Journal: 2-5

Ethics

     Two blogs ago, I asked the question of what attracts consumers to certain products as opposed to others. Through my extensive research, I wasn't able to find very many reliable sources that provided a good answer to my question. However, I did come across a blog in which a person described what they felt attracts consumers to certain products.

     One of his points was that consumers like free stuff. Giving away free samples of a certain product always seems to encourage consumers to buy the product because they get to test the product out and see if it is reliable. Also, products that come with coupons encourages thrifty spenders to buy products they wouldn't normally buy because they are a good deal. He said things that look exspensive and luxurious also attract consumers because consumers always want to have the best that there is to offer and like being in the forefront of technology.

     Last Thursday, we started our unit of case studies in Ethics class. We talked about a variety of ethical issues and our opinion on each matter. We talked about the ethics of cheating, "The File" case study and also problems that come with winning the lottery. We also discussed what the word "good" means when it comes to Ethics. Also we talked about what it means to benefit the greatest good and how it's different in every situation. For example, would it be better to buy a homeless man a really nice coat or 50 homeless men a cup of ramen. These decisions we came to find out, can be very difficult to decide.

     When it comes to deciding what benefits the greatest good, I believe the decision is different from person to person based on their personality. I believe there is no well defined greater good and whatever you do that benefits society is good. Either way if you decide you would rather give 50 cups of ramen that benefit a large amount of people or a nice coat that only benefits one, you are still doing a generous thing to society. The unfortunate thing is that you can't predict what will happen when you donate to them, whether the homeless man will keep the coat or sell it for drugs is uncertain. So it is tricky to even say that either way of donating is better.

     While doing some research on the internet, I came across similar ethics situation that I found interesting.

It is time to elect the world leader, and yours is the deciding vote. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates:

• Candidate A: He associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologers. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks up to ten Martinis a day.
• Candidate B: He was ejected from office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a large amounts of whisky every evening.
• Candidate C: He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and hasn't had any extra-marital affairs.

After thinking carefully about this problem, I naturally clicked on Candidate C because he seemed to be a morally sound individual. However, when I clicked on it I realized that all three candidates were famous politicians in real life. Candidate A was Franklin D. Roosevelt, Candidate B was Winston Churchill and Candidate C was Adolph Hitler. When I saw this, I realized that a person may have poor moral values but can make really good decisions and shouldn't be judged. It goes to show you that you can't judge a book by it's cover.

     I conclude my blog today with a question: Is there really a defined "greater good"?

"Ethics Questions." Web. 23 Jan. 2011. <http://www.businessballs.com/ethics.htm>.

"Testy Tuesday – Topping or Popping? | Phil’s Stock World." Phil's Stock World. Web. 23 Jan. 2011. <http://www.philstockworld.com/2010/12/28/testy-tuesday-topping-or-popping-2/>.

"Museum Studies Ethics Bowl Introduction." IUPUI : Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Web. 23 Jan. 2011. <http://www.iupui.edu/~mstd/a403503/ethicsbowl1.html>.

"What Attracts Consumers: Free Samples, Coupons or Expensive, Cool, Sexy Products." Measuring Marketing. Web. 23 Jan. 2011. <http://measuringemarketing.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-attracts-consumers-free-samples.html>.

Journal: 2-4

The "Leadership" Program

     This past Friday in class, we discussed issues of the Leadership and International Relations Program at our school and how the program can be improved for the future. It seemed almost as though the issues of the program however outweighed the possibilities of improvement that were suggested. A couple of issues that were addressed were the disfunction of PTO manager, the complicated issue of LEAPs, the fact that the program is more centered on leadership more than international relations, the way we are so isolated and also the issue of having a board of ambassadors within the program just to name a few. However, there were suggestions for improvement. Some of the suggestions included: redecorating the Quad, changing the name of the program, going on group service trips, and making the program seem like an elite program to be in.

    For me, there are several things that I strongly feel should be considered for changing the program. Something I really feel discouraged by in the program is the fact that there is a Leadership Board of Ambassadors. Granted, I could have easily signed up for it, but I didn't. I feel like by having this group within the program, it excludes the majority of students in the program from knowing a lot of what is going on in Leadership at the moment while giving others special knowledge and recognition. I believe everyone in the program should be given equal opportunities and should be treated the same. I also believe that LEAPs should be gotten rid. LEAPs I feel are forced upon us to do in order to fulfill an obligation set out by the program and most of the time are not fully enjoyable or give us any real "Leadership Enrichment" at all. An improvement I would really like to see made to the program would be for all of the Leadership Program to go on a group service trip where we get to experience the benefits of volunteering together, making us closer as a group and making a stronger impact on the community as well. Also personally, I think the name of our program should be changed from Leadership and International Relations Program to the "Leadership in Action Program" so we can really stay true to our name.

     Over all I do believe that our special center needs some extra "pizzazz" not only to create a better experience for those who are enrolled in it but also to make students want to apply to James River and give us more notoriety and prestige within not only our community but state and maybe even the whole nation. I believe if we make all of the changes we suggested on Friday to the program, our program would overall become more effective in the lessons it teaches to students and also have a greater impact on the community. We can become the program that doesn't follow the rules and thinks outside the box in regards to education.

    

"2010 March." Mitchell Kapor Foundation Weblog. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://blog.mkf.org/2010/03/>.

"Analogue Technologies - Services." Analogue Technologies - Home. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://www.analogue.in/services>.

"HomeGain Blog » Home Improvement." HomeGain Blog. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. <http://blog.homegain.com/category/home-improvement/>.

Journal: 2-3

Overbearing Brands

     Last week I asked a question about the different types of methods acvvertisement industries use to make people want to buy their product. I only already knew a couple of them but however through my research, i discovered that there are alot more techniques that advertisers use that I wasn't aware of. It's amazing to see how many techniques advertisement industries have been able to find. Some of the techniques include:
WEASEL WORDS
MAGIC INGREDIENTS
PATRIOTISM
DIVERSION
TRANSFERPLAIN FOLKS
SNOB APPEALBRIBERY
TESTIMONIAL
WIT AND HUMORSIMPLE SOLUTIONS
CARD STACKING
GLITTERING GENERALITIES

BANDWAGON
http://www.foothilltech.org/rgeib/english/media_literacy/advertising_techniques.htm

     From this list there were plently I did not know of before such as snob appeals, bribery and magic ingredients. It's interesting to see how these tactics really do work when it comes to attracting consumers to a certain product. Advertisement industries seem as though they will do almost anything for you to even consider buying their product.

     This past week we discussed what the definition of a brand really is and what makes us loyal to a certain product above others. We were assigned to research a particular brand of which we are very loyal to and explain why we are so loyal to it in the first place. For me, I picked my favorite tennis brand: Babolat. However, I was shocked to discover how many people picked the same exact brand of which they will never faulter from. For example, atleast six people picked apple as their brand and brands such as nike and pepsi were common as well. It got me to thinking; why do these specific brands seem to attract people more than others.

     In my opinion I think what attracts most people to certain brands these days (especially the younger generation) is how modern a cartain thing is. It seems as though if a brand were to suddenly put a modern twist on their product that they would sell more. Apple is known for its futuristic technology, nike is known for using modern technology to make your athletic performance better and pepsi has released a new ad campagin featuring messages of changing the world. I'll even admit that part of the reason why I love Babolat tennis racquets so much is because they use modern colors and technology that other companies don't. Maybe human being are drawn to these modern products in a subconcious effort to move the human race forward.

     Another example of this is the Nook which has been introduced in Barnes and Noble book stores. The Nook is an electronic device where you can read whatever book you want. To me, this product does sound cool but why not just read a regular book? It almost seems pointless. However, Americans seem to be flocking to Barnes and Noble to get themselves a Nook. This is just another example of how people want this new product because it is modern even though they could just as easily buy the book and save alot more money.

     I end my blog with a question: What other aspects about products attract consumers?

"ADVERTISING TECHNIQUES." Foothill Technology High School. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://www.foothilltech.org/rgeib/english/media_literacy/advertising_techniques.htm>.

"Ancient Technology Cartoons and Comics." CartoonStock - Cartoon Pictures, Political Cartoons, Animations. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/a/ancient_technology.asp>.

"Apple IPhone 3G." Mobile Gazette - Mobile Phone News. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://www.mobilegazette.com/apple-iphone-3g-08x06x09.htm>.

Journal: 2-2

Sneaky Branding

     Through my research on the internet I was unable to find any physical benefits to those who volunteer on a regular basis. However, I did find out that a main mental benefit in volunteering is a decrease in depression for those who volunteer. In my research I also found some statistics:

A Duke study found that individuals who volunteered after experiencing heart attacks reported reductions in despair and depression – two factors that that have been linked to mortality in post-coronary artery disease patients.

An analysis of longitudinal data found that individuals over 70 who volunteered approximately 100 hours had less of a decline in self-reported health and functioning levels, experienced lower levels of depression, and had more longevity.

Another study found that volunteering led to lower rates of depression in individuals 65 and older.

http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=687

     This data that I found is very convincing on why people should constantly volunteer their time. Although you may not always physically benefit unless it's doing something active, you can be sure that your mental health will definitely improve over time and you will be a happier person.

     In class these past two weeks, we have been watching and finished a documentary called "The Persuaders". This was a movie about how the advertisement industry works and how they try to reach out to the common people to buy their products. It talked about methods they use to apeal to us, product placement, and also how the advertisement industry is suffering. We discussed in class the good and negative effects of becoming a culture strictly based off of and controlled by advertising.

     I do believe that advertising is good and that it allows certain brands to distinguish themselves from others and promotes a good stable economy based on capitalism. However, I also believe in the issue that we are almost ceasing to become a culture due to excessive advertising. It seems as though everywhere you go, you pass by atleast 10 advertisements trying to influence your life. I feel as though we have to be careful as a generation, not to let our culture slip away from us due to advertising trying to control what we do in our lives.

     A connection to something else we have not discussed is how alcohol advertisements seem to glamourize the consumption of alcohol. There are thousands of advertisements for different types of alcohol that show people having fun and not fearing any consequences of what might happen to them. I believe that not as many people would consume alcohol if there were no advertisements for it or even advertisements against it stating how bad it is for you. This just demonstrates how powerful advertising can be.

     I end my blog today with a question: What are the specific methods advertisement industries have started to use in order to reach out to the consumers?

"Pepsi Cartoons - Offthemark.com - by Mark Parisi." 5000 off the Mark Cartoons by Mark Parisi. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. http://offthemark.com/search-results/key/pepsi/.

"Press Release: Volunteering Produces Health Benefits." Corporation for National and Community Service. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=687>.

Very Demotivational - The Demotivational Posters Blog. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. http://verydemotivational.memebase.com/?id=9038.

Journal: 2-1

Veterans and Volunteering

     Last week I asked a question about whether or not being closer to the middle of the chart on the political compass website meant that you were going to win. I used this arguement in my prevoius blog because I believed that if you were closer to the middle, you appealed to a greater amount of people. So I went back onto the website and did some out side research on the topic.

     I soon realized that almost every party or candidate that was closest to the middle of the chart never won. Also, I noticed in alot of accounts that the people in the middle often received the least amount of votes in the elections. For example, in the 2008 Canadian elections the winning party with the most votes was the conservatives which happened to be on the far right of the political spectrum and the Green party which was right in the middle, hardly received any votes at all.

     I guess this proves that you can not predict the outcome of an election strictly based on where they are on the political spectrum. It always matters on the issues of modern day society and also the personalities of those running for election.

     In honor of Veteran's day, this past week we watched a documentary entitled "The Way We Get By" which talked about a group of veterans called the Maine Troop Greeters who helped to give support to troops flying in and out of the country. We also discussed issues that dealt with the problems veterans have in today's society and also discussed about how the elderly veteran's by supporting their troops were improving their health by volunteering.

     For me, I was really intrigued about the idea that just simply volunteering could make a big difference in your health. This concept was clearly illustrated in this documentary that we watched. The elderly veterans felt as though volunteering gave them a very important purpose in life, because they felt like they couldn't contribute much more to society in any other way. Based on this alone, I believ that volunteering can make you healthier. It can give you a will to live so you don't give up when you're down or sick.

     Since it is becoming more well known that volunteering can improve your health, maybe that's why so much volunteering legislation has been passed recently in order to make more volunteering organizations. Some examples include: Peace Corps, VISA, NCSA, Senior Corps, Ameri Corps, Learn and Sevre America, and the most recent one, The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act which Obama passed in 2009. Most of these just called to expand operations that have already been established so that more people can become involved and improve their health as well as their happiness.

     I end my blog with a question. Can volunteering ever improve a person's physical health, more so than their mental health?

"2008 Canadian Election Results." SFU.ca. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.sfu.ca/~aheard/elections/results.html>.

"Gateway Senior Services and Volunteering." Welcome to Gateway Senior Services Located in Lincoln, Nebraska. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.gatewayseniorliving.com/volunteer.html>.

“Veteran’s Day Parade and Events.” Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.polkveteranscouncil.org/veteransday.html>.

Journal: 1-7

What Party Do You Attend?

     First, I will answer my question from last week. Through my research, I was unable to find out just how many cases had been brought before the supreme court on the matter of violation of free speech. However, in my research I found articles that show that the supreme court is slightly biased on the matter. They usually consider painful and hurtful acts of free speech to another person as wrong and unjust. So in the court's view, even though you have the right to say what you want, you shouldnt make a threat or say something hurtful to another person or else you might face punishment on the matter.

     This past week we finished our documentary This Divided State and also discussed results which we received from two political tests. One was only about 10 questions and the other seemed pretty close to 50. It gave you results of what side you are on the political spectrum and how you normally feel on the issues of todays society. For the first quiz, you could be a leftist authoritarian, a leftist libertarian, and rightish authoritarian or a rightest libertarian. It also gave you numbers which represented how strong your beliefs were in the category it put you in. The second quiz however just simply told you if you were a socialist, neo-liberalist, libertaian, authoritarian or centrist.

     Although alot of the questions from these two quizes were broad, open ended and biased, I believed that it forced you to choose an opinion on matters. I also believe that they both gave a pretty accurate account of what you trully believe in and where you fit on the political spectrum. For example, the quizes accurately both said that I was a leftist libertarian. However, I do believe that political correctness played a key role in me answering my questions. I must admit I answered a few questions based strictly on what I believed a liberal would answer it if it was a tough question that I had trouble answering.

     Something I found very interesting was the political compass results of all the candidate for presidency in 2008. Sarah Palin and John McCain are exactly where I would think they would be, far right and high on hte authoritarian scale. However, it suprised me that Barack Obama and Joe Biden technically are not a liberal according to this graph. It shows them being really close to the middle but leaning towards the right and being slightly authoritarian. Perhaps this is how a president should be in order to get elected. From all the US history and government studies I have been through, I have always been taught that being in the middle on issues appeals to the most people and therefore gives you a better chance at being elected. Perhaps this scale is good at determining who will win an election based on how close to the middle they are.

     I end my blog today with a question: Does the candidate closer to the middle always win the other political elections represented on the political compass website?

"Being Libertarian." A Look Inside... Web. 03 Nov. 2010. http://traevoli.com/libertarian.php.

First Ammendment Coalition. Word Press, 2010. Web. 3 Nov. 2010. http://www.firstamendmentcoalition.org/.

"US Presidential Election 2008." The Political Compass. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. http://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2008.

Journal: 1-6

Diversity in a not so Divided State

     Last week, for some reason my question did not show up when I posted my blog. My question was: I wonder how negative campaigning will affect the polls of the Disctrict 7 Congress Race in a week. It's been a week and I've done my research. I was not able to find poll of the current election, however I did find past polls of Cantor winning every election since 2002 by a landslide.

Year	Election	Candidate	Votes	Percent
2008	general	Eric Cantor (R)	233,531	62.7%
		Anita Hartke (D)	138,123	37.1%
2006	general	Eric Cantor (R)	163,706	63.8%
		James Nachman (D)	88,206	34.4%
		W. Blanton (I)	4,213	1.6%
2004	general	Eric Cantor (R)	230,765	75.5%
		W. Blanton (I)	74,325	24.3%
2002	general	Eric Cantor (R)	113,658	69.4%
		Ben Jones (D)	49,854	30.5%

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-2010-VA-07

     I did some research on youtube for his past political ads and most of them have been positive instead of negative. Perhaps I was wrong. Maybe positive campaigning can be alot more effective than negative campaigning in the long run. However, maybe Floyd Bayne or Rick Waugh can shake things up this time using negative campaigning.

      This past week, we did research about Utah and the presidential race of 2004 and started to watch the movie This Divided State. This was a film made by a college student to capture the cotroversy of bringing Michael Moore to speak at a college in Utah. The reason this was so controversial was that Michael Moore has an extremly liberal point of view and the state of Utah was extremly conservative. Many believed that the youth would be corrupted by what Michael Moore had to say and didn't want him to come and share his opinion.

     In class we discussed how this relates to the freedom of speech and whether or not his freedom's are being respected. I believe his freedom of speech isn't being protected. He should be able to express his views with other people who may not agree with him. Most of the people in Utah in this movie seem to appear as hardheaded and resistent to change and associate Michael Moore with evil because he doesn't share the same conservative views. I think it's good for people to see different views on everything. It helps them to develope their own opinion of certain issues.

     An application of this to a controversial issue today is letting the Tea Party candidates speak their minds and opinions about modern issues. It seems as though somehow, the Tea Party has recently been given a bad name and anything associated with it seems to be associated with evil and anarchy. However, I believe that they shouldn't be judged by the bad name someone has given them. They should be able to give a speech without protest and be judged critically on what they have to say and where they stand on the issues rather than the political party they are associated with.

     I leave my blog today with a question: How many supreme court records are there involving the issue of Freedom of Speech and what was determined?

"CQ Politics | District Detail: VA-07." CQ Politics | Congressional, Presidential and Political News, Blogs, Member Profiles. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-2010-VA-07>.

"Free-speech Dialogue « Mission Europa Netzwerk Karl Martell." Mission Europa Netzwerk Karl Martell. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://missioneuropakmartell.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/political-cartoons/free-speech-dialogue/>.

Kurtzman, Daniel. "Alice on Wonderland Tea Party Cartoon - Political Cartoon." Political Humor - Jokes Satire and Political Cartoons. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. <http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/politicalcartoons/ig/Tea-Party-Cartoons/Stupidest-Tea-Party.1-4w.htm>.