Corporate Governance and Risk Reporting Free-Samples for Students

Questions: 1.Describe the actions taken and behaviour displayed by Senior Management throughout this saga in terms of Enterprise Risk Management. 2.Show me a companys various compensation plans, and Ill show you how its employees behave - Jack Welch, Former CEO of General Electric Examine the key areas of concern in TABs remuneration plan. 3.Critically evaluate the actions taken by ASIC throughout the course of the financial planning scandal, while highlighting difficulties ASIC might have faced during its investigations. 4.The media played an important role in exposing the fraud in TAFP. Discuss the role of the media in promoting good governance. Are there factors which limit its effectiveness? 5.Briefly discuss the importance of a good whistleblower protection policy. Do you think the policy Sufficiently protected Bloe and his fellow whistle blowers? 6.TAB had an Excellent reputation amongst its Customers but TAFP severely damaged it. Answers: Introduction Corporate governance is a set of mechanisms, processes and practices by which a company is directed and controlled. It involves taking into consideration the interests of all the stakeholders of the company such as shareholders, managers, employees, clients and directors, thus it is faced with the challenge of having to align these interests (Acharya et al, 2013). Corporate governance lays out the duties and responsibilities of all participants in a corporation and monitors their actions in compliance to its principles. Governance structure includes a set of rules, regulations and procedures regarding all the affairs of the company. 1.Enterprise risk management is the manner in which an organizations activities are planned, organized and controlled in an attempt to minimize potential loss in its capital investments and earnings (Brustbauer, 2017). The senior management of Terra Australis Bank (TAB) is fraudulent and unprincipled as it has provided management protection to some of the employees who are dishonest in their actions, for example Don. It also does not take into account complaints brought to it by the other employees of the bank who do not hold a high title. Some of the top leaders for example the banks Chief Executive Officer Sam Venus have remained inconspicuous meaning that they do not want to directly get involved in the operations of the bank. This has led the bank into a very risky position, reducing its earnings and almost losing its customers. The risks involved include: Financial Risk This is a possibility of loss of monetary resources and uncertainty about their extent. TABs clients experience a loss in their finances which are subjected to high risk investments, even during the apparent state of financial meltdown. The management of the bank could have avoided this type of risk by formulating better remuneration strategies for example basing amounts of bonuses and commissions received to the number of clients served (Berger et al, 2016) There should also be monitoring of employees actions and behavior as an internal control system and reviewing all analytical reports. Operational Risk There is clearly a failed system of operation in TAB which has and will continue to bring losses if not rectified. To mitigate this risk, the banks management should have clear set of principles and standards of operation and encourage their employees to follow them to the latter, failure to which there should be some kind of punishment Sam Venus Being in the position of Sam Venus, the CEO of TAB, I would have taken the first step of correcting the banks mistakes by issuing a public apology as well. I would not have stopped there, however due to the damaged reputation of the bank and lack of customer satisfaction. In addition to the compensation plan, I would set up a bank mission statement in an attempt to restore the damaged employee-customer relationship. In this exercise however, I would involve all the employees and value their opinion so that each one of them would be more willing to follow them and do their best in their work for their good and the good of the bank. The results of employee involvement would be to ensure that they will do the right thing even when no one is watching. I would set up a well-developed compliance culture to encourage the employees to comply with the rules and regulations of the law as well as those of the respective department and the bank as a whole. Clients concerns would be the central focus of the bank as a service providing entity. The relationship between the employees and the clients would be based on trust and understanding. Lastly, I would set up a risk response strategy to ensure that the clients money would no longer be invested in high risk projects which may not have high returns. In other words, I would devise strategies that focus on returns rather than risk. I would ensure there are regular committee meetings involving an expert who would help us understand how the risk response strategy is working and whether we are making efforts towards achieving our goals in responding to risk appropriately. There would be continued inspection and monitoring of the risk environment and performance of the risk mitigation strategy (McShane et al, 2011). 2.TABs remuneration plan has focused too much on risk instead of the returns received from the clients investments. The amount of commission and bonus payable is directly proportional to the risk involved. This means that the higher the risk, the more the bonus payed to the employees who then respond by advising their clients to invest in highly risky projects whether or not they have high returns. This compensation strategy is not effective in the least bit because the employees do not thoroughly assess the risk levels of an investment asset before investing in it. This has severely damaged the relationship between the employees and clients developing mistrust thus ineffectiveness in the banks overall operation. Being in the management position of the bank, I would focus more of the employees attention on returns on investment and number of clients well served. TAB has instilled in its employees an ambitious sales-driven culture which is quite aggressive and builds competition instead of cooperation among the employees. Each employee is individually focused on being the best and meeting his or her sales target without any care about who gets negatively affected in the process. The bank is encouraging on win-lose culture thus there is no cooperation among the employees of between the employees and the clients. This basically means that the bank cannot grow as a whole. I would insist more on cooperation and relationship building if I was in a leadership position in the bank. 3.Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) clearly does not carry out its activities until complaints are extended to them. Even then, the commission is very slow in its response and when it does respond, it is only to a small fraction of the complaints it has received. When Joe Bloe and Mary Jones took their concerns to ASIC, for example, they were brushed aside. ASICs first response to the scandal was in 2010 after several clients had suffered loss of their finances. The commission asked for the clients files to be handed over by the wealth management division of TAB, TAFP. It pressured the bank to devise a compensation scheme for payment to the affected clients but did not follow up on that in that the clients received minimal amounts. It also carried out an assessment of the risk management systems of the bank. Other than the above actions, ASIC did not do anything further to respond to complaints. its investigation of the scandal which include. Lack Of Good Financial Records Some of the files were missing while others had been sanitized meaning that there was not a well laid-out financial recording system. Therefore, there would not be physical evidence of the misconducts of the management. Uncompliance By The Management TAFPs management would be unwilling to cooperate with ASIC during the investigation because they are well aware that they are fraudulent and dishonest. 4.The media acts as a watchdog: It publicizes all information acquired by the personnel, creating public awareness and therefore protecting the interests of the latter from malpractice. It exposes any dubious actions by an organization which changes peoples perspective. This ensures that services are provided in the correct manner. Media has played an important role in reducing the communication gap thus every person is able to acquire the latest available piece of information. Its effectiveness has however been limited by various factors including: Spread of rumors: This occurs especially in social media where there is no prior thorough investigation before reports are produced. This reduces its effectiveness because misleading information may be spread to the public who then may lose trust in the media when truth finally comes out. Lack of follow-up: Media is mostly concerned with telling a story and not actually following up on it. In social for example, various participants post their concerns and if only a few people are interested in what they have to say or if that information does not reach the right people then that is the end of it (Bebchuk et al, 2009). Yes. Social media plays an important role in enterprise risk management as it provides organizations with insight in changes in consumer tastes and preferences. The media also is not hesitant in exposing fraud in an organization. Many organizations are therefore forced to make smart risk management strategies due to the fear of losing their reputation and comply with the rules and regulations of the respective country. 5.A good whistleblower protection policy ensures that whistleblowers, those individuals who bring to light possible wrongdoings in an organization are protected, which leads to effective management (McCahery et al, 2016). It also ensures that employees adhere to the organizations principles and offer an opportunity for resolving issues internally. Furthermore, it improves ethics in the organization and may bring about fairness. In TAB the policy did not protect the whistleblowers because of the unprincipled and dishonest management. All their concerns fell into deaf ears of both the banks management and ASIC. It was not until their complaints came out to the general public that they were addressed. Recognition to whistleblowers whose concerns are investigated and found out to be the truth. This could include rewarding them by promotion or increase in their salaries as a way of encouraging others to come forward with their concerns. Verification of these complaints must be done however, to ensure that they are credible. 6.Organizations face various challenges in their attempt to promote good governance, compliance and ethics. These include: Lack of transparency: For the principles of an organization to apply to the whole group there must be free flow of information. This is however seldom the case due to lack of a good whistleblower protection policy which may lead to misconduct and ineffective corporate governance. Lack of participation in decision making: If employees are not given a chance to participate in the decision making process of the company, they often feel left out and are therefore adamant on following the policies made (Berger et al, 2016). Unresponsiveness by some departments: Some department managers are very slow in reacting to issues brought to them by the employees, while some might just brush them off. This disrupts the ease of the flow of the governing system. Employment: It would be impossible to identify people who are more likely to comply to the companys ethics while recruiting without first having them onboard. Conclusion Good governance involves having a well-developed risk management system, ethics and compliance system as well as a remuneration system that promotes cooperation and relationship building among the employees. It involves good decision making practices to develop a set of corporate standards and principles for guidance. References Acharya, V. V., Gottschalg, O. F., Hahn, M., Kehoe, C. (2013). Corporate governance and value creation: Evidence from private equity.Review of Financial Studies,26(2), 368-402. McCahery, J. A., Sautner, Z., Starks, L. T. (2016). Behind the scenes: The corporate governance preferences of institution. Bebchuk, L., Cohen, A., Ferrell, A. (2009).What matters in corporate governance?.Review of Financial studies,22(2), 783-827.al investors.The Journal of Finance. Tricker, R. B., Tricker, R. I. (2015).Corporate governance: Principles, policies, and practices. Oxford University Press, USA. Berger, A. N., Imbierowicz, B., Rauch, C. (2016). The roles of corporate governance in bank failures during the recent financial crisis.Journal of Money, Credit and Banking,48(4), 729-770. Saggar, R., Singh, B. (2017). Corporate governance and risk reporting: Indian evidence.Managerial Auditing Journal,32(4/5). Gordon, L. A., Loeb, M. P., Tseng, C. Y. (2009). Enterprise risk management and firm performance: A contingency perspective.Journal of Accounting and Public Policy,28(4), 301-327.6), 521-531. Florio, C., Leoni, G. (2017). Enterprise risk management and firm performance: The Italian case.The British Accounting Review,49(1), 56-74. Olson, D. L., Wu, D. D. (2017). Data Envelopment Analysis in Enterprise Risk Management. InEnterprise Risk Management Models(pp. 105-117). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. McShane, M. K., Nair, A., Rustambekov, E. (2011). Does enterprise risk management increase firm value?.Journal of Accounting, Auditing Finance,26(4), 641-658. Brustbauer, J. (2016). Enterprise risk management in SMEs: Towards a structural model.International Small Business Florio, C., Leoni, G. (2017). Enterprise risk management and firm performance: The Italian case.The British Accounting Review,49(1), 56-74.Journal,34(1), 70-85.

High School Sample Essay Tips - Writes a TNReady or TNExcel Essay in No Time

High School Sample Essay Tips - Writes a TNReady or TNExcel Essay in No TimeThere are many tips that I would recommend for you if you're currently struggling to write a high school sample essay, TNReady or TNExcel. These tips are easy to implement and can have a dramatic effect on your ability to write well. I will share with you what I found to be helpful. I suggest you try them out as soon as possible.The first tip is to read through the sample essay with a student in the class. It is always a great idea to talk to a student in the class about the concept of 'what's the point?' That is not always easy to do, but a student can help you out tremendously. To do this you would need to ask them if they were reading the essay as an assignment or just for fun. The better the student feels about the content, the more likely they will enjoy it.The second tip is to find a friend who is having a difficult time writing, and work with him or her. This may seem counter-intuitive, but it's very i mportant. A student who feels comfortable with you writing his or her essays will be much more likely to do well on the test. It may seem counter-intuitive, but people who are comfortable with their teachers writing their essays will do very well on the test.The third tip is to find a resource that can teach you how to write a sample essay. Some of these are websites and e-books, but there are also many books and magazines that have resources for writing high school essays. Again, just like the students, you need to make sure that you are comfortable with the material before you engage in the practice.The fourth tip is to sit down with a friend who is struggling with writing a sample essay, and help them out. Find a time when you can work with them both. You don't want to tell them to give up, but it is very important to tell a friend that you are there for them. Helping them with what they need, is vital.Finally, when you sit down to write a sample essay, you need to give yourself the time to get it right. For example, if you had a two page essay, you might find it very easy to write it. On the other hand, you might be sitting down to write a four page essay. It is important to understand your needs before you attempt to write the essay.By following these tips, you will be able to develop a writing style that works best for you on a TNReady or TNExcel essay. They are easy to implement, and if you follow them properly, you should be able to write a TNReady or TNExcel essay in no time. The more you practice the more confidence you will gain in writing, and eventually, you'll begin to write well.

Mars Rover free essay sample

Thus the force of gravity on Mars is about one-third of that on Earth. Mars is probably the planet we know the most about since it is so close to Earth, though what we know now is not even close to everything about the planet. Over the past several decades, humans have been interested about life on mars. In 1877, Giovanni Schiaparelli, an Italian astronomer, was the first person to draw a map of Mars. His map showed a system of streaks or channels, which he called canali. In 1910, the U. S. astronomer Percival Lowell made observations of Mars and wrote a book. In his book, Lowell described Mars as a dying planet where the civilizations built an extensive network of canals to distribute water from the polar regions to the center of the planet. Mars was discovered by scientists in the 1600’s. Researchers descried a pale pink object that was only visible in the early morning just before dawn. We will write a custom essay sample on Mars Rover or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The object moved closer to the stars, got brighter over the next year and rose earlier and earlier. Then it reversed direction. Mars was the third most brightest object in the night sky, it had an intense red color and could see all night long. After moving the opposite direction for about 70 days, it reversed direction again, and gradually got dimmer. It was only visible in the evening sky and set earlier and earlier. After another year it again was a pale pink object, this time only visible just after sunset. Shortly after that, it could not be visible at all. It remained unseen for about one hundred days when the cycle began again. Each cycle took a little over two years. Scientists believed that water may have existed on the planet Mars. The total journey time from Earth to Mars takes between 150-300 days epending on the speed of the launch, the alignment of Earth and Mars, and the length of the journey the spacecraft takes to reach its target. We would need food, waste disposal, oxygen, and the matter of getting back to earth. Another reason we wouldnt send humans to mars dont know how our body would react to mars atmosphere. Mars doesnt have a magnetic field, such as earth, our planet blocks it out. If a human went to mars for a period of time there is a 40% chance they would come back with cancer. So at this time rovers are our best option. The first rover ever sent mars was in 1962 called Mariner 3. The rover never landed on mars it was a flyby which means it only took pictures of the planet while in obit. In 1965 Mariner 4 took more pictures. In 1969, flybys ended and NASA came up with spacecrafts. Mariner 9 was the first rover to take pictures of the entire surface of Mars when it landed in 1972. In the mid 70’s, they launched Viking 1 and 2, they were the first to discover ultraviolet radiation with dry soil and oxidizing nature preventing organisms from forming. The cost, to build a rover is about 2. 7 billion dollars, for us to send over humans the cost is twice as much. Sojourner, which launched in 1996 and landed in 1997, was part of the Mars Pathfinder Mission. The itty-bitty rover weighed in at 23 pounds. It was 26 inches long, 19 inches wide, and 12 inches tall. In 83 Martian days of operation, Sojourner never ventured more than 40 feet away from its lander, and its odometer for the whole trip read onl y about 330 feet. The rover snapped 550 photographs and performed tests on a rock named Yogi. In 2001 NASA discovered ice when the spacecraft Odyssey orbited Mars and took pictures. What Spirit and Opportunity found was a credit to the technology that allowed them to explore Mars. Within a couple months of landing, the Opportunity uncovered evidence of saltwater, which leaves open the possibility that life (and fossil indications) might at one time have existed on the planet. Spirit stumbled across rocks that pointed to an earlier, unrulier Mars that was marked by impacts, explosive volcanism and subsurface water [source: NASA Mars]. Water is key because almost everywhere we find water on Earth we find life, NASAs Web site. However, we are still unsure life existed on Mars. The rover Curiosity, finally landed on mars August 6, 2012, it was launched November 26, 2011. Before NASA could be launched Curiosity, the rover it had to go through series of test, drop tests, pull test, drive test, load test, stress tests, and shorting tests. So scientists had to realize that Earth and Mars revolve around the sun at different rates meaning it takes Mars 686 earths days and the Earth 365 days. They did to figure out when Mars was closest to Earth. Curiosity was launched from Cape Canaveral. Stage one, it reaches space and the tip of the cone opens and fall off. During the second stage, a centuar engine starts placing the vehicle into obit. When everything is alined the second engine starts to bring it to mars. Once Curiosity is on Mars it will do tasks such as collecting rock, soil sampling and placing them on instruments in order to be analyzed. What goes into the rover (Siceloff, Steven. Mars Rover Well-Equipped for Studies. NASAs John F. Kennedy Space Center. Nov. 22, 2011. (Dec. 9, 2011) http://www. nasa. gov/mission_pages/msl/launch/mslprelaunchfeature. html): A miniaturized gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer will separate and analyze chemical compounds in samples. A tunable laser spectrometer will look for organic (carbon-containing) compounds and determine the ratio of key isotopes both vital to unlocking Marss atmospheric and aquatic past. CheMin, an X-ray diffraction and fluorescence instrument, will measure the bulk composition of samples and detect their constituent minerals. Located on the rover arm, the Mars Hand Lens Imager will photograph rocks, soil and, if present, ice in extreme close-up. This uber-camera can spot details thinner than a human hair or focus on objects more than an arms length away. The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer for Mars Science Laboratory, also located on the arm, will figure out the relative amounts of various elements present in Martian rocks and soils. Curiositys neck, or mast, is also decked out in instrumentation: The Mars Science Laboratory Mast Camera (MSLMC), attached at human-eye height, will help the rover navigate and record its surroundings in high-resolution stereo and color stills or high-definition video. The MSLMC can view materials collected or treated by the arm. Stereo hazard-avoidance cameras located further down the mast will aid the rovers navigation. Another mast-mounted instrument, ChemCam, will vaporize thin layers of material up to 30 feet (9 meters) away using laser pulses, then analyze them with its spectrometer. Its telescope can capture images of the beams target area. The Radiation Assessment Detector will monitor surface radiation levels. The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station will take readings of atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity and wind, as well as levels of ultraviolet radiation. The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument can detect hydrogen a potential indicator of ice or water trapped in minerals up to 3 feet (1 meter) beneath the surface. Earthlings have long been fascinated by the planet Mars. Well before modern science fiction speculated about advanced civilizations upon Mars, the red planet was regarded as a malevolent agent of war, pestilence, and apocalyptic disaster inhabited with little green men. For untold millennia prior to scientific astronomy and well before there were any records which could properly be called historical, human beings recounted myths surrounding their favorite heroes and gods about Mars. It wasn’t until the 17th century when Mars was first discovered by scientists that we began to understand the red planet. The first rover sent to Mars was in 1962. The first successful mission was the 1964 trip by the Mariner 4, a United States craft that returned 21 images of the planet. In 1969 the flybys ended and In 1972 pictures were taken of the planets surface by the rover Mariner 9. Viking 1 and 2, which launched in the mid-70s, both had landers that descended to the surface of Mars. In 2003, the Mars Exploration Rover mission team launched Spirit and Opportunity, one of which was still traversing the planet as 2011 ended. Which leads us to Curiosity and 2012. Curiosity, previously known as the Mars Science Laboratory weighs 2000 pounds and has a planned mission duration of 23 Earth months, which it could exceed by quite some time, based on NASAs experience with the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. True to its old name (Mars Science Laboratory), Curiosity is packed with instruments as mentioned above. Who knows what our curiosity will lead to. Hopefully, life.

Stanley Kowalski Essays

Stanley Kowalski Essays Stanley Kowalski Paper Stanley Kowalski Paper During the late nineteen-forties, it was common for playwrights such as Tennessee Williams to use symbolism as an approach to convey personal thoughts, through the attitudes of the characters and the setting. Williams actors have used symbolism to disguise the actuality of their thoughts and to accommodate the needs of their conservative audience. A Streetcar Named Desire has a few complicated character traits and themes. Therefore, they have to be symbolised using figures or images to express abstract and mystical ideas, so that the viewers can remain clueless. Williams not only depicts a clear personality of the actors but he also includes real-life public opinions from the past (some of which are contemporary. ) These opinions were likely to raise controversies on issues such as prejudice, social gender expectations and men and womens roles in society. There have been numerous occasions when symbolism has taken place in A Streetcar Named Desire. Firstly, Stanley is insulted several times by Blanche (his sister-in-law) Stella (his beloved wife) and other residents of the Quarter. For example, the term animal has been constantly spoken of, to define Stanleys malicious and ill-natured conduct. In scene four, Blanche tries to persuade her younger sister to go elsewhere and leave her husband. On page 163, she complains: Blanche: He acts like an animal, has an animals habits! Eats like one, talks like one! Theres even something sub-human something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something ape-like about him there he is Stanley Kowalski Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle! Furthermore, when the play begins, Stanley enters the ground-floor apartment carrying a red stained package from a butchers. Stanley: Catch! Stella: What? Stanley: Meat! From these two brief extracts, the keynote is that the red meat is a symbol used to show Stanleys bestial attitude, which is also in another of Blanches dialogues: Blanche: Theres something downright bestial about him! The image Blanche creates of Stanley (him being an animal an ape) is coincidental to the fact that she is actually describing her brother-in-law, throwing red meat to his wife in an unacceptable fashion. We know that Blanche had not been present, at the time of the event. This clearly proves that Stanleys bad actions are so obvious, even other characters in the play can predict his actions. It is just like saying a tiger arrives at his habitat with red meat and feeds his cubs, similar to what any other animal would do. Basically, Stanley tossing the pack of meat at his wife could symbolise that he is not a normal human being! He is an animal, a caveman, or even a madman, as Blanche prefers calling him! (Page 158) Blanche: In my opinion? Youre married to a madman! However, the red-stained package might mean something completely different. Perhaps the playwright is symbolising a new entry; trying to describe an early impression of Stanley. The colour red could suggest a hot, passionate and sexy character, who does not care about manners as long as sex and women are always there for him. On the other hand, maybe the word stained is telling us that Stanley is dirty. Package may mean an arrival. Altogether, the red-stained package could mean the arrival of a disgusting but good-looking man. Many interpretations have been given here and symbolism depends on what the audience believes it be. The use of animalistic symbols is repeated, just as Blanche arrives at Elysian Fields. We are given an early suspicion of her unusual and strange sense in clothing. Narrator: Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light. There is something about her uncertain manner, as well as her white clothes, that suggests a moth. Mentioning the light, we know that Blanche is a fragile and sensitive young lady. Another hint is that she has a fear for strong light; something which will shine over the truth and reveal it to all. The Chinese lantern is an important symbol, which Blanche uses to cover up her appearance. Actually, the playwright uses it to show secrecy and that Blanche is hiding from the outside world. The fact that Blanche is wearing white clothes tells us that she wants a fresh start, because the colour white symbolises purity. Virginity for a woman is just as important. It should be saved for the right man at the right time, which followed the conventions of the period the play was written in. Here we have two contradictory facts which, if combined, could mean the same thing; by wearing such a genuine and formal outfit, Blanche could be trying to fool her audience into thinking that she is untainted a virgin. In other words, she may want to wipe out her past and start fresh. An unlikely (though possible) prediction to the phrase, suggests a moth, could be the alliteration between the words myth and moth. On one side of the story, the playwright may be experimenting with a butterfly-like creature, demonstrating an innocent Blanche to the audience. Opposed to this, he might be giving signs that her white clothes (virginity) suggest there were myths (stories) at one time, concerning Blanche. We will never know for definite, what Williams is really trying to transmit, though he is definitely sending some sort of a hidden message here! We discover the truth in scene four. Sexuality is a huge theme in this play, yet to discuss. Another major symbol used by Williams, is the streetcar the title of the play, itself. While Blanche confronts Stella about the previous night (the poker night), she explains to her enthusiastically that the relationship Stella has with Stanley, is merely infatuation. There is a constant repetition of Blanches hatred and disgust for Stanley, throughout the script. Blanche: What you are talking about is brutal desire just Desire! the name of that rattle-trap street-car that bangs through the Quarter, up one old narrow street and down another Stella: Havent you ever ridden on that street-car? Blanche: It brought me here where Im not wanted and where Im ashamed to be In this selection the rattle-trap streetcar named Desire, might represent Stanley, while the Quarter may represent Stella. In my opinion, Blanche is really implying that Stanley is the typical, careless husband who has most probably slept with (bangs) many young ladies (up one old narrow street and down another. ) He has had many one-night-stands and, informally, could be called a player! This is a term used in modern day English, but during the nineteen-forties, the alternative would be a rogue. Another suggestion to the quote, up one old narrow street and down another, could be the description of the movement made, whilst practising sexual intercourse as we know this is done in and out or up and down! Following Blanches quotation, Stella retorts a defensive question, actually referring to the streetcar named Desire, which Blanche has just described. She may be trying to allude to the fact that Blanche had once been in the same shoes as her riding on the same streetcar and having a desire for sex and man. Of course, this does not mean having had a number of intimacies with strangers. To Stella, Stanley and only Stanley, is one important man in her life. Stella could also be referring to Blanches virginity. After reading this page again, I have had second thoughts. I am still unsure, as this extract is very ambiguous. Personally, I think Stella is asking her elder sister whether or not she is a virgin but then again, this is subject to the audience and what choices they might make over the speech. Ironically, the audience may even interpret this speech to be an indication of the fact that Blanches history involved prostitution and she had had plenty of affairs with various men. This information is fully discovered later, but at this early stage, Williams uses a phallic symbol to signal the theme of sexuality. The streetcar also personifies the following understandings: Reproductive power, by symbolically and indirectly relating to a phallus. The statement bangs through the Quarter can be used to describe both the phallus and the streetcar. * Men were superior to women, during the mid-twentieth century. The evidence is in the speech because men could obviously do anything they wished, when they wished; go up and down whenever they liked, even make good use of their Quarters! By saying this, I would like to point out that Stanley always had the upper hand to Stella. He was very convincing and managed to win over Blanche, to persuade his own wife. The rape scene can also be associated with superiority. Stanley used Blanches body to prove that she was a liar, a cheater and had gone insane. He also saw women with sexual classifications and judged them, depending on their appearance; we are told on page 128. Therefore, it is a fact that men were superior to women, and they could fulfil any of their desires! Finally, when Blanche answers her sisters question, she is taking it literally (referring to the real streetcar, which brought her to Elysian Fields. ) That is how it would seem to a new audience. This is a fine example of symbolism. One who hears the dialogue in the highlighted selection (above) is likely to assume that Blanche is talking about the real streetcar, on which she travelled to arrive at her destination. Truthfully, I think Blanche is implying that sex was what made her come to Elysian Fields. She is declaring that because of sex, she has had to suffer through all those problems. Blanche has obviously grasped the significance of her past mistakes, repented them and known what is right and wrong. It is interesting to notice how one, short piece of text can be so symbolic and how easily it can be misunderstood! The first time I read the play I did not observe all these ideas. Nevertheless, after reading the script repeatedly, I realised that every single word Williams had entered had been deliberately done, to represent some things of his time. One of the reasons for doing this could be because it was a crime just to say the word sex, or anything related to that subject. Instead, playwrights suggested these ideas by using symbols, as what this essay is all about. Progressing to the sound of music and instrumental signs, Streetcar includes two very significant symbols that are linked with crucial themes such as sexuality and madness. The hot trumpets and the blue piano are constantly heard during short periods of tension and when Blanche experiences insanity! Williams has introduced the blue piano in scene one. The first page of the script tells us that it expresses the spirit of life which goes on here referring to a part of New Orleans (Elysian Fields. ) On certain occasions, the polka tune was also played. For instance, at the end of scene one, Stanley raises doubts about whether or not Blanche is married. This reminds Blanche of her horrific past and how her young husband had died. It creates tension and if, as an audience, we were to view the stage drama, it would build a large amount of suspense. The reason for this is that straight after the polka music plays, Blanche claims that she is going to be sick! From this, we know that Blanche is in a bad state and wants to forget. Returning to the sound of the polka tune, I would like to add that music in general life, can have quite an effect on its listeners. Polka music was played for a lively nineteenth-century dance. Here, it has been used to keep the viewers focused and to grab their attention on the story line. In the following fragment, Blanche and Stanley are deep in conversation.

Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Business Environment - Essay Example d because he might have certain views about China and its relationship with America that would have certainly affect his analysis and description of the facts. There is a possibility that he has viewed the entire issue from the American perspective and not as a third or neutral party. My analysis of the case study is also likely to be affected from my educational background and work experience. I have been studied and working in United States and I am a regular user of Google, Inc. I use the search engine almost every day and most of the times; I found that the research results generated from the engine are accurate and helpful. Due to this reason, I already have a soft corner for Google, Inc. that is likely to generate a favorable response for Google in my analysis of the case. However, I am aware that in order to present a credible analysis of the case, I have to put my influences and biasness at a side and have to conduct an impartial and unbiased analysis of the case. For many years I am a regular user of Google services and so far I have never been disappointed by the accuracy and facilities offered by Google, Inc. Due to this fact, I have positive views about Google however, as far as the analysis of this case is concerned, I will not make a bias analysis on the basis of my personal likeness and attachment with the company. The case basically evolved due to the problem that the Chinese government has put restraints upon the material upon certain subjects like security risk subjects, material violating principles set forth by the Chinese constitution, material against the integrity and unity of the nation, pornography, rumors or material promoting any unlawful act. Google, Inc. has done long strategic planning to launch Google.cn, however their filters were not able to sensor certain material and information that has banned by the Chinese government. This issue turned in to the conflicting situation. The administration of Google, Inc. believes that the

Expressing your Opinion through Investigation Essay

Expressing your Opinion through Investigation - Essay Example I can personally attest, as many of my other fellow students at the University of Akron, that being in an undergraduate program is difficult financially. If parents are not helping and a student does not have scholarships, tuition, books and money for boarding near campus makes it a financial struggle for many students. This means that many students have to work their way through college on their own while being a student or having to deal with the detrimental finances that student loans can put on an individual after earning a degree. According to a recent update about the College Credit Plus program, the University of Akron is partnering up with at least 50 school districts in the area so that students can earn college credits while enrolled in grades 7 through 12 (2015). That is six years of opportunity that many students have not had before and is a great way to accelerate obtaining an undergraduate degree. While working with teachers at the various school districts, it might give some students more one on one experience with courses which they might otherwise struggle with. Some college courses have often been offered occasionally as a form of dual enrollment in the past but typically it is just open to high school students who are in their junior or senior year and this helps to get them started. According to information from the University of Akron website, the state will provide funding to the university so the students can take these college credit courses. This is a win-win situation because not only are the students getting a jump start on their college courses and getting some of their basic general education classes out of the way so they can focus more on their major when they actually attend college, but the university also receives money from the state just for offering the program. Students who qualify for the program will have access to college courses at a much lower cost per credit hour than a traditional undergraduate

Video game controversy Essay Example for Free

Video game controversy Essay Video game controversies are unresolved societal and scientific arguments about whether or not the content of video games can change the behavior and attitudes of a player. Since the early 1980s, advocates of video games have emphasized their use as an expressive medium, arguing for their protection under the laws governing freedom of speech and also as an educational tool. Detractors argue that video games are harmful and therefore should be subject to legislative oversight and restrictions. The positive and negative characteristics and effects of video games are the subject of scientific study. Results of investigations into links between video games and addiction, aggression, violence, social development, and a variety of stereotyping and sexual morality issues are debated God Of War Series – Saudi Arabia The Guy Game – USA 8. RapeLay – Argentina/Indonesia/Malaysia/Thailand EA Sports MMA – Denmark Manhunt 2 – Various Postal 2 http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-infamously-banned-games-around-world. php/11 10 Video Game Endings With Disturbing Implications You Totally Missed Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-video-game-endings-with-disturbing-implications-you-totally-missed. php/2#0LO1TBf6EwdT9Ea3. 99 Heavy Rain: The Neglectful Father Metal Gear Solid 2: The Hangover After the giant Arsenal Gear crashes into New York city and Raiden and Solidus Snake are forced to fight one another (after a myriad of narrative revelations involving pregnancies, double agents and adoption,) Raiden emerges victorious and is reunited with his girlfriend Rose, who is now with child. Aside from a few loose ends, the narrative ends on a nice positive note, with man and his love reunited and a bright new dawn rather insistently represented by the growing life in her belly. But wait†¦ Half of New York is now squashed. People are no doubt dead, thanks to the Arsenal Gear stomping a big hole in Manhattan, and those who survived are likely to take a massive beating from the tax-man in the coming years to fix the damage caused to the Big Apple. It’s rather short-sighted to call this a victory, simply because the hero gets his girl. What about the legacy of destruction, not to mention the giant robot lying in the middle of the city? Noone ever thinks about the clean-up job. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-video-game-endings-with-disturbing-implications-you-totally-missed. php/3#t8VahiJ4DfS6AhYp. 99 Medal Of Honor: Warfighter – AWOL Warfighter caused some serious controversy – not least when it was revealed that seven members of Naval Special Warfare Development Group who worked as consultants for EA had been disciplined for releasing classified information – and the ending was another of those modern â€Å"Horrors Of War† endings that sought to make the player think. EA decided to have Preacher weighing up whether to report back for duty, or desert to fix his family life, despite the formerly gleeful embrace of the mythology of the soldier (the idea of them as supermen.). The idea might be half-baked, and slightly odd considering the trajectory of the rest of the narrative (and the presentation of characters specifically) but it was an interesting way to leave the game. But wait? Doesn’t desertion still carry a fairly hefty punishment? Honour and dedication to his family is one thing, but winding up locked up in prison for ignoring a mission (which is presumably what awaits if he were to answer his mobile) is a fairly counter-productive solution. The key thing is that Preacher’s desertion would weaken the unit, especially in deployment, and his punishment would presumably be greater than any â€Å"normal† soldier. There’s also a further implication. Though he’s seen some serious action, and untold horrors of war by the end of the game, and the ending suggests he has had his fill of duty, Warfighter is keen to stress that the soldiers involved are action-hero-like thrill seekers, as opposed to particularly patriotic men. And if Preacher cannot get his thrills from his own army, which he may or may not desert (the implication is he does,) he may find himself tempted to go mercenary, which would presumably be deemed joining another force while AWOL. That’s often called treason (depending on the client,) and the penalty for that tends to be fairly severe†¦ Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-video-game-endings-with-disturbing-implications-you-totally-missed. php/4#ILEhM7Obvv7HWdJY. 99 Uncharted 2: Shambhala Destroyed. As the events of Uncharted’s excellent sequel come to a head, Nathan Drake is thrust onto a journey of vengeance when Elena (his new lady friend, obviously) is almost killed by a grenade just after the pair discover the invulnerability applications of the blue resin found at the Tree Of Life. Drake gets to the tree just after the nick of time, and watches his latest mortal enemy drink from the tree’s sap and become almost invincible, before deciding the best way to kill him is to explode the sap and then leave Lazarevic to be killed by the Guardians of the secret, sacred city of Shambhala. He dies, Nathan and Elena kiss, and sunsets are ridden off into. But wait†¦ Much like Indiana Jones – the single most careless archaeologist in the history of the subject, thanks to his tendency to destroy previously perfectly preserved artefacts – Nathan Drake is awful at his job. He is supposed to be committed to discovering and preserving articles and locations of historical significance, and yet his destruction of the Tree Of Life pretty carelessly destroys the wonderful kingdom of Shambhala. Rather than sharing the spiritual significance of the place, or helping its inhabitants (such as those Guardians) escape, Drake blows the entire place up, and enjoys a sexy kiss to seal the deal. Quite how he deserves his reputation in the industry is beyond me. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-video-game-endings-with-disturbing-implications-you-totally-missed. php/5#2v72bY4C1ojLYBPL. 99 Freedom Fighters: The Russians Are Coming (Back) Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-video-game-endings-with-disturbing-implications-you-totally-missed. php/7#8VePctXW3iZsJJUx. 99 Hurray, we killed the Russians and stopped them from invading Good Old America! Just like Hollywood always promised us we could. We’ve saved democracy, and hot dogs, and Mountain Dew. It’s time to party, since there definitely won’t be any come back from defying a nation of the might and malevolent will to invade the Greatest Country In The World EVER! But wait†¦ It’s not over. Like termites temporarily pushed away from their quarry, the Russians will inevitably return, and in greater numbers with greater force. They are not to be denied, and though they were once defeated, they won’t be again, with the morbid realisation then being that America is not long for this Earth. It might be a victory party by the end of Freedom Fighters, but there’s no chance it lasted long, as Chris himself points out in the clip below†¦ Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-video-game-endings-with-disturbing-implications-you-totally-missed. php/7#8VePctXW3iZsJJUx. 99 10 Outrageous Sexy Moments Hidden In Video. Games Read more at http://whatculture.com/gaming/10-outrageous-sexy-moments-hidden-in-video-games. php#MLJkrZvCm3CV6eOt. 99 1. San Andreas – Hot Coffee Mod Where else could we start? San Andreas’ Hot Coffee Mod was the moment that realised ever adults’ fear that their GTA-loving children were playing something not altogether wholesome. As if murder, soliciting prostitutes and revelling in a life of crime weren’t enough San Andreas included the remains of an ultimately cut sex mini-game that cheeky modders found and duly shared with the world. Okay so admittedly it’s pretty difficult to actually do anything other than simulate sex with all of your clothes on, but the grinding was probably more than enough for prudish mothers everywhere to explode with righteous indignation when they discovered their sons playing through the mini-game. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-outrageous-sexy-moments-hidden-in-video-games. php#MLJkrZvCm3CV6eOt. 99 Pantless Meryl – MGS A classic. If you followed Metal Gear Solid’s Meryl Silverburgh into the toilet quickly enough when she was disguised as an enemy soldier and you’d catch her with her pants down. Naturally upset, Meryl pulls a gun – which is probably even more understandable given that this is actually the second time it’s possible to catch her in her underwear in the same game. Earlier, when you enter the B1 lock up it’s possible to watch her doing exercises in her pants, provided you’re willing to keep exiting and entering the vents to spy on her – and apparently some gamers were more than willing†¦ Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-outrageous-sexy-moments-hidden-in-video-games. php/2#5thdRWFtCM0EsfdW. 99 3. SiN Hottub Scene. It’s not exactly the greatest shooter series in the history of the genre, but the Activision published SiN series, which ran on the Quake 2 engine was remarkable for an easter egg that allowed the hero John Blake to break through some walls and spy on the enigmatic and villainous Elxis Sinclaire, owner of biotech firm SiNtex enjoying a bit of bath-time fun. By noclipping through some walls, the player could walk in on Sinclaire in her hot tub (wearing a bikini despite her assumed privacy), rubbing herself and shouting â€Å"sexy† phrases. To be honest, the â€Å"sexy talk† isn’t exactly top notch, by any means, but back in those heavily pixelated days, we had to make do with what we could get. And the site of a nubile sprite fondling her own slightly squared breasts while saying â€Å"rub-a-dub-dub† was about as sexy as it got†¦ Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-outrageous-sexy-moments-hidden-in-video-games. php/3#FSghlsiY5BXEMz5J. 99 Metroid Sexy Reveal Talk about obligatory semi-nudity! It probably says a great deal about the way gamers and developers think that one of the most profound revelations in the early days of gaming came in the shape of Metroid’s â€Å"secret† female hero. Completing the original game revealed that the hero we had just guided through saving the galaxy was in fact a girl, and just to almost entirely wipe out the Girl Power sentiments of that narrative twist, the developers decided to objectify her just a little bit by having her strip down to a bathing suit for those lucky enough to complete the game. Do it in under three hours – which was basically impossible – and Samus would strip a little further, revealing more skin in a bikini to show her gratitude to the gamer for being so incredibly talented, in a very much not sexist at all manner. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-outrageous-sexy-moments-hidden-in-video-games. php/4#DqTImrz17SoMY3zF. 99 Banjo Kazooie’s Dirty Geography Spend enough time exploring Terrydactyland from the air in Banjo Tooie and you’ll see the unmistakable sight of an ejaculating penis carved out of the landscape and coloured conspicuously in emerald green, just in case you missed it first time. You might think it’s just a coincidence, even despite the very obvious design, if it weren’t for the fact that Banjo has previous, and the hidden adult-appropriate secrets hidden in the games could probably run close to the hundreds. It all gets forgiven as Rare’s British sense of humour and fun, but is it really appropriate to have an ejaculating penis is a game so obviously marketed at a younger audience? Well no, but that doesn’t make it any less hilarious. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-outrageous-sexy-moments-hidden-in-video-game s. php/5#LV3tCq31g4DwjvCx. 99 GTA IV: Stripper Bonus One of the most notorious GTA moments from the history of the franchise, and facilitated by the move to greater graphics, GTA IV’s stripper sequences were about as authentically sexy as the series had ever got. Sure, up to this point the player had been able to use prostitutes (and kill them for their money,) as well as some cheeky devils gaining access to the Hot Coffee mod previously mentioned, but that was all just pixelated suggestion compared to the rampant sexuality on show in GTA IV. And it was fairly difficult to explain to the girlfriend why you were sitting watching what amounts to a bunch of very cleverly arranged squares making sexy moves – especially when access to the internet and real naked ladies was but a few simple clicks away. Not content with offering â€Å"normal† stripping services, the game’s Pink Triangle Club also provided special services like the particularly colourful dance session below†¦ Read more at http://whatculture.com/gaming/10-outrageous-sexy-moments-hidden-in-video-games. php/7#leuecMuobHdGjsgx. 99 10. Tomb Raider Nudity Strictly speaking, this one doesn’t quite fit with the others, since the infamous Lara Croft Nude cheat code was in fact a great big hoax and resulted in the slinky archaeologist exploding in a shower of limbs, but that doesn’t in any way dillute its infamy or its impact on the controversy-hating communities of complainers who pick up on anything a little untoward. Ironically, the Tomb Raider devs’ trick actually convinced hackers to create a mod that allowed PC gamers the opportunity to see Croft naked, and though it wasn’t hidden in the actual game, the genesis of the mod, and the crucial part the developers played in pulling the switch means the nude mod actually qualifies for this list. Sadly, the closest we ever got to legitimately seeing Lara naked was this ever so slightly titivating, but all too murdery shower scene from Tomb Raider 2. Seems something of an over-reaction to us just hanging around in the bathroom†¦ Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/10-outrageous-sexy-moments-hidden-in-video-games. php/10#m1TTIw1UmUll01c4. 99 GTA V: 12 Dirty Hidden Secrets And Easter Eggs You Probably Missed Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php#Ih5PUmoxVDvwArlt. 99 Don’t Be A Perv Taking selfies is a big thing in this Rockstar world, and the fully functioning camera on the player’s phone can lead to some hilarious situations, as we have already pointed out in our recent run-down of the best GTA V selfies we’ve seen so far in the game. Slightly bucking the trend of naughtiness at the same time as reinforcing it, it is possible to take pictures of the topless girls partying at the Playboy Mansion. Unfortunately, and somewhat confusingly, the girls won’t actually react as positively as they would in a real, legitimately organised photoshoot with a photography professional as opposed to a crazed man running through the grounds of their haven with several high-powered weapons and a worrying look on their face. Taking photos with your phone without request will lead to the girls kicking right off, calling you a creep (understandably) and then getting their boyfriends to pick a fight with you. This is clearly only a minor disruption, since fully automatic weapons are far more powerful a dissuasion tool than disgruntled boyfriends. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/2#Ffq5iVE9orj3vs8E. 99 Obsessed With 69? There’s nothing childish about Grand Theft Auto’s concept – in fact, it is provocatively anti-childish, and its controversy comes largely because of the way the franchise invites players to enjoy adult activities in a fundamentally child-like way. It’s perverse, occasionally puerile, and hugely entertaining, and it’s mostly thanks to the commitment to story-telling, the vast open-world and the characters – but then you start to notice the little jokes and nods that add a whole new level, such as Rockstar’s apparent obsession with the number 69. It’s nice to see the commitment to furthering the school-yard fascination with the number, and its sexy (and logistically quite difficult) implications, peppered throughout the GTA V world, like the graffiti tag on the back of the Vinewood sign, or the fact that the game has 69 main missions. And if you’re looking even closer, you might find some tittering in the fact that the Los Santos Country Club has a hole length of 169 yards. This of course all follows on from the presence of Area 69 in San Andreas, which was far less sexy than it initially sounded. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/3#otq0FVM4OyWlaxqS. 99 10. Goatse 9. The Naughty Gnomes Not even the simple world of the garden gnome is left untouched by the sordid pervery of Rockstar’s developers. Out in Vinewood Hills, on the edge of the desert, not far from the runaway bride’s home, there is a small collection of garden gnomes, posed harmlessly by a white fence. It all seems pretty picturesque – an idealised version of the American suburban dream – as you look at the first two gnomes, painted and posed traditionally, one with a fishing rod and the other with a lantern. And then you see the third gnome, bent over, with his pants down, and clearly spreading his cheeks. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/5#vHMHQ7hpqcPIoMIO. 99 Some Easter Egg hunters have suggested that the dirty little devil might be presenting ready for penetration, or that he’s simply offering a cheeky moon to anyone lucky enough to find him. But it’s fairly obvious, given the Goatse reference previously mentioned, that the distasteful spreading action is another nod to that unfortunately viral, bottom-based activity. Elsewhere in the game, the same gnome is posed bending over in front of another of his less naughty-looking friends, giving the impression, as in the image at the top, that the two have been rumbled about to make sweet, sweet porcelain love. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/5#vHMHQ7hpqcPIoMIO. 99 Sexy Yoga Rockstar’s dedication to bringing in more past-times and leisure activities to while away the hours within GTA V’s world is one of the reasons why the game is so successful: it has become more than a simple endeavour to complete missions, it’s more like a second life style game where the real world simulations are engaging mini-games and side concerns in their own rights. And chief among those past-times is the ability to take yoga lessons under the private tutelage of Master Private Yoga Instructor Fabien LaRouche, whose particular brand of Yoga differs somewhat to the traditional, tranquil set-up yoga fans might be accustomed to. Positions include the Punching Starfish (requires slow entry, in case the partner weeps), the Downward Facing Camel (encouraging the third eye to open to increse the flow of divine love) and the Lucky Triangle (which often requires a safe word). It’s pretty clear from the positions (above) and the descriptions alluded to, that these are particularly sexualised versions of normal yoga poses, and that LaRouche is just as sordid as the rest of the GTA cast of characters. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/9#DcTR5MZymzFUJaOg. 99 Sexy Golf Following on from GTA V’s sordid version of yoga, there’s also a reference to an altogether more dirty version of golf than you might be used to, if you’re a fan of dragging a heavy bag of metal around a giant field and unsuccessfully navigating big holes full of sand. This one isn’t actually taken from the game itself, but rather the Los Santos Blaine County Travelogue, which hinted at what GTA V players could get up to in the game ahead of release. Under the country club section, the Travelogue talks about the progressive club, which ignores the usually limited rules on gender-bias in the sport of golf, as suggested in the message below, which accompanies the image above: â€Å"Thanks to equality laws passed recently, the LS Country Club has announced the admittance of two carefully selected women. Of course all are welcome to enroll for membership, though the selection criteria are kept confidential for legal reasons. † Clearly that means adding strippers to the course to make aiming for the hole a whole new ball game. Now, that’s probably not the kind of behaviour that your normal, run-of-the-mill golf course would accept, and there was certainly very little mention of it in Bagger Vance, and it probably explains why the country club comes with a hefty price tag of $150,000,000 for anyone who wants to sell out for that type of luxury. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/10#A41YkISjRuzdTIW3. 99 Life Invader Extra Features Not content with simply killing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Rockstar clearly wanted to bait the king of nerds even more by casting aspersions on some of the social network’s more sordid users, as well as offering a side-swipe at one notoriously failed technological off-shoot of the website. As just one of the immersive, cleverly executed commercials to appear in the GTA V universe, it would be quite easy not to notice some of the details within Rockstar’s in-game ad for Life Invader (the thinly-veiled stab at Facebook) but you don’t have to be particularly attentive to have noticed that the website also has a tablet (a parody of Zuckerberg’s failed Facebook phone, no doubt. ). Read more at http://whatculture.com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/11#UlvHXSGdTeDuXxyY. 99 Without too much explanation, the advert clearly suggests that the tablet allows the user to insert their penis into the tablet, to â€Å"dock† with other users, and while the advert seems to suggest that as a holding technique for hands free typing, the subtler moments, like the artwork of two phalluses coming together, and the inference of the term â€Å"docking† suggests a far more dirty reason. For the uninitiated or sheltered players out there, docking involves the coming together of two penises, in a unique, and wholly inappropriate-for-here manner. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/11#UlvHXSGdTeDuXxyY. 99 The Nudist Colony†¦ Sort Of The presence of a cult in GTA V was heavily publicised ahead of release, and the pay off in the game was oddly sexual, especially if you really like the sight of middle-aged men with paunches and no pants. The Altruist Cult, as they are officially known are a group of old men, with a hatred of both modern technology and underpants, in some cases, who can be fed young drifters (they’re cannibals, obviously) and taking them four people leads to Trevor being taken into the camp at gunpoint (despite an implied history of him bringing regular â€Å"offerings† without incident. ) Trevor then must fight his way out, while being confronted by semi-nude, deranged men with heavy weapons. Some of these men, for some reason are entirely nude, with carefully crafted penises on show, which it is very easy to miss, especially if you don’t spend your time scrutinising the groins of NPCs. This of course confirmed the pre-release rumours of full-frontal male nudity, which appeared after the game’s ESRB rating was unveiled, and mentioned â€Å"non-sexual† male nudity. Imagine the poor intern/work experience lad (probably) who was forced to spend their coding and design days making sure the penises and testicles of the nudists cult members looked and responded in an authentic way. Sadly for some, there is no option to shed your own clothes and embrace the welcoming bond of your fellow nudes. In Trevor’s case, this can only be a good thing. Incidentally, the same ESRB rating that confirmed we’d see male nudity in the game also mentioned one brief reference to necrophilia, which so far has proved elusive. Not that we’re looking too hard, but it’s interesting to see something so openly discussed ahead of the release, and then so difficult to find (no matter how brief. ) Perhaps Rockstar’s DLC is going to be REALLY bold. Did we miss any Dirty Easter Eggs or hidden messages that you think should have made this list? Share your own finds in the comments below. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-12-dirty-hidden-secrets-and-easter-eggs-you-probably-missed. php/13#qYw1X3o7lktHeAtx. 99 7. Lawsuits Against The Franchise Total Over $1 Billion Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-9-facts-that-will-blow-your-mind. php/3#zJ1PsYbf7ted734A. 99 GTA and controversy go together like peanut butter and jam; the franchise is never going to steer away from it, and as you’ll learn in a minute, it often even encourages it. Rockstar’s history in court has been well-documented, perhaps best of all their legal feud with disgraced Florida attourney Jack Thompson, who once referred to GTA as a â€Å"cop-killing simulator†, and has filed a litany of lawsuits on behalf of families who lost loved ones â€Å"because of the game†. You might think these suits frivolous, yet Thompson clearly meant business, filing a $246m suit against Rockstar a decade ago after two teens murdered two other motorists. That’s just one example, though; the man has filed countless suits in the name of his self-righteous crusade, yet they never seem to come to anything. Still, as it stands, Rockstar’s combined lawsuits surrounding the franchise total over $1 billion, which little – if any – they’ve ever had to pay out. Let’s see how many more games it takes them to reach the $2 billion milestone†¦ Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/gta-v-9-facts-that-will-blow-your-mind. php/3#zJ1PsYbf7ted734A. 99 7 Reasons We Should Be Worried About Video Game Violence Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/7-reasons-worried-video-game-violence. php/2#KwUUcZepH9gdxhEP. 99 7. High Level Of Graphics Realism Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/7-reasons-worried-video-game-violence. php/2#KwUUcZepH9gdxhEP. 99 Games today are far more aesthetically pleasing and with this often comes a greater degree of realism. Most game players can understand the difference and progression in game graphics – even if it’s simply between hand held and next generation game consoles. But along with the quality of the graphics also comes the detail. Take, for example, the game Mortal Kombat – which along with Grand Theft Auto is a tabloid aphrodisiac – and its ‘fatality’ finishers. The original game was released in 1992 and of course garnered plenty of debate regarding video game violence; but if you look at the fatalities from that game compared to today, it’s startling. Check out Raiden’s finishing moves – he shoots some blue lighting into the stunned opponent whose head then explodes into low quality cartoonish spurts of blood. Raiden shouts something like â€Å"heynamameeeh† and we all high five. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/7-reasons-worried-video-game-violence.php/2#KwUUcZepH9gdxhEP. 99 6. Desensitisation With the realism and popularity of games comes the risk that we might become desensitized to violence. The majority of the research literature on video game violence focuses on this theory in one way or another; be it that it allows us to mute our own acts of aggression as suggested by Tobias Greitemayer in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, or that games are just part of a gradual global desensitisation to violence, as noted by Carnagey, Anderson and Bushman. Although much of modern research points away from violent video games reciprocating real world violence, the issue of desensitisation seems to be a constant theme. After all, if you see something over and over again it’s far less likely to shock you. However, what has changed along with video games, is the ease of access to violent and graphic images or video. Most owners of a Facebook account will have accidently played a shared video only to find half way through that it’s something sinister, like a cretin throwing puppies into a river, or the horrific video doing the rounds of a woman being decapitated. Also: as mentioned in the previous chapter, the depiction of violence on some of the most popular television shows is becoming increasingly more realistic and graphic. Several recent studies point to other mitigating, â€Å"real world† factors – and given the sheer number of us playing video games that are deemed violent, it’s these findings that make more sense to me. After all, if every Grand Theft Auto player replicated the game, we would need a Kevlar vest just to go fetch the newspaper. A study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research suggests that matters such as depression, antisocial personality traits, exposure to family violence and peer influences were the best predictors of youth aggression. This idea of video games merely being a piece of the desensitisation pie is further supported in recent research. A study in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, funded in the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings – this will be discussed in a later chapter – tried to address the discrepancies in research. The study by Ferguson and Olson looked at vulnerable groups, namely children with pre-existing mental health problems. They concluded that the association between video game violence and aggression was minimal, but did point that further work was needed when looking at children’s attainment of violent stimulus. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/7-reasons-worried-video-game-violence. php/3#Mc34jEfUCkm8wtJf. 99 5. Children Playing Adult Games With many video games now marketed exclusively for adults, the content can be unapologetically violent and graphic†¦ but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With many games now seemingly more like interactive films, you’d be rather disappointed if when you shot the game’s villain, blue glitter poured out and a care bare gave you a hug. For example, in the recent GTA V, the torture scene with Trevor is incredibly detailed and forces the player to engage in order to continue the game. Apart from being uncomfortable – which was the point – it reminds you that you’re in a very adult world. Yes, you can have sex with a prostitute then beat her to death with a baseball bat to recoup your money, but you can also take your character for a jog around the block, or play a round of golf. The point is – it’s your choice. You are essentially controlling a character in a godfather sandbox. As an adult who understands that this is a game, the implications of game violence are minimal. Otherwise, as stated earlier with around 13 million people buying the recent Call Of Duty, we would all need to know effective covering fire when leaving the house. The danger comes when you imagine children playing adult games. Aside from the point of desensitisation, a child’s mind is still developing and their view and understanding of the world is still being shaped. Therefore they are far more susceptive to influence, which is why film and television is so carefully scrutinised. In 1994, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) was put together to give age and content advisories on games. However this was only in Canada and the US and was not enforced by law. Fast forward to 2012 and the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system becomes legislated, meaning anyone selling a game to an individual under-age faces a possible 6 months in prison and a ? 5,000 fine. Of course, how well enforced the ratings are is debatable, with most games still fairly easily bought online by teens. What’s interesting about the PEGI system is that violence can be present in games for ages as young as 12. For 12 year olds, it has to be in a fantasy setting such as Lord Of The Rings. For 16 year olds it can be explicit and once you get to 18 you can engage in graphic violence towards defenceless people including multiple, motiveless killings – hooray. The point is that whilst there are now more stringent controls on violent games, it’s only recently becoming enforced with any vigour. This in itself brings with it another reason to be worried about violence in video games†¦. Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/7-reasons-worried-video-game-violence. php/4#d0pyFo3jvDHcpzJK. 99 4. Stricter Controls Leading To Less Brave Games Read more at http://whatculture. com/gaming/7-reasons-worried-video-game-violence. php/5#R4q8EqZIh4V4Lrtu. 99 With the increase in game ratings and restrictions, there’s the risk that video games might follow their Hollywood counterparts.