Population Ecology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Population Ecology - Essay Example This underpinned one of the lectures important contents, which is the demonstration of how life history traits are determined as a response to environmental factors such as in the case of survivorship or mortality patterns. I have chosen to attend this lecture because it is related to my field of study, which is Health Studies and I am interested to gain more insights about the nature of the courses I am going to study later on. I think that human ecology is related to my course because it is a framework that could explain the incidence of many health issues. When I attended the lecture, I already know that human ecology studies the relationship between population and the environment. After the lecture, this was further enriched by new information such as how the field could predict or project vital statistics and health issues such as death and diseases. At first, it was challenging for me to take notes and follow the lecture since it is a new experience for me. But I learned to focus on the structure of the lecture and identify contexts so that I was able to understand the difficult contents better. All in all, the lecture is important to my academic goals because it gave me a glimpse of the content of one of the courses I plan to take for my undergraduate

The Influence of Culture on Language Essay Example for Free

The Influence of Culture on Language Essay In this movies, I can find a lot of concepts that we have been studied in this four chapter. Although I mostly disagree the main idea of this movie, I think it is fight for survive and there are not clear justice, I admit it is a good movie to study intercultural communication. After watching this movie, I first think about the Identity. Identities are sets of social expectation related to ourselves and others that are grounded in the interplay between similarities and difference and pertain to personal, relational and communal aspects of lives. As you can see from the opening scene when the general hope the Lieutenant Jim to fight for human, even he make him to choose between his brother life or Mala. A role is something one puts on and takes off depending on the needs of the situation. In this situation, the general expected the Lieutenant Jim to fight for him but not for parliament, because he think Jim is a human and soldier, he could not fight for Terrian. It is a role expectation. I also find the communications relationship to identity in this movie and it is Ironically. When the soldiers find the Mala in their Ark, they first thought is she will destroy Ark, they should catch her as soon as possible. Such identity label always take this common idea that Mala is not human, she must in order to destroy to come the Ark. The communication naturally reflects her identities, also her identities will common reflect what she will doing. But ironically, who arrest human to capture the planet uncompromising is not Mala, but Lieutenant Jim, also a human. It is no doubt to find the movie is most to focus on personal identity. The movie highly praise the personal identity has special power to solve the conflicts between relational identity and communal identity. As a human, he has a communal identity. But he also has a relational identity that he is a friend of Mala. During the battle, he want to save his brother and also do not want to hurt Mala, at this time, he did another choice. At last, there a scene shows a big sculpture about Lieutenant Jim. Heroism most present a personal identity. In the movie, I find another conflict about the worldview. What is our relationship with the nature, mastery or adaptive. The general certainly stand for mastery the world. He want to capture the planet and change the world to another earth. Human is mostly like to mastery the world. We can find at the movie stated, it is because of absolute mastery the nature, we are ver-exploitation, destroy the nature and fight each other that lead to lose our world. But the parliament seems to change. It is more like Terrian to adaptive the world. They stand to share the world and lend into the environment. At this point, we can find another concept which we study in this for chapter is Similarities and Differences. So when we discuss the culture, we could not be overgeneralization. Back to the worldview, we find the Terrians world view is more in accordance with that current environmental protection organization advocated. At this view, I really love to adapt the world or not to master it. But at last, I mostly find that human is more like to make a big cage to close ourselves. I thought the author is rather extreme. At last, I think to study a intercultural communication in a movie is a meaningful and interesting. But maybe it is a little exaggeration, because the movie always take some authors personal value in it.

The Impact Of Internet Marketing

The Impact Of Internet Marketing Internet marketing is also known as digital marketing, web marketing, online marketing, or e-marketing. As the name states, it is the advertising of products or services over the Internet. However, it also implies marketing through the wireless media and through e-mail. Electronic Customer Relationship Management (E-CRM) systems are also categorized under Internet marketing. IM can be creative, as well as, technical through its design, development, advertising, and sales over the Internet. In the past ten years, the Internet population varied a lot (Sandelands, 1997); an estimation of about 50 percent increase of the World Wide Web (WWW) per month and the numbers of websites double every 53 days (Gilbert, Perry and Widijoso, 1999). A 60 percent of large companies and 30 percent of midsize companies were estimated to make use of the Internet for marketing purposes by the year 2000 (Crain, 1994). In 2003, the first generation of internet users was fresh graduates fast to get the concepts of online commerce and shopping. The WWW is an electronic technology which is an effective means for marketing hotels and it also develops customer relationship in the long-run (Gilbert, Perry and Widijoso, 1999). The Internet allows firms to open a Web site in an electronic mall, have their products available to millions of potential customers and only in a short time period. GE, IBM, Ford, Kraft, and Proctor Gamble were the first to register domain names (Herbig and Hale, 1997). Because Internet grew in only five years (Lagrosen, 2005) and there are no barriers for time or location, internet marketing has become the new era in E-commerce with petty variable cost per customer (Deighton, 1997). Marketers use full color advertising that appeal similar to both -young and old- to attract people all over the world. The Internet is now considered as a much greater resource than traditional means of marketing (Herbig and Hale, 1997). All industries have subject matter experts (SMEs) (Marquis, 2001) who are responsible to unify and apply knowledge from different vendors and sources to solve industry problems. To prepare a Web site merging SME knowledge with other reference sources is one of example of Internet model, (Strauss and Frost, 1999), to retain and attract customers (Heinen, 1996). A well designed Web site can lead to an interesting, low cost means for sales promotion to worldwide customers (Hamill, 1997). Marketers should also refer to the AIDA model-Attent ion, Interest, Desire and Action- to successfully attract customers by introducing the right marketing on Internet (Lagrosen, 2005). 2. Objective of Study The generalized objective of the research is to assess the contribution of internet marketing on effectiveness of marketing and customer relationship management operations in specific reference to Indian organizations and Multi National Corporations (MNCs) operating in India. In the light of the above, the research attempts to have the following specific objectives: 1 To study the impact of internet marketing in attracting buyers to the websites/organizations. 2 To study the impact of internet marketing in retaining buyers of the websites/organizations. 3 To study the impact of internet marketing in maintaining customer loyalty towards the websites/organizations. 4 To study the impact of internet marketing in providing brand experience to the customers of the websites/organizations. 5 To study the impact of internet marketing in maintaining CRM for the customers of the websites/organizations. 3. Scope of Study its Limitations The proposed study would include selected organizations in India, which have used internet marketing for enhancing effectiveness of marketing operations. The impact of internet marketing on attracting buyers, retaining buyers, maintaining customer loyalty, providing brand experience and maintaining CRM would be assessed through structured research techniques. There are some limiting factors that can be called inherent in a research of this nature. These factors advise the following precautions to be observed in understanding and comparing the results. 1. The entire population of the organizations will not be covered under the study. An attempt to study the nature of the population through the limited sample will be made. All the limitations of a sample study shall apply to this research. 2. The values will be sampled from literature, but the problems of representative sample of such values may remain unresolved. 3. The assessment of relative impact of internet marketing is not wholly objective. Evidently, the research would provide rather inadequate basis for generalization about the entire organizational world. 4. The methodology for identification, grouping and measuring of several variables is only one of the different possibilities and is not a perfect one. As such, in an explorative study on assessment of relative impact of internet marketing, these weaknesses are unavoidable and one will have to use the findings with ones maturity and insight to arrive at logical conclusions. 5. The findings of the study may be expected to hold good for top-level and middle-level executives involved in internet marketing in India. 4. Hypothesis The basic hypothesis of the study is that internet marketing positively affects marketing operations. Some of the specific hypotheses are listed below: 1 Higher attraction of customers is positively correlated with usage of internet marketing. 2 Higher retention of customers is positively correlated with usage of internet marketing. 3 Higher loyalty of customers is positively correlated with usage of internet marketing. 4 Better brand experience of customers is positively correlated with usage internet marketing. 5 Better Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is positively correlated with usage of internet marketing. 5. Research Methodology The proposed study is to assess the impact of internet marketing on effectiveness of marketing operations. The functioning of the organizations, which have adopted internet marketing, will be compared against functioning of the same organizations, when internet marketing was not in practice. The backbone of this research is to establish and sustain a clear link between conceptual framework and empirical analysis. The main importance of this consideration comes from the belief that unless the conceptual framework and empirical study are highly integrated, each one of them individually would present a partitioned and distorted image of the research points. For that this study will depend on: Conceptual framework: depending mostly on the secondary data. Empirical study : depending mostly on the primary data. A combined research strategy based on survey and secondary will be carried out in the research by using structured questionnaires and interviews as a primary data collection methods. Suitable statistical techniques like Weighted Mean Analysis and Chi Square Test would be used to analyze the collected data and the conclusions would be drawn for making the recommendations. The proposed study is intended to be carried out for Indian organizations and MNCs operating in this country. The data for the study will be mainly generated through structured questionnaires to be filled up by different managerial personnel and secondary data (research reports) would also be used, wherever necessary. 6. Review of Literature The Internet plays an important role in many companies marketing communication strategies, accounting for $18.5 billion in total spending in 2005. Online advertising now ranges from directory listings of the early days to the more recent multimedia ads enabled by video streaming. Although online advertising technology has advanced to a great extent, consumers reaction toward online advertising did not improve over the years. To the contrary, banner ad click-through rates have steadily declined. Some intrusive online advertising formats have stimulated intense negative reactions from consumers (Edwards, Li and Lee, 2002). Despite its start as an interactive advertising format that should draw consumers, online advertising now faces the danger of becoming another push media and being rejected by consumers as with traditional advertising. These developments run against the trend of integrated marketing communications (IMC). IMC purports the coordination of marketing activities to form a purposeful dialogue with stakeholders (Duncan 2002), which implies the participation of consumers and a need to take consumer preferences into consideration. As a result, two-way interactive communication with consumers should be at the center of marketing communication efforts (Duncan and Moriaty, 1998). The same thinking is reflected in relationship marketing, which treats consumers as a partner in the marketing process and advocates a more intimate approach to marketing (Vargo and Lusch, 2004). This suggests that, for advertising to be truly effective to todays more wary and demanding consumers, it needs to put consumers back into the equation and empower them while getting the message across. This issue is especially critical to online advertising, as it is considered the most interactive form of advertising and has the potential o f leading the advertising industry toward the right direction. While traditional marketing strategies focus mostly on conveying information to consumers and persuading consumers, recent theories argue for a much more active and powerful role of consumers in marketing (Stewart and Pavlou, 2002, Vargo and Lusch, 2004). Consumers are no longer just receivers at one end of the communication continuum but instead actively participate in the marketing process, including the development and distribution of advertisements. As a result, consumers co-construct the meaning of marketing messages and develop a more effective personal relationship with companies. Reflecting this line of thinking, Duncan and Moriaty (1998) argue that the key to communicating effectively with consumers is a two-way exchange built on balance, symmetry, and reciprocity. This calls for attention to consumers needs and preferences in marketing communication. It advocates building long-term relationship with consumers at their willingness rather than pushing products to consumers to create near-term sales. Evidence of the need to attend to consumers needs and preferences can be gleaned from research on the general attitude toward advertising and advertising avoidance. Studies in these areas show that advertising forms that are forced onto consumers without regard to their choices are generally received negatively (Shavitt, Vargas and Lowrey, 2004). Ads in such forms are more likely to be avoided (Speck and Elliott, 1997) and tend to have adverse effects on brand recall and subsequent attitudes (Mehta, 2000). These negative effects have been attributed to the intrusiveness of ad exposure, the disruption of normal communication, and the ensuing annoyance (Shavitt, Vargas and Lowrey, 2004, Speck and Elliott, 1997). Supporting these academic findings, the advertising industry has witnessed in recent years the steady decline of dependence on TV commercials, an advertising form that has been consistently rated as the most negative by consumers due to its intrusive and pushy nature (Mittal, 1 994, Shavitt, Vargas and Lowrey, 2004). Advertisers are now resorting to much softer approaches such as product placement in TV programs and are shifting their focus to less offensive media such as print media and the Internet. Taken together, academic and industry evidences both point to a need to incorporate consumers communication preferences into advertising. As a newly emerged advertising medium, the Internet has the most potential for incorporating consumer preferences into the advertising process and overcoming the negative denotation that comes with traditional media advertising. It is an interactive medium that allows two-way communication between consumers and advertisers (Hoffman and Novak, 1996). With a diverse set of online advertising tools, advertisers can engage in effective multi-stage communication with consumers. For example, with the initial help of banner ads or search engine listings, companies can pull interested consumers to their websites for rich product information and immersive brand experience. The use of online communities can further deepen consumers identification and relationship with the brand. At each step of the process, consumers can actively participate by offering feedback to companies and by controlling the information they receive. Some online advertising formats, such as search engine advertising, del iver highly targeted advertising messages to consumers right when they need the information. All of this contributes to potentially better understanding and incorporation of consumer needs and preferences, which should lead to more effective marketing communication. The same characteristics of the Internet media also present unique challenges to advertisers. The interactive capability of the Internet endows consumers with more control. As a result, they tend to be more demanding and to be less tolerant of forced communication from advertisers. The more goal-oriented and high-involvement nature of Internet media use also means that disruption by advertisements will create more annoyance among consumers. Since some online advertising formats such as interstitials force consumers to deviate from their main goals to respond to the ads, they have been found to create reactance among consumers and to lead to negative perceptions of the advertiser and the advertised products (Edwards, Li and Lee, 2002). This equivocal nature of interactive communication is reflected in the interactivity literature. Although some existing studies have found interactive ads to be more persuasive than non-interactive ads (e.g., Fortin and Dholakia, 2005, Sundar, Kalyanaraman and Brown, 2003), other studies have revealed no or even negative effects of interactivity on persuasion (e.g., Bezjian-Avery, Calder and Iacobucci, 1998, Coyle and Thorson, 2001, Lohtia, Donthu and Hershberger, 2003). Consequently, researchers have pointed out that interactivity may not be advantageous across all consumers and/or all situations (Liu and Shrum, 2002). These conflicting findings show the intricacies of interactive communication and a need to consider how individual consumers may react to interactive advertising messages differently according to their own needs. The key consideration for an online advertiser is to maximize the benefits of the self-selected and interactive nature of the online media, and in the meantime avoid offensive and excessively interactive advertising messages to consumers who do not want to interact. The first step toward this direction is to understand how much consumers are willing to use the Internet in an interactive fashion (rather than as a passive information source as with traditional media) and what drives their desire to do so. In academic research, perceived value is an important component of the Technology Acceptance Model proposed by Davis, Bagozzi and Warshaw (1989) found that perceived usefulness is the most important predictor of peoples intention to use a new information technology, and this finding has been replicated in various other settings, including consumers adoption of online tools and consumers intention to shop at an online store (Gentry and Calantone, 2002, Koufaris, 2002). Within the arena of dyadic communication and relationships, value perception is considered a key contributor to the decision to engage in interactive relationship-oriented behavior. Sheth and Parvatiyar (1995), for example, proposed that consumers are more prone to engage in relational market behavior if the behavior brings values such as efficiency and risk reduction. In an online environment, Ko, Cho, and Roberts (2005) found that consumers needs for convenience and social interaction and the perceived ability of the Internet to fulfill such needs have a positive impact on consumers interaction intentions. While perceived value is a motivator of online interaction, perceived risk can deter a consumer from interacting online. Following Stone and Gronhaug (1993), perceived risk is defined as subjective expectations of loss as a result of interacting online. Research on traditional communication demonstrates a link between perceived risk and an individuals willingness to interact. When individuals perceive a certain situation to be uncertain and risky, they are likely to withdraw socially and exhibit a reluctance to engage in interaction (McCroskey, 1984, Neuliep and Ryan, 1998). Risk is a central topic to online marketing (Olivero and Lunt, 2004). On the Internet, face-to-face communication is replaced with screen-to-face communication. This virtual nature of the Internet brings uncertainty and risk to online communication and may prevent consumers from interacting more online. For example, an advertiser may attempt to elicit interaction from a consumer by sending a promotional email linking to additional information. But if the consumer perceives clicking on such email links as risky, he or she is unlikely to take the further step even if there is some interest in the product. Indeed, studies by industry, government, and academic resea rchers all recognize perceived risk as a big obstacle to the expansion of e-commerce (Federal Trade Federal Trade Commission, 2000, Grabner-Kraeuter, 2002, Miyazaki and Fernandez, 2001, Olivero and Lunt, 2004). The research has shown that the degree of an individuals privacy and security concerns vary with the individuals education (Burke, 2002), Internet experience (Miyazaki and Fernandez, 2001), and his or her general propensity to trust (Lee and Turban, 2001, Uslaner, 2000). The different degrees of concern can lead to variations in perceived risk and thus lead to different levels of willingness to engage in online interaction. Time-pressedness refers to a consumers general lack of time in completing the tasks in daily life. Lack of time is a common syndrome of todays fast-paced lifestyle. This time-pressedness, felt to different degrees by different consumers, can have a double-edged effect on consumers usage of the Internet. Consumers may use the Internet more because of its timesaving benefits (Alba, Lynch, Weitz, Janiszewski, Lutz, Sawyer and Wood, 1997). For example, instead of consulting daily newspaper and TV for availability of products and services, consumers can quickly research a large assortment of products on the Internet. The constant availability of the Internet also appeals to consumers with a tight schedule. However, two-way communication is highly engaging and time-consuming (Liu and Shrum, 2002). In studies of interactivity, researchers have demonstrated that the speed of a communication constitutes an important dimension of how interactive the communication is. A more synchronized communication leads to higher satisfaction and more positive attitude toward the communication target (Liu and Shrum, 2002). Industry research shows that consumers who have a faster broadband Internet connection engage in a wider variety of activities than consumers with regular dial-up connections (Horrigan, 2003). Some of these activities, such as email and online chatting, are especially communication-oriented. Such differences between broadband and dial-up Internet users can be attributed partially to the fact that a constant-on broadband connection provides greater convenience than a dial-up connection. Not only does it provide the consumer more opportunities to interact online, its high connection speed also allows richer communication formats such as voice chatting and rich media advertising . This makes the Internet a better choice for substituting or complementing other communication channels (Daft and Lengel, 1986). 7. Chapterization Scheme Chapter 01 Introduction The first chapter of the proposed research would be devoted to the history of internet marketing and would review the transformation of marketing from traditional to customer centric internet marketing. In particular, this chapter would discuss various possible contributions of internet marketing towards fulfillment of strategic goals of organizations with special reference to India. This chapter would elaborate the research plan and objectives. This chapter would also outline the hypotheses and conclusions. Chapter 02 Research Methodology This chapter of the proposed research would be devoted to establish and sustain a clear link between conceptual framework and empirical analysis. There would be special emphasis on integrating conceptual framework with empirical study. The research tools, data collection tools, data analysis tools would be elaborated in this chapter. The sample size, sampling method and justification for usage in research would also be elaborated. Chapter 03 Attraction and Retention of Customers This chapter of the proposed research would differentiate between Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) marketplaces. This chapter would further describe how and why customers purchase online and why consumers are attracted to particular suppliers. Online and off-line customers would be compared in order to understand reasons for observed differences. Various antecedents of the online experience would be addressed to determine influences on satisfaction and buying behavior. Web site efficacy (usefulness and ease-of-use) would be addressed in light of its importance in customer satisfaction and retention for online shopping. The chapter would conclude with insights for internet marketers to attract new buyers, satisfy, and retain them. Chapter 04 Customer Loyalty This chapter of the proposed research would discuss the importance of an integrated framework for understanding the impact of corporate image, customer trust, and customer value on e-customer loyalty in a B2C e-commerce context. This framework would incorporate cognitive and affective components in order to gain customer mind share, nurture emotional ties, and influence future purchase decisions. Chapter 05 Brand Experience This chapter of the proposed research would make a case for the importance of branding efforts by reviewing major approaches to brand development in both offline and online marketing environments. The concept of Interactive Brand Experiences (IBE) would be created and explored via the use of marketing tools, such as personalization, co-creation, purchase-process streamlining, self-service, brand community, rich media, product self-design, dynamic pricing, and customization. This chapter would deal with two major challenges involved in integrating branding efforts in online and off-line spaces: (1) identifying the appropriate techniques and the media best suited to deliver them and (2) executing seamlessly at all touch points in the process. Chapter 06 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) This chapter of the proposed research would elaborate how the Internet has emerged as a powerful electronic customer relationship management tool. This chapter would emphasize that this tool is of practical use only when consumers are willing to provide the type of information that is of value to the internet marketer. Consumer willingness to provide personal information is a cornerstone of customer relationship management. This chapter would explore how consumers self-confidence in using the Internet impacts their willingness to provide personal information online. Chapter 07 Analysis and Interpretation of Data This chapter of the proposed research would analyze the collected data and would also interpret the findings after application of statistical tools. Chapter 08 Summary of Findings, Conclusions, Limitations and Further Scope of Research This final chapter of the proposed research would summarize findings, draw conclusions and elaborate on limitations of the proposed research. This chapter would present a futuristic look at internet marketing in the decades to come through future research. In particular, this chapter would highlight the needs of organizations towards adoption of internet marketing in congruence with business strategies. In addition, this chapter would offer some valuable suggestions for the internet marketing professionals of the future. References Alba, Joseph, John Lynch, Barton Weitz, Chris Janiszewski, Richard Lutz, Alan Sawyer, and Stacy Wood. Interactive Home Shopping: Consumer, Retailer, and Manufacturer Incentives to Participate in Electronic Marketplaces. Journal of Marketing 61, 3 (1997): 38-53. Bezjian-Avery, Alexa, Bobby Calder, and Dawn Iacobucci. New Media Interactive Advertising Vs. Traditional Advertising. Journal of Advertising Research 38, July/August (1998): 23-32. Burke, Raymond R. Technology and the Customer Interface: What Consumers Want in the Physical and Virtual Store. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 30, 4 (2002): 411-432. Coyle, James R., and Esther Thorson. The Effects of Progressive Levels of Interactivity and Vividness in Web Marketing Sites. Journal of Advertising 30, Fall (2001): 65-77. Daft, Richard L., and Robert H. Lengel. Organizational Information Requirements, Media Richness and Structural Design. Management Science 32, 5 (1986): 554-571. David C. Gilbert, Jan Powell-Perry and Sianandar Widijoso (1999), Approaches by hotels to the use of the Internet as a relationship marketing tool, Journal of Marketing Practice: Applied Marketing Science, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 21-38. Davis, Fred D., Richard P. Bagozzi, and Paul R. Warshaw. User Acceptance of Computer Technology: A Comparison of Two Theoretical Models. Management Science 35, 8 (1989): 982-1003. Deighton, J. (1997), Commentary on exploring the implications of the Internet for consumer marketing, Academy of Marketing Science, vol.25 No.4, pp.329-46. Duncan, Tom, and Sandra E. Moriaty. A Communication-Based Marketing Model for Managing Relationships. 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Psychology Marketing 19, 11 (2002): 945-956. Grabner-Kraeuter, Sonja. The Role of Consumers Trust in Online-Shopping. Journal of Business Ethics 39, 1/2 (2002): 43-50. Hoffman, Donna L., and Thomas P. Novak. Marketing in Hypermedia Computer-Mediated Environments: Conceptual Foundations. Journal of Marketing 60, 3 (1996): 50-68. Horrigan, John B. Adoption of Broadband to the Home. PEW Internet and American Life Project, available online at http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_adoption.pdf, 2003. Jim Hamill (1997), The Internet and international marketing, International Marketing Review, Vol. 14, No. 5, pp.300-323. Joseph Heinen (1996), Internet marketing practices, Information Management Computer Security, 4/5, pp. 7-14. Ko, Hanjun, Chang-Hoan Cho, and Marilyn S. Roberts. Internet Uses and Gratifications. Journal of Advertising 34, 2 (2005): 57-70. Koufaris, Marios. Applying the Technology Acceptance Model and Flow Theory to Online Consumer Behavior. Information Systems Research 13, 2 (2002): 205-224. Lee, Matthew K. O., and Efraim Turban. A Trust Model for Consumer Internet Shopping. International Journal of Electronic Commerce 6, 1 (2001): 75-91. Liu, Yuping, and L. J. Shrum. What Is Interactivity and Is It Always Such a Good Thing? Implications of Definition, Person, and Situation for the Influence of Interactivity on Advertising Effectiveness. Journal of Advertising 31, 4 (2002): 53-64. Lohtia, Ritu, Naveen Donthu, and Edmund K. Hershberger. The Impact of Content and Design Elements on Banner Advertising Click-through Rates. Journal of Advertising Research 43, 4 (2003): 410-418. Marquis, S. (2001), Lets not ignore the potential of the Web as a mass ad medium, Marketing, March, p. 26. [14] Boutie, P. (1997), Tales from the Web: What do Marketers Do on the Internet Today? What Works? Why?, European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR), Amsterdam. McCroskey, James C. The Communication Apprehension Perspective. In Avoiding Communication: Shyness, Reticence, and Communication Apprehension, J. A. Daly and J. C. McCroskey, eds., Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 1984. Mittal, Banwari. Public Assessment of TV Advertising: Faint Praise and Harsh Criticism. Journal of Advertising Research 34, 1 (1994): 35-53. Miyazaki, Anthony D., and Ana Fernandez. Consumer Perceptions of Privacy and Security Risks for Online Shopping. The Journal of Consumer Affairs 35, 1 (2001): 27-44. Neuliep, James W., and Daniel J. Ryan. The Influence of Intercultural Communication Apprehension and Socio-Communicative Orientation During Initial Cross-Cultural Interaction. Communication Quarterly 46, 1 (1998): 88-99. Olivero, Nadia, and Peter Lunt. Privacy Versus Willingness to Disclose in E-Commerce Exchanges: The Effect of Risk Awareness on the Relative Role of Trust and Control. Journal of Economic Psychology 25, 2 (2004): 243-262. 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From Consumer Response to Active Consumer: Measuring the Effectiveness of Interactive Media. Journal of The Academy of Marketing Science 30, 4 (2002): 376-396. Stone, Robert N., and Kjell Gronhaug. Perceived Risk: Further Considerations for the Marketing Dis. European Journal of Marketing 27, 3 (1993): 39-52. Strauss, J. and Frost

Love And Loss Essay -- English Literature

Love And Loss I chose to discuss love and loss as these were two strong emotions that have occured in my life. They are both very different but also similar in a way. The two poems I felt dealt with love and loss the best were 'The Thickness Of Ice' by Liz Loxley and 'Remember' by Christina Rossetti. I chose these poems as the thoughts reflected and the experiences included related very much to my own life and views. 'The Thickness of Ice' by Liz Loxley is a well structured, modern poem which refers to how strong love can be but how it can also be the cause to end a relationship. It shows how couples need more than love to keep them together. 'Ice' is a metaphor for a relationship. The persona uses this to show how it can be strong and can withstand pressure but can just as easily thaw, crack and eventually break. Also, the persona uses visual metaphors such as "thickness" (stanza two) and "thinness" of ice. One representing a possible long lasting relationship, and the other representing how easily it can fall apart. This poem portrays loss as in a couple going their separate ways. 'Remember' by Christina Rossetti is a pre-1900 sonnet which deals with life after the death of a loved one. It is a request from the poet on what to do and how to feel after her death. The persona is young, and the life expectancy of a young person in Victorian times was not very high compared to modern society. This suggests the persona may be dying which could be the reason she felt she should write her requests down for her partner. Rossetti led a religious lifestyle which is evident from many of her poems and sonnets. For example, in this particular sonnet, she applies euphenisms to sound less harsh. She ... ...s and experiences. I definitely learnt through my mistakes and will always have regrets. I felt the theme expressed the poet's points clearly. This poem was different to the sonnet as it focused on infatuation and a breakup whereas the sonnet focused on eternal love, even after the death of one of the partners. I enjoyed "Remember" as I felt it stated what I wish for my loved ones when I am gone. It was well written and Rossetti's thoughts were expressed beautifully. Love is considered eternal and memories will never fade, but life has to go on, whether you have discontinued a relationship or a partner has passed on. You shouldn't fall in love with someone you can live with, you should fall in love with someone you can't live without. And as the Italians say, "L'amore e un viaggio dentro noi" which translated means "Love is a journey inside ourselves".

Philippine Taxation System Essay

I. Introduction On hearing the word tax, what usually springs to mind are images of infrastructures, businesses and projects beneficial to the general welfare of the people, or more negatively, the idea of corruption and dirty tricks especially nowadays when numerous issues are colouring the taxation system of the country. With these, today, its importance seems to be overlooked and is viewed more negatively as a burden to the people. Currently, the individual income tax rate in the Philippines stands at 32 percent, which is third highest in the entire Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) region, next to Thailand and Vietnam. A number of the country’s lawmakers already have their hands on this matter and encourages the government to take actions in lowering it down. This matter has become especially important now that the Asean integration free-for-all market in 2015 is nearing. It is important to understand taxation and to determine how well it fits the economy of a country for it is a key factor on its growth. The taxation system has been a hot economic issue and has been causing rage and fury among the people. Clearly, it is a national issue that needs immediate attention and action as it affects the whole of the nation. It will be an agonizing thought if what is known to be the â€Å"lifeblood of the government† will be the very one thing that sucks â€Å"life† out of its people. What’s supposed to be used to finance the basic services such as education and health care as well as infrastructure–which are all vital to the economy’s growth and the improvement of the lives of the people– could be the very same thing that seem to limit the capability of the people to improve their own lives and unforgivingly take away the food in the Filipinos tables. Or is it not? Objectives of the Study The study is aimed to determine the following: 1. The fiscal adequacy 2. Administrative feasibility 3. Equity 4. And the consistency and compatibility of the Philippine taxation system with the Nation’s Economic Direction. Significance of the Study The study is intended to increase the awareness of the readers on the Philippine taxation system. It is specifically addressed to: taxpayers, students and educators. Scope and Limitation of the study The study involves 7 participants who pay taxes for at least 3 years. The participants are selected to represent different social and industry classes. II. Review of Related Literature Nature and Purpose of Taxation Taxation may be defined as the inherent right of the state to levy and collect a portion of each individual and entity’s income from productive endeavors within the states’ political boundaries. Since taxation is inherent right of the state, meaning, absolute right, taxation laws were enacted to limit this right. That is the reason why taxation is graduated, and in most countries, it is progressive. Graduated, meaning, that taxes to be paid are divided into several brackets of income; and progressive, meaning, that the higher the income, the higher will be the tax rate to be paid, and vice-versa. Taxation is very important for the government to exist. Without it, no government can ever exist, as taxes are the lifeblood of the government. Citizens pay taxes in the expectation that the government will protect them with the necessary environment to enable them to live in safety and perform them with the necessary environment to enable them to live in safety and perform their productive activities without fear or hesitation. The Bureau of Internal Revenue is the tax-collecting arm of the government for individual and corporate income taxes. The Bureau of Customs is the government-collecting arm for import taxation. (Cuevas et al., 2012) Procedure of Taxation Taxation is legislative in character. As such, all tax measures emanate from the Congress. The House of Representatives enact taxation bills. Then it goes to the Senate. Then to the joint conference committee and finally, to the Malacaà ±ang Palace for the President’s approval or in few instances, veto. Once the tax measure is approved and published in the official gazette, it becomes a law. It is then forwarded to the tax collection agency concerned for implementation. Normally, the concerned agency drafts an implementing guideline for the guidance of the line personnel whol will actually implement the law to avoid any possible misinterpretation of its implementation. The tax measure normally provides for sanctions and penalties for violators. Principal violations include tax evasion and tax avoidance. (Cuevas et al. 2012) ` Sound Taxation System A sound taxation system should have Fiscal Adequacy, Administrative Feasibility, Equity and consistent and compatible with the nation’s economic direction. The level of taxes collected should be sufficient enough to fund government operations and projects. A tax collection that is less than sufficient will cause fiscal deficit that can stoke inflation. Taxation laws should be easy to understand; that the existing personnel and other administrative resources of the tax collecting office are sufficient and capable of implementing existing taxation laws. Taxation should be progressive and fair. For example, those individual some should pay higher tax rates, and those with low income should either be exempted from taxes or pay negligible amounts of taxes. The government’s tax collection efforts should be supportive of the economy’s short- and long-term plans. (Cuevas et al., 2012) Equity Recently, the public officials have been confronted with allegations of corruptions and inefficient populist schemes. To name a few, the PDAF scam, DAP scam, political grandstanding to bring down 2016 election potential rivals, the alleged overpricing of Makati City parking lot and the 700 million Iloilo convention center. These facts combined with unforgiving tax collection campaign has resulted to negative sentiments about the equitability of taxation in the country. â€Å"The tax being imposed by the government is too much. They even want to tax us my sari-sari store. The mere payment of business requirements already hurts my store. I am working for my family not for the government. The government wants to take all our earnings.† said by a sari-sari store owner in Del Pilar, Castillejos. â€Å"My take home pay is cut into half because of the deductions and tax imposed to us. My gross salary, to be honest is not enough, then they will deduct us (tax and contributions) and y ou will find out from the media that our taxes were corrupted by a syndicate in the government† said by a college instructor in Gordon College. People Respond to Incentives An incentive is something that induces a person to act, such as the prospect of a punishment or a reward. Because rational people make decisions by comparing costs and benefits, they respond to incentives. Incentives are crucial to analyzing how market work. For example, when the price of an apple rises, people decide to eat fewer apples. At the same, time, apple orchards decide to hire more workers and harvest more apples. In other words, a higher price in a market provides and incentive to buyers to consume less and an incentive for sellers to produce more. (Mankiw, 2013) Public policymakers should never forget about incentives: Many policies change the costs or benefits that people face and, therefore, alter their behaviour. A tax on gasoline, for instance, encourages people to drive smaller, more fuel efficient cars. (Mankiw, 2013) Fiscal Drag Fiscal drag happens when the government’s net fiscal position (spending minus taxation) fails to cover the net savings desires of the private economy, also called the private economy’s spending gap (earnings minus spending and private investment). The resulting lack of aggregate demand leads to deflationary pressure, or drag, on the economy, essentially due to lack of state spending or to excess taxation. One cause of fiscal drag may be bracket creep, where progressive taxation increases automatically as taxpayers move into higher tax brackets due to inflation. This tends to moderate inflation, and can be characterized as an automatic stabilizer to the economy. Fiscal drag can also be a result of a hawkish stance towards government finances. (www.wikipedia.org) Bracket creep describes the process by which inflation pushes nominal wages and salaries into higher tax brackets. Many progressive tax systems are not adjusted for inflation. As wages and salaries rise in nominal terms under the influence of inflation they become more highly taxed, even though in real terms the value of the wages and salaries has not increased at all. The net effect is that in real terms taxes rise unless the tax rates or brackets are adjusted to compensate. (www.wikipedia.org) Supply-Side Effects of Fiscal Policy The changes in tax rates, particularly marginal tax rates, affect aggregate supply through their impact on the relative attractiveness of productive activity in comparison to leisure and tax avoidance. Supply –side tax cuts are a long-term growth-oriented strategy that will eventually increase both SRAS and LRAS. Keynesian Model Keynesian economics was developed by the British economist John Maynard Keynes during the 1930s in an attempt to understand the Great Depression.  Keynes advocated increased government expenditures and lower taxes to stimulate demand and pull the global economy out of tGrohe Depression. Subsequently, the term â€Å"Keynesian economics† was used to refer to the concept that optimal economic performance could be achieved – and economic slumps prevented – by influencing aggregate demand through activist stabilization and economic intervention policies by the government. Keynesian economics is considered to be a â€Å"demand-side† theory that focuses on changes in the economy over the short run. (www.investopedia.com) Crowding-out Model Crowding out is a kind of expansionary fiscal policy, reduces investment spending. The increased borrowing ‘crowds out’ private investing. Originally, crowding out was related to an increase in interest rates from the borrowing, but that was broadened to multiple channels that might leave total output little changed or smaller. (Blanchard, 2008) One channel of crowding out is a reduction in private investment that occurs because of an increase in government borrowing. If an increase in government spending and/or a decrease in tax revenues leads to a deficit that is financed by increased borrowing, then the borrowing can increase interest rates, leading to a reduction in private investment. There is some controversy in modern macroeconomics on the subject, as different schools of economic thought differ on how households and financial markets would react to more government borrowing under various circumstances. (Tyson, 2012) The Benefits Principle The benefits principle states that people should pay taxes based on the benefits they receive from government services. This principle tries to make public goods similar to private goods. It seems fair that a person who often goes to the movies pays more in total for movie tickets than a person who rarely goes. Similarly, a person who gets great benefit from a public good should pay more for it than a person who gets little benefit. The benefits principle can also be used to argue that wealthy citizens should pay higher  taxes than poorer ones simply because the wealthy benefit more from public services. For example, the benefits of police protection from theft. Citizens with much to protect benefit more from police than do those with less to protect. Therefore, according to benefits principle, the wealthy should contribute more than the poor to the cost of maintaining the police force. The same argument can be used for many other punlic services, such as fire protection, national defense, and the court system. It is even possible to use the benefits principle to argue for antipoverty programs funded by taxes on the wealthy. (Mankiw, 2013) The Ability-to-Pay Principle The ability-to-pay principle states that taxes should be levied on a person according to how well that person can shoulder the burden. This principle is sometimes justified by the claim that all citizens should make and â€Å"equal sacrifice† to support the government. 1. What is tax? A – B – â€Å"yan yung pahirap satin lahat. Ayaw ko nga magbayad nyan kasi hindi naman sa maganda mapupunta yang tax na yan. Sobra na nga yung paniningil ng gobyerno. Kahit sa sari-sari store gusto nilang kuhanan ng tax. Yung simpleng pambayad nga lang ng business permit ang hirap na eh. Gusto ata nila para sa kanila magtrabaho. C – â€Å"it is the life blood of the government†Ã‚  D – â€Å"The money extorted from productive people to fill the gov’t bank accounts.† F – â€Å"Kaltas sa sahod. 336 na lang babawasan pa nila†Ã‚  G – It is the money collected by the government from its citizens 2. What do you think is the purpose of taxation? A – Para may pondo ang gobyerno pampagawa ng project B – pampagawa ng mga daan at sweldo ng mga emplyado sa gobyerno C – â€Å"It is used to fund different government projects. Some economists say that taxation reallocates wealth from the rich to the poor because of the progressive taxation system that we have.† D – The purpose of tax is to fund public necessities, services and improvements needed by all citizens with no bias to their status in society. F – â€Å"para sa mga projects ng gobyerno† G – For the general welfare and protection of the country’s citizens and for the development of the economy. 3. For you what is equitable taxation? A – â€Å"wala ako idea† B – â€Å"dapat yung mayayaman mas malaki babayaran na tax kasi kaya nila magbayad di ba? Sila pa nga nandadaya pagdating sa bayaran ng tax tapos kaming mahihirap yung gigipitin ng BIR dyan sa pagbabayad ng tax.† C – â€Å"Progressive taxation because this type of taxation uses the paying capability of the taxpayer as a basis on how much he or she will be taxed.† D – Equitable tax will depend on how much good public services are and how much improvement to be done. F – â€Å"basta pantay-pantay† G – it’s when taxes are collected depending on the social class or income bracket. 4. How much is your annual income? C – â€Å"My take home pay is cut into half because of the deductions and tax imposed to us. My gross salary, to be honest is not enough, then they will deduct us (tax and contributions) and you will find out from the media that our taxes were corrupted by a syndicate in the government† 5. How much do you pay for taxes annually? D – â€Å"32% of my annual income. Which I would not want to disclose as per q#4. Hehe† 6. Do hire an accountant to deal with tax payments? A – â€Å"Nope. Bookkeeper lang.† B – â€Å"Hindi† C – â€Å"Nope† D – â€Å"No. My employer hires accountants to do our taxes† F – â€Å"Hindi.† 7. What do you feel about our country’s economic outlook? A – â€Å"Sabi nila tumataas daw economic growth ng pilipinas pero di ko masyadong ramdam†. D – †Asean economic is on hype right now and will eventually peak after 15 or 20years if no war will occur. Philippine econ is growing by single digit but the market per industry per capita is growing double digits faster than national econs totality. It is safe to say that now is the best time to invest in ph market.† 8. Are you satisfied on how the government provide its services to the public? Why? A – â€Å"di masyado satisfied, wala pa ding nakikitang improvement.† D – â€Å"Yes. There are many improvements on public services. The only problem is the public is not well aware of those improvements and how they can utilize it.† G – â€Å"No, I think priorities are not being properly set and attended to.† 9. For you what is the most efficient tax rate? A – Dahil medyo nag hihirap pa ang pilipinas, ok na siguro ang tax rate ngayon, basta wag lang makurakot, pag konti konti umaangat yung economy dapat baba din yung tax rate. B – 5 % C – 20% D – 9.3% E – â€Å"I don’t give interviews this way. But I’ll answer question 9. As other questions can be answered through interment and books. The most efficient tax system is the flat tax. I propose a 10 % flat rate across the board. This most fair and efficient of all. Done in more than 43 countries and by the most successful ones. Please research on my interviews. Just google my name and flat tax. You’ll find all you need for this issue. Thanks† F – 10% G – less than 30% V. Discussion Most of the respondents agree that an equitable tax system should ask the taxpayers to contribute to the cost of public services based on ability to pay. Tax payments are indeed the lifeblood of the government, any government will not stand without funding from its people. Taxes are also used to create societal order. It is used to protect its citizens. Taxes are used to pay for the salaries of the police and armies. A farmer will not plant his crops if he knows that it will be stolen in the morning, then economic productivity would be impossible. In our current system, the top tax bracket are those earning at least P500,000 or those earning at least P41,667. Those earning P41,667 per month pays the same taxes as to those earning P1,000,000. Everyone will agree that the situation is already inequitable. The tax bracket thus should be adjusted according to the salaries of the taxpayers. All of the respondents does not directly uses accounting  services for the fact that it may be co stly for the since they are in the middle class. Value for your money, the government must make their taxpayers feel that they get value from the money (tax) that they pay. A customer who felt that he/she did not get the value for his money will not return to that restaurant, store or any other business establishment. The same goes with taxpayers they will avoid paying taxes if they feel that it will only be corrupted by public officials. The computation for the most efficient tax rate would be very difficult since it entails factors such as inflation, purchasing power, income, consistency with economic direction and a lot more, which are varying from a day-to-day or weekly basis. If the tax rate was set too low, administrative feasibility would be impossible and if the tax rate was set too high it would be consficatory which is unconstitutional and will lead to tax evasion. VI. Conclusion A good taxation system should provide an appropriate level of revenue on a timely basis, distribute the cost of taxation fairly, promote economic growth and efficiency, be easily administered and ensure accountability. People will avoid paying taxes if they feel that the taxes imposed are confiscatory in nature and this in turn reduces the tax base. The inequity of the tax system negates the command of the Constitution. The endless complains of the middle class towards the strict tax collection drive of the BIR may be lessened if they feel that there equity, or the rich is paying more taxes than them. The middle class should not be burdened more than the higher class. The BIR collected 1.2 trillion for 2012 however the government budget deficit still bloated from 197.8 billion in 2011 to P235 B. The Philippines, with the current taxation system, is always on budget deficit. And these year after year deficits includes huge amount of money thus resulting to higher public debt that the taxpayers also pay, with interest. It is time to change on how the government tax its people. Lowering the tax rate will not necessarily mean that it will lessen the budget of the government. Lowering tax will increase the tax base of the government and it will increase the cash flow in the economy, let the people decide where to put their money. Whichever way they use it, it will be productive to the economy since they are spending, when someone is spending another one is profiting and through profits is where the government gets its taxes. Unlike  if taxes are corrupted and stored into secret bank accounts. VII. Recommendation The recommends that more respondents be included in the study. The taxation system of the country needs a lot of reforms. The taxation system should be based on the taxpayer’s ability to pay and should not be confiscatory in nature. Lowering the tax rate and increasing the tax bracket ceiling will initially lower tax collection but will increase it by the next year or two because the tax base will enlarge. Bibliography Books Abola, Victor, Villegas, Bernardo, (2001). Economics An Introduction. Pasig City, Philippines: Inkwell Publishing Company, Inc. Cuevas, R.C., Paraiso O.C., Larano, L.C., (2011). Macroeconomics. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House, Inc. Mankiw G.N., (2013). Principles of Economics. Pasig City, Philippines: Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd (Philippine Branch). McCaCandless, G.T. (1991). Macroeconomics theory. New Jersey: Harper and Row. Internet Fiscal drag. (2014, April 16). Retrieved from Wikipedia.org. October 10, 2014. Fiscal Drag Definition | Investopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2014.

On the Film Zero Dark Thirty and Torture Essay

Zero Dark Thirty is a 2013 film directed by award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, and is a narration about the multiple time-skips of how Maya (Jessica Chastain), a new CIA recruit, beat the odds which led to Osama Bin Laden’s ultimate death. â€Å"Our plane’s been hijacked. I hope I can be able to see your face again, baby. I love you! Goodbye!† were lines from the actual 9/11 audio footage at the beginning of the film and from that, I thought that Zero Dark Thirty would be an emotionally-touching action-packed movie. Because of an exciting plot, I expected it to be a thrilling film but it turned out to be despicably monotonous. Set in the bustling streets and the danger-prone areas of the Middle East, the set design became largely influential to the film, and it added to the viewer’s experience. However, if I hadn’t known that the movie was directed by Academy-Award winner, Kathryn Bigelow, I would have thought that this was directed by an unkno wn director. The chapter-by-chapter time skip actually took the plot away from the movie — it became choppy and incomprehensible. One moment we see Ammar (Reda Kateb) being tortured, and then in the next screen, it’s suddenly two years later. The only commendable action scene in the movie being Osama Bin Laden’s ambush, the plot seemed to drag as we see more conversations and less action than what we expected to see. The movie poster also said that the writer, Mark Boal, is an Academy award-winning screenwriter but it puzzles me how he actually got the information about the happenings when CIA operations are supposed to be undisclosed. Why would the scriptwriter just name-drop sites that were supposedly top-secret, like the existence of Area 51? Thus, the credibility of the events and places seem questionable. Moreover, the flood of names of terrorists in conversations was actually confusing and the discussions about situations in ISI were unnecessary. I wanted to see scenes related to finding Abu Ahmed and ultimately, Bin Laden. I wanted action, not conversations. Though the pacing was unbelievab ly slow, the cinematography during the bombing in the restaurant Maya and Jennifer were eating at was brilliant. The transition was truly surprising — one moment Jennifer was talking to someone over the phone, and then the next, the restaurant was already in pieces and people were dying. Maya’s expression of pure shock and terror was perfectly captured the camera. The editing of the movie headed by William Goldenberg was realistic, and the bombings were so unpredictable, I was surprised and scared out of my seat. Mostly, the ambush operation in the last 30 minutes of the film was so professionally shot it could pass up as an actual footage. It’s the little moments that make this film alive. After the phone call from Maya’s supervisor, stating that tonight will be the ambush, we witness the bonds of the â€Å"canaries† – the way they goofed around and gambled, yet still looked out for each other. Viewers always have the impression that soldiers are brute men who would sacrifice anything and anyone for their purpose, but this scene actually gives the impr ession that they’re men too who treasure the bonds they have. The only comical relief during the movie was provided by Dan’s sarcasm and personality. Ironically, this attitude always comes up during the supposedly-heartbreaking torture scenes which made it particularly hard for me to sympathize with Ammar (Reda Kateb). Another highlight of his role was when Dan fed the monkeys in a CIA site. I remembered the previous scene when Ammar said that Dan was an animal, and as the monkeys stole the ice cream from Dan, I saw how it was similar to their situation. Dan takes and takes from Ammar, but eventually, Ammar gets the best of him when he doesn’t provide information. As I contemplated about the film after watching it, I think the reason why it seemed so bland and dry is because it lacked the action that viewers are used to see in fictional CIA films. The super cool CIA combat and the shooting scenes where the CIA agent never gets shot weren’t present in the movie. Instead, the movie consisted of CIA operatives who commit mistakes and ultimately get killed, like Jennifer (Jennifer Ehle); we meet heartless CIA agents like Dan (Jason Clarke) who would torture a man endlessly to get the information he needs. We see unsexy Maya, an ordinary-looking woman who wears identical suits every day, who got carried away by emotions after Jennifer’s death and during her confrontation with Joseph Bradley (Kyle Chandler), and who was almost killed once in an attempt at her life. The film was made up of one-dimensional characters who got frustrated when they can’t do anything. I wanted to know the characters more but there was zero character development. There weren’t even any scenes about Maya’s past, like why and how was she recruited out of high school? Did she ever get in touch with Jennifer’s family after her death? This lack of character personality development and the blankness of her facial expressions in most of her screen time made me wonder why Jessica Chastain is praised for her role in Zero Dark Thirty. I’ve recently watched Les Miserables and if Jessica Chastain were to be nominated in the same category as Anne Hathaway for an Oscar, then Chastain could just say that she dreamed a dream of winning an Oscar. I won’t say that she did not deserve her Golden Globe award, but I never thought she’d be nominated for it either. Her portrayal as the angry young Bin Laden-obsessed CIA agent was so stereotyp ical — she started as the nervous, awkward new CIA operative and then ultimately became the â€Å"motherfucker,† as she puts it, who found Bin Laden’s location. Maya always had this expressionless face, as if trying very hard to capture a CIA agent’s demeanor. In fact, I only began to sympathize with Maya upon the death of Jennifer. Her endless pursuit of Bin Laden became more personal from this point, proving that nothing motivates like revenge. I think that the scene where Maya shook her head and then cried actually concludes the plot well because it showed her human side and the drive that has been pushing her all along. She quotes in one scene that her friends got killed because of the hunt and she believes that she has been spared for a reason. This gives justice to her emotions in the end, where she finally breaks down as the realization that she has reached her goal after almost a decade — yet the friends she had made along the way were already gone. She is no longer the new, awkward CIA recruit, rather, Maya has become the CIA operative who resorted to all means possible to take down Osama Bin Laden. With the methods th at the movie’s characters practiced, there has been much speculation whether the film is pro-torture or not. The director and the writer of the film presented these â€Å"enhanced interrogation techniques† as a part of the pursuit. So for me, it’s not a pro-torture movie but at the same time, it’s not anti-torture either. If Zero Dark Thirty were pro-torture, then the viewers should have seen how Ammar gave information after being tortured, but he did not. Instead we see that the key piece to the puzzle for finding Bin Laden was actually served to Dan and Maya over lunch, not during torture time. And if the movie were anti-torture, then there shouldn’t have been any torture scenes in the movie — leaving Reda Kateb, who played Ammar, with zero talent fee. The film showed that Maya was convinced that the location of Bin Laden’s courier, Abu Ahmed, is crucial to the pursuit not because there was information revealed during the torture sessions, rather, it’s the detainees’ refusal to give up any information about the courier that connects the dots for Maya. Therefore, the film depicts numerous, albeit controversial, practices used in America’s pursuit for Osama Bin Laden. It shows that torturing Jihad-driven detainees or buying a man a Lamborghini as bribery weren’t the ultimate keys for solving the puzzle that led to Bin Laden. No single method can perfectly encapsulate the sum of the efforts of the people behind the manhunt for Bin Laden. The totality of their hard work and passion was what the filmmakers strived to partake, so for me, the movie isn’t raising any notions on being pro or against these methods. Zero Dark Thirty relays the fact that we tread different paths in life with a great number of sacrifices along the way. Though this movie doesn’t live up to its tagline â€Å"The Greatest Manhunt in History,† is still a perfect example of humanity’s journey towards his goals. Americans would continue to preserve their seat of power, while the Muslims would continue to do anything to reach Jihad. I wanted to be awed by this film and I wanted to feel the characters’ emotions, but the film gave me neither. The lack of emotion in Zero Dark Thirty makes me think that the budget for this should have been allocated to a film with a different perspective, like a documentary, and not as a film with actors and actresses playing roles they fail to give color to.