Essay --

Gandhi once said, â€Å"a man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.† Gandhi was a free-willed thinker and was the famous leader of the movement for Indian independence; he based his teachings on non-violence and truth. Being born and raised in India, he saw all the aspects of how British rule was controlling, but not knowing of any of the troubles of the British control, Gandhi set off to study law in England. He soon leaves for South Africa and opens a law office. But it was here in South Africa that where Gandhi organizes his first protest against anti-Indian laws in South Africa and was imprisoned. When he was released he returned to India and seven years later was put on trial and was sentenced to six years in jail. In jail, Gandhi began his â€Å"great fast† in protest of British control. But Gandhi was persistent to win the battle with no violence so he repeatedly was thrown in jail and fasted continuously. Even being imprisoned for years , nothing stopped the great independence leader of India. Gandhi once said, â€Å"you can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.† Gandhi’s beliefs can easily be translated into transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is a philosophy that promotes spiritual thinking and be one with nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote Nature and Self-Reliance and Henry David Thoreau who wrote Civil Disobedience and Walden are two famous examples of transcendentalists. They believe that people should not conform to society’s ways and beliefs and instead listen to their own conscious even if we are to be judged by others. They are true to themselves and find themselves through nature and being in solitude. Most nonconformists in the world were... ...e succeeded. Gandhi is known as the father of India but he can also be known as a transcendentalist because of his acts of civil disobedience, his careless thoughts of what others thought of him, and his persistence for racial and gender equality. When comparing transcendentalism and Gandhi, we can clearly see how closely related their philosophies were because like transcendentalism, Gandhi was self-reliant, a nonconformist, and believed in equality. Gandhi set examples for many others leaders to help gain independence because like all other actions it begins with ideas, and with ideas anything is possible. Everything can be accomplished if we all step outside of the pressures of society and find ourselves and be the person we intend to be and not society’s puppet. Like Gandhi once said before, â€Å"a man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.†

Janmar Coating case study Essay

This case is about an organization doing business on paint coatings market served by company in the southwestern United States. The organization has some challenges on how to deploy marketing efforts among the various architectural paint coatings markets served in the southwestern United States. 1. Janmar Coating, Inc. Janmar Coating, Inc. is a privately held organization produces and markets architectural paint under Janmar brand name. In addition to producing a full line of architectural coatings, the company sells paint sundries (brushes, rollers, thinner, etc.) under the Janmar name, even though these item are not manufactured by the company. 2. Architectural painting Industry sources estimated U. S sales of architectural paint coatings and sundries (brushes, rollers, paint removers and thinners, etc) to be 12 billion plus in 2004. Architectural coating are considered to be mature market with long term sales growth projected in the range of 1 to 2 percent per year. Demand for architectural coatings and sundries and sundries reflects the level of house redecorating, maintenance, and repair, as well as sales existing homes, and to a lesser extent new home, commercial, and industrial construction. 2. 0 Identify Problem 1. Competitor The competition in Architectural coating segment are increasing. Companies seeking growth and a higher sales base to support increasing costs are making acquisition. Major products of paint for the architectural coatings segment include Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, the Glidden unit of Imperial Chemicals, PPG Industries, Valspar Corporation, Grow group and Pratt & Lambert. These producers account upward for 60% of sales in architectural coatings segment. They market under their own brand names and  for retailers under private, controlled and store brand names. 2. Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) U. S paint manufacturer are under growing pressure to reduce emissions volatile organic compound (VOCs) from paints and to limit the consumption of solvents. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has adopted a three step plan for reduction of VOCs in architectural and industrial maintenance coatings. Compliance with EPA regulations eroded historically low profit margins in paint industry. 3 DFW and Non DFW Janmar Coating, Inc.  market its paint and sundry item in over 50 countries in Texas, Okhlahoma, New Mexico, and Lousiana from its plant and headquarter in Dallas, Texas. The 11- Country Dallas – Fort Worth (DFW) metropolitan area is the major business and financial center in their company’s southwestern service area. According to Vice president of sales â€Å" we have added only five accounts in the five years; our account penetration in non DFW areas is 16%† . 3. 0 Consider relevant information There are some alternatives that should be considered: 1. Customer advertising awareness at least 30 percent among do-it-yourselfers. As per Vice President of Advertising, Ron, he believed that they must direct their efforts towards bolstering their presence in the DFW do-it-yourselfer market by at least 30 percent. The awareness is well related to paint purchase behavior. Through advertising, the customers will be aware about the Janmar Coatings’ paint as well as they have seen it been advertised via media. However according to Mr. Burns, advertising is not a good idea since he did not sure what advertising it is because 75 percent of the audience in DFW is not buying paint. He suggested that the cost of advertising amounted $350,000 used for advertising in non DFW areas. 2. Price cut by 20 percent of all paint products. Based on Vice President of Operations, he suggested that they must cut price by 20 percent on all their products to meet customers’ wants. It is because the customers are price sensitive due to the research program. Their price is still higher than a mass merchandiser’s although they have advertised price-off special. But as per Mr. Burns, their sale representative has forecasted that their demand for paint will not increase next year. Therefore, they cannot cut price this year. 3. Hire a sale representative costing $60,000 a year in non DFW areas. Vice President of Sales wants to develop a new retail account in non DFW areas after only five accounts for the last 5 years. They want to focus on non DFW areas because half of their sales and dealers exist in that particular area. It has been asking by Mr. Burns on what the sale representative will do, either focusing on retail account side or on recruiting the professional painter. 70 percent of sale is through their professional painters in DFW areas, while 70 percent of sale went to do-it-yourselfers in non DFW areas. They would need 40 percent price cut to attract contractors since they have minimum number of contractor sale in DFW and other areas. 4. Maintaining their current approach. Referring to Vice President of Finance, he want to pursue the current approach because they are in profitable based on contribution margin by 35 percent. The company just needs to monitor their margin in control their cost well. 4. 0 Choose the best alternative The best alternative is sales representative, since it focuses on non DFW areas because half of their sales and dealers exist in that particular area. 5. 0 Implementation of the alternative: Based on the case study, the way to implement the problem is through market targeting. There is the way of target the market which is: 1. Where to compete Janmar Coating Inc. needs to specify the market segment that they want to pursue. They need to make marketing improvement in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Non Dallas-Fort Worth (Non-DFW) to compete with their competitors such as Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore and Grow Group. They should pursue the 400 or so professional painting firms in DFW area and the 200 professional painters outside the DFW area or the do-it-yourselfer market. 2. How to compete Janmar Coating Inc. can compete with their rival by increasing the hiring of representative at the DFW area and non-DFW area. This strategy can make Janmar Coating Inc. customers feel convenience and can build a good relationship with them. The representative that had been hired by Janmar Coating Inc. is only eight people. Due to it, they cannot monitor each of the retail outlets all over 50 countries in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Louisiana. By adding representative and allocate them accordingly through the country, they can make a promotion aggressively and can get information about the buying trend of the consumer from the retailers. 3. When to compete Janmar Coating Inc. can start to make their new marketing targeting according to the seasonal or trend of the demand from the consumers. For an example, consumers will be attracting to purchase when there is a promotional allowances during seasonal festival such as Charismas festival. 6. 0 Conclusion: It can be conclude that to make a decision for the problem of where and how to deploy corporate marketing efforts among the various architectural paint coating, the company should adding amount of representative to make a promotion that can increase level of the awareness of the Janmar brand among the consumer. Due to the new strategy, the sales of the architectural paint coating will be increase and it can compete with the rival product. 7. 0 Reference A. Peterson, R. A. (2013). Strategic Management Problems: Cases and Comments. Pearson Education. Kerin, R. A.

Martin Luther King Jr. And Gandhi - 1437 Words

One of the most inspirational books written that influenced people such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi is Civil Disobedience. Written by Henry D. Thoreau and based on his live relieving experience at Walden s Pond provides us with a new way to look at our lives. Civil Disobedience is a book that provides a new life changing experience. Thoreau’s time at Walden Pond is described as an experiment in living deliberately which he furthers to describe as living with a purpose, making choices, and having self-reliance. Firstly, to live deliberately means to live with a purpose. Thoreau argues that many people live without a purpose because they do not have much time for themselves. People have practically a list of things to do every day, which may resemble other people s list. For most college students, college is the only place where they have free time. We go weeks and even months without never confronting complex problems since we are always technically doing the same thi ng. Since we typically do the same thing every day, it causes us to go in auto-pilot, which means we have no time but to be machines(Thoreau 7). We place so much on us that it is overwhelming and as a result, we end up feeling like we have little time for ourselves. Living with a purpose also means living in the moment. A question that Thoreau tries to answer throughout his book is How to figure out and how to live in the moment? The reason we do not live in the moment is because we alwaysShow MoreRelatedMohandas Gandhi vs. Martin Luther King Jr.1935 Words   |  8 PagesMohandas Gandhi vs. Martin Luther King Jr. People all over the world know that Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. did great things in their life times. But which one was more effective during his time? The answer to this question is somewhat biased, usually depending on your race, geographical location, and if you or someone you know has directly experienced the effects of the actions of these men. An Indian would choose Mohandas Gandhi over Martin Luther King Jr. without even thinking aboutRead MoreThe Impact Of Gandhi On American Society Through Martin Luther King Jr.990 Words   |  4 PagesHinduism had any influence on the development of American society. But what little they do know of Hinduism is most likely derived from their knowledge of Mahatma Gandhi. Few Americans realize that Gandhis teachings and lifes work had a tremendous impact on the development of American society during the Civil Rights Movement. Mohandas K. Gandhi, known to the world as The Mahatma, or the Great Soul, brought a great gift to the modern world. That gift was the light of Non-Violence, of Service to theRead MoreHenry David Thoreau, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr.s Use of Civil Disobedience562 Words   |  2 Pagesdictionary, the definition of civil disobedience is the â€Å"refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government.† Men such as Henry David Thoreau, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. have all used forms of civil disobedience and nonviolent protest to make changes in the world. These changes have made huge impacts on our societies and how we are able to live our everyday lives. Without these three men and their practiceRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. And Gandhi1132 Words   |  5 Pagesof nonviolence are Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas K. Gandhi. While there are many pros to nonviolence, ther e are just as many cons. Somehow these two people managed to impact millions of people’s lives and still continue to do so today. Through all of the negativity and discrimination these two people became leaders in our society’s eyes and still remain as role models in our society now. There are always pros and cons to being a leader to millions, but Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi’s â€Å"non-traditional†Read MoreMartin Luther King Jr And Mahatma Gandhi Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesMartin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi on Nonviolence Introduction: Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi are both great exmples and role models of the nonviolent protest from there very different religious backgrounds. Although the two have different religious beliefs, but the fact that they have the same approach to the nonviolent factor that plays a big role in the world still to this day. 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Gandhi’s peaceful ideals helpRead More Passive Resistance as a Powerful Tool for Social and Political Change1503 Words   |  7 Pages As Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi, have argued, passive resistance is a noble means to a peaceful end, in which only the followers of a movement risk themselves and bring no harm to those whom they oppose. â€Å"Passive resistance,† according to Mahatma Gandhi, â€Å"is an all sided sword; it can be used anyhow; it blesses him who uses it and him against whom it is used. Without drawing a drop of blood it produces far-reaching results. It never rusts and cannot be stolen.† Martin Luther King Jr. and GandhiRead MoreEssay on Civil Disobedience1397 Words   |  6 Pagesactivists in civil disobedience w ere Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., and Gandhi. All three of these men participated in acts of civil disobedience but each in his own way and for different reasons. Henry David Thoreau believed that a certain war tax was unjust during the Mexican War and he refused to pay it. This then lead to his arrest and one day in jail where he wrote the essay Civil Disobedience. Martin Luther King Jr. on the other hand participated in an act of civil disobedience

The Consequences of Poor Nutrition - 513 Words

Poor nutrition diets and consequent rise of NCDs are population health challenges facing public health dietitians/nutritionists since they are charged with maintaining good health of the population through managing food and nutrition issues. By developing programs to tackle lack of food security, high pricing of healthy food and negative influences of food marketing, they can introduce nutritious diets and healthy eating habits to the community. They can do so effectively by collaborating with other health and non-health professionals and contributing to developing a more integrated health system. As noted by the WHO (2004), an integrated approach to the determinants of unhealthy diet would minimise future impacts of NCDs. Integrated care has been attracting substantial attention as an imperative framework to develop better and more cost-effective health systems (Kodner Spreeuwenberg, 2002). However, integration remains a defining variable (Kodner Spreeuwenberg, 2002). Consensus dissolves around an agreed definition of integration, as an integrated health system is a complex and multi-faceted notion. A general definition of integration is the organisation and provision of health services so that patients receive a range of preventive and curative services, based on their needs over time and across different levels of the health system (WHO, 2008). More specific interpretations vary with respect to different stakeholders in the health system. To patients anShow MoreRelatedCauses And Consequences Associated With Weight Gain And Obesity Among Refugees And Immigrants Essay1473 Words   |  6 Pagesmultiple problems including in diet and nutrition after people arrive in the USA. This paper explores major causes and consequences associated with weight gain and obesity among refugees and immigrants in the US. For the purpose, I reviewed 20 related research articles on the same topics written by many experts. 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KwaZulu Natal is the province with the highest prevalence of HIV at 37.4% for pregnant women (DOH 2013b). Hypertension and obstetric haemorrhage can be avoided through appropriate nutrition and dietary-related practices (Bradshaw et al 2008). In South Africa, one in three women have a mental problem during or shortly after the pregnancy period [Field Honikman 2015; Mental Health and Poverty Project (MHaPP) 2010]. This statisticRead MoreThe Effects Of Proper Nutrients On Children1190 Words   |  5 Pages There are many consequences when children do not get enough nutrients while in development. The imbalance of proper nutrients brings too many effects towards growth and development on children. Drugs, mental health conditions, and also neglecting parents disturb the appropriate grow of a child. Our body needs a balance amount of nutrients for our survival and for a good health. When people consume drugs, such as, amphetamines, cocaine and some other illegal drugs they are in higher risk of notRead MoreGuatemal A Country And Poor Country871 Words   |  4 PagesGuatemala is a beautiful, diverse yet small and poor country in Latin America. Because of its ongoing economic crisis, the country has reached a reality where, according to WFP (2016), Guatemala has not only the highest rate of malnutrition in Latin America, but also is considered the country with the fourth biggest rate of chronic malnutrition worldwide. This topic has an enormous relevance because as WFP (2016) mentions, th e chronic malnutrition that kids from this country go though is what makesRead MoreNutrition Is Essential For Children s Health978 Words   |  4 Pageswell as in fruits and vegetables. The standard American died has extremely serious consequences on our current and future generations. What children eat during their younger years is negatively affecting their health and setting them up for health concerns and chronic diseases later in life. The paradox in the United States is that our children are being overfed and undernourished at the same time. Proper nutrition is essential to children’s health. According to the Centers for Disease Control andRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic Of The United States Affects A Mass Portion Of All Children And Adolescents945 Words   |  4 Pagesprovide can significantly help reduce the obesity crisis we face. Our education career is one of the most influential aspects of all of our lives and though most of children’s time is spent in school, it lacks teaching the importance of food, the consequences of unhealthy diets and its’ little value on health as being part of our future success. 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Com/155 Appendix C Rhetorical Modes Essay - 1750 Words

Associate Program Material Appendix C Rhetorical Modes Matrix Rhetorical modes are methods for effectively communicating through language and writing. Complete the following chart to identify the purpose and structure of the various rhetorical modes used in academic writing. Provide at least 2 tips for writing each type of rhetorical device. |Rhetorical Mode |Purpose – Explain when or why |Structure – Explain what organizational |Provide 2 tips for writing in | | |each rhetorical mode is used. |method works best with each rhetorical mode. |each rhetorical mode. | |Narration |The purpose of narration is to |Narrative methods represent a form of inquiry|1. Clarity. Complex words†¦show more content†¦pretty | | |designed for various business | |well anything in the learning | | |purposes. †¢to convey a message | |materials area except basic | | |†¢Advertising and Attracting | |teachers notes, these days!),| | |Attention †¢Education | |write the material initially | | |Furthermore, illustrations (just| |roughly page for page, as you | | |as well as photographs) can be | |imagine it will be eventually.| | |used to draw attention to | |2. There is always a | | |certain information. | |temptation to try to fit too | | |Illustration is something a | |much on a page. Too little | | |person sees first even before | |white space makes for poor |

Boom of Credit Cards Free Essays

Credit cards have become such a familiar feature of the life style in the world that it is difficult to imagine a consumer economy functioning without them. The credit cards are nowadays the most convenient of all types of payments. The boom of the credit card industry has affected everyone in the world of the â€Å"plastic money†. We will write a custom essay sample on Boom of Credit Cards or any similar topic only for you Order Now That was the name given to the credit card right after it was invented. Nowadays, the â€Å"plastic money† occupies a very important place in the economy of the country. â€Å"Settlements indicates that the number of credit cards in circulation increased 34 percent between 1988†¦.. The data also show that the value of credit card transactions increased 98 percent during the same period† (Yoo, p. s. 1997). A lot of reasons explain the fact that the credit cards are holding the most important place in the wallet and purses today. Behind these reasons , is hiding a crucial social phenomenon that has very bad consequences in the country, credit card abuse. Despite the measures taken by the officials, statistics prove that the number is increasing everyday. Today, Visa and Master card occupy an important place in the credit card marketplace but the pioneer in the business remains to be Diners Club. In 1949, as the luncheon tables were cleared at the Major†s Cabin Grill, a popular New York restaurant of the period whose location next door of the Empire State Building was then a considerable asset, three men sat huddled over a prime table off to one side †¦. In their excitement, they called over Major, the proprietor and asked him how much he would pay for business that he would not ordinarily get. Without flinching, Major replied â€Å"7 percent† , number that established a major industry (Lewis, 1990). ` Those three men were Alfred Bloomingdale, Frank Mc Namara and Ralph Snyder. They conceived a plan for a new type of credit card. Unlike the retail and gas credit cards, which were restricted in use to those industries, theirs would be â€Å"universal† card that allowed its holders to purchase goods and services at different places across the country. An industry was born, Diners Club As a matter of fact, the period right before the First World War, was the first year for a new industry, the credit card industry. Those first credit cards were not really credit cards as they are today because they served only for limited needs. They could be used only on a very low level. The use of credit cards by retailers began in 1914†³ (Lewis, 1990). Since that date there was an inconceivable growth of credit card production. Prior to World War I, few hotels, oil companies and department stores issued credit cards. Then in 1931 the airline companies introduced the credit cards in their business (Lewis, 1990). The evolution and the expansion of the card went lide the speed of light. The most important step was the introduction of the credit card to the Internet in the 90†³s. Today, Web servers enable payments by credit card. A credit card transaction over the Internet is one of the most common types of payment. If a merchant has an account with a merchant bank that offers Internet credit card processing, he would be able to accept credit card payment over the Internet (http://search. netscape. com). â€Å"There was an increase of $78 billion over 1994, in just one short year. We†ve been tracking it since 1980, and we†ve never seen that kind of increase before. † (Glenn, 1984, pp. 857-68). What are the reasons that explain the fast increase of the use of the credit cards? As one reason that might explain the phenomenon, some people may think that carrying a credit card is much easier than having cash or a checkbook in their wallets or purses. There is no doubt that the â€Å"plastic money† doesn†t bother in a wallet or a purse because of its tiny size. Another reason that may explain the credit card fever is that it allows its holders to spend the money they haven†t got yet. Actually, it looks like free money, although it really isn†t. That is the case of the college students who have credit cards and whose parents will pay the debt their child has created. The strongest argument that could be also the main reason the t explains the increasing number of credit card transactions is that a lot of low income-persons are carrying â€Å"plastic money† and are using it widely but not wisely. When the time for paying off the balance due comes, a lot of people do not have enough money to clear their bills. Here is the beginning of a cycle that probably will never stop (Kathy and Bill B. â€Å"s case) until the credit card company or the banks realize that their customer†s debt is growing every month. Before any reaction of the creditors, the debt has reached an unbelievable amount. As a result of a non-payment of the bills, the problems in the credit card industry began. In addition to lost or stolen cards and billing errors, an uncontrollable phenomenon was born in the industry, fraud. Two major aspects determine the fraud in the industry, stolen cards and the black market created around the â€Å"plastic money. † In fact, counterfeiting credit cards has taken an important turn during the 60s. As expected, not long after they had instituted the unsolicited credit card programs in the late 1960s, the bank began to experience significant losses due to fraud (Lewis, 1990). Statistics prove how fast the fraud went up in the industry. In 1964, the U. S. Post Office investigated only fifteen cases of credit card fraud. Four years later, in 1968, that figure shot up to 360, and the following year, it more than doubled to 762. In 1970, Andrew Brimmer, one of the Federal Reserve Board†s seven governors, showed that bank charge card losses had increased 50 percent that year to $115. 5 million or $3. 4 percent of $3. 4 billion in outstanding credit card debt (Lewis 1990). In 1971, the Los Angeles Police Department made public its first reported of counterfeiting credit cards. The counterfeiters, two women and one man who apparently had knowledge of at least one bank numbering system used authentic blank cards stock to succeed their operation (Lewis, 1990). The very fast assumption of the abuse in the credit card industry made the banks and the credit card companies think about finding solutions that could stop this terrible phenomenon. Since the major source of losses in the industry was stolen cards, it was very hard for the credit card companies to find a solution that would stop fraud. The fraud in the credit cards industry had had an important impact in the economy of the United States such as financial losses. In 1973 alone, credit cards losses were estimated to be $288 million-or 1015 percent of the total credit card sales (Lewis, 1990). The delinquency rate has risen four quarter in a row for the first time since 1991†¦.. At the end of 1991, $3. 4of every $100 owed on credit card was delinquent, up eight percent from 1994 (Business Journal of Charlotte, 1996). Whose responsibility was it? In large part, the banks themselves were responsible for their continuing losses. In their desire to market their cards as actively as possible, they were reluctant to tarnish the image go the credit card by publicizing stories of thefts and losses , so they hid the information not to alarm potential cardholders(Lewis, 1990, p. 8). The government may be held responsible as well because the government issues cards to the members for government travel expenses only. Unfortunately, those cards have been used for the purchase of liquors, jewelry and flowers (Fritz, S. 1996, March 16). That is another â€Å"ugly face† of credit card abuse. The people who were supposed to help the country to overcome the problems abuse intensify the situation. As the industry was growing, the banks and the credit card industries did not think of any alternative that would stop an eventual fraud in the industry. The lack of management was one of the major sources of the problem. As one solution that had to be found, the credit cards companies invented the secured credit card that allows the customer to spend not more than what he or she has in his or her bank saving account. That seemed to be a good solution to stop the fraud but criminals are so good that they devised ways to tap into potentially lucrative market. By the mid 1970†³s, the credit card companies installed their own law enforcement to fight credit card fraud, the Association of Credit Card Investigators (ACCI). The role of this unit o the credit card companies was to have a better management of the growing number of customers. One measure initiated by the ACCI that proved effective was a combination of a post mailer with dual dating on the credit card. A dual dating enables the credit card Company to delay the effective starting date of the card until after it should have been received by the cardholder. The post mailer informed the intended cardholder that a card had been mailed to him or her and that the credit card Company should be notified if it had not yet been received. As a result to the important measures taken by the credit cards companies, 75% drop in fraud in the first years (Ventura, 1992). Another preventive measure adopted by the credit cards companies was a warning bulletin alerting the banks and merchants to fraudulent cards. All the major credit cards companies did not approve this kind of measure. On one hand, American Express, Diners Club felt that the warning bulletins were necessary to control fraud as well as the misuse of cards by delinquents and overspenders. On the other hand, Visa took the position that warning bulletins were not necessary and that sending postcard was enough. Statistics proved later that Visa was losing a higher percentage of its charge volume from fraud than American Express and diners Club(Lewis, 1990). The solution on the federal level would be an abolishment of the government credit card system as suggested republican George W. Gekas (R-Pa)(Los Angeles Times, 1996, March 16). In spite of the tough measures taken by the banks and the credit card companies, losses due to fraud continued throughout the 70s. As the 80†³s approached, the credit card companies overcome most of the legal and operational problems such as billing errors and the development of an efficient nationwide up-to-the-minute authorization system. A wide laws and regulations system now govern the functioning of the industry but still the fraud is inevitable. This number is still increasing due to the corruption of our society. The only way you can help to stop this is by changing the whole system. But then there will be some people who will pursue their illegal actions, and will find a way to abuse other systems also. How to cite Boom of Credit Cards, Essay examples

Sensationalism and the Media free essay sample

We curse it, but we can’t stop following it. Any conversation about media causes controversy. Although most would agree that the media exists to serve the people, we still need to draw the line somewhere between fact and reality. But where to draw that line? Didn’t we hurdle over it long ago? I have to believe that all bets were off this past May 21st. If this date doesn’t sound familiar to you, it was the well-touted Rapture, or Judgment Day. That was according to Harold Camping, a very wealthy, very old man, who claimed to have interpreted the Bible down to an exact date. He bought advertising in a big way and succeeded in gaining attention and notoriety. So we heard about the Rapture and we read about it. We tweeted and we posted. Some people had parties in anticipation. Then the date came†¦ and went. And we were all still here. We will write a custom essay sample on Sensationalism and the Media or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Plenty of people found this amusing and almost quaint. But what about the people who committed suicide in anticipation? Or quit their jobs? Or abandoned their families? Clearly they believed Camping’s prophecies, but is it fair to say that he – or anyone else – is at fault? Were these people manipulated by a crazy man or by a true believer? Were they manipulated by the media? I think the biggest fault lies within us, both individually and collectively. We live in a media age where speed is everything. If we look back fifty years or more, this scenario would have played out very differently. In 1961, the news couldn’t have traveled as quickly or as extensively. Stories could die before they had serious reach. Now with the press of a Send button, a story can travel around the world at the speed of light. That’s what I think happened. These believers were bombarded with â€Å"news† from many sources that purported to be information about a real, imminent event. Maybe the media should have done more, but how do you vet a prediction? And this is where the message broke down. Knowingly or not, people used their best judgment to decide whether Camping’s message was true or a hoax. Ultimately, interpretation was a matter of individual choice, no doubt colored by each person’s experience, knowledge, and personal belief. Some may argue that the media should have suppressed the story, so as to not propagate this message. Yet censorship is hardly the answer. Making such a decision should never be left up to the media. It is their job to report news and ours to digest it. We are consumers of media and, like consumers of anything else, we need to use our best judgment. When gathering information, we should read and research a variety of sources. We should talk to friends and people we respect. The bottom line is, interpreting the news is caveat emptor – let the buyer beware. To put a local twist on this, take the resignation of Dr. Peter Gorman, the Superintendent of Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). The story was tweeted immediately after Gorman announced his departure. What if the media decided we shouldn’t know? It might be too much of a distraction. Or it could cause a backlash to CMS’s budget cuts. How long could it be kept secret? Each of us has the opportunity and the responsibility to be discriminating media consumers. As children, we are read and told stories. As we grow, we read them ourselves. It’s how societies share culture and morals, norms and values. Yet, we don’t take all of them to be 100% true. At some point, personal responsibility and choice kick in. We accept what seems right and true to us, and we do that by thinking critically, whether we realize it or not. We need to keep in mind the good the media was created to serve. And in the process, decide what is real. Remember media is available for our consumption on our terms. Think of it as a buffet, not a situation of being forced to sit at the dinner table until you’ve finished every bite. As consumers, we need to make good choices. Just because it’s out there doesn’t mean it’s true, it’s necessary or even relevant. Think about that when the next big â€Å"thing† breaks. Will you believe it?