5 Causes of the Death of a Tree

5 Causes of the Death of a Tree Trees have an extraordinary ability to withstand many damaging agents that are ever-present in their environment. Trees have evolved over millions of years to ward off many stressors that bite and burn and starve and rot their roots, trunk, limbs, and leaves. It is amazing how a tree compartmentalizes itself to seal off dead wood and disease, defoliates to reduce the effect of drought and bleeds to extract harmful insects. We know that all trees do eventually die. There are many hundreds of seedlings and saplings that succumb for every mature tree left in the forest. All ages of trees eventually die to the same agents and only the most adaptive (and often lucky) individuals make it to old age. There are 5 factors to which a tree eventually succumbs: death from its environment, death from harmful insects and diseases, death from a catastrophic event, death from age-related collapse (starvation) and of course, death from harvest. In most cases, death is the result of several, if not all of these conditions taking place simultaneously. Lets take a look at each of these. Adverse Environment Ground and site conditions on which a tree lives ultimately determines the environmental stressors placed on that tree. If a drought-sensitive tree lives on a dry site during drought conditions, it may indeed die from lack of water. But that same tree can also be more susceptible to every other life-threatening factor placed upon it. For example, a disease that appears to be killing the tree may in effect be only a secondary issue to the initial environmental problem. Examples of adverse environments to trees are poorly draining soils, salty soils, droughty soils, air and ground pollution, extreme sun heating or cold spots and many, many others. It is particularly important to understand a tree species genetic tolerance to environmental conditions when planting. Many trees adapt very well to poor sites, but you need to understand which species fits where. Harmful Insects and Disease Virulent diseases like Dutch elm disease and the chestnut blight have caused sudden death to entire forests in North America. However, the most common diseases are more subtle in their work, killing many more trees in total than virulent types and cost forest and yard tree owners billions of dollars in forest product and specimen tree value. These common diseases include three bad ones: Armillaria root rot, oak wilt, and anthracnose. These pathogens invade the tree through leaves, roots and bark wounds and damage a trees vascular system if not prevented or treated. In natural forests, prevention is the only economic option available and is a significant part of a foresters silvicultural management plan. Harmful insects are opportunistic and often invade trees under stress from environmental problems or disease. They not only can directly cause tree death but will spread harmful disease fungi from a host tree to surrounding trees. Insects can attack a trees cambial layer by boring for food and nesting cavities, or they can defoliate a tree to the point of death. Bad insects include pine beetles, the gypsy moth, and emerald ash borers. Catastrophic Events A catastrophic event is always possible in a vast forest as well as in an urban setting. All property, including trees, are subject to being damaged or destroyed. In many cases, trees are not killed but are damaged to the point where their vigor is lost, and insects and disease take advantage of a trees loss of resistance. Significant tree losses can occur during a forest fire or when exposed to tornado-strength winds. Trees take a terrible hit when heavy ice is deposited on species sensitive to limb weight which results in breakage. Floods that do not recede quickly can cause root oxygen levels to diminish to the point where tree damage can occur. Extraordinary drought makes quick work of moisture-loving tree species and can harm all trees when extended over a long period. Old Age For trees who beat the odds and live through maturity to old age, there is a slow dying process that may take centuries to complete (in long-lived species). The modular tree compartmentalizes around damage and infected areas and continues to grow. Still, growth starts slowing after a tree matures, the ability of the plant to support itself diminishes and incurs the loss of adequate foliage for hydration and food. New immature branches, called epicormic sprouts, try to assist in maintaining an old trees vigor but are weak and are insufficient to sustain life for very long. A mature tree slowly collapses under its weight and crumbles to become the nutrients and topsoil for future trees. Timber Harvests Well remind you that trees do die to the ax. Trees via their wood have supported humankind and civilization for millennia and continue to be a necessary part of the human condition. The practice of forestry through professional foresters work continually with much success to provide a sustained flow of available wood volume and at the same time, ensure a surplus of trees. Some consider deforestation a growing global crisis.

Benetton Family Essay Example

Benetton Family Essay Example Benetton Family Paper Benetton Family Paper a shoe manufacturer and distributor; Galli Filati S. p. A. , a producer of woolen yarn; and Columbia S. p. A. and Altana Uno S. p. A. , both licensed to produce and market under the Benetton trademark. To integrate group logistics, Benetton also acquired Azimut S. p. A. , Benair S. p. A. , and Benlog S. p. A. To enhance global production and marketing, Benetton built a factory in Argentina to add to facilities built the year efore in Brazil; acquired, incorporated, or sold marketing companies in various countries; opened stores in Warsaw, Moscow, and Cairo; listed on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges; planned to expand Benetton Cosmetics, which had operated in North America and Europe for the last three years, into the Japanese and South American markets; and entered into a joint venture with the Japanese trading company Marubeni, creating Benetton Shoes Corporation, to sell shoes in the United States and Canada. Negotiations also were made with Toyobo on joint plans to enter both the Japanese and Brazilian markets, and with Seibu-Saison to convert its license to a production and marketing joint venture. These developments were representative of Benettons strategy to first use licensees to gain wide exposure in new markets and then to convert the license into production and marketing joint ventures. Accordingly, growth also was accelerated by granting licenses to producers in noncompeting industries. The Home Colors trademark was developed by acquiring an interest in Eliolona S. p. A. , which was to produce linens under license agreements in Brazil and Israel and to sell them in European markets. A new joint venture called United Optical was formed between H. J. Heinz and the Italian manufacturer Anser to produce spectacles. Furthermore, W. I. D. E. Corporation was incorporated in the United States as a joint venture with Avendero S. p. A. to manage international forwarding and customs clearance operations. By 1989 exports rose to 65. 5 percent of total annual sales. To finance this expansion, Benetton aimed to attract investors in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe by making a capital issue of 24 million shares. In that year, Benettons holding company, Edizione Holding, reinvested its funds from the sale of financial services by buying Nordica, a ski equipment firm, for $150 million and soon acquired several other retail sports lines. Moreover, the trademark United Colors of Benetton was adopted. In the meantime, the Federal Trade Commission conducted a preliminary investigation to determine whether Benetton had violated federal statutes by failing to file as a franchiser but dropped the inquiry after Benetton asserted that contracts are negotiated by independent sales agents and that store owners pay no fees or royalties, even though they are required to follow stringent merchandising rules. In the late 1980s, Benetton gained additional competitive advantage by implementing global networking to connect sales and production. A oint-of-sale computerized program, which linked the shops to headquarters, was designed to handle order management, cost accounting, production control, and distribution support. Thus agents began booking 80 percent of each seasonal order six months in advance; the remaining orders were placed midseason and relayed to headquarters by computer. The point-of-sale program was replaced by late 1989, and Benettons decentralized operations were linked by a gl obal electronic data interchange network, which also included freight forwarding and customs applications. Although sales grew by 24 percent in 1990, Benetton lost $6. 6 million in the United States that year, and another $10 million in 1991, a loss of 28 percent since 1987. Thus in 1991 Benetton started to consolidate its stores in the United States as well as Europe, replacing the clusters of smaller stores with the megastore concept, which carried the full Benetton line. In addition, Benetton turned its marketing and sales efforts once again to developing markets in the Near and Far East and to Eastern Europe, and halved its dividend to have more funds for expansion and acquisition. In December, Benetton signed a joint manufacturing agreement with Alexanian in Egypt in light of plans to open 30 stores in that country, and in 1992, 12 stores were opened in Poland. A joint venture agreement was signed for manufacturing facilities in Armenia, which was to produce apparel for the Soviet market under the United Colors of Benetton trademark; future expansion plans came to a halt, however, owing to lagging productivity at this plant. To beat the worldwide recession and increase market share, in 1992 Benetton developed strategies to achieve the following goals: to improve operating margins, reducing prices by about 15 percent, increasing production volume, improving product mix, and taking advantage of the devaluation of the lira; to improve operating efficiency, reducing number of styles of its collection from 4,000 to 2,600, and acquiring and integrating the operations of four key former subcontractors; and to improve cash flows, refinancing short- and medium-term debt. The mix of items was improved by introducing sophisticated classic professional apparel through shops dedicated to these higher-margin product linesAnd for dress shirts, Di Varese for shoes, and Benetton Uomo and Benetton Donna for mature men and womenand by continuing to expand into the sporting goods market. By mid-1992, Benetton bought the remaining interest in Galli Filati and consolidated interests in four suppliers of woolen and cotton materials; now about 68 percent of the cost of production was represented by charges from subcontractors, compared with 87 percent in 1991. As a result, 1992 group sales rose 10 percent. By early 1993, Benetton had continued to close stores in the United States and, for production and marketing reasons, ceased operations at the Rocky Mountain plant in North Carolina. A technologically advanced factory opened at Castrette, Italy, which was designed to expand manufacturing capacity to 20 million pieces per year with about 15 people, using sophisticated robotic technology. Goods were now exported in greater numbers from Italy, where Benetton benefited from the abolition of the wage indexation system and the devaluation of the lira following its withdrawal from the exchange rate mechanism of the European Monetary System. At this point, Benetton had 32 factories, of which 27 were in Italy, and license agreements in 13 countries. In addition, Benetton decided to expand in developing countries, forming a joint venture with a major Indian manufacturer to produce linens and stationery, opening its 7,047th store, in Cuba, and transforming Benetton Mexico from a sales subsidiary to a manufacturing operation for the North American market. These developments, particularly the continued effort to rationalize production, resulted in Benettons stock reaching a five-year high. Consolidated revenues increased in 1993 by about 10 percent compared with the previous year, and net income rose 39 percent since 1990. Benettons global advertising campaign succeeded in generating a mix of praise and criticism and, ultimately, a fair amount of free publicity since about 1989. The ads, which were initially product-oriented campaigns on themes of multinational and multiracial harmony, eventually focused on institutional-oriented campaigns that featured documentaries on AIDS, sexuality, the environment, interracial relationships, and the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Although many of the ads became the subject of controversy and were withdrawn or banned throughout the world, the United Colors of Benetton ad campaign, which hinged on racial diversity, won Benettons art director Oliviero Toscani the UNESCO Grand Prix award. Despite the ad controversy, Benetton managed to maintain a sterling corporate image during Italian government kickback investigations conducted in 1993 that involved more than 5,000 of the countrys political and business elite. In fact, Luciano had gotten involved in national politics as part of a movement to overthrow the old system, and n 1992 was elected to the Italian Senate as a member of the Republican party. In 1994, however, Luciano retreated from politics, believing that the Italian government had met its objective, to devote himself to the family business. In early 1994, Palmieri diversified Benetton by planning substantial acquisitions of either well-known brands or companies in the developing world. One such expansio n was a joint venture agreement signed with Timex and Junghans Uhren to produce watches and alarm clocks. In addition, Palmieri planned to double turnover by 1996. To fund these ambitious plans, he placed 11 million shares in foreign markets. This issue was expected to raise the float from 20 to 30 percent, with the remaining stock controlled by the Benetton family. In the mid-1990s, Benettons efforts to crack the U. S. market appeared to run out of steam. While the companys clothing continued to attract European consumers, American shoppers turned away from the brand and its all too controversial advertising campaigns. The companys attempts to enter the Asian and Eastern European markets met with similar indifference on the part of consumers. In the meantime, the 1990s saw the rise of a new breed of trendy designer-retailers who soon were beating Benetton at its own game. Such names as HM, Zara, The Gap, Diesel, and many others began drawing consumers from Benetton stores. With its apparel sales in a slump, Benetton also faced a crunch from its effort to crack the sporting goods market. Since the late 1980s, the Benetton familys Edizione holding had been building up a portfolio of sporting goods companies, starting with its purchase of Nordica in 1989. By the late 1990s, the company had tennis manufacturer Prince, racquetball equipment maker Ektelon, the United States Rollerblade, and others, including golf equipment from Langert, skis from Kastle, and mountaineering boots from Asolo. These holdings were placed under a new unit, Benetton Sportsystem, which was then sold to Benetton S. p. A. between 1997 and 1998, for $300 million. Yet the sporting goods division never jelled with the company, and after years of posting losses, Benetton began selling off the sporting goods division. This process was completed in large part by 2003, with the sale of Nordica. In the meantime, Benettons problems with its clothing division deepened. The late 1990s saw the company attempt a massive licensing scheme, placing its brand name on items ranging from condoms to mineral water to wallpaper. As one consultant told Forbes: That is not a good sign. Its usually an indication that a brand is over the hill. Benettons desperation to recapture its former glory was highlighted by a distribution agreement reached with staid U. S. department store group Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 1998. The hoped-for sales never materialized. Worse, Benettons advertising campaign inspired only revulsion in the United States, when it launched its We, On Death Row campaign featuring prison inmates. The resulting controversy convinced Sears, Roebuck to pull out of its distribution agreement. Benetton continued to struggle into the 2000s, with a lack of focus and little enthusiasm for its clothing designs. The company appointed a new CEO, Luigi de Puppi, who was replaced in 2003 by Silvano Cassano, a former Fiat executive. At the same time, the Benetton family announced that it planned to draw back from the day-to-day operation of the clothing company. Cassano installed new management and led a revamp of the companys clothing designs and a redesign of its retail stores, with a focus on the groups 166 megastores. The company also launched a new brand, Sisley, featuring trendier, edgier youth fashions. By the end of 2003, as the companys sales continued to slipback to $2. 3 billion, Cassano announced plans to spend nearly $530 million on an effort to revitalize the companys retail offer. As part of that strategy, the company intended to introduce a new range of higher-quality goods, and diversification into cosmetics, accessories, and home furnishings. Benetton hoped to recapture the flair that had made it one of Italys major fashion success stories. Principal Subsidiaries Benfin S. p. A. ; Bencom S. p. A. ; Galli Filati S. p. A. ; Fabrica S. p. A. ; Benetton Fashion S. p. A. ; Benlong S. p. A. Benetton Services Ltd. (U. K. ); Benetton U. S. A. Corporation; Benetton Capital Investments N. V. (Netherlands); Benetton Holdings N. V. (Netherlands); Benetton International N. V. (Netherlands). Principal Competitors Industria de Diseno Textil S. A. ; The Gap Inc. ; Hennes Mauritz AB; Vivarte; Gruppo Coin S. p. A. ; Kiabi S. A. ; La Redoute; Charles Vogele Holding AG; Peek und Cloppenburg KG; Somfy International S. A. ; Cortefiel S. A. ; Mango S. A. Further Reading Benetton, Luciano, with Andrea Lee, Io e i miei fratelli: La storia del nostro successo, Milan: Sperling and Kupfer Editori, 1990. Benetton to Sell Rollerblade, WWD, January 7, 2003, p. 16. Camuffo, Arnaldo, and Giovanni Costa, Strategic Human Resource ManagementItalian Style, Sloan Management Review, Winter 1993, pp. 59-67. Carlson, Scott, Benetton Write-Offs Add Up to Loss, Financial Post, April 1, 2003. Cento Bull, Anna, and Paul Corner, From Peasant to Entrepreneur: The Survival of the Family Economy in Italy, Oxford: Berg Publishers Limited, 1993. Dapiran, Peter, BenettonGlobal Logistics in Action, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, volume 22, number 6, 1992, pp. -11. Edmondson, Gail, Has Benetton Stopped Unraveling? , Business Week, June 30, 2003, p. 76. Gallagher, Leigh, About Face, Forbes, March 19, 2001, p. 178. Harvard Business School, Benetton S. p. A. : In dustrial Fashion (case study), Boston: HBS Services, 1987. How Benetton Has Streamlined and Branched Out Worldwide in Casual Clothing Market: Case Studies from Academia, International Management, May 1985, pp. 79-82. Kaiser, Amanda, Benetton Invests $526m to Expand Range of Product, WWD, December 10, 2003, p. 2. Ketelhohn, Werner, An Interview with Aldo Palmieri of Benetton: The Early Growth Years, European Management Journal, September 1993, pp. 321-31. , An Interview with Aldo Palmieri of Benetton: The Return As CEO, European Management Journal, December 1993, pp. 481-84. Lee, Andrea, Profiles, New Yorker, November 1986, pp. 53-74. Pepper, Curtis Bill, Fast Forward, Business Month, February 1989, pp. 25-30. Stillit, Daniel, Benetton: Italys Smart Operator, Corporate Finance, June 1993, pp. 30-39. Vergani, Guido, A Family Affair, Harpers Bazaar, December 2002, p. S16. - Marina L. Rota; Updated by M. L. Cohen Sponsored Links Benetton Family Latest World News from the International source- FT. com FT. com Benetton Perfume Major Brand Names Perfume, Make up Cosmetics 50% off. Free Shipping. www. strawberrynet. com Biography: Benetton Benetton, founded in 1965, and initially producing fine colorful knitwear, expanded to become the largest apparel network in the world. Benetton Groups diversification into a wide range of products and activities and its often controversial advertising techniques made the Benetton name a household word. The Benetton clothing line was created by three brothers and their sister in a small knitting shop in Ponzano Veneto, Italy. When their father died, Luciano (born 1935) left school to work in a clothing store in order to support his mother, sister Giuliana, and younger brothers Gilberto and Carlo. Luciano developed promotional and commercial expertise as a clerk in a textile store in Treviso. Later, as a representative of small textile establishments, he built up contacts with the Roman knitting magnates who were helpful when the family expanded its operation. As president of the Benetton Group, Luciano led the expansion of family holdings, particularly in the 1990s. He served as a senator of the Italian Republic from 1992 to 1994. Luciano is the father of four children, including Mauro Benetton, marketing director of the Benetton Group. Giuliana Benetton (born 1937) gained her experience from ten years of handicraft work in knitting for women. She created new knitwear collections and oversaw product lines. Giuliana served on the board of directors of both Edizione Holding, the family owned financial holding company and Benetton Group. She is married and has four children. Gilberto Benetton (born 1941), vice-president of the Benetton Group, president of Edizione Holding, and president of Benetton Sportsystem, also handled all Benetton sponsorships of athletic events. Through the Benetton Foundation, he created a sports complex in Treviso, Cittadella dello Sport, which was open to the public. Gilberto is married and has two children. Carlo Benetton (born 1943) was involved with the manufacturing component of Benetton. He was responsible for production at headquarters and abroad. Carlo served as vice-president of Edizione Holding and was on the board of directors of the Benetton Group. He is the father of four children. Mauro (born 1962), eldest son of Luciano, began working for the Benetton Group as a student and later managed a shop in Paris. In 1985 he moved to Benettons headquarters in Ponzano, where he took charge of the relaunch of one of the Groups main lines, which then experienced a period of record growth. Mauro was appointed marketing director of the Benetton Group in 1992, at the age 30. The Benetton family combined and optimized their expertise in marketing (Luciano), production (Giuliana), management and finance (Gilberto) and technical know-how (Carlo). They aimed at the casual wear market with color to catch the eye, first only in woolens but later in cotton. When regional small plants producing stockings came upon hard times, the Benettons bought their equipment at bargain prices. Now they were ready for a spectacular expansion. Between 1972 and 1976, they expanded into all types of clothing, from jeans to gloves to a complete Benetton wear model. Going into the 1990s there were 14 family members in the business. The Benettons aimed to transform the fashion-fractionalized small handicraft style into an industry with minimum risks. To achieve this, they expanded in variety and size and decentralized production and distribution. They purchased large quantities of materials in raw form, benefiting from quantity discounts and controlling the processing (especially color) from its rawest form. However, 80 percent of production was performed in plants not owned by Benetton but controlled by the family. In distribution, various attempts were made to control all stores. At the beginning they would go into partnership with a friend who would in turn find others interested in having a Benetton store. Later, with international expansions, the holdings model was adopted, with the Benettons always having an exclusive contract. As a practical characteristic, the stores were about 400 square feet (while the competition was usually 1,500 square feet) and 50 percent of all working hours were dedicated to sales (the competition, 22. 5 percent). This is probably why Benettons productivity was four times greater than the competition. Still, the success of the Benetton model is due to their trust. They wanted the stores to be exclusively Benetton, but allowed the owners to have 51 percent of the holdings. The Benettons have always preferred to be partners with their producers and distributors rather than to seek vertical integration (where the managers of stores were salaried people with no direct share in the operation). The incentive was to make every representative a majority partner in his particular operation so that, as owners, they would strive to increase sales and profits. In the 1980s, the little 400-square-feet stores developed a turnover more than twice as large as those of competing companies. Specialization and standardization are the main instruments that allow high productivity. The Benettons found a happy mixture of personal incentives: outright ownership by each unit and overriding control of operations and a quality/product mix to conduct market penetration at low risk with high profitability. The family entered into other business ventures assisted by loans from financial institutions. They eventually purchased the large well-known shoe manufacturer, Varese. In time, they allowed larger store units, depending on the sales as calculated pieces per square foot. The 1980s saw a decline in the number of shops in the United States, but expansion into other global markets. Benetton increased the number of stores in the Far East and boasted 50 stores in China alone. By 1996 Benettons presence was felt in over 100 countries, with 7,000 sales outlets for their main brands of United Colors of Benetton, Sisley, and 012. The sales network included 80 branches and 800 staff responsible for independent stores in specific geographic areas. In 1996 the largest store opened for business in London, England. The Benetton magazine, Colors, was introduced, using multicultural messages the company had featured in its ad campaigns of the 1980s. In addition to their clothing lines, Benetton diversified into a variety of other enterprises through Edizione Holding. Acquisitions included Rollerblade, Prince tennis rackets, Nordica ski boots, Kastle skis, and Asolo hiking boots. Benetton, along with partners, also acquired Euromercato, Italys leading superstore chain and interests in GS-Autogrill markets and restaurants. Other product lines included watches, stationery, cosmetics, linens, eyewear, books, the Twingo Benetton car (in collaboration with Renault), and a line of pagers through an agreement with Motorola. By 1995 Benetton sponsored sports teams in volleyball, basketball, and rugby. Benetton team Formula One World championships include the 1994 and 1995 World Drivers championship and the World Car Makers championships. In the 1990s Benetton came under criticism for its use of controversial images in its advertising campaigns, including those depicting war, AIDS, racism, violence, and homelessness. While Benetton was pressured into removing offensive ads from billboards, the same ads were critically praised for their sociopolitical statements. A number of lawsuits were filed against Benetton by shopowners who claimed that the ads had caused a drop in sales, but these charges were difficult to prove. A downturn in the European economy impacted sales during this period. The images used in the ad campaign have been included in museum collections around the world and continue to spark debate. Benetton, independently and in conjunction with other groups and organizations, contributed to many initiatives aimed at social problems. Examples include a 1995 campaign aimed at generating AIDS awareness in India. Support for War Child, a charity that helps children in war zones around the world, has also been praised. Autographed Toscani posters were offered to visitors at a clothes show event in exchange for donations to War Child. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations invited Benetton to create a communications campaign for the first world food summit held in Rome. Benettons use of information technology facilitates the management of the global business from Ponzano Veneto. Students from around the world study at Fabrica, Benettons arts and communications research center near Treviso, learning communications in all its forms and using the new technologies that will take them, and Benetton, forward into the future. Further Reading Additional information on the Benetton family can be found at their official Web site, ; in Business Month (February 1989); Business Week (March 5, 1990; April 10, 1995); Los Angeles Times (January 23, 1994; April 21, 1996); New York Times (November 23, 1993; March 20, 1997); Washington Post (January 21; August 29, 1995); and in Italian language references: P. Calvani, Perche tutti copiano il modello Benetton Espansione (1986); Giuseppe Nardin, La Benetton (1987); E. Rullani and A. Zanfei, Benetton: invenzione e consolidamento di un sistema internazionale, Bolletino Ospri (1984); G. Turani, Benetton sbarcheraa Milano e Wall Street, La Repubblica (December 15-16, 1985). Sponsored Links Musto Nautica on-line Cerate, accessori, maglie, HPX Spediti con 9 euro, garantito! www. ilmarinaio. com/Musto Benetton Find Solutions for your Business. Benetton, Info. Registration! www. KnowledgeStorm. com Modern Design Dictionary: Benetton (established 1966) By the early 21st century the Italian multinational company Benetton had become one of the largest retailers in the world with outlets in more than 120 countries. The company markets four different brand identities: United Colours of Benetton casual wear for the family; Sisley for older consumers; 012 baby and toddler clothing; and Playlife sportswear. Within a dozen years of its establishment this clothing manufacturing company, founded near Venice by Luciano Benetton, commenced its programme of international expansion. This was helped by the standardization of the companys retail outlets, which were designed in such a way as to show off Benetton products in an alluring manner. Benetton was quick to utilize computing systems in the automation of its operating processes, both in the manufacture of clothing and in the monitoring of stocks and sales. As such, the company was an early exponent of the Just in Time production and distribution system, a philosophy that a number of progressive manufacturer-retailers adopted in the late 20th century. In northern Italy in the early 1990s Benetton built two new factories that utilized advanced computing technology in the linking of production controls with an efficient ordering and distribution system. Benetton became widely known for its dramatic, and often controversial, advertising campaigns directed by the fashion photographer Oliviero Toscani. These centred on themes such as ‘All the Colours of the World’ (1984), ‘United Colours of Benetton’ (1990), and ‘HIV Positive’ (1992). The company also captured tremendous publicity through its involvement in Formula 1 motor racing, televised throughout the world. Sponsored Links Il Tuo Bazar on Line Acquista in sicurezza da casa tua con un semplice gesto! www. mercatissimostock. com Bedava Video Benetton Milyonlarca Videoyu Izleyin ve Paylas? n! 4dh. com/Video Modern Fashion Encyclopedia: Benetton Spa (Italian sportswear firm) Founded: by Giuliana (1938- ), Luciano (1935- ), Gilberto (1941- ), and Carlo (1943- ) Benetton, in Treviso, in 1965 as Maglificio di Ponzano Veneto dei Fratelli Benetton. Company History: First Benetton outlet opened in Belluno, Italy, 1968; first shop outside Italy, in Paris, 1969; launched major European expansion campaign, from 1978; first U. S. store, New York, 1979; first Eastern European shop, Prague, 1985; went public in Milan, 1986; formed Benetton Sportsystem SpA, 1989; opened huge stores in Paris, London, Barcelona, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Vienna, Prague, and Sarajevo, 1994; opened 50 shops in China and factory in Egypt, 1995; opened London megastore and New York flagship, 1996; bought sports group from parent company, 1997; formed Benetton USA with Sears, 1998; introduced Playlife stores, 1998-99; dumped by Sears, 2000; concentrated expansion in U. S. , 2001. Company Address: Via Chiesa Ponzano 24, 31050 Ponzano Veneto, Treviso, Italy. Company Website:www. benetton. com. In recent years the Benetton Group of Italy has become better known for controversial advertising campaigns than for the brightly-colored knitted sweaters with which the company was founded in 1965. As part of a well defined global strategy to make the Benetton name as well known as McDonalds or Coca-Cola, the sibling members of the Benetton family- Gi uliana, Luciano, Gilberto, and Carlo Benetton- created a multibillion-lire business with an ever growing cadre of shops in 120 countries worldwide. The company is a leading producer and retailer of casual apparel and sports-related goods, as well as licensed accessories such as cosmetics, toys, swimwear, eyeglasses, watches, stationery, underwear, shoes, and household items. Benetton collections are aimed at young people and children, but over the years have been adopted by consumers of all ages. United Colors of Benetton attempts to transcend gender, social class, and nationality by manufacturing knitwear that exemplifies a philosophy of life. This was explicitly reflected in longtime creative director Oliviero Toscanis 1983 advertising campaign Benetton- All the Colors of the World. The campaign depicted groups of children representing all walks of life wearing colorful Benetton garments. Subsequent campaigns commented on political and social issues including religion, sex, terrorism, race, AIDS, and capital punishment, without depicting actual Benetton garments. A number of controversial campaigns were banned by advertising authorities, fueling unprecedented media coverage. Similar in attitude to the California-based Esprit company, Benetton epitomizes the values of a generation of young, socially aware consumers. Garments are designed to be fun, casual with an easy-to-wear cut. Inspiration is often drawn from past sentiments but produced with a contemporary twist, like 1950s ski fashions in high-tech synthetic ice-pastel fabrics, 1960s tailored suits in herringbone, 1970s disco garments with sequins and leather combined. Other collections have been based on themes such as the Nordic for little girls, designed in new fabrics like fleece, and Riding Star, drawn from the world of horseback riding. In keeping with the companys cosmopolitan attitude, collections have also been drawn from Benetton family travels. In the beginning, Benetton sweaters were hand-knit by Giuliana in bright colors which distinguished them from existing English-made wool sweaters. The first collection consisted of 18 pieces, the most popular item being a violet pullover made from cashmere, wool, and angora. Todays apparel, of course, is produced on a much grander scale, using high-tech manufacturing and innovative marketing strategies. Benetton is certainly one of the most progressive clothing manufacturers in the world; yet its rapid rise has not come without a price. Profits fell off sharply after a lower-price initiative backfired in 1994; the European recession forced the closure of nearly 600 stores; its cosmetics division produced dismal results; then came family squabbles, and court battles with a group of German retailers who refused to pay for merchandise after another of Benettons controversial ad campaigns (eventually resolved in Benettons favor). By 1995 a seemingly wiser Benetton had toned down its often offensive ads, belatedly realizing the shockwaves cost the firm time and money in having to defend its position. Instead, the firm concentrated on making money and much of it came from the expansion of sister firm, Benetton Sportsystem SpA, which unabashedly pursued its intention of becoming the worlds largest sports equipment and accessory company. While Sportsystem was busy acquiring Rollerblade, Nordica, Langert, Prince, and others, Benetton was fielding major losses in the U. S. market. By the end of the century, Benetton had opened a factory in Egypt and built megastores in London, New York, San Francisco, Moscow, Riyadh, Berlin, Hong Kong, and elsewhere. In a slick move, Benetton purchased a majorty stake in its sibling, Sportsystem, effectively segueing into the sporting goods and activewear industry, then introduced and stocked a chain of sporty stores called Playlife. To bolster its U. S. presence, the firm formed a joint venture with Sears (Benetton USA) and saw that alliance collapse after another provocative ad campaign (We, on Death Row) enraged everyone from consumers to politicians in 2000. Benetton had finally gone too far with its shockvertising- not only did it lose the lucrative contract with Sears and part ways with creative director Toscani after 18 years, but was forced to issue a formal apology to the families of those murdered by its poster-boy Death Row inmates. Ironically, a newer, gentler Benetton arose in 2001, surprising everyone with its low-key ads similar to those made popular by Gap. Generally panned, Benetton, as usual, ignored its critics and set about doing what it did best- selling Benetton. With new stores planned for a multitude of high profile cities in the U. S. , Carlo Tunioli, executive vice president for Benetton USA, promised a bit of the old-style advertising in the near future. Benetton will always be loyal to its brand DNA, which means social statement, Tunioli explained to Womens Wear Daily (20 March 2001). Benetton will keep working in that direction, but much will be focused on product. It may be controversial, but were not going to be controversial in the way you used to see Benetton. Time will tell if that holds true. Publications On Benetton: Books Baker, Caroline, Benetton Colour Style File, London, 1987. Belussi, Fiorenza, Benetton: Information Technology in Production Distribution, Brighton, 1987. Aragno, Bonizza Giordani, Moda Italia: Creativity and Technology in the Italian Fashion System, Milan, 1988. Mantle, Jonathan, Benetton- The Family, the Business, and the Brand, New York, 1999. Articles Bentley, Logan, The Tightknit Benetton, in People, 15 October 1984. Lee, Andrea, Being Everywhere: Luciano Benetton, in the Ne wYorker, 10 November 1986. Coleman, Alix, A Colourful Career, in the Sunday Express Magazine (London), 20 September 1987. Fierman, Jaclyn, Dominating an Economy, Family-Style: The Italians, in Fortune, 12 October 1987. Finnerty, Anne, The Internationalisation of Benetton, in Textile Outlook International (London), November 1987. Alessandro Benetton, in Interview, April 1988. Fuhrman, Peter, Benetton Learns to Darn, in Forbes, 3 October 1988. Griggs, Barbara, The Benetton Fratelli, in Vogue (London), October 1988. Tornier, Francois, Les 25 ans de Benetton, in Elle (Paris), 1 October 1990. Baker, Lindsay, Taking Advertising to Its Limits, in The Guardian (London), 22 July 1991. Kanner, Bernice, Shock Value, in New York, 24 September 1992. Waxman, Sharon, The True Colors of Luciano Benetton, in theWashington Post, 17 February 1993. Rossant, John, The Faded Colors of Benetton, in Business Week, 10April 1995. Forden, Sara Gay, Luciano Benetton Sees a Rosy Future Despite Cloudy Days, in W omens Wear Daily, 20 April 1995. Levine, Joshua, Even When You Fail, You Learn a Lot, in Forbes, 11 March 1996. Rossant, John, A Cozy Deal at Benetton, in Business Week, 28 July 1997. Edelson, Sharon, Benettons U. N. Mission, in Womens Wear Daily, 3 April 1998. Sansoni, Silvia, The Odd Couple, in Forbes, 19 October 1998. Seckler, Valerie, Benettons Global Game Plan, in Womens Wear Daily, 1 July 1999. Garfield, Bob, The Colors of Exploitation: Benetton on Death Row, in Advertising Age, 10 January 2000. Sears Drops Benetton, in Womens Wear Daily, 17 February 2000. Gallagher, Leigh, About Face, in Forbes, 19 March 2001. Moin, David, Megastore Buildup: Benettons Game Plan for U. S. Recovery, in Womens Wear Daily, 20 March 2001. TealTriggs SydonieBenet Sponsored Links Benetton Fragrances Top brands at cheap prices Fast delivery of genuine products www. CheapSmells. com/Benetton Mujeres sexy en el chat Iniciar ahora gratis ? No necesitas registrarte! www. sms-contactos. es Wikipedia: Benetton Group Benetton Group TypePublic (NYSE: BNG) FoundedTreviso, Italy (1965) HeadquartersVilla Minelli, Ponzano Key peopleLuciano Benetton, Chairman Giuliana Benetton, Director Gilberto Benetton, Director Carlo Ben etton, Deputy Chairman Industry Clothing Products Complete list of Benetton brands Revenue â‚ ¬1,8 billion (2005) Employees 7,987 (2005) Website www. benettongroup. com Benetton Group S. p. A. (NYSE: BNG) is a global clothing brand, based in Treviso, Italy. The name comes from four members of the Benetton family who founded the company in 1965. Benetton Group is listed on the Borsa Italiana, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. The career began in 1955 when Luciano Benetton, the eldest of four children, was only 20 years old and working as a salesman in Treviso. He saw sales for colourful clothes. He sold a younger brothers bicycle in order to buy the first second-hand knitting machine, and began to market a small collection of sweaters to local stores in the area of Veneto. The positive reaction to his designs was only the beginning of a solid start. Soon after, he asked his sister and his two younger brothers, Giberto and Carlo, to join him. In 1968, the Benettons opened their first store in Belluno and the year after in Paris, with Luciano as chairman, his brother Giberto in charge of administration, their younger brother Carlo running production, and Giuliana as a chief designer. Its core business is clothing with the casual line marketed as the United Colors of Benetton, a fashion-oriented Sisley division, Playlife leisurewear, and Killer Loop streetwear brands. Their products include womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and underwear and they have recently expanded into toiletries, perfumes, exclusive watches and items for the home such as kitchen accessories and baby products. The United Colors publicity campaign originated when photographer Oliviero Toscani was given carte blanche by the Benetton management. Under Toscanis direction ads were created that contained images unrelated to any actual products being sold by the company; a deathbed scene of a man (AIDS activist David Kirby) dying from AIDS, a bloodied, unwashed newborn baby with umbilical cord still attached, two horses mating, close-up pictures of tattoos reading HIV Positive on the bodies of men and women, a collage consisting of genitals of persons of various races, a priest and nun about to engage in a romantic kiss, and pictures of inmates on death row. The companys logo served as the only text accompanying the images in most of these advertisements. Criticisms Benetton has faced criticism from Mapuche organizations, including Mapuche International Link, over its purchase of traditional Mapuche lands in southern Argentina. [1] Benetton aroused suspicion when they considered using RFID tracking chips on clothes to monitor inventory. A boycott site alleges the tracking chips can be read from a distance and used to monitor the people wearing them. [2] Issues of consumer privacy were raised and the plan was shelved. PETA launched a boycott campaign against Benetton for buying wool from farmers who practiced mulesing. Benetton has since agreed to buy nonmulesed wool and has further urged the wool industry to adopt the PETA and Australian Wool Growers Association agreement to end mulesing. [3] Most Benetton locations in Canada and in the United States do not stock any of their mens collection or will carry only a small fraction of the col lection. Unlike comparable clothing retailers such as Gap, Banana Republic, J. Crew, Abercrombie Fitch and Eddie Bauer, Benettons does not list prices for their merchandise on their official websites. See also Benetton family Benetton Formula Benetton Basket basketball club Benetton Rugby Sisley Treviso volleyball team External links United Colors of Benetton FABRICA (Benettons center for design research) regimbald. ca/Benetton/index. html oot. it 21investimenti. t Benetton vs. Mapuche: land recovery in Patagonia Benetton brands= Sisley Playlife Killer Loop Undercolors This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer) Donate to Wikimedia Sponsored Links Free PowerPoint Templates 300 Ready for You to Download Now, Make Your Presentations Look Great! PowerBacks. com publicite benetton Medias Publicite : lActualite Audiovisuel Cinema sur Le Figaro

Ukraine in the World War Two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ukraine in the World War Two - Essay Example The First World War resulted in the revolution of Ukraine, a nation that fought so hard to release the grip the Russians had on them in that time. The Ukrainians did not have the capacity to rule themselves, something clearly depicted by the unjust rule of the Central Rada. At the start of WW II, the nation of Ukraine did not have a state. About seven million of the total thirty million nationals of Ukraine ended up in different countries. Czechoslovakia, Poland and Romania had nationals of Ukraine living in their states, most of them seeking exile. The period just before the war witnessed the establishment of the Ukrainian nationalism, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationals (OUN). The western Ukraine experienced the First World War when the month of September started in the year 1939. The German leader, Adolf Hitler, first attacked Poland where the western Ukrainians resided. The Soviet troops, consequently, occupied the area after the Germans subdued it. The Ukrainians describe this invasion of their land as the first phase of the WW II. The soviet troops and the Nazi involved themselves in a fierce war that placed the Ukrainians at the full exposure of the wars and destructions caused by the two totalitarian commands. Ukraine experienced the WW II more than the other countries. Majorities of the Ukrainians died at the hands of both the Nazi and the Soviet. Their dream of ever becoming an independent state died after the ruthless occupation of the Nazi in Ukraine. The effects of the WW II on the Ukrainians will forever remain in their history, and some of the bitterness against their conquerors may never stop.

Eastman Kodak Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Eastman Kodak Company - Case Study Example It was observed that Kodak aimed to create a monopoly in the market which violated the Sherman Act’s Section 2 guidelines. The company also attempted to impose varied types of exclusive dealing based contracts upon different retailers. The decree includes licensing of processes for photofinishing as well as assistance of technology for anyone eager to start the business of photofinishing. The main objective of the decree was to ensure a healthy competition among the varied business entities in the photofinishing industry (Baye & Scholten, â€Å"Kodak Appeals to Court to Terminate 1921 and 1954 Decrees that Restrict Pricing Policies†). It can be stated that Kodak became the solitary leader in the industry with the development of film based product. The company sold its color film through processing aspects. It is also noted that through bundling the prices of photofinishing as well as processing, Kodak monopolized the market of the photographic industry. This resulted in the emergence of 1954 antitrust decree, which is considered as the second decree affecting the actions of Kodak. The decree was initiated by the court in order to enact restrictions to Kodak against bundling photofinishing process effectively. Hence, it can be stated that both the decrees i.e. 1921 and 1954 had resulted in the creation of enhanced market competition in the global market context for selling the products of photo films as well as processing. The decrees had restricted Kodak’s monopoly business in the global market context (Baye & Scholten, â€Å"Kodak Appeals to Court to Terminate 1921 and 1954 Decrees that Restrict

Mythology Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Mythology Research Paper - Essay Example It has in fact been used to stir so many other adventure tales then and now.What is interesting is that the original Greek mythology version involved no glorification of the victor. "For he who was all the world to me, as well thou knowest, hath turned out the worst of men, my own husband." It was the will of the goddess, Hera, herself that Medea fall in love and so it was arranged. Having been unsuspectingly struck by Cupid, she found herself slave to the wishes of the man she loved. She betrayed her father, dismembered her brother and made a criminal of herself in his name. Now, how would such a woman deliver her vengeance if the man to whom all her passions were devoted deserted her The central character was a woman who was about to be deserted by her husband, Jason, who was about to marry the daughter of the King of Corinth in order to further himself. But while Jason thought of nothing but ambition, Medea thought of nothing but her husband. That Medea loved her husband is clear, and Edith Hamilton speaks of that love in its earliest stages in rose-colored language: He spoke first and He spoke first and implored her to be kind to hum. He could not but have hope, he said, because her loveliness must surely mean that she excelled in gentle courtesy. She did not know how to speak to him; she wanted to pour out all she felt at once. Silently she drew the box of ointment from her bosom and gave it to him. She would have given her soul to hum if he had asked her. And now both were fixing their eyes on the ground abashed, and again were throwing glances at each other, smiling with love's desire. (125) Prior to being married and exiled in Corinth, Medea and Jason had been brought together by Hera and Aphrodite so Jason could take possession of the Golden Fleece. Jason was the son of a Grecian king who had been robbed of his rightful seat by his own cousin. He had wanted to regain control, which -his cousin, Pelias, had claimed- would be graciously given to him if he could produce the Golden Fleece. The Golden Fleece had then been in the possession of Medea's father, King Aetus but he too had been unwilling to give away the magical artifact. In order to ensure that the strangers never obtained it, King Aetus had devised a challenge impossible to overcome. Medea had

Virtual Reality in Todays Society

Virtual Reality in Todays Society Virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of the real world. This simulation is not static, instead it responds to the user’s input, whether vocal or tactile, in real time. In order to achieve this interactivity, the computer must constantly monitor the user’s movements or verbal commands and react instantaneously in order to change the synthetic world experienced by the user and in response to him or her. [1] By making use of all of a human’s sensory experience in this way, virtual reality takes the quality of interactivity achieved, say in a computer game, one stage further. Users of virtual reality can see and move objects, they can also touch and feel them. [2] This essay explores the evolution of virtual realities and the many uses of virtual reality in society today, as well as considering its ethical implications. Burdea, and Coiffet comment that the history of virtual reality dates back more than forty years. The Sensorama Simulator virtual reality video arcade game was invented by Martin Heilig in 1962. This game had the capability to simulate a motorcycle ride through a city, using 3-D effects, seat vibrations, appropriate smells, sounds and wind effects using fans. [3] Head-mounted displays were introduced in 1966 by Ivan Sutherland, but were heavy and uncomfortable. In 1985, Michael McGreevey of NASA developed a cheaper and lighter version of the helmet, fitted with mini display screens and sensors to track movement. The sensory glove had been designed in the early 1980s, but it was in 1986 that Jaron Lanier designed a new glove to fit in with the helmet to create a full virtual reality. [4] Advancements continued to be made in graphics and then in 1993 virtual reality became the theme for a major conference of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in Seattle, makin g it clear that virtual reality had entered the main stream scientific community. [5] Since the end of the 1980s, new interfaces communicate three-dimensional images using the head-mounted display (HMD), using video cameras to track the image of the user in a virtual world where he can manipulate objects. More recently there has been a development called CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment), where the user is enclosed in a six sided environment surrounded by projection screens which they view wearing light stereoglasses, giving the impression of 3-D. [6] The suggestive impression is one of one of immersing oneself in the image space, moving and interacting there in â€Å"real time†, and intervening creatively’. [7] However, Burdea and Coiffet point out that with the swift advancements in technology, ‘virtual reality today is done mostly without head-mounted displays, by using large projection screens or desk top PCs’, and sensing gloves are now regularly replaced with joysticks. [8] The world of computer games has become a major area of importance for virtual reality, where the sense of immersion is important for gaming excitement. This creation of interactive virtual worlds has used grand, sweeping cinematic sequences and other techniques used in traditional cinema, such as ‘the expressive use of camera angles and depth of field, and dramatic lighting of 3-D computer generated sets to create mood and atmosphere’. [9] Actors could be used, superimposed over 3-D backgrounds, or as the games became more advanced, synthetic characters were created moving in real time. [10] This means that the space in which the characters move can now change over time, rendering the same space different when visited at a later time during the game. These changes enabled computer designers to integrate the player more deeply into the gaming world cinematically and to create a sense of visual reality. The immersion experienced when playing a computer game is made a much more total and intense experience when the player becomes a part of the game, that is, physically enters a virtual world. Virtual reality ‘provides the subject with the illusion of being present in a simulated world.’ [11] This virtual world, unlike the purely visual engagement of a computer game, allows for bodily engagement with the synthetic world. Virtual reality also allows the user to change elements of this simulated world: it gives an added feeling of control. Virtual reality allows people to experience elements of life without any physical commitments, possible dangers or general inconveniences of a real experience. Lev Manovich comments that virtual worlds are sometimes put forward as the logical successors of cinema, that they are ‘the key cultural form of the twenty-first century just as cinema was the key cultural form of the twentieth century’. [12] Indeed, Grau and Custance compare virtual reality with film, saying: ‘virtual reality now makes it possible to represent space as dependent on the direction of the observer’s gaze: the viewpoint is no longer static or dynamically linear, as in the film, but theoretically includes an infinite number of possible perspectives.’ [13] Technically, virtual reality ‘utilises the same framing’ as a cinema rectangular frame. This kind of frame only allows a partial view of a wider space. The virtual camera, as with a cinema screen, moves around in relation to the viewer in order to reveal different parts of the shot. [14] This framing device is vital to the virtual reality world in that it gives a small shot of a larger world, thereby providing a wholly subjective and totally personal viewing experience. While Manovich looks to cinema as a basis for virtual technology, Grau and Custance look to art. They argue that the idea of virtual reality ‘rests firmly on historical art traditions, which belong to a discontinuous movement of seeking illusionary image spaces’. [15] Taking into account the lack of technology further back in history, Grau and Custance believe that ‘the idea stretches back at least as far as classical antiquity and is alive again today in the immersive visualization strategies of virtual reality art.’ [16] Indeed, for Grau and Custance, this basic idea of finding these ‘immersive spaces of illusion’ is threaded through the history of art. Grau and Custance also point out the lack of natural involvement with the world through the technological illusion of power and control. They say, ironically that ‘the adherents of virtual reality †¦ have often reiterated their claim that immersion in virtual reality intensifies their relationship with nature’. [17] Indeed, an experience so totally reliant on technology and devoid of anything natural can bring about this feeling of connection to nature due to its resemblance of the real world. Manovich too comments on the illusive quality of any ‘natural’ involvement or control. He says that the user is only altering things that are already inside the computer, the data and memory of the virtual world. [18] The realm of virtual reality is driven by the desire to find a perfect recreation of the real world, a perfect illusion. The ideal interface seems to be one in which the interface or computer itself is entirely invisible, it seeks to block out the very means of creation of the virtual world, making the existence of the user in the virtual world seem totally ‘natural’. [19] The experience means that the user is totally isolated from the actual world whilst at the same time given this feeling of total ‘natural’ immersion in a new world as well as a sense of omnipotence. The user in effect becomes a kind of fictional character that they have themselves created, doing whatever they like, whenever they like, always with a sense of immortality. There are ethical problems relating to the potential decrease in real physical interaction and normal human relationships as people may potentially come to prefer their virtual world to their real life. Indeed, in virtual reality, the physical world no longer exists at all, as all ‘real’ action takes place in virtual space. [20] There is another ethical concern, that of the possibility of children accessing unsuitable experiences in a virtual world, as censorship would be difficult. This is similar to the problem of violence and adult themes in films and on the internet being available to chi ldren today. Virtual reality is an area of even greater concern, however, as children will have the opportunity to take part in the action themselves. Another concern is that criminals could practice their crimes in a virtual world before acting in reality. There are many positive uses for virtual reality today in areas such as: medicine, education, entertainment and psychology. For example, virtual reality can provide flight and driving simulation, operation simulation, it can help with architectural design or treatment of phobias. These things can be practised realistically without the fear of anything going wrong with flying training, driving experience or surgery. Virtual reality can also potentially be used in medicine to evaluate a patient and diagnose problems as well as possibly aid in operations. Disabled people have the opportunity to join in activities not usually available to them. An architect can use the method to plan out a building before starting work constructing it: using virtual reality avoids the need to build several different prototypes. Someone afraid of spiders can meet one in a virtual world under careful programming to reduce sensitivity over a period of time, indeed, any phobia could be treated using this kin d of virtual reality exposure therapy. The field of education is a huge potential area of use for virtual reality; it can even be used to practice sport. There is another important use for virtual reality that is not related to entertainment or education. Telepresence is an ever-increasing part of the digital and virtual world. Telepresence combines three kinds of technology: robotics, telecommunications and virtual reality. With telepresence, ‘the user of a virtual environment, for example, can intervene in the environment via telecommunication and a remote robot and, in the opposite direction, to receive sensory feedback, a sensory experience of a remote event .’ [21] Manovich calls telepresence a ‘much more radical technology than virtual reality, or computer simulations in general’. [22] Indeed, Manovich explains that with virtual reality, the user controls a simulated world, that is, the computer data. In contrast, ‘telepresence allows the subject to control not just the simulation but reality itself’ because it allows the user to ‘manipulate remotely physical reality in real time through its image’, [23] that is, the user’s action affect what happens right then in separate place, useful for tasks such as, Manovich suggests, ‘repairing a space station’; [24] the technique can also be used successfully in battle to direct missiles. [25] So, virtual reality operates on two very opposing grounds. On the one hand it allows great freedom for the user, as he feels he can move anywhere through space with the camera, but at the same time, virtual reality totally confines the body in its simulated world. Manovich recognises that the physical world is subordinated in this way as he says virtual reality renders ‘physical space †¦ totally disregarded’, [26] However, with telepresence, the physical world is very much regarded. Indeed, Mark Hansen thinks Manovich’s comment on the lack of physicality overlooks the experience of space in the potential of virtual reality, even if the body is actually confined. [27] Hansen uses the example of telepresence to explain how simulation and space can coincide to be effective. Indeed, with telepresence, the physical actions, although limited in the space where the user resides, do have an effect at another location. In this way space has been found and used, if not in the same location as the user, their movements have still had a physical effect somewhere else. [28] It seems that virtual reality has many uses in society today, from entertainment to medicine; from psychology to architecture. Telepresence is now a powerful and extremely useful part of the virtual and digital world. With the continuing advancement of technology and the many great uses virtual reality can surely have in society, it is important to bear in mind the negative consequences if virtual reality techniques are not closely monitored, especially as they become more widely available. The ethical implications of a society plugged always into their private, virtual worlds would not be a positive development for human relationships; children also need to be protected from an environment where anything and everything can appear real and personal to the user. However, as long as we are aware of the potential negative implications, the development of advanced virtual reality has great potential benefits for society. Sources Used Burdea, G. C. and Coiffet, P. (2003). Virtual Reality Technology. Chichester: Wiley-IEEE Grau, O. and Custance, G. (2004). Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion. Cambridge: MIT Press Hansen, M. B. N. (2004). New Philosophy for New Media: A New Philosophy for a New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press Heim, M. (1994). The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality. Oxford: Oxford University Press Manovich, L. (2002). The Language of New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press Sherman, W. R. and Craig, A. B. (2003). Understanding Virtual Reality: Interface, Application, and Design. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann http://library.thinkquest.org/26890/virtualrealityt.htm Footnotes [1] Burdea, G. C. and Coiffet, P. (2003). Virtual Reality Technology. Chichester: Wiley-IEEE, p. 2 [2] ibid. p. 3 [3] ibid. [4] http://library.thinkquest.org/26890/virtualrealityt.htm [5] Burdea and Coiffet, op. cit. p. 8 [6] Grau, O. and Custance, G. (2004). Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion. Cambridge: MIT Press, p. 18 [7] ibid. p. 3 [8] Burdea and Coiffet, op. cit. p. 1 [9] Manovich, L. (2002). The Language of New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press, p. 83 [10] ibid. [11] ibid. p. 166 [12] Manovich, op. cit. p. 82 [13] Grau and Custance, op. cit. p. 16 [14] Manovich, op. cit. p. 81 [15] Grau and Custance, op. cit. p. 339 [16] ibid. [17] ibid. p. 201 [18] Manovich op. cit. p. 166 [19] ibid. p. 178 [20] ibid. p. 114 [21] Grau and Custance, op. cit. p. 278-279 [22] Manovich, op. cit. p. 166 [23] ibid. [24] ibid. p. 167 [25] ibid. [26] Manovich, op. cit. p. 114 [27] Hansen, M. B. N. (2004). New Philosophy for New Media: A New Philosophy for a New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press, p. 40 [28] ibid.

The Beard Makes the Man :: Ancient Greece Greek Essays

The Beard Makes the Man For the ancient Athenians, the beard was a common sign of manhood. The coming of a beard signaled a male’s transition from boyhood into manhood. Men who lost their beards did not suffer loss of political rights or loss of privileges, but they were mocked and shamed. The beard, not height or body shape, interestingly, was considered the initial marker of manhood in the plays of Aristophanes. A beard is an easily recognizable and observable, and the lack or presence of a beard is easily changed for the stage by covering the actor’s beard with a mask or giving him a fake beard. The beard was clearly a particularly meaningful secondary characteristic for the Greeks. For the ancient Greeks, the beard was incredibly closely tied to the idea of manhood. In some cases, the word for beard could even be interchanged with the word for man. Men grow hair on their faces, women do not, but a man’s facial hair is easily removed by shaving. For this culture, the removal of the beard was a removal of a crucial element of manhood. Without a beard, a man was woman-like, despite any other characteristics that might distinguish him as a man. To become like a woman, a man merely had to remove his beard, but to become like a man, a woman had to disguise herself in many more ways. The beard, as a cultural way to distinguish men, is based on the biological phenomenon that males begin to grow hair on their faces during puberty. Despite seemingly being an easy way to separate men from women and children, the presence of a beard is not an all or none situation. A pubescent male will not go to bed bare-cheeked and wake up the next morning with a full beard. Puberty is a gradual process occurring over many years, and some men may never grow a completely full beard, even in maturity. As today, some women of ancient Athens must have themselves been quite hairy around the hair line, jaw, and upper lip. The beard is not as clear a man/boy or man/woman differentiation as it may initially seem. The beard is not a completely clear physical or biological trait, but it was clearly a significant characteristic for the ancient Athenians. In Aristophanes’s play Women at the Thesmophoria, the kinsman of Euripides tries to pass for a woman by shaving his beard and singeing his pubic hair.

Corrections and Treatment Essay

Community-based treatment The three community-based treatment efforts which I would like to focus attention on are Intensive Outpatient Counseling Services, abbreviated as (IOP) next, a community based program known as: Child Mental Health and lastly Emergency Crisis Response. Community-based treatment efforts vary between states however, the purpose and importance of these treatment efforts are identical. Larry J. Siegel, Brandon C. Welsh authors of: Juvenile Delinquency: Theory, Practice, and Law quote the purpose: â€Å"Provide care, protection, and treatment for juveniles in need†. Institutionalization Issues affecting institutionalized juveniles reflects possible detrimental successful compliance with respect: to community-based efforts. Likewise, institutionalized juveniles are faced with the reality of prison life and a concern is introduced to wither or not juveniles will learn criminal behaviors. Lastly, the opportunity to provide individualized and/or group counseling even more so education is a separate affecting issue of institutionalized juveniles. The juvenile justice system should be concerned with those issues, because it clearly represents foreseeable safety issues for incarcerated juveniles and staff. Separately, the potential for reoccurrence: entry or criminal charges to the justice system leading to overcrowding. With that a final concern to the justice system might reflect mental health issues that are not able to be diagnosed in incarcerated juveniles, this would impact cost or funding within the justice system. Two of the three Intensive Aftercare Programs discussed in Juvenile Delinquency. The Core that I would like to focus attention on are Juvenile Boot Camps and Wilderness Programs, the importance of aftercare programs  offer the opportunity for juveniles to have a safe place to go. Another aspect that can be considered aftercare programs, redirect negative attitudes in juveniles and: potential for reoccurrence criminal behavior. In the reading materials, The Core the following statement is provided â€Å"exposure to a wholesome environment; where the  concepts of education and the work ethic are taught and embodied in adult role models, troubled  youth can regain a measure of self-worth.†

Rules and Regulations of Youth Basketball

Rules and Regulations of Youth Basketball Team sports fill an important role in childrens lives. It teaches kids the importance of teamwork and provides an entertaining outlet for physical activity. Recreation is an important element in life and can help an individuals development both mentally and physically. Playing sports can also improve a childs self-esteem, help him develop strong interpersonal and leadership skills, and teach him the value of listening to his coach. Basketball is a fantastic sport for kids to play. Its relatively inexpensive and doesnt require much equipment. Most playgrounds, recreation centers, and gyms have basketball goals. At  least two kids and a basketball are all that are necessary to play. If youd like to get the kids in your neighborhood or homeschool group active, you may be interested in forming a basketball league. Before you get started, its important to understand the rules and regulations of youth basketball. Philosophy of Youth Basketball The philosophy of youth basketball is to offer the participants a high-quality program that will teach the basic fundamentals and the  offensive and defensive philosophy of the game. Learning good sportsmanship and teaching all participants to respect their coaches, officials, fellow players, and the rules is also an important part of youth basketball. Length of Playing Periods There will be four eight-minute periods for all divisions (except varsity and senior division). Varsity and Senior division will play four ten-minute periods. Every period will be on a running clock that is only stopped for timeouts and technical fouls. The Clock The clock will be stopped during the last two minutes of the game on all dead ball situations for all divisions (except Pee Wee division). If the point difference is ten points or more, the clock will remain running until the score arrives at less than ten points. Basketball Half Time The 1st and 2nd periods will constitute the 1st half; 3rd and 4th periods will constitute the 2nd half. Half time will be three minutes in duration. Timeouts in Basketball Each team will be allowed two timeouts in each half. The timeouts must be taken in their respective halves or they will be lost. There are no accumulations of timeouts. Player Participation Every player must play four minutes of each quarter, eight minutes per half for Pee Wee and Junior Varsity. Varsity and Seniors must play five minutes of each quarter, ten minutes per half. Every player must also sit out half of each period during the game, so as not to play the whole game, except in the case of injury or health problems. Sickness: Once the game has started and a player becomes sick or is unable to continue during a game, the coach of the player must enter, in the score book, the players name, time, and the period. The player will be ineligible to re-enter the game.Discipline: If a player misses consecutive practice without an excuse the coach will notify the site director. The site director will immediately notify the parents of the players. If these violations continue, the player will not be eligible to participate in the next game.Injury: If a player is injured and removed during a game, the player will be eligible to re-enter per the discretion of his/her coach. The partial period of play will constitute one full period for the injured player. Any player may be substituted for the injured player if the player participation rule is not affected. The player participation rules must be strictly enforced with  one full period of play for each player per half. Must Sit Rule: Every player must sit out at least half of the period. 20-Point Rule If a team has a 20-point lead at any time during the game, they will not be allowed to employ a full court press or a half-court press. No pressure is allowed. It is recommended that top players are removed and the substitutes play (only if player participation is not compromised). In the 4th period, and with a 20-point lead, the coach must take his top players out until the point difference is less than 10 points. Youth Basketball Pee Wee Division The Pee Wee Division consists of up to 10 players, ages 4 and 5,  with four players and coach on the court. Basket height:  6 feet, Basketball size: 3 (mini), Free throw line: 10 feet.​ Rules: The league will not adhere to a rule book. Since most of the participants do not understand fouls or violations, the officials will use their best judgment during the game. Penalties/violations will only be enforced if a player is gaining an advantage.Exception: Key violations - none and traveling - three steps.Defense: Teams may play zone or  man-to-man  at any time during the game. There are no limitations. Zone defense is highly recommended.Press: Teams may defend the ball only after the ball penetrates the half court line. The defensive players may not defend until the ball penetrates the half court line. No full court press.1st Pass/Back-court Rule: After the defensive player secures the  rebound, the 1st pass must be in the back-court, to the coach.Free Throws: Each player will shoot at least one free-throw prior to the start of play. Each successful free-throw will be recorded in the score book and count in the teams overall score. Officials will administer the fr ee throws. A player who missed will be allowed to shoot an extra shot to balance the team attempts, the free-throw line will be designated by the officials. A shooter may touch the line, but not cross completely over the line with his/her foot, on free-throw attempts. Players: Teams may have a maximum of four players on the court. The coach will be on the court on offense to help  dribble  and move the ball around. (The coach may not shoot the ball.) The coach may be on the court at the defensive end, may not play defense, and only coach defensively without physical contact. Youth Basketball Junior Varsity (J.V.) Division The J.V. Division consists of up to 10 players, ages 6 and 7, with five  players on the court. Basket height: 6 feet, Basketball size: 3 (mini), Free throw line: 10 feet Defense: Teams may play zone or man-to-man at any time during the game. There are no limitations. Zone defense is highly recommended.Press: Teams may defend the ball only after the ball penetrates the half court line. The defensive players must stay in the three-second area until the ball crosses the half court line.Foot in the Paint: Each defensive player must put at least one foot in the paint and stay in the 3-second area until the ball crosses the half court line.Three Second Violation: An offensive player may not be in the key (paint) for 5 seconds or more, This will be a violation against the offending team.Free Throws: Each player will shoot at least one free throw prior to the start of play. Each successful free-throw will be recorded in the scorebook and count in the teams overall score. Referees will administer the free throws. Both teams will shoot free throws at the same time but at different baskets. A player who has missed will be allowed to shoot an extra shot to balan ce the team attempts, the free-throw line will be at the dotted line inside the key. A shooter may touch the line, but not cross completely over the line with his/her foot on free-throw attempts. Youth Basketball Varsity Division The Varsity Division consists of up to 10 players, ages 8-10, with five  players on the court. Basket height:  10 feet, Basketball size: intermediate, Free throw line: 15 feet Defense: Any half-court defense may be played during the game.Press: Teams may full-court press only during last 5 minutes of the game. Any press is allowed.​Penalty: Only one warning per half for each half, a team  technical foul  will follow.Free Throws: The free-throw line will be at 15 feet. Shooters may touch the line but not completely cross over the line with his/her foot on free-throw attempts. Youth Basketball Senior Division The Senior Division consists of up to 10 players, ages 11-13, with five players on the court. Basket height: 10 feet, Basketball size: official; Free throw line: 15 feet. Defense: Teams must play man-to-man defense in the entire 1st half. Teams may play either man-to-man or zone defense in the second half.Penalty: One warning per team and then a team technical foul will be assessed.Man-to-man Defense: The defensive player must be within a six feet guardian position, A defensive team may double-team a player who has the basketball. Defensive team cannot double-team a player who does not have the ball. Officials will give one warning per half to each team. Further infractions will result in a technical foul.Press: Teams may employ a full-court press at any time during the game. During the first half, the teams must play only a man-to-man full court press, if they decide to press. Youth basketball is a low-cost team sport option that provides an opportunity for kids of all ages to reap the benefits of physical activity and sportsmanship. It also provides children the chance to learn the basics of the game so that those with the talent and inclination are ready to play at the high school level.

Google Essays

Google Essays Google Essay Google Essay The consumers were changing their habits from the cheap greasy meal to the healthy fast food. It became less attractive to have the same unhealthy tasteless menu for lunch and dinner and their concerns about their health and diet increased. The major effects observed with MAC Donas were the decline of its sales and also the need of a new sale and advertisement strategy like store redesign, improving rive-through services and menu revision. The company established a new taste menu and was active In annual charities and social good deeds. 2- They were very well represented as the main agents competed to improve the consumers image of the fast food industry. For example Burger King, facilities were rebuilt, monthly menu changing and deals offered, and also established a permanent marketing strategy. 3- Some of MAC Donas strengths are its larger market share, the new lines like Mac fee, its early international expansion, technology innovation and its good market and advertising strategy. It was also considered a socially responsible company for its active work for community s betterment. But It failed to move towards non-hamburger line (pizza market etc) and healthy food image. The health related court Issues and the fierce competition from both hamburger and non-hamburger line were other weaknesses encountered. In conclusion MAC D will definitely have to target new market such as healthy food seekers salad, wings sandwiches etc. : But I believe the company is on the right track to progress. 4- MAC Donald should definitely consider a different strategy for heavy users as they represent a good growing percentage in their market share and regenerating with time. Strategies for different consumers. Reaching heavy users, healthy food seekers, MAC Cafe © n pastries lovers because new market segments were willing to pay extra more dollars for classier environment and tastier and healthier foods.

The Accumulation Of Plastics In The World's 5 Gyres And How It Can Be Essay

The Accumulation Of Plastics In The World's 5 Gyres And How It Can Be Stopped - Essay Example The scale of plastic contamination found in the ocean water is immense. Epic amount of plastic debris has been observed floating on the ocean water beginning from the polar areas to the equator zone. The only solution to the issue is to stop dumping plastic waste in to the sea and minimize the use of plastic by switching to other alternatives where ever possible so that least plastic waste is produced. The disposal of plastic is immensely a problematic issue since much of it have been accumulating in to the enormous islands in the oceans, or gyres that are further continuing to accumulate or disintegrate in to several tiny pieces due to which sea creatures and people consume these plastic debris as we eat the marine animals. It was shocking to get to know that there are five such gyres of plastic accumulate, which is extremely hazardous for both the marine and the land habitat. Numerous marine animals die every year due to the pollution in ocean as they either ingest or get entangled in marine debris that is the waste disposed by us in to the rivers, oceans and other water ways. A vast portion of this waste reaches the seas through the rivers. Almost 80 percent of the trash emanates from the landfills as well as from other urban sources. This waste then accumulates in gyres that are the areas of low winds and slow spiraling water along the coastlines. The fishes consume this waste, the sharks and other marine animals get entangled in it and the coral reefs get damaged by it. This immensely destroys the marine life. There exist five major ocean gyres in the entire world, which are namely: North Pacific Gyre, South Pacific Gyre, North Atlantic Gyre, South Atlantic Gyre and Indian Ocean Gyre. The sailors and the fishermen conventionally avoid these gyres since they are bereaved of wind and marine creatures. The North Pacific Gyre in the Pacific Ocean possess the largest portion of the plastic accumulate than the rest of the gyres. It is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch as it covers a massive area that is almost equal to the size of the Texas. The plastic debris extends to about 6 meters or 20 feet down in to the water column (Robards et al, 1997). It has been found that about 3.5 million tons of waste has been deposited to this area turning it in to a plastic island (Thiel et al, 2003). It has been estimated that this size would get double in the next 5 years (Thiel et al., 2003). According to the estimates by the researchers, there is about 6 kg or 13.2 pounds of plastic for every 1 kg or 2.2 pounds of plankton in this area (Moore, et al., 2001). Some researchers and scientists consider that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a misnomer for the floating pile of disposed-waste that is located between the Hawaiian and Oregon islands suggesting that massive amount waste should be managed. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch basically indicates an environmental disaster for the oceans of the world that opens the eyes of the people of the wo rld towards the intense need for the conservation policies taking the oceans in to account. This patch of waste was created and continued to exist due to the ocean currents. Actually, this patch is not static in position as it sometimes drifts in to masses of land that have now appeared to resemble landfills. The patch moves with the zone of high pressure of air that is known as the North Pacific

International money and finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International money and finance - Essay Example Brewin Dolphin has functions in the UK, Republic of Ireland and Channel Island. For such transnational companies, foreign exchange exposure can be categorised as translational and transactional risks. Transactional risk arises when a firm faces possibility of monetary loss from its business transactions that has been undertaken in foreign currencies. The company is an international investment firm and consequently is involved in deals that require continuous purchase and selling of currencies (Kelley, 2001). On the other hand, translational risk exposure arises when firms invest in foreign assets and record it in firm’s balance sheet. For minimisation of translational exposure, firms should make minimum investment in foreign assets. However, these risks are countered by multinational companies by purchasing different swaps, options, futures and forward contracts (Erb, Harvey and Viskanta, 1996). The company primarily operates in the economic environment of the UK; hence, its functional currency is pound sterling for all kind of financial reporting. However, one positive point in this regard is that the company does not have operation in multiple bases and as a result, the exchange rate exposure for the company is relatively limited. In other words, degree of currency imbalance is less for the firm (Brewin dolphin, 2013). In this regard, management of foreign exchange exposure in the UK depends considerably on restrictions on net open position of working balances of firms. Minimisation of foreign exposure is a national concern and the Bank of England has made it certain for multinational firms that the net amount of foreign currency or currency that a firm transact in should be at least 10 percent higher than the firm’s own capital (Bank of England, 2011). It was determined that the company comply with the foreign exchange policies that have been