Fame in Cinema and Television Essay

The â€Å"star phenomenon† began in theatrical advertising of certain actors’ names in the 1820s. It was not immediately transferred to Hollywood, nor to the many other film industries developing in parallel across the glove. Hollywood studios at first, from about 1909 to 1914, ignored â€Å"stars† – actors in whose offscreen lifestyle and personalities audiences demonstrated a particular interest. This was partly because of the costs involved in â€Å"manufacturing stardom† on a scale which the studies could translate into measureable box-office revenue, and for fear of the power which stars might then wield. Stars need all kinds of resources lavished on their construction such as privileged access to screen and narrative space, to lighting, to the care of costumers, make-up workers, voice coaches, personal trainers, etc. , as well as to audience interest through previews, supply of publicity materials, etc. Skillful casting is also important, though rarely discussed in work on stars, perhaps because it is seen to detract from the star’s own intentions in a performance. Key career decisions involve a star’s choice of casting agency or the choices made by a particular film’s casting director. Once established, the star system worked lucratively for the studios. Stars were used as part of the studio’s â€Å"branding† or promise of certain kinds of narrative and production values. They were useful in â€Å"differentiating† studios’ films. Stars were literally part of the studio’s capital, like plant and equipment, and could be traded as such. James Stewart, making an interesting comparison with sports celebrities, said once â€Å"Your studio could trade you around like ball player like when I was traded once to Universal for the use of their back lot for three weeks. † Stars’ large salaries, said to be due to nebulous qualities such as â€Å"talent† or â€Å"charisma†, worked to negate the powers of acting unions, who might otherwise have been able to calculate acting labor and ask for more equal distribution of profits (Branston and Stafford 2003). And stars have always functioned as a key part of Hollywood’s relationship to broader capitalist structures. In the 1930s, for example, over-production of manufactured goods had reached crisis point in North America, and the large banks funding Hollywood sought its help in shifting goods from warehouses to consumers. In addition to this, the celebrity is part of the public sphere, essentially an actor or, to use Robert Altman’s 1992 film characterization of Hollywood denizens, a â€Å"player. † In the contemporary public sphere, divisions exist between different types of players: politicians are made to seem distinctly different from entertainment figures; businesspeople are distinguished from sports stars. And yet in the mediated representation of this panoply of players, they begin to blend together. Film stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger share the stage with politicians like George Bush; Gorbachev appears in a film by Wenders; Michael Jackson hangs out on the White House lawn with Ronald Reagan; Nelson Mandela fills an entire issue of Vogue. The celebrity is a category that identifies these slippages in identification and differentiation. Leadership, a concept that is often used to provide a definitional distance from vulgarity of celebrity status, provides the last discursive location for understanding the public individual. The argument I want to advance here is that in contemporary culture, there is a convergence in the source of power between the political leader and other forms of celebrity. Both are forms of subjectivity that are sanctioned by the culture and enter the symbolic realm of providing meaning and significance for the culture. The categorical distinction of forms of power is dissolving in favor of a unified system of celebrity status, in which the sanctioning of power is based on similar emotive and irrational, yet culturally deeply embedded, sentiments (Marshall 1997). Of course, depending on the type of media where actors and actresses appear, their power and charisma varies. In addition to this, depending on the type of media used, individual’s star quality or qualities of being a celebrity varies. On television, an individual can become a star without ceasing to be his or her anonymous self, because the medium celebrates innocuous, domestic normality. Once on the â€Å"The Tonight Show† Jack Paar maddened the studio audience by attentively quizzing one of its number and ignoring Cary Grant, who’d been planted in the adjoining seats. As well as a practical joke, this was a boast of television’s license to bestow celebrity on those it promiscuously or fortuitously favors. But the medium can just as easily rescind that celebrity. Obsolescence is built into the television star, as it is into the sets themselves: hence those mournful commercials for American Express in which the celebrities of yesteryear- the man who lent his croaky voice to Bugs Bunny or a candidate for the Vice-Presidency in 1964- laud the company’s card, which restores to them an identity and a televisibility they’d forfeited. The game show contestants experience this brief tenure of television celebrity- Warhol’s fifteen minutes- at its most accelerated. But in order to quality for it, they have to surrender themselves to the medium. Their only way of winning games is to abase themselves, feigning hysteria on â€Å"The Price is Right,† exchanging sordid confidences on â€Å"The Newlywed Game,† incompetently acting out inane charades on Bruce Forsyth’s â€Å"Generation Game. † The cruelest of the games is â€Å"The Gong Show,† where one’s span of celebrity may not even extend to fifteen seconds. More or less, untalented contestants sing, dance, juggle or fiddle until the inevitable gong sends them back to nonentity. For some, the gong supervenes immediately. They’ve been warned this will happen, and coached to disappear with dignity, but are expected to go through with their act all the same and suffer their condemnation. Even a few seconds of television fame is worth the price of one’s self-esteem. The show pretends to be a talent quest, but is a smirking parody of that. The hosts on the game shows are, for similar reasons, parodies of geniality. A host soothes his guests and smoothes obstacles out of their way. But in homage to Groucho, the comperes subject their victims to a ritual humiliation, and their patter keeps the game-players throughout flinching and ill-at-ease (Conrad 1982). Television is good but may not be ideal for preserving important works. On the other hand, a good film can be shown anywhere in the world where there is an audience. Furthermore, the cinema will turn actors and actresses into stars. There are many well-known television actors and actresses, but they have no international fame like their big-screen counterparts. Films together with film magazines contribute directly to the formation of a star system and its attendant mythology. The stars perceived themselves to be, and were in turn also used as, icons for a modern lifestyle, especially fashion (Zhang 2005). They are given greater chances to achieve or receive international awards and become known not only in a particular state but to the whole world, unlike in the case of television stars. Those famous actors who appeared on television ten years ago have now vanished due either to lot or disintegrated videotape or a lack of interest by the contemporary audience. In Africa, there was a necessity to build more cinema theaters, instead of enforcing further use of television, because it was helping them to maintain a viable film industry. In Iran, they have more than 150 cinema houses. Their industry if progressing because they have a loyal audience who make it possible to recuperate money invested in production, which in turn is invested in the making of new films (Ukadike 2002). As a whole, it can be said that fame in cinema is more lasting than fame in television. In addition to this, the stars or celebrities appearing on cinemas rather than on televisions are the ones who are more favored by producers and stockholders. Moreover, they are preferred than the television stars to be used in magazines, especially if it is an international magazine. As such, the lifestyle of actors and actresses in cinemas are greater than those who only appear in television shows. The cinema industry as well as its actors and actresses are greatly favored and nowadays, more specifically preferred by a good number of the countries. Bibliography BRANSTON, GILL and STAFFORD, ROY, The Media Student’s Book (USA: Routledge, 2003). CONRAD, PETER, Television (USA: Routledge, 1983). MARSHALL, P. DAVID, Celebrity and Power: Fame in Contemporary Culture (Minneapolis: Regents of the University of Minnesota, 1997). UKADIKE, NWACHUKWU FRANK, Questioning African Cinema (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002). ZHANG, ZHEN, An Amorous History of the Silver Screen (London: University of Chicago Press, 2005).

New Belgium Brewing: Ethical and Environmental Responsibility

Although most of the companies frequently cited as examples of ethical and socially responsible firms are large corporations, it is the social responsibility initiatives of small businesses that often have the greatest impact on local communities and neighborhoods. These businesses create jobs and provide goods and services for customers in smaller markets that larger corporations often are not interested in serving. Moreover, they also contribute money, resources, and volunteer time to local causes. Their owners often serve as community and neighborhood leaders, and many choose to apply their skills and some of the fruits of their success to tackling local problems and issues that benefit everyone in the community. Managers and employees become role models for ethical and socially responsible actions. One such small business is the New Belgium Brewing Company, Inc. , based in Fort Collins, Colorado. History of the New Belgium Brewing Company The idea for the New Belgium Brewing Company began with a bicycling trip through Belgium. Belgium is arguably the home of some of the world’s finest ales, some of which have been brewed for centuries in that country’s monasteries. As Jeff Lebesch, an American electrical engineer, cruised around that country on his fat-tired mountain bike, he wondered if he could produce such high-quality beers back home in Colorado. After acquiring the special strain of yeast used to brew Belgian-style ales, Lebesch returned home and began to experiment in his Colorado basement. When his beers earned thumbs up from friends, Lebesch decided to market them. The New Belgium Brewing Company (NBB) opened for business in 1991 as a tiny basement operation in Lebesch’s home in Fort Collins. Lebesch’s wife, Kim Jordan, became the firm’s marketing director. They named their first brew Fat Tire Amber Ale in honor of Lebesch’s bike ride through Belgium. New Belgium beers quickly developed a small but devoted customer base, first in Fort Collins and then throughout Colorado. The brewery soon outgrew the couple’s basement and moved into an old railroad depot before settling into its present custom-built facility in 1995. The brewery includes an automated brewhouse, two quality assurance labs, and numerous technological innovations for which New Belgium has become nationally recognized as a â€Å"paradigm of environmental efficiencies. † Today, New Belgium Brewing Company offers a variety of permanent and seasonal ales and pilsners. The company’s standard line includes Sunshine Wheat, Blue 1  © O. C. Ferrell 2006. We appreciate the work of Nikole Haiar in helping draft the previous edition of this case, and Melanie Drever who assisted in this edition. This case was prepared for classroom discussion, rather than to illustrate either effective of ineffective handling of an administrative, ethical or legal decision by management. All sources used for this case were obtained through publicly available material and the New Belgium website. Paddle Pilsner, Abbey Ale, Trippel Ale, 1554 Black Ale, and the original Fat Tire Amber Ale, still the firm’s best-seller. Some customers even refer to the company as the Fat Tire Brewery. The brewery also markets two types of specialty beers on a seasonal basis. Seasonal ales include Frambozen and Abbey Grand Cru, which are released at Thanksgiving, and Christmas and Farmhouse Ale, which are sold during the early fall months. The firm occasionally offers one-time-only brews, such as LaFolie, a wood-aged beer, which are sold only until the batch runs out. Until 2005, NBB’s most effective form of advertising has been its customers’ word of mouth. Indeed, before New Belgium beers were widely distributed throughout Colorado, one liquor store owner in Telluride is purported to have offered people gas money if they would stop by and pick up New Belgium beer on their way through Ft. Collins. Although New Belgium beers are distributed in just one-third of the United States, the brewery receives numerous e-mails and phone calls every day inquiring when its beers will be available elsewhere. With expanding distribution, however, the brewery recognized a need to increase its opportunities for reaching its far-flung customers. It consulted with Dr. David Holt, an Oxford professor and branding expert. After studying the young company, Holt, together with Marketing Director Greg Owsley, drafted a 70-page â€Å"manifesto† describing the brand’s attributes, character, cultural relevancy, and promise. In particular, Holt identified in New Belgium an ethos of pursuing creative activities simply for the joy of doing them well and in harmony with the natural environment. With the brand thus defined, New Belgium went in search of an advertising agency to help communicate that brand identity; it soon found Amalgamated, an equally young, independent New York advertising agency. Amalgamated created a $10 million advertising campaign for New Belgium that targets high-end beer drinkers, men ages 25 to 44 and highlights the brewery’s image as being down to earth. The grainy ads focus on a man rebuilding a cruiser bike out of used parts and then riding it along pastoral country roads. The product appears in just five seconds of each ad between the tag lines, â€Å"Follow Your Folly †¦ Ours Is Beer. † The ads helped position the growing brand as whimsical, thoughtful, and reflective. In addition to the ad campaign, the company maintained its strategy of promotion through event sponsorships. New Belgium Ethical culture According to Greg Owsley Director of Marketing for New Belgium Brewing beyond a desire for advertising and promotion ethics there is a fundamental focus on the ethical culture of the brand. Although consumer suspicion of business is on fully raised eyebrow, those in good standing- as opposed to those trading on hype- are eyed with iconic-like adoration. From this off polarization comes a new paradigm in which businesses that fully embrace citizenship in the community they serve can forge enduring bonds with customers. Meanwhile, these are precarious times for businesses that choose to ignore consumer's looking at brands from an ethical perspective. More than ever before, what the brand says and what the company does must be synchronized. NBB believes the mandate for corporate social responsibility gains momentum beyond the courtroom to the far more powerful marketplace, any current and future manager of business must realize that business ethics are not so much about the installation of compliance codes and standards as they are about the spirit in which they are integrated. Thus, the modern-day brand steward- usually the most externally focused member of the business management team- must prepare to be the internal champion of the bottom line necessity for ethical, values-driven company behavior. At New Belgium, a synergy of brand and values occurred naturally as the firms ethical culture- in the form of core values and beliefs- and was in place long before NBB had a marketing department. Back in early 1991, New Belgium was just a home-brewed business plan of Jeff Lesbesch, an electrical engineer, and his social worker wife, Kim Jordan. Before they signed any business paperwork, the two took a hike into Rocky Mountain National Park. Armed with a pen, and a notebook they took their first stab at what the fledgling company's core purpose would be. If they were going forward with this venture, what were their aspirations beyond profitability? What was the real root cause of their dream? What they wrote down that spring day, give or take a little wordsmithing, was the core values and beliefs you can read on the NBB website today. More important, ask just about any New Belgium worker, and she or he can list for you many, if not all, these shared values and can inform you which are the most personally poignant. For NBB branding strategies are as rooted in our company values as in other business practices. New Belgium’s Purpose and Core Beliefs New Belgium’s dedication to quality, the environment, and its employees and customers is expressed in its mission statement: â€Å"To operate a profitable brewery which makes our love and talent manifest. † The company’s stated core values and beliefs about its role as an environmentally concerned and socially responsible brewer include: .  ¦ Producing world-class beers .  ¦ Promoting beer culture and the responsible enjoyment of beer .  ¦ Continuous, innovative quality and efficiency improvements .  ¦ Transcending customers’ expectations  ¦ Environmental stewardship: minimizing resource consumption, maximizing energy efficiency, and recycling .  ¦ Kindling social, environmental, and cultural change as a business role model .  ¦ Cultivating potential: through learning, participative management, and the pursuit of opportunities .  ¦ Balancing the myriad needs of the company, staff, and their fami lies .  ¦ Committing ourselves to authentic relationships, communications, and promises .  ¦ Having Fun. Employees, believe that these statements help communicate to customers and ther stakeholders what New Belgium, as a company, is about. These simple values developed 15 years ago are just as meaningful to the company and its customers today even though there has been much growth. Employee Concerns Recognizing employees’ role in the company’s success, New Belgium provides many generous benefits. In addition to the usual paid health and dental insurance and retirement plans, employees get a free lunch every other week as well as a free massage once a year, and they can bring their children and dogs to work. Employees who stay with the company for five years earn an all-expenses paid trip to Belgium to â€Å"study beer culture. † Perhaps most importantly, employees can also earn stock in the privately held corporation, which grants them a vote in company decisions. New Bel-gium’s employees now own one-third of the growing brewery. Open book management lets employees see the financial costs and performance. Environmental Concerns New Belgium’s marketing strategy involves linking the quality of its products, as well as their brand, with the company’s philosophy toward affecting the planet. From leadingedge environmental gadgets and high-tech industry advancements to employeeownership programs and a strong belief in giving back to the community, New Belgium demonstrates its desire to create a living, learning community. NBB strives for cost-efficient energy-saving alternatives to conducting its business and reducing its impact on the environment. In staying true to the company’s core values and beliefs, the brewery’s employee-owners unanimously agreed to invest in a wind turbine, making New Belgium the first fully wind-powered brewery in the United States. Since the switch from coal power, New Belgium has been able to reduce its CO2 emissions by 1,800 metric tons per year. The company further reduces its energy use by employing a steam condenser that captures and reuses the hot water that boils the barley and hops in the production process to start the next brew. The steam is redirected to heat the floor tiles and de-ice the loading docks in cold weather. Another way that NBB conserves energy is by using â€Å"sun tubes,† which provide natural daytime lighting throughout the brew house all year long. New Belgium also takes pride in reducing waste through recycling and creative reuse strategies. The company strives to recycle as many supplies as possible, including cardboard boxes, keg caps, office materials, and the amber glass used in bottling. The brewery also stores spent barley and hop grains in an on-premise silo and invites local farmers to pick up the grains, free of charge, to feed their pigs. NBB even encourages its employees to reduce air pollution by using alternative transportation. As an incentive, NBB gives its employees â€Å"cruiser bikes†Ã¢â‚¬â€ like the one pictured on its Fat Tire Amber Ale label—after one year of employment and encourages them to ride to work. New Belgium has been a long-time participant in green building techniques. With each expansion of the facility they have incorporated new technologies and learned a few lessons along the way. In 2002, NB agreed to participate in the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environment Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) pilot program. From sun tubes and daylighting throughout the facility to reusing heat in the brewhouse, they continue to search for new ways to close loops and conserve resources. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle- the three ‘R's of being an environmental steward. The reuse program includes heat for the brewing process, cleaning chemicals, water and much more. Recycling at New Belgium takes on many forms, from turning â€Å"waste† products into something new and useful (like spent grain to cattle feed), to supporting the recycling market in creative ways (like turning their keg caps into table surfaces). They also buy recycled whenever they can, from paper to office furniture. Reduction surrounds them – from motion sensors on the lights throughout the building to induction fans that pull in cool winter air to chill their beer – offsetting their energy needs is the cornerstone to being environmentally efficient. Social Concerns Beyond its use of environment-friendly technologies and innovations, New Belgium Brewing Company strives to improve communities and enhance people’s lives through corporate giving, event sponsorship, and philanthropic involvement. Since its inception, NBB has donated more than 1. million dollars to organizations in the communities in which they do business. For every barrel of beer sold the prior year, NB donates $1 to philanthropic causes within their distribution territory. The donations are divided between states in proportion to their percentage of overall sales. This is their way of staying local and giving back to the communities who support and purchase NB products. In 2006, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Washington and Wyoming received funding. Funding decisions are made by the NB Philanthropy committee, which is comprised of employees throughout the brewery including owners, employee owners, area leaders and production workers. New Belgium looks for non-profit organizations that demonstrate creativity, diversity and an innovative approach to their mission and objectives. The Philanthropy committee also looks for groups that involve the community to reach their goals. NBB also maintains a community bulletin board in its facility where it posts an array of community involvement activities and proposals. This community board allows tourists and employees to see the different ways they can help out the community, and it gives nonprofit organizations a chance to make their needs known. Organizations can even apply for grants through the New Belgium Brewing Company Web site, which has a link designated for this purpose. NBB also sponsors a number of events, with a special focus on those that involve â€Å"human-powered† sports that cause minimal damage to the natural environment. Through event sponsorships, such as the Tour de Fat, NBB supports various environmental, social, and cycling nonprofit organizations. New Belgium also sponsored the MS 150 â€Å"Best Damn Bike Tour,† a two-day, fully catered bike tour, from which all proceeds went to benefit more than five thousand local people with multiple sclerosis. NBB also sponsored the Ride the Rockies bike tour, which donated the proceeds from beer sales to local nonprofit groups. The money raised from this annual event funds local projects, such as improving parks and bike trails. In the course of one year, New Belgium can be found at anywhere from 150 to 200 festivals and events, across all fifteen western states. Organizational Success New Belgium Brewing Company’s efforts to live up to its own high standards have paid off with numerous awards and a very loyal following. It was one of three winners of Business Ethics magazine’s Business Ethics Awards for its â€Å"dedication to environmental excellence in every part of its innovative brewing process. † It also won an honorable mention in the Better Business Bureau’s 2002 Torch Award for Outstanding Marketplace Ethics competition. Kim Jordan and Jeff Lebesch were named the recipients of the Rocky Mountain Region Entrepreneur of the Year Award for manufacturing. The company also captured the award for best mid-sized brewing company of the year and best mid-sized brewmaster at the Great American Beer Festival. In addition, New Belgium took home medals for three different brews, Abbey Belgian Style Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsner, and LaFolie specialty ale. According to David Edgar, director of the Institute for Brewing Studies, â€Å"They’ve created a very positive image for their company in the beer-consuming public with smart decision-making. Although some members of society do not believe that a company whose major product is alcohol can be socially responsible, New Belgium has set out to prove that for those who make a choice to drink responsibly, the company can do everything possible to contribute to society. Its efforts to promote beer culture and the connoisseurship of beer has even led it to design a special â€Å"Worthy Glass,† the shape of which is intended to retain foam, show off color, enhance the visual presentation, an d release aroma. New Belgium Brewing Company also promotes the responsible appreciation of beer through its participation in and support of the culinary arts. For instance, it frequently hosts New Belgium Beer Dinners, in which every course of the meal is served with a complementary culinary treat. According to Greg Owsley Director of Marketing although the Fat Tire brand has a bloodline straight from the enterprise's ethical beliefs and practices, the firm's work is not done. They must continually re-examine ethical, social and environmental responsibilities. In 2004, New Belgium received the Environmental Protection Agency's regional Environmental Achievement Award. It was both an honor and a motivator not to rest on our naturally raised laurels. There are still many ways for NB to improve as a corporate citizen. They still don't produce an organic beer. The manufacturing process is a fair distance from being zero waste or emission free. There will always be a need for more public dialogue on avoiding alcohol abuse. Practically speaking, they have a neverending to-do list. NBB also must acknowledge that as their annual sales increase, the challenges for the brand to remain on a human scale and culturally authentic will increase too. How to boldly grow the brand while maintaining its humble feel has always been a challenge. Every six-pack of New Belgium Beer displays the phrase, â€Å"In this box is our labor of love, we feel incredibly lucky to be creating something fine that enhances people’s lives. † Although Jeff Lebesch has â€Å"semi-retired† from the company to focus on other interests, the founders of New Belgium hope this statement captures the spirit of the company. According to employee Dave Kemp, NBB’s environmental concern and social responsibility give it a competitive advantage because consumers want to believe in and feel good about the products they purchase. NBB’s most important asset is its image—a corporate brand that stands for quality, responsibility, and concern for society. Defining itself as more than just a beer company, the brewer also sees itself as a caring organization that is concerned with all stakeholders, including the community, the environment, and employees. Sources: These facts are from Greg Owsley, â€Å"The Necessity For Aligning Brand With Corporate Ethics,† in Sheb L. True, Linda Ferrell, O. C. Ferrell, â€Å"Fulfiling Our Obligation, Perspectives on Teaching Business Ethics,† Kennesaw State University Press 2005. p. 128-132. New Belgium website http://www. newbelgium. com/sustainability. php. and http://www. newbelgium. com/philanthropy. php. (accessed May 17, 2006) Peter Asmus, â€Å"Goodbye Coal, Hello Wind,† Business Ethics, 13 (July/Aug. 1999): 10–11; Robert Baun, â€Å"What’s in a Name? Ask the Makers of Fat Tire,† [Fort Collins] Coloradoan, Oct. 8, 2000, pp. E1, E3; Rachel Brand, â€Å"Colorado Breweries Bring Home 12 Medals in Festival,† Rocky Mountain News, www. insidedenver. com/news/1008beer6. shtml, (accessed Nov. 6, 2000); Stevi Deter, â€Å"Fat Tire Amber Ale,† The Net Net, www. thenetnet. com/reviews/fat. html (accessed Apr. 29, 2003); DirtWorld. com, www. dirtworld. com/races/Colorado_race745. htm (accessed Nov. 6, 2000); Robert F. Dwyer and John F. Tanner Jr. , Business Marketing (Irwin McGraw-Hill, 1999), p. 04; â€Å"Fat Tire Amber Ale,† Achwiegut (The Guide to Austrian Beer), www. austrianbeer. com/beer/b000688. shtml, (accessed Jan. 19, 2001); â€Å"Four Businesses Honored with Prestigious International Award for Outstanding Marketplace Ethics,† Better Business Bureau, press release, Sept. 23, 2002, www. bbb. org/alerts/2002torchwinners. asp; Del I. Hawkins, Roger J. Best, and Kenneth A. Coney, Consumer Behavior: Buil ding Marketing Strategy, 8th ed. (Irwin McGraw-Hill, 2001); David Kemp, Tour Connoisseur, New Belgium Brewing Company, personal interview by Nikole Haiar, Nov. 1, 2000, 1:00 PM; Julie Gordon, â€Å"Lebesch Balances Interests in Business, Community,† Coloradoan, Feb. 26, 2003; New Belgium Brewing Company, Ft. Collins, CO, www. newbelgium. com (accessed Apr. 29, 2003); New Belgium Brewing Company Tour by Nikole Haiar, Nov. 20, 2000, 2:00 PM; â€Å"New Belgium Brewing Wins Ethics Award,† Denver Business Journal, Jan. 2, 2003, http://denver. bizjournals. com/denver/stories/2002/12/30/daily21. html; and Dan Rabin, â€Å"New Belgium Pours It on for Bike Riders,† Celebrator Beer News, Aug. /Sept. 1998, www. celebrator. com/9808/rabin. html

Case study of sleep disorder and sleep apnea

Case study of sleep disorder and sleep apnea Sleep disorder is one of the most vital problem face by many people in life. Mostly face by older generations and adults. Sleeping is controlled by hypothalamus which is one of the part of a human brain system. Body temperature in some way controls the activities of one’s body, playing a role like a switch for on/off. Higher temperature brings alertness while lower temperature causes sleep. Sleep disorder comes in many different forms like Bruxism, Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), Cataplexy Rapid eye movement behavior disorder (RBD), insomnia, sleep apnea, night terrors, nightmares and somnambulism. Interfering with normal sleeping habits frequently and continuously can be listed as sleep disorder. Sleep disorder are capable of influencing emotional, physical and mental health of a human being. Moreover, sleeping disorder not only causes trouble to the victim but the person staying in the same house at them. Polysomnography is one of the a test commonly use to test for sl eep disorders. Before the 20th century, sleeping problems are face by many people and there’s no cure and research about it but till this century, due to the rapidly increasing knowledge of mankind, many research have been brought up just to find solutions for all diseases. In the UK, most of the research are mainly focus on sleep apnea but not others as a proof that they are lagging on knowledge of sleep medicine and possibility of treatment in other sleeping disorders. There are some general principles of treatment that could be find worldwide but mostly in US. Treatments for sleeping disorders can generally be grouped into four different categories that are behavioural/ psychotherapeutic treatments, rehabilitation, medications and other somatic treatments. Treatments such as this does not provides a 100% success and not suitable for all sleeping disorders. History of different people and medical reports of everyone is so greatly different so it is best to say that specific treatment are given to specific patient’s diagnosis. Disorders such as narcolepsy are best treated pharmacologically. Chronic sleep disorder influenced 70% of children development and psychologically while sleep-phase disruption affects adolescents who could not attend regular school schedules. Effective treatment will begin with careful diagnosis and modifications in sleeping hygiene may reduced the problem. It si said that special equipments are used for several disorders( obstructive apnea). Research also shows that some sleep disorders are also found to be compromise glucose metabolism. Sleeping is absolutely the essential thing for a normal and healthy lifestyle, according to the United States, roughly about 40 million suffer from long term sleep disorder while nearly 20 million experience mild/ occasional sleep problems. Sleeping disorder suddenly became an important issue because many more people are facing it and body needs sleep to survive because study shown that s leep is essential for immune system and maintaining the ability to fight against diseases and sickness. Learning, growing, functions of brains also comes from the amount of rest absorb because it is said that sleeping helps regenerate and repair cells. Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is one of the most well-known sleep disorder face by many and said to be one of the most dangerous disorder to be faced compare to others. Another name for sleep apnea is call sleeping breathing disorder. This disorder is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is influenced by some activities during sleep. Untreated sleep apnea patients will normally face stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep almost hundreds of time. Facing this disorders means that the brain and body are not getting enough oxygen. There are actually two different kind of sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) and Central sleep apnea. OSA is more common of the two forms of apnea and normal the causes is a blockage of the airway usually the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep while Central sleep apnea is unlike OSA where there’s no blockage but the brain fails to signal the muscle to breath which will due to instant instability in the respiratory control centre. After having modern research from scientist, sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age even children, the causes of having sleep apnea are gender(mostly male) , being overweight, older after the age of forty, having a large neck size, large tonsils, family history and some other problems. Having untreated sleep apnea could cause quite severe effects like high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, diabetes, depression and worsening of ADHD. Having poor performances in activities in many different places could be one of the sign of facing sleep apnea.

Starbucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Starbucks - Essay Example Other countries where Starbucks has opened several stores include Canada, where it operates 1,248 and Japan where Starbucks has 965 stores (Garza par. 1). Industry Starbuck Corporation deals with the sales of drip brewed coffee, hot drinks of espresso, coffee beans, hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, salads, sweet pastries, Panini, snacks and other items such as tumblers and mugs. In addition, Starbucks sells coffee and ice cream at its grocery stores (Stevens and Loudon, 2005). As aforementioned, Starbucks is currently the largest coffee company and chain in the world operating more than 20,000 stores in 62 countries. Starbuck also stands out as one of the major employer company in the world with more than 149,000 employees. In addition, the company has over 4 million followers on Twitter plus 34 million likes on Facebook (Garza par. 3). Regarding growth, Starbucks currently operates at a mature stage of its lifecycle. Since its founding more than 2 decades ago, the company has experi enced rapid growth since its formation. Nevertheless, the growth prospects have significantly slowed down in recent times, which have even forced it to close some of its chains. Starbucks is currently focusing its efforts on its earlier endeavors and internationalization (Allison 4). Starbuck’s Mission Statement Starbuck’s mission statement is more than just words. ... Starbuck’s Sales History Starbuck has always registered increased sales over the last two decades of its existence. With a market capitalization worth $50 billion, the company has always been able to register increased sales, thanks to its quality coffee, which continue to attract more customers. In the year 2012, for example, the company registered $13 billion in sales (Murphy par. 3). Target Markets Starbuck has a very diverse market with segments varying depending on the different products that the company offers. However, in general terms, Starbuck’s target market comprises of the coffee drinkers throughout the country. Starbuck also targets mainly men and women aged between 18 to 35 years since they form about 40% of the total market. Most of the company’s customers reside in cities and suburban areas. Starbuck’s target market also comprises of university faculty members and students, as well as individuals working in managerial, professional, and exe cutive positions. Further, the company also targets people with earning relatively higher incomes, since the company’s products are more expensive than other coffee shops such as Tim Hotton and Coffee Times (Murphy par. 5). Competitive advantage Starbuck’s competitive advantage is based on the company’s strengths. These include the premium quality of its coffee drinks and other products that it offers. Starbuck also provide its customers with a brand experience that goes beyond the products that it deals with, including excellent customer service, peculiar drink names, and elegant looking stores that serves as an excellent meeting point. The company also gives back to the community and protects the environment through corporate social responsibility. In addition, the company has strong personnel

Organizational Behavior Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational Behavior Analysis - Term Paper Example If that is true, it is logical to say that no two organizations are the same either in behavior, culture or attitude. Organizational behavior plays a vital role in determining the success and failures of modern organizations. Globalization and liberalization have brought huge changes in organizations world. Modern organizations are working in a multicultural environment. Diverse workforce is common in most of the current organizations. Multicultural workforce would definitely have diverse communication means. Same way, strategies necessary to motivate a diverse workforce could be extremely different. Instead of intelligence quotient, emotional quotient of the employees appears to be more important in modern organizations. In short, new paradigms of OB are entering organizational world as time goes on. Apple Inc. is one of the prominent organizations in the world at present. They are the second largest in terms of market capitalization and also the most valuable technology company in the world at present. This paper analyses the importance of culture, communication, motivational techniques, emotional quotient and new paradigms in controlling the behavior of modern organizations, by taking Apple Inc. as the example. Culture As mentioned earlier, multiculturalism is not a myth, but a fact in modern organizations. ... When people from different cultures are working in the same organization, human resource managers may face lot of problems. The success of the organization lies in how well the HR managers solve such problems. For example, Muslims always like to have weekly off on Fridays whereas Christians like to have that on Sundays. These kind of contrasting interests or beliefs often cause problems to the HR managers. Even in the same culture, different subcultures often exist. For example, Roman Catholics and Protestants are two of the prominent communities in the Christian culture. Same way, Shia, Sunnis Kurds and Arabs are the subcultures in Islamic culture. The behavior, rituals, and customs of these subcultures are often different. â€Å"Some cultures put more emphasis on universal commitments (like honesty) while others put more weight on loyalty to particular people and relationships† (Ghemawat and Reiche, 2011, p.2). For example, people from some cultures are ready to tell even li es to save the interests of their companion. Such people places the value of relationships much above than anything else in this world. At the same time there are plenty of people who are not ready to tell lies even when their friends need their support badly. In short, modern organizations are operating based on the principles of pluralism and dualism and hence the salad bowl theory is extremely relevant to the modern organizations. As everybody knows, salad in a bowl consists of different vegetables and fruits. In other words, salads integrate the tastes of different vegetables and fruits and give eaters a unique taste. The taste of a salad is the sum total of the tastes of the individual components in it. It should be noted that the

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment Example Most sweatshop employees are working in incredibly harsh conditions and suffer a great deal. Surprisingly, this is even a problem for staff in North America, because all of the jobs go to employees in sweatshops since they get paid barely anything to work. The manufacturers of these products are perfectly satisfied with providing incredibly low wages because it is not against the law to make deals like this. The employees are suffering while the manufacturers are extremely wealthy. The press is constantly describing the troubles that the sweatshops cause for their employees. As mentioned, the conditions are incredibly harsh and no Canadian or American worker would survive in those conditions. Some Mexicans even try crossing deserts in order to escape the rule of the sweatshop employer. Some of the measures that can be done to prevent people working in sweatshops is to create North American ideas to consumers about avoiding buying products from those labels. If Nike does not sell anyt hing, it can no longer function and would have to close down.

Advantage and Disadvantage of Electrical Pre-fabricated cable Dissertation

Advantage and Disadvantage of Electrical Pre-fabricated cable - Dissertation Example Regardless of mixed reactions, it has been known for long periods of time that the preassembled electrical components have several benefits and problems. This research paper has, therefore, identified both the advantages and disadvantages of employing pre-fabricated electrical cables and other electrical components in electrical installation. The research paper has also explored the impacts of prefabrication technology on electrical installation and construction industry at large. In addition to identifying the advantages and disadvantages of employing pre-fabricated electrical cables, research paper has investigated the current trends in the use of prefabrication technology. The paper has also discussed how the prefabricated electrical cables are applied or used in the construction and electrical installation industry. In order to achieve its objectives, the research involved both secondary and primary data. With the regard to primary data, qualitative research was carried to gather the perceptions of public (particularly those who have some on knowledge on prefabricated and on-site fabricated electrical cables) and contractors regarding the advantages and disadvantages prefabricated electrical cables. In this case, a number of electricians and contractors were interviewed in the quantitative research part of the dissertation. In the case of the secondary data, qualitative research was carried out on the organizations that produce (manufacture) these prefabricated electrical cables. ... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I take this opportunity to acknowledge with great thanks the contributions that have been made towards the completion of this research by my Supervisor. I further take this precious time to acknowledge the contribution made by friends, classmates and family members towards the contribution made towards the completion of this project (dissertation). TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.INTRODUCTION 8 1.2 Research Aims and Objectives 9 1.3 Research problem statement 9 2.LITERATURE REVIEW 10 2.1 Description of Terms and Expressions 10 2.1.1 Prefabrication 11 2.1.2 Modularization 11 2.1.3 Preassembly 12 2.1.4 Industrialization 12 2.1.5 Prework methods of manufacturing 13 2.1.4 Advantages of prework methods of manufacturing 13 2.1.4 Disadvantages of pre-work methods of manufacturing 15 2.2 Trends and historical development of Prefabrication of electrical cables 16 2.2.1 Challenges that have faced prefabrication of electrical components 17 2.2.2 Trends and evolution of prefabrication 19 2. 3 Prefabricated Components in general 19 2.3.1 Advantages of Prefabricated components in general 20 2.3.2 Disadvantages of the prefabricated components in general 21 2.4 Prefabricated electrical cables. 22 2.4.1 Advantages and disadvantages of using prefabricated electrical cables and components 23 2.5 Application of Prefabricated electrical cables 26 2.5.1 Prefabricated electrical wiring systems 26 2.5.2 Merits of Prefabricated electrical wiring systems 27 2.5.3 Demerits of Prefabricated electrical wiring systems 30 2.5.4 The Basics of Prefabricated (Modular) electrical wiring systems 31 2.5.5 Perceptions associated with the adoption of Prefabricated wiring systems 33

Literature and History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literature and History - Essay Example ause literature provides the future with specific interpretations of these events, it can be equally argued that history is subordinate to literature. Knowledge of history helps to inform on stories such as â€Å"Amy Foster† by Joseph Conrad. With the knowledge of how colonialism affected other parts of the world during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this story is more easily understood as a person from a less developed country suddenly finds himself completely out of his context when he is shipwrecked on a foreign shore. This same effect, to different conclusions, is found in Kafka’s story about an ape who becomes human as a means of surviving his new surroundings. However, in their approach, these stories also serve to illustrate relatively universal human themes that remain applicable throughout time. While an understanding of history helps to inform the meaning of the work to a greater degree, this information also serves to help make the work more meaning ful personally to the reader. The nineteenth century began with the Regency period, during which sailors and merchants were beginning to overtake the ruling elite class in terms of economic success. This began to break down the rigid class systems of western society, particularly as these wealthy sailors and merchants began buying up the properties of the wealthy who had squandered all their available funds in trying to maintain the appearance of a properly genteel idle life. This was followed by the Victorian period, which is a period of great contradictions. It is considered to be the age of change and social advances as well as the age of strict social structure and a severe regard for the customs of the past. During this period, the Industrial Revolution came of age, blossomed and brought sweeping change across the country and the world. Life switched from being primarily dictated by the land one owned to a social structure based on commerce and manufacturing in the cities. In this

Short Visual Storytelling for the Web Term Paper

Short Visual Storytelling for the Web - Term Paper Example In the day to day life other visuals include variety of things from, the award winning films, the super bowl advertisements, business models and many other visual things. They all involve the commonness of someone trying to express themselves in a way. According to the phenomenon of perception, it can be said that the way the short visuals are illustrated accounts for their effectiveness or ineffectiveness in their way to be expressive (Klanten & Losowsky, 2001). To be able to appreciate the aspect of the short visual stories that are expressed in the day to day life, one has to be able to appreciate the works of people such as the great philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty in his book the phenomenon of perception. In his book Maurice expresses the realization that the way that the humans perceive is structured in a way that the body at the first instance perceives phenomena then reacts by reflecting on the particular phenomena through the mediation of perception. In his, book; The Phen omenon of Perception, Ponty appreciates the principles of the Cartesian dualism of the mind. The Cartesian dualism simply expresses that the mind and the body are the two fundamental substances that forms the universe and that the mental substance occupy a different realm. There is a relation that can be established from the Cartesian dualism and the visual story telling concepts that are established. The connection of the Cartesian dualism is the special relationship it awards to the visual literacy aspect. Visual literacy is the ability that one has and enables him to be able to engage his mind and read a picture, visual literacy therefore can be taken as an aspect whereby on is able to interpret the visual material and therefore interpreting and giving meaning to the forms of images that are presented to him or her (Gordon & Tamari, 2004 ). From the formulations of the visual story telling aspects, the devisors tend to make them in such a way that they are appealing to the viewer s they are meant for. Visual story telling are devised according to what they are meant to achieve, in a story that is meant to persuade someone to buy a product , the message is made in such an appealing way that it is able to draw the sought audience to go and get the product that the advertisement is about( Caputo, 2004). In the advertisement aspect, the appreciation of the phenomenology of perception, one mediates on the phenomena he perceives after he perceives. So according to Ponty, in advertisement is ones perception of the news that the product advertises is good and appeals to his needs, in most situation he will make a good deal of effort as to be able to acquire the product. In his book, Maurice Ponty indicated that all that one perceives in the world is gained from one’s own particular point of view; in this case this can be translated in the situation of the short visual story telling phenomena. From the perspective that one initializes corporation of thoughts i n his work, he is able to pass a certain message by the use of incorporation of though provoking elements. Through these elements, when the video gets to the general audience, the audience gets to perceive them however they deem the message is intended by the creator. The effectiveness of a visual story

Roman Construction Essay Example for Free

Roman Construction Essay The most magnificent structures and works of art can probably be found in Rome. Compared to other civilizations, the Roman constructions crossed the boundaries of engineering in creating buildings, bridges and other structures out of mortars, bricks and woods. From public infrastructures to private houses, Romans were able to create a whole new ground for strong structures and as a result most of the structures that were built centuries ago can still be found to date. Although Roman contsructions were often linked to those of the Greeks, the indebtedness of Romans to contribute more in generating materials as well as techniques created a whole new different perspective in order for them to perfect and affect space-making and their architectural thinking for the purpose of longevity. It was said that most of solutions created by the Romans for constructions and discoveries of   new techniques were greatly affected by the elements in the society such as wealth and high population densities. The innovative success of the Romans in the field of construction imposed the structures for the use of the public. The development in this field engined the growth of certain political propagandas which campaigned for the creation of building in pursuit of gaining fame from it and utilize such creations for public functions (Crystal, 2008). An example of one of the greatest structure created by the Romans in the Pantheon, a temple built for honoring gods. The Pantheon stands in the center of the city of Rome. Originally, it was Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa built the structure in the 27th B.C. From an ordinary rectangular shaped classical temple supported by colonnade on all sides, it was then rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian between AD 118 and 128 creating a central space called â€Å"rotunda†. Further reconstructions were done by succeding Roman emperors. The rotunda was then rebuilt by Emperors Septimius Lucius, Septimius Severus and Caracalla making it circular shaped during the third century which then formed the main parts of the Pantheon. Agrippas original portico remained untouched and across the porch of the portico stands sixteen Corinthian columns. The dome of the Pantheon was the largest ever built. The brick archs inside the dome which stand to provide external support are not visible, but rather only seen in t he lowest part of the dome (â€Å"The Pantheon†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The method used to construct the Pantheon remained undetermined but according to records materials such as bricks, a stone formed from volcanic dust called â€Å"tufa† as well as basalt and pumice were used to build the structure   with high quality. Pantheon is also known for its lavish interior and excellent lighting. The only souce of lighting from the builcing comes from the sun which passes from the top centre of the dome. This particular design in the Pantheon is considered as very revolutionary because it gave more emphasis on the interior design rather than the exterior part of the building. The grandiosity of Pantheon is evident through the colored marbles that is lined in the interiors, the rectangular shaped indentations cut out from the ceiling, the embellishment of bronze rosettes and moldings which later disappeared as well as a frieze of stucco decorations. The walls of the interiors are marked by seven deep recesse s which is screened by pairs of columns (â€Å"The Pantheon†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another Roman construction that has survived the scourge of time is the Roman Coloseum. This historical arena stands between the Esquiline and Calian Hills in Rome, Italy. Also known as the Flavian Ampitheater, this served as an area for entertainment among the Romans; wild beast hunts and gladiatorial combats are among the many spectacles shown in the ampitheater. The colosseum can accommodate around 50,000 spectators and holds about 80 entrances, 4 of which are made for the emperor. The external area of the ampitheater is built out of travertines while the tufa bricks infill the interiors. Marble blocks served as the main pedestal which are held by metal pins. Unfortunately the pins were then carried out by thieves and was later on replaced with mortars. The seats for the audience are classified according to social class and gender. Better seats are gained by those members of the community who are in the higher social status. Wooden benches on the fourth tier are made for the poor.   In order to protect the crowd from the rainy or hot weather a wide colored awning known as â€Å"velarium† is stretched overhead. For nearly four centuries, gladiatorial combats and other spectacles are held in the colosseum (â€Å"Roman Colosseum†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The aqueducts or the Roman waterway system held brought great changes in the field of engineering. It is considered to be the most advanced water system during the ancient times. Over the span of 500 years, 11 aqueducts were created that supplied the whole city of Rome. Some of the known aqueducts in Rome that maintained the flow of water during the ancient times are Aqua Appia, Aqua Novus and the Aqua Alexandrina. a combination of stones, bricks and pozzuolana, a speacial volcanic cement. The aqueducts certainly leave a distinct impression because despite the visible large arch structures, an impressive waterway system functions below the ground. It carried flowing water in areas like the valleys. The entire sytem relies mainly on slopes and gravity for the continuous flow of water to be maintained.   Once the water hits Rome, large reservoirs called â€Å"castella†, which is maintained on the highest ground held the water supply of the whole city, which could be tapped by public fountains, baths and private villas from the network provided which sometimes requires a fee (â€Å"Roman Aqueducts†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What the Romans constructed then had greatly affected various aspects in the society and the innovations they have created set forth an example of maximizing the available resources and still be able to produce quality works that will last for generations. In general, different Roman constructions were able to supply further solutions to problems and became a standard for great infrastructure we have today. References Crystal, E. (2008). Ancient Roman Architecture. Crystal Links. Retrieved June 13, 2008 from http://www.crystalinks.com/romearchitecture.html The Pantheon. Wise Dude.   (n.d) Retrieved June 13, 2008 from  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.wisedude.com/history pantheon.htm Roman Colosseums. UNRV History. (n.d) Retrieved June 13, 2008 from http://www.unrv.com/culture/colosseum.php Roman Aqueducts. UNRV History. (n.d) Retrieved June 13, 2008 from http://www.unrv.com/culture/roman-aqueducts.php

Reflection on the Role of Consumption in Everyday Life

Reflection on the Role of Consumption in Everyday Life Meghan Tenorio Consumption in Everyday Life Eating a hamburger. Buying a t-shirt. Buying a car. Buying gasoline. Just a few things that everyone will do or will most likely do in their lifetime. Consumption is the using up of goods and services by consumer purchasing or in the production of other goods. Someone in the field of international studies can be looking for a relationship between consumption and its role in the environment, national identity, gender, and economic development. Consumption’s role in daily life is inevitable, and as we advance further into the 21st century we can see just how much it connects the people as a whole. â€Å"A pound of sugar is only a quantity, a convenient load, not an object in itself. The book, however – and here it prefigures the durables of our time – is a distinct, self-contained object, exactly reproduced on a large scale. One pound of sugar flows into the next; each book has its own eremitic self-sufficiency† (Anderson 34). This quote is just an example of the simultaneous consumption of the newspaper-as-fiction. Consumption may never be predictable. While â€Å"particular morning and evening editions will overwhelmingly be consumed between this hour, and that, only on this day, not that; sugar, the use of which proceeds in an unclocked, continuous flow; it may go bad, but it does not go out of date† (Anderson 35). Consumption is also not limited to one thing at a time; it may be and usually is simultaneous. As the same newspaper reader reads on the subway or in the barbershop while getting his hair cut, he is performing multiple acts of consumpt ion at once. This assures the reader that the world is visibly rooted in the act of consumption in everyday life. Print-capitalism, a possible form of consumption, is a way that communities can achieve a sense of national identity and connect on a profound level. â€Å"Hence, the printer’s office emerged as the key to North American communications and community intellectual life† (Anderson 61). Assuming that consumption is a social process says that our identity focuses on symbolic aspects rather than the actual material consumption. In the book Eaarth by Bill McKibben consumption is spoken about in the sense of environment – water, land, and especially forms of energy. It is one of the main reasons that the earth is where it is right now – slowly (or perhaps not as slowly as we thought) degrading into earth where any kind of adaptation will prove impossible. As he states, â€Å"Global warming is no longer a philosophical threat, no longer a future threat, no longer a threat at all. It’s our reality. We’ve changed the planet, changed it in large and fundamental ways†¦ We need now to understand the world that we’ve created, and consider – urgently – how to live in it† (McKibben Xiv). The Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius offers the idea a century ago that we were â€Å"evaporating our coal mines into the air,† and calculated that this could eventually raise temperatures, but nobody seemed to pay much attention. We’re not going to get back th e planet we once had. â€Å"We’re like the guy who ate steak for dinner every night and let his cholesterol top 300 and had a heart attack. Now he dines on Lipitor and walks on the treadmill, but half his heart is dead tissue† (McKibben 16). Through high levels of consumption, we’ve burned the coal and the oil, and released the first dose of carbon, that carbon that raised the temperature enough to start the process in motion. Once it’s in motion there is nothing to shut it off but can only be slightly lessened. Without even realizing it â€Å"†¦now, we’ve turned our cars and factories into junior volcanoes, and so we’re not just producing carbon faster than the plant world can absorb it; we’re also making it so hot that the plants absorb less carbon than they used to† (McKibben 23). From the time that we wake up, the second we turn on that coffee pot till the second we turn off the lights and go to bed (don’t forge t the furnace or the air-conditioner that is probably still running) we are burning coal and gas and oil. Our tendency for consumption – not only consumption but more specifically over-consumption – is why we are where we are environmentally. â€Å"Richard Heinberg, the analyst who was one of the first to alert the world to the impending oil peak, once compiled a list of things made from oil that ran from computer chips, insecticides, anesthetics, and fertilizers, right through lipstick, perfume, and pantyhose to aspirin and parachutes† (McKibben 30). These are just a few products that we all consume in one way, or another. This consumption, the overuse of oil, is leading to global warming. It is possible to slow down the growth but only with the cooperation on a small scale – â€Å"small, not significant; dispersed, not centralized† (McKibben 120). All this can add up to the results we are looking for. This means reshaping our society. Growth and expansion requires a kind of centralization: a concentration of resources and the need for consumption. What we are looking for is the opposite. Our earth may never be the same, but at least we will still have an earth to thrive on in whatever shape or form. Consumption has a huge involvement in economic development in the way that whatever we consume benefits the economy. This holds true to many products: food, beauty products, intangible items, and even something as simple as a plain white cotton t-shirt. In the book The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli it shows many examples of how consumption all over the world can have effects on the growth of the economy in the U.S. The shirts that have the â€Å"Made in China† label are usually made out of cotton that comes from Texas. Texas cotton doesn’t brag about where it was born and raised: †Desolate, hardscrabble, and alternately baked to death, shredded by windstorms, or pummeled by rocky hail, west Texas will never have much of a tourist trade† (Rivoli 3). However, there is a very good chance that your t-shirt and mine were born there in a city called Lubbock, the self-proclaimed â€Å"cottonest city† in the world. Cotton may see m like an unlike candidate for economic success in the United States, but the consumption rates prove it to be a good candidate as most of cotton comes from the U.S. Cotton growers can also appeal to other aspects of consumption than only t-shirts. â€Å"Connoisseurs agree that when it comes to frying chips, cottonseed oil is best† (Rivoli 52). Colgate-Palmolive is also a major customer when it comes to cottonseed oil. This just proves the fact that consumption occurs in multiple ways at once – from the cotton to the cottonseed oil – and, therefore, can help the economic growth and stability more rapidly. Although, because of the abundance of cotton growers in the U.S., other countries fail to find economic stability through cotton production itself as well as the U.S. has. Consumption is an everyday thing and starts as soon as you wake up right up until you turn the lights off at night. It has its benefits up to a set point but also needs to be regulated if we want to maintain a livable planet. Consumption can be a social act, as well as materialistic. Either way, consumption as a whole benefits our national identity and economic development, though if not taken down to the local level it could be harmful to our environment and planet as we know it. Works Cited Anderson, Benedict R. OG. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso, 1991. Print. McKibben, Bill. Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet. New York: Times, 2010. Print. Rivoli, Pietra. The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power and Politics of World Trade. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, 2005. Print.