Geology of Venezuela Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Geology of Venezuela - Research Paper Example On the other hand, Angel Falls is an important geographical landmark of Venezuela since it ranks as the largest waterfall worldwide. Another geographical feature like Lake Maracaibo in South America is found in Venezuela. Archeologists also carried out studies and found that Venezuela has the oldest rocks in the world (Padoan, Rossetti, & Rubatto, 2014). Nonetheless, the rich biodiversity finds its basis from the tropical climate that favors many wildlife habitats like mountains, plains, and islands. Venezuela’s geographical features explain its importance to tourism activities (Padoan, Rossetti, & Rubatto, 2014). Apart from one of the longest rivers in the continent, the countrys coastline is the longest along the Caribbean region. Natural resource wise, Venezuela is rich in oil reserves as well as natural gas. Studies show that Venezuela’s oil reserves are some of the largest in the world. In 2011 for instance, the country’s government confirmed that Venezuela has a lot of petroleum reserves above significant oil reserves of the Middle East Delta (Miller, Vandome, & Mcbrewer, 2009). Oil reserves also exist along the Orinoco River in the form of oil sands as conventional form of oil reserves. In terms of biodiversity, the country is among the top 20 high-diverse countries in the world. An outstanding 40% of the country is protected areas (Silvano, 2008). Therefore, research seeks to discuss some of the natural resources present in Venezuela as well as geogr aphical features that add to the importance of the country to the South American continent. Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the West Hemisphere (Silvano, 2008). As at 2011, the country’s oil reserves were valued at 297.6 barrels activities (Padoan, Rossetti, & Rubatto, 2014). Some of the economically important natural resources in Venezuela include natural gas and petroleum. Mining of these natural resources accounts for a good percentage of the countrys GDP. On the other

The Best Advice Essay Example for Free

The Best Advice Essay We receive advice from someone just about everyday. Rather its good or bad , right or wrong , or easy or difficult. The best advice I have ever received would have to that life goes on. Because its true, no matter what mistakes you make in life. Life will go on. People make mistakes all the time. We know mistakes are prone to happen sooner or later. Dont get sad, mad, frustrated or give up what your doing because you failed. Stuff happens and your not going to always get things right the first time around. Just shake it off and keep on moving. When my grandaddy passed away a few years ago from Alzheimers. I thought I would never get passed the grief. I lost my best friend and thought my life would be over. Untill my daddy simply told me that even though grandaddy lost his life, I stiil have my own to live. He said not to dwell on it so much and just accept that he is in a better place now, and try to move on with my own. I also learned this lesson from my aunt Nicole when we recently found out that she had cancer. She is usually a happy go lucky type person, but now she is slow and usually tired. When she found out she had it she was already in stage four. She lost all her hair and looked very tired and sick. I wasnt sure if she would make it or not. I was so scared for her. She told me not to be scared and that she would inform me with any new information the doctors gave her. But most of all she said to me that whatever to her that my life will still go on and to live it to the fullest. She went through two Chemotherapys and it was gone. I was very excited ! ! Till this day I still use the advice that life goes on, and will always. To me its the best advice you could ever give someone when they are down in the dumps or even happy. These are some of the reasons why I choose â€Å"Life goes on†, as my best advice.

Importance of Corporate Governance

Importance of Corporate Governance 1. INTRODUCTION This chapter provides a definition of corporate governance and examines importance of, and the principles underpinning corporate governance. It also reviews prior research examining corporate governance disclosures and in particular, those which have investigated corporate governance disclosure in ECMs. 2. DEFINITIONS OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Modern corporations have dispersed ownership structure (Jenkinson and Mayer, 1994). Due to this, these corporate entities are characterised by contractual relationships between (shareholders) owners and managers (agents). Management is hired by owners (i.e. investors) to run the business on their behalf (Sarpong, 1999). Within the agency theory framework, it is theorised that managers may seek to maximise their wealth to the detriment of shareholders and bondholders through the consumption of perquisites (Jensen and Meckling, 1976). Decisions of agents have the tendency of unfavourably transferring wealth from one principal to another i.e. from bondholders to shareholders (Watts and Zimmerman, 1978). John and Senbet, (1998 p. 372) define corporate governance â€Å"as a means by which stakeholders of a corporation exercise control over corporate insiders and management such that their interest will be well protected†. Similarly, it is proposed that â€Å"corporate governance i ssues arise in an organization whenever two conditions are present. First, there is an agency problem, or conflict of interest, involving members of the organization these might be owners, managers, workers or consumers. Second, transaction costs are such that this agency problem cannot be dealt with through a contract† (Hart, 1995, p. 678) To avert the agency problem, there is the need to ensure that adequate and effective corporate governance structures are put in place to prevent abuse of power by managers (Cadbury, 1992). Corporate disclosure through annual reports is one of the essential instruments for the monitoring of managerial behaviour (Watts, 1977; Watts and Zimmerman, 1978). This requires frequent evaluation of managerial activities and performances particularly, through independent non-executive directors (Roberts et al 2005). Berle and Means (2003) view corporate governance as a relatively new concept in both the public and academic domains, although the central issues the concept seeks to address have been in existence for a longer period. The most common definition of the concept has been provided by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OCED). It defines Corporate governance as: ‘ a system by which business corporations are directed and controlled. Corporate governance structures specify the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation, such as, the board, managers, shareholders and other stakeholders and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions on corporate affairs. By doing this, it also provides the structure through which the companys objectives are set and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance (OECD, 1999 p. 11). The influential Cadbury report defines corporate governance fundamentals and somewhat simplistically as ‘ the systems by which companies are directed and controlled (Cadbury 1992). This will require putting in place appropriate mechanisms which will ensure that corporate resources are safeguarded. Johnson and Scholes (1998) explained that corporate governance is concerned with both the functioning of organizations and the distribution of powers between different stakeholders. They argue that corporate governance determines whom the organization is there to serve and how the purpose and priorities of the organization should be decided. Thus, among other things, corporate governance is concerned with structures and processes for decision making, ensures accountability and controls managerial behaviour. It therefore, seeks to address issues facing board of directors, such as the interaction with top management and relationship with owners and others interested in the affairs of a company. The definitions outlined, directly or indirectly, share common elements. They all acknowledge the existence of conflict of interest between managers and shareholders as a result of the existence of separation of ownership and control in corporate activities. They further recognize the need to put in place effective corporate governance mechanisms to ensure that shareholders and investors interest are well protected. 1. IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE As a result of globalization and the increasing complexity of business there is a greater reliance on the private sector as the engine of growth in both developed and developing countries. Organizations do not exist in a vacuum; they rather interrelate with a number of interest groups, known as stakeholders (Freeman, 1984). These stakeholders include shareholders, governments, regulatory bodies, creditors and the general public (Pease and Macmillan, 1993). Stakeholders are impacted by the activities of companies. In this regard, and in the context of this study, adequate and effective corporate governance disclosure becomes relevant to investors and other stakeholders from a number of standpoints. Effective corporate governance disclosure promotes transparency in corporate structures and operations. It strengthens accountability and oversight among managers and board members to shareholders (Bosch, 2002). This oversight and accountability combined with the efficient use of resources, improved access to lower-cost capital and increased responsiveness to societal needs and expectations leads to improved corporate performance. Many studies exist linking good corporate governance with better Performance. Fianna and Grant (2005) explains that good corporate governance helps to bridge the gap between the interests of those that a company, by increasing investor confidence and lowering the cost of capital for the company. Furthermore, they also add that it also helps in ensuring company honours, its legal commitments and forms value-creating relations with stakeholders. Coles et al. (2001) and Durnev and Han (2002, also found that companies with better corporate governance enjoy high er valuation. These studies results, helps in confirming the idea of good corporate governance, result in better decisions at all levels of the organization, not at top-management and board levels, but also in the better performance of the organization Again adequate and effective corporate governance disclosure ensures that corporate activities are run in an open and transparent manner (Brain 2005). Last, corporate governance practices boost market confidence and ensure effective allocation of capital in the market (Greenspan, 2002). From the forgoing discussions, the realization of the importance of good corporate governance practices is largely dependent on a number of internal factors. As a way of achieving this, a number of principles have been established. 3. PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DISCLOSURE A number of principles underpin effective corporate governance. These principles are business probity, responsibility and fairness or equal opportunity. Corporate entities are expected to exhibit these qualities to ensure good governance. Embracing the outlined principles will improve relationships between companies, their shareholders and the overall welfare of every economy. These principles are briefly discussed. Business probity requires individuals in charge of companies to be open and honest in the discharge of their activities. According to Brain (2005) openness implies a willingness to provide information to individuals and groups about the activities of a company. In this regard, it is important to recognize that shareholders and investors need to know the position of a company in order to evaluate their performance. Timely delivery of information will enable them achieve this purpose. Good corporate governance disclosure requires handlers of companies to be honest in the discharge of their activities. Honesty requires managers to deliver factual information. A sign of honesty is that statements of companies are believed. However, Brain (2005 p. 26) contends that â€Å"honesty might seem an obvious quality for companies, but, in an age of spin, and the manipulation of facts, honest information is perhaps by no means as prevalent as it should be.† Corporate governance requires handlers of corporate entities to be responsible in the discharge of their duties. Investors require confidence that companys financial systems are secured and credible. Managers are therefore expected to work in this direction to meet investors expectation. Responsibility in the context of corporate governance includes other issues such as transparency and accountability. These principles are vital to the survival and welfare of every company. Thus, managers have a duty to explain their actions to shareholders as well as investors so as to enhance their understanding of the direction of the companys activities. The principle of fairness requires impartiality and a lack of bias in corporate activities. In the context of corporate governance, the quality of fairness is achieved when managers behave in reasonable and unbiased manner. In this sense, to ensure good governance shareholders are expected to receive equal consideration. This means minority shareholders should be treated the same way as majority shareholders. References Berle, A.A. and G.C. Means (2003). The Modern Corporation and private property, New York, Macmillan Company. Bosch, H. (2002), The changing face of corporate governance, UNSW Law Journal, Vol. 25 No.2, pp.270-93. Brain, C. (2005) Corporate Governance, ICSA text Cadbury A. (1992) Financial Aspect of corporate governance Coles JW, Mcwilliams VB, Sen N. An examination of the relationship of governance mechanisms to performance. Journal of Management 2001; 29 (1):23-50. Durnev A, Han KE. The interplay of firm-specific factors and legal regimes in corporate governance and firm valuation. In: Paper Presented at Dartmouths Center for Corporate Governance Conference: Contemporate Governance; 2002. p. 12-3. Fianna J, Grant K. The revised OECD principles of corporate governance and their relevance to non-OECD countries, vol. 13. Blackwell Publishing Ltd; 2005. p. 2. Freeman, R.E (1994). The Stakeholder Theory of Modern Corporations. Concepts, evidence and implications, Academy of Management Review Vol. 20, 65-91 Greenspan, A. (2002) Corporate Governance in Emerging Markets Hart, O. (1995), â€Å"Corporate Governance, Some Theory and Applications, The Economic Journal 105: 687-689 Jenkinson T. and Mayer C.P. (1994). Hostile takeovers defense attack and corporate performance. McGraw Hill. Jensen, M. C. and Meckling, W. H (1976). Theory of the Firm: Managerial Behaviour, Agency Costs and Ownership Structure. Journal of Financial economics 3(3): 305-60 John, K., and L. Senbet (1998), â€Å"Corporate Governance and Board Effectiveness†, Journal of Banking and Finance 22: 371-403. OECD (2005), Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State Owned Enterprises Roberts, J. T. McNulty, et al (2005). â€Å"Beyond agency conceptions of the work of the non-executive director: creating accountability in the boardroom†. Special Edition. British Journal of Management 16:S5-S26 Sarpong, K.K. (1999) Financial Reporting in Emerging Capital Markets: A Case Study of Ghana, PHD Thesis, The University of Warwick Watts, R. L. 1977. Corporate Financial Statements, a Product of the Market and Political Processes. Australian journal of Management: 53-75. Watts, R. L. and J. L. Zimmerman. 1978. Towards a Positive Theory of the determination of Accounting Standards. Accounting review: 112-34

The John F. Kennedy Conspiracy Essay -- John F. Kennedy JFK conspiracy

The John F. Kennedy Conspiracy On November 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy arrived in Dallas to a crowd of excited people lining the streets hoping to get a glimpse of the President. As his motorcade proceeded down Elm Street, Governor Connally's wife said, "You can't say that Dallas isn't friendly to you today Mr. President." Upon that, John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States was assassinated. The United States mourned the death of its young and inspiring President. It has been many years since the assassination of John F. Kennedy and people are still uncertain as to who was actually responsible for his assassination. Through the years there have been numerous theories that the CIA and the FBI were somehow linked to the assassination.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though many would doubt that the president's own government would conspire to murder him; there are several possible reasons for their potential participation in an assassination plot. The Bay of Pigs was the spark that ignited the devastating fire. 1500 CIA trained anti-Castro expatriates were sent to seize Cuba. At the critical last moment President Kennedy cancelled the air strikes which were supposed to disable Castro's air force. As a result more than 100 of the CIA's men were killed; the remaining agents surrendered. (Morrissey)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kennedy took full public responsibility for the Bay of Pigs disaster though secretly he blamed the CIA. Kennedy fired three of the CIA?s top men whom were responsible for the operation: Director Allen Dulles, who was later a member of the Warren Commission (Lifton 176), General Cabell, and Richard Bissel. (Morrissey) After the CIA lost time, effort, and people in the attempt to secure Cuba, the CIA became hostile and wanted to get rid of Kennedy to prevent him from losing more ground, especially in Vietnam.Adding to the fire were Kennedy?s secret commitments to pulling out of Vietnam and his threat to?Smash the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter them in the wind? (Belzer 79)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were three known attempts on taking JFK?s life in the fall of 1963. In late October, Thomas Arthur Vallee was arrested by the secret service in Chicago days before a scheduled visit by Kennedy. Vallee was discovered to have an M-1 rifle, a handgun, and three thousand rounds of ammunition. Days later, the Secret Service received another threat: Kennedy would b... ...nd all of them were fired from Lee Harvey Oswald. The Commission stated that there was no conspiracy, domestic or international, and that there was no connection between Jack Ruby and Oswald. However, through the twenty six volumes and the approximately thirteen thousand pages of testimonies and documentary exhibits traces of testimonies from Kennedy?s physicians, Dallas physicians, eyewitnesses, or civilian films cannot be found. Works Cited Belzar, Richard. UFO?s, JFK, and Elvis conspiracies you don?t have to be crazy to believe. New York: The Ballantine Publishing Group, 1999. Galeano, Eduardo. Memory of Fire: III Century of the Wind. Part Three of a Trilogy, translated by Cedric Belfrage: Pantheon Books, 1988. Gest, Ted, at al. "JFK The Untold Story of the Warren Commission." U.S. News & World Report 17 August 1992: 28-42. JFK. Dir. Oliver Stone. Warner Bros, 1991. Lifton, David S. Best Evidence. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc, 1980. Peterson, Roger S. "Declassified." American History July/ August 1996: 22-26, 54-57. The Bay of Pigs Revisited. Ed. Michael D. Morrissey. May. 1993. 3 May. 2000 .

Media Influence Essay

The Mass Media is a unique feature of modern society; its development has accompanied an increase in the magnitude and complexity of societal actions and engagements, rapid social change, technological innovation, rising personal income and standard of life and the decline of some traditional forms of control and authority. There is an association between the development of mass media and social change, although the degree and direction of this association is still debated upon even after years of study into media influence. Many of the consequences, either detrimental or beneficial, which have been attributed to the mass media, are almost undoubtedly due to other tendencies within society. Few sociologists would refute the importance of the mass media, and mass communications as a whole, as being a major factor in the construction and circulation of social understanding and social imagery in modern societies. Therefore it is argued that the mass media is used as â€Å"an instrument†, both more powerful and more flexible than anything in previous existence, for influencing people into certain modes of belief and understanding within society. The question of medias influence on society and its cultural framework has often been debated upon from leading theorists to anyone with any form of media connections, but to contemplate that a character in Coronation Street or Eastenders can have an influence on an audience members attitude, beliefs or interpretations of society is a very simplistic and debatable version of the truth. The media does influence, but using more diverse and subtle roles of impact. Some theorists suggest that it is even a case of society influencing the media and not the more widespread and presumed version. History In the early 1930’s, the Payne Studies study took place into the effects and influences of the mass media on the society as a whole using, at times, theories or beliefs that dated back to the late nineteenth century. This is regarded as one of the first in the area of or notion that the mass media has an affect on the societal attitudes and beliefs of that time. This was soon follow around about a decade later in 1941 by Katz, Berelson, and Lazarsfeld who also decided to research into the topic of media effects, a research which produced the now commonly known ‘Minimum Effects Model’. The main aspect of this research being to investigate any possible link or factor that may influence voting behaviour. As has been described in numerous literature it’s ‘discovery’ was that the mass media played little or no part in the process of the formation of any political opinion, attitude or preference. They came to the conclusion that the biggest factor influencing people was not the media, but other people. By the 1960’s, there was a revival of Marxist attitudes, and so the work of Katz, Lazarsfeld, and Berelson was largely dismissed in favour of re-examining the model of research into media effects, due to the modifications the mass media had undergone in the post 1941 period, to consider another way in which to investigate the influence and the effects of the media. Influence, society and individuals As Jane Root wrote in the book â€Å"Open The Box†, which delves into the possibilities of media influence, â€Å"It has a role in defining what we think of as a natural†¦it helps to map out who we think we are†. To look at the medias effect and influence, there is an underlying need to define influence as we understand it in relation to society and it’s overall effect. Media is a major piece within society that is often linked to the notion of social influence. Society understands the notion or concept of being influenced as an â€Å"external force† (the media) linking itself or connecting with a personal action or viewpoint of the recipient. (John Corner: 2000: 378) The forces of influence that have been described as a major power in media effects are those that are circumstantial and directed, those which can be placed within a framework or model, for example â€Å"uses and gratifications†,  those of a generic function but ultimately those which state perspectives, interpretations, and measurements which can lead to evidence and proof. Uses & Gratifications Model A systematic and widely used model in social sciences study of media influence over the effects on an audience concerning behaviour, attitudes and beliefs, is the theory of uses and gratifications. This theory can be linked to the notion of social belonging and how an audience can be deceived into believing that this concept can be achieved. The tenet underlying this approach to studying audiences was that individuals actively consume and use the media in order to meet certain needs. In reality, with the power belonging in the focus of the media, it can be defined as a tool of subliminal persuasion. (O’Sullivan, Dutton, Raymer: 1998) Blumler and Katz (1974) concluded that audience’s fulfilment of needs came within the broad generalisation of four desires: * Diversion – a form of escape or emotional release from  everyday pressures. * Personal Relationships – companionships via television personalities and  characters and sociability through discussion about television with other people. * Personal Identity – the ability to compare one’s life with characters and  situations within programmes, and hence explore personal problems and perspectives. * Surveillance – a supply of information about what is going on in the  world. It is believed that this need to gratify its audience with the pursuit of an idealistic social fulfilment provides the media the opportunity to convey subliminal messages that may influence our opinions, interpretations and understanding of societal factors. The thought that the media is an overwhelming force that influences their audiences through the means of appealing to their desires and needs, must be examined in contrast with the notion that â€Å"every one is free†. Meaning that the mass media’s audience can resist being controlled, simply through choice. An individual always has the option of simply not watching that programme or not reading that particular newspaper. An individual makes the choice, and the selection that is made will merely underpin the views and inclinations that they already have. Television Violence It is believed that the most prominent sign of the mass medias influence is the link to violent programmes and violence within society. Some, technological determinists extend to the belief that the television has altered the world, and it is an â€Å"evil thing that rots the minds of youth†. Television characters are repeatedly recognized as heroes, due to the gaining of respect and numerous other rewards through their actions, they are especially likely to be imitated. For instance at the height of it’s British dominance of children’s television, The Power Rangers were the cause of a large number of accidents, injuries and quarrels that its young audience endured due to the imitation of the characters movements and actions. It may also act as a cue to aggressive behaviour, through desensitisation, uninhibitedness and stimulation. Scenes of violence in a horror film allegedly influenced the two accused ten year olds involved in the infamous James Bulger murder, in which a young boy was abducted and killed. It is  said that they undertook the resulting actions after becoming intrigued and excited by the violent scenes within the horror movie Childs Play. At the accused’ trial the defence made an attempt to present an argument that their actions could be explained through their fascination to television and films which distorted their understandings of society, reality and moral values. Also, it has been noted that naturally aggressive people may simply choose and prefer to watch more violent programmes than of any other nature. Friedrich and Stein found that aggressive-prone children are likely to become even more aggressive after watching violent television. A report made by the United States Surgeon General concluded that television violence is influential, as many as 25% of child viewers may be affected. But what it doesn’t take into account is that other research undertaken had shown, that from over 300 studies using numerous amounts of children, there was no direct effect of the violence portrayed through the mass media on the youth of contemporary society, though there is considerable disagreement between different studies. For instance it could be concluded that violence can never be considered the sole cause of delinquent behaviour, it may possibly just act to reinforce or affect those that are already prone to such tendencies. These examples have been noted as possible indications of the effects of the mass media through the means of expression of television violence, but the media is accused of also acting in more subliminal ways when looked at through the vehicle of the print based and television news. News The mass media present a stereotyped picture of life, which can often lead to undesirable prejudices within not just national, but international, society. The mass media and in particular the television and print based news are often accused as being a significant source, in wide ranging and varied ways, of enhancing common stereotypes. It is argued now that in the case of women, ethnic groups, the disabled, certain professions, the old, the  physically unattractive and even nationalities are all presented according to accepted stereotypes. As â€Å"the war on terrorism† in Afghanistan rages on the news that has come from that region has had exactly the same type of subliminal messaging that was continually occurring in the Gulf War press. The aim of that journalism was to distinguish the language concerning both sides that were at war. During the Gulf War the descriptions given to the opposite sides were of a distinct nature as to enhance the British reputation and to condemn the Saddam regime. British troops â€Å"took out†, â€Å"suppressed† and â€Å"eliminated† their opposition because of an â€Å"old fashioned sense of duty† because they are â€Å"professionals†, â€Å"brave† and â€Å"lion-hearted†, whereas Saddam’s army simply â€Å"killed† and â€Å"destroyed† because they â€Å"feared Saddam† and were â€Å"cowardly† and â€Å"Bastards of Baghdad† (O’Sullivan, Dutton, Rayner: 1998:80). These binary oppositions are used as a form of media propaganda, the conscious manipulation of information in order to gain political advantage. By using the media as a tool of manipulation the Conservative government of the Gulf War era and the Labour government of the present day have effectively stereotyped the opposition in order to provide national unity and enhance their own political agendas. Studies have also been carried out to study the effects of television on political behaviour, with Blumler (1970) as just one, concluding that television had little or no discernible influence over the viewer. Construction of the news is another way in which the mass media can have an influence over the masses. Through the placement of certain aspects of, for example, a news feature or the selective process made by editors it preserves the notion of media influence continually. Television and print based news, due primarily to their fixation with crime and violence arguably has a pessimistic impact upon our societal behaviour. The news can be described as being an oxymoron; giving us the skin of the truth stuffed with a lie. I personally do not concur with this as I consider that generally news does not lie, except it does not inform the audience of the entire truth by omitting the less interesting and dramatic parts. A news program is  primarily focused on the facts, but for the purposes of television and the print based media they tend to emphasise on the dramatic, generally violent stories and images to capture and sustain its audience, under the facade of keeping it informed. The med ias influence through the news is that it affects the public both consciously and subconsciously, and in some cases sends us about our lives unnecessarily fearing the remote dangers that we see excessively portrayed in the news. Stereotyping Children’s programmes especially have a tendency to amplify stereotypes, presenting â€Å"goodies† and â€Å"baddies† within episodes. The confirmation of their stereotypes may makes children feel more comfortable with themselves if they can place someone within a group. Also some children often only have their contact with some minority groups through the television. Greenfield (1984) found that Sesame Street’s use of ethnic and disabled minorities has had positive affects on children, particularly those from the minority groups who feel greater cultural pride and self-confidence. Certain events are over-reported, such as violent or sex crimes, and this acts to alter public opinion. Cohen (1965) suggests that the media creates moral panics by widely reporting an initially minor event, which leads to further comprehensive reports, detection of causes or troublemakers. Radio Cantril (1940) is often referred back upon as a classic example of how the mass media can influence through the gaining of trust. It refers to an incident in the late thirties that caused a widespread public panic in America after a radio station broadcast of H.G.Wells’ fictional narrative War of the Worlds. The production involved a series of news bulletins in which the reporter gave a â€Å"live† account of a Martian invasion. A lot of listeners had tuned in a few moments after the show had begun and so, apparently unaware that the program was of a fictitious nature, believed what they were hearing was the truth and so began becoming hysterical, with some taking to the streets and others even packing up their belongings as  quickly as they could and driving off in order to avoid the attacks. Cantril’s study was the documentation of media-social relations at the time and so the â€Å"invasion† pointed towards the influence that the radio had over the masses, as they truly believed the broadcast. The primary factor in the â€Å"invasion† was the trust that the public had in radio journalism being unwittingly extended to a practical simulation. What was evident from this episode was the steady, gradual and routine influence that the mass media as a whole had exerted, led to the radio broadcasts listeners faith that they were being attacked (Corner: 2000: 385). This case has been cited as being an excellent example of the â€Å"Hypodermic Needle Model†, a hypothesis which asserts that the media are dominant agents of influence, capable of â€Å"injecting† ideas and behaviours directly into fairly inert audiences of isolated individuals. It could also be marked down as not only showing the behavioural changes that can arise from a single piece of media output but also the underlying example of media influence that experts have looked for through experiments or fieldwork. Conclusion In closing, there are perceived to be constantly changing views on the influence that is exerted by the mass media. At first there was the attitude that the media was forcing itself upon us in such a way as to exert its influence and shape our beliefs, actions and values. Now though as time has moved on, theorists are thinking about this area of research in other ways and through diverse approaches. There was a shift in the perspective of researchers within audience reception in the seventies and is evident none more so than in the statement made by James Halloran (1970): â€Å"We must get away from the habit of thinking in terms of what the media do to people and substitute for it the idea of what people do with the media.† The technological determinist view, which states an overemphasis on the part of the mass media as the major, if not solitary cause of societal and  cultural changes, which have effected actions and beliefs, is not the view that I personally would concur with. In my opinion the mass media is an incredible tool of persuasion and could influence somebody undoubtedly. Mass media audiences are arguably on the whole not passive, and so the amount of influence that is exerted upon the recipient depends entirely on the individual. As most pieces of media output are â€Å"polysemic† in nature, meaning that it is capable of having different meanings and readings from person to person (O’Sullivan, Dutton, Rayner: 1998:327), the way in which, or by how much, an individual is influenced is entirely through choice. Bibliography * O’Sullivan, Dutton, Rayner: (1998): Arnold Publishers â€Å"Studying The Media: Second Edition† The following authors were cited from â€Å"Studying The Media: Second Edition† James Halloran (1970) Blumler and Katz (1974) James Curran & Michael Gurevitch: (2000): Arnold Publishers â€Å"Mass Media And Society: Third Edition† Chapter 19: John Corner: (2000) Within Chapter 19, written by John Corner the following authors were cited: Cantril (1940) Blumler (1970) * John Eldridge, Jenny Kitzninger, Kevin Williams: (1997): Oxford Uni. Press Inc â€Å"The Mass Media & Power In Modern Britain† The following authors were cited from â€Å"The Mass Media & Power In Modern Britain†: Greenfield (1984) Friedrich and Stein United States Surgeon General Report Cohen (1965) * Jane Root: (Unknown): (Unknown) â€Å"Open The Box†

Laughing and Crying essays

Laughing and Crying essays Laughing and Crying The bridge between laughing and crying is not long. During submarine deployments, it is customary to tell sea stories on those long boring mid-watches. During one particular mid-watch I told an amazing story that happened to me ten years earlier while stationed on my last submarine. This story shouldnt be told when your boss is part of the group because there could be repercussions that you may feel later. My story begins when I was on a submarine that was home-ported in Vallejo, CA. Like most naval bases it also has a McDonalds. The submarine was delayed for a scheduled underway this particular day and my division and myself decided to go to McDonalds for lunch. This McDonalds was laid out as any other McDonalds with a side entrance and a long seating area down the side. Most of the submarine crew was already there sitting on the side seats, and I proceeded up to the counter to place my order. I ordered a Combo Meal that came to $4.85 and gave the cashier a ten-dollar bill. She placed a five-dollar bill and the change on my tray as I was leaving. When I came around the corner to the area my shipmates were sitting, someone opened the doors to enter the restaurant and my five-dollar bill blew off my tray. I quickly glanced down and noticed it fell near the corner table were a lady and her two children were sitting. I continued to the table where I wanted to sit to put my tray down. I placed my tray on the table then turned to go back to retrieve my five-dollar bill. I went back to the area where my money blew off near the table the lady and her two children were sitting. I looked around and didnt see it, so I asked the little boy that was sitting on the end of the table if he had seen my five-dollar bill. He politely said no sir and then his mom asked can I help you and I told her th...