Friday, January 24, 2020

Portrayal of Masculinity in Art Essay -- Essays Papers

Portrayal of Masculinity in Art According to several versions of the Webster dictionaries, the word â€Å"masculinity† refers to the characteristics of being masculine, manly, male stereotypes, having or occurring in a stressed final syllable , having the final chord occurring on a strong beat , of or forming the formal, active, or generative principle of the cosmos. The word â€Å"masculinity† overall reflects the stereotype of men being a strong force, in music chords or in general. Looking into Brett Eberhardt’s drawing, â€Å"Introduction†, the thought of sexuality barely crossed my mind. After talking to Mr. Eberhardt about his choice to draw a self-portrait, he stated that he wanted to depict a human, male or female. It just so happens that he draws himself best. Eberhardt’s drawing is nostalgic in the depiction of curiosity. The suggestion of curiosity plays with many topics that range from childish curiosity to sexual curiosity. So I wondered how his piece might be considered a masculine drawing and how masculinity has been portrayed...

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Company Case Prius: Leading a Wave of Hybrids Essay

1. What micro-environmental factors affected both the first generation and second generation models of Toyota Prius? How well has to Toyota dealt with these factors? In order for the reader to have an understanding of this question is important to begin by defining Micro-environment. This term is a factor of the Marketing Environment and it consists of the issues that, in one way or another, affect the company’s ability to serve its clientele in a close and direct way. This includes factors such as customers, suppliers, competitors, shareholders, employees and media (among others). Having this in mind, it could be safe to state that the micro-environmental factors affecting the first and second generation of the Toyota Prius are the customers and the competitors. Consumers, getting affected by the gas prices, were looking for an answer to their prayers. Toyota gave them the answer, a vehicle that would allow people to save on gas as well as provide good and efficient service. Once the first generation Prius was released, although not too pretty or fancy, it served to its purposed and customers were buying it. The other factor, competitors, is pretty obvious. Everybody wants a piece of the pie. Auto makers such as Honda started developing and/or implementing the hybrid system on some of their vehicles. Toyota’s answer was to keep developing what already has been a success, the Prius. A second generation was developed and released. This time the new generation was even more fuel efficient. It also included more technical advances, more room and several other factors that would make all types of clientele to be interested. 2. Outline the major macro-environmental factors – demographic, economic, natural, political and cultural – that have affected the Prius sales. How well Toyota dealt with each of these factors? Macro-environmental factors deal the larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment. Some of the factors are demographic, economic, natural, technological, political and cultural forces. With that said, I believe the macro-environmental factor that affected the Prius sales (in a positive way) is the Natural forces. Now, it would not be fair if I do not mention the technology force as well as the economic one. So there is a vehicle that saves on gas, which means that also helps with the pollution. Technological advances are probably the base of the Prius and this gets even better with the second generation. The first generation was fairly basics while the second generation was release with more gadgets and extras. The prices of the gas keep raising non-stop. That fact definitely affected the sales of the Prius, especially in a society dominated by Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) Macro-environmental factors Demographics Demographics are the study of human societies in terms of size, location, gender or race among other statistics. Based on these factors organizations develop marketing plans to target possible customers. Economics Basically, economics is the study of how society chooses to use its resources. I believe this factors contributes to the government and other entities to offer incentives towards buying vehicles such as the Prius. Natural This macro-environmental factor involves the use of natural resources to increase the interest of the customers. To be â€Å"green† is what is selling these days. Societies have a great interest and feel very positive about saving the planet. Toyota’s marketing team has utilized such factor in a very positive way to cause sensation about the vehicle. Technological Well, after all, what would society be these days without all the technological advances? New technologies are hitting society constantly. Technology offers the opportunity for enhancement of current products as well as new ones. Toyota, using technology, made customers aware of upcoming vehicle. Utilizing tools such as the Internet it distributes brochures and all types of information about the Prius previous to its release. Political What would a society be without the government and its laws? This force is, with no doubt, connected to the economic one. Toyota, along and other auto makers were able to obtain tax and other incentives for people who would buy the hybrid vehicles. If other forces didn’t cause any interest, this one definitely would. So, now you can save on gas and can also save on taxes. Also, in some cases, you were allowed to drive on the HOV lines even if only one person was driving. Isn’t the government a good thing? Cultural This force along with demographics would set a base for what customers are interested in. Toyota’s strategy hit society in what could probably be the best time. Gas prices are high and people drive vehicles that are not economical. Society is in the need of change and Toyota was offering a solution. 3. Evaluate Toyota’s marketing strategy so far. What has Toyota done well? How might it improve its strategy? In my opinion, and based on the case, Toyota brought a new product with a fairly strong marketing strategy. The only problem that I find is that the vehicle’s target range is limited. The first generation of Prius was very simple and basic. It did not offer all those benefits and gadgets that come standard in many vehicles these days. On the other hand, the second generation brought a lot of changes, specifically technological advances. It also included a bit more of luxury and better style. This time Toyota, in my opinion, was carrying a more power marketing strategy pointed to more types of consumers. I think that Toyota is heading into the right direction in regards of its marketing strategies. Also, the Prius seems to be improving greatly in technological advances. Not only it running more miles per gallon but it also full of gadgets that make people interested about it. It is no myth that Toyota has leaded the automotive market with several of their vehicles. The whole Prius team including its marketing group is doing a great job when it comes to developing and advertising. 4. GM’s marketing director for new ventures, Ken Stewart, says â€Å"if you want to get a lot of hybrids on the road, you put them in vehicles that people are buying now. † This seems to summarize the U. S. auto makers’ approach to hybrids. Would you agree with Mr. Stewart? Why or why not? I believe I would agree with Mr. Stewart. It is a fact that people are buying cars because they like them or need them, and not necessarily because of gas efficiency. Now, if you add the gas efficiency factor it may motivate the consumers. In my opinion, the Prius is one of the ugliest cars that I have ever seen. Would I buy it based on the fact that will save me on gas? I wouldn’t buy it, not only it’s ugly, but also it does not serve to my purposes and tastes. Now, if we were talking about an SUV such as the GM Tahoe, I would probably be interested. Not only serves as an SUV, it also looks good and helps me save gas and to contribute with the environment. The Prius, although very economic on gas, may not be the best car for a family of six. Therefore, having other options that are based on the same concept could be very beneficial for Toyota, or any automaker out there.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

The Road By Cormac Mccarthy - 1584 Words

Sheri Fink once said â€Å"The moral values, ethical codes and laws that guide our choices in normal times are, if anything, even more important to help us navigate the confusing and disorienting time of a disaster.† Living in a post apocalyptic time can be unbearable if one is stripped of the most basic necessities. Such an event can greatly affect the behaviour of a person, as well as the ability to distinguish right from wrong. But like the boy and his father in the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy they stuck to their morals to overcome the hardships they face. The novels recurring themes such as companionship, survival, and good versus evil, prove that a persons moral standards could change in a time of need. Companionship plays an important role in the storyline of this novel. The bond between the father and son gives them the love they need in order to keep them in touch with humanity. The father and the boy have a co-dependant relationship. The boy is dependent on his father for survival, while the father lives to ensure the survival of the boy. When the boy asks â€Å"What would you do if I died?† The father responds with, â€Å"If you died I would want to die too† (McCarthy, 11). It is clear that his love for the child is what motivates him to do everything he can to ensure the boys survival. This motivates him to teach the boy strong morals and skills to help him live as a â€Å"good guy.† After finding and humiliating the thief that stole all their belongings, the father and sonShow MoreRelatedThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1531 Words   |  7 Pagesof punishment that anyone could be faced with. Cormac McCarthy shows the reaction isolation had on the characters in The Road. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, follows an unnamed father and son as they travel towards the coast in search of safety after the world has been destroyed by a catastrophe. A s they travel the road, the father has to protect his son from the threat of strangers, starvation, exposure and harsh weather. In The Road, Cormac McCarthy shows how humans react to isolation by when theRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1009 Words   |  5 PagesL’Heureux II, John Lang and Lit Year 2 2/10/2017 Written Task 2 Title of the text for analysis: The Road by Cormac McCarthy,2006 Part of the course to which the task refers: Part 4- Literature, a critical study Prescribed question: How does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a particular genre, and for what purpose? My critical response will: ââ€"  Show how the text conforms to the post-apocalyptic genre. ââ€"  Show how resources, including basics such as food and water, are a scarcityRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy1708 Words   |  7 PagesThe Road by Cormac McCarthy is set in an apocalyptic world filled with hopelessness, mental fatigue, and few instances of happiness. Throughout the story, the man and the boy are looking for hope in anything and everything. Unfortunately every turn they take they continue to fall further into despair until they find a Coca-Cola. This soda has a unique meaning to the boy and the man. The Coca-Cola in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road symbolizes the world’s regression and gives hope to the man and boy byRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy2405 Words   |  10 PagesNovember 26, 2016 The Road by Cormac McCarthy and its View of Parental Love and Hope in a Post-Apocalyptic World The boy s father tells him My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand? (McCarthy The Road) this sends such a powerful message about instinct, hope, and paternal love. These words so passionately from the lips of the father perfectly describes Cormac McCarthy s story of The Road and the power a father sRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy968 Words   |  4 Pagescompassion in the toughest of situations, and leads us toward paths of peace. In this essay, examples will be drawn from Zak Ibrahim s keynote presentation, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Beautiful Boy; a film directed by Shawn Ku, and Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut. The loss of a loved one can help us find compassion. In The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the boy is the most compassionate person in the whole novel. At the end of the novel, when the boy s father dies, the boy is not thinking about hisselfRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1310 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å" The Road† written by Cormac McCarthy is a novel which uses a large variety of different language features to shape the reader s reaction and leading the readers into thinking the idea that our current world really is fallible.â€Å"The road† is about a strong loving relationship between the father and son. Which is shown on every page of the novel. They are fighting for survival in this apocalyptic world of humanity which is heading to an end. For anyone realising that our world is fallible is quiteRead MoreThe Road by Cormac McCarthy1281 Words   |  5 PagesTitle of the Work: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Date of Publication: September 26, 2006 (September 26, 2006) Genre: Novel Historical information about the Setting: The novel takes place in the Southeastern part of United States. The characters take a journey, passing Texas, the post-apocalyptic landscape. During this time the novel is taken place, the country was experiencing depression and poverty. When McCarthy was writing this book, he was thinking about the future environment ofRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy2062 Words   |  9 PagesReid Norberg Period 3 3/18/16 2016 AP Lodestar 1. Title: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Date of Publication: 2006 Genre: Post- apocalyptic fiction 2. The Road is a novel written by American author Cormac McCarthy. Although born in the North East, McCarthy was driven to the South West later in his life where he has since based most of his novels, including The Road. The Road tells a story of a man and his son in post apocalyptic America where the weather is winter-like and the ground isRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy1205 Words   |  5 PagesThe Road by Cormac McCarthy a recurring theme in the story is gaining or losing hope. Throughout this story there are numerous instances and events that occur in which all seems lost at a dead end, but in those moment hope carries through and thrives. In this dystopian post apocalyptic world the man and boy are fighting to stay alive while keeping their humanity as well as searching for what humanity is left in this kill or be killed cannibalistic planet. As their time journeying down the road increasesRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy2128 Words   |  9 PagesEverything is suddenl y amplified and survival automatically becoming a key component to most. So what else can actually matters? Relationships are lost, but some may grow stronger. Ethics are tested, and beliefs suddenly change. In the novel, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, begins with America - or assuming the whole world- had gone through a unpredictable apocalypse. Combining what is left of the society and the world falling dangerously apart, it has caused them to go through many dangers to survive. Through