Family and friends everyday lives Essay Example for Free

Family and friends everyday lives Essay Write an essay describing how new media technologies affect you, your family and friends everyday lives. The media world is constantly changing as a result of new developments in technology. Therefore the media industry is dependant upon highly sophisticated technology, which can be used to influence and inform groups of people all around the world. It has been suggested that we live in a world that is media saturated as it dominates our lives. This in effect is true as media is a central part of our lives, it can be used to deliver us news as well as a source of entertainment, and this is why media can be so influential. The internet is one of the most fast developing new media technologies, enabling users to contact people all over the world to shop, chat, play games, download music and information, send e-mails and keep up with current affairs. The Internet was developed in America in the 1960s and was introduced in the 1990s in Britain. Originally this technology was introduced as a way of bringing people all over the world closer together, enabling them to communicate with one another simultaneously, giving its name the medium of the future. It is constantly being developed to suit peoples needs, for example broadband internet offers faster connection and makes downloading easy, effortless and not so time consuming as it used to be. Many radio stations have recognised that people may wish to listen whilst surfing the Net, so have incorporated a live airplay programme on their websites so that it is possible to listen to the radio via a computer rather than the conventional radio device. Many websites also offer a service where downloading music is free, this means that many people can save large amounts of money on buying CDs and can obtain the latest music singles and albums from the comfort of their own home. Home shopping is also increasing due to Internet services allowing consumers to purchase a range of goods via the Internet using their credit/debit cards as a method of payment. The advantage of this is that the busy shopping atmosphere is avoided and time is saved, this is also the case in online banking systems where cardholders can view bank statements, credit details and communicate with their bank via email. The only problem with these systems is that credit card details are given out over the Internet and may be obtained by other companies or Internet users, meaning the risk of credit card fraud is higher. However, a select few internet based companies have introduced a card which can be used like a top-up card bought for mobile telephones, in the sense that a card is issued to the internet shopper so that they are able to go a top-up point and pay for a certain amount of money to be put on their card, which can then be used to purchase goods from the internet. Not only is this a safer option, it is also more convenient for younger customers who are not yet eligible for a credit card. Due to improved media technologies, it is now possible to access the Internet through digital television sets and mobile WAP compatible telephones. This means information, entertainment and news can be displayed without the use of a computer. Revision websites make learning a more interactive experience for students, as well as being a useful alternative to other methods of learning such as flashcards. Students can also test themselves and the website can mark their answers, giving them a score to see how effective the revision has been. Other websites such as lastminute. com allow holidays, rental cars and other goods to be bought at the last minute at a reduced rate. This means considerable savings can be made and purchasing goods or booking holidays is made simple and easy. Another convenience of the Internet is that Chat Rooms allow people to talk to various people all over the world and if desired become involved in group discussions. This can mean young people can meet and talk to people of their own age group and interests and exchange thoughts and ideas. Obviously as you cannot see the person you are communicating with, you cannot be sure that they are telling the truth about their age, gender etc which also means this may cause an increase of illegal groups operating in chat rooms, such as paedophiles who abuse the internet. This may affect many families in different ways for example, if a parent feels that their child may not be safe to talk to people on the Internet they may limit the childs use or filter the system so that they cannot access the chat rooms. If a teenager arranges to meet up with a person that they believe to be of the same age group as themselves, to discover that they are not the person they described themselves to be on the internet, they may face serious problems such as stalking. This can lead to anxiety problems and distrust for some people as well as being a major worry for all parents. Instant messaging services (MSN etc) allow users to be informed when friends or other named people on their contact list are online and lets them automatically begin a conversation without needing to log onto a chat room. Voice conversations can also be made using these facilities. Email enables Internet users to send a succession of letters around the world to various people within seconds, as they are delivered instantly. Not only does this save time and money as the service is free, but it means messages can be sent and received instantly rather than waiting days, or even weeks for a letter to be delivered by post. Many people find this an excellent way of keeping in contact with relatives and friends, particularly those who live a long distance away. The only social problem that has been recognised by researchers is that emailing has begun to discourage people from writing letters, therefore making us more computer literate but less inclined to keep up good standards of writing skills.

Personal Narrative- Bonding Experience with Mom :: Personal Narrative Profile

Personal Narrative- Bonding Experience with Mom Summer was coming to an end, the night air grew brisker and the mornings were dew covered. The sun had just started to set behind our home; my father would be home soon. I walked into the kitchen only to be greeted by my mother cooking dinner. She stood there one hand on her hip, her one leg stuck out at her side, knee slightly bent, stirring the pot holding the spoon all the way at the tip of the handle. She looked as pissed off as could be. My mother always felt she could be doing a million other things besides cooking dinner. We sat there talking until I heard a familiar soft rumble in front of our house. The rumble was accompanied by my father fidgeting at the front door. His old noisy Bronco always made his presence known. He plodded down the hallway into the kitchen to greet my mother with a peck on the cheek. After one more quick stir she plopped a hot pad on the table followed by a pan of sliced meatloaf in sauce. The smell of the meat, potatoes, and veggies filled the kitchen instantly and the family gathered around the table. The meal was a typical one in our household, my mother who had a million other things to do that day, including having her own personal time did not feel like cooking a twelve course meal. However, my father who always came home expecting steak did not see the meal as appetizing as the rest of us. When my father blew up at my mother we were all expecting him to. The argument of "I want steak" and "I was working all day" was common in our family. I immediately took my mother's side like I usually did because no one in our family appreciates or respects what she does. My father would later grow to regret what he said and apologize. Tonight was different though. My mother usually took my father's comments in stride knowing he really does not mean what he says. But, this time they both exploded at each other and my mother ended up running out of the kitchen upset, retiring to her room.

Nutritional Value of Menu Items At a Local Fast-Food Restaurant

In my pursuit to investigating the balancing the qualities of healthy choices of fast food restaurants were a challenging venture. During a recent visit to McDonalds, I ordered a healthy menu and then selected a very unhealthy menu. My choices included for the healthy choice a rice shrimp burger, side salad, vanilla reduced fat ice cream cone, and Dasani water.   In my selection of an unhealthy selection I chose a Big Mac, large fries, Mcfurry with Oreo cookies, and a large coca-cola drink. The assessment of my analysis provided an interesting result to the pursuit of a nutritional value meal. In my selection of my healthy selection, I discovered that McDonalds provided an easier approach to being able to select a more nutritional food selection compared to other fast food restaurants (McDonalds, 2008). The healthy selection calorie intake was less than 500 which on a world platform is a great attribute for McDonalds to develop and incorporate an excellent healthy meal. The healthy selection was tasty and fulfilling that was surprising for a fast food restaurant. However, the ingredients were not sacrificed in order to make the healthy food selection with low calories which was a good marketing decision at McDonalds. The unhealthy selection posed a greater challenge due to the higher calorie but the taste was slightly more fulfilling with a huge guilt after taste due to the 1,000 calorie meal. The difference was the feeling of self indulgence to an extreme that was both satisfying and somewhat uncomfortable. However, those feelings did not prevent the challenging temptation to stop eating the unhealthy menu selection. In the future, the fast food restaurants could create a marketing angle that ignites a strong sense of identification and acceptance depending on the social environment. For instance, on the healthy choice a marketing plan that provides an emphasis on a surprising taste of trying something new, rather than the ordinary. The imagery of the marketing ad or commercial should present a creative and alluring concept in order to entice the viewer to indulge in a new experience by making a more nutritional choice. In regards, to the marketing angle for the unhealthy selection the marketing angle can focus showcasing a back drop of self-indulgency that goes along with the sensation eating the item. In doing so, the viewer can relate the two and make a concise choice to select the unhealthy item over the healthy one. The key is the effective translation of marketing the extreme in either selection that relates to the selection – that encourages participating in enjoying the menu item. References McDonalds Inc. (2008) Official International Website. Retrieved from http://www.mcdonalds.com            

Understanding Different Types of Colleges

Colleges and universities in the United State can be divided into two categories: four-year colleges and two-year colleges. Within those categories, there are a variety of subdivisions and distinctions between schools. The following article explains the differences between types of colleges to help you make the best decision when considering your higher education options.   Key Takeaways Colleges and universities can be divided into two-year institutions and four-year institutions.Four-year institutions include public and private colleges and universities as well as liberal arts colleges.Two-year institutions include community colleges, trade schools, and for-profit universities.Other institutional distinctions include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, women’s colleges, and Tribal Colleges and Universities.   Four-Year Colleges A four-year college is an institution of higher learning that provides programs of study that take approximately four academic years to complete. Students that complete these programs earn bachelor’s degrees. Four-year colleges are the most common institutions of higher education in the United States. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), undergraduate enrollment in four-year colleges is 65 percent, nearly 11 million students. These institutions often include strong student communities, complete with sports teams and extracurricular activities, students clubs and organizations, student body leadership, on-campus housing opportunities, Greek life, and more.  Harvard University, University of Michigan, Carroll College, and Bates College are all examples of four-year institutions, though they are all different types of colleges.   Public vs. Private Public colleges and universities are owned and operated by the state board of education within the state where the college is located. Funding for public institutions comes from state and federal taxes, as well as student tuition and fees, and private donors. Boise State University and the University of California are examples of public universities. Private institutions are owned and operated by individuals or organizations and do not receive federal or state funding. Private institutions often receive funding from alumni and corporate and individual donations. Though private institutions are not operated by the state in which they are located, they must still meet state and federal criteria in order to be accredited academic institutions. Yale University and Notre Dame University are examples of private universities. College vs. University   Traditionally, a college was a small, often private institution that only offered undergraduate programs, while universities were larger institutions that offered undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. Since these two terms have been commonly used to describe four-year institutions—and many small colleges began offering graduate and doctoral degree programs—the terms college and university are now completely interchangeable.  Ã‚   Liberal Arts Colleges Liberal arts colleges are four-year institutions that focus on the liberal arts: humanities, social and physical sciences, and mathematics. Liberal arts colleges are often small, private institutions with higher tuition rates and lower student-to-teacher ratios. Students at liberal arts colleges are encouraged to engage in interdisciplinary academia. Swarthmore College and Middlebury College are examples of liberal arts colleges.   Two-Year Colleges Two-year colleges provide lower-level higher education, commonly known as continuing education. Students that complete programs at two-year institutions can receive certifications or associates degrees. Hudson County Community College, Fox Valley Technical College, and the University of Phoenix are different examples of two-year institutions. Approximately 35 percent of undergraduates are enrolled in two-year institutions, according to the NCES. Many students choose to enroll in two-year institutions to obtain associate’s (or two-year) degrees before attending a bigger, often more expensive four-year institution to obtain a bachelor’s degree.  This cuts down on the cost of general education requirements, making college more achievable for many students. Other undergraduates enroll in two-year programs because they provide job-specific training and a direct pathway to a career.  Ã‚   Community Colleges Sometimes called junior college, community colleges offer higher education opportunities within communities. These courses are often geared toward working professionals, with classes offered outside of regular working hours. Students often use community colleges to gain job-specific certifications or as affordable stepping stones for completing bachelor’s degrees. Western Wyoming Community College and Odessa College are examples of community or junior colleges.   Trade Schools Also called vocational schools or technical colleges, trade schools provide technical skills for specific careers. Students that complete trade school programs can move directly into the workforce with ease. Students at trade schools often become dental hygienists, electricians, plumbers, computer technicians, and more. North Central Kansas Technical College and the State Technical College of Missouri are both examples of trade schools. For-Profit Schools For-profit colleges are educational institutions that are privately owned and operated. They run like a business, selling education as the product. For-profit schools can provide bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as technical education, though these programs are often offered online or via distance learning. According to the NCES, enrollment in for-profit institutions has increased by 109 percent since 2000, though that number has been declining since the financial crisis in 2007.   Other Types of Colleges Schools either fall into the two or four-year college categories, but there are a variety of other distinctions between colleges that make the campuses stand out. Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historically Black College and Universities, or HBCUs, are educational institutions founded before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the goal of providing higher education to African-American students. There are 101 HBCUs in the United States, both private and public. HBCUs admit students of all ethnicities. Howard University and Morehouse College are examples of HBCUs. Women’s Colleges Women’s colleges are education institutions founded to provide single-sex education for women; these institutions only admit female students. Traditionally, women’s colleges prepared women for assigned societal roles, such as teaching, but they evolved into degree-granting academic institutions after World War II. There are 38 women’s colleges in the United States. Bryn Mawr College and Wesleyan College are examples of women’s colleges. Tribal Colleges and Universities Tribal Colleges and Universities are accredited educational institutions that provide undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees as well as vocational training to both Native and non-Native students with curricula designed to pass on tribal history and culture. These institutions are operated by Native American tribes and are located on or near reservations. There are 32 accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities operating in the United States.  Oglala Lakota College and Sitting Bull College are examples of tribal colleges. Sources   Fain, Paul. â€Å"Enrollment Slide Continues, at Slower Rate .†Ã‚  Inside Higher Ed  , 20 Dec. 2017.â€Å"More Than 76 Million Students Enrolled in U.S. Schools.†Ã‚  Census.gov, U.S. Census Bureau, 11 Dec. 2018.â€Å"Undergraduate Enrollment .†Ã‚  The Condition of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, May 2019.