Napster - Stare And Live The Nightmare :: essays research papers

For many years the record companies have fixed record prices to avoid competing with each other and to maximize their profits. Currently, the record companies are collaborating in order to force Napster to shut down. The record companies are claiming that Napster is breaking copyright laws. Napster is a peace of software available for free on the Internet, which allows you to download almost any song you can think of. All you need to get Napster is a computer and Internet connection, the faster the better. Should people feel sympathy for the record companies because of the supposed starvation as a result of Napster file sharing? Or should the sympathy lie with the users of Napster? Let us examine who is trying to shut down Napster and for what reasons. Let us also determine the reasons why people want Napster to remain open. The Record Company is strongly opposed to Napster for one reason and one reason only. Apparently, the record companies are losing more and more of the market to Napster file sharing on the Internet. Record companies justify their lawsuits against Napster with the line so often used in press conferences, â€Å"Napster breaks copyright laws.† This phrase seems like a legitimate argument. One could understand the reasons for feeling this way. For simplicity sake, we will use Dave as an example. Dave developed a product and sells it, and, at first, his product does very well. His product is then duplicated again and again by a person who purchased his product. Dave watches his sales plummet and, of course, feels cheated. Should Dave have the right to sue the person who copied his product? Most people would say yes. This is the argument the record companies are making in defense of the lawsuits against Napster. However, let us look deeper into the matters of sales within the record companies. Record companies say they are suffering as a result of Napster. The price of a CD has stayed the same for many years as far as I can remember. Why would the record companies not raise the price of a CD if their profits were dropping? Also, the sales of records from1999 to 2000 have actually increased 2%. Why would there be an increase in sales if, the record companies claim, Napster is hurting their business and taking up some of the market? I am sure if Napster was good for business in the record companies’ eyes, the record companies would not be complaining about copyright infringement laws being broken.

Inflation always bad for an economy

Is inflation always bad for an economy? Inflation is a general Increase in prices and fall In the purchasing value of money measured as percentage; ways of measuring It Include the retail price index and the consumer price Index. One cost of Inflation Is that firms may have to spend money, time and effort moving money around financial Institutions (banks etc. ) so that they can ensure It doesn't lose Its value, It Incurs shoe leather costs as a result of this.However these costs can be offset by advances in technology, less human intervention is needed and costs are lower Another cost is that inflation leads to Geiger prices, these high prices reduce the competitiveness of the countries companies on global markets this reduces exports and leads to a dependency on imports, severely affecting a countries balance of trade. As imports are a leakage from the circular flow of income, it has negative effects on consumers within the country.Reduced exports due to high prices may lead to firm s having to close, this may lead to staff being made redundant and Increasing the unemployment rate. However, these negative effects may be mitigated If the firms with which the source entry Is trading with has a higher level of Inflation, In which case, the firms In the country will still remain price competitive with foreign companies.One positive of inflation Is that If you have a low and stable rate of demand-pull inflation It may lead to companies producing more as they expect more consumption of their goods. This may lead to them hiring more staff or purchasing more technology, either increasing employment rates or increasing turnovers of other businesses that make the technology required, all of which increase economic activity and have positive effects.Companies can reduce redundancies by increasing real wages by less than inflation, cutting costs but without making staff unemployed which would have sever negative effects on consumers and the economy. The economic costs of i nflation are dependent on a variety of factors, such as the degree of Inflation, for example: higher levels of Inflation always have a worse Impact on an economy than low levels, e. G. Hyperinflation reduces the functionality of money and also as low Inflation reduces the effect of shoe leather costs It Is clearly better than high levels of Inflation. Another determinant of the effects of inflation is whether the inflation was correctly anticipated by consumers and producers and whether inflation in one country is higher than the countries it partakes in trade with because if this is the case, measures can be taken to reduce the negative impacts of inflation.For example pensions could be increased to stay in line with inflation. If these factors are all set in a certain way then the effects of inflation can become positive, however generally this is not the case and inflation negatively affects an economy. Inflation always bad for an economy? By Chatterer Inflation is a general incr ease in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money measured as percentage; ways of measuring it include the retail price index and the consumer price index.One cost of inflation is that firms may have to spend money, time and effort moving money around financial institutions (banks etc. ) so that they can ensure it doesn't lose its value, it incurs shoe leather costs as a result of this. May lead to staff being made redundant and increasing the unemployment rate. However, these negative effects may be mitigated if the firms with which the source entry is trading with has a higher level of inflation, in which case, the firms in the country will still remain price competitive with foreign companies.One positive of inflation is that if you have a low and stable rate of demand-pull inflation it may lead dependent on a variety of factors, such as the degree of inflation, for example: higher levels of inflation always have a worse impact on an economy than low levels, e. G. Hyperinf lation reduces the functionality of money and also as low inflation reduces the effect of shoe leather costs it is clearly better than high levels of inflation.

Economy figures of Australia Essay

The background is about the Electric Bicycles that we take from China, import them, and sell the products in Perth (Australia). We also have our own website that we can sell online to people and ship our bicycles to any where in Australia. In CIA Factbook, Australia is regarded as an example of a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West European economies. Since Australia has many natural resources, the country becomes a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the country’s economy. In addition, the report from CIA also notes that Australian government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. While Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s and during the recent financial problems in East Asia, the economy has expanded at a solid 4% annual growth pace in the last five years. Below is economy figure of Australia. Table 1 Economy Figures of Australia Population: 21,007,310 (July 2008 est. ) Age Structure: 0-14 years: 18. 8% 15-64 years: 67. 9% 65 years and over: 13. 3% (2008 est. ) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% Female: 99% (2003 est. ) GDP: Purchasing power parity – $773 billion (2007 est. ) GDP – real growth rate: 4. 3% (2007 est. ) GDP – per capita: $37,300 (2007 est. ) GDP – composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 26. 4% Services: 70. 6% (2007 est. ) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2. 3% (2007 est. ) Industries: mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel Industrial production growth rate: 4. 1% (2007 est. ) Exports: coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment Exports – commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment Exports – partners: Japan 18. 1%, US 8. 7%, China 8. 4%, South Korea 7. 4%, New Zealand 7. 4%, UK 6. 7% (2003 est. ) Imports: $160 billion (2007 est. ) Imports – commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products Imports – partners: China 14. 3%, US 12. 9%, Japan 9. 6%, Singapore 6. 1%, Germany 5. 2%, UK 4. 4%, Thailand 4% (2007) Source: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 2008 The above statistics show that selling bicycle in Australia is attractive since Australia rate China as main import partners. In addition, the market for electric bicycle is quite enormous considering that the number of people at age 15-64 year accounts 67. 9% of total Australian population. 1. Technology The development of technology in Australia is extensive as Australian university encourages the innovation and invention in all aspects. In addition, the country also consider the intellectual property, which help Australian business to establish and maintain international markets for new technology (IDC, 2008). 2. Legal and Political The International trade laws and regulations assembled by a country emerged from various national backgrounds. Countries possessing different geographical structure for example, would produce different export commodities, thus results a different ‘tone’ of trade laws. Other factors such as the culture of citizens and national politic tendencies have also significant contributions in making a country’s international trade laws. The trade between Australia and China is also based on the free trade agreement commencing in 2005 in which a study conclude that there would be significant economic benefits for both Australia and China through the negotiation of an FTA. Australia’s export and quarantine laws are design to meet certain standard of quality exports goods. It emphasizes on protection towards Australia’s animals, plants, human health and the overall environment. It also emphasizes strict standard regarding certain quality requirements to meet foreign countries’ satisfaction. They believe that export trade is vital to Australia’s prosperity and high standard of living. The commitment to ensure export goods and services quality goes all the way, as Australia implement their steps of ensuring quality, which are: a. In cooperation with the industry involved AQIS makes standard requirements on export goods and services and state them in the legislation. b. Industry are guided to implement management systems to achieve compliance with the stated laws c. AQIS systems are obligated to verify the compliance between the goods/service and the laws by investigations. d. AQIS takes a final action of allowing exports activities or not allowing, in case of non compliance. 3. Culture The Australian culture is considered as the most diverse culture in the world due to the people of Australian historically comes from English People; thus the main culture in Australia is â€Å"Anglo Celtic†. However, as the globalization occurs in Australia, the country’s culture tends to be more Americanized. It suggests that product offering in Australia would in some level follow the trends in the U. S. (Mapsofworld. com, 2008). 4. Ethical Considerations and their management The last mentioned issue in international trade that will be mentioned in this paper is ethics. Business ethics refers various moral and ethical problems that can arise in business activities. The study focuses on how each individual involved within trade activities are burdened with special duties and obligations that must be performed. It emphasizes the importance of ethical guidelines in making business decisions. Some might even say that ethics form the very foundation of international economic activities. What we have been surely witness is the increasing attention on business ethics and its applications in line with the more complicated nature of business and business activities. The importance of ethical guidelines has been increasingly popular lately because of several reasons. First, there is s growing public awareness that societies have the right to expect business to function within ethical boundaries. A company is a part of its community that must live in harmony with the surrounding environment like all individuals and organizations. Furthermore, companies take their resources from their environment, which implies that these companies give something back to their community. For the least, there is an invisible social contract between business and its societies that all business activities will honor and accord with the limitations of justice (England, 2008). In the light of this growing awareness of corporate positions in the community, most companies generate and implement a code of conduct that guides their behavior to internal as well as external parties. The code of conduct represents corporate assessment of what behavior is expected out of employees and managers. Furthermore, the latest development in international business revealed the consensus upon the necessity of an international code of ethical practice to survive the global economy. These global ethical guidelines consist of the following principles: a. Integration, which means all business activities must never be out of the ethical context b. Implementation, which means changing all existing activities to match the ethical standards c. Internationalization, which demands integrity throughout the entire chain of global partnership, frees from cultural sentiments and directed toward the global context (England, 2008). Reference A Successfull Global Trader. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www. dfat. gov. au/facts/search Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).(2008). World Fact book 2004: Australia. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www. cia. gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/as. html England, Lizabeth. Principles of Business Ethics. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://exchanges. state. gov/forum/journal/bus1background. htm IDC. (2008). Innovation & Technology Australia. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www. innovation. org. au/ Mapsofworld. com. (2008). Australia Culture. Retrieved October 29, 2008 from http://www. mapsofworld. com/australia/australia-culture/.

development of fusion reactor essays

development of fusion reactor essays Many of scientists have spent abundant amount of years trying to figure out a way to access infinite, clean, accessible energy. Thats why the development of the fusion reactor is a very important invention in the world of science. Some people may ask what exactly is a fusion reactor, and how does it work? The large amount of energy let go by the sun and the stars is the result of the changing of matter into energy. This occurs when the lightest atom, hydrogen, is heated to very high temperatures forming a special gas called plasma. In this plasma, hydrogen atoms combine, or "fuse", to form a heavier atom, helium. In the process of fusing, some of the hydrogen involved is converted directly into large amounts of energy. In order for fusion reactions to occur, the particles must be hot enough temperature, in sufficient number of density and well limited confinement time. These simultaneous conditions are represented by a fourth state of matter known as plasma. In a plasma, electrons are uncovered from their nuclei. A plasma, as a result, consists of charged particles, ions and electrons. There are three main mechanisms for confining these hot plasmas - magnetic, inertial and gravitational. Magnetic confinement takes w hold of strong magnetic fields, usually 100,000 times the earth's magnetic field, set in a pattern to prevent the charged particles from leaking out. Inertial confinement uses powerful lasers or high energy particle beams to press the fusion fuel together. The enormous force of gravity confines the fuel in the sun and stars. There are two main reasons for pursuing fusion research, the furthering of our understanding of the actions of plasmas that make up most of the known universe, and the creation of a new energy source. Fusion energy would be a renewable energy technology that offers a significant mix of potential advantages. Fusion fuels are abundant and readily available to all nations. Using fusion ener...

The Characters in All My Sons by Arthur Miller

The Characters in All My Sons by Arthur Miller Arthur Millers drama All My Sons asks a tough question: How far should a man go to secure his familys well-being? The play delves into deeply moral issues regarding our obligations to our fellow man. Divided into three acts, the story unfolds in the following manner: Act One: The friendly Keller household is introduced.Act Two: The truth about Joe Keller is revealed.Act Three: After facing the truth, the characters make final choices. Like other works by Arthur Miller, All My Sons is a critique of an overzealously capitalistic society. It shows what happens when humans are ruled by greed. It demonstrates how self-denial cannot last forever. And it is Arthur Millers characters who bring these themes to life. Joe Keller Joe seems like the traditional, amiable 1940s father figure. Throughout the play, Joe presents himself as a man who deeply loves his family but also has great pride in his business. Joe Keller has been running a successful factory for decades. During World War II, his business partner and neighbor, Steve Deever noticed some faulty airplane parts about to be shipped for use by the U.S. military. Steve says that he contacted Joe who ordered that shipment, but Joe denies this, saying that he was home sick that day. By the plays end, the audience discovers the dark secret Joe has been concealing: Joe decided to send the parts through because he was afraid that admitting the companys mistake would destroy his business and his familys financial stability. He allowed the sale of faulty airplane parts to be shipped to the frontline, resulting in the death of twenty-one pilots. After the cause of the deaths was discovered, both Steve and Joe were arrested. Claiming his innocence, Joe was exon erated and released and the entire blame shifted to Steve who remains in jail. Like many other characters within the play, Joe is capable of living in denial. It is not until the plays conclusion that he ultimately faces his own guilty conscience - and then he chooses to destroy himself rather than deal with the consequences of his actions. Larry Keller Larry was Joes oldest son. The audience does not learn too many details about Larry; the character dies during the war, and the audience never meets him - no flashbacks, no dream sequences. However, we do hear his final letter to his girlfriend. In the letter, he reveals his feeling of disgust and disappointment towards his father. The content and tone of the letter suggest that perhaps Larrys death was due to combat. Perhaps life was no longer worth living because of the shame and anger he felt. Kate Keller A devoted mother, Kate still holds on to the possibility that her son Larry is alive. She believes that one day they will receive word that Larry was only wounded, perhaps in a coma, unidentified. Basically, she is waiting for a miracle to arrive. But theres something else about her character. She holds onto the belief that her son lives because if he perished during the war, then (she believes) her husband is responsible for her sons death. Chris Keller In many ways, Chris is the most admirable character in the play. He is a former World War II soldier, so he knows firsthand what it was like to face death. Unlike his brother, and the many men who died (some of them because of Joe Kellers faulty airplane parts), he managed to survive. He plans to marry his late brothers former girlfriend, Ann Deever. Yet, he is very respectful about his brothers memory, as well as the conflicting feelings of his fiancà ©. He also has come to terms with the death of his brother and hopes that his mother will soon be able to peacefully accept the sad truth. Finally, Chris, like so many other young men, idealizes his father. His strong love for his father makes the revelation of Joes guilt all the more heart-wrenching. Ann Deever As mentioned above, Ann is in an emotionally fragile situation. Her boyfriend Larry was missing in action during the war. For months she hoped that he had survived. Gradually, she came to terms with Larrys death, eventually finding renewal and love in Larrys younger brother, Chris. However, since Kate (Larrys seriously-in-denial Mom) believes that her eldest son is still alive, she is mortified when she discovers that Ann and Chris plan to marry. On top of all this tragedy/romance material, Ann also laments the disgrace of her father (Steve Deever), whom she believes is the sole criminal, guilty of selling faulty parts to the military. (Thus, theres great dramatic tension, as the audience waits to see how Ann will react when she discovers the truth: Steve isnt the only guilty one. Joe Keller is guilty too!) George Deever Like many of the other characters, George (brother of Ann, son of Steve) believed that his father was guilty. However, after finally visiting in father in prison, he now believes that Keller was in fact primarily responsible for the death of the pilots and that his father Steve Deever should not be the only one in jail. George also served during World War II, thus giving him a greater stake in the drama, for he is not only seeking justice for his family, but for his fellow soldiers.

Meaning, Origin, and Uses of Gringo

Meaning, Origin, and Uses of 'Gringo' So someone calls you a gringo or gringa. Should you feel insulted? It depends. Nearly always referring to foreigners in a Spanish-speaking country, gringo is one of those words whose precise meaning, and often its emotional quality, can vary with geography and context. Yes, it can be and often is an insult. But it can also be a term of affection or neutral. And the word has been used long enough outside of Spanish-speaking areas that it is listed in English dictionaries, spelled and pronounced essentially the same in both languages. Origin of Gringo The etymology or origin of the Spanish word is uncertain, although it is likely to have come from griego, the word for Greek. In Spanish, as in English, it has long been common to refer to an unintelligible language as Greek. (Think Its Greek to me or ​Habla en griego.) So over time, griegos apparent variant, gringo, came to refer to a foreign language and to foreigners in general. The first known written English use of the word was in 1849 by an explorer. One bit of folk etymology about gringo is that it originated in Mexico during the Mexican-American war because Americans would sing the song Green Grow the Lilies. As the word originated in Spain long before there was a Spanish-speaking Mexico, there is no truth to this urban legend. In fact, at one time, the word in Spain was often used to refer specifically to the Irish. And according to a 1787 dictionary, it often referred to someone who spoke Spanish poorly. Related Words In both English and Spanish, gringa is used to refer to a female (or, in Spanish, as a feminine adjective). In Spanish, the term Gringolandia is sometimes used to refer to the United States. Gringolandia can also refer to the tourist zones of some Spanish-speaking countries, especially those areas where many Americans congregate. Another related word is engringarse, to act like a gringo. Although the word appears in dictionaries, it doesnt appear to have much actual use. How the Meaning of Gringo Varies In English, the term gringo is often used to refer to an American or British person visiting Spain or Latin America. In Spanish-speaking countries, its use is more complex with its meaning, at least its emotional meaning, depending to a great extent on its context. Probably more often than not, gringo is a term of contempt used to refer to foreigners, especially Americans and sometimes the British. However, it can also be used with foreign friends as a term of affection. One translation sometimes given for the term is Yankee, a term that sometimes is neutral but also can be used contemptuously (as in Yankee, go home!). The dictionary of the Real Academia Espaà ±ola offers these definitions, which can vary according to the geography of where the word is used: Foreigner, especially one who speaks English, and in general one who speaks a language that isnt Spanish.As an adjective, to refer to a foreign language.A resident of the United States (definition used in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela).Native of England (definition used in Uruguay).Native of Russia (definition used in Uruguay).A person with white skin and blond hair (definition used in Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru).An unintelligible language.

Text-Based Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Text-Based - Research Paper Example The news media is also able to convey the health of the economy to the viewers of its different sections. They thus, perform a very valuable function in the society. This paper shall look at how the news industry has on occasions failed to live up to the expectations that are made of it. The article shall also look at news that focuses on gossip and its effects. Later on, the essay shall look at alternate forms of news. The essay shall also focus on the reporting of wars in the news media. The essay shall also look at the neglect that foreign affairs are made to face by the American public in times of peace. The essay shall then go on to analyze the selective reporting of news and the biases that may be behind such a phenomenon. The essay shall thus, look at various aspects of American news media, focusing on its problems and some of the solutions that have emerged from within the industry itself. The article by the news agency AP, â€Å"AP: We Ignored Paris†, points to a mala ise that affects news media in these times. Almost as a matter of routine, one finds that newspapers and news channels on the television report items that do not concern the daily lives of the common citizens of the world. This is a phenomenon that one finds all over the world. The ironic part of this phenomenon is the fact that this is carried out in the name of the common citizen, who according to the news media, wants them to report such news. The article in question repudiates such a myth, placing the blame for such standards of reportage on the reporters and editors themselves. Such reportage takes attention away from real articles of news at a time when the nation is at war and several internal security issues have been a thorn in the flesh of the government. The responsibility of the media is clearly to convey such issues to all sections of the society. This is not what the media has done and this reflects, according to Jan Wieten, a class-based bias that the media has harbor ed for years. The sections of the media that caters to the elite sections of the society has always reported on problematic areas of governance and the economy. On the other hand, those sections of the media that have been accessible to the lower classes of the society have always resorted to irrelevant pieces of news, under the assumption that such sections ‘want’ such news. Wieten argues that such a view has always taken the shape of gossip and tabloids. Such forms of the news media attempt to classify false articles of news as real in an attempt to sell them. The profusion of reality shows is only the latest form of such news, according to Wieten (1998). Such forms of the media obfuscate the real news, deflecting the attention of the masses, the people who are responsible for the election of the government that has to ultimately, take decisions. There are however, forms of the news media that do believe in entertainment and news value. Rachel Smolkin speaks of one su ch program, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in her essay, â€Å"What the Mainstream Media Can Learn From Jon Stewart†. She speaks of the fact that the binary between entertaining programs and non-entertaining or informative ones has led to the creation of certain shows that are merely entertaining without being informative and some with no entertainment at all. Her argument is aimed at such shows and reveals the need for