Exile writing visualizes issues that bother on alienation and the quest for freedom. Writers throughout the ages have been using their literary works of arts to show various reactions that bother with exile. Some x-ray physical exile others psychological exile which grossly affects the psyche of the writer or the character in question. Migration and forced migration are panacea to alienation and exile. Writings emanating from such feelings are nostalgic and thought provoking. Many writers have used their works to buttress the feelings of exile in time and space. The experience of exile literature in Lithuania is predicated on the apocalyptic second coming of the soviet armies in Lithuania. This threw away many intellectual and professional away into exile. Poets arose to react critically to these plights. Examples of such poets are Kazys Bradunas (b.1917), Jonas Mekas (b.1922), Algirdas Landsbergs (b.1924) among others from all parts of the world. Our concern in this paper is to examine exile as motif in Lenrie Peters poetry that is entitled He Walks Alone The poem explains various reasons Africans go on exile and their impressions when they feel nostalgic. Feelings for their roots, their families and their cultures give rise to some sensitive impressions in their works of arts. However, the work uses textual analy sis to explain how Lenrie Peters uses irony and metaphor to portray the image of exile politically, psychologically, economically and physically as recurring motifs in his poetry. His wealth of imagery is situated within the axis of literary application in order to explain what informs migration literature in Africa. This paper is visualized in six movements: the first being the introduction throws a searchlight into the concept of migration and its attendant example in Lithuania and Africa. The second probes into what constitutes the textual analysis approach; the third views exile as motif in African poetry; the fourth delves into Lenrie Peters preoccupation of exile; the fifth movement conceptualises the application of the textual analysis to the poem in question and the sixth, being the last movement concludes the work. The paper conceptualises the textual analysis approach to demonstrate the intrinsic value of migration and exile in the body of the text. Daniel Chandler has don e some excellent application of the textual approach to the mass media. This approach allows concrete insight into the understanding of poetry as it moves in time and space. The Textual Analysis Approach There are two main forms of the textual analysis of popular culture artefacts: interpretive and content analysis. This paper shall employ these two variations in its corpus. Interpretive Textual Analyses This include: semiotics, rhetorical analysis, ideological analysis, and psychoanalytic approaches, among many others. These types of analysis seek to get beneath the surface (denotative) meanings and examine more implicit (connotative) social meanings. These textual analysis approaches often view culture as a narrative or story-telling process in which particular texts or cultural artefacts (i.e., a pop song or a TV program) consciously or unconsciously link themselves to larger stories at play in the society. A key here is how texts create subject positions (identities) for those who use them. Content analysis is a more quantitative approach that broadly surveys things like how many instances of violence occur on a typical evening of prime time TV viewing, or how many Asian American women appear in a days worth of TV commercials. This information, especially when linked to more qualitative kinds of analysis, can be very valuable in moving beyond the analysts always somewhat subjective observations (http://culturalpolitics.net/popular_culture/textual_analysis). According to Jan Ifversen in Text, Discourse, Concept: Approaches to Textual Analysis, he explains the textual theory using the Foucauldian discourse analysis and Begriffsgechichte which can be fruitfully combined to develop a textual analysis in any literary work, he takes into cognizance and demonstrates that account both pragmatic and semantic dimensions of language is the task of source criticism to establish this claim. However: Textual analysis, on the other hand is concerned with the linguistic forms of past representations. It must get to grips with the representational chain that links memory to testimony and testimony to writing. Some approaches are applied to textual analysis of historical documents. they touch aspects within textual analysis that particularly concern historical material and literary horizon (KONTUR nr. 7 2003: 60) Meaning-oriented content analysis and interpretive and critical text analysis approaches share a subjective ontological status of human action and behaviour and a methodological commitment to capturing the actual meaning and interpretations of organisational actors involved in corporate narrative reporting. Corporate narrative documents are regarded as a medium for meaning construction for organisational actors. However, text analysis approaches from the interpretive and the critical perspectives acknowledge the researchers subjectivity. Literary works provide overview of the research perspectives and corresponding text analysis approaches which are further in literature. It shows the choice of text analysis approach to be determined by the research paradigm in which the researcher locates him/herself, which, in turn, consists of a specific combination of the researchers epistemological stance and the belief regarding the ontological status of human action and behaviour. (Merkl-Davie s, 2009: 5). We shall apply the textual approach to the poetry of Lenrie Peters in order to understand its evaluative interpretation in migration literature. Exile as Motif in African Poetry Poetry usually employs the use of epigrammatic statements, lyrics, concrete images which graphically delineate incontrovertible truths in life and social justice (Maduka and Eyoh, 2000:14). Based on this, poets such as Williams Wordsworth, John Keats, Shakespeare, Yeats etc use their poetry to explicate various motifs from innocence to experience, nature and love, unbridled quest for social justice and so on. Exile is an example of such subject matter that poetry axiomatically lends its credence on because it deployed terse words and encoded metaphor in the illumination of thematic preoccupation. Poets could successfully communicate their feelings without been harmed or without been intimidated by the societal framework or instrument of power that lacks literary imagination. Similarly, poets easily call the attention of audience to the plight of exile in order to bring about new life and new experiences. It boils down to what is exile. According to Jacqueline Corness in a paper entitled Alienation and Freedom- A study of Dostoevskys Notes From Underground as it relates to the Theme of Exile, she defines exile from the perspective of Said when she opines that: Exile is not, after all, a matter of choice: you are born into it, or it happens to you. For this reason, exile is often thought to be the most psychological difficult state of removal from, for example, ones country. While some people are separated from their homeland because they have freely chosen to live elsewhere, exiles are considered to be at mercy of external forces (2). Exile is a serious human condition that makes many poets to show their concern and also demonstrate how they feel. Wole Soyinkas Telephone Conversation is a capsule presentation of psychological exile experienced in England when he was refused an accommodation simply because he is a black man. Arthur Nortje`s Autopsy is a poem that visualises the evil effects of exile on children who were naturally born into it, they feel isolated and perverted. Buhadur Tejani`s Leaving the Country is a poem in Africa that showcases the evils behind political exile and alienation. The spirit of nothingness, hollow expectations and practical dislocations are the feelings that emanate from people. African poets reflect exile situation as motif in their poetic canon. Lenrie Peters and Exile Preoccupations in Poetry Although, Lenrie Peters is not a victim of political exile, his exile motif in poetry is predicated on the psychological exile and alienation he experiences in Britain. The same feelings Soyinka experiences which makes him to write the Telephone Conversation Before 1965, Peters studies and lives in Cambridge, after the independence of Gambia his country, he came home to help restructure the political and economic situation. His poem He Walks Alone is a typical example of exile and alienation people suffer in foreign land. His biography shows that: Lenrie Peters was born in Bathurst (at the time a British colony), now Banjul, Gambia on September 1, 1932. Poet,narrator, publisher, medical surgeon and opera singer. Author of the poetry books: Katchikali; Satellites; and Collected Poems and the novel The Second Round, 1965. All his works were published by Heinemann, in London, in the collection African writers series. After making his first studies in Bathurst and in Sierra Leone, he travelled to Cambridge to study Natural Sciences at Trinity College. In England, he was the president of the Union of African Students. He also worked as a publisher for one of the earliest Gambian newspapers, The Gambia Echo. As well as Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and other writers, he belongs to the first generation of the Anglophone West African Writers in being recognized as such and being published abroad. He is an enthusiast defender of the panafricanism. A cosmopolitan poet, his densely packed, minimalist stanza structures fit in the broad univ ersal spectrum of human experience: aging and death, the risks of love, the loneliness of exile. In his book Satellites (1967), the poet-doctors detachment is a metaphor for the uprooted individuals painful existential isolation; his scalpel penetrating at the cutting chaotic edge of things an image for the imaginative piercing and spiritual penetration which are the real goals of the poets quest. Although he gets furious with the frustration of the African underdevelopment, he reflects about blind and sickening models of progress that do not show a continuity with the past and destroy more than what they preserve. In his only novel The Second Round, a physicist trained in Great Britain and victim of the so called massacre of the soul brought by westernization, returns to the capital of his homeland filled up with noble ideas about the progress of Africa, but ends accepting a job in a remote jungle hospital and therefore taking roots in the traditional experience (xvii International Poetry Festival of Modelling) He Walks Alone is a poem that shows degree of alienation African students suffer in Europe. As a result of this alienation in their system, they feel exiled and Peters asks them to go home. The poem is a rich experience from the poet who having studied abroad is critical of the hypocritical behaviours which is sometimes found in Europe. An African student is given quality education but refused employment by the system that educates him. The poem is sarcastic because it tries to ridicule the harsh weather and the harsh behaviours Africans face in diaspora. As a result of alienation, some Africans have lost their roots. They want to behave like the Europeans but it is not possible because their physiological traits were not tailored towards the European individualism. Africans are collective in nature, so when they demonstrate Eurocentric feelings, the Europeans could not accept them, the Africans quickly run back home in order to eat in unison, speak in one accord, love themselves and struggle together in African communalism. Textual Analysis of Exile in He Walks Alone The poem is written in seven stanzas of unequal five lines. The poet addresses exile as motif because man is an integral factor in society- Exile has caused many untold pain, isolation and rejection. The first stanza reports: He walks alone head bowed with memories Exiled in the park some playful thing of long ago glues him to a shop window The poet creates an image of an African man in Europe who is looking for an identity. He is not accepted into the system though he is a legal resident. He cannot vote and be voted for; he cannot seek employment in choice places. He walks alone thinking about home, thinking about his family. Most times he goes around with his head bowed to the colour and psychological differences that exist between him and his host community. At the park, he is always given some distance as if he is a mini-human. The situation on the train is the worst, nobody sits beside him. He feels exiled and alienated. The choice of words here shows that Lenrie Peter employs some coded meanings with words like head bowed in memories. The exile is confronted by a denial by the host communitys culture. But also there is a feeling of belonging to a different but alien culture that has no recognition, and which does not accord him any relevance in the colonial metropolis of London. Hence, his head is bowed with memor ies and longing for African warmth usually underscored by: communal gathering, scores of festivals, the warmth of comradeship and shared labour, joy of harvest and a recollection of the sparkling African blue weather of the dry season. An underlining feature of the exiles flirtation with memory is his concern for warmth and tenderness sufficiently present in Africa, a memory which unobtrusively can not be obliterated by a stretch of distance from Africa. In the second stanza, the issue of exile seems more manifest Faded suit sharp lined loosely held by his proud heart shoes scaled with polish cannot comprehend; too much to tell of harsh experiences The African tries to emulate the European but he cannot really fit into the system. The exiles consciousness is sharpened against the backdrop of the drudgery of everyday life in London, reverberated by faded suit, shoes scaled with polish which betrays an instalmental living on the fringes of English society. This is a description placed at the disposal of an exceptional sincerity and a compelling purpose of coping with the debilitating English weather. The choice of being cladded in faded suit and a pair of shoes scaled with polish is bewildering to the exile. But how is the exile in English society expected to cope with isolation, harsh weather and cultural shock? How is he to describe and set his experiences within an historical condition which can only be understood by himself? The exile realises that only memory can be employed as a weapon of liberation to break through the walls of isolation and racial discrimination ineluctably grounded in English social milieu. Memory consti tutes a bastion of recollection of negative experiences for the exile in the poem. The applications of concrete images such as proud heart shoes scaled with polish are contrasting. As an immigrant he is proud to have journeyed to other part of the world, but in the end cannot fit into the new environment. Irony is another instrument the poet uses to make his poem satiric in nature. Maduka sheds more light on this concept: The word irony means so many things to many people that its no longer very useful as a critical idiom. The protean character of its use has resulted in an array of terms associated with it. Thus, one frequently hears of such expressions as Verbal Irony. Irony of Situation, Sophoclean Irony, Irony of Life, Euripi dean Irony, Tragic Irony, Cosmic Irony, Dramatic Irony, Irony of Things, Irony of Circumstances, Irony of Character ( 139, The Intellectual and Power Structure) Peters complicates dominant racial renditions of African exiles life in Europe by challenging oversimplified historical facts. The poem problematizes a disturbing emotional turmoil to produce a poetic effect in which racial narratives are recognised as the stereotypical occurrences, but have been complicated to the point where it can no longer be definitive. Migration breeds alienation, wherein contentious ideological perspectives of the racism are organised into a fluid and recuperative narrative, which urges the reader to apprehend the ways in which ambiguous representations of the exile which yield a more nuanced and complex literary vision of the African racial condition than that rendered by historical documentations. In this poem, many of these ironies are applicable. The most important are: irony of situation, irony of life, dramatic irony, irony of circumstances and irony of character. This is because exile explores all these feelings in the life of the African whose character is very critical in the poem. Stanzas three and four explain more: No coward he respository of rejected talents an ounce of earth silted weightily in his heart. the breaking point is looking back In this stanza, Peters commences a poetic evaluation of the significance of western education to contemporary African students. Inspite of the difficulties generated by the racially stratified England, the persona does not disintegrate with the threats of racism. But has to maintain a stoical fidelity to his pursuit of western education, whose immense reward will translate to the transformation of his African society. And more so, he can not afford to pack his bags and return to Africa, because the breaking point is looking back. But has to cope with the social, psychological and economic stress of England as to acquire western education at all cost. This necessitates that he deplores courage as a tool of postmodernist sensibility, towards surmounting these travails. The treatment of a sensitive socio-political issue of racism in this poem underscores James Reevess observation that, what poetry does to the mass of ordinary experience is to make permanent and memorable whatever in it is vital and significant(88). Peters in this poem ostensibly criticises racial discrimination, and amplifies the plight of African students in their determination to confront this social malaise. Crossed the Rubicon Race, nationality, ideology, religion arrowed from earth to moon founder of a new brotherhood an hero he not of our nation born Here, the character in the poem is undergoing some rejections. He is grossly isolated, crossing the Rubicon is a metaphor for Atlantic Ocean. The poet is calling an attention that this character who flew across the Atlantic is now been exiled physically and psychologically. He battles racism, nationality stratification resulting into modern slavery, religious differences, ideological divergences, post-nationalism and globalization. Language to this poem is very crucial to the understanding of exile and its attendant evils. Peter concurs that African students must embrace alienation as it is transitory yet mandatory for the pursuit of western education. This reverberates Jacques Derridas explanation that reality, and historical representation of events that attempts to document reality must be inscribed in contradiction and ambivalence. Derrida insists: If we have been insisting so much since the beginning on the logic of the ghost, it is because it points toward a thinking of the event that necessarily exceeds a binary or dialectical logic, the logic that distinguishes or opposes effectivity or actuality (either present, empirical,living-or-not) and ideality (regulating or absolute non-presence). (italics original 78) Suffice to say that Derridas logic of the ghost explicates the ways in which He Walks Alone Articulates a similar contradiction that bifurcates binaries of racism to establish a more problematic historical representation of exile. The poet chooses both the connotative and denotative language to portray the colourful images and metaphors which he explores in the handling of exile as motif in the poem He Walks Alone Stanzas five, six and seven substantiate this assertion. Lenrie Peters mastery of the English language allows for an unbiased evaluation of communities imagined through language, which neither obscures specificity nor emphasize notions of fixed identity. Such evaluation succinctly foregrounds the questioning and critical evaluation of the disadvantaged position of the exile. Known no tenderness skin a mosaic of scars heart in fixed deposit safe from ridicule, decomposing Marionette-strings linked with stars Exile go home under your bed a bowl of tears leave back streets nightmares evenings kneeling in pews brassy noises of homely fires Dream and wait coarse cauctus of desert wastes perhaps tomorrow sunflowers fading in the heat will lie insensate at your feet In this poem, the choice of both connotative language and denotative language is to present the motif of exile in its natural state. The poet wants to prevent ambiguity by using everydays language as connotative and implied language as denotative. The image of poverty is too conspicuous in the poem. The character lives in isolated area, some areas are exclusively reserved for immigrants and some jobs are also exclusively reserved for immigrants. Such jobs include cleaning, flushing of toilets, etc. Lenrie Peters is extremely critical about the use of language in the poem. Although he sounds very harsh, maverick and mechanical when he says exile go home. The poet seems to be worried about frustrations, psychological intimidation people in exile go through. Although this is self exile, he admonishes the Africans that they should seriously start thinking about home for the sake of development and posterity. Similarly, the arrays of metaphors which are situational make the motif of exile interesting to study. Though exile is a social factor, the poet is calling attention that instead of constant endurance and travails, affected persons can make it good at home. Although man is powerless in the face of uncontrollable phenomenon, the poet achieves success in his artistic craft and the handling of the theme of exile as motif in He Walks Alone The title of the poem is symbolic because it expresses the exile experience and it emphasises individualism which is not part of African culture and tradition. Above all, it is a contribution to African literature because African literature, indeed the literature of black civilization, in modern times, has moved from the literature of protest to the literature of assertion and emancipation, which also indicates self-examination (Black Aesthetics, ix). Of paramount significance is the musical theatricality which the poem employs in its structure, which gives the poem an aesthetic bravura and imaginative splendour. The significance of this regular patterning is to show that exile is a continuous phenomenon in the life of people. As African people move from one place to the other, other people too may consider relocation from one locale to the other. They would begin to consider balancing with the socio-geographical factor of the environment they find themselves in. In the course of thi s, nostalgia, pain and acceptance problem sails in. The end rhyme employed by Lenrie Peters could be considered original because it neither conforms to Elizabethan nor the English type. The tone of the poem is melancholic. That is the situation exile encourages. The poet is exhibiting a practical manifestation of what it is to be in exile. The expectations are usually very high but the system is not accommodating to satisfy all the yearnings revolving in the mind. The audience would perceive He Walks Alone as a didactic poem. A didactic poem is a poem that teaches and explains the rudiments about human society and predicament. The motif of exile is an over ­- riding factor in this poem. The poem exegetically breaks down and overturns the European jaundiced understanding of African cultural milieu, by resisting a widely accepted, and otiose depiction of the African students sojourn in Europe as blissful, celebratory and quintessential. But Peters through a complex exteriorization of his experience in London, depicts the thorny convolutions of exile. Conclusion The motif of exile is the main preoccupation that Lenrie Peters examines in exhaustive chunk. He uses rich imagery to demonstrate this, bearing in mind that Africans are people of historical evolution in the word of Boyin Svetlana. This poem is very sensitive to the plight of exile and identity. The use of ordinary language is to denote clear image of understanding so that the issue of ambiguity would not arise. To sum up, Lenrie Peters He Walks Alone is an exemplification of exile experience coupled with the question of identity and how these factors have dire consequences on the people. The rich artistic creation is a contribution to African literature.

Thums Up Soft Drink Brand Analysis

Thums Up Soft Drink Brand Analysis Launched in India by Parle Agro Pvt. Ltd. Now owned by Coca-Cola. Until leaving India in 1977, Coca Cola was the nations leading soft drink. It was around that time that the Chauhan brothers launched Thums Up, Parles flagship cola drink. The Tough Mans Cola quickly went on to become a nationwide success, dominating smaller players like Campa Cola, Double Seven and Double Cola for over a decade. But all that changed in 1993 for that was when Coca Cola re-entered the Indian market and Pepsi launched here too. Background: Thums Up is a carbonated soft drink (cola) admired and biggest selling brand in India, where its valiant, red thumbs up logo is widespread. Earlier the logo of Thums Up was a red thumbs up gesture of hand with one-sided white sans-serif typography. This would later be tailored and modified by Coca-Cola with giving some blue strokes and a more advance and modern-style. The main motive behind changing the logo was to lessen the dominance of red colour in the signage. Brand Identity of Thums Up: Iconic, victory, celebration, proactive Happiness, brave, excitements Thums Up, Red color, logo Macho, Masculine, adventurous, cool Masculine, risky, courageous Macho, refreshing, adventurous, joyfuluntitled Stage at Product Life Cycle: Thums Up has seen all the stages of product life cycle except decline stage, starting from introduction. When the Brand was doing well, it was taken away from the market because it was giving stiff competition to Coca-cola but Coke had to bring out the brand again to attack all the promotional policy of Pepsi and it was introduced once again. If we talk about current scenario, thums Up is at its Maturity stage. It has grown like anything, has been successful in attracting more and more number of customers and now it has a huge market share. The brand has been successful in capturing the minds of the consumers. Now, all the communication policies of the brand is all about informing consumers that the brand is in the market and doing well. The objective of the communication policy of the brand is to remind people about the strength and status of the brand SWOT Analysis: Weakness Negative Publicity Decline in cash for operating costs No autonomy Strength Strong brand image Good marketing tools Strong distribution channels Different taste Brand loyalty Reasonable price Threat Cut- throat competition New entrants Government regulations Economic instability Health Issues Market instability Opportunity Growing Market Acquisitions Innovation Overtake competitors Creative marketing tools Market Scenario: Thums Up has enjoyed a near monopoly with a much stronger market share often beating its other rivals like Camp cola, Double seven and Dukes, but there were many small regional players who had their own market. It was one of the major advertisers throughout the 1980s. In the mid-80s it had a brief threat from a newcomer Double Cola which suddenly disappeared within a few years. Pepsi was the first company to come to India In 1990, when the Indian government allowed the market to multinational companies Thums Up went up against the worldwide giant for a strong ambush with neither side giving any quarter. When Pepsi had starred with famous bollywood actress like Juhi Chawla, to frustrate the Indian brand, Thums Up focussed on cricket sponsorship. Things became even more complicated when Coca-cola re-entered India after its absence from 1977 to 1993. Now the fight became a three-way battle. But Things got changed post liberalization, when Thums Up was facing unbendable and stiff competition from coke and Pepsi both. But After all this happening, owners of Parle Agro, finally sold Thums Up to Coca-Cola. Relaunch of the product: When Thums UP was sold off to Coca-Cola, it in fact tried to kill Thums Up, but later on they sensed that Pepsi would be more benefitted than Coke if they withdrew Thums Up from the market and Coke decided to use Thums Up against Pepsi to thwart the brand. By this time, Coca-cola had about 60.5% share in the Indian soft-drink market but if they would have withdrawn Thums Up from the market the market share would have remained 28.72% only. Hence it once again launched Thums Up brand targeting the 30 to 45 year olds. In todays scenario, amongst all the carbonated drinks Coca-cola occupies about 58% market share in India in which Thums-up is the premier selling brand with a market share of about 15% of the total CSD market where as Pepsi is the second brand with 36%. Communication strategy after Re-launch After entering again into the market the brand was re-positioned as a manly drink, stressing on its strong and bitter taste qualities. Thums Up kick-started an forceful and aggressive campaigns directly targeting Pepsis TV ads, showcasing the strength of the drink in the hope that the representation of an adult drink would attract more young consumers. Grow up to Thums Up was a triumphant and amazing campaign done by Thums Up and because of this campaign the market share of the brand soared. The brand became unbreakable and resilient Positioning: Earlier Thums up was positioned as a refreshing cold drink, with having slogans such as Great and Happy Days are here Again but after this it was around post-1996 that the brand decided to move towards a more idiosyncratic, manly positioning. Having all odds Thums Up has enjoyed a market share of around 30% at the time, but Coca-Cola has always focused all its money and resources on promoting the Coke brand. The latest thums up 2010 ad has an attitude that is I will do anything for Thunder which shows the enthusiasm and adventurous nature of males. The different types of positioning opted by the brand in several times are as follows: Time duration Brand positioning Tag line 1977-1980 Joy, Refreshment, Happiness Happy days are here again 1981-1987 Masculine I am the thunder. 1988-1992 Masculine Taste the thunder 19993-1995 Back out from the market 1995-2006 Confidence, masculine, Adventurous Taste the thunder 2006 onwards Confidence, Masculine, cheerful Taste the thunder Current Marketing plan Even after 13 years, Thums up is sold more than Pepsi and Coke. The brand has refused to die because of its strongness and attitude involved in it. The brand personifies victory, achievement and celebration. Thums Up is our very own Indian brand. The brand is very popular amongst Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, UP and Karnataka where Andhra contributes 30% of the total sales. Coke has always promoted Thums Up half heartedly but even after all mess up, the brand has stood strong and everlasting . May be it is on the part of consumers that they are not willing to let go the brand. This brand has got an iconic status. It is a classic case where the customers have the ownership of the brand. If Coke would have promoted the brand in most efficient manner, Pepsi did not have a chance to enter and compete in Indian cola market. Coke could have ruled and became the market leader in India only with Thums Up. Now, Coke is trying to have a separate market for Thums Up. Coke is trying to play the regional game through which in those areas where sales of coke is strong, Thums Up is withdrawn slowly. Thums Up Launches New Ad Campaign Yeh Toofan This summer, Thums Up, one of Indias most iconic and the largest soft drink brand, is all set to storm fans with a new Taste the Thunder communication initiative- Yeh Toofan. In the latest campaign, Bollywood Super Star and Thums Up brand Ambassador, Akshay Kumar reminiscences about the several thunder packed action stunts for his favorite bottle of Thums Up. The communication takes the I will do Anything for my thunder attitude to the next level, where Akshay is seen, back in thick of action, performing some adrenalin pumping action such as crashing through the window of an exploding high rise, snatching a Thums Up bottle from jaws of a vicious alligator, taking on a mob of angry gangsters to swimming through strong rapids. This campaign first got previewed to the Thums Up fans on Facebook and then releases on mass media channels. Internet Marketing done By Thums Up: Honestly, Thums Up is a brand does not use the power of internet marketing. Their main motive is to reach out mass public by using mass media tools of promotion. They have focussed more on TVCs and OOH media. In the field of internet marketing, I could find only following steps taken by the brand: All the ads of the company are uploaded on YouTube. They are using social media as in Facebook for awareness but the extent is very low. They are having Search Engine Optimisation to an extent because while searching for data related to Thums Up, I was getting the links related to Thums Up but still a lot can be done in this field. All the latest updates about the brand come on internet on regular basis There is no separate website of the brand. It comes under Coca-Cola as a sub brand. What can be done-? Now, as we can see that the company does not promote itself on internet and it feels also that there is no use of it. Frankly speaking thums Up is doing great in the market but in this situation of cut-throat competition, a lot can be done on internet to create buzz and to get competitive advantage. As we all agree that this age has become word of fingers instead of word of mouth, Thums up as a big brand should utilise the power of internet in current scenario. Developing their own website: Thums Up should have its own website, where they can separately calculate the hits by using web analytics. On their website, they can demonstrate their latest ads, new packaging, history of the brand and all related information can be found on that website only. Using Social Media: Thums Up being a youth product, must use social media as one of their promotional tool. They can have application related to the brand; they can have games related to the brand. One idea can be that they develop a quiz related to the latest updates of Thums Up and they offer prizes to the winner. Search Engine Optimisation: Thums Up uses this technique as promotion tools but not in an effective way. When I was looking for the Internet marketing plan of Thums Up, I was getting every data related to Thumbs Up, which was very irritating. So, I think they should focus on this and try to get the keywords as perfectly as possible. Search Engine Ads: Thums Up doesnt go for any ads on Google. I think they can have collaboration with any food place, restaurants etc and along with their ad, Thums Up can promote itself. Email Marketing: Thums Up can use email marketing for increase in its sales. They can directly contact the people who are involved and have the authority to make decisions. For example, they can target colleges and all. Where they can interact with the higher authority through emails and can get the orders. If they allow, Thums Up can have its stall or counter in the colleges and offices. From a brand that was virtually unchallenged to a brand that was stifled, Thums Up stormed back after a near death experience. The brand proves that its strength lies not just in its taste but also in its performance. The grown up tag is an enduring one and will probably counter Pepsi for a while to come.