Sneaker slaves on Dazed Digital by Pinar&Viola Essay Example for Free

Sneaker slaves on Dazed Digital by PinarViola Essay As artist and designers were always attracted by cultural excesses. Thats where the beauty and the horror of present time shines out in its optimum. This time we found beauty behind the hidden doors of the booming world of sneakers, one of the lasting veteran icons of American consumer culture. When I meet an attractive boy, his shoes are the first thing I look at. We all know that you can tell so much about a person by what they wear on their feet. Apparently Im not the only one. Shoes carry sexual connotations in mainstream culture. There is nothing scandalous about stilettos being marketed as sexy.High heels are a widely accepted vanilla expression of shoe fetishism. Yet the persuasive power of sports footwear has caused the rise of darkrooms within sneaker culture. In the dark zones of the sneaker cult, fanatics enjoy intimacy with stylish kicks on their feet and in their mouth. The iconoclastic twist of a sneakerhead making love to his sneaker could be the ultimate case of a shopper and a product becoming one, surrendered in manic mutual adoration. We were introduced to the term sneakerslaves[-3] via a friend. After a little bit of XX-browsing we found the Tumblrs Sneaker Fetish[-4], Sk8terboy[-5] and a Dutch sneaker fetish wikipedia page[-6]. The page informs us that most trainer fetishists, gay men and straight men, are based in France, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. Common forms of sneaker fetishism are worshipping[-7], licking[-8] and sniffing[-9] sneakers. Shoeslaves also swap[-10] each others sneakers, or eat food [-11]out of their kicks. These fetishists provide images that make our hearts beat faster. For once the bad boys always dressed to kill arent depicted in the expected realm of a street fight, a shady strip club, or in a sweaty six-pack workout scenario. In these counter-glamour images of tough boys showing their soft side, while sensually sniffing their pricey sneakers with attention and adoration. These boys show that shoe fetishism goes beyond thigh-length leather boots, killer heels and kinky combat boots. A special place in this list is taken by our daily hot kicks, the training shoe. Thanks to the mixture of pop culture, nostalgia, strong  brand-creation, high tech designs and constant launch of new models, the sneaker reached a popularity that crossed all the lines of race and economic classes. A niche of consumers turned into sneakerheads, and a niche of sneakerheads turned into sneakerslaves. The affection of urban youth for their sneakers is one of true love. One of the reasons they love their kicks so much is that the footwear embodies cultural and personal transcendence. The right pair of sneakers associates the wearer with extraordinary athletic accomplishments while exclusive special editions seem to have the power to establish an identity in a world where all the same things seem to be available everywhere. Rare models encourage the sneaker freaks to compete with each other. The shoes seem worth the investment. They have the ability to retain or increase in value despite being used. Actually, many sneakerheads dont mind rocking some classics that look a little worn-in. This kind of tolerance and compassion for a pair of shoes can flame up to an extreme. The look, the feel and the smell of brand new and/or worn sneakers, can cause an adoration that blurs out the line between sneaker freaks and sneaker fetishists. [-0] http://www.pinar-viola.com/blog/2012/11/harald-gloockler/ [-1] http://www.pinar-viola.com/blog/2012/03/chinese-gangsta-glam/ [-2] http://www.pinar-viola.com/blog/2012/03/breathable-delights/ [-3] http://cashgod13.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/slave-profile-2-sneaker-slaves/ [-4] http://sneakerfetish.org/ [-5] http://sk8erboy-eu.tumblr.com/ [-6] http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneakerfetisjisme [-7] http://sneakersniffer.blogspot.nl/2012/06/sniff-at-all-circumstances.html [-8] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCiCrJACGeg [-9] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XThQsiOZKCo [-10] http://youtu.be/XLbumWImcDo [-11] http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embeddedv=sHNA_DZr024

Evil and an STN God :: Philosophy of Religion Essays

Evil and an STN God The problem of evil makes theists discern a reason for an STN God to allow evil and suffering in the world. The basic setup for the problem of evil is that either a God who is all knowing, all powerful, wholly good, eternal, and creator of this universe but separate from it (STN) or evil exists. Atheists believe that since evil exists then there is no STN God. Theists branch into two categories, either believing in God, but not an STN God or believing that God has a reason for allowing evil into the world. The latter type is a narrow theist and they use a theodicy to solve the problem of evil, the best of which is the ontological defense. However, the ontological defense does not solve the problem of evil. The problem of evil stems from the contradicting beliefs that either an STN God exists or evil exists (93).1 The problem of evil can be expanded into two arguments against the existence of an STN God: the logical and the evidential arguments (93).1 The argument from the logical problem of evil is simple. The basic form of this argument is that if an STN God exists, then evil cannot exist (93).1 Since there is evidence that evil does exist an STN God cannot exist (93).1 The evidential problem of evil is based more on how any greater good can come from the evil (99).1 In the argument from the evidential problem of evil, there are times when an STN God could have prevented intense suffering without interfering with a greater good (99).1 An STN God would prevent any suffering that would not interfere with a greater good and since suffering has occurred that does not interfere with a greater good an STN God cannot exist (99).1 The problem of evil is solely a problem for theists. In order for a theist to keep their beliefs in an STN God they must find a way to solve the problem of evil by using a theodicy (103).1 Or they can change their beliefs so that they no longer believe in an STN God, but just a God (108).1 The ontological defense appears to be the most successful theodicy at solving the problem of evil. This defense essentially says that it is impossible for good to exist in the world without evil. The ontological defense is the strongest defense because it merely puts forth the concept of opposites and does not try to explain any other reasoning for why evil exists or why God puts evil in the world.

Limitations
 of the BCG model Essay

The BCG model is criticised for having a number of limitations (Kotler 2003; McDonald 2003): âž ¢There are other reasons other than relative market share and market growth that could influence the allocation of resources to a product or SBU: reasons such as the need for strong brand name and product positioning could compel resource allocation to an SBU or product (Drummond & Ensor 2004). âž ¢What is more, the model rests on net cash consumption or generation as the fundamental portfolio balancing criterion. That is appropriate only in a capital constrained environment. In modern economies, with relatively frictionless capital flows, this is not the appropriate metric to apply – rather, risk-adjusted discounted cash flows should be used (ManyWorlds 2005). âž ¢Also, the matrix assumes products/business units are independent of each other, and independent of assets outside of the business. In other words, there is no provision for synergy among products/business units. This is rarely realistic. âž ¢The relationship between cash flow and market share may be weak due to a number of factors including (Cipher 2006): competitors may have access to lower cost materials unrelated to their relative share position; low market share producers may be on steeper experience curves due to superior production technology; and strategic factors other than relative market share may affect profit margins. âž ¢In addition, the growth-share matrix is based on the assumption that high rates of growth use large cash resources and that maturity of the life cycle brings about the expected profit returns. This may be incorrect due to various reasons (Cipher 2006): capital intensity may be low and the business/product could be grown without major cash outlay; high entry barriers may exist so margins may be sustainable and big enough to produce a positive cash flow and a growth at the same time; and industry overcapacity and price competition may depress prices in maturity. âž ¢Furthermore, market growth is not the only factor or necessarily the most important factor when assessing the attractiveness of a market. A fast growing market is not necessarily an attractive one. Growth markets attract new entrants and if capacity exceeds demand then the market may become a low margin one and therefore unattractive. A high growth market may lack size and stability. Given the aforementioned weaknesses, the BCG Growth-Share matrix must be used with care; nonetheless, it is a best-known business portfolio evaluation model (Kotler 2003).

The Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research - 1690 Words

Imagine a world free from disease. The idea of a utopian society has been far from reality until the research from embryonic stem cell therapy surfaced. Since former president George W. Bush banned federal funding on embryonic stem cell research in 2001 it has caused a halt in advancements and caused controversy in the public. According to an article by Beau Watts, an accredited physician; embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells (Beau Watts). This means they have not decided what function they perform yet. Since the cells do not know the function, it can be determined by scientists. As described in the â€Å"Guidelines for the conduct of human embryonic research† by the international stem cell society; medical professionals can take an embryonic stem cell and â€Å"reprogram† it to eliminate the disease. Today 2,200 people died from heart disease (American heart association). Heart disease is only one of many diseases that can be cured by embryonic stem cell research . Religious and/or conservative groups now condemn the research, for multiple reasons. Embryonic stem cells are donated by patients of in-vitro fertilization. After a â€Å"round† of IVF, they can choose to donate, freeze, or discard their leftover embryos. Embryos contain two layers, it is the innermost layer that contains the cells used in embryonic stem cell research (Society for stem cell research). It is very important to know that, the embryos that could be used in the research are donated upon request of the patient.Show MoreRelatedThe Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research1652 Words   |  7 PagesEmbryonic stem cell research could one day hold the key to many new scientific discoveries if it is continuously funded in the years to come. I chose to base my research around the question, Should embryonic stem cell research be government funded? When I finish highschool I hope to pursue a career in the medical field. Although I wish to become a doctor and may not be d irectly researching stem cells, they may one day be a treatment that I will have to administer to patients. To answer this questionRead MoreThe Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research1543 Words   |  7 PagesWhile embryonic stem cell research has been ongoing for more than 30 years, it has only become a controversial topic over the past decade. The embryonic stem cell was first isolated in 1981 by two scientists at the University of Cambridge. However, it wasn’t until 1998 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where the first batch of embryonic stem cells were created in a test tube. In 2001, President George W. Bush approved the use of federal funding for research on this topic, following this actionRead MoreThe Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research1710 Words   |  7 PagesEmbryonic Stem Cell Research Embryonic stem cells, according to the National Institute of Health, are cells obtained from embryos that are prepared from fertilized eggs which have been collected through the in vitro technique; in specialized clinics. Scientists use the stem cell research to have a better idea about the evolution, aging, and disease. Thus, they keep track of the stem cells progress across the lifetime; this tracking process can help scientists to figure out the genetic mutationsRead MoreThe Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research852 Words   |  4 Pagesknowledge of stem cell research has already created the ability for doctors to print a functional organ just as easily as people can print a persuasive research essay. With great medical advancements comes great controversy. The main way researchers have been studying stem cells is by harvesting undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. Those who oppose embryonic stem cell research claim that stem cell harvesting damages and kills the un-born embr yo; however, because of advancements in the stem cell harvestingRead MoreThe Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research1907 Words   |  8 PagesApril, 2017 Embryonic Stem Cell Research Imagine living in a world without cancer, Parkinson s, or even diabetes. While everyone may wish this is true, people are against a way that researchers can make this possible, which would be by the use of stem cells. There is major controversy on whether or not stem cell research should be allowed, especially when it comes to embryonic stem cell research. Although many consider it to be killing a potential life form, embryonic stem cell research may eventuallyRead MoreThe Debate Over Embryonic Stem Cell Research2410 Words   |  10 Pagesisolated the first embryonic stem cells in 1981 (stemcell.child), the controversy in embryonic stem cell research was never discussed. For, an embryo was never able to survive outside of the womb until then; however, today, this topic is widely discussed among ethicists, medical professions, politicians, and more for several reasons. On one side of the argument, embryonic stem cells have the capability of repairing damaged tissue, and with further research it is believed that these cells will be able toRead MoreThe Debate Concerning Embryonic Stem Cell Research Essay1406 Words   |  6 Pagespolitical battles in the United States in recent years has been over the morality of embryonic stem cell research. The embryonic stem cell debate has polarized the country into those who argue that such research holds promises of ending a great deal of human suffering and others who condemn such research as involving the abortion of a potential human life. If any answer to the ethical debate surrounding this particular aspect of stem cell research exists, it is a hazy one at best. The question facing manyRead More Embryonic Stem Cell Research: How does it affect you? Essay1557 Words   |  7 Pages Embryonic Stem Cell Research: How does it affect you? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Embryonic stem cell research is widely controversial in the scientific world. Issues on the ethics of Embryonic Stem (ES) cell research have created pandemonium in our society. The different views on this subject are well researched and supportive. The facts presented have the capability to support or possibly change the public’s perspective. This case study is based on facts and concernsRead MoreControversy in the Use of Embryonic Stem Cells Essay1030 Words   |  5 Pagescan the use of stem cells be so controversial?†, one may ask. If the stem cells are donated out of free will or were going to be destroyed anyway, how can putting them to better use be controversial? Sure, a potential life must be destroyed to save a life, but only before one can tell that it is a human. Should the use of stem cells for medical research and use be regulated? These questions and more will be discussed and pondered throughout this paper. A stem cell is defined as a cell that can changeRead MoreStem Cell Research Needs to Be Funded Essay1555 Words   |  7 Pagesinsulin shots. With the development of stem cell research, and the more controversial embryonic stem cell research, every one of these instances could not only be cured, but prevented, within the next half century. In fact, diseases that are predicted to be treated by means of stem cell research are figured to now plague the likes of 100 million Americans. Looking at the arguments dealing with stem cell research, it is evident that the advantages of stem cell research greatly outweigh the disadvantages