Public Relations Essay Example for Free

Public Relations Essay Public relations (known often as just PR) can be and is defined in a multitude of ways. A commonly heard statement in terms of public relations is ‘there is no such thing as bad press. ’ And while that statement may be true, in some cases to much PR can create a situation where a person/company becomes overexposed (and to be quite honest, seen as annoying because the public no longer cares to know about the person/company/situation but the media still is following. ) Media around the world reports the news but not just political, sports, and the like but things they feel will keep the population interested in their programming, magazines, and newspapers. In order for the media to succeed they will follow stories (the good and the bad) as long as the public is interested, when disaster strikes (a person, company, or government) they will be there and so will the public. In order for the person, company, or government to stay on the positive side of the public (of which they may need their support), the affected person/group must use the unwanted media coverage (in some cases, not in others) to their advantage. Edward Bernays (1961) felt public relations was, â€Å"†¦ information given to the public, persuasion directed at the public to modify attitudes and actions, and efforts to integrate attitudes and actions of an institution with its publics and publics with those of that institution. The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) (a group on individuals whose daily work focuses on the success of public relations) does not have an exact definition of public relations but instead a statement, â€Å"Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other. (2007). One final definition of public relations is, â€Å"The art or science of establishing and promoting a favorable relationship with the public. †(Free dictionary, 2007). Comparison and Contrast Each person/group’s view of public relations’ definition have similarities as well as differences. In all instances both the groups affected by the publicity and the public are affected. The public in general can and will affect any business or person and the affect can be completely based on the information the public receives from the media outlets. The advantage seems to be in the hands of the public but some can say the advantage also lies in the hands of the person/company because no matter how bad a situation may first present itself their relationship with the public (whether pre-existing, on-going (in most cases), or new) can turn the possible problem around (i. e. turning a negative into a positive). The Public Relations Society of America seems to have the most well balanced definition (while no one can find a right or wrong answer in the area of public relations) because the PRSA defines PR as a give and take situation so that they remain balanced with one another. Mr. Bernays definition comes across as how companies/people must spin (turn around) the news in order to make any information seen as a positive in the public eye. Why so many definitions? In an area the business world that is held to so many different interpretations it is not a wonder as to why there are so many definitions to public relations. Marketing ties in advertising and the media which creates the public relations but that is only a fraction of what establishes public relations. The most important thing to remember in public relations is that most of the media attention (in fact, almost all of it) is not wanted attention (ie solicited) but awareness that was brought to light for no gain for the person or company. The person/company must then decide how to proceed in the eye of the public (ie public relations) and keep themselves in a positive light. References: Bernays E. L. , Crystallizing Public Opinions, Liveright, New York 1961 Free Dictionary. Retrieved on May 12, 2007 from http://www. thefreedictionary. com/public+relations Public Relations Society of America. Retrieved on May 12, 2007 from www. prsa. org

The Meaning of Life through Subjectivity

The Meaning of Life through Subjectivity Humans are subjective because despite trying to stop affecting world that they are a part of, they are changing it. This relationship, which causes a change in the world through action, changes any objective view into a subjective one because they are influencing what a pure observer cannot. By trying to simply stop doing and merely observe, people attempt to reach a state of pure objectivity. This, however, becomes an impossible task once one considers that their mere existence is an act in and of itself. Meaning that the only way to become truly objective is to temporarily stop existing, observe purely in that non-existent state, and then resume existing within the world as a human being. To be able to even consider performing these impossible tasks is akin to being God. In total, it is impossible for a human being to achieve a state of non existence simply because the mere act of living causes one to become subjective due to the fact they have an influence on the world around them . While they are young, humans eventually reach a point when they become aware that their existences are enveloped in exclusivity. They see that their lives are filled with choices, forks in the road which make it apparent that whenever one chooses something, something else must be excluded. These choices can bring the pain of having to weigh between the options and the respective consequences, as well as coming to terms with the idea that one cannot have everything. Considering the human limitation of having to exclude one thing in order to gain another, people will always reach for a level of objectivity in their choices; they want to remove some of the pain and difficulty that they feel from having to make those choices by detaching themselves emotionally from the choices they have to make. Despite the truth of existence lying in subjectivity, there is a paradox shown here; that humans are almost preset to reach for objectivity despite the answer existing in the other direction: bey ond subjectivity. To reach the answer of life, one must first come to terms with the truth of existence. Kierkegaards existential truth is subjectivity; for a human to understand that subjectivity is the core of existence then enables them to pursue and eventually understand the answer to life. Subjectivity in itself is important to grasp as a human, and as a result, it also serves as a differentiation between the simple man and the wise man. If the wise man is being subjective, he knows that there is a difference between subjectivity and objectivity. However, the only indication that he is being completely subjective at a given point is that he objectively knows the difference between objectivity and subjectivity. This understanding allows him to grasp the concept of the answer to life while at the same time brings up the paradox of only being subjective when being objective. In contrast, if the simple man is being subjective, he is simply being subjective by point of impulse and would not be aware o f it. Thus the simple man cannot be considered to have reached the same existential truth as the wise man. To be wise is a curse as well as a blessing, for the paradox teaches him the importance of the existential truth, while at the same time, prevents him from reaching it. Given Kierkegaards belief that the existential truth is subjectivity, that all humans eventually become at least slightly objective and that people need to be slightly objective in order to be subjective, then a paradox presents itself. If a human cannot be subjective without being objective then this begs the question about whether or not a human reach a state of pure subjectivity. Within the World-Historical view, there is but a single objective truth to any individual event throughout history, but subjectivity shows a different, individual truth for every person viewing it. Seeing that people cannot objectively observe and think over the past (without first accomplishing the impossible task of becoming God-like), people are left to view the events themselves from the present, filling in the gaps between objective facts with subjective interpretations. These all compile to subjective truths; each being the truth, yet none being any more or less valid than the last. By being human, one is restricted by the world they have subjectively constructed; a world made with the subjective truths influenced by their own thoughts, feelings and experiences. However, as partially subjective existences in what can only be perceived as a purely subjective world, one must ask if human beings can really exist in the same world as anyone else and if the answer to that query chan ges the answer to life itself. This presents us with the final paradox; that in order to obtain the answer one must be an objective and static entity, but humans as a whole are subjective simply through existence. Were one to find the so-called answer to life, ones life would fundamentally change. However, as a direct result of finding that answer, this newly changed life is basically a new life in and of itself. This new life is at least slightly different from the old life and, as a result, has a new subjective truth to it. This effectively renders the previous answer worthless, perhaps having never existed to begin with. This in itself proves that the answer cannot be found in the constantly active life, but only in the static death where the constant, static world is unaffected by a person. Despite this, the answer holds no meaning after death and cannot be communicated to the living resulting in the same lack of truth. As a result, Ive found that Im unable to submit my answer to this lifelong assignment, and that to do so I would have to no longer be considered alive. I apologize and would like to request an extension; preferably to sometime in the late 2070s.

Comic Books are not Trash :: miscellaneous

Comic Books are not Trash Comic books are cheap entertainment that trash the minds of our children. How often have I earned this. And I’ve disagreed with it every single time. If people were willing to go beyond that old stereotype, they would see that comic books are not that much different from other books. The thing is, as for many books, to choose wisely the ones we let our children read. Thus, you will see that comic books aren’t so bad. First, let us all remember that the authors, regardless of what type of writing they do, can always influence the minds of their young (and not so young) readers. After all, if you look at the storybooks written a few decades (and more) ago, you will find that a lot of them were sexist. For example, it was always the prince who saved Snow White, Cinderella and all the other princesses. Even if that is less true now, there are still some books that can negatively influence children. So if it is true that some comic books are sexist or violent, it is also true that some of them are, to put it simply, fine. It would be wrong to accuse all comic books of prejudice and violence, like it would be wrong to do the same with novels. In the same line of thought, one of the great things about books is that they can teach you a lot of things, whether it is about deep things or facts that you did not know; they broaden your horizon. Well, that is also true of some comic books. And it is not so surprising, when you think about it. For example, I had never heard of the country of Tanzania before I read a comic book in which that was the birth place of one of the main characters. As for more deep, philosophical things, even though it is less obvious, that can also be found. In a particular comic book title (but also in many others) the main subject in the stories is no understanding those who are born different from us. It can easily be related to racism. Thus, comic books, like books, can teach us great lessons. On a different note, it has often been said that literature is a form of art and that the writer is an artist and should be looked upon as such. Comic Books are not Trash :: miscellaneous Comic Books are not Trash Comic books are cheap entertainment that trash the minds of our children. How often have I earned this. And I’ve disagreed with it every single time. If people were willing to go beyond that old stereotype, they would see that comic books are not that much different from other books. The thing is, as for many books, to choose wisely the ones we let our children read. Thus, you will see that comic books aren’t so bad. First, let us all remember that the authors, regardless of what type of writing they do, can always influence the minds of their young (and not so young) readers. After all, if you look at the storybooks written a few decades (and more) ago, you will find that a lot of them were sexist. For example, it was always the prince who saved Snow White, Cinderella and all the other princesses. Even if that is less true now, there are still some books that can negatively influence children. So if it is true that some comic books are sexist or violent, it is also true that some of them are, to put it simply, fine. It would be wrong to accuse all comic books of prejudice and violence, like it would be wrong to do the same with novels. In the same line of thought, one of the great things about books is that they can teach you a lot of things, whether it is about deep things or facts that you did not know; they broaden your horizon. Well, that is also true of some comic books. And it is not so surprising, when you think about it. For example, I had never heard of the country of Tanzania before I read a comic book in which that was the birth place of one of the main characters. As for more deep, philosophical things, even though it is less obvious, that can also be found. In a particular comic book title (but also in many others) the main subject in the stories is no understanding those who are born different from us. It can easily be related to racism. Thus, comic books, like books, can teach us great lessons. On a different note, it has often been said that literature is a form of art and that the writer is an artist and should be looked upon as such.

Love in Valentine and The Flea Essay -- The Flea John Donne Carol Ann

Love in Valentine and The Flea Through a close analysis of language, structure and theme, compare and contrast the poets' attitude to love in Valentine and The Flea. The poem "The Flea" is about a man trying to cunningly argue a woman into bed. John Donne's "The Flea" was a metaphysical poem, written most probably, to entertain an audience of men; this was called a coterie, which was a group of like-minded individuals who cleverly wrote for each other's amusement. This poem was written sometime in the 17th century where religion was extremely important and sex before marriage frowned upon. The poet is exploring ideas and feelings about lust and how unimportant losing virginity is, which a woman will obviously object to. The poem is written in three stanzas, which show the progression of his argument. The regular rhythm and rhyme implies the confidence he has that he will get the woman into bed for his pleasure and the strength in his argument. In each stanza there are three rhyming couplets and a rhyming triplet. This might represent how the flea, the unseen woman and himself are united as one inside the body of the flea. Although, there are a few exceptions, the few half rhymes in each stanza may show his conscience of being gentle and not pushing her too much. The poem has nine lines in each stanza; nine is a multiple of three, which is the number that this poem seems to circle around. This, again, suggests the unity of the two people's blood in the flea. It could also suggest the woman, himself and a baby. This could be implied through the phrase "pamper'd swells". This could be the woman becoming pregnant from making love. This might be a more sensitive side to the poem. The title "The Fle... ... and made me wonder why she had chosen an onion to represent her affection felt for her partner. I think the poet felt strongly about how people should express their feelings to those you care about instead of following the crowd and sending pointless cards. I would like to read more of her poems. John Donne's poem "The Flea" makes me feel quite angry because he has portrayed how some men think that women are objects; only for their own pleasure and that virginity is insignificant and unimportant. But it did also make me laugh because of how melodramatic he was and how desperate he was to persuade her that he used a flea as an example. I think it was a very clever poem and would have certainly entertained the audience it was aimed at. He was a very intelligent man and I would expect that many of his other poems would be just as witty and interesting.

The Gods in Homers The Iliad and The Odyssey Essay -- Homer The Ilia

The Gods in Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey The stories told in the Iliad and Odyssey are based on stories handed down over several generations, for they preserve (as we have seen) memories of an already quiet far distant past. The two pomes show clear connection in their language and style, in the manner in which their incidents presented, and in the combination of agreement with level, which distinguish their creation. The work was written by one author but gave two diverse views on the nature of the Olympian Gods, their relationship to humankind, and the general lot of mortals throughout their all too brief lives. For the reason that of these differences, both novels end up sending, different messages about life in general. In the Iliad, the supernatural denizens of Olympus are representing as false, power-hungry, and above all unreliable beings that are always at each other's throats. Factionalism abounds, and neither the bonds of marriage, nor the ties of relationship can contain keep it under control. A great example is when Ares betrays his mother, Hera, and his sister, Athene, by aiding the Trojans instead of the Greeks. When he is revealed, Athena strikes him down in battle through Diomedes. In the Odyssey, however, the Gods of Olympus display far more unity and civility toward each other. They argue and disagree, but their disagreements are never carried out to the extremes found in the Ili ad. When Poseidon punishes Odysseys for blinding the Cyclopes, Athena does not take revenge. Even though Odyssey's is her favorite human, she respects Poseidon's right to punish him. In addition, the betrayal among the Gods that is so prevalent in the Iliad, is nowhere to be found in the Odyssey. In Iliad, Hera, enters int... ... be so short. If you are clever enough, strong enough, and careful enough, you can overcome just about anything the Gods or other men throw at you. Bibliography Bloom, Harold, Homer’s Odyssey: Edited and with an Introduction (NY, Chelsea House 1988) Fitzgerald, Robert, tr., The Iliad of Homer, USA: Penguin Books, 1991. Copyright 1995. Griffin, Jasper, Homer on Life and Death, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1980. A clear and easy to read exploration of the poem and its worldview. Griffin, Jasper, Homer: The Odyssey Cambridge UP 1987. Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A Commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. (Oxford 1988) PA4167.H4813). Lattimore, Richmond, tr., The Iliad of Homer, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1951. Thalmann, William G., The Odyssey: an epic of return. (NY, Twayne Publishers 1992) PA4167.T45.

Benefits of good team dynamics Essay

The Benefits of good team dynamics can be seen in sports as well as the work place. When the team works as one, amazing things can happen. Goal setting is a technique that is used by athletes, business people and top achievers in all aspects of life. Psychological research shows that those who set personal goals achieve more, demonstrate improved performance, have less stress and possess positive attitudes. In the business environment there must be a blending of the goals of each individual and those of the organization. People have a desire to be successful and so do organizations. The goals determine the results. When we define our personal goals we are setting a personal standard that will improve the overall effectiveness of the team. Organizations need to help their people define their personal goals. They can then help them interpret the relationship between these personal goals and the organization’s goals. â€Å"As important as individual growth is, no one person can be responsible for total success in the business world. Personal involvement begins with team dynamics.† (Making Success a Shared Res ponsibility, Security Management; Mar94) Another benefit of good team dynamics is the ability to identify the team or individuals capabilities or weaknesses. Highlighting weaknesses will push the team to take the necessary steps to improve. While identifying what capabilities each member of the team has, will enable the team to focus on a strong direction for attacking the problem or task. Effective teams accept team responsibility and do not â€Å"blame† one another for team mistakes, nor do they spend useless time in personal justifications. Team members will look upon first-time mistakes as opportunities for learning, rather than criticism and punishment. An improved team relationship is another benefit. When you have good dynamics the relationships inside your team greatly improve. Everyone love to be on a teams that works well together. You feel that you are striving for the same goals. People will work harder if the dynamics of there team is a positive one. Good teams honour the contribution each makes to the total work of the team. Effective team communication will greatly increase with good team dynamics. Willingness to talk and share information and effectively presenting your point of view. Effective teams communicate easily and openly. Feedback on â€Å"performance† is two-way and constant, providing information to all members of the team on how their work supports the overall effort of the team. Effective teams operate in an environment in which two way trust and honest communication exist. Enhanced critical thinking skills is another benefit of good team dynamics. What is critical thinking anyway? â€Å"Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome. It is used to describe thinking that is purposeful, reasoned and goal directed – the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task. Critical thinking also involves evaluating the thinking process – the reasoning that went into the conclusion we’ve arrived at the kinds of factors considered in making a decision. Critical thinking is sometimes called directed thinking because it focuses on a desired outcome.† (Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking. 1996.) With good team dynamics come improved critical thinking skills. Zaleski, John E. (1994) Making Success a Shared Responsibility, Security Management; Mar94, Vol. 38 Issue 3, p22: Retrieved from EBSCOhost search engine. Halpern, Diane F. Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking. 1996.

Paper Chromatography Lab Essay

Purpose: to separate the various photosynthetic pigments of Spinacia oleracea leaves. Materials: – methanol – water – filter paper – sand – test tube – 10 S. oleracea leaves – 2 wooden splints – mortar – pestle Method: First, 10 S. oleracea leaves were gathered. A piece of filter paper, a wooden splint, a mortar and pestle were also gathered. The leaves were placed inside the mortar, filling the mortar approximately half full. The leaves were then crushed with the pestle. Sand, water and methanol were added and then the leaves were crushed again. This was repeated until the leaves had reached the consistency of a soupy green paste. The leaf extract (soupy green paste) was strained, removing the fibrous spinach paste, which was placed into the garbage, and leaving the liquid leaf extract. The wooden splint was dipped into the leaf extract and then traced in a thin straight line onto the filter paper. The filter paper was allowed to dry for approximately 2 minutes. The next coat could not be applied until the paper was completely dry. The process was repeated 10 times, from dip, trace and drying. A test tube was gathered as well as methanol and a second wooden splint. The wooden splint was pi erced through the top of the filter paper and then the filter paper was placed into the empty test tube. It was measured how much methanol would be needed so that the tip of the filter paper was submerged but the extract line was not submerged. After measurement, the filter paper was removed from the test tube. The methanol was poured into the test tube up to the measured fill point. The filter paper was then carefully inserted so that it never touched the edges of the test tube. The test tube was carefully placed vertically into a test tube holder and allowed to absorb methanol for 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes were complete, the filter paper was then removed, measured as to how far pigments had travelled and left to dry. Observations: Calculations: Rf xanthophyll= distance pigment travelled distance to solvent front = 7 9.7 = 0.72 Rf chlorophyll a= distance pigment travelled distance to solvent front = 8.4 9.7 = 0.87 Rf chlorophyll b= distance pigment travelled distance to solvent front = 8.5 9.7 = 0.88 Rf carotene= distance pigment travelled distance to solvent front = 8.7 9.7 = 0.90 Discussion: 1. The Mortar and Pestle is used to break down the intramolecular bonds within the S. oleracea leaves. This helped break the molecule down into smaller molecules and individual atoms so that chloroplasts and their pigments were not buried inside the leaf and were  easily accessible. 2. Methanol is used to dissolve the pigments, as methanol is polar and so are the pigments. As we saw, the pigments stayed with the methanol in the liquid part of the mixture but everything else (cell walls, etc) floated to the top of the mixture, so we could easily remove it. 3. It is important that the filter paper did not touch the walls of the test tube because if touching the side walls, water would absorb from the sides as well as the bottom of the filter paper. If this were to happen, the flow of methanol up the filter paper would be disturbed, thus disturbing the flow and separation of the pigments. 4. It is very important that the leaf extract not be dissolved in the solvent because it would not travel upward the same. If the extract line were to be dissolved in the methanol, it would simply dissolve into the methanol, without actually having the chance to travel up the filter paper. With the extract line above the meniscus, the pigments’ only choice was to follow the path of the methanol. 5. Water would not be able to carry the pigments up the filter paper because it does not have the same physical properties as methanol. One of methanol’s unique features is that it dissolves compounds of very high polarity. While water will dissolve polar molecules, it would be unable to dissolve these pigments as well as methanol can. 6. According to my findings, chloroplast a is in the highest abundance in the leaf extract. This is known because of the very bright green colour of the pigment, as well as the expanse of chloroplast a on the filter paper. 7. Pigments separate rather than travel up the paper at the same rate due to their solubility. Pigments that are the most soluble in methanol will travel to the highest levels, almost as high as methanol itself, but pigments that are least soluble in methanol will stay lower down on the filter paper. The pigments will only travel far enough so that they are completely dissolved  from the methanol to the filter paper. Therefore, those pigments that are least soluble in methanol, take less time and space to dissolve from methanol so they stop travelling at an earlier stage that those that are most soluble with methanol. 8. The meaning of the Rf value is to help identify pigments. Each pigment holds an Rf value, which is used like a fingerprint. Although colour can be used to identify pigments, their Rf value is the true indication of which pigment is present. Conclusion: the various photosynthetic pigments in S. oleracea were separated using the chromatography technique.