Napster :: essays research papers

(1) English 11 Words: 1302 12/ 20/ 00 Napster : Right or Wrong ? "As an artist, there are so many ways that we can be taken advantage of. To have yet one more way to stip an artist of making an honest living is just to much. That's why I sued." ( Levy, 51 ) - Andre Young ( Dr. Dre) Rapper/Producer There are many ways that an artist can be stripped of making an honest living, Napster, one of the many 'Mp3' services online, is the latest. An Mp3 ( short for ISO-MPEG Audio Layer 3 ) is a digital compression of a music or video file so it's easier to send to one another over the internet ( Levy, 51 ). Napster is an online music source where you can search for a song and download it absolutely free, with just one click from your fingertips. The Napster program, created by 19 year-old college drop out Shawn Fanning, is the fastest growing site in history. It recently passed the 25 million mark in less than a year since it was released (Greenfeld, 62 ). His program allows you to download copyright music, and that's why he is being sued by a number of corporations. Napster is being sued by RIAA ( the Recording Industry Association of America ), record companies ( BMG, the holder of lables like: Arista, Bad Boy, RCA, LaFace ), and artists ( Rock band Metallica and Rapper/Producer Dr.Dre). "I'm down for a parallel business even if it's parasitic. Napster is the new radio. It's the most exciting thing since rap, disco and the Beatles." said rapper Chuck D, and it did it is ( Levy, 51 ). Napster is like a radio. You can listen to music and preview it for free. Some artists are actually for Napster like Chuck D. , Neil Young, and rock group Limp Bizkit, who headlined a free tour sponsored by Napster along with Cypress Hill. Napster is like a new radio. It's been said that people use Napster because they feel so (2) ripped off that compact disc prices are so high. They would rather just download the whole album online, then burn it on to a cd spending only three dollars for a burned cd instead of the seventeen dollars spent for buying the actual album. The generalized public that use Napster are young ( teenagers and college

Military Compensation versus Civilian Compensation

The advantages of a career in the U. S. military greatly outweigh working in a civilian career when considering compensation such as education, salary, health care, and retirement. In today’s economy, everyone is looking to receive the most from his or her employer. A person wants a salary that can provide for his or her family, a healthcare plan with little out-of-pocket cost, retirement benefits to plan for the future, and an education that makes it all that possible.The military offers exemplary tuition assistance and salary when benefits such as the basic housing allowance are taken into consideration. In the same way, the military’s retirement plans and health care benefits are superior to that of civilian employers because of its low cost. The following will compare military compensation to civilian compensation, and why a career in the military provides a superior benefit package. Although there are some benefits to civilian compensation packages, the military of fers the best educational program. Few civilian employers offer tuition reimbursement for employees.Those that do offer tuition reimbursement; require that the employee pay the cost of tuition up front and complete the class before receiving reimbursement. The employee must also maintain a certain grade point average (GPA) to qualify for tuition reimbursement. Once an employee has completed his or her education, the employer often requires the person to remain employed for a certain amount of time after receiving tuition reimbursement. If the employee terminates employment before the agreed upon timeframe, the employee may have to repay tuition reimbursement funds, (Smith, 2008).Unlike civilian employers, the military offers a superior education program called the GI Bill. The GI Bill pays full tuition and fees to the school, a monthly housing allowance, and an annual books and supplies stipend, (U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2011). In the same way, The GI Bill requires that the service member maintains a certain GPA and consequently, if a service member fails to complete or pass a class, he or she must reimburse the Veteran Affairs Educational Department. An additional advantage of The GI Bill is the ability to relinquish benefits to a spouse or a child.Therefore, by choosing a career in the military a person has many more opportunities to advance his or her education versus choosing a civilian career, where educational opportunities are limited. Admittedly, there are some benefits to the civilian compensation structure, the total military compensation package is better. According to â€Å"Entry Level Salary† (n. d), the average salary for an entry-level civilian position is $37,000. 00 per year, whereas as entry-level military base salary is $16,000. 00 per year, (Dyer, 2008).Compensating for low salaries, the military offers sign on bonuses of up to $40,000.00, (The Scoop On Army Enlistment Bonuses, 2010), basic housing allowances, basic allow ance for subsistence, overseas pay when stationed in another country, and hazard duty pay when deployed to a hazardous theater. Another significant difference between the two employers is how wage increases and promotions are received. The majority of civilian employers use annual performance reviews to reward employees with a pay raise or a promotion whereas military service members must meet time in service, time in grade, performance and education standards to receive a promotion and a raise.In conclusion, the military does receive a better compensation package when bonuses, basic housing allowance, and other itemized pay are taken into consideration. While civilian and military employers both offer similar retirement plans, military employees have a more cost-efficient plan. Civilians have two types of retirement plans to choose from: a defined-benefit plan and a defined-contribution plan. Defined-benefit plans have a pension of some kind that the employer pays for and a defined -contribution plan is typically a 401k that an employee invests his or her own money in to, (The CNA Corporation, 2008).Becoming eligible for a defined-benefit plan requires that employees work for the company for a minimum of five years; however, retirement payouts are larger the longer an employee stays with a company. Civilian employees must also wait until at least age 62 to retire and can retire anytime between the age 62 and 70; however, retirement benefits are reduced when an employee retires early. Military retirement plans are very different from their civilian counterparts, in that military service members do not invest any money into their retirement plan.After 15 years of service a military employee can choose between two plans: a standard High-3 plan or a Redux retirement plan. The standard High-3 plan bases retirement pay on the highest average basic pay for 36 months of a service member’s career. Choosing the Redux retirement plan, a service member will receive a $30,000. 00 bonus, a percentage-based annuity, and basic pay. Military employees can retire after 20 years of service, so the average age of a service member at retirement is age 40. Another remarkable benefit that military service members can use for retirement is a thrift savings plan that resembles a civilian 401k.The most significant difference in a thrift savings plan is that the military does not match any employee contributions. By not matching what a service member invests into a thrift savings plan the employee can contribute more money into a tax-deferred plan than he or she could contribute to an individual retirement account, (The CNA Corporation, 2008). By not contributing to a retirement plan, military service members will save more money and be able to invest more toward a future than civilian employees.Although military and civilian employers both offer health care benefits, the benefits offered by the military are more cost efficient. Civilian employer’s h ealth care packages require an employee to pay an average annual premium of $13,000. 00 to cover a family’s health care. Employees must also incur the cost of copays, an amount a person pays at the time of service; and deductibles, an amount that the insured person must meet before health benefits are used. When choosing a doctor, hospital, or specialist; a civilian healthcare plan has several limitations to overcome.On the contrary, active duty service members pay no premiums, copays, or deductibles for health care benefits. Unlike civilian employers, the military offers health care benefits to reserve (part-time) service members, veterans, and retired personnel at low-cost, affordable rates and service members can use any doctor, hospital, or specialist that accepts TRICARE, the military’s main healthcare provider. The government is working on raising the standards of civilian health care to the more cost-efficient plan the military has incorporated; however, there i s still much to accomplish.In conclusion, when choosing a compensation package based on education, salary, retirement, and health care; the military offers a superior compensation package than that of a civilian career. Choosing a military career will not only provide compensation and health care to take care of a family, it will provide a retirement plan for the future and an education to better oneself. Most of all, when looking at civilian and military compensation packages side-by-side a potential employee can determine that the best option is a military career for its stability and cost-efficient compensation packages.

Retail food industry/fast food chain business

The business that I choose is retail food industry/fast food chain business. For example, McDonald's is my case study in this proposal. This fast food chain business began with Raymond Albert Kroc. Ray Kroc was the exclusive distributor of a milk shake maker called the Multi mixer. That time, Richard and Maurice two brothers were the owner of a brand and ran a burger restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in the 1950s. In 1955, Ray Kroc founded the brand’s Corporation and opened the first restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. At 1980, the brand’s Corporation, USA gave GOLDEN ARCHES RESTAURANTS SDN BHD the license to operate the brand's restaurants in Malaysia. We in Malaysia got our first taste of the brand and Malaysia opened its first restaurant at Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur on 29 April 1982. To date, the brand’s at Malaysia has more than 200 restaurants located nationwide. Then this is the origin of the brand. My choice business name is McDonald's. It is a fast food industry. Until now, McDonald's Malaysia has more than 200 restaurants located nationwide. McDonald's operation hours are 24 hours, but some outlets inside the shopping centre are just 14 hours only because shopping centre operation hours are not 24 hours. McDonald’s strategic location is built the restaurant in the high traffic area. For example some McDonald’s outlets are built in the shopping centre, because these shopping centres are the most crowded places. Another strategic location is built on the high way because some people who want to buy burger then will go McDonald because McDonald’s have the drive-thru then can let customers feel more convenient and save time. After that I'm chosen the McDonald's place is at Bandar Tun Hussein Onn. Bandar Tun Hussein Onn is a township in 9th-Mile Cheras in Selangor, Malaysia. It was named after the third Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn. It is primarily a residential area and near by the secondary school. This location also has the drive-thru for some customers. McDonald's menus have included the Breakfast, Favorites, Happy Meal, Desserts, Beverages and McCafe. McDonald's products include the McChicken, Quarter Pounder, Big Mac, Cheeseburger, the Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, the Egg McMuffin and Spicy Chicken Mcwrap. At lunch time 12nn – 3p. m. & dinner time 6p. m. – 9p. m. , McDonald have the McValue Lunch & Dinner for discount some products price for let more customers can have the tasty burgers. Some time, McDonald will develop new different taste burger and toys. Like last time, McDonald were develops the McDonald breakfast & dinner box, GCB Burger and Hello Kitty Toys. After that, McDonald aside from free Wifi, can refresh the drink, a children's play area and the drive-thru, in some locations, McDonalds don't offer much in the way of services and other country McDonalds also have the different menus/products for their customers. McDonald also has a service called McDelivery, this service is transport food from McDonald’s restaurant to customer’s houses. These all the things are McDonald’s products/services. McDonald in the Tun Hussien Onn, customers demographic is younger persons occupying relatively high. After that, this also suitable for our Muslim consumer to purchase the product, because McDonald's products are without pork. This is because now, these young persons are like to go someplace where the wifi has and can eat the taste burger. These young persons are included like age 16-25, male, Chinese and Malay persons. For example, every Thursday I also have gathering with my friend at McDonald. This is because this location is near by the secondary school, after school 1p. m. some students who are going to McDonald then can get the McValue Lunch because can get the cheaper price. At dinner time, will more family go to McDonald for their dinner and the McValue Dinner. Some student and officer who are going McDonald not only the McValue, because McDonalds has the free wifi to let these customers who want to meeting or description. From McDonald, some customer will buy McDonald’s product/services because McDonald has the fast service and tasty burger. Sometimes, people who are going McDonald not only just in order to the tasty burger, also enjoy the comfortable environment, the refresh free drink and the free wifi services. After that, because McDonald has the McValue Lunch & Dinner, then can let customers use cheaper price and get the tasty burger sets. Next, McDonald also has the drive-thru and the delivery service then can let customers feel convenient. McDonald is not only the fast food business in Malaysia. For example, KFC and MarryBrown are also the fast food business companies then these 2 companies are McDonald’s competitors. First, KFC’s product also included burger, but KFC company main product not the burger, is the fried chicken. Then KFC and McDonald differences are the main product and McDonald can free refresh the drink. At others country, KFC also have the delivery. Second, MarryBrown also selling the same product – burger. But MarryBrown have other different products like Nasi MarryBrown, Nasi Ayam MB, Mi Kari Ayam Goreng, Chick-O-Rice and Chick Porridge. After that, Marrybrown and McDonald differences services are these, included the drive-thru and McDonald has the McDelivery for transport food to customer’s houses. This paragraph is about the McDonald and these 2 competitors differences. McDonald has competitive advantage. First, customers who are going to McDonald can buy the exciting toys and collectibles. But hurry, these toys are available for a limited time only. Second, when customers who are driving car and hungry, customers no need park their car. Then just can go to McDonald’s drive-thru for buy McDonald’s products. Third, if the customers who are have no car for go out have their food, McDonald has the McDelivery for transport food from McDonald’s restaurant to customer’s houses. If as this company – McDonald is my business, First, I will add the different products/ services because let customers can get more tasty products and specially services. Second, change the food price to cheaper because for those low-income customers. Third, is training McDonald's staffs for improve staff’s attitude. After that, my customers can enjoy the tasty food and have the best of services. Then I want to let anywhere also has McDonald’s restaurants. As my conclusion, McDonald's is one of the largest and famous fast food companies in the world. McDonald’s most of operation time is the 24 hours. McDonald always builds their restaurant in high traffic area. McDonald also has so many different products. In Malaysia, all Malaysians are also can go McDonald, because McDonald is non-pork then Muslim consumer can purchase those products. McDonald’s places have comfortable environment, the refresh free drink and the free wifi services. McDonald has a lot of competitors, but McDonald will do the best for their customers. After that, McDonald’s In Malaysia, McDonalds competitive advantages are better than others companies. Last, I hope McDonald’s products are healthier, not only the fried food. Thank you for reading, this is my conclusion.

Russia Superstitions

Customs that are more often regarded as superstition Mothers typically do not show their baby to anyone except the father, the midwife and other close relatives for forty days after the baby is born. Many nationalities have a set of rituals for the guests that they have to follow to see the baby for the first time. [1] Before leaving for a long journey travelers, and all those who are seeing them off, must sit for a moment in silence before leaving the house. It is often conveniently written off as a time to sit and think of anything one may have forgotten. 2] After someone has left the house on a long journey, their room and/or their things should not be cleaned up until they have arrived, or at least a day has passed if they are guests in a house. [2] Knocking on wood is practiced in Russia as in other countries. However Russians tend to add a symbolic three spits over one's left shoulder (or simply with the head turned to the left), and Russians will often knock three times as wel l. Traditionally one was spitting on the devil (who is always on the left). 3] Breaking a mirror is considered bad luck in Russia, as is looking at one's reflection in a broken mirror. The effect is also more severe than 7 years of bad luck (as in American culture). [4] On examination day, it is bad luck to make your bed, wear anything new, or cut your fingernails. [3] It is bad luck to use physical hand gestures to demonstrate something negative using oneself or someone else as the object. For example, when describing a scar you saw on someone's face you should not gesture on your own face or someone else's. If you must, you can demonstrate in mid-air.If one does it without realizing, it can be countered by making a hand motion towards the body part used and then an abrupt motion away (as if to pick up the bad energy and throw it away). [3] If one person accidentally steps on another person's foot, it is common for the person who was stepped on to lightly step on the foot of the pe rson who stepped first. It is said that they thus avoid a future conflict. [3] Birthday parties should be celebrated on or after one's birthday, not before. So when one's birthday falls during the week, it's best to celebrate the following weekend. And never give someone birthday wishes before their birthday. 3] Talking about future success, especially boasting about it, is considered bad luck. It is considered better to be silent until the success has been achieved or to even sound pessimistic. [3] Returning home for forgotten things is a bad omen. It is better to leave it behind, but if returning is necessary, one should look in the mirror before leaving the house again. Otherwise the journey will be bad. [4] Many Russians consider giving sharp objects, like knives or scissors, as gifts, to be taboo. You can avoid this taboo taking symbolic little money, for example one Russian ruble, in exchange as if it is a trade, not a gift. 4] Birds that land on a windowsill should be chased away. If they tap on the window, or fly into it (open or closed) it is considered a very bad omen (often of death). [5] If a chicken crows at you three times before noon, the death of a close family member can be expected within a fortnight. The chicken should be killed, but not eaten, as consuming it will bring about further misfortune. [5] Things bought for a newborn baby (such as clothes, toys, furniture, etc. ) should only be purchased after the baby is born. This is usually done in a big hurry. 1] It is often considered taboo to step over people, or parts of their body, who are on the ground. It is often said that it will prevent the person from growing (if they are not fully grown already). It is better to politely ask the person to move or to find a way around them. If one accidentally steps over a person (or people), it is sometimes standard to step backwards over them. [3] Unmarried people should not sit at the corner of the table. Otherwise they will not marry. This mostly applies to girls, and often only young girls. Sometimes it is said that you will not marry for 7 years, making it all right for young children to sit there. 6] When giving an animal as a gift (a cat, dog, bird, etc. ), the receiver should give the giver a symbolic sum of money, for example one Russian ruble. [5] A purse (or any other money holder) as a gift requires a little money inside. Given empty it causes bad financial luck. [4] A funeral procession brings good luck. But one should never cross its path or it is bad luck. [7] A woman with empty water buckets coming towards you is considered a bad omen. [3] A group of two or more people should not talk on different sides of a tree. They should all keep to one side or the other. [3] Bread should only be cut with a knife, not with your hands.Otherwise, it is said, that your life will be broken. The opposite is held true by some people. [4] Two or more people should never use one towel at the same time to dry their hands or bodies, or it is said to bring conflict. [4] A stranger should not look at a newborn baby before it is a certain age (between two months and one year). If one looks at the baby it is considered bad luck to compliment it. Instead, one could say, â€Å"Oh, what an ugly child! â€Å". [1] It's good luck to trip on your left foot. [3] One should never hand a knife directly to another person, as it is said that the two will get into a fight.Instead a person should always place the knife down on a surface, and only then can the other person pick it up. In several cases you can give it directly, but only pointing the sharp end to yourself and making the knife's handle accessible for the opposite person. [4] If one feels that he or she may have been cursed by someone (had the â€Å"evil eye† put on them) or just has the feeling of a hostile presence, it is recommended to remove one's coat and then put it back on starting with the hand opposing the usually used one. It is also recommended to pin a French Pin inside your clothing to avoid the curse of the evil eye in the first place. 3] One should not to shake hands or give something through a threshold. [3] Whistling in a house would bring misfortune to that household (see origins below). It is considered taboo to give something that is broken or has a defect as a gift. Before one takes an exam, someone else would say, â€Å" ! † which roughly translates to â€Å"neither fur, nor feather! † which means good luck. To this, the one taking the exam would reply, â€Å"? ! † which means, â€Å"Go to the Devil! † or â€Å"To the Devil! † which is a way of securing good luck

The Relationship Between Team Working and Motivation

In order to find out the relationship between â€Å"Team working† and â€Å"Motivation†, understanding each of them might be necessarily important. To begin with, â€Å"Team working† in business term means a groups of individual pulling together function as a team in order to archive goals or targets that them planed at the beginning. In a team-oriented environment, usually have different people & personality. which means there are opinion toward different direction, disputes will be appear most of the time, turning those different angle point of view into meaningful solution is a major part for a successful team. After that, move along to â€Å"Motivation†, it is the driving force by which we accomplish our aim, it doesn’t necessarily be a team and as each individual got different needs, related to â€Å"Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs†. â€Å"Motivation† is divide to be intrinsic and extrinsic, the basic concept is refers to â€Å"Motivation† that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself or comes from outside of the individual such as money. Nowadays, most of the firms in all kind of industrial workplace request to building the team, working as a team, â€Å"Team building skills† are critical for effectiveness as a manager or entrepreneur, and because it could lead to productivity, therefore, â€Å"Motivation† skills has to apply to those day to day teams, intrinsically by given positive satisfaction, arising from intrinsic conditions of the job itself, such as recognition, achievement, or personal growth; extrinsic to the work itself, and include aspects such as company policies, supervisory practices or wages. For example, In a clothing buying office, the manager would give those more important brands to the most productive team of merchandisers, not just to making sure the productivity, also making employee feel prod of their own jobs. This is called goal setting, In a company should always more than one team but only one product or project make the highest profit, therefore healthy competition will developed, base on theory y, subordinate will find it became more challenging, every team member aiming at the same achievement, less disputes and more recognition and responsibility should appear. Further more, rewards system in â€Å"Motivation† should be positive to apply into business in order to reinforce behavior, not just actual salary, it could be commission or holiday trip, by sharing the company’s profit to the employee can also boost their â€Å"Motivation†. If the company are dealing with theory x of people at work, reward system might not be very effective to them, in this case the threat of punishment must exist, because in a team-oriented environment, if one of the team member is avoiding work, it could pull down the entire team, which means decrease the productivity and cutting off profits. To conclude with, it can be seen that â€Å"Team working† and â€Å"Motivation† are likely to be in a complementary relationship; the â€Å"Team working†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s effectiveness rely on â€Å"Motivation†. It could also lead to psychological contracts, as its always between manger and subordinate, the concept of ego and expectation of other’s are both significant to both â€Å"Team working† and â€Å"Motivation†. Leader has to understand what are they capable with; Team members has to understand why the team create for, in an other word the expectation has to be clear and communicate its expectation might considerable as well.

Team Development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Team Development - Coursework Example The duo proposed that a small group passes through five stages to get fully matured (Tuckman & Jensen, 2010). They proposed the paths to include; forming, storming, norming, performing and finally the adjourning stages. It is for this reason that any team leader should endeavor to know the characteristics of each stage so that he/she can find and adopt the necessary skills to deal with the members challenges. The following essay is about the stages passed through by the sales team formed by Barclays Bank to increase their market share by selling loans and other products to which I was a member. This stage was characterized by a lot of curiosity and excitement as many of us were not yet sure of the real purpose of the team. Most people at this stage did not know each other and their ability/skills. However, the team members were polite and receptive to each other. The team leader was very initiative and more result-oriented. He introduced us to major tasks in a bid to maximize friendly atmosphere to see tasks adopted and completed in time. He was very directive at this level and walked through the team giving directions. Here we had several disagreements and conflicts amongst ourselves as other members realized the tasks were quite challenging. Some colleagues became totally incorporative with each other, even questioning the authority of the team leader and his roles other thereby fuelling the conflicts. This, however, is expected at this stage according to (Eyre & Mind Tool Team, 2014). They suggest that the leader should be assertive and more positive to the main goal, skills that were absent in our team leader. They recommend that He/she should even consider training members on conflict resolution and explain to them that whatever was happening at that stage was normal (Eyre & Mind Tool Team, 2014). This was not the case with

Seven Birds for Seven Brothers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seven Birds for Seven Brothers - Essay Example 3. From the musical, gender relations have been demonstrated in the movie where the females are expected to be well-behaved. The girls were expected to be good cooks and carry themselves with dignity. Males, on the other hand, are expected to be hard working and provider in the family. The setting of this musical shows â€Å"man’s world†. For instance, Fred Bixby owns store while his wife works with him. Milly works in a local bar where she is expected clean after the customers. 4. The clips on youtube of the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers have captured the spirit of the original movie to the extent where they create a clear picture of the original film. The musical numbers used are appropriate for the scenes. The filmed musical uses location and beautiful scenery to try and bring out which would be impossible in a live musical. 5. My favorite musical number is Bless Yore Beautiful Hide. It talks of what kind a wife, Adam. The song brings out the qualities of a woman Adam would like. From the song, one can tell the performer is looking for a wife to