Fake Baby for a traveling companion. Looks Real, Feels Real.

Babybuntins Nursery - They actually make them!

Reborn baby Clothing

Reborn Babies, Real Dolls, and the People Who Buy Them

My Fake Baby on the Today Show

Just for Families: The imitation baby craze

Premature Reborn Babies? I am serious! This is Baby Rihanna

Read this ‘International Herald Tribune’ article for a detailed article on the topic

Pashe Keqi recalls the day nearly sixty years ago when she decided to become a man. She chopped off her long black curls, traded in her dress for her father’s baggy trousers, armed herself with a hunting rifle and vowed to forsake marriage, children and sex.

Had she been born in Albania today, says the 78-year-old sworn virgin, who made an oath of celibacy in return for the right to live and rule her family as a man, she would choose womanhood. [Read More]

With these tougher sanctions in place the EU along with the United States hope to force Iran into a situation where they pretty much have to compromise their nuclear program in order to preserve the health of Iran’s economy.

Read this Reuter’s article for more information:

“The economy of Iran will be more dependent on Chinese markets,” he added of a growing shift in Iran’s focus to Asia that has seen Europe’s share of the Islamic Republic’s trade dwindle to 25-30 percent from twice that five years ago. [read more]

Here’s the Top 10 (No surprises here!):

1. Somalia
2. Sudan
3. Zimbabwe
4. Chad
5. Iraq
6. D.R. Congo
7. Afghanistan
8. Cote d’Ivoire
9. Pakistan
10. Central African Republic

By the way…give it up for Scandinavia because Sweden, Finland, and Norway are the bottom three nations on the index, making them the ‘least failing’ nations in the world.

These are the twelve indicators The Fund for Peace uses to rank nations into the Failed States Index:

Social Indicators
• I-1. Mounting Demographic Pressures
• I-2. Massive Movement of Refugees or Internally Displaced Persons creating Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
• I-3. Legacy of Vengeance-Seeking Group Grievance or Group Paranoia
• I-4. Chronic and Sustained Human Flight

Economic Indicators
• I-5. Uneven Economic Development along Group Lines
• I-6. Sharp and/or Severe Economic Decline

Political Indicators
• I-7. Criminalization and/or Delegitimization of the State
• I-8. Progressive Deterioration of Public Services
• I-9. Suspension or Arbitrary Application of the Rule of Law and Widespread

Violation of Human Rights
• I-10. Security Apparatus Operates as a “State Within a State”
• I-11. Rise of Factionalized Elites
• I-12. Intervention of Other States or External Political Actors

Check out The Fund for Peace ‘Failed States Index’ at their website here.

That’s all fine though…the marketing was great…and even though Consumer Reports found holes in the plan I don’t think this is a tough one to push past a sizable amount of consumers. This campaign sure sounds less shady than the ‘employee pricing’ ploys.

I just wish American auto manufacturers modernized their advertising a bit…we’ve been watching the same commercials for the past two decades: A shiny car that speeds through back roads and handles curves with ultimate precision…all to a great all-American soundtrack featuring some flavor a bad-ass classic rock jam. And let’s not get started on the truck commercials! The new Acura commercials are a good example of a change of pace, they highlight lifestyles that appeal to their target market - hip 25-40 year olds that strive to achieve a balance between luxury, sport, and fun.

This article made me laugh: Why Local Car Dealers Ads Suck

So how much will you get? When will you get it? How will you get it? The answers are here:

How much will I get? Starting in May, the Treasury will begin sending economic stimulus payments to more than 130 million households. To receive a payment, taxpayers must have a valid Social Security number, $3,000 of income and file a 2007 federal tax return. IRS will take care of the rest. Eligible people will receive up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples), and parents will receive an additional $300 for each eligible child younger than 17. Millions of retirees, disabled veterans and low-wage workers who usually are exempt from filing a tax return must do so this year in order to receive a stimulus payment. (irs.gov, Mar 08).

When will I get it? As long as you filed your taxes before April 15 you can live by this payment schedule:

DIRECT DEPOSIT

Last two SSN digits:	Payment will be transmitted:
00 through 20	May 2
21 through 75	May 9
76 through 99	May 16

PAPER CHECK

Last two SSN digits:	Payments will be mailed by:
00 through 09	May 16
10 through 18	May 23
19 through 25	May 30
26 through 38	June 6
39 through 51	June 13
52 through 63	June 20
64 through 75	June 27
76 through 87	July 4
88 through 99	July 11

How will I get it? If you specified a bank account for direct deposit on your 2007 tax return you’ll see the money in your bank account soon enough. Otherwise, you’ll receive a traditional paper check in the mail.

Hagel expresses support for Bush’s efforts in Iraq and Iran and respectfully points out that our current policy towards Iran is not producing results:

I am increasingly concerned, however, that this diplomatic strategy is stalling.

Hagel continues to explain that this hostile situation can erupt at any time if it is not handled appropriately:

Unless there is a strategic shift, I believe we will find ourselves in a dangerous and increasingly isolated position in the coming months.

Here is the text of Chuck Hagel’s letter to George Bush:
Click Here to Download the Original Letter

October 17, 2007

The President

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write to urge you to consider pursuing direct, unconditional and comprehensive talks with the Government of Iran.

In the last two years, the United States has worked closely with the permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany, Japan, and other key states as well as the UN Secretary General and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to pursue a diplomatic strategy regarding Iran’s nuclear program. I have supported your efforts. Maintaining a cohesive and united international front remains one of our most effective levers on Iran.

In the last year, you have also authorized our Ambassador in Iraq, Ryan Crocker, to hold bilateral talks with Iranian officials regarding the situation in Iraq. I have also supported this effort. Although Iran has continued dangerous actions in Iraq, this channel for dialogue is important.

I am increasingly concerned, however, that this diplomatic strategy is stalling. There are growing differences with our international partners. Concerns remain that the United States’ actual objectives is regime change in Iran, not a change in Iran’s behavior. Prospects for further action in the UN Security Council have grown dim, and we appear increasingly reliant on a single-track effort to expand financial pressure on Iran outside of the UN Security Council. Iran’s actions, both on its nuclear program and in Iraq, are unchanged. Iran’s leaders appear increasingly confident in their positions vis-a-vis the United States.

Unless there is a strategic shift, I believe we will find ourselves in a dangerous and increasingly isolated position in the coming months. I do not see how the collective actions that we are now taking will produce the results that we seek. If this continues, our ability to sustain a united international front will weaken as countries grow uncertain over our motives and unwilling to risk open confrontation with Iran, and we are left with fewer and fewer policy options.

Now is the time for the United States to active consider when and how to offer direct, unconditional, and comprehensive talks with Iran. The offer should be made even as we continue to work with our allies on financial pressure, in the UN Security Council on a third sanctions resolution, and in the region to support those Middle East countries who share our concerns with Iran. The November report by IAEA Director General ElBaradei to the IAEA Board of Governors could provide an opportunity to advance the offer of bilateral talks.

An approach such as this would strengthen our ability across the board to deal with Iran. Our friends and allies would be more confident to stand with us if we seek to increase pressure, including tougher sanctions on Iran. It could create a historic new dynamic in US-Iran relations, in part forcing the Iranians to react to the possibility of better relations with the West. We should be prepared that any dialogue process with Iran will take time, and we should continue all efforts, as you have, to engage Iran from a position of strength.

We should not wait to consider the option of bilateral talks until all other diplomatic options are exhausted. At that point, it could well be too late.

I urge you to consider pursing direct, unconditional and comprehensive talks with the Government of Iran.

Thank you for considering my views.

Best wishes.

Sincerely,

Chuck H.

Chuck Hagel
United States Senator

cc: Condoleezza Rice

Robert M. Gates

Stephen J. Hadley

And so…
Obviously, foreign policy and international relations are not simple orders; nevertheless, common sense is often overlooked for the sake of personal/political interests. The idea that ‘we do not negotiate with terrorists’ is one that will very likely cripple our ability to negotiate for our interests in the present and even worse, in the future. If current events are any indicator of the drama to come, we need to put on the thinking caps and prepare.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Tags: Latest Pakistan News - Latest Iran News - News from Iran

Victim Did Not Press Charges - Attacker goes Free

The victim and her family, perhaps afraid of consequences, declined to press charges and the local judge let the attacker go home, with no criminal charge. Spain’s main anti-racism and civil-rights groups are hoping to appeal the judge’s decision and demand jail time for the attacker’s actions. I wrote some commentary in Spanish below.

The attacker denies he is racist…

Fue un Crimen Contra La Humanidad
En los países Latino-Americanos no existe el racismo de la misma forma que se observa en los Estados Unidos y en Europa. Será por que todos somos una mezcla verraca de tantas razas; la mayoría de la gente en Sudamérica son criollos y mestizos de alguna manera, y comparten sangre con los Europeos, Africanos, Anglos, Árabes, etc. No estoy hablando del racismo natural basada en riqueza/pobreza que es común en las clases sociales pero el racismo que es mas peligroso. El que se desarrolla dentro del mismo grupo social y cultural. Este es el tipo de prejuicio que ocurrió en Barcelona y es indicador de falta de educación y éticas morales.

Un fenómeno que se presenta hoy día y que no ha recibido atención es el aumento de grupos racistas en Europa y en los países de Sudamérica. Los Skinheads, traídos a los países Hispanos por la música Oí y Punk se esta evolucionando al estado den los Nazis de Hitler. Estamos en el mejor tiempo para empezar a combatir el racismo en los países Latinos. Si los eventos actuales son alguna indicación de lo que viene en el futuro hay que prevenir con educación ahora antes de que no se pueda controlar la situación.

Para mas comentario en Español sobre el ataque visite este enlace

“We have informed Iran that we are prepared to transfer Iran’s gas to China through this pipeline should India decide not to join the gas project.” [ Associated Press of Pakistan, Oct 2007 ]

Though India has assured that it will take part in the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline - it is clear that the TAPI pipeline is not a replacement for the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, and their lack of an absolute decision in light of U.S. pressure is proof that the IPI pipeline stands to bring benefit to the Indian economy.

U.S. Threatens Sanctions on Pakistan if they seal the deal with Iran - Who Cares?
Check out this Business Week editorial from June of 2005 that demonstrates the United States’ declining ability to ‘demand’ U.S.-friendly international policies. The U.S. perhaps using scare tactics, has mentioned that investment sanctions are a possibility for India and Pakistan should they join hands with Iran on this business deal - But who’s economies are at stake on a local level? There was a time when the U.S. could influence just about any nation to favor U.S. interests - either by the diplomatic efforts of our 20th century leadership or brute force.

Russia doesn’t care.
“Russia’s Gazprom has established a branch office in Islamabad to participate in IPI project (Press TV Iran, Oct. 2007)” Furthermore, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin issued a statement last week to confirm that he will continue to cooperate with Iran on their nuclear program, identified as a deadly threat by the United States.

China doesn’t care.
Chinese officials continue to insist that sanctions are not the solution and will only complicate the situation - and as a permanent U.N. Security Council member they have rejected any and all U.S. involvement in Iran.

And of course…Iran doesn’t care.
Mr. ‘what me worry?’ himself, President Ahmadinejad, is not worried about U.S. sanctions. As a matter of fact a senior Iranian military commander has warned that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard will carry out suicide bombings throughout the Persian gulf if “necessary.”

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Armenia’s president, Robert Kocharian, is adamant at proving his point - whatever it is! He’s looking to bring accountability to Turkey’s government for facilitating the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians…and he wants these evil acts ‘acknowledged fully in U.S. policy toward Turkey’. So on Wednesday, October 11, the bill to condemn the massacres was voted on by the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the majority supported the measure.

Turkey feels insulted. They sent a U.S. envoy home and forced him to leave the country, insisting that the action was not to indicate a deterioration in relations between the two nations. And many people, including president George Bush disapproved of this action - perhaps not for the same reasons but the disapproval was there.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry insists that “it has been accused of something that never happened in history.” With such statements coming straight from the horse’s mouth - what kind of diplomacy is possible? Damage control is possible.

The U.S. has mission critical supply routes that run through Turkey and provide crucial strategic support to U.S. troops in Iraq. The Bush administration strongly disapproved the genocide resolution and insisted that national security interests are at stake. The warnings of the top strategists in Turkey and the U.S. were ignored and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi confirmed that the Armenian Genocide measure will go forward.

Resources:

• Armenian National Institute - Armenian-Genocide.org: Exhaustive details of the ‘Armenian Genocide’ and support for the Armenian lobby
• Armenian-Genocide-Lie.com: The ‘Armenian Genocide’ is a sham and a lot of people died as a result of war
• The Armenian Genocide Wikipedia Page: Supposedly Impartial (not always the case with wiki)

Employees will hurt before Chrysler’s financial burden begins.
The employees at GM “are angry and they’re scared,” in the words of Paul Thayer, a welder repairman at Chrysler’s stamping plant. Anyone would be weary of striking if they lived in Michigan - it ranks 51st with the worst unemployment rate in the nation at 7.4%. Perhaps they can afford to strike for a week…but what about two weeks…or worse, what about a month? Chrysler can use some down time anyway, they’ve already shut down half of their plants because they have too much inventory - they have three months worth of inventory and their number one selling ‘Jeep Wrangler’ is assembled at a non-UAW plant in Ohio.

Michigan: The Worst state for a strike
The UAW will pay striking employees $200 per week. I can’t speak for every employee…but a lot of people I know have ZERO saved up for a rainy day. If the UAW forces its workers to strike for a long time - we can expect to see some of those workers go back to work…being a ‘scab‘ is better than being broke and homeless. Michigan’s economy is in horrible shape. It was the only state whose GDP actually fell, its poverty level is higher than the national average, its the worst state for foreclosures, and the list goes on.

The poem “The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower,” by Dylan Thomas, has to be read attentively at least twice to begin to grasp its meaning. In the poem Thomas handles all of the literary elements with dexterity, which is why there are so many possible interpretations. But the general theme of the cycle of life is evident through his skillful use of imagery, symbolism, and connotation.

In the first line of the first stanza Thomas introduces “The Force,” the omnipotent element that is ever-present in the poem.

The force that through the green fuse drives the flower
Drives my green age; that blasts the roots of trees
Is my destroyer.
And I am dumb to tell the crooked rose
My youth is bent by the same wintry fever. (1-5)

The “green fuse” represents the stem of the flower, but through connotation “fuse” is thought of as something explosive, contrary to a gentle flower. The word “green” implies youth, exuberance, and growth as he describes his age. In the second and third lines the force that produced life in the flower and himself is described as the same force that destroys life. The fourth line shatters the beautiful image of a rose, a symbol of healthiness and vigor, when it is described as crooked, inviting negative connotations. Just as the rose is feeble, he is also weakened and the seasons of his life change from springtime liveliness to “wintry fever.” The image of a frail, hunched over old man comes to mind.

The second stanza resembles the first stanza in set-up and message.

The force that drives the water through the rocks
Drives my red blood; that dries the mouthing streams
Turns mine to wax.
And I am dumb to mouth unto my veins
How at the mountain spring the same mouth sucks. (6-10)

Once again “the force” is brought up. The “force” here extends the flow of the stream as it drives it along, similar to the first stanza in which the force extended the growth of the flower. “Red blood” is homogenous to “green age” from the first stanza – they both represent life and vivacity. In lines seven and eight “the force” becomes destructive again as in the first stanza. The force that pushed life along becomes the very force that takes away life as it “dries” the stream and turns the speaker’s blood to “wax,” which represents the speaker’s stiff corpse after embalming. As in the first stanza he is unable to communicate his feelings. An attempt to explain the situation to his body would be futile, since it is already lifeless.

In the third stanza the force is replaced by “the hand,” and like the “force” in the previous two stanzas it has the power to control and alter nature.

The hand that whirls the water in the pool
Stirs the quicksand; that ropes the blowing wind
Hauls my shroud sail.
And I am dumb to tell the hanging man
How of my clay is made the hangman’s lime.

The “hand agitates the normally calm waters of the pool and the generally motionless quicksand, and it is so powerful that it also controls the wind. The third line of this stanza is a double entendre. The speaker can be referring to a ship where the “shroud” is one of the ropes that support a ship’s mast; in this case the “hand’s” power is demonstrated as it controls the ship’s course. Another interpretation of the third line is similar to the third lines in the previous stanzas in which he states his demise; in this case the “shroud” would be the sheet used to wrap a dead body for burial. In the fourth and fifth lines the speaker find it senseless to communicate his feelings with the “hanging man” since they both share the same fate. The speaker’s body, his “clay,” will be in the hangman’s pit, which is doused in “lime” to nullify the smell of rotting corpses.

While the first three stanzas illustrated the abilities of “the force,” the fourth stanza identifies the force as being “time.”

The lips of time leech to the fountain head;
Love drips and gathers, but the fallen blood
Shall calm her sores.
And I am dumb to tell a weather’s wind
How time has ticked a heaven round the stars.

The denotation of “fountainhead” is an original source, therefore, where life begins, time leeches the fountain head just as age exhausts life. The line can also interpret as the “lips of time” symbolizing the genitals of a female and the “fountain head” as the phallus of a man. The latter interpretation ties in well with the rest of the poem because of its significance in the cycle of life; the speaker is playing his role in reproduction. The next line also leads on to sexual connotations but leans more towards the reoccurring theme of death where “fallen blood” represents a dead person. The speaker brings another life into being through reproduction in line one and in lines two and three he explains that the burden on society will be offset by his death, “fallen blood.” Time is referred to as “her” and the burden on society is represented by “sores.” He is incapable of explaining to the wind how time works because the wind already knows the nature of time. The “weather’s wind” has been to the heavens and the stars and has seen all possible weathers.

Wal-mart is the world’s biggest company according to Fortune’s top 500 and in the top three of the world’s most extendible brands according to Cheskin’s Brand Extendibility index. Wal-Mart has gained its high rankings by being ridiculously affordable through immense economies of scale, the more consumers purchase their cheap goods the more value they will receive - like the addition of high-quality organic foods.

Back to Mind Control - This company is so confident with its brand’s positioning that they can get away with just about anything…they have already banned labor unions, taken advantage of cheap foreign labor, and forced supplier ultimatums.
And the Question … Is this the brand positioning climax?

The county’s decision to pursue appear impulsive and have created a sort of sugar-coated state of emergency in the entire Northern Virginia area that surrounds the D.C. Metro area. Whether the desperate measures are as superfluous as they seem is subjective, at least at this early stage.

These actions, though they might prove an effective means of reducing illegal immigration, carry an ethnocentric stigma - simply because of the fuel behind the flames. My point is based on the principle that the means to achieve a goal for the good of society at large must be led by well-intended people - unfortunately these efforts are being supported by people that are essentially anti-immigration…regardless of legality. They prefer a last ditch, seek-and-destroy approach that forgoes conventional diplomacy and progressive community involvement.

In the words of Joseph W. Budzinski, spokesman for Help Save Loudoun:

‘I think this is the first step of Virginians taking back their state’ (Washington Post, July 2007).

This influx of Latino people, mainly from Central American countries, has created a sort of hysteria amongst Prince William’s largely conservative voting base. The ‘migrant workers’ gathered at 7-11 convenience stores (waiting for work), the boom of Hispanic shopping centers (food & ‘back-home’ goods), and not to mention the neighbors next door - since Hispanic homeownership has risen 2.2% from 2000 to 2005 in the United States.

The polemic here is that a large amount of Hispanic immigrants to Prince William are illegal - this is putting a large socio-economic strain on the county’s infrastructure. The new county law, passed yesterday, is aimed towards getting those illegal immigrants deported. The method: demand proof of lawful presence from any individual that can be detained on probable cause of violation of federal immigration laws. (Washington Times, July 2007)

Many civil rights organizations such as the ACLU take offense to the new ordinance, claiming that it can only lead to “the denial of essential, legally required services to undocumented immigrants” (ACLU, July 2007). There is no doubt that the majority of people detained for questioning will be of Hispanic origin - and there will be violations of basic civil rights - but is it for the greater good? That is indeed the County’s justification of the ordinance, and its officials stand by the unanimous decision.

The County’s legal (non-Hispanic) residents for the most part feel that these illegal immigrants are breaking the law, and letting them go on without reprimand represents a flaw in the justice system. Proponents of the ordinance insist that illegal immigrants come to this country only to usurp resources and take their tax-free earnings back to their home country.

Opponents demand recognition of the arduous and diligent work that is performed by illegal immigrants. There is also fear that legal residents of Hispanic origin will face increased discrimination and scrutiny from public officials as well as fellow residents. To avoid scrutiny of the law-abiding Hispanic community at large there are many other ways to go about controlling illegal immigration in Prince William county. One method is to only check the immigration status of arrested individuals.

Latinos are the fastest growing minority group in the United States, but not just in headcount, their economic power is increasing substantially every year. Hispanics are the minority group with the most spending power, estimated at $863.1 billion (Terry College of Business, September 2006).

This new law has a scary air to it. Perhaps we are coming to a point in time where porous borders were a thing of the past.

After the removal of Saddam Hussein in December 2003, the United States’ most immediate goals in Iraq became the elimination of the pro-Hussein insurgency and the installation of a functioning democratic government.

In March 2003 the majority of Americans (72%) supported armed involvement in Iraq to achieve these goals; nevertheless, conditions have become more realistic and the Gallup poll conducted on July 8th reported that the majority of Americans (62%) believe this whole Iraq situation was a ‘mistake’ (Iraq War Gallup Poll, July 2007).

Nearly four years after the removal of Iraq’s dictator it seems that we are back on square one. No democracy. Constant Violence. Political in-fighting. This is what happens when you allow distinctly volatile elements to interact without introducing a stabilizing compound - which in Iraq’s case, was the constant oppression and genocide of innocent people by the now-deposed dictatorship.

The U.S. strategy is to establish a democracy that brings together the varied peoples of Iraq under one central government for the greater good. George Bush, though his approval rating is at a record low of 29% (President’s Approval Gallup Poll, July 2007) still insists that he’s a “strong believer in advocating the march of democracy in the Middle East” (Bush Speaks in Cleveland, Ohio, July 2007).

This approach, exporting the U.S. brand of democracy to Iraq, though well-intended, must be carefully implemented so as to not appear ethnocentric. This is especially true when viewed from a socio-economic and socio-political standpoint. Iraq, home to the world’s first known civilization, has been ruled by a tradition of monarchs and religious caliphates - never has it been organized with modern democracy.

In her book ‘World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability,’ Amy Chua suggests that the abrupt introduction of democracy into third world countries can have negative results, and among other things bring about sectarian violence. Whether Chua’s theory applies to the situation at hand is an entirely separate analysis. There is, however, proof of sectarian violence, civil disorder, and a depressed economic landscape. The religious factions (i.e. Shi’a, Sunni) and ethnic groups (i.e. Kurds, Arabs) all want to secure a good future for their respective communities, and find themselves fighting each other over deeply-ingrained & ancient differences.

One cannot expect tranquility to set in on Iraq any time soon - not so much because of civil fighting but more because of the destabilization of an organizational system, though regressive and inhumane, that kept each of these different groups separated by forcing each to accept roles assigned by the dictatorship.

There are many causes for and against foreign intervention in Iraq. Some argue that poverty and the disenfranchisement of the lowest classes are central issues, which can be solved by progressive initiatives such as the Grameen banking system; while others believe that multilateral efforts to impose a democratic system will pay off in the long run, though it seems like tough love in the short-term.

All of these strategies sound great in heated speeches and printed editorials, but for the better good, we should put our differences aside and work together by developing one solution that is a hybrid of several strategies. That’s collaboration for the greater good.

1. The Sources of Funding
2. The Socio-Political Location where funds are applied
3. The Specific Causes that receive collected funds

1. The Sources of Funding
In an attempt to increase community goodwill and gain good P.R. points, a private company may choose to donate money to a nonprofit. It is important to the stability and success of the nonprofit to screen the monies received from corporations - as opposed to accepting all incoming donations.

Example: Gold Rush Casino donates money and forms a strategic partnership with the local Counseling Center for Gambling. The deal turns sour for the Counseling Center when the casino is accused of defrauding and taking advantage of slot machine users. The local community may very well correlate the Casino’s actions with the reputation of the well-intending Counseling Center for Gambling. The Center then stands to lose it’s members’ support - then sponsorships - then operating funds - and the rest is history.

2. The Socio-Political Location where funds are applied
While conducting fund raising rallies and drives, nonprofits must consider the possible adverse effects of cultural misconceptions. Failure to realize the receiving community’s cultural values, norms, literacy rates, religious beliefs, and other sensitive topics can be disastrous to the organization’s operations. It is important to be as diplomatic as possible so as to avoid community resentment; furthermore, it is crucial to conduct well-rounded market research to confirm the viability of serving any particular community or cause.

3. The Specific Causes that receive collected funds
Another issue that can create an ethical dilemma is the allocation of donated funds without proper planning. Some corporations may want their contributed funds to be used solely for a particular purpose and possibly in a manner that is not in line with the nonprofit’s mission. Such a case requires special attention from the nonprofit’s officers - it is vital to the organization’s sustainability to remain ethical and maintain the integrity of the organization’s mission. Improper allocation of funds will create discontent sponsors and donors and as a result funding becomes compromised.

Craigslist.org appears to be using a Classified Advertising e-business model – perhaps in the simplest form possible on the net, requiring little to no viewer information input and minimal user information input – it should be noted that Craigslist has been intended as a non-profit site, and the creator has established a non-profit programming and developing community.

The “Best of Craigslist” section of the site is a snapshot of the average Craigslist user. User is defined as the person posting a classified ad onto the site and viewer, alternatively is the person viewing that ad. The average user on Craiglist is someone that has been using the internet for over 1 year and has relied on e-mail for communication; in addition, most users are familiar with internet marketplaces and they tend to be between 30 and 45 years of age.

The owner of Craigslist is a computer programmer that had an idea for an easy-to-use website that would allow people to exchange classified ads similar to the ease of picking up a newspaper. This simplicity is the very strength of Craigslist.org – there are a plethora of ‘paid’ classified advertisement websites – eBay is an example – but obligatory registrations and entry of credit card details sway many from getting involved with those paid websites.

Bizrate.com

Bizrate.com is a marketplace of sorts – but classifies most accurately as an affiliate type e-business model. Businesses give Bizrate.com a catalog of goods they would like to make searchable through the site’s search engine, when a prospective customer clicks on a product they are redirected to the corresponding merchant’s website, if a purchase is made this click-through and purchase resulted from the listing on Bizrate.com, so the merchant will be billed a fee (sort of an agent/finders fee in the brick and mortar world). Note that Bizrate.com has changed to Shopzilla.com – it is still accessible through the original domain name.

Bizrate does not generate direct revenue from the rating system – they provide this as a free service for merchants, and give them detailed reports of all ratings and clicks. Of course, Bizrate, is not a community service, they do make revenue indirectly by convincing merchants to sign up for premium services and I am quite certain the information collected from customer ratings and merchant inputs is of value and can generate revenue.

Sneakers.com

It appears that Sneakers.com is earning revenue from advertising by simply creating a portal-type e-business model. It looks like the owner of this website has simply compiled a catalog with images that link to merchant websites, for the most part Zappos.com. I didn’t see any affiliate codes or breadcrumbs in the redirected URLs which are signs of affiliate programs. Sneakers.com is in the business of making money from Google Ads placed on their site.

I was surprised that a Google search for “sneakers” did not display sneakers.com in the first few pages. So most people find this site perhaps directly, by typing sneakers.com in their browser address bar. The site only has a google page rank of 4/10 – clearly the owner’s haven’t dedicated much time to search engine optimization.

To what extent?

Calculating the limit is always confusing.

Every time you get an answer of infinity - it is disagreeable and unpleasant. It doesn’t matter if infinity goes towards positive or negative.

Eternity, on the other hand, could be pleasurable if it is positive.

I define infinity to be extremism, but eternity…

Who is the extremist? Rushdie? Or the Muslims who are willing to kill the man for his writings?

1. Character Descriptions
The main character, Marty McFly, is a seventeen year old Caucasian male, who lives with his parents in Hill Valley, CA. His hobbies include playing the guitar and skateboarding. He dreams of being a rock star and owning a Toyota 4X4 truck. In the beginning of the Movie, his family is part of the Working class social stratum, but by the end of the movie moves up to at least the Middle class. Since Marty is not an adult, he is simply considered to part of a family household in the Full nest II stage of the household life cycle. He wears a puffy thermal vest and Nike shoes, and drinks Pepsi Free. While in 1955, Marty helped his parents meet and overcome the school bully. This shows that he is family-oriented. He is unsure that he will become a rock star, and fits into the ‘striver’ segment under the VALS System. We consider his shopping orientation to be like a predator’s, because we only see him purchase items when they are needed.
Marty McFly’s best friend is a sixty-five year old Caucasian scientist named Dr. Emmett Brown. Referred to as “Doc”, his hobbies include creating inventions such as the time machine. Doc is a professor at Hill Valley University and is included in the Upper-upper class. His mansion was burned in 1962, and he now lives in his detached garage with his dog. The appearance of his home/garage reflects that he has a collector shopping orientation. He falls into the Empty nest III category of the Household Lifecycle. We believe that he is in the Actualizer segment of the VALS system.

2. Plot Summary
Marty McFly meets Doc Brown to observe Doc’s latest invention: a time machine built from an DMC DeLorean, a flux capacitor, and stolen plutonium. Marty video tapes the beginning of the experiment, which is interrupted when terrorists come to claim the stolen plutonium. Marty flees in the time machine, which is set for the year 1955. Marty’s presence in 1955 prevents his parents from meeting. While helping his parents meet, he also helps his father stand up to the school bully, Biff, and thus alters the future. Marty meets up with a much younger Doc in an attempt to get Back to the Future. When Doc realizes that the only thing that can create enough energy to power the time machine is a lightening bolt, Marty informs him of a thunder storm that will occur in just a few days. Upon returning to 1985, Marty discovers that his father is no longer bullied by Biff, his parents have more money, his house is much nicer, and that he is the owner of his dream car, a Toyota 4X4.

3. Description and Analysis of Consumer Behaviors: Changes in American Cultural Values
The timeline of Back to the Future spans thirty years of time (1955-1985); this presents us with the unique opportunity to witness changes in American cultural values over the period of thirty years. The movie begins in the eighties, marked by major technological advancements; then shifts ‘back in time’ to the fifties, a period of conservatism and economic growth; and ends ‘back to the future’ in the eighties. The three essential cultural values we will analyze each delve into six sub-values; the three essential values are Self-Oriented Values, Environment-Oriented Values, and Other-Oriented Values.

Part 1 – Self-Oriented Values

a. Religious/Secular
The societies of both time periods in the movie are a secular. A religious group does not control any of the society’s economic or political systems. When characters make choices in the movie they do not have to think about grave repercussions from a religious group.

b. Sensual Gratification/Abstinence
Back to the Future Part does a good job of depicting change in the values of individuals as they age from teenagers to adult parents. Examples of the changes that individuals go through are compared between the years 1985 to 1955. One such example can be seen at the beginning of the movie in 1985 when Marty’s mother Lorraine tries to discourage Marty from going to the lake to camp with his girlfriend. She mentions to him that in her teenage years she would never have done such a thing. Now flash back to 1955 to Lorraine’s teenage years and she exhibits completely different values than she has as an adult. She invites Marty to the high school dance and does not object to parking with Marty, admitting that she had done it before. As an adult, this is a behavior that Lorraine did not exhibit to her family. As she grows older Lorraine changes her values from sensual gratification to abstinence.

c. Postponed/Immediate Gratification
Another example can be seen when Marty is astonished to see his mother smoke, drink and steal in her teenage years. In her adult life Lorraine does not display this behavior and is inclined to postpone her gratification rather than act out on it. In 1985 Marty has a propensity towards immediate gratification but changes when he travels back to 1955. In the first scene in the movie Marty blows up the speaker in Doc’s room without any regard for the damage he created. He is also habitually late to school and is considered a slacker by his school principal. Marty shows some signs of change when he travels back to the past by holding back on his need for immediate gratification. When he goes into the restaurant after traveling back in time, instead of ordering sugared drinks like he usually does, he asks for something without sugar. Marty becomes more attentive and focused on his tasks, as can be seen when he tries to be on time and constantly urges his father, George McFly to stay on plan so that he could take Lorraine to the dance.

d. Material/Nonmaterial
It is evident in the first part of the film that the McFly family has little money. This is implied by the size and condition of their home, the parents’ physiological and material appearance, and the lack of cars for the children. The house is neither large, nor new, and is located in a decrepit neighborhood. Marty’s parents are not well dressed, and his father wears glasses that are outdated. Marty dreams of owning a Toyota 4X4; obviously it is too expensive for his family. By traveling to 1955, Marty changed events in the past which altered his family’s social class from lower middle class to middle class. In the end of the film Marty returns to the same house, but the exterior and interior are in much better condition. He also finds the Toyota 4X4 in the garage.

e. Hard Work/Leisure
George McFly is the breadwinner in the family, but he works a great deal of hours doing Biff Tannen’s work. Biff Tannen has bullied George since high school. We have learned that Americans work more now than in the past because they wish to consume more non-essential services and material possessions. In this case, George does Biff’s work because he wishes to be accepted and is afraid to stand up to Biff. When George was younger, he enjoyed writing science fiction, and Lorraine enjoyed gossiping with her friends. They both attend the Under the Sea dance in 1955, which is also a leisurely activity.
Dr. Emmett Brown has spent the better part of 30 years creating his time machine. Doc Brown combined both hard work and leisure in the creation of the flux capacitor. While Doc was not teaching at Hill Valley University, he spent his free time working on his inventions. He also enjoys working on clocks, as indicated throughout the movie.

f. Active/Passive
Throughout the movie, Marty and Doc are taking an active approach to leisure and problem-solving activities. When we first see Marty, he is playing his guitar. This is an important part of both his actual and ideal self, because he wants to be a rock star. He is taking an active approach to his future, by auditioning for the school dance. When he realizes that he is late and skateboards at break neck speeds to get to school on time, it is evident that he takes life at a very fast pace. Taking a similar pace, Doc is been busy stealing plutonium from Libyan terrorists for use in his time machine. In a frantic phone conversation, he tells Marty to meet him in the middle of the night to test his new invention. Doc has a passion for science in which he takes a very active role.
Unlike his son, George McFly approaches things in a passive manner, such as not standing up to Biff’s bullying. While sitting at the dinner table with his family, he is watching television instead of taking an active role in the conversation. However, in 1955 he took an interest in science fiction books and even wrote a few of his own.

Part 2 – Environment-Oriented Values

a. Cleanliness
Throughout the movie there can be a comparison made on the cleanliness of the surroundings during 1955 and 1985. The 1955 high school scene showed all the students arriving to school either by walking or on their bicycles; which means that there was less pollution around the school grounds since students didn’t drive to school. For example, in the 1955 setting we did not see any homeless people; in contrast, when Marty comes back to 1985, the first scene shows a homeless guy sleeping on a bench underneath a newspaper. Another proof of change in the standard of cleanliness is litter being blown through the streets by the wind in 1985. In addition, during 1985 the movie showed houses that had trash cans placed outside, where as in 1955 there was no clue where all the trash went but it was so much cleaner.

b. Tradition/Change
In the movie it was shown that in 1955 families were more involved with each other and spent more time together. For example, when Marty was eating dinner at Lorraine McFly’s house, who becomes his mother in 1985, we saw how the whole family sat at the dinner table together and watched TV; whereas in 1985 it was shown that everyone was busy with their own lives, each eating whenever they felt the urge. For example, when Marty came back to 1985 he walked into the dining room and his older brother and his sister were eating breakfast, while his parents were coming back from spending time together outdoors. So, as you can see, though there were more jobs available in 1955, there was also enough time for families to spend time with each other. In 1985 everyone was busy in their own activities whether it was work or something else, and less attention was given to the family. Another example was when Marty’s mother baked a cake for the release of Marty’s uncle from jail. The family was indifferent towards the ‘good news’ and did not eat the cake. In a contrasting 1955 scene when Marty was hit by a car, a family of strangers brought him home, took good care of him and invited him to dinner.

c. Risk Taking/Security
In the movie one of the key points was risk taking in comparison from 1955 to 1985. In 1985 the movie showed how skateboarding was something that was a normal thing to do, where as when Marty was in 1955 he took this scooter look alike thing and turned it into a skateboard and was skateboarding like he did in 1985. This was a shock to the public in 1955 because no one would do anything as risky as getting on a skateboard and riding on it through roads and holding on to trucks so it would pull you.

d. Problem Solving/Fatalistic
Back to the Future is a great exhibit of the American drive towards improvement and advancement. Doc’s home was full of strange contraptions aimed towards automating daily tasks. One such device was the combination of several ‘breakfast’ appliances into one big ‘breakfast machine.’ A few new consumer products were introduced in the early eighties that appear in Back to the Future. Amongst new items of the 1980’s that were introduced and reinforced in the movie were Toyota pickup trucks, the futuristically styled DMC Delorean sports car, Pepsi Free, and colorful Calvin Klein brand underwear.

e. Admire/Overcome Nature
The 1980’s was a decade marked by major environmental concern which led to important environmental laws. In 1980 the ‘phase out’ of leaded gasoline took headway; the Texaco gasoline station in the movie’s 1955 setting was still using the environmentally hazardous leaded gasoline. In 1955 we found Americans to be for the most part fitting the ‘Unconcerned’ segment of environmental activism. American society in 1985 fit better into the ‘Affluent Healers’ segment of environmental activism. The movie showed us that the building of the ‘Lyon Estates’ housing development began in 1955. From market research of the time we can assume that there was little or no resistance to the destruction of flora and fauna for the purpose of creating the new development.

f. Performance/Status
The 1985 setting of Back to the Future provided plenty evidence of the American want for ‘status’ brands, more so than the 1955 setting. Marty displayed interest in the new Toyota 4X4 truck during the first few scenes of the movie; he ended up owning that same truck at the end of the movie, when his family was more affluent. When the McFly family moved up in social class it was apparent that their tastes made the switch as well. The family car was a luxurious BMW, Marty had a brand new truck, and the home was decorated with tasteful furniture, art and a piano. All the above mentioned items could be categorized as ‘status’ brands that are typically purchased by middle class individuals with expendable income.
Part 3 – Other-Oriented Values

a. Individual/Collective
Individualistic behavior has deep roots in America’s history and culture and is increasing as time goes by. In Back to the Future the dinner table scene in 1950 shows how families always ate together; the breakfast scene at the end of the movie that took place in 1985 is proof of this change in individualism. At the same 1950 dinner table scene the host family invited Marty to sleepover, this was another sign of trust and collectiveness in America’s past.

b. Diversity/Uniformity
America is moving very fast towards diversity and it is very noticeable. New changes in immigration laws and civil rights are examples of the growing diversity in America. Several scenes in the movie obviously demonstrate the change from uniformity to diversity in the United States. One such scene showed the mayoral campaign of an African-American man in 1985; which was unheard of in 1955. Other examples are the existence of Arabs in America in 1985 which was not something usual in 1955. In the 1955 high school dance scene there were only Caucasian boys and girls present; whereas multiculturalism played a big role in the 1980’s.

c. Limited/ Extended Family
Every decade we witness a decrease in family time for relationship building. The 1955 dinner table scene is once again a great example of this. In 1985 Marty’s mother mentioned that an uncle would soon leave jail, the children responded in an uncaring manner and told their mother that “he is your brother.” Another example from 1955 was when Marty lied about his relationship with Doc and claimed to be his nephew; this would be easier to accept than the truth: that adolescent Marty is friends with Doc, an estranged old scientist.

d. Youth/Age
Back to the Future follows that older people were considered wiser than young people. An example of this is when Marty transported back in time to 1955 where he interfered in the relationship of his future parents. Marty only had one choice amidst his confusion, which was to turn to Doc for help. Being older and wiser, Doc instructed Marty what to do to fix his mistakes and go ‘back to the future.’ This movie is a good demonstration of the changes in age values from 1955 to 1985 because it showed three decades worth of change in attitudes, style and fashion. One such example was the change noticed in George, Marty’s father, from a shy loser to affluent business man. Back to the Future focused mostly on the young 16 to 30 year old group. This is the group that spends most money on personal uses such as the high school dance shown in the movie.

e. Competition/Cooperation
Cooperation and competition alike played major roles in the movie. Marty’s father, George, found himself competing with Biff for a woman, Lorraine, Marty’s mother. George won a fight against Biff and gained a relationship with Lorraine as a result of cooperation with Marty. Marty had to work with Doc to return to the future and correct his own mistakes.

f. Masculine/Feminine
In 1955, males held more power in American society than females. By 1985 it appears that woman had improved; nevertheless, a balance in power has been difficult. Men are genetically made bigger, tougher and more competitive than women who serve other practical purposes such as taking care of housework and children. The social strength is differs from society to society and country to country; however, males hold the power in most cases.

Conclusion
Back to the Future demonstrated dramatic changes in American cultural values over the course of only thirty years. This is a sign that our young country, not even 250 years old, stands to change its cultural values every decade with more magnitude than older and more ‘cultured’ nations, which are still experiencing cultural changes that are inevitable to all mankind.