Tele Vision as an Advertisement Media Research Proposal

Tele Vision as an Advertisement Media - Research Proposal Example Notwithstanding the media or technique chose, the principle point of promotion is to persuade the intended interest group that they have a requirement for the item. Through ad, the providers/advertisers are attempting to make a picture about the item with the assistance of phonetic and imaginative components. The current research paper looks on how a notice crusade for a costly chocolate be arranged and actualized viably through TV slots to arrive at its intended interest group. The intended interest group comprises of ladies in the age gathering of 20 to 40. The paper adopts an account strategy for clarifying the different parts of promotion battle and its adequacy to the business. Everything in business requests getting ready for compelling execution and controlling. In promotion additionally, a very much arranged battle can make a superior showing than one which isn't. Promotion Planning gives a point by point blue print of what and how it is done at different phases of crusade. The current crusade is intended to be led through TV to arrive at the intended interest group involving ladies in the age gathering of 20 to 40. A famous channel, for example, diversion or sports channel is proposed for determination. The organization is a chocolate fabricating firm in the U.K. which has been in presence for quite a while in the market doing comparative business. The new item is an expansion to organization's product offerings, all of which have a sound client care and brand value. The new item which centers around the clients, who are in the age gathering of 20 to 40, utilizes an inventive imported innovation and it will catch the market in the following a half year. The item and Brand name The item is a costly chocolate, which has remarkable highlights than that accessible in the market. The organization guarantees that the substance of chocolate is enthusiastically suggested for the wellbeing of ladies in the age gathering of 20 to 40. The brand name chose for the item is Enclate. The brand name 'Enclate' is enrolled and exchange mark for the equivalent has just been authorized by the position concerned. The word 'Enclate' is composed utilizing extraordinary letters, which the organization created in conference with the ad office. Goals of Advertisement Campaign The goals of promotion crusade are indistinguishably associated with that of advertising methodology of the firm, which thusly is related with the general corporate procedure. To accomplish and keep up the objective market inside the ideal time span, the firm has set the accompanying explicit goals: 1. To spread information about the organization, its qualities and so forth to its clients and to the overall population. 2. To pass on about the brand, cost, different advancements and conveyances (Setting the promoting objective, p.2) 3. To make mindfulness about chocolates by and large and Enclate specifically 4. To make an unmistakable brand picture separated from other comparable brands 5. To invigorate the clients to buy the item Target Audience The organization has just fixed the intended interest group for Enclate. Ladies in the age gathering of 20 to 40 establish the objective gathering for the item. Regularly, this gathering doesn't accept chocolates as a propensity. Be that as it may, the

Ap History Compare and Contrast Essay: Egypt and Mesopotamia

Ethan Sua 10/16/10 Mr. McGrath AP World History A Compare and Contrast Essay of Egypt and Mesopotamia Egypt and Mesopotamia created unique and comparative political and strict human advancements. Mesopotamian civic establishments, for example, the Sumerians, the Akkadian realm, the Assyrian domain and the Babylonian city-state, were very subject to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Egypt’s regular disengagement and material independence cultivated a novel culture that for significant stretches had moderately little to do with other civilizations.Ancient Egypt was an old human advancement of eastern North Africa, focused along the lower compasses of the Nile River in what is presently the cutting edge nation of Egypt. In legislative issues, Mesopotamia culture made minimal self-overseeing political units-the city-states. It was because of the geological boundaries of the waterways and harsh territories that made it difficult to join the a wide range of settled networks under one principle. The Nile River was something contrary to the waterways of Mesopotamia. These rulers rose basically by their military status and role.Through their forces they made instruments, for example, military powers, laws, and levies. Additionally, in Egypt, the control of wring mean control of information and along these lines power. It is anything but difficult to see where they arrive at these resolutions. The Pharaoh controlled every single political instrument of intensity and is additionally the expert as far as strict convictions. By the third thousand years B. C. E. the idea of ruler (lugal) grew, conceivably as a result of contentions about normal assets. Strict pioneers diminished in power, as the intensity of lords expanded. In spite of the fact that the rulers repressed the sanctuaries, Mesopotamian rulers didn't have divine power.Political changes happened in Mesopotamia as a result of the progression of individuals that followed the politically predominant Sumerian h uman progress. By 1750 B. C. E. , the composed law code of King Hammurabi (the primary leader of the Old Babylonian state) , was utilized to keep up political position and congruity. As opposed to Mesopotamia, Egypt burned through the greater part of its history as a brought together government, while Mesopotamia appears to have started as an assortment of city-states (under the politically command rule of Sumer) and advanced to being overwhelmed by a couple of commonly unfriendly powers: Assyria and Babylonia.In old Egypt, incredible King Menes joined Upper and Lower Egypt into one country that kept going with coherence of culture from 3,100-1070 B. C. E. with thirty traditions. Dissimilar to Mesopotamian rulers, the Egyptian lord was spoken to as Horus and as the child of Re, and fit into the example of the dead coming back to life and the climatic reestablishing life of the sun-god. No composed law code was created in Egypt. Egypt was considerably more independent than Mesopotami a with copper and turquoise. The pharaoh represented the nation through a huge proficient bureaucracy.In profoundly urbanized Mesopotamia, focal forces, and the utilization of set up accounts permitted certain gatherings to get mass measures of riches. Male mastery of the situation of a copyist a head or researcher charged by the sanctuary or castle with perusing and composing errands further convolutes endeavors to reproduce the lives of ladies. Ladies had the option to: own property, keep up control of their settlement, and even take part in exchange yet men cornered political life. The females additionally worked outside the home in material processing plants, bottling works or as whores, bar attendants, pastry specialists, or fortune tellers.Inside the home ladies wove bins, cooked, cleaned, and gathered water. Generally, their compositions reflect first class male exercises. Sanctuary pioneers and the rulers controlled huge rural domains, and the royal residence organization ga thered expenses from subjects. How world class people obtained enormous private property isn't known, since land was infrequently set available to be purchased. At times borrowers lost their property to leasers, or officers and ministers got land as a byproduct of their service.The most minimal class, the slaves and laborers, of Mesopotamian culture chipped away at the fields and utilized their quality, when collect season finished, to manufacture enormous open works like ziggurats-a multistory, mud-block, pyramid-molded pinnacle with inclines or steps. Ladies were subjection to men and had no property rights. In Mesopotamia constantly thousand years B. C. E. traders had picked up in status and in power through groups. In the Old Babylonian time frame, the class of individuals who were not subject to the sanctuary or castle developed, the measure of land and other property in private hands expanded, and free workers turned out to be more common.Hammurabi’s Code written in the eighteenth century B. C. E. distinguishes three classes: 1. Free landowning class-sovereignty, high-positioning authorities, warriors, clerics, dealers, and a few craftsmans and retailers; 2. The class of ward ranchers and craftsmans, whose lawful connection to imperial or sanctuary, or private homes made them the essential country work power; and 3. The class of slaves; essentially utilized in local assistance. Punishments recommended in the Law Code relied upon the class of the wrongdoer. The lower orders got the most extreme disciplines. Slaves were primarily detainees of war from the mountains.Egyptian class structure was not so much characterized but rather more pyramid fit as a fiddle. Contrasted with Mesopotamia, a far bigger level of the Egyptian populace lived in cultivating towns and Egypt’s riches got from a higher degree from developing the land. When not requirement for agribusiness the workers toiled to assemble the tombs of the pharaoh. Servitude existed on a constrained scale and was of restricted financial importance. Rather than Mesopotamia, Egyptian traders had a low economic wellbeing. For ladies subjection to men is clear however they are spoken to with nobility and love in tomb paintings.Legal archives show that Egyptian ladies could claim property, acquire from their folks, and will their property to whomever they wished. Marriage, typically monogamous, emerged from a couple’s choice to set up a family unit together as opposed to for lawful or strict service. The two gatherings could break up the relationship, and ladies held rights over her share if there should arise an occurrence of separation. At specific occasions, sovereigns and sovereign moms played noteworthy in the background jobs in the governmental issues of the imperial court, and priestesses some of the time managed the cliques of female deities.In general, the restricted proof proposes that ladies in old Egypt appreciated more noteworthy regard and more lawfu l rights and social opportunity than ladies in Mesopotamia and other old social orders. State-sorted out religion hangs out in Mesopotamia. City-states assembled sanctuaries and demonstrated dedication to the heavenliness or divinities that secured the network. Clerics went to this perfect picture with customs that mirrored the message of the Babylonian Creation Myth that mankind existed uniquely to serve the divine beings andâ aâ priestâ would really read from that content to the god’s image.Many ensuing exercises in the sanctuary reenacted the occasions of the fantasy. The Sumerian divine beings typified the powers of nature: Anu the sky, Enlil the air, Enki the water, Utu the sun, Nanna the moon. Egyptians additionally had confidence in special necklaces and in enchantment. Religion was state composed there moreover. An essential contrast in Egyptian conviction is that the Egyptians put stock in the great beyond. They arranged for a protected entry and an agreeable pres ence once they showed up. The Egyptian Book of the Dead, present in many unearthed tombs, contains customs and spells to ensure them.In Mesopotamia, they felt that their gods were not adoring, care-taking creatures. They felt that their divine beings were vindictive, envious, and noxious. This view created from the numerous regular deterrents they were troubled with. Topography and atmosphere influenced extraordinary and comparable advancement in the political, and strict frameworks of both Egypt and Mesopotamia. Possibly Egyptian human progress delighted in more prominent life span than that of Mesopotamian on the grounds that the Mesopotamia culture was begun without any preparation by the early Sumerians where as Egyptians had the option to get from Mesopotamia.

Psychiatric Service Dogs for Bipolar Disorder

Psychiatric Service Dogs for Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder Treatment Print Psychiatric Service Dogs for Bipolar Disorder By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial policy Marcia Purse Updated on February 02, 2020 Bipolar Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children Your Rights kali9 / Getty Images Service dogs have a long history of providing assistance to people with physical challenges and are increasingly used to aid those with psychiatric challenges. Psychiatric service dogs are extensively trained to perform specific tasks to meet the individualized needs of their handler and are permitted access to public places in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).?? Psychiatric service dogs can be trained to assist people living with bipolar disorder as well as other mental health challenges, including autism, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and panic disorder. The tasks a service dog is trained to perform to aid someone living with bipolar disorder ?depend on the individuals circumstances and personal challenges and needs. The Role of Service Dogs for Bipolar Disorder The ultimate function of a psychiatric service dog is to alleviate or diminish the negative effects of bipolar disorder on the handlers life. Examples of tasks a dog might be trained to perform for its human partner include: Bring medication or remind their partner to take prescribed medicine at a specific time(s)Awaken their partner at a specific time each dayRemind their partner to go to bed at a specific time to keep sleep cycles regularBring a portable phone to their partner or call 9-1-1 if the handler exhibits behaviors that might indicate a manic episode or severe depressionInterrupt potentially dangerous behaviors in their partner by nudging, nagging, or distracting with playAlert the handler to the telephone, doorbell, or smoke alarm if their partner is asleep or possibly sedated due to medicationCalm or interrupt hypomanic or manic behaviors by leaning into their partner, or placing their head in the handlers lapProvide a link to reality if their partner experiences delusions during a manic episode?? While not considered a service dog function per se, the emotional support provided by a canine helper is often as valuable as the tasks the animal performs. The presence of the dog can also help ground an individual with bipolar disorder and introduce a sense of stability and routine. Laws Relating to Service Dogs It is important to note that to qualify for the protections and allowances of the ADA, both the individual and the canine must meet specific criteria. In short, an individual must have a disability and a service dog must be specifically trained to meet the needs imposed by that disability.?? An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.The ADA defines a service animal like a dog individually trained to do work or perform specific tasks to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. If a dog meets this definition, it is considered a service animal under the ADA, regardless of whether it has been licensed or certified by a state or local government.?? Importantly, a psychiatric service dog differs from an emotional support dog, also called a comfort dog. While  emotional support dogs certainly provide love, companionship, and comfort to their human partners, they are not trained to perform specific tasks that aid the handler in daily functioning. As such, emotional support dogs are not covered under the ADA.?? Other Considerations If youre living with bipolar disorder and considering getting a psychiatric service dog or an emotional support dog, talk with your doctor to determine what type of canine companion is best for you. A psychiatric service dog involves a considerable financial commitment because of the extensive training required, which may take up to two years to complete. Depending on your specific needs, however, you may consider this an invaluable investment.

Grammatical Error Definition and Examples

Grammatical error (also known as error, usage error, grammar error or mistake, bad grammar) is a term used in prescriptive grammar  to describe an instance of faulty, unconventional, or controversial usage, such as a ​misplaced modifier  or an inappropriate verb tense. Also called a usage error. Compare grammatical error with correctness. Its also known as: error, usage error, grammar error or mistake, bad grammar Grammatical errors are usually distinguished from (though sometimes confused with) factual errors, logical fallacies,  misspellings, typographical errors, and faulty punctuation. Interestingly, many people  tend to view usage errors primarily as gaffes or potential sources of embarrassment, not as impediments to effective communication. According to an ad for an amazing book on usage, Mistakes in English can cause you embarrassment, hold you back socially and on the job. It can make you look awkward and hide your true intellect. (Note that in the second sentence the singular pronoun it has no clear referent. Many English teachers would regard this as a grammatical error—specifically, a case of faulty pronoun reference.)   Examples and Observations In Correct English, J. T. Baker says The expression grammatical error sounds, and is, in a sense, paradoxical, for the reason that a form cannot be grammatical and erroneous at the same time. One would not say musical discord... Because of the apparent contradiction of terms, the form grammatical error should be avoided and error in construction, or error in English, etc., be used in its stead. Of course one should never say, good grammar or bad grammar. â€Å"We believe, as do most linguists, that native speakers do not make mistakes,† per Peter Trudgill and Lars-Gunnar Andersson, who were quoted in Errors in Language Learning and Use. Garner on Grammatical Errors If descriptivists believe that any linguistic evidence validates usage, then we must not be descriptivists. Hardly anyone wants to be a nonjudgmental collector of evidence. It’s far more interesting and valuable to assemble the evidence and then to draw conclusions from it. Judgments. Rulings. To the extent that the masses want such reasoning—as one could only wish—it’s because they want to use language effectively, says Bryan A. Garner in his New York Times article, Which Language Rules to Flout. Or Flaunt? In Garners Modern American Usage, Garner notes Because grammatical may mean either (1) relating to grammar [grammatical subject] or (2) consistent with grammar [a grammatical sentence], there is nothing wrong with the age-old phrase grammatical error (sense 1). Its as acceptable as the phrases criminal lawyer and logical fallacy. Grammar and Usage Usage is a concept that embraces many aspects of and attitudes toward language. Grammar is certainly only a small part of what goes to make up usage, though some people use one term for the other, as when they label what is really a controversial point of usage a grammatical error, according to Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary. Error Analysis Error analysis, as a descriptive rather than a prescriptive approach to error, provides a methodology for determining why a student makes a particular grammatical error and has been a potentially valuable borrowing from this field [research in second-language acquisition], one that could have altered the prescriptive drilling of standard forms which still comprises much of basic writing texts. Unfortunately, however, error analysis in the composition classroom has generally served to simply keep the focus on error, says Eleanor Kutz in Between Students Language and Academic Discourse. The Lighter Side of Grammatical Error Heres some dialog from the 18th episode of The Simpsons 12th season, the Trilogy of the Error. First mobster: Hey. Theys throwin robots.Linguo: They are throwing robots.Second mobster: Its disrespecting us. Shut up ayou face.Linguo: Shut up your face.Second mobster: Whatsa matta you?First mobster: You aint so big.Second mobster: Me an him are gonna whack you in the labonza.Linguo: Mmmm...Aah! Bad grammar overload. Error. Error.[Linguo explodes] Sources Baker, Josephine Turck, editor. Response to a letter. Correct English, 1 Mar. 1901, p. 113. Garner, Bryan A. Garners Modern American Usage. 3rd ed, Oxford University Press, 2009. ï » ¿Garner, Bryan A. Which Language Rules to Flout. Or Flaunt? The New York Times, 27 Sept., 2012. Kutz, Eleanor. Between Students Language and Academic Discourse: Interlanguage as Middle Ground. Negotiating Academic Literacies, edited by Vivian Zamel and Ruth Spack. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1998. Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed, 2003. Trilogy of Error. The Simpsons, written by Matt Selman, directed by Mike B. Anderson, 20th Century Fox, 2001. Trudgill, Peter and Lars-Gunnar Andersson. 1990, quoted by Carl James in Errors in Language Learning and Use. Addison Wesley Longman, 1998.

Fairy Tales Reflection of Societal Dysfunction Essay

When people talk about fairy tales, in their mind, they will automatically think about fantasy element such as princess, princes, and fairy and of course the happy ending at the end of every fairy tale. They give us a place for freedom of thinking and relaxing. Moreover, in some way, we used fairy tales to teach a childs moral lessons about how to behavior. Do fairy tales only offer the freedom of thinking and moral lesson fairy tales to people? We use to think that the fantasy in the fairy tales has no impact on their society, and its merely the element to get the stories in fairy tales gloomier and more attracted to the reader. No, fairy tales still hold one more important function. In one aspect, fairy tales reflect the bad side of†¦show more content†¦The willing to believe in fairy tales is existent and choosing to follow the forest nymph who leads her to the faun in the labyrinth first visit she is the action of a rebel. As Guillermo Del Torro, the films director of Pa ns Labyrinth, he states: Fascism is the absolute lack of imagination, the absolute lack of choice, and the most masculine expression of power. Under its cruel restrictions, people are prohibited from thinking for themselves. They (the people) have to take what the fascist society offers them and are not allowed to think for themselves. However, Ofelia made her choice for herself. She would rather put her faith to believe the fantasy characters in fairy tales which no one believes than live with the real world. The actions of accepting that she is a princess and trying to find her way back to her underworld kingdom, we see that Ofelia represents the unwillingness to live under a fascist regime by escaping from the real world where the lives of men seem worthless. She uses the fantasy world as the way to escape the living with the captain. Annalee Newitz, the author of Pan’s labyrinth-Can Fantasies Rescue Us from Fascism, said, â€Å"Ofelia’s fantasies are more than m erely escapist because they allow her to find political allies.† Her actions of betraying the Caption also shows her defending the Marxist rebels. When she knows that she cannot return to her kingdom Ofelia decides to go with Mercedes and help the Marxist rebels.

Attitude Formation Free Essays

Attitude FormationCCSF, Shardlow In Social Psychology attitudes are defined as positive or negative evaluations of objects of thought. Attitudes typically have three components. †¢ The cognitive component is made up of the thoughts and beliefs people hold about the object of the attitude. We will write a custom essay sample on Attitude Formation or any similar topic only for you Order Now †¢ The affective component consists of the emotional feelings stimulated by the object of the attitude. †¢ The behavioral component consists of predispositions to act in certain ways toward an attitude object. The object of an attitude can be anything people have opinions about. Therefore, individual people, groups of people, institutions, products, social trends, consumer products, etc. all can be attitudinal objects. †¢ Attitudes involve social judgments. They are either for, or against, pro, or con, positive, or negative; however, it is possible to be ambivalent about the attitudinal object and have a mix of positive and negative feelings and thoughts about it. †¢ Attitudes involve a readiness (or predisposition) to respond; however, for a variety of reasons we don’t always act on our attitudes. †¢ Attitudes vary along dimensions of strength and accessibility. Strong attitudes are very important to the individual and tend to be durable and have a powerful impact on behavior, whereas weak attitudes are not very important and have little impact. Accessible attitudes come to mind quickly, whereas other attitudes may rarely be noticed. †¢ Attitudes tend to be stable over time, but a number of factors can cause attitudes to change. †¢ Stereotypes are widely held beliefs that people have certain characteristics because of their membership in a particular group. †¢ A prejudice is an arbitrary belief, or feeling, directed toward a group of people or its individual members. Prejudices can be either positive or negative; however, the term is usually used to refer to a negative attitude held toward members of a group. Prejudice may lead to discrimination, which involves behaving differently, usually unfairly, toward the members of a group. Psychological factors involved in Attitude Formation and Attitude Change 1. Direct Instruction involves being told what attitudes to have by parents, schools, community organizations, religious doctrine, friends, etc. 2. Operant Conditioning is a simple form of learning. It is based on the â€Å"Law of Effect† and involves voluntary responses. Behaviors (including verbal behaviors and maybe even thoughts) tend to be repeated if they are reinforced (i. e. , followed by a positive experience). Conversely, behaviors tend to be stopped when they are punished (i. e. , followed by an unpleasant experience). Thus, if one expresses, or acts out an attitude toward some group, and this is reinforced by one’s peers, the attitude is strengthened and is likely to be expressed again. The reinforcement can be as subtle as a smile or as obvious as a raise in salary. Operant conditioning is especially involved with the behavioral component of attitudes. 3. Classical conditioning is another simple form of learning. It involves involuntary responses and is acquired through the pairing of two stimuli. Two events that repeatedly occur close together in time become fused and before long the person responds in the same way to both events. Originally studied by Pavlov, the process requires an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) that produces an involuntary (reflexive) response (UCR). If a neutral stimulus (NS) is paired, either very dramatically on one occasion, or repeatedly for several acquisition trials, the neutral stimulus will lead to the same response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus. At this point the stimulus is no longer neutral and so is referred to as a conditioned stimulus (CS) and the response has now become a learned response and so is referred to as a conditioned response (CR). In Pavlov’s research the UCS was meat powder which led to an UCR of salivation. The NS was a bell. At first the bell elicited no response from the dog, but eventually the bell alone caused the dog to salivate. Advertisers create positive attitudes towards their products by presenting attractive models in their ads. In this case the model is the UCS and our reaction to him, or her, is an automatic positive response. The product is the original NS which through pairing comes to elicit a positive conditioned response. In a similar fashion, pleasant or unpleasant experiences with members of a particular group could lead to positive or negative attitudes toward that group. Classical conditioning is especially involved with the emotional, or affective, component of attitudes. 4. Social (Observational) Learning is based on modeling. We observe others. If they are getting reinforced for certain behaviors or the expression of certain attitudes, this serves as vicarious reinforcement and makes it more ikely that we, too, will behave in this manner or express this attitude. Classical conditioning can also occur vicariously through observation of others. 5. Cognitive Dissonance exists when related cognitions, feelings or behaviors are inconsistent or contradictory. Cognitive dissonance creates an unpleasant state of tension that motivates people to reduce their dissonance by changing their cognitions, feel ing, or behaviors. For example, a person who starts out with a negative attitude toward marijuana will experience cognitive dissonance if they start smoking marijuana and find themselves enjoying the experience. The dissonance they experience is thus likely to motivate them to either change their attitude toward marijuana, or to stop using marijuana. This process can be conscious, but often occurs without conscious awareness. 6. Unconscious Motivation. Some attitudes are held because they serve some unconscious function for an individual. For example, a person who is threatened by his homosexual feelings may employ the defense mechanism of reaction formation and become a crusader against homosexuals. Or, someone who feels inferior may feel somewhat better by putting down a group other than her own. Because it is unconscious, the person will not be aware of the unconscious motivation at the time it is operative, but may become aware of it as some later point in time. 7. Rational Analysis involves the careful weighing of evidence for, and against, a particular attitude. For example, a person may carefully listen to the presidential debates and read opinions of political experts in order to decide which candidate to vote for in an election. How to cite Attitude Formation, Essay examples

Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 Essay Example

Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 Paper Stereotypes often reflect and are formed from dominant hegemonic values of that specific time. In victor Flemings Gone with the Wind (1939) characters such as mammy clearly reflected the dominant ideological beliefs of that era. With the acceptance of slave labor shaping these beliefs she was representative of the expected and accepted historic black stereotypes of funny fat woman, comic servants, and natural entertainers. In the 1960s revolutionaries such as Martin Luther King played a key roles in challenging peoples perceptions of women and men of all equalities. Along with the civil rights movement these derogatory and dominant stereotypes gradually began to change. During the late 50s to the late 60s Sidney Poitier was the only black leading man working consistently in Hollywood feature films. The civil rights movement had shaped the contours of Poitiers career. Non violent demonstrations for black equality had forged a culture in which his image resonated, and his movies had prompted racial goodwill. He made his feature-length movie debut as Dr. Luther Brooks, a black doctor who treats a bigoted white criminal, in No Way Out (Joseph L. Mankiewicz. ) (1950). He was the second black actor to win an Academy Award (Hattie McDaniel had won a best supporting actress Oscar for Gone with the Wind in 1939) His role in (No Way Out) established a significant pattern both for Poitier himself and for the black actors who followed him; by refusing roles that played to a racial stereotype, Poitier pushed the restrictive boundaries set by Hollywood and made inroads into the American mainstream. In contrast to the films of the 50s and 60s films of the blaxploitation era cast black people in roles such as pimps, drug dealers and sexually promiscuous characters. We will write a custom essay sample on Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Exploring stereotypes through the film Crash 2005 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Black people were given lead roles and often white people were portrayed in a negative way, often racist bigots in authoritative roles to reflect the injustices that black people often suffer at the hand of white supremacy. The blaxploitation films were heavily critisised for continuing to use stereotypes but constant popularity amongst the black community allowed films that followed to have similar success such as Gordon Parks Shaft (1972). From a Marxist point of view it could be argued that in a world in which white hegemonic males run our institutions it is impossible for this dominant representation of ethnic minorities to change. The negative images which are created generate ideologies in societies. People of ethnic minorities are therefore prevented from moving up the social hierarchy, and consequently are unable to gain position in the media and are forced to continue to be subservient to the white hegemonic males. With films continuing to produce unrealistic presentations of people of ethnic origin, Crash was anticipated to be a film in which we were offered and alternative ideology and ultimately the negative stereotypes would be challenged. Some critics however have argued that the latter stereotypes are not subverted or challenged; they are simply reinforced and are presented to us as reality. Even when characters surprise us, which happens frequently, it is often by behavior that is just as stereotypical as what we expected, except that it represents a very different stereotype. Crash deliberately shows slanted prejudices against minorities. Latinos become cheating Mexican gang bangers. For example the depiction of Daniel the locksmith The wife of the D. A Jean Cabot insists on having the locks changed when Daniel leaves as she believes he is a (gang banger, with prison tattoos). Blacks become either in the case of men gun-toting criminals, Anthony (Chris Ludacris Bridges) and his side kick Peter Waters (Larenz Tate) or righteous upper class characters such as Cameron (Terrance Howard. ) Asians become greedy smugglers. And whites oversee this chaos with condescending bigotry. As In the depiction of the two white police officers Officer John Ryan (Matt Dillon) and Officer Tom Hansen (Ryan Phillippe) A more contemporary representation is illustrated by the character of Farhad (Shaun Toub). Middle Easterners are depicted as stubborn, incoherent convenience store owners. Toubs character may reflect the current Middle Eastern stereotype subject to the aftermath of 9/11. This current representation is further explored and the severity of the situation revealed when we see Farhad shoot a gun at a small child, many other guns are raised by characters of ethnic origin, but Farhad who is mistaken for being Iraqi (when in fact he is Persian) is the only character to attempt murder. This is further highlighted with mention of Osama Bin Laden in relation to Farhad, reflecting the current feeling of jingoistic resentment displayed post 9/11. Possibly the only two characters that offer us a true alternative are the characters of peter waters (Larenz Tate) and Daniel (Michael Pena). Daniel is mistaken to be a gang member and because of his appearance (having a shaved head and supposedly having prison tattoos. He is revealed to be a farther who is working hard to provide and protect his wife and young daughter. Peter represents a modern stereotypical image which reflects African-American thug lifestyle and its relation to Christianity. Many people believe Tupac Shakur is responsible for the Thug life movement when in fact he himself said I didnt create Thug Life, I diagnosed it Tupac Declared the dictionary definition of a Thug as being a rouge or criminal was not how he used the term, but rather he meant someone who came from an oppressive background and had little opportunity but still they managed to make a life for themselves and were proud. Shakur regularly quoted the bible and in the Code of Thug life there are similar rules for a member to follow as in the bible. Peter has turned to crime in a city in which he feels he is forced to due to lack of opportunity, this further supports the theory that in a world in which our societies are controlled by white middle class males, people of ethnic origin will be forced to continue to struggle to move up the social hierarchy. Some critics argue however that the most cliched stereotypes are the truest as the majority stereotypes derive from some form of truth. As mentioned before African American characters in early films were represented in a way that would reflect their treatment in the slave trade, and therefore so do more recent stereotypes. Towards the end of the 20th century many immigrants who came to America came in search of the American dream. They invested in small retail businesses and now according to trade associations, 50,000 to 70,000 of the 140,000 convenience stores in the United States are owned by south Asians, Therefore the image of Farhad is originally a form of reality. Although these elements can be hugely exaggerated to create a stereotype that is comical and can be mocked. For example Apu in the Simpsons runs the Kwik-E-Mart. He has many stereotypical traits including: he has a strong work ethic, having a recognisably South Asian name, a strong Indian accent, he is often a victim of crime both children shoplifting, attempting to buy alcohol and armed robbery. Although again this can mirrored in Farhad as he is often a victim of crime. Most of the representations offered to us in the film are stereotyped characters who do not subvert previous representations or ideologies. However it could be argued that there is a need for these stereotypes. Many large Hollywood production executives would argue that in order for a mass audience to accept a text as reality stereotypes still need to be present to enable an audience to connect with the characters and to find them to be believable. It is important in many parts of the film for the audience to engage and empathise with characters. In order to generate empathy and to allow the audience to relate to characters there must be a certain degree of identification. This idea explored in the film. Cameron (a black film director) is asked by a colleague to shoot his last scene again because one of the black actors on set isnt speaking black enough, the white director believes that the audience will not recognise the actor as black unless he speaks in slang. Many people who havent experienced these ethnic minorities directly in L. A are likely to accept them as reality, thus generating and fueling previous negative ideologies. The alternative stereotype of an African American is offered in Crash through the characters of Christine and Cameron. Educated, successful and affluent citizens, Cameron and Christine could be seen to fall into the stereotype of noble negro. This is avoided as we get glimpses of a profound relationship in which they are far from a sexless married couple. We see conflict between them suggesting a more complex relationship than what is presented to us on the surface. This contemporary representation starts to move away from the stereotypical interpretation of an African American couple. However after an unwarranted police stop, Christine is enraged about her husbands refusal to intervene when white cop Ryan uses the pretense of frisking her to feel her up even feeling her crotch. She harangues against what she sees as a cowardly Uncle-Tomism, whilst he insists he acted the only way he could, that when a white man has power there is no way to win, so you do what you can to survive. This exploitation and suppression of African Americans at the hand of white people would imply that racism is primarily institutional; however the ideology behind the film suggests that discrimination and racist attitudes are down to the people who perpetuate it. For example Officer Ryan verbally abuses Shaniqua (Lorreta Devine, a black case manager at an insurance company. She bears Ryans racism with dignity as he unloads his frustration with the insurance companys rules about his fathers care onto her, in the form of a livid and ignorant rant against the Affirmative Action Programme. She appears to be a more reasonable principled character in the film. However this is short lived, in a key point at the end of the film. Shaniqua has a car crash were an Asian woman rear-ends Shaniquas car. She then emerges from her car shouting dont talk to me unless you speak American. The LAPD is represented by two characters and from two different perspectives. Both of which a subverted though out the movie. One perspective is from that of Officer Ryan. In contrast to his previous wrong doings, fate places Ryan at the scene of a car crash where Christine the woman who he previously sexually attacked is in a life threatening situation. Ryan now subverts his previous stereotype and puts his own life in danger to rescue Christine, even after she hysterically rejects his help. The juxtaposed perspective is offered by Officer Hanson (Ryan Phillepe. Hanson in contrast to Ryan is compassionate and idealistic. Hanson tries to prevent the incident between Officer Ryan and Christine and throughout the film he tries to uphold his morals. Though he is that character who is most committed to racial justice at the end of the film Hansons fears overcomes justice and he shoots an innocent black man (Peter) (Larenz Tate. Hanson thought he was well intentioned only to find that he harbors a deep-seated form of psychological racism hidden within his consciousness. This racist view was unbeknown to Hanson, who believed he was an upstanding, understanding individual. His act of racism did not derive form an overt or pervasive discriminatory view on his behalf, but rather from a systematic fear that existed deep within his consciousness, due to years of conditioning us with of archetypal impressions created by the media. It could be argued that Hanson reflects how many of us judge by appearances. The ever-present stereotype of the African American, that we have been conditioned to accept as reality, presents us with a image of a young black male who is a criminal who is much more likely to have a gun in the pocket of their jeans than a religious statue of St Christopher, therefore the film has now revealed the key ideology that every person is capable of intolerance. The depiction and later transformation of many of the stereotypes could be seen to support the theory of the Other which proposes that those who are different from the norm (white, heterosexual, middle class males) are often perceived as being the other. This ideology only exists due to white males dominating our influential hegemonic media institutions. They create positive and powerful representations of themselves which as before with Ethnic minorities we are conditioned to accept them as reality. Therefore they continue to maintain the most dominant and powerful positions. The media institution behind a text will have influence over the objective of a movie. Lions gate (distributor and producer) of Crash best known for distributing films too controversial for the large American companies such as Fahrenheit 9/11 and American Psycho. However a major investor in Lions Gate Films is Yahoo! , who previously has been accused of being racist. Consequently it could be argued that they could have had control of the overall ideology behind the film. All those who challenge the hegemonic ideology forced upon us are represented as negatively and are stereotyped in order to control them. This theory is evident in the film when we see Officer Ryan rescues Christine. The previous racist white male is redeemed by his heroism, while the black woman is reduced to incoherence by the situation and is forced to be silently grateful for his transcendence. The idea that from each scene a intelligible and blatant moral is expressed purposely provokes the audience to decide if in reality this how prejudice is expressed or if in fact people are more understanding. The reception theory initiated from the work of Hans-Robert Jauss is greatly supported by Hall. This textual analysis focuses on the capacity for compromise and resistance on behalf of the audience. This means that there is an aspect of viewing in which the audience will not passively absorb a text instead they will actively negotiate the meaning. The meaning will an individual conceive depends on their cultural background, as a result of the background some will accept a text and others will reject it. The reading of the representations could be seen in two ways depending on the beliefs and background of each individual viewer. Paul Haggis stated I hate as Americans we just love to define people. We love to say Good person, Bad person. In this film at least I didnt want us to be judging others. I wanted us to be judging ourselves. This offers us an insight into his original intention for the film, with the idea that the film would revolve around race decided later. The twin elements of accident (literally and figuratively) and coincidence connect the various stories, which are intended to prove that people form harmful prejudices from a combination of impressions and individual psychoses. I believe Ethnic stereotypes play a very significant role in the understanding of the film Crash, On either of its two dimensions. In order to understand the film either on a simplistic representational level, or else seeing the film as an example of maybe considering social conflicts as externalisations of a fundamentally internal crisis, which therefore allow the audience to realise that the complexity found in each character can in fact undermine the entire concept of a stereotype, consequently producing realistic individuals who are surrounded by racial conflict in post 9/11. To understand and examine racial issues in the after math of 9/11 looking towards real life will enable us to predict the stereotypes that may also become hegemonic ideologies in America.

Foucalt essays

Foucalt essays Jean Bernard Leon Foucault was a very instrumental scientist in history. Born on the 18th. of September 1819, in Paris. Foucault was born into a fairly wealthy family. As he grew up his father urged him to pursue a career in medicine. Foucault agreed, and began his medical studies. He soon became bored, and then turned his attention to studying physics. In 1845 he became the scientific editor of The Journal des Debats. His experiments began in the same period. In 1855 he became the physicist at the local observatory. Foucault, like many of the great thinkers of his time, was a specialist in multiple fields. Foucault was very interested in science dealing with mirrors. He personally invented the gyroscope. He pioneered a better method to silver astronomical mirrors. He also developed the Foucault knife experiment to test whetted mirrors. He was interested in the mechanics of light as well. He invented a prism to change polarized light and a better method to measure the speed of light. He even studied a little in the field of electricity. He discovered the phenomenon we know as the Foucault currents. Perhaps his most well known area of study was the Earths rotation. When most scientists speak of Jean Bernard Foucault, they talk about his most famous experiment. The Foucault Pendulum was the masterpiece of Foucaults scientific career. At the start Foucault wanted to prove that the plane of a swing of a pendulum appears to rotate or precess. The secret of the pendulum is it is the earth moving, not the pendulum. The pendulums swing advances to the right due to the Coriolis effect. This is the same phenomenon that causes the winds to form and the turning of water going down a drain. The earths gravity and a magnet keep the pendulum from slowing down. The ...

The Utilitarian Art of the Mesolithic Age

The Utilitarian Art of the Mesolithic Age Otherwise known as Middle Stone Age, the Mesolithic Age covered a brief span of around 2,000 years. While it served as an important bridge between the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages, the art of this period was, well, sort of boring. From this distance, its not nearly as fascinating as the discovery of (and innovations in) the art of the preceding era. And the art of the subsequent Neolithic era is exponentially diverse, besides being more well-preserved and offering us thousands of examples of itself, instead of a handful. Still, lets briefly cover the artistic events of the Mesolithic Age because, after all, its a distinct era from any other. Animal Husbandry During this period, most of the glacial ice in the Northern Hemisphere had retreated, leaving behind geography and climates familiar to us in the present day. Along with the glaciers, certain foods disappeared (the wooly mammoth, for example) and the migration patterns of others (reindeer) changed as well. People gradually adapted, assisted by the facts that more temperate weather and diverse edible plants were there to aid in survival. Since humans didnt have to live in caves or follow herds any longer, this era saw the beginnings of both settled communities and farming. The Mesolithic Age also saw the invention of the bow and arrow, pottery for food storage and the domestication of a few animals- either for food or, in the case of dogs, for help in the hunting of food. MesolithicArt Pottery was beginning to be produced at this time, though it was mostly utilitarian in design. In other words, a pot just needed to hold water or grain, not necessarily exist as a feast for the eyes. The artistic designs were mainly left up to later peoples to create. The portable statuary of the Upper Paleolithic was largely absent during the Mesolithic Age. This is likely a result of people settling down and no longer requiring art that could travel. Since the invention of the arrow had occurred, much of this periods carving time seems to have been spent knapping flint, obsidian and other minerals which lent themselves to sharp, pointy tips. The most interesting Mesolithic Age art that we know of consists of rock paintings. Similar in nature to the Paleolithic cave paintings, these moved out of doors to vertical cliffs or walls of natural rock, often semi-protected by outcroppings or overhangs. Though these rock paintings have been found in locations ranging from the far north in Europe to southern Africa, as well as elsewhere around the globe, the largest concentration of them exists in eastern Spains Levant. While no one can say with certainty, the theory exists that the paintings locations werent chosen at random. The spots may have held sacred, magical or religious significance. Very often, a rock painting exists within close proximity to a different, more suitable spot upon which to paint. Characteristics of Mesolithic Art Between the Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic eras, the biggest shift in painting occurred in the subject matter. Where cave paintings overwhelmingly depicted animals, rock paintings were usually of human groupings. The painted humans typically seem to be engaged in either hunting or rituals whose purposes have been lost to time. Far from being realistic, the humans shown in rock painting are highly stylized, rather like glorified stick figures. These humans look more like pictographs than pictures, and some historians feel they represent the primitive beginnings of writing (i.e.: hieroglyphs). Very often the groupings of figures are painted in repetitive patterns, which results in a nice sense of rhythm (even if were not sure what theyre meant to be doing, exactly).

Compare and Contrast Popular Culture LIterature Term Paper

Compare and Contrast Popular Culture LIterature - Term Paper Example Does one transcend the mind in that fraction of a second when the decision is made? Perhaps yes! In that eventuality, the decision is bound to be faultless. The source of that decision is made in the brilliant flash of inner light. Gladwell writes, â€Å"The first task of Blink is to convince you of a simple fact: decisions made very quickly can be every bit as good as decisions made cautiously and deliberately† (p.14). The word ‘very quickly’ has the element of divine aura about it, and does not contain the element of haste. The level of spiritual progression of those who are brilliant decision makers is far more than those who are consistently inept. The process of the best decisions is to be experienced by the decision maker and it cannot be explained in words. As with his writing technique, Gladwell supports his each contention with allegories and real-life case studies. He gives the example of a psychologist, a tennis coach and the art wizards who recognize t he fake at a glance. He also admits about the failures of â€Å"blink†. Like an ardent supporter of Popular Culture the author argues â€Å"We live in a world that assumes that the quality of a decision is directly related to the time and effort that went into making it† (p.13). ... 2. Outliers: The Story of Success Though the ardent worshippers of Popular Culture are aware of the importance of chance and circumstances in the life of an individual, they finally vote for an individual who succeeds in life in terms of monetary accomplishments. The society salutes the achiever. Big ideas are hidden in the ordinary life of an individual and what is required is to locate and present them before the public well in time. An individual has to notice the talent within him first, before it is being noticed by others. With the spread of Popular Culture, the importance of behavioral science has increased and Malcolm Gladwell is on the right spot to cash this opportunity. 1990s has been the ideal period for experimentation with his new style in literature. About the book â€Å"Outliers: The Story of Success† Malcolm Gladwell (2011) writes â€Å"This is a book about outliers, about men and women who do things that are out of the ordinary. Over the course of the chapte rs ahead, I’m going to introduce to you to one kind of outlier after another: to geniuses, business tycoons, rock stars, and software programmers† (p.17). He sums up his argument thus: â€Å"Nor is success simply the sum of the decisions and efforts we make on our own behalf. It is, rather, a gift. Outliers are those who have been given opportunities-- and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them† (p.267). If one understands this principle in its correct spirit, many of the problems in life will be no more problems, they will be the milestones in the path of success. Success stories are like the champagne to the combustible younger generation who are the admirers of the Popular Culture. Gladwell provides a new perspective about the

Orientalisms Effect on Art and History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Orientalisms Effect on Art and History - Essay Example (Wikipedia 2006) In 1948, while Said was a grade school student (a private English school in Cairo) the state of Israel was created and 80% of the Palestinian population was left without a home, including Said's family. A privileged child, Said had little interest in the conflict. His family left and he did not return to Palestine until as an adult in 1990. After being expelled from Victoria College in Cairo for poor behavior he was sent to the United States, with citizenship in the US, and finished high school at a private boarding school in New England. He went to Princeton University to study English literature and history. His graduate studies were at Harvard. In 1992 he achieved University Professor at Columbia, their most prestigious position. The Suez Crisis made an impact on him as an Arab-Palestinian but he did not get involved. But the Israeli victory over the Arab forces in 1967 and the Israeli occupation of the last remaining Palestinian territories forced Said to take a political stance for the liberation of Palestine. In 1968 he wrote his first article about the Palestinian cause: The Arab Portrayed (Dexheimer 2002). While visiting his family in Beirut in '71, he got entrenched in the struggle for the liberation of Palestine as a part of a community of academics and writers who were involved in various colonial and postcolonial struggles. He translated the speeches of Yassir Arafat into English for the Western press, still not getting politically involved. But in 1977, he was elected to the exiled Palestinian National Congress. It was at this time that Said, as an academic in the field of comparative literature, began writing on contemporary Arab literature about figures such as Naguib Mahfouz, Elias Khouri, and the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish (McLemee 2003). In 1975-1976 Said became a fellow at Stanford University and wrote Orientalism (1978), the book that made him famous. In the next three years he published Covering Islam (1981) and The Question of Palestine (1979), which, in conjunction with Orientalism, has been called his trilogy. This critique of Oriental Studies questioned everything about this subject that had been a scholarly pursuit at most of the well-known European universities for centuries. Said used his fame of the 1980-90's to further the cause of Palestine and advocate for human rights. In the 1980's Said lobbied the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to re-think the strategy of armed struggle for liberation and urged Palestinians and Arabs to understand the importance of mutual respect and co-existence with Israelis. He advocated a two-state solution. A temperate voice, he made many friends within Israel. This occurred despite his unsympathetic stance toward Israel (Wikipedia 2006). Said became a personal target of other conservative Jewish and Christian Zionists. Attacks on Said suggest an "orientalism" on the part of the right-wing Zionists. As an articulate Arab intellectual, Said was viewed as a

A Chinese Multinational Computer Hardware Marketing Essay

A Chinese Multinational Computer Hardware Marketing Essay Lenovo Group Limited is a Chinese multinational computer hardware and electronics company with its operational headquarters in Morrisville, North Carolina, United States and its registered office in Hong Kong. Its products include personal computers,  tablet computers,  mobile phones, workstations,  servers, electronic storage devices, IT management software and  smart televisions (Wikipedia, 2012). Lenovo is the dominant supplier of computers in Mainland China; however,  current economic system is transferred to be more globalised, integrated and interdependent. Thus for many enterprises or just like Lenovo, to have a plan on the international expansion strategies is of the essence. This report will analyse Lenovo PC businesss marketing mix and marketing strategy through environment, target market, positioning, and 4P. Brand History and Evironment 1.1 Brand History In 1984, with an initial capital outlay of only RMB200,000, (US$25,000) Lenovos founding chairman Liu Chuanzhi, together with 10 like-minded colleagues, launches the New Technology Developer Inc which was named Legend at that time (Lenovo Company History, n.d.). By 1989, now known as Hong Kong Legend has branded out into motherboard manufacturer and it has changed its name to Lenovo and launched itself on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1994 (Malone, 2004). In 1996, Legend became the market share leader in China for the first time and introduced the first Legend brand laptop to consumers. In 2005, Lenovo completes the acquisition of IBMs Personal Computing Division, making it a new international IT competitor and the third-largest personal computer company in the world (Lenovo Company History, n.d.). According to the data, Lenovo has become the worlds second largest supplier of  personal computers  during the third quarter of 2011, which held around 13.5% of the worldwide compute r market as of October 2011 (Conn, 2011). Today, Lenovo is a global corporation with significant operations on six continents and operating in more than 60 countries and selling products in 160 countries (wikipedia, 2012). 1.2 Internal Environment Figure 1 Marketing Environment Competitive Economic Macro-environment Micro-enviroment Political-Legal Technological Social-Culture Competitors Customers General Public Distributors Suppliers Internal environment Men Money Machinery Materials Minutes Started from a square room, only 11 individuals Lenovo Group, currently has more than 10,000 employees. Facing with rapid development of the internet, April 2000, Lenovo Group restructured the whole company, from the division as the core system to a subsidiary of the core change in the system. Today, Lenovo has the most advanced technology in China, the high-level professionals, and abundant capital support, for example, its gross profit margin improved 11.7 percent in 2011 (Lenovo, 2011). Meanwhile, the Lenovo Groups management level has been committed to developing the development strategy, implementing the management philosophy, maintaining and carrying forward the corporate culture, in order to make the Lenovo to become a long-term, large scale high-tech enterprise. 1.3 Micro-Environment 1.3.1 Bargaining power of suppliers PC belongs to sophisticated instrument; therefore, the worldwide major CPU vendors are only two: AMD and INTEL. So the CPU suppliers has a strong bargaining power. On the other hand, there are many hardware providers in Chinese mainland, so for Chinese PC market, the local brand Lenovo has obvious advantages. 1.3.2 Bargaining power of buyers Because more and more PC brands can be chosen by consumers in global market, consumers have the ability to replace a companys products with the goods or services from a competing firm. 1.3.3 Potential new entrants and Threat of substitute products Because the cost of entering the PC market is high and the PC industry require the patent as a basis to develop the company, the threat of new entrants can be moderate. Additionally, the product like smart mobile phone may become substantial product for PC. It has many functions like PC which bring the large value to the customer. However, in the short term, it has little impact on Lenovos marketing strategies. 1.3.4 Rivalry among competitors In Chinas PC market, Lenovo is the number one PC vendor, which occupies the largest proportion of Chinas PC market share. Overall, rivalry is moderate in China. However, facing with HP, Dell, and Acer etc. in global market, Lenovo has to enhance the function of its PC products and the quality of sevices in order to gain competitive edges in some specific markets. Figure 2 illustrates the market share in U.S. PC market during the third quarter in 2012. Figure 2 Preliminary U.S. PC Q3 2012 Market Share by Vendor Chart by  The Mac Observer  from IDC data 1.4 Macro-Environment 1.4.1 Political-Legal environment In the 1980s, Chinese Academy of Sciences invested a lot of money when Lenovo needed financial support to develop itself. Indeed, Lenovo has a strong political background in China and it has been regarded as the birthplace of Chinas computer technology. Additionally, as a global company, Lenovo has to comply with unfamiliar laws and regulations. 1.4.2 Economic Environment Firgure 3 Lenovo RD Center in ShenZhenWith the increase income of Chinese consumers, people increasingly like to put money in hi-tech products, such as laptop, digital camera, and smart mobile phone. However, in global market, with the deepening of European debt crisis, the global economic are facing deflation and the unemployment rate are shotting up. Consumers wil be more prudent to make decision in purchasing. 1.4.3 Technological Environment Chinese Academy of Sciences which has 1,800 talents in From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediathe field of computer technology can povides efficient and effective support to Lenovo during RD process (Wikipedia, 2012). A prevalent trend that some hi-tech companies have cooperated with PC firms, such as HuaWei and Cisco, improving the existing products and offering better customer service challenges the PC leader of Chinas market. 1.4.4 Social-Cultural Environment To remain competitive, Lenovo must be sensitive to societys demographic shifts and changing values. However, in the global PC market, because the characteristics of the population, values and attitudes of consumers, and lifestyle are various, it is difficult to satisfy every consumer. Additionally, raising the awareness of consumerism is important to current companies. 1.4.5 Competitive Environment The competition of hi-tech products is very fierce in global market. Lenove are facing with some outstanding company, such as Apple, HP, and Dell. The products from different companies with various distinguishing features attract consumers to buy, which increase the level of competition. Furthermore, the indirect competition also has an impact on this market, such as smart mobile phone and iPad, because Wi-Fi makes the Internet available via radio waves and can be accessed at any number of public hot spots. Target Market and Positioning 2.1 Target Market Market segmentation is an inevitable trend in a mature market. The target market for a product is the specific segment of consumers most likely to purchase a particular product. Marketers should try to isolate the traits that distinguish a certain group of consumers from the overall market, in order to serve consumers and maximize the profit. 2.1.1 Geographic Segmentation From 2009 to 2012, Lenovo divided the overall market based on mature market and emerging market. However, from January 2012 onward, Lenovo gave up this method of market segmentation, while Lenovo divided the global market into four parts: Chinese market, North American market, EMEA market (Europe, Middle East and Africa market) and Asia Pacific Latin American market. In this four parts, Chinese market has a large number of population, which means great potential for profit growth. In contrast, North American market is relatively difficult to enter, because it is a mature market and consumers are loyal to former brands, such as Dell and HP. Overall, Lenovo combine its marketing efforts for countries and regions that share similar population and product-use patterns instead of treating each country or region as an independent segment. 2.1.2 Demographic Segmentation Gender: the purchasing habit of women can not be overlooked in PC market, because most woman buyers focus the stylish appearance and lightweight portable design rather than the computer performance, such as software and hardware. Age: tweens and teens usually use their computer for study and online game, while Generation X use their computer for work and social contact. Lenovos two main PC products ThinkPad and IdeaPad are different. Specifically, The IdeaPad design marked a deviation from the business-oriented  ThinkPad  laptops, towards a more consumer-focused look and feel (Jackson, 2008). Income and Expenditure patterns: because the income directly determine the purchasing power of consumer, Lenovo PC products are distributed across low end market, mid-range market and high end market. Figure 4 ThinkPad logo and IdeaPad logo From Lenovo official website 2.1.3 Psychographic and Behavioural segmentation Lenovos marketers quantify aspects of consumers personalities and lifestyles to create goods and services for a target market. For example, Lenovo products advertisements are different in Mainland China and America. Because consumers in China focus on the performance of the product while American consumers focus on the spirit that the product convey. Furthermore, most Chinese PC consumers like comparing goods before taking money form their wallet, while European consumers prefer to pursue high-quality product and to make decision quickly. 2.2 Positioning From the view of laptop market structure, business market account for the largest proportion of laptop market share, especially in government, manufactoring industry, school and university, and financial industry. From the view of sales, mid-range market is the most important part while the sales in low end market increase rapidly. The target market selection of Lenovo PCs is based on market size, development prospects, business goals and competitive advantages. To maintain the leading position in the Chinese market, Lenovo PCs must be on the market for comprehensive coverage. Specifically, Idea-branded focus on individual and family consumer market with low price and stylish design, which targets to low end market. While Think-branded focus on medium and small business, not-for-profit organizations, which is committed to provide a stable, safe, and high-quality computer product. Furthermore, because of the acquisition of IBMs personal computer business, Lenovo have the ability to en ter the high end business market. IBM PCs regard the high end of key account market as the target market. The distinct level of Lenovos marketing positioning helps distinguish its products from those of competitors and provides a basis for marketing communications. Marketing Mix Variables 3.1 Product Strategy Lenovo targets clearly its product strategy at the diversification development in such a new information era. Lenovo leads the PC industry in product innovation and it mainly focuses on PC business. Therefore, we divide products of Lenovo into two parts: laptop and desktop. 3.1.1 ThinkPad IdeaPad ThinkPad were originally an IBM product, which is line of business-oriented laptop computers known for their boxy black design (Wikipedia, 2012). ThinkPad series is made up of T series, X series, L series, W series, and ThinkPad Edge and each of them has their own feature. Specifically, T series is the most popular ThinkPad because of its performance and portability; X series is the thinnest and lightest with the longest battery life; L series is the green choice for professionals; W series is defined as a portable workstation. The IdeaPad line of consumer-oriented  laptop computers  was introduced in January 2008. The IdeaPad is the result of Lenovos own research and development (Wikipedia 2012). IdeaPad consist of U series, Y series, Z series. Specifically, U series is a stylish choice for everyday use; Y series design for gamers, movie buffs and audiophiles; Z series has a balance of price and multimedia features. 3.1.2 ThinkCentre IdeaCentre There are two series of ThinkCentre: ThinkCentre Edge Series (stylish, business-class) and ThinkCentre M series (sophisticated space-savers, dependable business partners). ThinkCentre is a system that combines reliability with ease of use. The marketing concept of ThinkCentre is You name the challenge, well bring the solution. IdeaCentre were described by HotHardware as being uniquely designed, with users needing to gaze on each one to see which design would look best in your place.(Willington, 2011). Indeed, IdeaCentre desktops come in all shapes and sizes.   Theres the skinny all-in-one that hides its working bits, the tiny nettop no larger than a book, and the regular desktop that traditionalists will view with satisfaction. Figure 5 Lenovo IdeaCentre 3.1.3 Service and Warranty From hothardware.comLenovo services is various depending on different kinds of customers. For example, Lenovo offers a comprehensive portfolio of value-added services that support the full lifecycle of Lenovo assets to large enterprises while Lenovo offers warranty support services and accidental damage protection to personal and home. 3.2 Promotion Strategy Lenovos prior goal is to create a new and successful international brand by the advantageous promotion of IBM; therefore, advertisement is the best option for this goal. Then promotional activities are also in effective and direct ways. 3.2.1 Advertising Lenovos personal computer mainly targets some individual clients made up of personal and home groups, and some small-and medium-sized enterprises. Therefore, the advertisement should be designed differently according to different segments. However, IBM aims at high-level computer market oriented to large organization for commercial functions. Therefore, advertisement strategies for ThinkPad are designed in an orientation of commercial application. Because consumers in China focus on the performance of the product while American consumers focus on the spirit that the product convey, the style of Lenovo advertisement is different globally. 3.2.2 Personal Selling The marketing strategies for individual users and large enterprises are different in requirements to sales person. As for individual users, what sales person need are a full set of materials of new products, like specific introductions, on-site demonstration disc, some certifications, and some samples. In addition, the training offered to salesperson is necessary including sales technologies, products knowledge, and companys regulation. In contrast, for the large enterprises, Lenovos salespersons play pivotal roles in promotion. Because they do not only promote products, but also perform necessarily in public relations, sales, training, commerce and customer services. 3.2.3 Sales Promotion Public Relation Because of two different product orientations, they will be differentiated in promotional activities. Personal and home groups consumers will mostly buy from stores or agents, and their purchasing behaviors are readily influenced by promotional activities. Therefore, users promotional activities are more effective for this type of users. However, ThinkPad goes oppositely since its users are mostly large enterprises commercially, and they unlikely go into some stores to buy a ThinkPad. Therefore, promotional activities will not work the same effectively as individual users do. Thus some special activities will introduced, such as inviting them to products exhibition or new products training, trial for new products for VIP clients, or organizing some member club to promote new products by conference, traveling, or sightseeing to enhance brand images and improve the knowledge or ThinkPad products. It is worthy mentioning that Lenovo was an official computer sponsor of the  2006 Winter Olympics  in  Turin,  Italy, and the  2008 Summer Olympics  inBeijing. In July of 2012, Lenovo and the National Football League (NFL) announced that Lenovo had become the NFLs Official Laptop, Desktop and Workstation Sponsor. 3.3 Pricing Strategy The objective of Lenovo is to capture a substantial market share and attract more and more buyers to buy its products. Lenovo pricing stratrgy is based on offering the consumers high quality at low price as well as competitor pricing. Lenovo has always maintained a product mix such as bread and butter products like 3000H series and high end products like ThinkPad and ThinkCentre, which helps Lenovo develop a vast range in its prices. The pricing of some models in America market are as follows: Lenovo  Y Series Laptops are priced  from $600- 1000 Lenovo U  Series  Laptops  are  Priced from  $500- 800 ThinkPad XZ series are priced from  $1000- 2000. Obviously, the laptop price is so competitive in current commercial situation that it should be considered at the first place of production based on a short lifecycle in high-technology industry. Therefore, perception value pricing of Lenovo is adapted to gain an acceptable profit. The middle and high-level Lenovo products are priced to compete in market, therefore, the price of these products should be referred to competitive products. Indeed, For comparable products, Lenovo priced its products at about two-thirds of foreign-made PCs (Xie, 2004, p. 412). In order to maintain the largest share and leader position in Mainland China and remain competitive in global market, Lenovo is a market follower after Dell and HP and this pricing strategy can allow them to ensure values as well as the optimal price of the products. Additionally, Lenovo constantly offers discounts on its  products through its showrooms and online purchases which are often in the range of  25-30%. Also there are many coupon codes and promotional codes available on all product models which add to the total discount. 3.4 Place Strategy 3.4.1 RD Center and Marketing Center Because HongKong is a global center of intermediary trade, it has a more perfect and more complete market in information channel than Chinese mainland. So Lenovo established the RD center and marketing center in Hongkong, in order to acquire the timely market information and technology information and thus shorten the product development cycle and closely follow the international trend. 3.4.2 Wide Coverage A direct marketing strategy is implemented to target the new industry and new big organization. However, the combined channel modes of retailors and agents are basically applied in individual buyers. The market Lenovo targets is not only China, but also other countries. The scope and extension it covers is featured to be in large quantity, wide distribution, and diversity of channels. Therefore, Lenovo choose intermediate channels like provincial retailors or regional wholesales in order to occupy a greater market. 3.4.3 Outlets and Sales Channel Most PC buyers purchase their products through retailer. Lenovo find that Internet buying is convenient for customers to compare products, specifications, prices and after-sales services. Some loyal customers like to buy products in Lenovo specialty shops. Today, Lenovo has the excellent distribution channel consist of 6,000 retail outlets in China that nearly impossible for foreign and even most domestic competitors to replicate. Figure 6 lenovo specialty shop From File Photo/ China Times 3.4.5 Transportation and Stock Level Modern logistics is important to Lenovo, that is say, Lenovo transportation is based on customer needs, carrying the products form supplier to demand side with the most economical cost. From 1995, Lenovo began to implement SCM system (Supply China Management). In 2004, Lenovo carried out VMI mode (Vendor Managed Inventory), thus almost 90% inventory were outsourced to Third-party logistics firms. 4. Cohesive Marketing Mix The 4Ps strategies of Lenovo forms a cohesive marketing mix in an effective and innovated way. Lenovo is transcendent in a vision of its market orientation and products innovation. It develops a systematic strategy with a good combination of two different brands in different levels. By definition, Lenovo improves its products designs and quality to reach an international level in order to meet the requirements of PC users all around the world. Regarding to its market orientation, Lenovo covers low level, medium level, and high-level products, targeting various users ranging from individuals to large enterprises. The pricing is also tactically different in different levels, so that Lenovo products can reach different users from personal utility to commercial application. In addition, it also optimizes different distribution channels and lowers the cost of producing by different segmentations of personal computer users by an application of direct market penetration to individuals and c ombined marketing channels to those large enterprises. Therefore, the promotion should also be designed in a different ways, from advertisement to salesperson training. The market mix of Lenovo successfully integrates product, price, place and promotion strategies in its market orientation and its maximum profits. Only in this way, can such a growing Chinese brand enter an international market to compete with its innovation and creation. 5. Target Market and Marketing Mix Variable There are many methods to segment the overall market. After that, the company will choose the appropriate market as their target market. As to Lenovo, from 2009 to 2012, Lenovo divided the overall market based on mature market and emerging market. However, from January 2012 onward, Lenovo divided the global market into four parts: Chinese market, North American market, EMEA market (Europe, Middle East and Africa market) and Asia Pacific Latin American market. Specifically, in mature market like North America, Lenovo covers low level, medium level, and high-level products, targeting various users ranging from individuals to large enterprises. Additionally, Lenovo is a market follower after Dell and HP and this pricing strategy can allow them to ensure values as well as the optimal price of the products in North American market. In contrast, Lenovo attack emerging market, such as Kenyan market, with cheap PCs, and the product range is fewer than American market. Furthermore, The Group s PC business across the mature markets are facing challenges in the retail channel due to significant slowdown in consumer demand. On the other hand, Lenovo begin to set up more specialty shops in Africa and Latin America, because people there dont adapt to online shopping and the demand from enterprise and government is low. Overall, Lenoovos target market will be considered when making decision about the four marketing mix variables. 6. Positioning Strategy Facing the volatile market and ever-shifting needs of customers, Yang Quanqing (2001), Chief Executive Officer, said that Our Protect and Attack strategy is working and will continue to guide our execution. Lenovo aims to extend the leadership position and increase profitability in China and relationship business in mature markets. In contrast, in emerging markets and transactional sales in mature markets, Lenovos focus will be on capturing growth. Although in recent years, Lenovo aims to extend the business beyond the traditional PC arena and to capture opportunities globally in the rapidly growing areas including mobile internet, smart TV, etc., the PC business remains as the Lenovos core business and Lenovo consistently accelerate the growth and expand market share by delivering quality products to customers around the world. Lenovo outgrew the worldwide PC market in unit shipments, and gained market share across all geographies, products and customer segments, making it the worlds fastest growing PC company. Lenovo divides its PC brand into two parts: Idea-branded and Think-branded. Specifically, Idea-branded focus on individual and family consumer market with low price and stylish design, which targets to low end market. While Think-branded focus on medium and small business, not-for-profit organizations, which is committed to provide a stable, safe, and high-quality computer product. The positioning strategy of Lenovo PC business is very effective. The company saw a record high in sales and market share despite an ongoing downturn for the overall PC industry. Based on data from IDC, Lenovo held  15.7 percent of the global PC market by November 2012, its highest market share ever. 7. SWOT Analysis 7.1 Strengths Lenovo is the leader in chinese PC market, accouting for over 30 percent market share. Under the support and protection of government policies, Lenovo can focus on product research and marketing. There are about 6,000 Lenovo retail outlets in China that nearly impossible for foreign and even most domestic competitors to replicate. Globally, after the acquisition of IBM PC division, Lenovo brand image has been enhanced. More and more overseas customers are willing to purchase Lenovo PC products. Lenovo has the excellent distribution channel not only in china but also all over the world. 7.2 Weaknesses Globally, the single marketing channel leads the products and services mainly sold by monopolized stores. Lenovo does not has its own core technology and it has to follow Intel trend. Too many staffs lead to the overstaffed orginizational structures. The human resource, technology, and capital need to be intergrated after the acquisition of IBM PC division. 7.3 Opportunities PC market is dynamic. prompt response to market changes and solid execution with a clear vision are crucial to continued growth of Lenovo. There is a potential for great development in Chinese market and other emerging markets. 7.4 Threats Acer, Dell and HP are the main competitors in global PC market. Today, there are too many cheap PC products appearing in the world and the market protect in some countries is strong. In addition, some smart mobile phones like iPhone can become the substitute. 8. Conclusion 8.1 What Is the Company Doing Well Liu Chuanzhi (2011), the chairman of the board, stated that we will continue to invest in innovation, marketing, and branding to protect our core business and drive growth through attacking. Four parts have been considerated in making decision in Lenovo: credibility, differentiation, product life-cycle, and evolution. Specifically, first of all, Lenovo is the leader in Chinese PC market, and the brand recognition and traditional reputation of Lenovo are very good in China. In global market, from 2005 to 2010, the Group used IBM logo optimally to build brand Lenovo, which led Lenovo to be known by overseas customers. Second, the differentiation of PC products in performance, style, and services make Lenovo have the ability to deliver the high quality, reliability and durability to meet various of customers demand. Third, every product has its own lifecycle. Facing with this problem, Lenovo delicates some new product strategies in light of the lifecycle as follow: improve products desi gn and products innovation, decrease of product costs and optimize the distribution, and integrate service system and develop the service quality. At last, The PC market is expected to experience more and rapid evolutions in the future. Lenovo continues to leverage spirit of innovation and history of technological breakthroughs to into new product categories and drive future growth. In addition, Lenovo actively took step in asserting its position as a global leader by launching its new global branding campaign. Known as Lenovo: For Those Who Do, the campaign captures the essence of who we are as a company, and the customers we serve. Lenovo does more than just build technology; it creates engines for the worlds doers and the mind-blowing things they create. The Groups breakthrough products are made to serve people on the quest to build whats next. 8.2 Suggestion Lenovo do not have its own core technology in PC business, which means Lenovo have to highly rely on CPU vendors like Intel and AMD. Therefore, in oreder to maintain market share and competitive advantages in global market, Lenovo should allocate more money to technological innovation and product upgrade. Other than that, Lenovo can copy Dell success model, which Lenovo can invest in special computer for certain industry, such as financial industry, education industry, in order to expand the coverage of the products. Lenovo pricing stratrgy is based on offering the consumers high quality at low price as well as competitor pricing. However, in recent years, more and more individual and family buyers reflect that there is price discrimination existing between Chinese market and North American market. Chinese market is Lenovos test bed. Most new products will be evaluated in Chinese market before selling abroad. However, Lenovo can not use its leadership in PC market to make money, regardless of consumers profit. In mature market, the Groups PC business are facing challenges in the retail channel due to significant slowdown in consumer demand; therefore, Lenovo should set up online-sale network and develop and maintain the relationship with the suppliers,distributors, and large enterprises. Although the brand image has been enhanced in recent years, especially after the acquisition of IBM PC division, Lenovo should continue to emphasize the global concept of product design and implement Protect and Attack strategy which protects the core business in China and relationship business in mature markets while attacking high-growth opportunities in emerging markets.

Article on the Discussions of the EMC Problems

The purpose of this article is to discuss the EMC problem and to briefly illustrate its relevance in the development, manufacturing and sale of commercial escalator components in Australia. The intent audiences of this report are engineers and managers from WTM, an escalator development company planning on entering the Australian market. Electromagnetic interference or EMI caused by radiation has been a known problem ever since the very earlier days of the electronic age. In some cases, electromagnetic interference can cause severe conflicts between electronic devices operating in the same environment. Today, with the rapid spread of electrical and electronic devices, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) has become a subject gathering ever increasing interests and attention. Electromagnetic compatibility is known as the discipline of designing, analysing and testing of electronic equipment, to ensure that they are compatible with their electromagnetic environment. By conforming to the EMC regulations in the design stage, we reduce the potential of discovering design problem after the design has left the development laboratory. The definition of EMC can also be described using the terms EMI and EMS. MES is electromagnetic susceptibility or immunity. Thus, a electronic device must have an EMI emission below that of the defined maximum limit and must remain in fault-free operation with interference below the EMS limit. In a carefully controlled environment, such as in an airliner, passengers can be kept from using equipment which might cause interference with the airliners navigational and communication system. But this is not a realistic solution for an escalator system. The use of some electronic equipment in the close proximity of the elevator is inevitable and necessary. Hence, the main problem facing all elevator equipment developers is the need for sufficient equipment and component shielding thus preventing unwanted electromagnetic frequencies from entering or exiting devices and interfering with other control circuitry. This limits the unwanted electromagnetic radiation and ensures that components will continue to function in the presence of EMI from other electronic devices. To accomplish this, equipment designer and manufacturers must take reasonable precautions and be aware of the issues and regulations explained in the following section. In today†s world of electronics, it is necessary to deal with standards for electronic emission and susceptibility levels. The standards are guidelines for emission and susceptibility limits allowing electronic devices to coexist in the same environment. These standards are not static, as technology improves, new standards are established while existing standards are abolished. Manufacturers should refer to the suite of mandatory standards to determine the standards applying to the product. An escalator as a product comprises of many component parts, it is physically large and widely distributed. It is impossible to test a lift for compliance on site due to the fact that the test results are not reproducible. Thus, generic EMC standards are not appropriate. In this case product-specific standard which has been tailored to the specific circumstance and design of the product would apply and take precedence over generic standard. Normally, a product†s conformity has to be proof-read by a type test on EMI and EMS. The results must be within the allowed tolerances and must be independent from when and where it was performed. The EMC standards define the artificial interfaces, test equipment to be used and the set up of the test environment allowing reproducible measurements to be done on EMI and EMS. Developers should only use accredited ad trustworthy test laboratories for EMC tests. Once verification is complete, manufacturers is entitled to a Conformity Declaration. Each product must then be labelled according to the label specification. The label allows the origin of the product to be traced. In Australia and most other industrialise nations, devices without certification can not be sold. It is the responsibilities of the suppliers or manufacturers to ensure that all products on the market satisfy the technical requirement of the Australian EMC framework. Most of the time, a elevator comprises of components sourced from many manufacturers, in this case, the installer is considered the manufacturer. Thus, the components manufacturer must provide the installer with a declaration of conformity. Generally, the earlier EMC is taken into account during development, the lower the expense. From test cases, additional production costs fall between 1-5%. If the issue of EMC is considered after the development phase, the production costs can be significant higher. And if measures were taken after production, the costs will increase by another 30%. Apart from suffering lower profit, the entire manufacturing process will experience long delays, thus reduced market share. Due to high EMC test equipment cost, sometimes EMC measures are given to an external consultant. However, highest flexibility is achieved by doing pre-compliance testing and basic EMC measures in the company during development and give compliance testing and EMC fine tuning to the experts of EMC consultant. In any case, there should be at least one person in the company responsible for the management of EMC regulations, engineering and contacts to the consultants. For a product containing electric or electronic components, EMC is a quality feature just like others. Products without EMC certification do not have a standing ground on the Australia market. To be compliant with the Australian EMC regulations, work need to be carried out in every stage of the development cycle, from the design phase right through to the marketing and installation phase. Thus it is very important for TWM to consult the Australian Spectrum Management Agency of the Australian Communications Authority for a more concise reference for implementing measures which must be taken to assure that the products complies to the Australia EMC Standards.

Malcolm X in Mecca and His Conversion to True Islam

On April 13, 1964, Malcolm X left the United States on a personal and spiritual journey through the Middle East and West Africa. By the time he returned on May 21, he’d visited Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, and Algeria. In Saudi Arabia, he’d experienced what amounted to his second life-changing epiphany as he accomplished the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, and discovered an authentic Islam of universal respect and brotherhood. The experience changed Malcolm’s worldview. Gone was the belief in whites as exclusively evil. Gone was the call for black separatism. His voyage to Mecca helped him discover the atoning power of Islam as a means to unity as well as self-respect: â€Å"In my thirty-nine years on this earth,† he would write in his autobiography, â€Å"the Holy City of Mecca had been the first time I had ever stood before the Creator of All and felt like a complete human being.† It had been a long journey in a brief life. Before Mecca: The Nation of Islam Malcolm’s first epiphany occurred 12 years earlier when he converted to Islam while serving an eight-to-10-year prison sentence for robbery. But back then it was Islam according to Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam—an odd cult whose principles of racial hatred and separatism, and whose strange beliefs about whites being a genetically engineered race of â€Å"devils,† stood it in contrast with Islam’s more orthodox teachings. Malcolm X bought in and rapidly rose in the ranks of the organization, which was more like a neighborhood guild, albeit a disciplined and enthusiastic one, than a â€Å"nation† when Malcolm arrived. Malcolm’s charisma and eventual celebrity built the Nation of Islam into the mass movement and political force it became in the early 1960s. Disillusion and Independence The Nation of Islam’s Elijah Muhammad turned out to be much less than the upstanding moral paragon he pretended to be. He was a hypocritical, serial womanizer who fathered numerous children out of wedlock with his secretaries, a jealous man who resented Malcolm’s stardom, and a violent man who never hesitated to silence or intimidate his critics (through thuggish emissaries). His knowledge of Islam was also relatively slight. â€Å"Imagine, being a Muslim minister, a leader in Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam,† Malcolm wrote, â€Å"and not knowing the prayer ritual.† Elijah Muhammad had never taught it. It took Malcolm’s disillusionment with Muhammad and the Nation finally to break away from the organization and set out on his own, literally and metaphorically, to the authentic heart of Islam. Rediscovering Brotherhood and Equality First in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, then in Jeddah, the Saudi city, Malcolm witnessed what he claims he never saw in the United States: men of all color and nationalities treating each other equally. â€Å"Throngs of people, obviously Muslims from everywhere, bound for the pilgrimage,† he’d begun to notice at the airport terminal before boarding the plane for Cairo in Frankfurt, â€Å"were hugging and embracing. They were of all complexions, the whole atmosphere was of warmth and friendliness. The feeling hit me that there really wasn’t any color problem here. The effect was as though I had just stepped out of a prison.† To enter the state of ihram required of all pilgrims heading for Mecca, Malcolm abandoned his trademark black suit and dark tie for the two-piece white garment pilgrims must drape over their upper and lower bodies. â€Å"Every one of the thousands at the airport, about to leave for Jedda, was dressed this way,† Malcolm wrote. â₠¬Å"You could be a king or a peasant and no one would know.† That, of course, is the point of ihram. As Islam interprets it, it reflects the equality of man before God. Preaching in Saudi Arabia In Saudi Arabia, Malcolm’s journey was held up a few days until authorities could be sure his papers, and his religion, were in order (no non-Muslim is allowed to enter the Grand Mosque in Mecca). As he waited, he learned various Muslim rituals and spoke to men of vastly different backgrounds, most of whom were as star struck with Malcolm as Americans were back home. They knew Malcolm X as the â€Å"Muslim from America.† They plied him with questions; he obliged them with sermons for answers. In everything he said to them, â€Å"they were aware,† in Malcolm’s words, â€Å"of the yardstick that I was using to measure everything—that to me the earth’s most explosive and pernicious evil is racism, the inability of God’s creatures to live as One, especially in the Western world.† Malcolm in Mecca Finally, the actual pilgrimage: â€Å"My vocabulary cannot describe the new mosque [in Mecca] that was being built around the Ka’aba,† he wrote, describing the sacred site as â€Å"a huge black stone house in the middle of the Grand Mosque. It was being circumambulated by thousands upon thousands of praying pilgrims, both sexes, and every size, shape, color, and race in the world. [†¦] My feeling here in the House of God was numbness. My mutawwif (religious guide) led me in the crowd of praying, chanting pilgrims, moving seven times around the Ka’aba. Some were bent and wizened with age; it was a sight that stamped itself on the brain. It was that sight that inspired his famous â€Å"Letters from Abroad†Ã¢â‚¬â€three letters, one from Saudi Arabia, one from Nigeria and one from Ghana—that began redefining Malcolm X’s philosophy. â€Å"America,† he wrote from Saudi Arabia on April 20, 1964, â€Å"needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases the race problem from its society.† He would later concede that â€Å"the white man is not inherently evil, but America’s racist society influences him to act evilly. A Work in Progress, Cut Down It’s easy to overly romanticize Malcolm’s last period of his life, to misinterpret it as gentler, more amenable to white tastes then (and to some extent still now) so hostile to Malcolm. In reality, he returned to the United States as fiery as ever. His philosophy was taking a new direction. But his critique of liberalism went on unabated. He was willing to take the help of â€Å"sincere whites,† but he was under no illusion that the solution for black Americans would not begin with whites. It would begin and end with blacks. In that regard, whites were better off busying themselves with confronting their own pathological racism. â€Å"Let sincere whites go and teach non-violence to white people,† he said. Malcolm never had the chance to evolve his new philosophy fully. â€Å"I never have felt that I would live to be an old man,† he told Alex Haley, his biographer. On Feb. 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, he was shot by three men as he was preparing to speak to an audience of several hundred. Source X, Malcolm. The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley. Alex Haley, Attallah Shabazz, Paperback, Reissue edition, Ballantine Books, November 1992.