Fast-Food Industry: Friend or Foe? Essay

The 2004 American documentary known as Super-Size Me left a remarkable impact on America’s fast-food industries, as well as fellow fast-food consumers. Not to mention, six weeks after Super-Size Me was released, McDonalds took the â€Å"Super-Size† option off their menu as well as their stress on healthier menu choices; such as salads, fruit, and the new adult happy meal. The director, writer, and producer of Super-Size Me is also starring in the film himself, he is Morgan Spurlock. This documentary is anything but flashy or cinematically amazing; it purely presents the real story of Morgan’s journey to a healthier America. Americans know how addicting fast-food really is, but what they don’t know is what fast-food does to their bodies over time. Super-Size Me did influence McDonalds and our society as a whole, however have we still been a healthier America since then. The main point for Spurlock’s experiment was simply, the growing spread of obesit y in our society. There was even a lawsuit that was brought against McDonald’s by two overweight girls, who later became obese because of eating McDonald’s food. But as you would guess, the lawsuit failed. As Super-Size Me starts, Morgan Spurlock is at an above average shape condition in respect of his personal trainer. He is then seen by three doctors: a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, a general practitioner, as well as a nutritionist and a personal trainer. Morgan Spurlock is documented for thirty days from February 1st to March 2, 2003, in which he eats only McDonald’s food. Yes that means for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; not to mention every time he is asked to â€Å"super-size† his meal Spurlock must super-size it. Eating McDonald’s all day made his calorie intake for each day approximately 5,000 calories, which is equal to nine Big Macs! This movie is pretty straight-forward going along with the title, however along the way Spurlock visits elementary schools to see how healthy their food options are. He also does some speeches at schools for the kids, warning them the dangers of unhealthy food choices as well as getting active every day. As well as inter viewing random people he meets on the street and at McDonald’s restaurants. Spurlock asks them about their eating habits and why they chose to eat at fast-food instead of cooking at home. Majority of the people interviewed chose fast-food because it was easy, fast, and of course just darn delicious. Also many of them didn’t seem too concerned for their  health, or how much McDonalds they ate in a week. Some even refused to answer Spurlock’s questions they had negative actions towards his experiment. This is not surprising, many people especially children have no worries about what fast-food does to their body; they just know it tastes good and is a quick fix. As you can tell, this movie is not all about a crazy guy eating McDonald’s for weeks; it also has great nutritional facts and a look at how unhealthy America is compared to other countries. Towards the end of the movie, Spurlock finds out the results of his thirty-day challenge. He gained twenty-four and a half pounds, a thirteen percent body mass increase, a cholesterol level of 230, experienced mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and fat accumulation in his liver. Not only that, it took him fourteen months to lose the weight he gained during this Super-Size Me experiment. The documentary closes with an interesting question, asking â€Å"Who do you want to see go first, you or them?† Super-Size Me can be a love-hate relationship for most people who get the chance to watch it. If you love McDonald’s and don’t have much care for eating right this movie wouldn’t be for you; on the other hand, if you are displeased with the fast-food industry in America and interested in seeing how it affects people, this would be a great movie for you. For me, I really enjoyed this movie; it opened my eyes about how overweight and unhealthy we Americans are. You would not believe what fast-food does to your body over time, and how it changes your body steadily without you knowing a thing! I still love and consume fast-food to this day, but I definitely try my very best to not take part as much as I did before. Granted, not every person that watches Super-Size Me will get the same inspirational, mind-blowing feeling to change their eating habits . However, I strongly feel in my gut that this documentary changed a lot of people, whether they were a part of the movie or just a viewer. I just really hope that we Americans have stayed true to the facts of Super-Size Me and have not forgotten the effects of constant fast-food eating.

Push and pull factors in Syrian migration Research Paper

Push and pull factors in Syrian migration - Research Paper Example nd of this paper will establish the various factors that lead to the Syrian migration, and how voices from all over the world help to put a stop to the war in Syria. Since March 2011 involvement of Syria in the war that has brought about international concern. The cause of the war is because the Syrian government reacted harshly to a group of demonstrators of the Arab Spring. This lead to an outburst from the Arab Spring, and rebels who in return begun war to fight the government. Since that incident in 2011, the Syrian residents have fled to other countries for security, and peace. The bombing in cities has destroyed the beautiful country and violated the humanitarian rights. Basic needs like food and medication cannot the accessed by the civilians due to the continuing war (Semple 3rd January 2014). The United Nations has tried bringing people in the country with no success; it is left with the burden of providing for the refugees fleeing the country. Refugees run away to countries like Jordan, Lebanon, UK, Australia and USA among other countries. Thousands of people escape from Syria every day due to fear of seeing their neighbors houses bombed. The United Nations estimates that around 6.2 million people are internally displaced while 512,000 people have been registered in refugee camps. The United Nations believe that 610,000 have fled to other countries seeking for refuge. This action demonstrates that the neighboring countries have overcrowded population (Jim 29th November 2013). The fleeing of the Syrian people acts as a push factor because the people flee the country due to fear of getting killed. The pull factor is the soldiers flowing in to support either side of the civil war gain politically, and economically. The migrants face difficult conditions in the countries they flee to; in some cases the locals are not receiving them warmly. In Lebanon, a citizen interviewed indicated that before the refugees came into the town, the town was peaceful and

Marketing Mangement - T.J Maxx's money saving aspect Case Study

Marketing Mangement - T.J Maxx's money saving aspect - Case Study Example The other main thing that T.J Maxx is highlighting in its advertisement to affect consumer perceptions is the claim that these products are branded and hence they are no quality issues with these products as they are endorsed by famous brands. This will make many consumers think that since these products are being supplied to T.J Maxx by some well-known brands, they can trust these products without fearing that they are of inferior quality. They will also think that maybe T.J Maxx is buying in large quantities from these brands and hence it is able to supply these products at a cheaper price than T.J Maxx's competitors. Hence, T.J Maxx's advertisements are hitting the two aspects of consumer's perceptions that product may be offered at lower prices but all the same that it is being endorsed by brands, so consumer can expect no quality issues with the products. Price: The price charged is lower than other competitive firm's and hence it may lead to negative perceptions.

Marketing Strategy of Aer Lingus Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Marketing Strategy of Aer Lingus - Assignment Example Currently, Irish government holds 25.1% of shareholding in Aer Lingus. The airline company operates as ‘value carrier’ while it has signed number of agreements air line companies of other countries such as Aer Arann, Air Bus etc in order to manage its low cost services. Primary market for Aer Lingus includes Republic of Ireland, continental Europe, UK and USA. In the year 2012, the Irish airline company has carried more than 9.6 million passengers across the boundaries. In the year ended 31 December 2012, the company has reported annual revenue of more than â‚ ¬1,350 million with operating profit hovering over â‚ ¬65 million. The company has established its base airport in Belfast City and shown the interest to expand its destination routes by 2 times in next couple of years (Competition Commission, 2013). The Irish airline carrier has established its base in Belfast City along destination points include Manchester, Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow airports of UK ( Competition Commission, 2013). Great Britain-Ireland destination root contributes 30% to 33% of the top line growth and 45% of total passengers for Air Lingus. Until 2001, Aer Lingus operated as full service carrier but after 9/11 world trade centre terrorism the company has transformed itself as low-cost carrier. Since 2009, the company has completely changed its positioning statement has become ‘value carrier’ by serving centrally located airports in order to decrease its travel path and save the fuel cost in order to deliver service to customers at competitive price. The company has also entered in partnership with existing low-cost airlines in order to deliver low cost services to customers...Conjoint impact of reduction of disposable income of consumers and entry of resource rich international airlines have pushed Aer Lingus to reposition as value carrier. Hence it can be said that, although the problem for Aer Lingus is strategic in nature but the brand can reposi tion itself with the help of integrated marketing communication strategy. However, let’s try to understand changing macro environmental challenges for Aer Lingus in terms of PESTLE Analysis. VCCP Blue (2008) has pointed out that Aer Lingus spends only â‚ ¬2 million for implementing its IMC plan which is way below than the industry average of advertising to sales ratio (A/S ratio). Hence it is recommended for the company to increase its advertising position in order to use all channels of communication in effective manner. On the basis of PESTLE analysis, it can be said that the company needs to promote its green initiatives such decreasing the carbon emission in short haul travel, creating greenery in African nations etc in the form of press release. They need to use the print media advertisement in order to release key benefits that can be achieved through merger & acquisition in order to create positive word of mouth regarding the event among customers. Such kind of indirect lobbying also help Aer Lingus in legal proceedings.

Social intelligence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social intelligence - Assignment Example They should be aware of the unspoken setting patterns, social regulations, and paradigms that govern different situations. Appreciation of various views from people and an understanding of the way these people react to uncertainty, stress, and conflicts should be part of a leader. 2. Leaders should be present This is the way a leader affects groups or individuals through his or her body language, physical appearance, how he occupies space in his office, as well as his demeanor and mood. Leaders ought to have listening skills to create a quality of effectiveness self assurance that allows them to relate well with others. 3. They should be Authentic Authenticity reveals how sincere and honest leaders are with themselves and with the rest. According to Albrecht, when leaders respect themselves, believe in their personal faiths and values, and are realistic, they will probably serve others with authenticity. In this context, authenticity entails the capacity relate genuinely with others, a value that demands compassion and empathy. 4. Leaders should be clear Clarity means that leaders should express their opinions, thoughts, intentions, and ideas in a clear way. They should understand the power of language as a means of expression and thought, and thus use it as a strategic asset. Leaders with high social integrity clarity can monitor their language patters as well as that of others, in order to avoid particular pathologies that can result to personal and collective disputes, misunderstandings, and maladjustments. 5. Leaders should embrace Empathy They should look at how considerate and really aware they are of how others feel and how capable they are to treat other people as unique persons. It is all about identifying with those who are below and sharing or appreciating their feelings. Albrecht views this strategy as a sense of connectedness and a state of positive feeling or rapport between two people. Protecting oneself from toxic personality Toxic personality o r behaviors are those which make others feel inadequate, angry, guilty, devalued, and frustrated. If one of my family members has these personalities, I can protect myself from letting his negativity by using the nourishing behaviors. I can do this by analyzing the few positive traits of my sibling, and how important he is in my life, such as by determining what critical roles he plays in terms of my overall composure and well being. If he has a value that may bring the best in me such as paying my school fees, even though he is harsh or abusive, I can ignore the â€Å"grenade† side of him and appreciate him in the well-being point of view. Proximity interaction zones and non-verbal cues According to Albrecht, social intelligence involves correct interpretation based on social signs of nonverbal behavioral cues and generation of non-verbal cues displaying social signals suitable in a given situation (Albrecht 2005). If I enter in a room a â€Å"Mix and Mingle† Business and people are already talking in groups, I would introduce myself by expressing some sense of happiness through a genuine smile. The second step will be to make an aye contact with the person close to me, a nonverbal cue that will engage the gathering and show my interest in participating in the discussion. For any leader who might get himself in a situation like mine, I recommend that he should first of all learn how to use positive body language signals. If people

Women with guns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Women with guns - Essay Example The reason that this happens is because these woman are defenseless at late night time, and they do not carry a gun at times when they need to protect themselves. If women knew how to use a gun for the purposes of self-protection, there would be fewer rapes and murders and also women would not be victimized as much. There are many single mothers raising children who sometimes feel defenseless in their own home, especially if they don’t have a male figure to protect them. Single mothers should keep a firearm safely concealeden in their homes in order to protect their young families. The reason for this is that many women are unable to defend themselves from large more, aggressive predator who tries to break in their house to rob or hurt them or their children. Most single mothers have no greater responsibility than to take care of themselves and those they love the most: their children. By allowing women to keep guns in their homes, it would ensure that their households are safe and everyone is protected. Finally, women should carry firearms for their own self-independence. The reason that a woman should carry a gun for self-independence is because they should not have to feel weak and afraid. Allowing a woman to carry a gun will make her feel safe and not afraid of what may be lurking around the next dark corner when they’re on their way home late at night. A woman should never have to feel as if they need a man for protection, so letting women have firearms gives them self-independence and prevents them from being victimized in the future. When a woman has the power of a gun, that she has a gun she has a lower chance of becoming victimized. There are many reasons why a woman should carry a firearm, but the reality is that women are still being victimized. because its the There is a perception and reality that not enough women are carrying

Analyzing Talk Among Friends Essay Example for Free

Analyzing Talk Among Friends Essay In the preceding example, the utterance Ahma git me Ð ° gig! was interpreted differently by the participants in the interaction. So the question to be asked about Ahma git me Ð ° gig! is, what does it mean (how did the listeners arrive at their understandings), and what particular features of language and/or social situation signal that meaning? To arrive at an understanding of what the utterance meant, interpretations are not constructed solely from the speakers perspective but are also gathered from the participants who heard the utterance. Later, others may be asked to listen to Ð ° recording and share their understandings of the utterance(s). Then, the analysts task is to make an in-depth study of the selected instances of verbal interaction, observe whether or not actors understand each other, elicit participants interpretations of what goes on, and then (Ð °) deduce the social assumptions that speakers must have in order to act as they do, and (b) determine empirically how linguistic signs communicate in the interpretation process ( Gumperz 1982: 35). In the analysis of the example noted here, for instance, Gumperz was able to show that most white speakers did not seem to understand the utterance other than as Ð ° lapse into dialect or saw the switch to Black English as Ð ° rejection of whites and the speaker addressing himself only to other black students. Black students, however, explained the students remark as an attempt to justify himself by appealing to others in the group, Іm just playing the game as we blacks must do if we are to get along in Ð ° white world, while also identifying Ð ° particular rhythm in the utterance that led them to their interpretation. Thus, features of language carry social meaning that plays Ð ° significant role in interpreting what speakers mean (see Gumperz 1982: 29-37 for Ð ° detailed explanation of this example and its interpretation). While this example should make any interpreter wonder how they are interpreting meaning of speakers who differ in some way, such as region of the country, age, ethnicity, gender, my point here is about the analysis of natural language and how discourse analysts determine what speakers mean and how language conveys elements of meaning. Using these methods to analyze interpreted discourse is Ð ° way of understanding how the participants in an interpreted interaction understand each other at the time. Gumperz proposed that Ð ° theory of discourse must take into account both the linguistic and socio-cultural knowledge that an interlocutor must have to maintain involvement in an interaction, Accounting for such knowledge demonstrates two things: (1) meanings are jointly constructed between speakers as they talk, and (2) conversations contain internal evidence of their outcomes, that is, the ways in which participants share, partially share, or do not share, mutual conventions for meaning and how they succeed in achieving their communicative ends. Tannen reached Ð ° similar conclusion. She called such linguistic and social knowledge conventions by which meaning is communicated in social interaction (1984: 151). In Conversational Style: Analyzing Talk Among Friends, Tannen (1984) analyzed two and Ð ° half hours of conversation over Ð ° Thanksgiving dinner. She defined and discussed features of conversational involvement, such as topic, pacing (how relatively fast or slow one spoke), narrative strategies (in what order events are told, how speakers made their point, etc.), and expressive paralinguistic (intonation, pitch, and others), which together pattern in different ways the speech of different participants. For three of the speakers, these features combined in acceptable ways of having Ð ° conversation, but three other speakers experienced the same conversation as unusual and their participation faltered. When speakers share conventions for signaling meaning, they can be said to share Ð ° conversational style ( Tannen 1984). Tannens approach to studying discourse, modeled after Gumperz, is characterized by (1) recording naturally occurring conversations; (2) identifying segments in which communication may seem to flounder or be troublesome; (3) looking for patterned differences in signaling meaning that could account for trouble; (4) playing the recording, or segment of it, back to participants to elicit their spontaneous interpretations and reactions, and also, perhaps later, eliciting their responses to the researchers interpretations; and (5) playing segments of the interaction for other members of the cultural groups represented by the speakers to discern patterns of interpretation. Tannens study suggests that within an interpreted interaction speakers who do not share Ð ° common language also have conversational styles that they do not necessarily share with the interpreter. For example, Tannen (1994) has demonstrated that Ð ° discourse approach to gender and language, following in the tradition of Gumperz, can be understood by looking for differences in the way women and men signal meaning in conversation. This has great implications for interpreters: what happens when interpreter’s do not share Ð ° conversational style with one or both speakers? Many interpreters are women who interpret for men. Do they understand male strategies for asking questions or giving information? Do men understand female strategies? As her research demonstrates, the notion of cross-cultural encompasses more than just speakers of different languages or from different countries; it includes speakers from the same country of different class, region, age, and even gender ( Tannen 1985: 2o3). Gumperzs analysis of brief utterances located within Ð ° social scene and Tannens analysis of Ð ° single extended interaction via the same analytical and interpretive framework provide Ð ° rigorous methodology for analyzing conversational interactions, including interpreted conversations. Their emphasis on soliciting participant reactions and interpretations, along with close transcription of contextualization cues in language, provides Ð ° framework for going beyond Ð ° mere structural description of an interpreted encounter to an intense scrutiny of turn-taking as experienced by the participants, including phenomena such as simultaneous turn-taking.