Comparing Miley and Taylor

Compare and contrast writing Topic: Compare two famous people: Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus Outline * Background: started to perform at young age * Success: Forbes’ list, teenager’s idol all over the world * Composing habit: write about their own relationship Each celebrity tends to create their own style in both life and music to become unique and then impress audience. On newspapers or magazines, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus are two obviously different images, the former is innocent and graceful, the latter seems to be stubborn and strong; however, in fact, they share some surprising similarities.One important similarity is their background. Both Taylor and Miley started their career at their young age. When Taylor was nine, she spent most of her weekends singing at local festivals, fairs, coffee houses, etc. After impressing music managers by her performing at Radio Corporation of America records showcase, she signed her first contrast with Big Machine Records at the age of fourteen and released her debut album three years later. Like Taylor, Miley was just eight years old when she has her first role in the film ‘Doc’.Nevertheless, her name has not been known by the world until she received the leading role for the film ‘Hannah Montana’, a Disney Channel’s musical children series. Another similarity between Taylor and Miley is their fame. It goes without saying that both of them have great impact on young people. In 2010, Taylor held the 16th position on the Forbes’s Celebrity 100. Beside many worldwide hits, she sold over 26 million albums and 75 million download digitals and became one of the most successful female singers in the history of the US music industry.Similarly, Miley ranked number thirteen on Forbes’ list in the same year. She also won a Guinness World Record for the song ‘Party in the USA’ and has million fans all over the world. Finally, two beautiful singers share one habit which is that compose and sing songs about their lovers. One of the most famous relationships of Taylor was with Joe Jonas who broke up with her by a 27-second phone call. After the separation, Taylor wrote a song about his faithless and put it in her best-selling album, Fearless.Following this song, Taylor tends to integrate her own experience with man in each song she composes, and they all achieve their popularity. Likewise, Miley wrote the lyrics for the song ‘7 things’ about her ex-boyfriend and 12 other songs which are inspired by her relationship with her finance in her latest album. Although Taylor and Miley are unique artists, there are remarkable similarities in their background, reputation and composing habit. In a way, those are reasons why they are close friend in real life.

Do You Beleive in Magic? – Harry Potter Fanfiction

Do you believe in Magic? by  Harry Potter – Stories from Tumblr  on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 7:09am â€Å"This is outrageous! Outrageous I say! First  we have to deal with post on Sundays, and  now  we have to leave the house on a freezing cold day to take the boys on a bloody train journey?! Are these freaks so ignorant that they are completely unaware of the fact that the golf is on the TV?! † grumbled Vernon Dursley as he trailed after his family towards King’s Cross Station. Dudley kept up his brisk walking pace, not stopping while he looked over his shoulder at his father – he was determined to get his family out of the cold September rain and the biting chill that the wind carried as it blew through the car park. Regina stayed close by her husband’s side, wrapping her Burberry trench coat tighter around herself to stop more goose bumps from forming on her arms. â€Å"Considering that they don’t  have  TV’s, I’m guessing not Dad. And watch what you say, my sons are not ‘freaks’ as you so affectionately stated† Dudley countered with a roll of his eyes as he lead his family through the doors of the Station. Regina was confused when she saw Dudley smirk and she too looked over her shoulder and had to actually bite her bottom lip to suppress her smile. Petunia was glaring and tutting at her husbands behavior. Vernon, who was now well into his mid-sixties was standing in the doorway to the train station looking positively gob-smacked. His hair, which had once been thick and black, was now very thin due to the fact that he was going bald, as well as being a silvery shade of grey – as was his bristly moustache. Much to Petunia’s dismay, Vernon had not lost any weight whatsoever over the years – despite the amount of diets he went on and exercise equipment they had bought. In fact he had done the complete opposite and gained weight, making him even more obese than he had been 19 years ago. As a result, he was now blocking one of the main entrances into the station. Not that he took much notice of this mind you, he was too busy acting like a surprised fish – his beady little blue eyes protruding out of their sockets as he opened and closed his mouth continuously. For the first time that day, Vernon had stopped his complaining – he was speechless. This shouldn’t have surprised Dudley though; his father had been speechless for the past two weeks. Ever since the owls had arrived with corresponding letters informing Regina and Dudley that their twin boys, David and Richard would be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. *** â€Å"And so to conclude my speech, I would just like to say†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dudley had to stifle as yawn as he listened to his pompous Father’s incessant rambling. He insisted upon doing this every single year – making a ‘short speech’ about his Grandchildren’s many accomplishments. Short speech my arse’ Dudley mentally scoffed as he leaned back in his dining chair and put his arms behind his head. Vernon’s speeches were always like War and Peace – he simply didn’t shut up. Dudley wouldn’t have minded if his Father prattled on at him any other time, but this was a special day and judging from his families facial expressions they were as bored as Dudley was. Regina, always considerate and polite, was the only person at the long rectangular dining table giving Vernon her full attention. That is, she was the only person who was not practically falling asleep. From the looks of it though she was not far off it. Her golden blonde hair shone in the sunlight that streamed through the conservatory roof and French windows. A soft breeze swirled through the leaves of the tall Oak trees and the Rose bushes that filled the garden. It drifted into the conservatory through the open double-doors and as the warm breeze caressed her face, it lulled her into a calm state and her eyes began to droop shut – meaning that Dudley no longer had the privilege of admiring her beautiful Emerald-green eyes. â€Å"-So now I’d like you all to join me in a toast! To David and Richard, Happy Birthday boys! Vernon announced, startling Regina out of her comatose state and bringing Dudley back to the present. â€Å"Five quid please† Dudley heard his son whisper to his brother on his right. He looked over just in time to see David’s lips pucker and his eyebrows furrow together in a frown as he dug his hand into his pocket and handed a five-po und note over to his brother. Just another two minutes and Richard would have been the one paying  him  five pounds. As David examined his new watch he nodded with an appreciate smile – this was quite impressive, Vernon’s speech had only gone on for about 28 minutes. Usually they lasted over half an hour! Dudley smiled at boys antics and got out of his seat to give his boys a hug. â€Å"Happy Birthday sons† he whispered into his boy’s messy hair as he wrapped his arms around both of their shoulders. â€Å"I hope it’s been a wonderful day† he told them both. â€Å"Well it’s not over yet! We still have presents! † exclaimed Regina as she walked back into the conservatory, her arms struggling to hold the amount of presents they carried. â€Å"Oh Mum, Dad, you really didn’t have to! † cried Richard, his eyes widening at the amount of wrapped presents his mother laid on the table in front of him and his brother. Ye, you really shouldn’t have. Really. This is too mu-â€Å" â€Å"Rubbish, it’s a special day! It’s not every day your young men turn 11 now is it? † Dudley told them whilst patting them both on the shoulder reassuringly, smiling with pride. He loved it when his boys got nervous about receiving presents and thanked God every day that they took after their mother, and were nothing like the spoiled, selfish, demanding, ungrateful child that he had been growing up. The boys exchanged a look, a smile tugging at the corner of their lips and shrugged. Well if you insist† they replied in unison and began tearing the wrapping paper and pretty red bows off of the boxes in front of them. Of course, just because they were not as selfish as Dudley did not mean they didn’t  enjoy  getting presents. They were just humble and genuinely appreciative about it all – reminding Dudley of someone he had not seen for a very long time†¦somebody he was only on Christmas card terms with†¦ No, Dudley would not think about that right now, for fear that the guilt welling up inside of him would cause angry tears to spill down his cheeks. He had to focus, he had to keep an eye open for the sign he had been waiting for since his boys were little – the sign that confirmed his suspicions. As if on cue, a loud hoot sounded off in the distance drawing everyone’s attention to the open Conservatory doors. Regina could not quite understand why Petunia gasped and put a hand over her heart in surprise, or why Vernon began choking on his birthday cake and dropped his brandy glass, and she definitely didn’t understand why her husbands face lit up and his lips curved into a huge smile as he ran to open the doors wider. â€Å"It can’t be, it simply can’t be! Vernon protested in between violent splutters and coughs, his round pig-like face turning every colour of the rainbow as he tried to clear his throat. Just as Dudley reached the doors to open them wider, two owls soared through them – landing gracefully on the dining table in front of Richard and David, an envelope with a strange emble m clasped in each of their beaks. Dudley couldn’t help but smile at the nostalgia of the moment – this was all so familiar. Contrary to what people may believe, Dudley was not surprised at all to have two owls delivering Hogwarts acceptance letters to his children. In fact, he would have been surprised if it hadn’t happened at all! Having grown up with a magical cousin, Dudley knew the signs to look for in children who were beginning to develop magical abilities. Dudley started to suspect something was going on when his boys turned four. He was watching them chase each other around the garden with sticks, pretending to be knights when David pushed his brother over. After he stood back up, Richard proceeded to chase his twin around the garden with green and yellow sparks erupting from the end of his ‘sword’ as the anger coursing through the brains caused his magic to go slightly haywire. The next incident occurred later that year on Christmas Eve. That was the year that Dudley’s Aunt Marge insisted on spending Christmas with them. Unfortunately for the Dursleys, she was also most persistent that she brought her two dogs along: ‘Ripper II’ and ‘Rex’. Regina and her husband could not say they were upset when the two dogs mysteriously went missing on Christmas Eve and reappeared the next day – multicolored and acting as though they had been Confunded, if there was such a thing. Marge didn’t stick around for very long after that. Regina was confused as to how it had happened, especially when her sons couldn’t properly explain it. But Dudley knew better, after all he’d experienced his fair share of unexplainable incidences due to his cousin growing up. Up until now, the years had been filled with incidences like that, giving Dudley more reasons to believe that when the boys turned eleven they would be receiving some kind of acceptance to a school for magic, But now that it was actually happening, Dudley positively speechless. â€Å"Well what are you waiting for boys? Open them! † Petunia prompted from the head of the table next to a dumbfounded Vernon. *** As Dudley remembered that day, he was still shocked at his Mother’s reaction to the letters. It didn’t make sense that she would be so calm about this considering the way she treated Harry whilst he had been growing up. She had been unusually calm about the whole thing, even scolding Vernon for his childish rants about how ridiculous this whole situation was. Dudley was not the only one in the Dursley family who regretted the way they had treated Harry over 20 years ago. Petunia regretted it every second of the day. After the way things had ended up between her and Lily, she knew that she should have known better than to treat Harry that way and was determined not to make the same mistakes with her Grandchildren. Vernon close your mouth please, you are not a codfish† she chastised whilst shaking her head as her husband continued to stand in the entrance, openly gaping at his son. â€Å"H-how can you be taking this so calmly?! Our Grandchildren are freaks Petunia! Fr-â€Å" â€Å"Now stop right there Vernon Dursley. For years I stood by and let you treat our n ephew as though he were dirt beneath our feet. And even though I took part in it, it is probably one of my biggest regrets. You cannot despise people for something that they have absolutely  no  control over. Now weare  going to be supportive. We  are  going to be happy and we  are  going to see our Grandchildren off! Got it? † If Vernon was flabbergasted before, then he was downright astounded now. Never had he seen Petunia act like this towards anything even remotely related to ‘magic’ – it was ridiculous to even think of the word. Magic didn’t exist! But as he took in his wife’s death glares and the way she was pointing her bony well-manicured finger at him, he dared not even to utter those words. â€Å"Dad? † Dudley’s attention was taken away from his Mother’s startling revelation as he felt a soft tugging on his jacket sleeve. What is it Ricky? † he asked his son as he bent down in front of him. His son’s blue eyes were sparkling with concern and his chubby cheeks were puffed out as he pouted. â€Å"I think we’re lost† he admitted as he examined the little piece of paper in his hands. â€Å"Well let’s see here-†Å" Dudley replied, taking the ticket from his son and examining it, â€Å"-It says Platform 9 ? †¦Perhaps if we ask someone? † he asked aloud to no one in particular. â€Å"I already did† came Dave’s voice from beside his mother. I just asked that conducter over there, he asked me ‘if I was taking the piss’† he quoted with an edge of annoyance evident in his voice. Dudley loved that about his boys, rather than wait around for someone to do things for them, they just did it themselves! It made Dudley proud to know that his boys were nothing like he was at their age. â€Å"Language†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Regina cautioned her son as she ruffled his dark hair. He may be leaving home for the first time, but he was still her little boy. â€Å"Sorry Mum† he mumbled in response. â€Å"I’m just annoyed, why can’t anybody help us? † he asked looking around the crowded platform. He had one hand on his trolley which had all of his belongings – including his new snowy white owl, Archimedes, balanced precariously on top – and his other hand grasping his train ticket firmly to save it from blowing away in the cold gusts of wind. â€Å"I can help† Petunia offered with a sigh. Dudley couldn’t help but blink at his mother, was this actually happening? â€Å"I remember the gateway that my sister walked through every year, I can lead the way† she announced in response to her families questions looks. She walked away from her husband and began weaving her way through the bustling crowd. Everyone stared after her before Dudley shrugged his shoulders and beckoned for his family to follow him. He didn’t know what to do, and his wife certainly didn’t – so what else were they supposed to do? They followed Petunia, taking care not to hit anybody with the twin’s overloaded trolleys as they navigated their way through the station. After a few minutes of walking and making sure Vernon hadn’t fainted from his wifes actions, they stopped at a red-brick wall that separated platform 9 and 10. They each huddled around it, exchanging uncertain looks. What happened now? What now Gran? † Dave asked excitedly, his eyes wide and fixed on the wall in front of him. This was about to be his first real experience with magic! â€Å"I-I don’t know to be honest! I never went through the barrier†¦only my parents and L-â€Å" she hadn’t said her sister’s name in years, and she struggled to get the name past the emotional lump in her throat â€Å"-Lily did†. Dudley was both impressed and astonished. His mother never spoke about his late aunt or uncle, or anything related to the world of magic that Petunia had intentionally blocked out for the most part of her life. Right then! Well that’s enough of  that  nonsense! Come along Petunia, we’re leavi-â€Å" â€Å"Big-D? Is that you?! † came a rather familiar voice from behind them. As Vernon turned around, his eyes widened to the size of cup saucers and popped out of his head. Walking towards them was another family. One lead by somebody that Vernon had purposefully hated ever since he could remember first laying eyes on him. A person who Vernon had neither seen nor spoke to for almost 20 years. Harry Potter. Of course this was not the same Harry Potter that Vernon remembered. The man walking towards them was much happier than he had been in his youth – as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His dark hair was combed to the side, although a few messy strands fell into his Emerald-green eyes. He had also filled out over the years, sporting a pair of strong arms and a little bit of stubble on his well-defined jaw. He wore a simple pair of jeans, a dark collared shirt and a black leather jacket over the top to protect him from the cold. Although he was dressed casually and his hair was blowing around in the blustery wind, Vernon had never seen his nephew look happier – or better for that matter. Petunia couldn’t believe her eyes, not just when it came to Harry but the stunning red-head by his side or the children trailing after them. As Petunia surveyed the lady who was scrutinizing Petunia in return, she couldn’t help but find this somewhat ironic. Here was Harry, a grown man, practically a clone of his Father (except the eyes, he had Lily’s eyes) with a beautiful fiery red-head at his side. ‘Must be a thing with Potter men’ Petunia reasoned as she saw Harry step closer to Dudley. â€Å"You are Dudley Dursley aren’t you? † Harry asked curiously. He and the rest of the Potters had been approaching the barrier to Platform 9 ? when he heard Vernon’s irreplaceable grumbling voice, and he figured that the man standing between him and his aunt must have been Dudley. Unlike his father, Dudley had lost weight over the years. He was still a good head taller than Harry was, but he was in shape! No trace of the chubby whale-like boy that Harry remembered from his childhood remained in the man standing before him. His features were also a lot kinder, much to Harry’s surprise. ‘Are those†¦wrinkles around his eyes? From smiling? From  laughing?! Surely not, not on Dudley Dursley’ Harry rationalized in his head. â€Å"It’s me Harry† Dudley responded in a dazed sort of voice as he stared open-mouthed at his cousin. Dudley had absolutely no idea what to do when you met someone you hadn’t seen in what felt like a lifetime. So he did the first thing that came to mind – he extended his right hand in a handshake gesture. Harrys eyes moved between Dudley’s face and his hand. His face, his hand. His face, his hand, and over and over again. He had no idea what to do either in a situation like this, but he knew that a handshake wasn’t the right thing. So he did the first thing that came to mind – he extended his arms and wrapped them around Dudley’s shoulder and pulled him into a manly embrace, patting him on the back as he did so. To say Dudley was taken aback was putting it mildly. The two men hadn’t even breathed a word to eachother in years and yet they were acting like they were family! ‘What are you thinking you numpty, ofcourse you’re family! He’s your cousin for God’s sake! ’ the voice inside his head reprimanded him. ‘My cousin†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Dudley thought to himself, and then the walls in Dudley’s mind came down and the memories came flooding back to him. All of the times he had bullied Harry. All of the times he had pushed him around. All of the lost opportunities he had to tell him that he actually didn’t hate him, that he was grateful to him for saving his life all of those years ago. An emotional boulder began to form in his throat and he had to blink to hold back the guilty tears. He regained movement of his arms and embraced his cousin back, trying to communicate without words how sorry he was. How much of a Prat he felt. Neither of them knew how long they had stood their like that, but Harry immediately felt better when he pulled away from his cousin and smiled up at him. Ye, Dudley had been a Prat when they had been growing up together. But judging from how he had just responded to Harry’s hug, he felt pretty bad about it. Dudley’s eyes began to well up with tears that he dare not let fall, he was ashamed to admit that this was the first time he had ever shown public affection for his cousin. Somebody cleared their throat to Dudley’s left and he turned to see Regina standing there with a shy, awkward smile on her face. Regina didn’t need to be told who this person was that had just hugged her husband – she could tell from the way that he and his parents were acting that this was Harry Potter. Also, she remembered Dudley mentioning once how much little David resembled his estranged cousin and now that she saw him – she realized it was true. She stepped forward and like her husband had done only minutes before, extended her small, pale hand to greet him in a handshake. â€Å"I’m Regina Dursley, I can’t tell you how very happy I am to finally be meeting you Harry† she said with as much sincerity as she could muster in this emotional moment. Harry took in the woman by Dudley’s side. ‘Bloody hell, I guess she is the cause of his happiness†¦who’d have thought Dudley would settle down with someone who was genuinely nice?! Harry thought to himself. As Harry grasped her hand in his own, he realized that this woman might have just been Dudley’s saving grace. Truthfully she was very beautiful, on the inside as well as the out. Her blonde hair hung in ringlets over her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face and stunning gr een eyes. Her lips were a soft shade of pink to compliment the baby-pink scarf she had wrapped around her neck to stop her rosy cheeks from flushing anymore with the chilly air. As dazzling as she was, she was also incredibly natural looking, especially her warm and friendly smile. It’s a pleasure to meet you too. I’m Harry, Harry Potter. And this is my wife-â€Å" he motioned for the pretty red head to step forward and she did so happily, taking Regina’s hand in her own and shaking enthusiastically. â€Å"-And his better half† she teased her husband with a coy smile and turned her head back to Regina. â€Å"I’m Ginny, it’s nice to finally meet the lovely lady who’s been sending us Christmas cards all these years† she remarked playfully. â€Å"Actually, it was Dudley who sent you the cards every year Ginny – I just took them to the post-office† Regina replied with a smile as she looked up at her husband. She said it as a joke, but there was no denying the truth that filled her words. Dudley looked down at his feet and shuffled from side to side awkwardly. ‘Trust the wives to bring up the Christmas cards and make things awkward’ he mentally mumbled to himself. â€Å"Really Dudley? You were the one th-â€Å" â€Å"Dad who’s that? † Harry was interrupted by a curious voice and he looked around to find it’s source. He couldn’t contain his startled gasp when he saw a small boy peaking his head around his Mothers body to get a look at Harry. The boy looked exactly like Dudley when he had been young: chubby cheeks, blue eyes and a head of short, blonde wavy hair. Sweetheart it’s not polite to interrupt† Regina lectured in a motherly voice, running her fingers through her son’s hair while she said it. Harry could tell that Regina was strict, but very gentle and incredibly caring. He had to admit he liked that about her. â€Å"â €™Dad’ eh? † Harry remarked as he smirked at his cousin. â€Å"It’s alright Regina, really –â€Å" Harry insisted as he knelt down so that he was at eye-level with the boy. â€Å"Hello, I’m your Uncle Harry – what’s your name? † he asked with a smile. He couldn’t believe that he was actually meeting his nephew – could he call him that? I’m Richard Dursley† the little boy proudly announced and smiled up at his Dad. â€Å"Well it’s very nice to meet you Richard, this is your Auntie Ginny† Harry introduced his wife who was also smiling down at the little boy. â€Å"Guys! Come on over, don’t be shy! † Harry called over his shoulder to his own children who were huddled around the trolleys a few feet away. A tall boy with a self-assured smirk and mischievous sparkling eyes was the first to step forward. His shaggy brown hair swayed in the breeze and he flicked it out of his eyes – not dissimilar as to how girls in shampoo commercials do – and stood inbetween his Mum and Dad. Brilliant – I could use a new cousin to torture, the other ones were getting boring† James said before his mother swatted him over the head. â€Å"Ouch, I’m just joking! Nice to meet you mate, I’m James† he said with a chuckle as he took in his little cousins shy face. James smirked when he held out his hand for the little guy to shake, but he looked hesitant to do so. â€Å"Come on, I don’t bite† he joked and smiled when Richard reached out his hand slowly and took James’s hand in his. â€Å"See? That wasn’t so hard now was it? † he asked in a light-hearted voice. Richard shook his head, smiling too. He had always wanted a big cousin. â€Å"You should write a book James, ‘How to Freak People Out in Ten Syllables or Less’† somebody scoffed from behind James who was pushed out of the way as a miniature version of Harry smirked at his older brother. â€Å"Ignore this numpty, I always do. I’m Albus, Albus Severus Potter† the boy introduced himself. James couldn’t help but roll his eyes – why did his brother  always  have to say his entire name when ever he met someone? â€Å"I’m Ricky† Richard replied, excited to be meeting someone who looked the same age as him. â€Å"And this little rascal is L- Harry where’s Lily? Ginny asked, sounding worried as her eyes darted around the platform looking for her daughter. â€Å"I don’t know love, where did you last see her? † Harry responded, copying his wife and looking around frantically for his little Princess. â€Å"She was over by the tro- Lily Luna Pot ter! What have I told you about petting animals that  don’tbelong to you? † Ginny demanded as she cocked an eyebrow at her daughter and crossed her arms. â€Å"But Mummy isn’t he lovely? † Lily chirped back at her mother as she reached up on tiptoe to put her fingers through the bars of the Snowy owl’s cage. Yes darling he is, but he’s not yours – wait, who’s is he? † Ginny asked looking to Regina and Dudley for an explanation. Harry followed his wife’s line of vision and his breath caught in his throat when he saw the owl. It reminded him so much of Hedwig! â€Å"He’s mines. His name is Archimedes. I’m David† a timid voice registered in Harry’s ears and his jaw practically hit off of the floor as another boy stepped around his Father and stood infront of Harry. Harry couldn’t believe it – he simply couldn’t. Where the other boy looked like a smaller version of Dudl ey, this one looked so much like Harry had done when he was young. Dark brown hair, with even darker shades spread throughout his messy hair which fell into his eyes – much the same as James’s did. Oh Merlin, those eyes! They were Harry’s eyes! Lily’s eyes! Petunia’s sisters eyes! As odd as this was, Harry couldn’t help but find it sweet at the same time. Dudley’s boys were loving, caring, kind miniature versions of themselves when they had been this age. Albus couldn’t quite believe it either. Besides his Father, he had never met anyone else with his Grandma Lily’s eyes before. â€Å"Wow, we’re identical! † the two boys said in unison as they looked at eachother for the first time. Ginny couldn’t suppress her watery smile as she was reminded of a young version of Fred and George, and Dudley and Harry exchanged knowing smiles as they watched their sons interact with eachother – their conversation growing more animated as Ricky joined their conversation too. It was as if the Universe was giving Dudley and Harry a second chance through their sons. That’s when something else clicked in Harry’s brain and his head snapped around to take in the sight of the trolleys, loaded with two trunks with the Hogwarts symbol on them. Could it be? â€Å"Are y- are you two- what I mean to ask is, are you two w-w-wi-â€Å" Yes† Dudley answered for him. He could just imagine how big a shock this must be to Harry. Just the thought alone of two wizards being spawned by the son of Vernon Dursley was enough to make you want to faint and then burst out laughing. â€Å"Well I’ll be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry replied in a far away voice. He certainly di dn’t see this one coming. â€Å"It’s been a while Harry† Petunia acknowledged from her spot over by the barrier. Harry didn’t quite know how to react. He’d just met his two nephews, reunited with his cousin, met his cousins wife and now he was running into Petunia too? His head just might explode. â€Å"It has Aunt Petunia, you’re looking well though† he replied somewhat reserved. He was wary around Petunia given the way she had always felt about magic. â€Å"Thankyou dear, you are too† she knew it wasn’t much, but hopefully she was on the right track to some sort of reconciliation with her nephew. ‘She’s calling me ‘dear’? Blimey, someone must have spiked her morning tea with happy juice. Hmmm maybe she has changed’ Harry thought to himself as the corners of his mouth turned up into a small smile. Petunia smiled back and was about to keep up the conversation, when she was rudely cut off. â€Å"Well where is this flipping train then? I want to see it! I thought the boys were supposed to be getting on it!? † Vernon exclaimed in a rather huffy voice as he stamped his foot on the ground and crossed his arms like a moody child. â€Å"Hello to you too Uncle Vernon. And well that depends, you can come onto Platform 9 ? if you want to. But do you believe in magic? † Harry asked, knowing fine well what the answer would be, but it couldn’t hurt to try could it? â€Å"There’s no such  thing  as magic boy! Vernon retorted, his face turning purple with frustration. â€Å"I’ll take that as a no then. Ginny? Would you mind escorting the kids through the barrier with Regina and my aunt please? I’ll take Dudley through† â€Å"Come on then Ricky! I can’t wait to tell you all about Quidditch! † James called to his little cousin who’s face was the very definition of confusion as he closed his eyes and followed James through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. â€Å"What’s Quidditch? † was the last thing Dudley heard his son ask before he disappeared infront of his very eyes. Come on Dave, I’ll take you through† Albus offered as he and Dave lined their trollies up alongside eachother and raced to get through the barrier before the other one could. Ginny, Regina and Petunia smiled at the boys antics and Ginny offered her arm to Regina. â€Å"Shall we then? † she asked kindly, motioning towards the brick wall. Regina was a little nervous but excited at the same time. This was her first proper experience with magic. â€Å"We shall† she replied playfully. Before the women were at the wall, Ginny turned back around to face Petunia. â€Å"Aren't you coming Mrs. Dursley? Ginny inquired. She no longer felt the same hostility she had before to the woman, she seemed ready to make amends after all these years. â€Å"I think I am. You know, I always wanted to walk through this barrier. For some reason, it feels like it’s the right thing to do† Petunia stated with a smile and followed her daughter-in-law and her nephews wife, giving Harry one last smile before disappearing through the veil of magic. â€Å"Ready Dudley? † Harry asked, excitement coursing through his veins. â€Å"H-Harry, I don’t know how† Dudley admitted, sounding a bit dejected and scared. What if the barrier didn’t let him through? Harry gave his cousin’s shoulders a reassuring squeeze and smiled up at him. â€Å"Don’t worry Dudley, we’ll do it together† Harry assured him. Dudley wiped away a sentimental tear that spilled over his bottom eyelid and down his cheek – this is what he had been wanting for him and his cousin for almost 20 years. He nodded and that was all the encouragement Harry needed to lead Dudley through the barrier. He kept his eyes closed the whole time, but when he heard a whole new set of noises and felt the steam in the air, Dudley opened his eyes. He honestly couldn’t believe it. Families were huddled around the platform in groups, saying their last goodbyes. Owls soared through the air and through the open windows of the train to meet their owners. The train, how could Dudley not ogle at the train?! It was huge, shiny and incredible to look at. It’s red glossy paint sparkled in the light of the old-fashioned oil lanterns that lined the walls of the platform and it appeared to radiate a sense of warmth, of welcoming. Dudley couldn’t believe that he was finally here – in Harry’s world. A world that was far better than he ever could have imagined. Dudley’s marveling of the world around him was interrupted by a grunting sound and a loud thud behind him, and he and Harry turned around – unable to contain their laughter. Vernon had apparently felt left out, standing out on the Muggle platform by himself and had felt the need to run through the barrier with his eyes closed – meaning he tripped over his own feet and face planted the ground on the other side of the barrier. Witches and Wizards looked with concern at the odd man, who lifted his head and took in his surroundings – his eyes boggling and his mouth hanging open. L-looks like Da-dad believes in m-magic after all! † Dudley managed to say inbetween outbursts of hysteric laughter. â€Å"What? Oh no, that was just something I made up. The barrier will let anyone through that has a right to – he’s a grandparent of two students, so it let him through no problem. I just wanted to get the satisfaction of hearing Vernon Dursley admi t that magic was real, althought I'm pretty sure that man will go to his grave swearing it's not – even after this! † Harry confessed and wiped away the tears on his cheeks from laughing so much. That day, Harry and Dudley reunited and waved goodbye to their children. Dudley was thankful that Albus was starting school that year too, at least Ricky and David would have someone they knew in their year. That was also the day that Harry and Dudley realized something. Standing with their families, on the platform of the Wizarding world, together after all of these years as family should be – both men had never been happier. If two people could come together after almost 20 years and put aside their differences like this, then it definately proved something – something that Vernon would still refuse to admit. Magic definitely did exist.

British Empire and India Essay

India is located in southern Asia. India borders Pakistan, China, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Pakistan is on the northwest border. China and Nepal are on the northern border. Bangladesh is on the northeastern border. More than half of India is surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Climate, Weather, and Seasons India has one of the most diverse climates in the world. It has monsoons, to very hot weather, all the way to the snowy Himalayan Mountains. A monsoon is a wind that changes direction with the change of seasons. Monsoons also bring rain which can cause flooding and other disasters. Monsoons almost only happen in the Indian Ocean. But at the same time, the monsoons are very helpful, because they give the people of India their water to irrigate their crops, growing their crops, and for drinking water for the people of India. India has three main seasons. Their seasons are the rainy season which is from June-October, the Indian Winter which is from November-January, and the Humid Heat from April-May. The monsoons usually come through in April-October. Major Landforms The Himalayan Mountains is a mountain range that goes through India. Himalaya means House of Snow in Sanskrit. They go east to west for 1,500 miles making three mountain ranges between India and Tibet. They are the highest and youngest mountains in the world. The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a flat area of land. The Plain is where the Ganges River runs through. It covers 300,000 square miles of northern India. It has some of the most fertile soil in the country of India. The Thar Desert is a sandy region that covers 100,394 square miles of land. It only receives ten inches of rain in one year. Camels are very important in the desert because they need some way of transportation. The Southern Peninsula separates northern India and Southern India. These mountains are about 4000 feet high, not nearly as tall as the Himalaya. The Eastern Ghats, The Western Ghats, and the Vindhya Range form, the Deccan Plateau. There is water everywhere on the Southern Peninsula. It has many rivers. Major Rivers, Lakes, Seas, and Other Bodies of Water One of the most famous rivers in the world is the Ganges River and the Ganges is located in India. The Ganges River is very important in the Hindu Religion, because they are supposed to bathe in the River at least once in their lives. It is located in northern India and goes almost all the way across India. The Bay of Bengal is a bay bordering almost the entire eastern border of India. It also borders Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar. It merges with the Padma Delta. Also, many rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal. Although, because of the monsoons the northern coast of the bay is losing its people. The Arabian Sea borders India, The Arabian Peninsula, Iran, and Pakistan. The Indus River is the most important river that flows into the Arabian Sea. It is a very large principle in India and Europe’s trading. Significant, Unusual, or Unique Geographic Features of the Country India is a subcontinent of Asia. A subcontinent is a large landmass that is usually attached to a continent. India also has 4,000 miles of pure coastline. The Indian Ocean is what makes up the 4,000 miles. History of India Pre-History One of the first civilizations in India settled around 2,500 B.C. That civilization lived in central and southern India. They were called the Dravidians. The descendants of the Dravidians still live in southern India today. Another early civilization was called the Aryans. They were there from about 1,500-200 B.C. The word Aryans means â€Å"noble ones.† They invaded the Dravidians and made them go farther south. Some of the Dravidians stayed with the Aryans and lived the Aryan lifestyle. In return the Aryans would use some of the Dravidians customs. The Aryans also invented the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest languages in the world. They also set up the Caste System. They started the Hindu religion and wrote the Vedas, which is the most important book of the Hindu scriptures. Ancient Empires Two hundred years before Alexander the Great invaded a kingdom was forming. They were known as the Maurya’s. The first ruler of this empire was Chandragupta. They ruled for about 140 years. They had a big army, a government, and tax collection. But in 184 B.C. the empire fell apart. In A.D. 319 a king named Chandragupta I founded the Gupta Empire. Chandragupta II was his grandson and during his reign was the peak of their empire. He reigned from 330-375. Chandragupta II also invented the concept of zero and figured out that the world was round. The Gupta Empire ended in 550 because the White Huns conquered them. Invasions and Exploration In 518 B.C. the Persian King Darius conquered both the Indus Valley and West Punjab. In 327 B.C Alexander the Great of Macedonia defeated and overthrew Darius III and the defeated king Porus and marched to the Beas River. The Indians were so fierce that Alexander was so weak that him and his troops had to go back home. In 977 bandit raids of Muslims came into India. Then in 1192 the Muslims marched in again and conquered some land. They built there capitol at present day Delhi. When the Muslims were conquering they destroyed many Hindu temples and statues, but when they were settled there were very few problems between the Hindu’s and Muslims. Marco Polo was one of the first Europeans to set foot in India. He became a favorite to Kublai Khan, who sent him on expeditions all around Asia including India. In India Marco Polo was amazed by the wealth of India. He gave Europe their information about India, which only made them want India’s riches. Mughal Empire In 1526 the Mongols invaded northern India and made the Mughal Empire. Their leader was called Babur. The Mughal Empire’s land was northern India, parts of southern India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Their capitols were Agra and Delhi. The Mongols did not get rid of the ways of life before them, and for the Hindu’s protection they made them pay taxes. The local government was in charge of the people that lived there. The Mongols were the ones to build the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. Akbar was considered their best ruler, because he combined military ability with religious tolerance and some culture, he had lively discussions with all religions, and he also prevented taxes. Revolts inside and outside of the kingdom weakened the empire and by the 1800’s the empire had fallen. British India East India Trading Company By the early nineteenth century Great Britain controlled almost all of India. The East India Trading Company was the administration of India. The company was ruled by either the government or generals, all whom which Britain had chosen. They actually only controlled half of India. The other half was controlled by an Indian princess whom had pledged loyalty to Great Britain. British Changes in India Great Britain caused many changes for India. They built school, hospitals, paved roads, and they built the railway system in India. They also invented the Indian Civil Service; which was a way for Indians to be employed. But, they also passed the Permanent Settlement Act of 1793, is a law that says if you can not pay your taxes for your land, your land will be taken away. Lord Cornwallis passed a law that prevents Indians from high posts in the government. Also, because of the Industrial Revolution in England, the cloth from England was sent to India so that the expensive cloth in India stopped being purchased and many craftspeople went out of business. In 1857 the Indians rebelled and many people died. In 1858 the uprising was over, the East India Trading Company lost control over India and the British government took control. British Raj After the Sepoy Mutiny the British rule was at its peak. Queen Victoria was named Empress of India in 1877. The British people gloried over their rule of the Indians. At this time the Indians began to want their own country without the British in control. The India National Congress was formed in 1885. At first the Congress was just a little group of people that met and talked about what they would like to do in India, but then it turned into a big group of people which often and openly opposed British rule. In 1906 the Muslims started a group called the All-India Muslim League. This group fought for the rights of Muslims. The British had two strong forces against them at this point. Independence Around 1915 a new leader emerged, his name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Gandhi was a lawyer from a wealthy Hindu family. In 1915 Gandhi returned from South Africa. He dedicated his life to fighting for India’s independence. Gandhi used a method called Satyagraha, which means nonviolent in Hindi. Instead of physically fighting he would do things like peaceful marches, hunger strikes, and refusing to buy British goods. In 1919 the British army fired on a peaceful protest and killed 400 Indians and injured 1,200 Indians. The massacre turned almost the entire world against British rule. Many leaders such as Gandhi and Nehru were put in prison for their peaceful resistance. In 1935 the British passed the Government of India Act, which said that it was possible that later on they could be self-governed. On August 15, 1947 the Indians celebrated their first independence day. Muslims also wanted their own land away from the Indians, so the British gave them East and West Pakistan. However, the Muslims and Hindu’s broke into riots. Gandhi was very upset about the riots so he went and spoke his peaceful word to different parts of India hoping that the riots would stop. Some Hindu’s thought Gandhi was being too sympathetic to the Muslims and one of those people shot Gandhi on January 30, 1948. Modern India The people had won their independence, but they wanted even more freedom. On January 26, 1950 India became the first republic of the British Commonwealth. Jawaharlal Nehru was already the prime minister of India. He planned to introduce modern methods of technology, hoping that he would raise a standard living for all Indians. Nehru tried to keep India at peace with the world, but they had a few problems with neighboring countries. In 1966 Nehru’s daughter became India’s third prime minister. Her name was Indira Gandhi (she was not related to Mohandas Gandhi.) In 1971 she led the victory over Pakistan. This war granted East Pakistan from West Pakistan. India was now considered the most powerful country in the south. Although, she lost her position as prime minister in 1977 because of the price of goods going up, she came back into power 1980. Then she was assassinated by her own bodyguards, because of the way she treated the Sikhs most holy place. After she was killed her son, Rajiv Gandhi, took her place. He introduced more technology to India, which made them closer to the rest of the world. In 1991 he was assassinated by terrorists at an election rally. India is achieving more than anyone could imagine India could and they are on a good path for the future. Government and Politics Type of Government and Organization India is a democracy country. India has three branches of law, legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The Executive Branch consists of president and prime minister. The president is Pratibha Patil and the prime minister is Manmohan Singh. The legislative branch consists of the Council of States or the Rajya Sabha. The Judicial Branch is considered the Supreme Court. Their political parties are the Congress Party and the BJP (Bahujan Samaj Party.) Political Divisions India has twenty-eight states and seven union territories. India also has local village councils. Local Village Councils are groups of people in a village that are part of that council. Population and Demographics India has about 1.2 billion people. India is 72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian, 3% Mongoloid and other. India is 80.5% Hindu, 13.4% Muslim, 2.3% Christian, 1.9% Sikh, and 1.8% other. Major Cities and Areas of Population Mumbai (Bombay) is one of India’s major cities with 15 million people. Kolkata (Calcutta) is another major city with 12 million people. Delhi is also a major city with 11.3 million people. Military Forces and Other Foreign Relations India’s military branches are the Army, Coast Guard, Navy, and Air Force. In India there is a city named Kashmir. Kashmir is mostly in India but partially in Pakistan. Pakistan and India have been fighting over Kashmir for a very long time and they have had wars over it and many people have died. India is also part of the British Commonwealth and does a lot of trading with the British. National Symbols and Anthems India’s National Anthem is the Jana-gana-mana Economy Agriculture 65% of India’s people are farmers. The largest amount of land a farmer gets is 2 acres and many farmers get below 1 acre. They have to grow enough food to feed their family and to sell to others. Rice is one of India’s most important crops. Rice is usually planted in flooded paddy fields because rice needs a lot of water to be able to grow. Wheat is another important crop grown all over India. Tea is one of India’s largest exports. It is grown on vast plantations in the hills. About 1.5 billion pounds of tea are picked each year and about 800,000 pounds are exported each year. Another important crop is coffee. Also many fruits are grown in India. Some of those fruits are pineapples, mangoes, coconuts, watermelons, oranges, bananas, papayas, grapes, and apples. Manufacturing and Industry The textile industry was one of the first industries to come into India. India’s textile industry is the 2nd largest in the world. Textile is a fabric that has been woven. In India the textile industry is the most important in the world. Another important industry is mining. Coal is the main item India mines. Another important mining item is iron, but coal is the most important in their industry world. India also has an industry in car building. They build their cars for people all over the world. India also wants to have good cars to drive so they also make it for you. Business India has always been the most desired call center area, because call centers in India offer advantages that other countries don’t. India has been able to meet the international demand for call centers by providing cost-effective services and customer-oriented services. India’s type of money is called a rupee. In India everything is bought with rupees. 95% of India’s businesses are family-run. Family businesses in India started in the 1890’s. These businesses started mainly because of the freedom movement, in protest to buying British trade. Trade India’s main trading partners are China and the United States of America. India’s main exports are petroleum products, textile goods, gems, jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, and leather manufactures. India’s main imports are crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, and chemicals. Types of Transportation Trains are one of the most important ways Indians get around. India has a very large and complex railway system. Each train has cars according to different classes. Buses are another way to travel in India. Buses are usually very crowded. They are so crowded many people ride on top of the buses to have room. India also has airways and waterways. Culture People, Language, and Religion In India there is 72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian, and Mongoloid and other tribal groups 3%. India’s main language is Hindi. There are many other languages such as Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, etc. Also most Indians speak English, because of the British peoples influence. India is 80.5% Hindu, 13.4% Muslim, 2.3% Christian, 1.9% Sikh, 1.8% other, and 0.1% unspecified. Cuisine Curry is India’s main ingredient in their food. Curry is an Indian spice used in most of India food. In South India they have Dosas. Dosas look like an American omelet or pancake. They are fried on a large flat skillet and eaten when they are very hot. But, instead of being served on a plate they are served on a leaf. They call it Meal on a Leaf. In the Hindu religion they think cows are sacred so they do not eat beef. Dress and Customs An Indian woman wears a proper dress called a sari. Saris wrap around your body tightly but are loose at the bottom so you can walk. Indians also have something called a caste system which is basically something to put people in certain classes. The lowest class is called untouchables. No other classes are aloud to make any physical contact with the untouchables, because they are considered unclean. The next class up is the servants and slaves. Next are the farmers and merchants. Next are the rulers and warriors. Then on top are the priests. Hindu weddings are usually long and beautiful. It’s an all day affair with a party and dancing. Then by the end of the day they are finally married. If a Hindu dies they are to be cremated. After they are made into ashes they throw the ashes to the wind. To show their grief they shave their heads and wear white, the color of mourning. Indians are all supposed to bathe in the Ganges River at least once in their life; it is part of the Hindu religion. Education When Indians are young they go to village schools. Most Indians don’t go to school. Village Schools are very small and simple. They do a lot of their learning outside because most don’t have indoor classrooms. There are 130 universities in India and more people are starting to go to college. Music, Art, and Literature The Sitar is the most important instrument in the North. It looks like a guitar but smaller and rounded at the bottom. It is very popular in Indian music. The Vedas is the most important book in the Hindu religion. It is their scriptures and their Bible. Textiles are beautifully woven cloths. They make them in India on the streets and in factories, although, it is very expensive. Jewelry is decorative and symbolic in India. Most women wear bangles around their wrists and they where many other jewelry pieces. Architecture Ruins dot the Indian countryside. India has some of the largest ruin sites in the world. There are also many Mughal buildings. Mughal buildings are distinguished by the arched doorways and windows, minarets, domes, and decorations carved into the wall and covered in gemstones. The British also built many buildings in India. Science, Inventions, and Innovations India’s greatest contribution to mathematics is probably the concept of the number zero. Also, they came up with concept of infinity. They had maps of the stars and contributed a lot to astronomy. Holidays, Sports, Entertainment, and Leisure Activities The four major holidays in India are New Years Day, Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi’s Birthday. A major sport in India is cricket. Bollywood is where all of India’s movies are made. Many people watch Bollywood movies. Many people in India like fling kites. Famous People Gandhi Gandhi was a Hindu man who believed in a free India and peace. He was a strong and independent person. Many people believed in him. He was born in October 2, 1869. He lived his whole life fighting for his country and the people. He had a tragic death on January 30, 1948; he was shot by a Hindu fanatic. He died with pride and the assurance that his country was independent. Nehru When Gandhi was alive Nehru was his assistant in a way. He was the first prime minister of India. He believed in making India more modern and bringing in modern technology. He contributed a lot to his country, but he died in 1964. Indira Gandhi Indira Gandhi was the third prime minister of India. She was Nehru’s daughter. She believed in helping the rural areas and she loved helping children. She was a very popular prime minister, until things started being more costly. Then, she lost her job as prime minister, but regained her position back. Later, she was assassinated. It was a tragic death but she helped her country in many ways. Famous Places Taj Mahal Shah Jahan had the Taj Mahal built in memory to his favorite wife. It was like her tomb or memorial. It was built in the Mughal period. It is a very complex building. It was never finished. The Taj Mahal is a very popular tourist spot and it is one of India’s most famous place to people all around the world. The Red Fort The Red Fort was also built during the Mughal period. It was originally called the Mughal fort, but because of its red sandstone walls it was called the Red Fort. Inside of the walls are palaces, barracks, gardens, and other buildings. It is a major tourist attraction as well. Gir National Park Gir National Park is a forest and a wildlife refuge. It was established in 1965 to protect nature and wildlife. It is one of the most protected areas in Asia because of the animals in it. It is a place for animals to roam free in their natural habitat while being protected. Many tourist can go see it but can’t disturb the animals.

Sampleing Under Pressure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sampleing Under Pressure - Assignment Example A simple randomized sampling strategy was used to provide an estimate of the total number of species inhabiting the ecosystem. Table 1 below shows the summary of the number of species discovered from the forest and their exact population in the sample areas. According to this data, the total number of species identified is 42 % lower than the expected number, which is 42, according to the lab manual. The data also shows that more than a half of the total number of species discovered has a population of greater than three in the whole sampling area. This low frequency number may be accounted by the nature of sampling strategy used, which aimed at getting a diverse and species rich data. To provide an estimated number of the species present in the habitat a cumulative number of new species discovered in each sample was recorded. This cumulative number was plotted against the number of samples as shown in figure 1 below. The slope of the graph shows an increasing number of new species discovered with an increase in the number of the samples collected. This association is not observed after the tenth sample where further increase in the number of samples has insignificant effect on the number of new species found. This is perhaps at this point the number of new species is nearly exhausted. A general rule to determine the total number of species can be formulated from the shape of the plot. For instance, the total number of species can be determined by taking ten samples, doubling the cumulative number of new species and subtracting 10 (the number of samples taken). This rule however, has an error margin of 4.7 percent and still needs further validation. When applied in this lab, the rule gives an estimated number of 40 species, which is relatively closer to the exact number of species in the habitat. There are several sampling schemes that can be used to collect data in different case studies of this nature. For

Rehabilitation Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rehabilitation - Thesis Example As instances of such failure are gradually becoming more conspicuous with the progress of time, opinions against rehabilitating criminals are coming up. The main point of argument may be stated as follows - if rehabilitation could have really been effective then there would not have been increase in the rate of crime across the nation. Such argument definitely has a strong foundation. A 2007 Reuters report specifies, since 2000 onwards, total number of prisoners in the United States has reached to the optimum level. The report announces, â€Å"The United States, which has the most prisoners of any country in the world, last year, recorded the largest increase in the number of people in prisons and jails since 2000 †¦. It said the nations prison and jail populations increased by more than 62,000 inmates, or 2.8 percent, to about 2,245,000 inmates in the 12-month period that ended on June 30, 2006. It was the biggest jump in numbers and percentage change in six years. Criminal ju stice experts have attributed the record U.S. prison population to tough sentencing laws, record numbers of drug offenders and high crimes rates.† (Vicini) If rehabilitation could have really been effective then there would not have been increasing rate of criminal activism and society would have experienced a far more stable condition. Failure of the process has made the whole system a subject of vigorous questioning whether rehabilitation process of criminal should be retained or it needs to be abolished immediately. Personally, I feel that rehabilitation is not, in any way, contributing towards changing the behavioral aspects of criminal, even after they undergo regular counseling process. There are certain reasons for me to pursue with such opinion. My basic argument concentrates on the issue regarding the use of a method if it fails to fulfill the purpose that it actually is designed to serve. It is becoming increasingly important for us to reach a specific

Meteorological Satellites Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Meteorological Satellites Systems - Essay Example These characteristics formed the basis on which most of the theoreticians worked on to provide information about the atmosphere. However, these characteristics ware not enough to provide more precise information about the atmosphere yet such information was of great significance in predicting meteorological parameters and conditions. The introduction of computers and mathematical models resulted in an increased demand for observational data that was adequately sampled and reliable both in time and space. This was due to the fact that the atmosphere forecast models depended strongly on the initial atmosphere state that had been reached at through assumptions. Better data was needed as even after this initial information, there were still many areas that were left without atmospheric soundings that were conventional. Before the discovery of weather satellites, the weathermen work was almost impossible as they were handicapped with very limited information before them about the atmosphe res state at any time (Kidder and VonderHarr, 1995). Even after the world war period when observational networks were expanded by most of the meteorological services from different nations, the global vast land areas that were sparsely populated as well as the large areas covered by oceans remained virtually blank with regards to conventional meteorological observations. The introduction of metrological satellites was a major step towards overcoming all these deficiencies. Satellite imagery has since its discovery proved to be a vital information source in forecasting operations. The images serve various important functions in the metrological field including; a tool used for analysis mostly when dealing with data from the tropics, a vital aid during forecast conducted in short periods before rainfall, cloud, and floods, serves as an input to weather prediction  models mostly dealing with numbers so as to define initial conditions, and used to monitor forecast models.

Religious experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religious experience - Essay Example The second angel is believed to be a person’s fortune. It is believed that how good the second angel prays for a person at the court of God determines how good his/her fortune will be (Nasr, 2009). When a person has hard luck it simply means that his/her second angel is not doing well at the court of God. But I do not fully believe in this. Islam says that God will give good fortune to those who are righteous or moral and bring bad luck or wickedness to those who are immoral or committing evil deeds. So, if I avoid getting jealous of other people’s good fortune, if I do not invade other people’s privacy, if I avoid hurting other people, if I pray for the good fortune of other people, and if I strive in life, God will certainly give me good fortune. But if I am jealous of other people’s riches, happiness, and good health, God will refuse to bless me with good fortune. All my struggles in life, all my hard work, will be for nothing and all my personal belongings will eventually disappear. I have personally witnessed this in my life. I have a friend who was very wealthy. He had everything. But he got addicted to gambling and women. I advised him to stop doing these immoral things. But he did not listen. Sooner or later he found himself in a lot of trouble. He had a terribly large debt, his personal belongings and riches were taken away from him, and his life became miserable. No blessings came to him. Unlike my friend, I started with almost nothing. Our family was not that well-off. But because of hard work, good reputation, and respect for other people, our family was able to gain some good fortune. We were able to buy a good house and a good car. And our family became stronger as ever. I have even witnessed three siblings fight for inheritance. When their parents died, the two older siblings grabbed the bigger and best portions of the inheritance. But they were not contented with

Mini Case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mini Case Study - Research Paper Example The specialist helps the clients to solve the particular problems by developing various techniques. Question to the Store Manager The store manager has been asked three questions by the performance improvement specialist to get proper information about the growing number of returned merchandises in their electronic store. The first question was asked regarding the service facilities rendered to the customer during purchase of goods and it was found that the customer was not provided with adequate knowledge about the products. The second question was regarding the sales staff qualities in the store and it was found that the staffs lacked in skill and knowledge about the electronic products available in the store. The third question was asked to the store manager about the brand of the electronics products they are using in their retail outlet and it was observed that they deal with the poor quality products and not the renowned brand available in the market. Thus, all these are the ou tcomes of various returned merchandises. Problem Fixation The term ‘return merchandise’ is referred to the return of goods by the recipient to the supplier because of certain problems within the products.

International Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business - Research Paper Example In those assembly lines and distribution centers the cars get manufactured and prepared before being dispatched to their destined markets and customers. Each of those countries has more than one motor vehicle brand and each of those brands significantly contributes to the economic development and status of its mother country. The presence of constant market for the automotive industry is a very fundamental element in establishing efficient and effective economic performance and in ensuring that the companies continue thriving in this fast changing and extremely competitive industry. Major Markets/ Importers China imports the highest units of cars annually, which is estimated at 2,206,929.0 units of automobile vehicles (Williams and Donnelly 2012, p.21). Germany also imports 19,640 cars, 215 trucks and 8,152 parts which make the total of 28,007 units. Additionally, Japanese imports 29,977 cars, 580 trucks and 15, 242 parts and this makes the total of 45, 799 units of automobile vehicl es imported annually (Williams and Donnelly 2012, p. 28). On the other end of the spectrum, China seems to be one of the best auto bazaars in the world. Generally speaking, China has the highest population growth around the world with an estimated current population of about 1.4 Billion people; and for this simple fact they potentially can well be the major market for any company that wants to pursue international and global quest. China does not only have a huge population size but their economy is growing at the highest rate than any other country or region around the world; hence it is an attractive market to many multinational companies (Hilmersson and Jansson, 2012). China has a favorable environment and a relatively stable political structure, which is also good for businesses because those are simply enabling factors that contribute to carrying out effective and streamlined business activities. Furthermore, in 2011, China accounted for 4.6 percent of the worldwide car export destinations as close to 850,000 vehicles were shipped to China then (Gokmen and Ozturk 2012, p.85). This is due to China’s growth rate which jumped upto 7.8 percent becoming the highest rate anywhere around the world, not only that but this rate was expected to grow even further to an astonishing 8.2 percent by 2013 (Thornton 2013, p.9). These numbers give an insight on the opportunities abundant within the Chinese market for ABC Ltd to potentially capitalize on. References Chung, Ji Y. (2011). The National Innovation System (NIS) and the automobile industry in South Korea. Fraunhofer ISI, Karlsruhe, p. 1-26.Retrieved on 9 May, 2013 from http://www.isi.fraunhofer.de/isi-media/docs/p/de/diskpap_innosysteme_policyanalyse/discussionpaper_29_2011.pdf?WSESSIONID=91190fa2a032a2f766f53940b84d4376 Thornton, G. Global Economy In 2013: Uncertainty Weighing On Growth, An Instinct for Growth, p.1-32. Retrieved on 9 May, 2013 from http://www.gtcayman.com/assets/global%20economy%20in%2020 13%20-%20final.pdf JAMA. (May 2010). The Motor Industry of Japan 2010. Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inch. Retrieved on 9 May, 2013 from http://www.jama-english.jp/publications/MIJ2010.pdf Williams, B.R & Donnelly, & J.M. (October 19, 2012). U.S. International Trade: Trends and Forecasts, Congressional Research Service, p.1-33 Retrieved on 9 May

Background to the Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Background to the Study - Research Paper Example In a way, it is a matter of risk and all the imperative factors that define human conduct with relation to risk and loss. Current Controversy The core of the argument in this case is the fact that losses have a relatively greater impact on choices than gains. While the proponents of the ideal behind los aversion and endowment effect seem to justify its applicability, much antipathy is still realized in this discourse. They question the real fundamentals behind these critical issues. Research question In this regard, the research seeks to answer the following question: â€Å"Does loss aversion have any significant uniform effect on the economic character of people.† Literature Review The concept of loss aversion has been a subject of much research and continuous discourse regarding its nature and the effect it has on the character of people. Losses are painful to humans than gains are pleasurable. Inasmuch as loss aversion might appear as a basic characterization across the hum an conduct, it helps to regard the whole aspects as a personality trait given its subjectivity and relativity. In risk analysis, it is realized that some individuals are more risk averse than others. In this case, risk aversion appears as a personality trait embedded in the character formation of an individual. In the same way, it is realized that loss version even varies within an individual on the basis of particular attributes. For instance somebody might be loss averse for fuel consumption of their car but not for food. This translates into different behaviors in different situations within an individual realm. In its most fundamental connotation, loss aversion is a function of the process of judgment. In this respect, loss aversion is not a mere attribute nor a parameter of choice but an outcome of value judgments (Novemsky & Kahneman 139). Therefore in decision making involving buying or selling, the basic point of reference is whether the trade should be conducted or not. The endowment effect better justifies the concept of loss aversion. The endowment effect affirms that people exhibit much regard for a particular good they own than on an identical commodity they do not own. In this respect therefore, the satisfaction lost when the owned commodity is lost is much higher than the satisfaction gained when the identical commodity is gained. Several studies in the recent past have questioned the very existence of loss aversion as a psychological character in the conduct of man. In examining the effect losses have on the process of decision making under situations of risk and uncertainty, loss aversion was never detected. Several lines of though emerge from this realization. On the one hand, it is seen that loss aversion is never present in limited payoff magnitudes. On the other hand, it is felt that the previously held generality on the concept of loss aversion was a much magnified affair that never exists as supposed. In the same regard, the loss aversio n phenomenon does not exist and the whole situation can simply be explained by inertia. There is substantial evidence that people can experience loss aversion even for commodities they never owned. This occurs in case the commodities were part of the choice options that were under judgment in the process of making decisions. It is realized that endowment effect is normally reduced or increased as a function of the similarity of the endowed and un-endowed effect. In the same way, loss

Flashbulb memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Flashbulb memory - Essay Example Kennedy was assassinated. Should this individual remember that they were flying a kite on the beach that day, this is an example of flashbulb memory. Flashbulb memory is generally a unique phenomenon for each person experiencing it, with some individuals reporting more negative emotions with an event while others reflect positively on a particular moment in time. As such, there does not appear to be a unanimous belief in the psychological community that flashbulb memories will hold the same value or importance for each individual person. However, the fact that the human mind maintains the ability to instantly recall events from history with unbelievable accuracy tends to illustrate the complexity of human cognitive capabilities. Ask any group of individuals to describe the exact details of a specific day in the calendar year, perhaps a day when the group was in elementary school. Likely, they will not be able to provide details of the event with any kind of clarity. However, utilizing the aforementioned John Kennedy reference, cooking guru Julia Child can easily recall that she and her husband were eating soup at the time of the assassination (Greenberg, 2005). Another disaster occurred in England in which nearly 100 soccer fans were crushed to death during a stadium catastrophe. One month after the incident, all surveyed respondents were able to clearly remember the events of their lives at the moment they heard the news of the stadium disaster (Luminet, Curci, Marsh, Wessel, et al, 2004). All of the aforementioned situations would tend to illustrate that flashbulb memories are created by some form of rememberable stimuli, which engrains the daily events of an individual and links them directly with the tr aumatic or inspirational event. Though there is no clear evidence as to why this phenomenon occurs, however it has been suggested by several researchers that individuals are capable of

How Play Benefits Autistic Children Essay Example for Free

How Play Benefits Autistic Children Essay Autism results in several deficiencies in children that affect their educational and social lives. Autistic children feel difficulty to interact with their peers and they even cannot play individually (Sherratt and Peter p. 34). Relevant behavioral deficiencies are also found in autistic children if they have deficiency to play either individually or in group (Wolfberg, p. 23) and they feel difficult to socialize (Williams, Reddy and Costell p. 67-77). Types of Play There are different types of play in which children are engaged such as soico-dramatic play, symbolic play and functional play. In symbolic play, children use their imaginations to use any object as any other object that is not present. The object used in this type of play does not possess the properties of the object that is imagined to be present in place of the actual object (Libby, Powell, Messer, Jordan, p. 487-497). Children use common things in their symbolic play to represent specific things such as they use sticks and imagine that they are using swords. Where as, in functional play, children do not use imaginary things, rather they use things that are really useful for their play (Libby et al. , p. 487-497). In such a play, children may cook pretend food by using toy kitchen objects such as cooking utensils that are made from plastic for playing purpose. Children play specific roles in socio-dramatic play. They use particular themes to represent specific roles. Most common socio-dramatic themes are playing school, playing hospital and playing house in which each child is given a specific role to perform. Autistic children find it hard to engage in such type of play because they do not feel comfortable in playing roles that require specific social cues, nature of pretending and language. There are different levels of playing. The child does not require any other child to play with in an isolated play. In this type of play a child plays gets involved in a particular activity and plays with an object with out the need of other children (Sherratt and Peter p. 58-74). Children involve in this type of play only when they are engaged with their favorite toy or object. Autistic children play with an object or a toy in a way that is not common to that object or toy (Wolfberg, p. 78). An autistic child with lacking playing skills does not play with a car in a way that normal children do rather that child would prefer to spin the wheels of the car and would not move the car as normal children do. There is another type of play known as common focus or dyadic play. This type of play requires a child to play with another child. This type of play cannot be played in isolation (Sherratt and Peter, p. 76-95). Usually two children get involved in this type of play. When an autistic child gets involved in this type of play, he or she is more likely to be closer to another child while play but he or she will not interact with another child. Three or more children get involved in group play (Mittledorf, Hendricks and Landreth, p. 63-86). Children involved in group playing usually play board games, non-team games that can be played in a playground. An autistic child does not get involved in this type of play as it requires social cues and peer interaction Another example of play is team play in which a common goal is set to achieved and two or more groups compete with each other to achieve their goal (Mittledorf, Hendricks and Landreth, , p. 63-86). This type of play is organized either on a playgroud or in-house such as team tag, baseball, kickball and basketball. This type of play requires social interaction, rules of play to be followed and high level of activity and thus autistic children usually find it difficult to get involved in this type of play. Some Play Strategies to Help Autistic Children Learn More Efficiently Educational decisions should be based on the individual qualities, skills and needs of every child. Autistic children should be considered in the same way. There are several factors that determine which intervention should be implemented by a teacher to teach playing skills to a child. These factors are the determination of the developmental level of the child, the language level of the child and the determination of the type of the play to be taught. Developmental Readiness It is very important to determine the developmental level of the child before considering which intervention will be implemented for the child. This type of determination is very important for the children that are passing through their early childhood phase. Lifter et al. (1993) found out that it is very important to know the developmental level of the autistic child in order to select a play to teach preschool autistic children. When children are involved in play activities that are appropriate according to their developmental level, they get involved in those activities very quickly and they do not spend much time to learn those activities. Children learn developmentally appropriate activities more quickly as compared to activities that are appropriate according to their age because at the same age, different children have different developmental levels that are necessary to know (Lifter et al. , p. 139-159). Different developmental objects are used to identify which activity is developmentally appropriate for a child to learn (e. g. , Broomfield p. 732-745). The present level of functioning of a child determines which developmentally appropriate activity should be chosen regarding of the age appropriateness because the developmental level of every child is different. Some children’s level is more advanced so the activities and skills selected for them are different from those whose developmental level is lower than their age. Same thing goes to the autistic children whose developmental levels differ from child to child. Language Development Stahmer (p. 123-141) observed the autistic children with the typical children when both types of children were involved in symbolic play. It was observed that both the groups were involved to an equal extent when their language abilities were the same. So it is advised to initially find out the language abilities and developmental level of autistic children when plan to teach play skills to such children. Mundy, Sigman, Ungerer, and Sherman (p. 349-364) found that language development is based on play skills. The language abilities of autistic children can be developed during their play with other children. The autistic children learn different aspects of language such as they learn how to take turn, their behavior is related when they request for their turn, and they are involved in joint attention and other social interactions (Baranek et al p. 20-30). Peer Involvement Peer involvement matters a lot. Typically developing children can play a great role in engaging their autistic peers in appropriate play and positive activities (Blanc, et al p. 229-245). There are different ways in which the typically developing children can be encouraged to engage their autistic peers in social activities such as programs for peer tutoring, Circle of Friends etc. Teachers can discuss with typical peers about autism through an informal method. In this method, teachers discuss with typical peers about the ways in which they should initiate their social interactions with their autistic peers and they are also taught that they should accept social initiations if made by their autistic peers. If typical peers do not encourage social interactions in a natural setting then training programs are initiated for them. It is also found that group games with same age-group play an important role in increasing positive social interactions and appropriate play (Baker et al. , p. 300-308). The researchers also pointed out that natural setting plays a great role. So, it is advised in order to get successful generalization, the setting of group games should be kept as natural as possible. There are a number of games that can be played in groups on the playground such as tag, baseball etc (Baker et al. , p. 300-308). Setting and Intervention Method Setting and intervention method are as important to consider as the type of play. Teachers should consider different types of setting when they are to select the settings to teach play skills to autistic children. There is a variety of appropriate setting for such a task including the classroom of autistic children or of typical children to give them general education, a day care setting, the home of a child, playground of the school or a local park or other areas where students can be engaged in playing. Using Peer Trainers and Peer Models Blanc et al found that children usually make other children involve with them while they are playing. Children should be encouraged to play because when they play with each other, they learn social and behavioral skills through interaction. Children who do not feel comfortable in such interactions do not go through experiences that are essential for their development. Autistic children do not prefer to play with their peers and they hesitate to socialize but they also get involved in activities when integrated settings are provided to them. This means that autistic children do not prefer non-integrated settings (Blanc, et al p. 229-245). Integrated classroom is essential when typical children are encouraged to interact with their autistic peers. Integrated classroom is useful only if an intervention is implemented, otherwise typical children would prefer to play with other typical children and they would not preferably interact with their autistic peers (Blanc et al p. 229-245). Goldstein et al. also believed that social interactions among typical and autistic peers should be increased and for that purpose they developed a number of intervention strategies that were purely peer-mediated. The main purpose of those strategies was typically to bring typical and autistic peers closer by increasing social interactions between them. In this intervention strategy, typical children were taught how to initiate social interactions with their autistic peers and how to respond when their autistic peer initiate an interaction. This intervention resulted in an improvement in the social behaviors of autistic peers. Autistic children are encouraged through this strategy to respond to any initiation made by typical peers. The social behavior of autistic children are also strengthened when they get a response from the typical peers (Goldstein et al. , p. 265-280). Group Games. The facilitation of play skills and social interactions can be increased by incorporating typical peers into games and activities with their autistic peers (Baker et al. , p. 300-308). Teachers can use the preferred topics of autistic children in which they can get involved easily to increase their social behaviors. Baker et al. (p. 300-308) suggested that group games should be developed by asking the autistic children about their favorite topics. These groups are usually very common such as tag. Children are usually inspired by movie characters so teaches should ask autistic children about their favorite movie character and they should incorporate that character into the game. In this way, autistic children are motivated and they become interested in engaging with their typical peers through social interactions. In tag game, the target autistic child and typical children are given instructions about the game and then they are encouraged to play the game. Baker et al. , found that social interactions among autistic child and typical children increase because the target autistic child is given more importance as he or she is the who has chosen the topic of the tag game, typical children become involved because they find a lot of fun in the tag game, and the target autistic child, as a result, gets motivated to increase his or her social interactions with his or her peers. Integrated Play Groups Model. Integrated play groups model can be used as another effective method to increase the play interactions among the typical and autistic children. In this type of play, the children are provided with proper guidance, support, environmental arrangements (Wolfberg, p. 52). the setting of the play area is very important to consider. Children should be engaged in activities in places where children normally play. In such a setting majority of the children should be socially competent so that they are able to integrate their autistic peer easily and comfortably. The environment of the play area should encourage play activity. The play area should be of a normal size, the materials should be arranged properly and the children should be able to access and organize the material easily (Wolfberg, p. 52). The play groups should be balanced. Wolfberg (p. 52) explained that all the members of the play groups must be familiar to each other, means that they are children who meet with each other regularly. The play groups may have children of different age groups but they should be socially competent. It is very important to determine the competencies of the target child. This element is very important to consider when developing an integrated play groups model. With the help of this feature it will be easy for the teacher to find out how much and what type of support has to be given to the target child. In order to facilitate the group play, the target child should be given the opportunity to select what type of activity he or she wants to play and this thing will help the teacher to find out the developmental level of the target child. Guided participation is also encouraged in this model. Children are guided by an adult how to involve in a play that will enhance their social behaviors. The adult should provide supportive guidance instead of directive one (Blanc et al pp. 229-245). The principle of immersion should be followed in this model, means that children should be fully immersed in the play. Through immersion, more experienced children help the less experienced children in learning their roles under the supported guidance of an adult facilitator (Blanc et al pp. 229-245). Conclusion As autistic children have to struggle for the development of play and social skills in them, the teachers should be aware of all the necessary methods that are useful to teach the autistic children the required skills. A teacher must be able to determine the developmental level, language level and peer involvement level of the target autistic child and then the teacher should design, select and implement strategies that will enhance the required skills in him or her. The learning ability of autistic children also depends on the type of play and setting in which the activity will be initiated. The researcher can conclude at this point that play is very important in childhood as children learn from each others experiences. Autistic children need to be taught how to socialize in order to make them useful citizens and for this purpose it is very important to implement strategies that are necessary to fulfill this task. Works Cited Baker, M. J. , Koegel, R. L., Koegel, L. K. Increasing the social behavior of young children with autism using their obsessive behaviors. The Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 23 (1998), 300-308. Baranek, G. T. et al Object play in infants with autism: methodological issues in retrospective video analysis. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 59(1) (2005), pp. 20-30. Blanc, R, et al Dysregulation of pretend play and communication development in children with autism. Autism, 9(3) (2005), pp. 229-245.

Guccis Marketing Strategy

Guccis Marketing Strategy Critically contrast the key elements of Guccis marketing strategy to its closest competitor. Justify why you have chosen this company as Guccis closest competitor. Guccis focus on Heritage, craftsmanship and philanthropy: Prada a close competitor. With over 7,000 direct employees across the world, I believe we should all see ourselves as custodians of the Gucci brand—a brand that was here before all of us and one that will survive all of us. The long lasting values of the brand ultimately inform and guide every decision we make and they also inspire all of us along the way. -Patrizio di Marco: President and CEO, Gucci (Interbrand, 2009a) Renowned for its Italian craftsmanship, Gucci was founded in 1921 in Florence. ‘Over 90 years Gucci has built a heritage of exclusivity, attention over quality and style, the Made in Italy label, innovation and craftsmanship (PPR, 2010b, pp 46) and is one of the ‘worlds most desired luxury fashion brands (Nielsen Company, 2007). The Brand was highly successful in the 1950s as it became the status brand for Hollywood film stars and European royalty. However, by 1980s Gucci lost its appeal and significant losses were made in the business (Jackson and Haird, 2003). Domenico de Soles financial acumen and Tom Fords creativity transformed Gucci as a successful brand in the 1990s. In 1999 Pinault-Printemps-Redoute purchased the controlling stake and owned Gucci. With the departure of Tom Ford and De Sole, Frida Gianini took the control in 2005. Globalisation helps the evolving luxury market to expand. Factors like growing consumer expectations, clear brand positioning, pursuit for authenticity, exclusivity, differentiation contribute to intensify the competition between luxury brands with high ‘aspirational values (Baker and Sterenberg, 2003). Gucci is among the top 10 luxury brands considering brand value in the latest survey by Interbrand. In the array of luxury market Gucci competes with brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, Prada, Burberry, Ferragamo, Dior, Dolce Gabbana, Versace, etc. Interbrand Leading Luxury Brands 2009 Rankings: The top 15 Luxury Brands. (Interbrand, 2009d) 2009 Rank 2008 Rank 2007 Rank Brand Country of Origin Sector 2008 Brand Value ($m) 2009 Brand Value ($m) Change in Brand Value in 2008 Change in Brand Valuein 2009 16 16 17 France Luxury 21,602 21,120 6% -2% 41 45 46 Italy Luxury 8,254 8,182 7% -1% 59 60 58 France Luxury 6,355 6,040 9% -5% 70 76 73 France Luxury 4,575 4,598 8% 1% 87 91 94 Italy Luxury 3,585 3,530 9% -2% 98 New United Kingdom Luxury 3,095 New* 99 New United States Luxury 3,094 New* Interbrand Best Global Brands rankings. (Interbrand, 2009d). In order to sustain in the competitive luxury market and define a clear brand positioning and maintain it, brands adopt innovative marketing strategies. The Marketing mix tools like the traditional 4 Ps: product, price, promotion and place along with recently added people, process and physical evidence propel the decisions in direction of the market success. Brands need to provide right product, at right price, in right place and at right promotion in order to match the consumer needs and demands. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes, Chanel, Prada are in close competition. In order to create an emotional attachment between brands and consumers, brands try to convey an image and personality that customer aspires to. Louis Vuitton has been a ‘byword for stylish elegance and sophistication (Louis vuitton, 2009). Gucci is perceived as smart, sexy, modern whereas Prada has an image of modern, trendy yet sophisticated. Chanel is very classic and elegant. Also, Chanel and Louis Vuitton were founded in France and Gucci and Prada in Italy. According to the Interbrand survey for Italys most valuable brands Gucci Ranked first (6,388 million euro) followed by Prada (2,775 million euro). Guccis pricing strategy in 1993 positioned itself below Hermes and Chanel and at par with Prada and Louis Vuitton (Kwak, 2001). Gucci and Pradas product lines include leather goods, ready-to-wear, jewellery, footwear, silks, timepieces, eyewear, skincare, home decor and fragrances. Louis Vuitton has the categories which Gucci has, although Louis Vuitton indulges even in writing instruments and textiles besides Chanel extends into sport accessories .Gucci products are sold in 283 directly operated stores at end of 2009 and in selected ‘departmental stores as well as specialist stores (PPR, 2010b). Intending to accelerate the growth of brand, Prada stated to double the number of directly operating stores in 2007. Considering Guccis 2009 revenue breakdown by geographical area, maximum revenue was from Asia- Pacific region while Europe which includes fashion forward London, Paris and Milan contribute almost equal to Japan. Breakdown of 2009 revenue by product category Breakdown of 2009 revenue by geographical area(PPR- Gucci: Gucci Group ,2010a) Gucci Chanel Prada Louis Vuitton Year of establishment 1921 1909 1913 1854 Country of origin Italy France Italy France Known for Leather goods Fashion and perfumes Leather goods Leather goods and Luggage bags Current Designer Frida Giannini Karl Lagerfeld Miuccia Prada Marc Jacob Product categories Ready-to-wear, canvas and leather goods, bags, footwear, fine jewellery, fragrances, eyewear, watches, travel and business bags, home dà ©cor , etc. Ready-to-wear, fragrances, make-up skincare, eyewear, hats, leather goods, sports accessories, fine jewellery, etc. Ready-to-wear, Nylon bags, leather goods, footwear, Fine jewellery, eyewear, fragrances, travel and luggage bags, Prada phones, etc Ready-to-wear, leather goods, travel bags, footwear, bags, eyewear, watches, writing instruments, home goods, textiles, city guides ,etc. Ad campaign theme Forever now , Spring Summer 2010 Spring Summer 2010= First Spring and lookbook Spring Summer 2010 Store locations Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America. Has 283 Directly operated stores. Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, Oceania. Asia, Middle East, Far east, Europe, North America, South America. Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America. Comparison of brands on basic criteria. Louis Vuitton and Chanels brand image differentiates them from Italian brands like Gucci and Prada which target towards a similar target market which is modern and fashion conscious. Gucci and Prada indulge into similar product lines and pricing levels getting them into closer competition. In 1990s during revamping the brand image of Gucci an important decision made was to develop a strategy expressing Gucci has changed. ‘Brand communication plays a vital role in redrawing the image (Jackson and Shaw, 2006). During the recession competitor brands are trying to be more distinctive. Chairman and CEO Gucci, Patrizio di Marco and his team adopted the strategy to strengthen and fine tune its positioning in the luxury goods market by focusing on its heritage and craftsmanship stressing on balanced brand equity in marketing and communication (PPR, 2010b). It also included cost cutting, adjustments to pricing, global store designs concept and structure simplification. As per Interbrands report 2009b, among global luxury brands, Prada spends highest in marketing and advertising and continued to invest more in social and cultural initiatives, brand extensions and communication. Important factors that help in building brand image. (Moore and Britwistle, 2005) Image no.1 : Louis vuitton spring summer 2010 Image no.2: Prada Lookbook 2010. (The Fashion time Magazine, 2010) (AMO, 2010) Image no.3 : Chanel Spring Summer 2010 Image no.4 : Gucci Spring Summer 2010 ad Ad campaign. campaign. (Bang Jaslyn, 2010) (Gucci, 2010a) Advertising which is guided by current market scenario and competitive environment, helps in communicating and building brand image as it creates powerful image and message to gain customers attention (Jackson and Shaw, 2009, pp.161). Luxury brands communicate their values and aura to the consumers to prove experience through images that operate on aesthetic and expressionist level (Salzer-Mà ¶rling and Strannegard, 2004). Visually stimulating Guccis Spring summer 2010 campaign focuses on sensuality with modernity and Pradas Lookbook 2010 displays uniqueness and creativity. Guccis Ad campaign ‘Forever now launched in 2010 depicts the importance of connecting past and present. The campaign uses images from 1950s focuses on heritage and craftsmanship. Gucci focusing on tradition introduced an Artisan Corner an event where houses skilled artists will travel to Guccis VIP stores where the craftsmanship will be brought to customers sight. Similarly, Pradas film ad campaign 2010 titled ‘First Spring shot by Chinese artist in Shanghai depicts the tension between the straight and gay tensions of silent intimacy (James, 2010). However, the black and white effect of the video takes us into flashback and it depicts that anything is possible in timeless and dreamlike realm. Louis Vuittons ad campaign is inspired from new age traveller, while Chanels countryside rural chic look ad campaign displays beauty and elegance. Image no. 5 : Guccis ‘Forever now ad campaign 2010(Gucci ,2010b) Image no. 6: Pradas 2010 ad campaign ‘First Spring. (Fashioning.com, 2010) Prada attempts to spread a social message to reduce tensions between straight and gay people. Also, Prada signed PETAs campaign in 2007 to ban cruelty against animals and eliminate fur usage from fashion. Gucci and UNICEF partnership began in 2005, since then Gucci consistently support education and healthcare programmes for orphans and HIV/AIDS affected children. Gucci embraces philanthropy taking new initiatives and ad campaigns to support the partnership like specially designed accessories collection, White Tattoo Heart collection (2008) featuring Rihanna in its campaign, Book ‘ Snowman in Africa, fundraising event with Madonna, ‘Gucci for UNICEF Baboushka bag etc. Professor John Fernie said ‘Alliance between charity n business is the perfect way to build brand awareness and establish brand credibility and ultimately boost profits, (McDougall, 2006). As metioned on philanthrpohy section of Guccis official website, Gucci in collaboration with the Film Foundation h as made travelling screening movie of the restored movies to save the treasures in cinemas called ‘Cinema Visionaries. Proceeding in 2010, to increase online presence and reach online customers, brands are delving into digital communication. Brand affiliation is aided by the application of appropriate functionality tools (Okonkwo, 2007). Focusing on innovation Gucci launched lifestyle application for iPhone and iPod touch. Guccis application offers access to products, fashion shows, playlists, city guides, news, ability to compose own music etc. Prada launched Prada phones in collaboration with LG in 2007. The LG designed Prada phone incorporates features like video player, high pixel camera and MP3 player. Chanel also has application on iPhone which shows Chanels runway collections. Image No. 7: Gucci application for iPhone. Image No. 8: LG designed Prada Phone. (Gucci news, 2010) (Mossesgeld, 2007) Luxury atmosphere, aesthetics and appealing luxury stores reflect the brand personality and spread the brand message into the subconscious and psychological levels on a consumer mind (Okonkwo, 2007). Following the strategic concept of global store design by Creative Director Frida Giannini ,Gucci is renovating its stores to embrace the luxurious experience of shopping which complements the brands heritage and exclusivity. In October, 2009 Gucci launched a travelling sneaker store in New York which will later move to London and Tokyo in spring 2010. Similarly proving its exclusiveness, Prada took a radical approach towards the store architecture through Prada Epicenter which communicates a distinct identity into customers mind which is in quest for something new. Image no. 9: Gucci Sloane street, London Store renovated under the Global store design concept. (WallPaper, 2010) Image no.10: Prada Epicenter (Herzog de Muron,2003). [Accessed on 14 November 2009] With Economic downturn, it is highly important for brands to provide distinctive experience to consumers. Brands are striving to create a brand image congruent to the customers image (Aaker and Biehl, 1993) and meet customer needs and demands. Gucci has adopted the strategy to be true to its long lasting values and expand its presence, tune its brand image and positioning by emphasising on the rich 90 years history, heritage and core essence of the brand into its marketing and brand communication coinciding with ‘modernity and aspirational values (Gucci, 2010a). Brands like Prada are using tactful strategies focusing on parameters like timeless, authenticity, social values and culture. Louis Vuitton differentiates its customers through its brand image, brand values in terms of turnover and advertising. Chanel though is close to Gucci considering turnover it targets a more elegant, sophisticated target. Hence, Prada is the closest competitor to Gucci by comparing them on brand c ommunication like advertising, philanthropy and an attempt to standout in the terms of store designs. REFERANCES : Aaker, D. (1991), Managing Brand Equity, The Free Press, New York, NY. Aaker, D. and Biehl A. 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