What is popular culture Essay Example For Students

What is popular culture? Essay It is very difficult to define this word, isnt it? Many people have spent plenty of time to give definition of this word. In order to define popular culture we first need to define the term culture . According to Raymond Williams, culture is one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language. Williams suggests three main categories in the definition of culture. First of all, the ideal, in which culture is a general process in human perfection, intellectual, spiritual and aesthetic development. We could use as an example, great philosophers, artists and poets (referring only to intellectual, spiritual and aesthetic factors in Western Europe). A second use of the word culture, the documentary, can be referring to particular way of life of people, a period, or a group. These are referred to, as cultural practices or lived cultures, e. g. Christmas. Finally, there is the social definition of culture which can be referred to the works and practices of intellectual and especially artistic activities such as poetry, ballet, film, etc. (Idea from Storey, 1998,p. We will write a custom essay on What is popular culture? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now 2 and Storey , 1994 ,p. 56) An obvious starting point in defining popular culture is to say that it is one widely favoured or well liked by many people. That can be proved from a quantitative index would meet the approval of many people (Storey, 1998, p. 56). We could examine sales of books, sales of CDs and video, also attendance records at concerts, sporting events, festivals and of course preferences for different television programs. But we might find things are so well liked that they become useless as a conceptual definition of popular culture. Such counting would almost certainly include the officially sanctioned high culture which in terms of book and record sales and audience ratings for television dramatization of the classics, can justifiable claim to be popular in this sense. A second way of defining of popular culture is to suggest that it is the culture which is left over after we have decided what high culture is. Popular culture becomes a residual category, one that accommodates those things which is failed to meet the required standards a high culture. In other words, popular culture as interior culture. Such distinctions are often supported by claims that popular culture is mass produced commercial culture, whereas high culture is the result of an individual act of creation. The division between the two is absolutely clear. (Storey, 1998, p. 7) Moreover, there are many problems especially if the division is dependent and supposed essential textual qualities. Can we say when popular culture is good or bad? For example, William Shakespeare is now seen as epitome of high culture. In the nineteenth century he wrote for the masses, for the ordinary people. He was not considered as a high culture. He was popular and worked for the popular theatre. And also film noir started as popular cinema and is now the preserve of academic and film clubs. And finally one recant example of cultural traffic moving in the other direction is Luciano Pavarottis recording of Puccinis Nessun Dorma. When Pavarottis, in 1990, managed to take nassun dorma to number one in the British charts, such commercial success on any quantitative analysis would make the composer, the performer and the song popular culture. A third way of defining popular culture is as a mass culture it is similar to the previous definition. The first that those who refer to popular culture as mass culture want to establish is that popular culture is a hopelessly commercial culture. It is mass produce for mass consumption. (Storey, 1998, p. 8) . According to Fiske and Frith, 80 and 90 per cent of singes and albums lose money. Such statistics should clearly call into question the notion of cultural consumption as an automatic and passive activity. For some cultural critics, mass culture, is an imported American culture and operates under the term Americanization but two things we can say with confident. .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 , .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .postImageUrl , .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 , .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59:hover , .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59:visited , .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59:active { border:0!important; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59:active , .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59 .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud07bc131e972b8be314f1f579d4b1c59:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Fall Of The Western Roman Empire EssayFirst, as Andrew Ross said, popular culture has been socially and institutionally central in American for longer and in more significant way than in Europe. Second that the influence of American culture worldwide is undoubted. Popular culture is understood as collected dream-world(Storey, 1998, p. 8). A forth definition contents that popular culture is the culture which originates from the people. This view takes issue with any approach that insists that popular culture is something imposed upon the people from above.

Free Essays on Market Research Analysis - Teens

Recent studies have shown that understanding the complex teenage market is paramount to success in today’s rapidly changing market environment. The teenage market, ages twelve to seventeen, is the fastest growing market segment in America. Today’s teenagers, comprising 26% of the United States population, are spending more money than ever on material goods. A careful examination of this diverse market, specifically teenage girls, ages twelve to seventeen, will provide necessary insight for success. There are an estimated 69.8 million people under age 18 (23 million of whom are teenagers) in the United States, making up 26 percent of the U.S. population. These individuals range in ethnicity; 72.4% white, 12.%1 black, 11.2% Latino, 3.6% Asian American and 0.7% Native American. Teenagers account for almost 31 million Americans and by 2010 it is estimated that this number will reach 35 million. Among Americans under the age of 35, only the teen segment will experience a boom over the next decade, according to Census Bureau estimates. Other youth segments will remain relatively unchanged. In order to successfully market to teenage girls, one must understand the multidimensional profile of teenage girls. The typical teenage girl is spending more than ever, including their own money and money given to them from their parents. These girls spend large amounts of time in groups at malls or other large shopping facilities, discussing anything from school, to boys, to fashion. Also, teenage girls exhibit price insensitivity, that is, they do not focus on the prices of desirable material goods, simply whether or not they are trendy. They are also greatly influenced by media sources, particularly celebrity endorsements. And, finally, teenage girls are on the Internet, shopping, chatting with friends, and becoming acutely aware of today’s fashions, thereby influencing their purchase power. Teenage girls have a high level of dis... Free Essays on Market Research Analysis - Teens Free Essays on Market Research Analysis - Teens Recent studies have shown that understanding the complex teenage market is paramount to success in today’s rapidly changing market environment. The teenage market, ages twelve to seventeen, is the fastest growing market segment in America. Today’s teenagers, comprising 26% of the United States population, are spending more money than ever on material goods. A careful examination of this diverse market, specifically teenage girls, ages twelve to seventeen, will provide necessary insight for success. There are an estimated 69.8 million people under age 18 (23 million of whom are teenagers) in the United States, making up 26 percent of the U.S. population. These individuals range in ethnicity; 72.4% white, 12.%1 black, 11.2% Latino, 3.6% Asian American and 0.7% Native American. Teenagers account for almost 31 million Americans and by 2010 it is estimated that this number will reach 35 million. Among Americans under the age of 35, only the teen segment will experience a boom over the next decade, according to Census Bureau estimates. Other youth segments will remain relatively unchanged. In order to successfully market to teenage girls, one must understand the multidimensional profile of teenage girls. The typical teenage girl is spending more than ever, including their own money and money given to them from their parents. These girls spend large amounts of time in groups at malls or other large shopping facilities, discussing anything from school, to boys, to fashion. Also, teenage girls exhibit price insensitivity, that is, they do not focus on the prices of desirable material goods, simply whether or not they are trendy. They are also greatly influenced by media sources, particularly celebrity endorsements. And, finally, teenage girls are on the Internet, shopping, chatting with friends, and becoming acutely aware of today’s fashions, thereby influencing their purchase power. Teenage girls have a high level of dis...

Drug Exposed Infants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Drug Exposed Infants - Essay Example Mothers should be prevented, through education, from using drugs while pregnant. As a result of the illicit drug use, the children require intense monitoring by their pediatrician. Women who use cocaine while pregnant -- especially those who are likely to get noticed as addicts or be tested for drugs in the hospital -- tend also to drink more booze, smoke more cigarettes, and dip into a greater variety of illicit drugs than other women. Cocaine is not truly associated with any pattern of defects. Nor does it produce infantile withdrawal, like opiates. Today there is something approaching scientific consensus that cocaine increases the risk of low birth weight and perhaps premature delivery. Left unmonitored and untreated, the babies, as shown by studies have long term developmental delays. This article explains to any reader that there are serious ramifications with illicit drug ingestion during pregnancy. Moreover, it explains that the child is severely damaged and begins life at a tremendous disadvantage. It explains the mental, social, educational, physical and legal implications of this behavior on the child. It is important for doctors and their employees to learn about in utero drug use from a suspected mother because the babies need treatment. The key is to question them in a manner that is non threatening and non judgmental. The mothers will already feel guilt or fear about legal consequences. Toxicology testing alone will not provide all of the information needed. Above all, pediatricians must be able to identify babies that have been exposed to neo natal drug use. 3.) What are the ramifications if the problem is not addressed If the problem is not addressed, there will be an outbreak of drug addicted babies. Some of the defects these babies suffer remain undiscovered. The failure to teach the mothers the dangers of drug use to their babies is sure to create repeat behavior. Moreover, there is a strong likelihood of the children being exposed to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. This is a pattern that will continue to repeat itself. Forced intervention, according to the academy will not work. Mothers will not seek help for themselves or their babies if there is the threat of jail. The academy feels that the only intervention that will be effective is education. 5) What are the tangible benefits of resolving the problem The tangible benefits of course, are healthy mothers and children. The educated parents can not only help their babies, but teach them the importance of maintaining a drug free life. In short, a positive cycle is created instead of the negative one discussed in the article. There will not be an overflow in an already taxed foster care system. There will not be criminal charges, and separation of mothers and their children which is often the result of Child Protective Services Interventions, without the needed support. 4) Describe and evaluate any solutions provided in the article. The article mentioned several ways to educate mothers suspected of taking illicit drugs. The article encourages pediatric employees to take a social work approach in informing the community about the dangers of

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION - Research Paper Example practice of female genital mutilation, Egypt still remains the country where this practice is most prevalent According to World Health Organization, in Somalia the prevalence of female genital mutilation is almost 98 percent. Ethiopia, Mali and Sudan are other countries where the practice is very evidently prevalent. In Arabian Peninsula the practice is seen mostly among the Afro-Arabs, who are the descendants of various African races. The practice is seen generally among these races in Saudi Arabia, Southern part of Jordan and in Northern Iraq. It is actually migratory workers from East Africa and Nile Valley who have brought this practice to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The practice is prevalent in some parts of Asia, like Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world and in South America too. THE CULTURAL COMPULSIONS AND STRANGE FAITHS: There are so many factors that cause the continuation of the practice of female genital mutilation in different communities. They include sometimes religious, but most often cultural and social factors present with in the families as well as the communities. In cases where the practice remains a social convention, conforming to what all others in the society are doing without questioning is the major factor that keeps this practice alive. The reason to oblige to this age old social custom is thus, the desire to belong to the society. Behind this social practice is the age old faith about how to bring up a girl. Thus female genital mutilation is done in honest faith as a way to prepare the girl for adulthood and marriage. In such societies the girl is not considered to be an adult until she has gone through these painful rituals and will not be able to get married without FGM. The parents follow the blind faith without any sense of guilt, but with a sense of responsibility to their girl child. Here it is done out of love or concern for the girl child. Thus FGM for these parents is a practice that keeps up their

Aircraft Solutions Essay Example for Free

Aircraft Solutions Essay SecurityAircraft Solutions Security and Policy Assessment Table of Contents Executive Summary1 Company Overview1 Security Vulnerabilities1 Decentralized Anti Virus1 Access Control List Policy3 Recommended Solutions6 Bitdefender6 AlgoSec Security Management Suite7 Impact on Business Processes7 Budget8 Summary8 References9 Executive Summary As Aircraft Solutions takes the next step in its growth, it is imperative that its IT infrastructure keep pace as to not counteract gains made by the company during this expansion. This is especially important given it designs and fabricates components for both commercial and defense related industry. Given the increase in staff as well as outside vendors accessing the network, a more centralized approach to antivirus protection has to be adopted. It is equally important that certain elements within the network that have been done manually, such as Access Control List policy, be automated to avoid consuming the IT department in an ever escalating bar of employee hours. Company Overview Aircraft Solutions operates within California in two separate physical locations in San Diego and Santa Ana. Working within both commercial and defense industries, their products are used globally. Aircraft Solutions is overtly technical in nature utilizing Business Process Management (BPM) for end to end processes that interacts with customers, vendors, and suppliers. BPM also fills a critical role of internal communications for IT to ensure customer needs are being fulfilled precisely as they have been ordered. Security Vulnerabilities Decentralized Anti Virus In reviewing the software utilized by Aircraft Solutions, it is stated that security is handled by anti-virus software that is independently operated for all workstations and servers. This seems to be a continuation of the host centric theme as evidenced by host based IDS. Whereas host based IDS can be seen as a more viable alternative to network based IDS, the same cannot be said for anti-virus software in this scenario. Given that the company operates two individual physical locations that run the gamut from design to production, it can be assumed that their employee pool is not small despite actual numbers not being mentioned. With these numbers, it is quite unlikely that all employees are maintaining their due diligence in ensuring that they are properly updating their anti-virus applications and operating them in such a manner that they are being used efficiently. The primary weakness of this policy is that the end user is responsible for its upkeep. It is reasonable to assume that someone working in a loading dock may not have the same level of computer aptitude as an engineer and would be more likely to cause a break in security by allowing a virus into their computer and threaten the network (Department of Homeland Security, 2012). As security is only as strong as the weakest link, this opens the proverbial floodgates of illicit access to the company network. This is problematic in that official statistics gathered in 2012 estimated that the United States ranks third in the world with 50. 1% of all unique users detecting threats from a virus (Kaspersky Security Bulletin, 2012). The most common virus credited with 75. 01% of all online attacks with 712,999,644 instances are malicious URLs (Kaspersky Security Bulletin, 2012) that can infect a computer without the user even realizing what has occurred. Not even anti-virus software will keep a user completely safe as it is reported that 32% of all users have been infected with a virus despite such protection measures (Zorz, 2010). Once infected, viruses can either cause extreme lag with the network, slowly gather information to be used against the company or sold to anyone willing to purchase it, or even cause damage to physical components used in the business (Weinberger, 2012). There are many other nefarious effects of an infected computer within a network that can cripple productivity and cut into the revenue generating capacity of the company. When you take into consideration that a slower network will cause a decrease in company production and will not reduce the cost of daily operations in terms of equipment, utilities or workforce then you must look at the financial ramifications of such an event. The creation and dissemination of viruses has become big business that will grow exponentially as it has moved from the stereotypical basements of hackers into the realm of organized crime and legitimized aspects of armed services for many nations the world around (Fisher, 2012). It is reported that worldwide, viruses have stolen approximately $1. 6 trillion (CMP Media Inc. , 2013) from the global economy. Access Control List Rule policy Security policy at Aircraft Solutions dictates that all firewall and router access control rules pertaining to packet flow be evaluated on a bi yearly basis. Network infrastructure documentation for the company lists one firewall and two routers that are currently in operation that fall within these parameters. Within the San Diego headquarters, all of these devices act as a bulwark against any unwanted intrusion from the Internet at large. Documentation also details there are contractors and suppliers along with customers to contend with regarding external access to the network through these devices. Looking at the internal physical topology it is seen that there is a single router providing packet control for all traffic between the Defense Division in Santa Anna and the rest of the company consisting of Human Resources, Accounting, Direct Computer Numerical Control, Sales and Marketing, IT, and information from the database. Conversely, this same router would also have to act the single point of control between all internal departments at San Diego as it is the only piece of equipment that possesses layer three functionality before passing the firewall. Given these relationships this demonstrates these three devices, particularly the router connecting Santa Anna and San Diego, require extremely detailed and expansive routing rules to effectively run the business. Departmental access list rules could for the most part remain static and not require a great deal of attention once implemented as IP schemas would be established ahead of time for each department. Issues begin to arise when you take into account that over the course of two years, multiple projects will most likely be spun up, numerous unique circumstances, and growth of the network will create a myriad of antiquated access control rules that will represent gaping holes in security that can allow unauthorized access to sensitive company materials and intellectual property. This would also lead to a lack of documentation of access control rules so that there would be no manner in which to simply reference which rules were in place and for what reason. Each annual security review will then sideline the IT department as it analyzes the access control list rules and begins to path them out to their respective devices. At this point, ownership of the device would have to be established, the purpose of that device, and then verifying if access was still warranted. Disagreements at this juncture would result in managerial oversight as department heads would then have to present their cases for and against access. Obviously, this would draw management, especially that of IT, into contracted deliberation that would distract from day to day business. A lack of an overall firewall policy, a bi yearly evaluation of access control list rules, and the previously mentioned issue of non centralized anti-virus software creates a very dangerous environment for data security. A port that is opened for user access is a window into the companys network that can ultimately be exploited. The more ports that are left open, the greater the opportunity for intrusion. This same lack of a detailed firewall policy also entails that these multiple holes in security can vary in scope since there is not a set control in place to reign in the extent of the security exception being asked (Hogg, 2011). These open ports make the company susceptible to port scanning as outside entities search for network soft spots that can be exploited to gain entry. These scans occur with such constant frequency that they are referred to as Internet background radiation (Notenboom, 2008). Given these factors it is a foregone conclusion that there will inevitably be a breach of the network as a result. Such an event would result in loss of intellectual property, decrease of production, and repeated incidents would create a devastating loss of trust in the eyes of customers. An ancillary security risk is derived from the time and energy spent by IT during each manual review of all access control listings in the firewall and routers. It is feasible that each rule will take an average of an hour to complete if all goes smoothly with tracing the routed path from beginning to end, complying with internal ticket work, verifying the device, and accepting a reason for the route to be in existence. More time would be expended by both engineering staff and then management if there was a dispute as to if a rule should be left in place or not. In terms of just the basic work to go through all the established rules that will accumulate over the course of 2 years, a conservative estimate of 25 requests for new rules per week (based on personal experience within a mid-sized company) would yield a total of 2600 new lines to be analyzed. Assuming approximately a third of these rules could be associated together as projects are increased or decreased, that leaves roughly 866 lines that translates into as many employee hours that will be occupied for this task over the course of 108 days. A team of five in the IT department would require just over 21 full working days to effectively handle this task at a cost of $2,898. 75 to have entry level Network Engineers (Salary. com, 2013) dedicated to the task . If a quarter of these rules are disputed, then the company will pay out another $9,964. 70 (Salary. com, 2013) of lost productivity as the IT manager has to contend with other managers to mediate the need for the rules. It is likely that this endeavor would constitute a major departmental project at the end of the 2 years instead of being worked on throughout the duration. During this time, other work will be assigned to secondary status and put projects and perhaps updates that could be critical in risk of being done on time as all energy and focus resides on the access evaluation. Recommended Solutions Bitdefender To effectively control antivirus from a central source that will push updates to all network devices, demand all equipment connecting has antivirus and allow for mobile devices to be used without issue, Bitdefender small business pack would be the ideal choice. Given that this application suite will provide service to all Windows OSs from XP to Windows 8 along with Macintosh and Linux support [ (Squidoo. com, 2012) ], it is perfect for allowing outside vendors who may not conform strictly to the Windows platform adopted by Aircraft Solutions. Support for the product is offered by email, and phone coupled with configuration assistance free of charge. As it was not definitely declared how many employees are with Aircraft Solutions, there is a pricing scale of $449. 95 per year for 20 computers and 20 mobile devices [ (Bitdefender, 2012) ]. AlgoSec Security Management Suite In terms of Access Control List management on the firewalls, industry reviews would recommend a single piece of software, Algosec Security Management Suite. With this application, all a user is required to do is simply enter in the IP of the device wanting entry to the network as well as the IP of the device is wishes to access. Algosec will then compute the path from source to destination, provide a listing of all firewalls in the path, and then list out what changes would need to be made to firewall configuration. With a click of a button, it would even implement these changes thereby freeing an inordinate amount of time on the part of IT staff and management [ (AlgoSec, 2012) ]. Cost of the application is approximately $10,000 [ (AlgoSec, 2013) ] which also include support of the product and updates. Impact on Business Processes Implementation pains felt as both Bitdefender and AlgoSec are introduced will be minimal at best. In each instance, less work will be required of employees as they are no longer responsible for their own antivirus and the process by which firewall flows are drafted and put into configuration will be dramatically increased. The point of contention that might make itself known will be at the onset of these applications being installed as they will require some new policy changes. At first, there will most likely be an uptick in questions asked of IT as employees want to know what is required of them with Bitdefender antivirus. It will also require new policy on the part of IT in terms of management of the application as well as procedures for pushing updates into the network. AlgoSec will be almost entirely without incident as it will create a process by which a request is put in for access and instead of being delayed as the path is verified, it can move directly into managerial oversight for approval. Budget Product| Features| Cost| Bitdefender| Centralized AV updatesScalable user supportInternal firewallIntuitive GUIApplication supportInstallation assistance| $449. 95 per year per set of 20 computers/20 mobile devices| AlgoSec| Firewall path operation automationFirewall configuration change automationNegates access control rule auditsProduct support and updates| $10,000 (approximate quote)| Summary Without changes made to IT policy, requests upon the IT department for access to the network and the bi yearly audit of existing rules will eventually grind all departmental progress to a complete stop for months at a time. Automation in this arena as well as a universal standard for antivirus are dire in maintaining a secure network with the necessary resources to make changes as needed. In the face of company growth, if automation is not embraced, then it will become necessary to increase the IT staff by at least 50% within the next 2 years to simply maintain the status quo. Assuming an employee pool of 100, an investment in Bitdefender and Algosec at this time will cost $12,249. 75, with reoccurring annual fees of $2,249. 75. Such an amount if a far cry from an extensive uptick in staff. The end result will be a far more efficient IT department that will be able to accomplish more sustentative work with existing staff at hand. References AlgoSec. (2012, january). AlgoSec Security Management Suite. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from Algosec. com: http://www. algosec. com/en/products/products_overview AlgoSec. (2013, January). How to Buy. Retrieved February 18, 2013, from algosec.

Phobic Disorders: Symptoms, Treatments and Research :: Phobic Disorders Research Paper

1. Introduction Although phobic disorder is certainly common, it has been more difficult to establish the extent to which it should be considered a "serious" mental disorder from a public health perspective. Recent studies in understanding the behavioral, molecular, and anatomical bases of fear extinction in animals and humans are leading to new knowledge about the nature of fear and new treatments for anxiety disorders that affect millions of Americans (news release from SFN). In those people who suffer from phobic disorders (specific phobia, social phobia and agoraphobia) excessive and inappropriate fear and anxiety comprise the core symptoms of the disorder. Collectively, these disorders are the most common forms of psychiatric illness, surpassing rates of mood disorders and substance abuse A study by Michael Davis, PhD, at Emory University (SFN News Release) that determined how human brain can used to treat such disorders. He found that a receptor for a particular protein called the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in a brain region called the amygdala is critical for the extinction of conditioned fear. Many medical professional believe and it also has been proved true in many cases that combination of drugs therapy and behavioral therapy has the most successful results. 2. Phobia - Definition The term ‘Phobia’ was not used on its own until 1801 and in late 19th century it slowly gained acceptance in the sense it has today. The word ‘Phobia’ comes from the ancient Greek word ‘Phobos’, meaning â€Å"flight†,â€Å"fear† and â€Å"terror. Phobia is a condition, which is described as an intense, obsessive, persistent and unrealistic fear of an external object or situation or feeling. In some cases avoiding such objects or situations that cause anxiety makes difficult to lead a normal and healthy life. There are hundreds of different types of phobias with technical name for each. 3. Symptoms The symptoms of phobias are the same as those that would occur when facing an actual threat, leading to a reaction. In addition, there are other symptoms that go beyond the more "normal" fear response. Typical symptoms include:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anxiety reactions such as sweating, trembling, nausea, rapid heartbeat, worry, dread, or terror  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Intense fear of the object or situation, beyond an actual threat of danger  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Intense fear of being watched or judged (social phobia)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Uncontrollable reactions that consume the mind and body  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Avoidance of the object or situation to an extreme that it may result in isolation  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Use of alcohol or substance in attempt to control feeling of anxiety

4 Reasons Chinese Companies Ipo in America Essay

Reasons Chinese Companies IPO in America Why do so many good Chinese companies go public in foreign markets rather than let domestic investors share in the profits of growth? Chinese investors often complain about why would â€Å"good companies†, like Tencent (0700. HK), Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU) and Sina (NASDAQ: SINA), choose to list in the US and Hong Kong instead of on the Chinese A-shares market. There are four main reasons: 1. If a ‘Chinese’ company takes foreign investment using a VIE structure, it can only list abroad 2. Many companies don’t meet the strict financial standards for a Chinese listing 3. China’s listing process takes a long period of time and not very transparent, a torturous examination compared with America’s speedy registration 4. China’s regulatory agencies perpetually overregulate, rather than letting the market decide 1) If a ‘Chinese’ company takes foreign investment using a VIE structure, it can only list abroad The core reason is simple. These companies aren’t at all eligible to listed on the Chinese A-Shares Market, which restrict the overseas-funded enterprises severely. To receive foreign investment, a great number of Chinese companies set up a corporate structure called the  VIE or Sina structure, because some industries such as internet info & services and financial services are restricted or even prohibited in foreign-funded investment. This structure is especially common for technology companies that raise financing early and often, frequently from foreign investors. State-owned enterprises aside, most ‘Chinese’ companies in the US are not legally Chinese at all. They’re Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, etc. ompanies that control Chinese entities. Chinese regulators have raised the idea of allowing foreign companies to list on the A-Shares Market, but at present that’s still speculative. A worry for foreign investors is that the entire VIE structure, which largely serves to circumvent Chinese laws barring foreign ownership, has been  called into question  by Chinese regulators  in recent months. 2) M any companies don’t meet the strict financial standards for a Chinese listing In August 2005, when Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU) listed in US, Chinese asked this very question. Let us review. Baidu didn’t reach profitability until 2003. When it went public, it had been profitable for just 2 years. The company’s profit was only $300,000 (2. 4 million RMB) in the quarter prior to its IPO. This is far from the minimum IPO criteria for the Chinese Small and Medium Cap A-Shares Market, where â€Å"net profit in the recent 3 fiscal years must be positive and the sum exceeds 30 million RMB; aggregate cash flow from operational activities in the recent 3 fiscal years exceeds 50 million RMB, or aggregate operating revenue in the recent 3 fiscal years exceeds 300 million RMB. Baidu didn’t even live up to the standards for listing on the Chinese Growth Enterprise Market: â€Å"Profitable for the previous 2 years, with aggregate net profits of not less than 10 million RMB and consistent growth† or â€Å"profitable in the previous year, with net profits of no less than 5 million RMB, revenues of no less than 50 million RMB, and a growth rate of revenues n o less than 30% over the last two years. † Nor may capital be less than 20 million in the year prior to the IPO. )  China’s listing process takes a long period of time and not very transparent, a  torturous  examination compared with America’s speedy registration Going public is like going through a round of torture. In the prolonged process of waiting for review, they have not only to be upset by countless uncertainties, but also incur high costs off the balance sheet. 4)  China’s regulatory agencies perpetually overregulate, rather than letting the market decide Chinese regulatory agencies are actually most concerned about investors. They fear that investors will buy low-quality stocks and they therefore spare no efforts to set up strict review processes for IPOs. They are also concerned about investors losing money in the secondary market and therefore set up â€Å"protection measures† like downward limits and upward limits and make adjustments to the â€Å"IPO rhythm† to stabilize the secondary market. But these ‘good intentions’ only end up leading everybody astray from the original  market intention. The quality of companies listed on the A-Shares Market is far from satisfactory, while most of the companies with the best growth potential and highest returns to investors list abroad. Moreover, the A-Shares Market remains one of the capital markets with the largest fluctuations in the world! The conclusion should be fairly simple: regulatory agencies should not and cannot be held responsible for a company’s quality through an IPO review. The operational risk of a company does not move in lock step with static indicators like financial data. Regulatory agencies should not and cannot be responsible for the luctuations in the secondary market. Fluctuations of the market can never be contained by up or downward limits, nor can the regulator effectively set the â€Å"IPO rhythm. † Chinese companies will continue to list abroad, despite sky-high A-Share Market valuations To be fair, under the elaborate care of regulatory agencies, A-Shares do have their own magic, that is, a super financing power. Especially in the fiery Growth Enterprise Market over the last year, PE ratios frequently shoot up to 100x. Every single listed company has been overjoyed to get more funds than planned. With such â€Å"stupid wealthy people† circumstances, will companies still want to list in foreign markets? I believe so. Again, there are many companies that will never meet the standards of the A-Shares Market. For growth companies that really desperately need funds, even the listing threshold of the Growth Companies that list abroad don’t have to worry that investors will criticize them for a broad definition of â€Å"misappropriation. † For them, going public is not just a one-time IPO sale, but also a sustainable financing platform. In Conclusion To sum up, the pre-IPO review and post-IPO trading have made A-Shares Market a different ecosystem from foreign markets. It is hard to say which is better. But companies themselves have preferences. Therefore, I don’t think fewer companies will list in foreign markets despite the high valuations of A-Shares. It’s hard to tell if â€Å"quality Chinese companies† will give A-Share investors a chance to invest. Article by Simon  Fong ( ),  Founder & President of Snowball Finance, iChinaStock’s parent company. The original Chinese article was published in the October edition of The Founder.