Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Essay

The short passage written by Joseph Conrad expressed through narration his impression of Africa. The narrator in the story was Marlow. In one part of the story, Marlow recounts his experiences as he was journeying up the Congo River. The images used in the story depict a downbeat mood. The Congo River reminded him of the prehistoric times when nature thrived the earth. It was situated in close proximity to deep and eerie forests, where dangerous creatures lurked. The forests were unwelcoming and the waters flowed in no particular direction. Marlow though the place to be disconnected from the real world saying, â€Å"†¦you thought yourself bewitched and cut off forever from everything you had known once. † These images imply differences between the worldview of European and African culture, because of how they see Africa. The African people see the forests as their home and their land. It is their most priceless possession from where their culture is deep-rooted. It is their way of life. The European views African lands as undeveloped. There is a need for civilization, and there is a need to eliminate the â€Å"barbaric† way of life. Conrad sees no ecstasy in the wealth of the African people. There is no pleasure, he says, in the unscathed forests and streams. There is nothing precious about it. However, the African people see their ancestral land as a jewel where they can be free observing their culture and their preferred way of life. It is not uninvolved with the world, but it is one with the earth because its people enjoy its native and inborn fruitfulness as it is. The African people obtain their food from hunting in the forest, and they hide in the forest to protect themselves from the enemy. The stream is their source of life. Metaphorically speaking, the images illustrated in the passage also criticize the culture of the African people as dark and untamed. Marlow reminisced, â€Å"†¦it came in the shape of an unrestful and noisy dream, remembered with wonder amongst the overwhelming realities of this strange world of plants, and water, and silence. † However, in the eyes of the African people, their culture identifies who they are as individuals and who they are as a group of people. The two images aforementioned clearly define a line that divides the worldviews of the European people and the African people.

Human Growth and Development Essay

According to Jean Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development children’s cognitive development formal operations is established at the cognitive development stage of about age 12 to 15 years. This is reflected in the child’s ability to reason adolescence hypothetically and independently on concrete states of affairs, with the structures represented by the logical combination systems. The rates at which children will progress through the development succession developed by Piaget may vary from one culture to the other; in addition, different children vary in terms of the areas of functioning to which they do apply their formal operation, in line with their aptitudes and professional specialization. Therefore, this paper aims at making most of Jean Piaget’s theory of ego-centrism of childhood and adolescent to help figure out the reflection of de-egocentricity which is the essence of child and adolescent development concerned in the film The Outsiders through the character Ponyboy Curtis a 14 year old in the film. The film showcases a clash between two gangs, the greasers and Socs, whereby young adults comprise the gang members as well as their major protagonists. Introducing the Theory of ego-centrism of childhood and adolescence Jean Piaget a Swiss scholar started studying intellectual development in the 1920s, with the theory of ego-centrism of childhood and adolescence being of great importance to Piaget, and especially so in genetic epistemology. According to Piaget, egocentrism is the most striking deficiency that contributes to other intellectual shortcomings. In his definition, Piaget looks at ego-centrism as the tendency to view the world from one’s own perspective and having a difficultly recognizing the other party’s point of view. This condition is mainly caused by the fact that the child will only talk about themselves failing to put he or herself in the others point of  view. This is the case in the first two stages of Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Theory. The four stages in the theory are the first between birth to 2 years which is the sensor-motor stage, 2 to 7 years the preoperational stage, concrete operational stage between 7 to 11 years, and the final stage consists of formal operations from 11 years and above. Adolescents are observed to be less egocentric than the younger children, this is attributed to the fact that as they grow they become aware of the existence of others existence. Thus, it is believed adolescents gradually abandon egocentrism of children in many aspects. However, it is important to note that when these abilities first develop, adolescents may have a problem distinguishing their thinking from that of the thoughts of others. Therefore, an adolescent may regards others point of view with their own way of think; hence one will tend to think of how others will think of him or herself (Shi, 2014). On the other hand, de-egocentrism is based on Jean Piaget’s theory of ego-centrism of childhood and adolescence. The influence of ego-centrism tends to diminish with the coming of age, that is, adolescents tend to dispose of their ego-centrism along with the coming of age. Thus, the others can look at the process of de-egocentrism as the essence of children and adolescents abandoning their ego-centrism when communicating with each other, trying to appreciate the others point of view and trying to make they be understood (Shi, 2014). De-egocentrism in the film The plot runs by Ponyboy Curtis a young adolescent and a member of the lower-class gang greasers. The Ponyboy lives with his two elder brothers Darrel and Soda. Well Ponyboy seem to prefer Soda to Darrel since the elder Darrel tends to treat him as if he was 6 instead of 14 years. When the Socs gang attacks Ponyboy on his way home, Darrel blames him for not carrying a blade with him. From his point of view, Ponyboy feels Darrel is only blaming him since he is views him as another mouth to find and somebody to shout at. At this point Ponyboy does not understand why Darrel shouts at him, causing a misunderstanding between the brothers portraying Ponyboy’s egocentrism. He  regards Darrel with his own way of thinking, failing to understand him from Darrel point of view. Darrel sacrifices everything to see to it that Ponyboy is successful in life, and believes Ponyboy will never fail to live up to his expectations, however, all these is beyond Ponyboy’s understanding (Ford , 1983). According Shi (2014), Ponyboy’s egocentrism seem to be cast off when the brothers are reunited in the hospital. Ponyboy sees Darrel crying with tears rolling downs his chicks, and he realizes all over sadden that Darrel does care about him as he is trying too hard to make something of his younger brother Ponyboy. It is at this point that Ponyboy accomplishes the task of de-egocentricity through the realization of the importance of understanding others. During this transformation, Ponyboy undergoes a great deal of frustration, by which he realizes the significance of understanding others. With the casting off of his bias against his brother, he manages to distinguish his thinking on his own thoughts, from the thinking about the thoughts of his brother in the process comprehending his brother’s viewpoint. Ponyboy’s egocentrism gives rise to the breakdown of Soda his second brother in the film. Ponyboy might have loved Soda more than anybody else in their family; however, he failed to understand him. When Soda finally breaks, Ponyboy tries to understand Soda’s distress of breaking up with his girlfriend and his dilemma towards his conflicts between Darrel and him. It is from this point that Ponyboy starts attaching great importance to others instead of only himself, in the process giving up his ego-centrism, which his process of de-egocentricity. The brothers get to mature in understanding with the three of them understanding and realizing they ought to stick to together against all odds. Thus, the process of de-egocentricity helps them realize the importance of brotherly affection. Ponyboy and Cherry Valance a cheerleader at the school and the Soc’s leader’s girlfriend enjoy a friendly chart and share some interesting time with Ponyboy. They are both interested in watching the sunsets though from different places. Cherry is from the upper class while Ponyboy is from the  lower class, and despite this difference, they can enjoy the same sunset showcasing a level of de-egocentricity. However, Cherry will not accept Ponyboy as friend in public and evens warns him against it, displaying her ego-centrism. Later own Cherry’s de-egocentrism makes her stand in defense of the greasers when they are attacked by the Socs (Shi, 2014). Socialization Under human growth and development, socialization is a very important aspect. This is a process by which acquire behaviors and beliefs of the culture they live in, and this process is known to bring about three outcomes, which are self regulation allowing one to have self-control. The second outcome is role preparation allowing preparation of occupational and gender roles, and thirdly, is the cultivation of sources of meanings providing consolation and guidance. In the film The Outsiders, Ponyboy undergoes a complete transformation from hoodlums into a promising adolescent who peruses glorious victory through valiant deeds. Thus, socialization means adolescents trying to comply with set social norms which act a turning point in the development of adolescents. Jean Piaget is among the psychologists who believe that peers may contribute as much as an adult or even more to the development of a child or an adolescent (Piaget, 2008). For instance, Johnny is an adolescent as young as Ponyboy, who is seen to be gloomy after being beaten up badly by the Socs. Having been deprived of family affection he seen as the gang’s pet and everyone’s kid brother. Lacking a positive self-identity he is forced to seek self-esteem by identifying with the group ‘the greasers’. Ponyboy and Jonny develop great friendship and they get along well together. When Ponyboy has conflicted with his brothers he runs off to find consolation in Johnny (Shi, 2014). Conclusion De-egocentricity is characterized by the understanding of others among adolescents individuals, which is a reflection of adolescents’ internal coming of age is the processes undergone by Ponyboy. On the other hand, socialization signifies the consciousness of social norms to behave in a way that is acceptable to the society, which is an observable external behavior  of coming of age. Therefore, through a psychoanalytical study The Outsiders reveals a crucial process of young adults’ de-egocentricity and socialization so as their own values and fulfils the task of coming to age as Jean Piaget puts it in his Theory of Cognitive Development. Reference Ford, F., Hinton, S. E., Dillon, M., Macchio, R., Swayze, P., Lowe, R., †¦ & Waldspurger, R. The Outsiders (film). Piaget, J. (2008). Intellectual evolution from adolescence to adulthood. Human Development, 51(1), 40-47. Shi, D. (2014). De-egocentricity and Socialization: A Study of Hinton’s The Outsiders. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4(4), 668-674.

Non-Verbal Behaviour and Gestures in “A Streetcar Names Desire” Essay

Task: Tennessee Williams uses very specific and detailed stage directions to indicate the emotions, thoughts and actions of his characters. Select a character from the play and discuss how his/her gestures and non-verbal behaviour serves to further reveal his/her personality traits. You might also add how his/her behaviour relates to the surroundings and cultural setting. The essay is based on Scenes 1 and 2. Word limit: 800 Tennessee Williams uses very specific and detailed stage directions to indicate the emotions, thoughts and actions of his characters in his famous play â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire†. We communicate with much more than words. Most of the messages we send other people are nonverbal, these include our facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, and tone of voice. The ability to portrait nonverbal communication in a play, or body language, is a powerful tool which can be utilized by any author to enhance the reading experience and give the play, even though it is just on paper in words and not enacted a deeper setting and a more natural interaction with the character. It acts like an unconscious language that broadcasts the character’s true feelings and intentions at any given moment. Blanche DuBois is no different in this respect to the extent that her actions speak more for her than she does verbally, considering her being a very talkative person. In the first Scene Blanche arrives at Elysian Fields to visit her Sister Stella, here the first sign of non-verbal behaviour can be observed. Blanche gives Eunice, the co-owner of Stella’s house and up-stair neighbour, a peculiar look as she enters the house, which she first doubted to believe was in fact her Sister’s due to its weathered grey and raffish appearance. This immediately causes a reaction on Eunice’ part resulting in a defensive tone of voice. â€Å"EUNICE [defensively, noticing BLANCHE’S look]: It’s sort of messed up right now but when it’s clean it’s real sweet.† – pg. 4 The defensive tone and the knowledge of Blanche’s â€Å"look† reveals that Blanche is used to living in a clean home, perhaps a bigger one with no neighbour on the second floor. It gives the reader the impression that she feels she has entered a house not up to her standards. This awareness directly influences the way the reader reads the next line, Blanche’s reply. â€Å"BLANCHE: Is it?† – pg. 4 Even though the author has not indicated a particular tone, the reader automatically may jump to a sarcastic one, developing the reader’s first impression of Blanche further solely due to the non-verbal message sent by Eunice through her tone of voice. The next instance is fully described by Tennessee Williams in one of his many stage directions right after Eunice leaves to hustle up Stella and tell her that her Sister Blanche has arrived. Alone in the house now, â€Å"Blanche sits in a chair very stiffly and her shoulders slightly hunched and her legs pressed close together and her hands tightly clutching her purse as if she were quite cold.† – pg. 5 Her posture exposes her inner feeling towards the situation and new environment she currently is in. She feels awkward in this estranged, messy house; her hunched shoulders and pressed legs expression anxiety and uneasy adaptation to the location. Her clutching her purse, valuable belongings, may also display intimidation or mistrust to a certain extent, but this is not directly hinted by the author. Perhaps it is her next action that plays a crucial part in understanding Blanche or having a better idea of the kind of person she really is. â€Å"†¦she begins to slowly look around. (†¦) Suddenly she notices something in a half-opened closet. She springs up and crosses to it, and removes a whisky bottle. She pours a half tumbler of whisky and tosses it down. She carefully replaces the bottle and washes the tumbler at the sink. Then she resumes her seat in front of the table.† – pg. 5 This short action tells us a number of different things about Blanche; she is a secretive and cautious person, she washes the glass and replaces the bottle to its original place as if nothing had happened. She does not feel guilty of using the situation to her advantage, she enjoys it. And last but not least, the reader is hinted at that she is not the person she may seem to be from the perspectives of the other characters; she is the secret alcoholic, addict without a strong se nse of self control. Later on in Scene two Blanche reveals another facet to her character – she flirts with Stella’s husband Stanley Kowalski and later even tells her about it. But that is verbal; the non-verbal component to this is in the stage directions: â€Å"[She sprays herself with her atomizer; then playfully sprays him (Stanley) with it. He seizes the atomizer and slams it down on the dresser. She throws back her head and laughs.]† I am not sure whether one would describe â€Å"playfully spraying† as a gesture, but either way it is non-verbal and leads to the direct assumption that Blanch is in fact flirting with her Sister’s husband, quite openly. It is something that usually people simply don’t do; it tells the reader that she is a character with a weak moral stem and an interest for men which outweighs her social values and family relationships. Her body language as she â€Å"throws back her head† also points towards feeling comfortable and not intimidated under Stanley’s presence and insinuates a further relation with him that may come out later on in the play. The significance of this is not yet known at the end of Scene 2, but it leads the reader to believe she may have an eye out for her Sister’s husband. The non-verbal behaviour and gestures throughout the first two Scenes of this play are more important than one may imagine. They give depth to every characters personality traits and have a direct impact on the way the reader categorizes them and in turns the tone the reader then reads their lines in.

Strategic Financial Management 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Financial Management 2 - Coursework Example Question one. Calculate the adjusted present value (APV) for the project, correcting any errors made in the net present value estimate above, and conclude whether the project should be accepted or not. Show all relevant calculations. (25 marks) Before any attempt should be made to prepare the adjusted present value of the proposed project, Rattle Co must carefully study how the given projected cash flow statement for four years was made, to know where some should remain because they are already correct or whether they need further adjustments. When the needed adjustments are known, the framework is established to do the same with each item in the prepared cash flows, asking whether it should be adjusted or not. Starting with the revenue, it appears that one critical issue would be whether it should be presented with inflation or net of inflation. The answer would depend on what discount rate is used. If the discount rate is with inflation, then the revenue must include the inflation. In the case facts, the inflation was given however, if the discount rate is used with the real rate, i.e. not the nominal one, then presenting the net of inflation of the inflation rate is the proper thing. The 8% inflation rate increase for revenues and 4% inflation rate increase for cost of sales become irrelevant. Working capital requirements appear not to be reflected in the given cash flow. These need to be determined, as they are a factor in any decision. A business cannot operate without working capital. Since the amount of working capital at the beginning of each year is 20% of the forecasted revenue per year, just multiply each given sales figure per year, then it is possible to generate a working capital requirement per year. As computed in the revised and adjusted projected cash flow in Appendix A, the working capital amounts come to  £4,606,000,  £7,320,000,  £9,814,000 and  £5,428,000 for

Cross culture management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Cross culture management - Essay Example To cater for the supply in Europe, Africa, and Middle East, Nokia had established plants in Finland, Hungary and Germany. Nokia’s plant in UK produced Vertu. Nokia had mostly located its plants in low cost countries like Mexico, China and India in order to maximize profitability. Nevertheless, a vast majority of workers belonged to Western European countries like Germany and Finland. Despite that, the labor costs in countries like Germany were less than 5 per cent the product cost. Nokia had sales and marketing unit and a devices R & D team in Germany in addition to the production plant. Thus, globalization has encouraged Nokia to move its business totally to the CEE countries where it has to pay simpler and lesser taxes and increase profitability by paying low labor and non-wage labor costs. Ans. 2 Nokia’s plant in Germany accounted for no more than 6 per cent of Nokia’s global supply while the personnel costs matched 23 per cent. The high labor and non-wage lab or costs in Germany were not conducive for the desired profitability of production. Thus, Nokia decided to abolish its plant in Germany. Germany’s backlash upon Nokia was partly justified because of four underlying reasons: 1. Nokia was not going in loss in Bochum. It was making profit that was only increasing year by year. 2.

Genetic testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Genetic testing - Essay Example In this essay, I will describe advantages and disadvantages of DNA testing and demonstrate why the test should not be put into practice. Firstly, genetic testing has a benefit of enhancing medical technology. Over the last few decades, scientists discovered more about genetics, which enabled humans to get a better understanding of genes. Running a genetic testing, compared to gene discoveries, would be an articulate evidence of proving how efficient genes are in terms of healing. Also gene tests determine how far we can utilize genes under difficult conditions such as cancer or other incurable diseases. On the contrary, there is a great risk of failure in the test. Despite recent genetic findings, most people are still unaware of the term â€Å"gene† and there are complications in technology with respect to treatment. Even specialists lack enough experience on dealing with ways and problems that are possible during real gene testing. Secondly, genetic testing is a relatively new field in medicine. This is advantageous because it is seeking for a new method since there has never been this type of testing. It also has a high possibility of success in the future. Clearly, genes are the most accurate form of extracting information about an individual’s trait. So, altering the harmful genes into good ones is the most effective ways of remedy. Nevertheless, it is difficult to afford the supplies required for genetic testing. For the genetic testing to flourish in the future, the process during the test should be without any oversights. But, the payment of laboratory, chemical supplies requiring special disposure, and hiring educated scientists, are requirements worth millions of dollars for an average conductor to officially run and examine genetic testing. Thirdly, genetic testing allows humans to have knowledge of the possible diseases and risks they will have

Pen Profile of the Client Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Pen Profile of the Client - Essay Example According to the paper, this evacuation lasted months, and it definitely had a psychological impact on Dereck. A man named Alexander who was evacuated at 11 years of age recalls. â€Å"We were dumped at a roundabout with our labels on. People pulled and tugged at the children they wanted. It was a bit like a cattle market... people just waded in. I went with a lady and her daughter - she was like a second mum† . Dereck feels disappointed with numerous aspects of his life. Whenever Dereck is faced with a challenge, he gives up. As a child, Dereck was not performing well in his studies, which is evident from the fact that he failed his 11 plus exams thrice. As an adult, Dereck once owned a pub, holiday flats and a shop. At the moment he doesn’t own any of these properties because he got rid of them. Dereck is intimidated by his younger classmates. When he is faced with a problem, he does not ask questions because he believes that he will hurt his pride. He feels that it i s too late for him to change who he is. Dereck is vigilant in pursuing his interests. This is evident from the fact that he likes counselling. Dereck has consistently attended classes and has been pursuing a degree in Psychology for nine months now. While growing up, Dereck realised he was good at sports. He played football at elementary school, where he eventually played for his town, his county and London. After school Dereck proceeded on to become a professional football player for 3 years. Dereck currently plays golf two or three times a week at a golfing society called Elderly Gentlemen’s Golfing Society. Dereck does not think he needs any counselling because he believes he has no problem. He believes that he does not need anybody to help him because he has nothing to complain about. Dereck thinks that he is conceited, proud and confident but all these traits can be attributed to the fact that he is insecure.  

Hebrews essay 3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hebrews 3 - Essay Example Priesthood is relevant to a better covenant and a better relationship with God. Jesus brought forth a new covenant doing away with the old covenant. From doing so, Hebrews believe that they will have a stellar relationship with God by following Jesus & his new covenant (Douglas 48). The belief regarding Hebrews believing that following Jesus as the new covenant will lead to a better working relationship with God and fellow men. As such, it is only with probable cause that the author explains how such a faith in Jesus shows his authority and superiority. Upon believing in the new covenant, a Hebrew believes there is no need for the old covenant. Not only religion-wise but also custom wise where traditional practices in the old covenant like circumcision, various rituals, festivals & Sabbaths were refused hence spiritually held no merit. Christianity circumnavigates around the fact that Jesus is their true path to God. The title that Jesus holds as the high priest clothed with holiness, blamelessness, pure and holy constitutes the major requirements that a Christian needs. Notably so, Christians to accept Jesus and follow his ways shows his superiority as a leader & figurehead in the church (Douglas 48). Clergymen in the Old Testament had to create sin forfeit every day, displaying that the ultimate remedy had not arrived yet. The arrival of Jesus Christ was so efficient relevant to meeting the requirements of the church. The arrival of Jesus ensured that the church implemented policies that only glorified God and that idol worship was refused and rebuked. In order to fully implement this, Jesus gave instructions to the Levitical priests to offer sacrifices & offerings to God as a sign of worshiping him. As a sign of portraying the significance of offering sacrifices to God, Jesus offered himself as a sign of obedience to God & sacrificing himself for his people. He offered

Tax accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tax accounting - Essay Example The Social Security tax is relative until the taxpayer reaches the maximum level of income. However, when the taxpayers income arrives at the maximum limit, all income earned over the limit is not taxed. That is why social security tax is considered as a regressive tax because lower-income individual has to pay higher taxes than the person earning in excess of the maximum income level. A marginal tax rate is the tax that applies to the taxpayer’s last dollar of taxable income. As the income increases, taxes paid by the taxpayer also increases and each additional dollar of income is taxed at the highest rate applicable to the total income. A taxpayer’s average tax rate is the ratio of the amount of taxes paid to taxable income. It is calculated by dividing the total income taxes paid by your total income. The average tax rate includes taxes paid at all levels of income so it will be less than the marginal rate. The difference between marginal and average tax rates is that the marginal tax rate is the highest rate at which persons are taxed, but average tax rate represents the percentage of the income that goes toward paying taxes. As gross income increases, the increasing marginal tax decreases after-tax net income and resulting, the effective average tax rate increases with the rising income. Sometimes no one offers more than half of the support of an individual. Instead more than one person, who is able to take the exception but for the support test who together provide for more than half of the individual’s support. This being the case any single person who currently provides for more than 10% of the individual’s support but only that person singularly, can claim an exemption for that individual. In order to process this exemption, the individual in question must agree and therefore sign an agreement of exemption for that year. Signed statements and

Classical Music, Beethoven, Verdi, & Wagner Essay

Classical Music, Beethoven, Verdi, & Wagner - Essay Example The word Romanticism originated from the age old chivalry and adventure which was rooted in the Middle Ages. Beethoven was much taken by the ideals of the enlightenment and by French Revolution in Europe and he believed in universal brotherhood. The Romantic Period consisted of the aesthetic approach, especially in literature, and other art forms. Beethoven was called a Romantic by his contemporaries such as Spohr and E.T.A. Hoffman. However, he was influenced by the Romantic Folk Idioms and he set dozens of Romantic poems for voice, piano, and violin. It was quite amazing that when Beethoven created his masterpieces, he was in distress burdened with many personal problems. But despite the conflicts in his life, he remained committed to the art and his legacy to the music form will ever remain unsurpassed   Giuseppe Verdi, who was more than a composer, was a dramatist, and an artist who used music as an instrument to convey the art of classical drama. His contributions to Classicis m were 28 Operas, which were purely dramatic compositions. â€Å"No one would ever accuse Giuseppe Verdi of being a classicist at heart but his string quartet has this same view at its heart-- it is an intimate home entertainment. Along with his 28 operas, Verdi wrote a famous Requiem and Four beautiful Sacred pieces for choir, a handful of occasional pieces and...one string quartet, not only his one piece of chamber music but his one and only piece of purely instrumental music.† (Mendelssohn, Verdi, Dvorak, 2002).  

Fast Food Nation Essay Example for Free

Fast Food Nation Essay Whether we like it or not, fast food and its detrimental effects have become an epidemic. For many years, people have been oblivious to the growth of the fast food industry. However, over the past three decades, the fast food industry has nearly taken over our American society; almost anywhere, one can see its vast influence. As a result, in his book, Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser portrays the influence of the industry. By implementing pathetic appeals for injustice and disgust, statistics from reputable sources, and fear of the consequences of fast food, Schlosser shows the average adult how the fast food industry is ruining American culture as a way to reform its problems. Throughout his book, Schlosser consistently tries to create an emotional appeal, particularly to one’s injustice and disgust to depict his opinion. When one hears things such as, â€Å"The hamburger habit is just about as safe†¦as getting your meat out of a garbage can† (Schlosser 195), he or she cannot help but to be disgusted. Of course no one wants to be told that he or she is eating trash. Moreover, Schlosser discusses other vomit-inducing truths such as, the numerous amounts of cannibal animals among the animals whose meat becomes the food that people eat at a fast food restaurant (202). He also talks about how every year there are millions of dead animals purchased to be fed to the animals that restaurants provide as meat (Schlosser 202). Lastly, Schlosser writes, â€Å"There is shit in the meat† (197), which immediately grabs the reader’s attention and hence shows his pathetic appeal to persuasively convey his opinion. Would anyone really want to eat a feces burger for lunch? In addition, out of 355 detailed pages, Schlosser’s statistics are omnipresent. He constantly uses them to back up his statements with evidence, even dedicating one sixth of the book to notes full of statistics with reputable sources. Although he already states his facts persuasively, they become more convincing with this use of logos. For instance, at many times, authors will make up a statement and act as if it were a true fact. However, when he writes, â€Å"There is a 100 percent turnover rate annually† (Schlosser 325) and quotes it from a published article, one can actually know the turnover rate without having to question its validity. Furthermore, when Schlosser writes about how 7. 5% of all ground beef samples are contaminated with Salmonella and quotes it from a Nationwide Microbiological survey, one does not have a hard time believing its legitimacy (Schlosser 333). One of the most persuasive strategies Schlosser uses in his book is his appeal to his audience’s consequential fears of fast food. For most people, living life is a wonderful gift and if anything could be able to take it away, people would doubtlessly avoid it. Schlosser does an effective job at listing the harmful consequences; since he clearly detests the fast food industry’s influence, he does this to help reform against the influence of it. For example, when Schlosser brings up the existence of E. coli O157:H7 in fast food, he does not simply say, â€Å"It is bad† (199). He goes on and elaborates with great detail, giving a story of a six year old boy named Alex who died because of the bug (200). Not only does he dramatize the story but he also narrates the events chronologically to draw the greatest response from the reader. Schlosser writes, â€Å"It progressed to diarrhea†¦Doctors frantically tried to save Alex’s life, drilling holes in his skull to relieve pressure, inserting tubes in his chest to keep him breathing†¦ Toward the end, Alex suffered hallucinations and dementia, no longer recognizing his mother or father† (200). These events, individually, already seem terrifying. Together, it magnifies the effect. Pathos and logos play an important role throughout Schlosser’s entire book. He is clearly against the fast food industry’s ubiquitous influence and as a result, he writes with pathetic appeals, reputable sources, and fear evoking descriptions to abolish its influence on American culture. What he writes has shown to be true; fast food has had a negative effect on society. While fast food may have some benefits, it’s detrimental in the long run. Day by day, the influence of fast food continues to grow and harm the American culture.

Gorbachev & Soviet Union Essay Example for Free

Gorbachev Soviet Union Essay The disintegration of the Soviet Union was an inevitable matter, and neither the 1991 coup could have prevented it even if it were successful. There were other factors too that contributed to the disintegration of the Soviet. However, Gorbachev had the power to prevent the Soviet from disintegrating, had he acted in a different way than he did after the coup. The coup fails On 19th August, some of the ministers who served Gorbachev, including the minister of defense, Yazov, the minister of internal affairs, Pugo and the head of KGB (Komityet Gosudarstvjennoj Biezopasnost), proclaimed state of emergency. They announced that Gorbachev’s health was a hindrance to his leadership duties, and that due to the poor political and economic situations in the country, a state committee had assumed economic powers. They also sent out messages that no one should disobey the orders of the committee. The leaders isolated Gorbachev in the president’s holiday villa at the Black sea. They also took over the radio and television stations, and instructed the military to roll over tanks in Moscow. The coup was however a failure as some of its members were not confident that it would be a success. Counterargument The failure of the coup radically accelerated the disintegration of the USSR. Also, all of the major organizations and mechanisms that were holding the USSR together, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the KGB, the military, the police, and the office of the presidency, were weakened. They also could not stop the disintegration of the Union because even before the coup was organized, already there were signs of its failure. Therefore, whether the coup happened or not, the disintegration would have occurred anyway. The failed August 1991 coup gave a sharp impetus to the process of the disintegration of the Soviet Union because by the end of the year the USSR had collapsed. Questions have been asked as to why the armed forces never intervened to stop the collapse of the USSR. The answer to this is because the coup and its aftermath increased splits in the armed forces, particularly along ethnic lines. There was also the belief that the coup attempt would fail and that the instigators of a military putsch would be punished. (Treisman 22) What Gorbachev could have done to prevent the disintegration Had Gorbachev acted differently, had he opposed and imprisoned the radicals instead of flirting with them, the USSR might have survived. The author says that the survival of the Soviet Union hinged on the personal determination of one person- Gorbachev’s ability to take advantage of all the powers at his disposal as president of the Soviet Union. Unlimited power as now concentrated in the hands of the general secretary/ president, who, being endowed with emergency powers could have carried out any reforms, completed perestroika, and achieved the same results within a very short time without disintegrating the Union. Gorbachev, like other leaders such as Yakovlev, or Shevardnadze, is said to have realized that the old system could not be maintained without bloodshed and institutionalized terror. The former leader was surrounded by opportunists, and narrow minded bureaucrats who couldn’t accept the end of their privileges. He did not get rid of his subordinates who were a threat to him and the Soviet. Many people did not want the Union to disintegrate, so they hated him because of his refusal to act despotically even if the stake was the future of the Soviet. Counterargument It is argued that perestroika would have been impossible without the leadership of Gorbachev. However, I disagree with this. Gorbachev would have introduced new reforms and enforced them on people, but this too failed. However, it is likely that the entire history of the Soviet Union would be different if someone else would have been in the position. Someone who understood what really needed to be done. Likewise, if someone outside the party leadership had suggested the sort of reforms that Gorbachev instituted, the powerful politburo would never have allowed the individual to remain in power. Because party officials recognized Gorbachev’s loyalty to the Soviet system and to socialism as a world view, they reluctantly endorsed perestroika. As a result of what would have been seen as mistaken judgment, party officials would therefore be extremely diligent in choosing future leaders of the party and would shy away from charismatic, forward thinking leaders. Instead, they would favor reactionary hard-liners for all leadership positions. If Gorbachev had followed the pattern set by Khrushchev and initiated reforms while keeping the reins of control tightly in his own hands, neither the central government nor the republics would have been in a position to quest or resist changes that resulted from the implementation of Perestroika. Another change that might have prevented the dissolution of the Soviet Union would have been for Gorbachev never to have introduced glasnost, which created an unfettered and critical media that in turn fostered a public ready to revolt. Without glasnost, the actions of Soviet leaders would have remained free of public reproach, and Gorbachev would have been able to force the people to comply with his reforms. An uninformed public would have trusted the Soviet government to act in their best interests. Aware of what Gorbachev could have done differently, the hard-liners would have been determined to avoid those same mistakes. With dissidents again in exile or strictly limited in their contact with the outside world and with tightly censored media, the hardliners would have been able to control ongoing influences on public opinion. All forms of Western media would have been banned from the Soviet Union. However, since the people had been exposed to liberalizing forces, the hard-liners would have been forced to resort to Stalin-like tactics to a stamp out all dissent and terrorize the population into submission. (Treisman 25) Conclusion In general, it could be said that Gorbachev’s strategies of leadership were unsuccessful. Although he made a difference in the history of Soviet Union, it is during his era that the soviet disintegrated. Although there were things that he could have done to prevent this, he preferred leading in his own way. His weaknesses are especially seen where the organizers of the coup were not immediately prosecuted. He was also unable to enforce the reforms that could have prevented the Soviet from disintegrating. He would also have denied people the freedom to demonstrate and rebel against authorities. This never happened, as the soviets had become enlightened and knew demonstrations and strikes were their key to freedom. The history of the Soviet Union should be a good indicator of the reasons why we need to choose leaders we can trust to lead us wisely. Works cited 1) Treisman Daniel, The Return: Russia’s Journey from Gorbachev to Medvedev, Daniel Treisman, 2009

Analysing The Effects Of Forest Fires Environmental Sciences Essay

Analysing The Effects Of Forest Fires Environmental Sciences Essay Problem Area, Facts and Figures. A forest is an area which consists of a high density of trees. It contribute a major part of the ecosystem which are dominated with trees and other woody vegetation all the living organism of forest such as (plants, trees , herbs ,fungi, mammals birds , insects, reptiles , amphibians and other microorganism ) interact with each other and with the non living part of the environment to make a forest Forest Geographical Area A recent survey by Global Forest Resource Assessment 2010 (FRA2010) was collected and analyzed from 233 countries and area of the world, the total area of the worlds forest cover in the year 2010 is estimated just over 4 billion hector which corresponds to 31 percent of the total land area, where the area of the forest is not uniformly distributed. The map of the Worlds forests is illustrated in figure.1 which presented by Global Forest Resource Assessment 2010 (FRA 2010). Figure.1 The Worlds Forest Global Forest Resource Assessment (FRA 2010) Forest Land Water The Russian Federation, Canada, Brazil, the United States of America and China are the five most forest rich countries. And they contribute of 53 percent of the total forest area, whereas 64 countries have no more than 10 percent of the forest land area. In figure 1.1 describe the pie chart of the regional distribution of forest level with respect to total area of the worlds forest. We observe that Europe including Russia contains 25 percent of the forest. Figure 1.1 Distribution of forests by region 2010 Global Forest Resource Assessment (FRA 2010) In addition 21 percent of the forest is covered by South America and 17 percent is existed in Africa and North and Central America. More specifically after study of Swedish forest statistics we have also find that Sweden is the second biggest country of the Europe after Russia in forestry and approximate 66 percent of the total land area is covered with forest. http://www.nordicforestry.org/facts/Sweden.asp#En http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra/62219/en/ Wildfire and Causes As from the above discussion we observe that forest is contributing in major part of the world. Forest fires are one of natures unpredictable natural disasters and have caused tremendous loss to the humans, the animals and the nature, forest fires also known as wildfire, a small spark or the suns heat in the forest can produces a destructive conflagration. Wildfire can quickly spread all over the forest in a second once a fire begins it can spread at a rate of 23 kilometer per hour, capturing everything in its path. Sometime on a peak hot day in forest a small spark from a wheel of a car or trains wheels striking on a track can ignite a wildfire, these wildfire can also be occur naturally like when heat produces from the sun and temperature rises on a dried forest area or a strike from the lightening in the forest, Moreover temperature is the physical quantity of the material and if the temperature goes rises in the woods at approximate to 300 Celsius it will start produces hydrocarbon gases and mix with the oxygen in the air to initiate fire. As a result it is true that weather plays a vital role in the birth and growth of the wildfire and even makes it more difficult in controlling of fire. Wind in the wildfires has the biggest property to move the fire at high rate across the land and can easily change the direction of fire that can damage other human property in the forest. It also examine that most of the forest fire is due to the carelessness of human activity. Climatic change and human activities are the main cause of wildfire. Below are the common causes of wildfire: Human causes One of the major causes of the wildfire is due to human carelessness which includes fireworks or playing with matches, throwing burned cigarettes, campfires, and improperly burning debris are the examples of human causes which result in wildfire. Lightning Lightning is also another reason for wildfire which occur an average scale from three to five per year. Consequently lighting also brings rain in the forest, such wildfire do not cover large areas of the forest. The most recent fire is detected in United State of America and known as Wrangler wildfire, on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 in the Kistachie Hills Wilderness on the Kistachie National Forest. It is also determine that lighting are the main cause of Wrangler fire which covers 95 percent of the total area Farming In farming for clearing the land area cutting and burring of woodlands are the common practices which results in catastrophic wildfire Volcanic Activity Another distractive cause of the wildfire are the explosion of volcanoes that are located near the forest areas, Underground Coal Sometime underground coal fires or mine fire are the causes of wildfires, this cause of fires continue to burn for several years and have direct effect on countries economic, social and ecological impacts. It also produces some kind of toxic fumes which eventually help in the destruction of human property and forest life http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildfire#Human_involvement http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/wildfire4.htm http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-causes-wildfires.html http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2084/ Wildfire and Effects Forest fire occurs every year and burn a large cultivated area of the forest worldwide. This resulting loss and degradation of forest land and has a direct effect on human societies and forest ecosystem; it can destroy buildings, crops and plantations, loss of foods and shelters can ultimately results in loss of wildlife or in other word major assets of the land might be demolish in this natural disaster. In the year 2007 Greek forest fires produces a massive destruction in the summer seasons and spread out very quickly in the several areas of Greece and destroy farmland, olives groves and thousands of houses, and even a large numbers of firefighters also loss their lives in this incident .Greek Forest fire in August 2007 was consider as the worst wildfire recorded in past 50 years http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_forests/deforestation/forestdegradation/forestfires/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Greek_forest_fires Firefighter and Problems Firefighters or firemen are rescuers specialized in controlling of hazardous fires that intimidate civilian populations and their property, rescue peoples from different incidents such as road accidents , burning buildings and other crises response The goals of firefighters according to priority are own safety, saving victims lives, saving property, and also protecting the environment. Firefighter plays an essential role in tackling of wildfire, they faces many difficulties in extinguish the wildfire, for example as wildfire is commonly occurs in dense forest areas and therefore it become almost very hard to quickly reach near to affected area of the forest, and it is due to different obstacles in the path, Moreover It is also seen that most of the firefighter suffer with lungs problems due to the heavy smokes surround them during their job work. Wildfire A Global Problem Wildfires are the global problems around the world, apart from Middle East, Antarctica and desert regions, spend huge amounts of money annually to tackle wildfires. Each year around the world several wildfires occurs in different countries locations, below is the description of some wildfire take place from the year 2006 2010 and their causes and cost of damage in different countries of the world. It is also observe that at the current time wildfire in Sweden varies between few hundreds to thousands hectares in wet and dry years respectively and the number of wildfires occurrence ranges from 2100 to 3500 annually Year 2006 On 2006 March 31 Africa suffered a net loss of forest which was measured as the second highest forest lost in the world, it was due the cause of conversion the forest land in to agriculture land , and the net loss was determine in that period per year goes to more than 4 million hectares. In the year 2006 Bulgaria face a catastrophic period of wildfire, a randomly number of forest fire occurs in March, August and September, and it cause because of burning wastage vegetables and stubbles by the farmers , Moreover it was measured as 190 fires were the causes by human activities which leads to the economical damage of 270, 000 Euro. On October 29, 2006 The Esperanza Fire was started in a river wash near Cabazon, California, west of Palm Springs, California , Wildfire causes was arson and it cover 61 square miles (160 km-seq) and was 85 percent contained and gradually it reach to 100 percent which resulted in the death of firefighters , house , and buildings. The total damage from Esperanza fire was estimated as above US$9 million http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000261/index.html Year 2007 In California June 24, 2007 the Angora fire a wind driven fire was started due to the cause of illegal campfire and the fire was 100 percent contained and burned the area of 12.5 (km-seq) and destroyed 67 business structures, 242 residences and damaged 35 other homes which estimated the total fire cost up to US$11.7 million Year 2008 In April and May 2008 the Trigo wildfire was started in New Mexico, United States of America and burned 59 homes on the location and spread over 54 km-seq, Trigo wildfire badly affected the communities of Manzano , Torreon and Tajique, The direct loss of Trigo fire was $10 million which count for the destruction of 59 homes and 40 business structures where as $ 11 million was used in firefighting. In July 2008, Los Angeles Times reported that the month old Zaca wildfire had cost more than US$100 million and over US$2 million on just one of these days. Zaca fire was a major wildfire but it gives us an idea about the costs incurred by cities and nations around the world. Year 2009 In August 14 2009 Yuba fire was started in the U.S. state of Californias Central Valley , Yuba County is a part of the greater Sacramento area, which burn up the area of 6seq miter and damage cost was estimated as US$12.1 million including two residential area and power lines Also from August 26 October 16 the Station Fire incident was detect in the Angeles National Forest near the U.S. Forest Service ranger station, The Station fire was counted as 10th largest wildfire in the history of California and the largest wildfire in Los Angeles that cost the approximate damage of US$ 93.8 million for fighting the fire including aviation cost, Year 2010 In August 15 2010 Bolivia destructive forest fires started which force the countrys government to announce a state emergency; it was the largest fire which covers the eastern part along the countrys border with Brazil. It was very hard to control the fire because low water bombing aircraft. As a result from the fires smoke many flights and airports were close temporarily. The cost of fighting B.C. forest fires in Canada during 2010 alone is close to CA$100 million, almost twice the budgeted costs

Thomas Cook Tour Operation UK Ltd :: Business and Management Studies

Thomas Cook Tour Operation UK Ltd Introduction Thomas Cook Tour Operation UK Ltd is the third largest travel group operating in the UK travel industry, owning it’s own travel distribution channels, tour operation and airline. The company believes that they have earned their position through consumer recognition for their quality and expertise in providing package holidays. The instability of the market caused by high sensitivity to economic change and the intangible and perishable nature of the products sold, forces companies competing within the travel industry to constantly seek new and imaginative ways to create demand and maintain or strengthen their position. A combination of economic downturn, a lack of consumer confidence, natural disasters and the effects of terrorism have had a major impact on the performance of Thomas Cook Tour Operations. In this report I will analyze the marketing strategies used by the company and discuss the effectiveness in achieving their objectives. Company The tragic events of September 11th 2001 had a devastating affect on industries throughout the world. The travel and tourism industry however was hit the hardest. Increasing fear amongst consumers afraid to fly and a downturn in the world economy caused a drastic decline in the demand for both business and leisure travel causing passenger numbers to plummet. Thomas Cook tour Operations, like it’s competitors experienced high profit losses as a result of falling passenger numbers, added security costs, falls in their share prices and increased insurance premiums in which occurred I the aftermath. Prior to September 11th the travel industry experienced a dynamic growth between 1995 to 2001. During 2001 20.6 million package holidays were sold to the British Consumer, 1 growth of 2.6%. However the deterioration of the industry’s success came immediately after the terrorism attacks. Thomas Cook Tour Operations were as a result forced to develop a new strategy in order to save their rapidly falling profits. In order to develop their new strategy, the company carried out a SWOT analysis. This is a technique that involves identifying a company’s strengths and weaknesses in the business, the opportunities presented by the trading environment and any threats opposing the company. The below information is adapted from the Thomas Cook Tour Operations’ Chief executive Update. Strengths Existing percentage market share Thomas Cook reputation Existing Thomas Cook image and brand recognition High level of awareness within target market Knowledge and experience of market trends Large number of distribution channels Good product variety Weaknesses Holiday Essential brand not well established and relatively low demand for the product. Confusion and lack of identification of other Thomas Cook brands e.g. JMC and holiday essentials. High volume costs High capital expenditure, i.e. marketing expenses, data processing costs and human resources, e.g. staff turnover Over capacity Excessive fixed assets i.

I know why the caged bird sings :: essays research papers

Maya Angelou's I Know Why Caged Bird Sings illustrates how an innocent and naive girl growing up in the midst of the Great Depression overcomes life's many obstacles and becomes the powerful and influential woman she is today. Maya is a world renowned author, teacher, speaker, actress, and mother. Through this autobiographical piece, Maya's use of figurative language and allusion compounds her thoughts, as she depicts how one can supersede the expected barriers and soar to new heights.. In chapters 14 and 15 of the book, Maya's usage of figurative language conveys her struggle to speak. Through a tragic rape by her mother's boyfriend, Maya is scared for life and is led to believe that the very sound of her voice is lethal, consequently, she conceives a six year silence that, not knowing then, could limit her opportunities and convert her fate. After returning from St. Louis and entering Stamps, Maya entered her six year "cocoon." This haven extricated her metamorphic spurt into reality and womanhood. As with every cocoon, there is always a time when one must leave and bravely enter the unknown world behind the shell. Mrs. Flowers encouraged Maya to emerge and assisted her in finding her strongest defense and force, her love of literature, to open this barrier and allow Maya to end the silence. By doing this, it enhanced Maya's courage and willingness to conquer other barriers and fortresses. Maya's love of literature expanded and opened her horizons. One of Maya's favorite pieces of literature is The Tale of Two Cities. She enjoyed it because it was a tale of her life, although in different cities, now being St. Louis and Stamps, it seemed as if she was reading her own autobiography, which is, in fact, rather portentous and foreshadowing. With the first line of the book being, "it was the best of times and the worst of times...", it paints a portrait of Maya's childhood. Maya, even though she struggled through adolescence, was the best times of her life. It was her learning period. It was her no turning back period. She felt as if, even though the outer exterior of the environment was corrupt, why must her life be? It didn't have to be. Maya emerged into being a "dirty and inedible biscuit." Maya is becoming a very strong and independent woman. Most biscuits, when old, are moldy and have a very hard outer covering with a soft

National Debt :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers Economics

National Debt The above statement suggests that the government should not make cuts in the social fabric because it can always roll over the debt, therefore, the national debt can be ignored. This statement means nothing to many Americans who would never dream of having a conversation about the national debt. Before reading about the national debt, I was one of those Americans who didn't care to realize the trouble my country, the land of the free, home of the brave, is in grave trouble. The trouble will come from the measures a government must take to reduce, or even stabilize a debt of 4.5 trillion dollars. "Taxation without representation" is a phrase found in the history books of our children. The young people of america learn about past events in hopes that history will not repeat itself. Something has failed. Those same children will feel the effects of their parents and grandparents goodtimes(running up of the national debt). The children of america are being taxed and punished. Right before their eyes, the children's future living styles aredeclining, while these children are ignorant to the fact. This is an example of taxation without representation. For the children, I believe the national debt cannot be ignored any longer. Nixon, Ford, Regan....the list of presidents who have tried to balance the national debt seems to want to go on forever. This cannot and will not happen. The national debt is eating us alive and must be balanced. No more trying, it must be done. There does however appear to be no end. The U.S. seemsto always be in someone's war, which causes recession and must run a deficit to stimulate the economy, but if our country insists on protecting

Mitosis and Meiosis

It is important that cells go through mitosis because it makes each new cell contain the same gentic information. If meiosis did not occur the reproduction would cease to exist. Mitosis is the process of chromosomes dividing. There are four steps that it goes through. Between cell division the cells are in interphase. During this there is cell growth and the genetic material such as DNA is contained in the chromosomes, duplicated so that when the cell divides each new cell has a full version of the same genetic material.First is prophase, which the chromosomes coil up and become visible. Second is metaphase, the chromosomes move in toward the center. Third is anaphase, and here is where the cromatids are pulled apart. Fourth and last, is the telophase, this is when a nuclear envelope forms around the chromosomes. If mitosis occurred in the gametes, when fertilization happens the offspring would receive a double dose of hereditary information. To prevent this, it undergoes the reducti on division of meiosis. Meiosis is a form of cell division that cuts the number of chromosomes in halves in the gametes.An organism would need to go through mitosis for growth, development, repair and asexual reproduction. Meiosis is important for eukayotic organisms, this causes production of gametes which is the organisms reproductive cells) for sexual reproduction. Mesoisi is very random in its way of separating homologus pairs. It randomly determins which of each pair ends up in each newly produced gametes. An organism with 23 pairs of chromosomes can produce 8,388,603 possible types of gametes. According to (2010), â€Å"The process of meiosis also creates another opportunity to generate genetic diversity.During one phase of meiosis, called metaphase, the arrangement of each pair of homologous chromosomes is random, and different combinations of maternal and paternal chromosomes line up with varying orientations to create new gene combinations on different chromosomes. This ac tion is called â€Å"independent assortment. † (para. Five).Reference (2010). Understanding Genetics – growth and Reproduction. Retrieved from http://www. libraryindex. com/pages/2222/Understanding-Genetics-GROWTH-REPRODUCTION. html

Communication Style Paper

AA Professor Course 6315 Feb 26, 2013 COMMUNICATION STYLES: ANALYSIS OF THE INTERACTION This paper analyzes a specific interaction. The purpose is to see how changing the communication style according to the subjects involved can have different outcomes. The topics covered in this paper are (1) Subjects Involved, (2) The Specific Interaction and Analysis, and (3) Conclusion. Subjects Involved The nature of the two subjects involved in the study makes the analysis interesting due to their opposite communication styles. Any miscommunication between the two can result in undesired outcomes.The following paragraphs describe the two subjects and their communication styles followed by the discussion of the particular interaction and its analysis. Subject 1: The Candidate â€Å"Sales Manager† The one thing that separates the Sales Manager, Brian, from everyone else in the office is his desire to be liked by everyone. Brian cannot handle rejection of any kind. He is the person to appr ove any changes in Sales recommendations to the investors. Convincing Brian to do anything other than what he wants is quite a task. Each time one is about to convince Brian, something magically appears that takes him away to a different task.Subject II: The Noble â€Å"Me† I am the second subject. Being a â€Å"Noble,† getting into long discussions over rather straight forward issues is difficult for me. Arguments are pretty simple for me. The solution is either this or that. I have a need to make a decision and move on to the next task with the least amount of time wasted. The Specific Interaction and Analysis Brian has been the Sales Manager for the last five years. The office environment is open and democratic. All important issues are discussed in weekly friday morning meetings.Agendas for monday morning sales meetings are finalized on friday along with the recommendations for different investment properties to be presented to the investors the following week. In the weekly discussions, Brian’s job is to listen to the recommendations of the Sales Team which is led by me. Every time, when we need to finalize the recommendation, the discussions get heated and Brian just changes the topic and starts discussing something else. Each week, we end up with an argument trying to convince each other of the investment pick of the week, without coming to an agreement.Every argument leads to Brian discussing a completely different topic. It became a real problem for the sales team, as we left the meeting without a clear understanding of to present to our investors in the coming week. Once I understood Brian’s communication style, I discussed our course of action with my team. Under no circumstances were we to start an argument. Our tone of voice was to remain calm and in control at all times. We offered our views as an alternative without trying to direct or control him. The discussions were longer than what I would have liked but the resul ts were ncouraging. After weeks of unclear outcomes, we were able to come up with clear investment recommendations for our sales team to present to our investors. Conclusion I learned that knowing the other person’s style of communication makes the communication process a little easier. I always knew about the differences among people but never gave it the required thought to help me communicate better. I now alter my communication style depending upon the person I am dealing with resulting in more effective communication.

American History before the Revolution

The discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492 led to the colonial expansion of the nations of Western Europe. These colonies were created to push trade forwards in the form of new imports, primarily raw materials as a base for trade and creations of new products. This topic will focus on the history of North America before the American Revolution in 1776. The first successful English colony was established by the London Virginia Company in 1607 and was known as Jamestown. It was primarily created for the purpose of looking for gold.It was not successful in its venture but eventually found money in growing tobacco which eventually bloomed into plantations with settlers coming in with servants and slaves to create their own. The colony depended on the trade of these crops and most of them were shipped straight back to Britain. The formation of this colony was followed by the settlement of the Pilgrims, a protestant sect based in England and the Netherlands in Massachuse tts. They were escaping religious persecution aboard the Mayflower and they drew themselves the Mayflower compact after landing which gave them power of self governance.This was followed by the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay colony in 1629 by the Puritans. They wished to create a religious nation that would serve the true religion. The banishment of Roger Williams from the colony for preaching the separation of church and state led the creation of Rhode Island Colony. From an economic standpoint they were also self-sustaining. Their economy worked on every farmer sustaining himself and having to trade for any goods they could not provide for themselves. The three of these colonies formed the Cheapsake bay area.The middle colonies consisted of what are presently New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. These colonies were characterized by much diversity in their religious, economic, political and ethnic practices. Connecticut was also formed. The colonization of the l ower south started in Carolina in 1670 by the English Lords Proprietors. It was mainly set up as a trading colony especially in South Carolina. They eventually cultivated rice in 1690 through the aid of the African slaves they brought with them.The political differences between the settlers in this colony created much conflict and eventually war which lead to the Proprietors selling it back to the British Crown. A member of parliament known as James Oglethorpe established Georgia Colony in 1733 as a way to form a base against Florida which was occupied by Spain at the time. It was established with strict moral laws which forbade slavery and alcohol along with other forms of immortal acts. Once these laws were rescinded the country went from poverty to prosperity. It consisted of people from varied religious backgrounds.Great Britain eventually won East and West Florida from the Spaniards in 1763 and returned it in 1783 when they left. By 1700 most of the regions were divided in two halves. Their origins brought about the creation of two very different societies. The colonies of New England were much more individualistic as compared to the Southern colonies. The northern colonies touted freedom of religion and of the political process. They formed their society around an orthodox method in order to set an example for all other societies. In contrast the southerners were developed around the bases of economics.Their society was more geared towards mercantilism. The vast quantities of cheap land available to them allowed them to pursue this interest. In order to facilitate their economy they also formed a government which was based according to the Virginia Charter. The increasing demand for English goods grew rapidly in the 1700s and with the possession of the cotton industry in the south the colonies soon outpace England in terms of exports. This was mainly due to the fact that the colonies made use of slaves for labor purposes which brought them great prosperi ty.In the 1600 the English passed a series of laws known as the Navigation Acts which restricted the use of foreign shipping to trade between England and its colonies. This was mainly done to limit Dutch merchants from trading with its colonies and allowed England to be the main hub for all colonial products. These acts though bringing Britain great wealth caused great resentment in the colonies. This was so because the laws restricted the ability of the colonies to trade with anyone but the English, with these in effect it decreased their power to be independent of the Royal Court.Thus these Mercantilist policies were refused by the colonies as they saw it as a control over their economies and their government. In order to avoid heavy taxes and regulations the colonies resorted to smuggling their goods. The loss of much wealth led the British to enact the writ of assistance which enabled officers to freely search citizens and homes which were suspected of smuggling. The colonists f ound this to be a violation of their civil rights as citizens of the crown. One of the main ways that smugglers from the colonies operated was the selling tea to the American colonies.Originally the tea came from England through the East India Company, however when Benjamin Franklin suggested that the company bypass England and deal with the colonists directly, the smugglers lost their source of income. In rebellion they tossed 342 crates of tea into the Boston Harbor. This led to the Boston Port Act through which Britain closed down Boston harbor until the tea was paid for. The mercantilism system had a draconian effect on the colonies. Following the Seven years war in 1765 the British Parliament imposed a stamp tax on the American colonies requiring by law that all printed materials carry it.This was to pay for the military funds from the war of which the colonists were considered benefactors. This was also considered violations of their rights as colonial citizens to decide their own tax laws and led to many protests from New England to Georgia. Other British colonies also rebelled against the tax as they saw it as a threat to their economy and it was eventually repealed in 1766. This added further fuel to the colonist resentment and concerns of the British parliament. The last straw was that of the Boston Massacre where the deaths of five civilians in 1770 and sparked the fire which led to the American Revolution.In the end it was all of the reasons above along with the need of the colonies to establish their own government free from the religious, economic and governmental persecution of the English that led to the creation and subsequently fight for the freedom of the colonies and as we know in the end they succeeded. References Internet History Sourcebooks Project. (2007, June 4). Colonial North America. Retrieved May 24, 2009, from Internet Modern History Sourcebook : http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/modsbook07. html

Bailout Plan

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, enacted on October 3, 2008, is a law that gives the United States Secretary of the Treasury authority to spend $700 billion to buy mortgage-backed securities from the banks. The law aims to purchase these so-called bad assets and hopefully restore confidence to the credit market. The law is more commonly known as the â€Å"bailout† since it intends to rescue the major financial institutions of the US from the subprime mortgage crisis that had reached its tipping point by September 2008.The idea was originally conceived by President George W.  Bush and Henry Paulson, Secretary of the Treasury. Although it is already approved, the plan met several criticism. The main criticism is its effect on the general economy of the United States. For one, the bailout would mean an increase in the US budget for 2009 which already stands at $3. 1 trillion. This would also mean that the annual budget deficit of the US would further increase a nd may exceed $1 trillion. The bailout is also criticized because it implies that the mistake made by the banks would now be shouldered by American taxpayers.Majority of surveys conducted showed that the American public opposed the bailout saying that it was wrong for the government to use taxpayer's money to save the banks which caused the problem in the first place. It is interesting to note that the proposal was not only opposed by the public but also by economists and investors. Another problem of the law is the assumption that the securities bought by the government may increase in value sometime in the future and could be sold for a profit.This is a rather big assumption since there is in fact no assurance that it come true. While the bailout may have helped investor confidence and temporarily stop the decline of the US economy, its true effect will likely be felt sometime in the near future. The bailout is still a short-term solution to a possible long-term problem. If the US economy intends to recover from this crisis, it should study the alternatives proposed and see if it is feasible to implement them.

Huntoon & Balbiera Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Huntoon & Balbiera - Essay Example However, they should differentiate offering management consulting as an additional service. Auditing is the most logical choice because despite the decrease in profits from this service are from 2000 to 2001, it is still the most important aspect of the company's operations. This will allow them to have an edge over other auditing firms without the need to lower their costs, thus justifying their current fees. In terms of client industry, the company's future plans must focus on specializing in manufacturing. Municipal clients tend to stick with their auditing firm for as long as they perform satisfactorily. Hence, the firm must simply make sure that they continue to offer these clients with the best service possible in order to keep them. However, a market that the firm can potentially benefit from is manufacturing. With a 22 percent increase in its share of profits, manufacturing is the most logical choice for the company to focus on, if they decide to specialize. Specialization, however, may not be the best strategy for a firm like H&B.

Why Do Muslims Consider Prophet Muhammad a Religious and Political Essay

Why Do Muslims Consider Prophet Muhammad a Religious and Political Role Model - Essay Example His doctrines have influenced both religious and political lives of the Muslim community through teachings of Allah as stated in the Quran. As a religious leader, Prophet Muhammad taught his followers the doctrines of his master Allah. He imparted the knowledge of what his master like and the way he expects his followers to behave (Petras & Eastman-Abaya, the Caricature of Middle East). Therefore, he taught people to forgive each other and live as united family of one father. Prophet Muhammad told his followers to revere no other master beside Allah. Therefore, his teachings about Allah have transformed his followers to trust in their god and put his teachings into practice (Legacy of a Prophet). This is one of the reasons why Muslims respect their fellow Muslims and have greater concern for their needy in the society. It is through the teachings of Prophet Muhammad that the Muslim faith was established to form a different community based on faith and principles of Allah. Muhammad introduced Quran for guiding his followers on various issues. Muslims believe that Quran was confessions of Prophet Muhammad who was reflecting the principles of Allah (Legacy of a Prophet). Since then, Quran has remained vital in learning of Islamic and teaching the Muslim followers on the will of Allah. This holy book is also essential in guiding Muslims who wish to pursue political leadership in the state. For example, Muhammad was a humble servant who never sought to enrich himself by grabbing public property (Petras & Eastman-Abaya, the Caricature of Middle East). He condemned oppression of the poor and emphasized on helping the needy in the society. The life of Muhammad has significantly influenced the lives of his followers in a number of ways (Legacy of a Prophet). Quran gives guidance on how people should relate with each other. It also directs Muslims on how remain trustworthy in marriages and businesses as stated

The Thrift Savings Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Thrift Savings Plan - Research Paper Example However, as part of the retirement strategy, the employees choose to invest their funds into the Thrift Savings Plan. The funds are not controlled by the government. When the government money is at stake, one place it cannot bump into is the federal employee retirement program for saving. This makes it secure for all federal employees. This review is sought to investigate the purpose of the Thrift Savings Plan, the contributions of both the employers and the employees and its benefits to the employees. It will also explore on the problems and challenges of investing in this particular Savings Plan. History of Thrift Saving Plan The Thrift Savings Plan is a product of the Congress. It is established under the Federal Employees’ System Act of the year 1986 specifically for the federal employees and the military. The Thrift Savings Board is controlled by the Federal Retirement Board, an agency of government that is independent. The Plan is managed by five members of the Board tog ether with a Director, legally appointed by the president. This plan is equivalent to the private 401k and the 403b retirement plans. The tax benefits and saving options offered in The Thrift Savings Plan are similar to other retirement plans (Thrift Savings Plan Website). ... Automatic deductions on income. 2. A diverse choice of investment options for instance professional designed Lifecycle funds 3. A wide range of tax treatment contributions such as: -Traditional tax contributions and tax-referred investment earnings - Roth contributions with tax-free earnings at retirement 4. Low administrative and investment expenses. 5. Contributions of an agency if the employee is covered by the Federal Employees’ Retirement System 6. At some point employees can access their money while still employed by the Federal Government. 7. A beneficiary participant account established for an employee’s spouse in case of death 8. A wide range of choices of withdrawal 9. A widened term of deferred tax on contributions and their growth. According to the Thrift Savings Plan, an employee covered by the Federal Employees’ Retirement System forms part of the package that includes basic annuity and Social Security Fund (Nestler 44). The Thrift Savings Plan expl ains it this way: For those covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, the Thrift Saving Plan is a supplement to their unity. The benefits offered by the Thrift Saving Plan depend on the retirement system one is registered in. However, in all the systems, the Thrift Saving Plan increases their retirement income. (qtd. in Form tsp-3) When the employee funds the Thrift Savings Plan with traditional tax (pre-tax), the amount of income tax is lowered, hence decreasing the burden of tax when working. This can be beneficial if the employee contributes the maximum amount in the income tax bracket. When the employee or the member has invested in the Plan, no tax is made on the earnings until a withdrawal is made. A clear opportunity is

US Constitution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

US Constitution - Assignment Example Marbury vs. Madison: only Supreme Court can interpret Constitution, participated in Revolution of 1800 and witnesses the peaceful transfer of powers. James Madison, 1751-1836, was the 4th president of the U.S. 1809-17, member of the Continental Congress; 1780-83. Republican Macon’s Bill No. 2: that allowed trade once more (1809-1817). James Monroe, 1758-1831, was the5th president of the U.S. (1817-25). Went to law school with Thomas Jefferson (1780-83) and was a member of the Virginia legislature (1782) as well as the Continental Congress (1783-86) (Madison, James, et al 1). Marshall’s Decisions: McCulloch vs. Maryland (1819) Bank of US can’t be taxed, Dartmouth College vs. Woodward (1819)-contract is highest law, Gibbon’s vs. Ogden (1824)-Congress controls Interstate Commerce. John Quincy Adams, 1767-1848, was the 6th President of the U.S. (1825-29). U.S. senator for Massachusetts (1803-8), he infuriated fellow Federalists by backing Jeffersonian laws, ta riff of Abominations: equal to 45% in some cases. John Marshall, secretary of state for President John Adams, Chief justice (1801-35). Marshall gave many historic and critical rulings in Supreme Court (McNeese 60). Andrew Jackson, 1767-1845, was the 7th president of the U.S. (1829-37); he was elected to the U.S. Congress (1796). Martin Van Buren, 1782-1862, was the 8th president of the U.S. (1837-41). A Democrat as well as an Andrew Jacksons ally (Madison, James, et al 2). Andrew Johnson, 1808-75, was the17th president of the U.S. (1865-69). Was a staunch supporter of President Lincoln. Rutherford Hayes Birchard, 1822-93, was the 19th president of the U.S. (1877-81); a Republican, a member of Congress (1865-67) plus governor of Ohio (1867, 1869 and 1875). Participated in civil war; became a major general of volunteers (1865). Abraham Lincoln, 1809-65, was the 16th president of the U.S.

Question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Question - Assignment Example A company that uses agile management is likely to have increased growth and expansion because of the increased productivity. It also reduces time wasted building a project using various cycles. This approach uses iterations and breaks down the long cycles into less time. The popularity of the model over the waterfall model is because of its efficiency in increasing the client’s involvement in the process of software development. The end result of agile project management is always a little less predictable as compared to waterfall model. One would take this as a disadvantage, but that is not true. Agile adapts to changes in a much positive manner. It responds to issues as they arise and resolves them. Agile management and the Waterfall management both have advantages and disadvantages. Agile is very fast, quick and a more reliable approach to managing projects that need constant improvements. Unlike waterfall approach, agile is done in iterations. Agile management is oriented on offering quality services while waterfall management deals with construction projects and hardware Installation projects. Agile is suitable for projects that are new and yet to be tried Schmidt (2) This is a systematic and organized approach in your company to enable staff to transition from their current practices to those that the company focusses on. It involves influencing a good number of people to positively accept the changes being made. If there is no change management in a company, it could lead to failure of the business. IT departments need changes especially due to the current changes in the technological information. The critical success of an IT organization is highly dependent on its capability to control the IT changes. It should protect existing services during and after and ensure accurate changes are made. Change management programs help to align and organize the organization when undergoing major

Gateway Project for Snowtown Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gateway Project for Snowtown - Case Study Example In order to reverse this abysmal trend, my plan proposes the design and implementation of a project that will establish two main gateway signs, to be located in two strategic sites in the town. The overall rationale behind this decision is to present Snowtown to commuters before their entry into the district. It will also serve as a quick reference to what is on offer and where it can be obtained within the premise of the city. The project envisages beyond given the town an aesthetic phase lift to also providing a one stop coordinating network of the town's iconic and signing outlay. To be incorporated in the project is the construction of public services centers at definite locations within the overall framework of the project. Snowtown by virtue of her location is the most preferred route for road users commuting to and fro Adelaide and Port Piere. Owing to this significant advantage, it is incumbent on the city planners to identify how to enhance the comparative advantage of this phenomenon within the established context of road transport. A recent survey indicates that, most travelers know little or nothing about this boisterous town besides cruising through it to their intended destinations. The project therefore, desires to embark on a massive publicity campaign that will showcase the township as an appealing tourism destination that will treat visitors to a delightful exhibition of the rich cultural heritage of Snowtown. It will serve as a platform to tap into the vibrant agricultural legacy for which the township is reputed for. In the case of Snowtown, besides the conventional road signage, there is a conspicuous gap in the provision of other equally relevant information outposts that presents the town in a unique fashion with the view of marketing it. In recognition of the above fact, there has been a remarkable move by government in recent times to explore within available provisions to pursue viable programmes that spurs sustainable economic improvement nationwide of which infrastructural development ranks high. The government's policy is motivated by the knowledge that given the relevant policy backing, cities and towns within the local government and decentralization programme can be challenged under available resources to resuscitate their dormant economic forces and also discover other fallow segments that have hitherto been overlooked. This is the basis upon which, this project is in resonance with an overall national agenda of economic development using infrastructural improvement as a catalyst to achieve this goal. Judging from the above, it cannot be disputed that this project is not only timely, but also connected with the long held value system that defines the township and people of Snowtown. It provides an opportunity to seal the patches that are causing leakages to the economic, social and tourist endowments in the intended project implementation locations. When all is said and done, the project will have immediate benefits to the current generation with rippling effects on posterity. 1.2Project Overview A) Project Title:

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Health care - Essay Example The caregivers were even in favor of such services because they needed counseling services due to the every day stress they were experiencing and this stress was ruining their work and personal life balance. According to a research conducted by Roberts and others, people who are near to death, stay at home and prepare to die and need the support of caregivers such as health care professionals and family members to live the remaining days of their life in peace (Roberts 2007). With the assistance of telecommunication, assistance can be provided to such patients as healthcare settings can not remain available 24/7. Those who are terminally ill can not move themselves and require immediate attention when they suffer different kinds of health issues. Availability of tele hospice services will assist such patients as they will be able to obtain advice and treatment for their issues over a simple phone call. Several patients suffer from loneliness and anxiety in their every day life, these disorders are mostly found in those individuals who do not have support and who do not have someone to talk to. It is not easy for patients to reach hospitals all the time when they need support and assistance from care givers. The health care professionals even need assistance and counseling because of the traumatic events they experience in their every day life. Tele hospice services can help solve all these issues. Due to availability of hospice services through the telecommunication, patients who do not need to attend health care settings can easily obtain support and counseling services over phone calls. On the other end, a special line for health care professionals can help them release their stress and obtain advice when they suffer from heavy stress due to their everyday work. The health care settings experience the problem of limited staff availability due to which they can not attend all pat ients and those patients who do not need to

Positive Impact of Banning Smoking in Public Places Essay - 1

Positive Impact of Banning Smoking in Public Places - Essay Example Basically, smokers have the right to continue smoking despite the adverse health consequences of smoking whereas non-smokers have the right for a clean air each time they go to public places like restaurants, malls, and offices. Given that the local government banned smoking in public places, a lot of businesses strictly prohibit the smoking of cigarettes within their working environment and offices. In line with the banning of smoking in public places, three major reasons will be presented in order to convince the readers why I strongly support the government’s legislation on making smoking illegal in public areas. My auntie who lives in another town died at a very young age due to second-hand smoking. She is one of the closest relatives I have considered since we shared a common interest in photography. I have never seen my auntie smoke. Since she has always been with friends who smoke at least two packs of cigarettes a day, her life became in danger. Because of the close re lationship I had with my auntie, I spent almost every single day with her while she was confined at the hospital. Personally, I have seen how she suffered physically from a lung cancer. Due to her bad faith, the researcher strongly supports the banning of smoking in public places. Similar incidence recently happened to my best friend’s father. My best friend’s father is currently undergoing chemotherapy due to second-hand smoking he gets each day from his workplace. Aside from the financial burden the chemotherapy brings to my best friend’s family, there is still a risk that they would lose the head of their family. Similar to all stories related to what happens to patients with smoking habits, my sister who is a nurse told me a lot of smokers are unable to quit smoking despite knowing the health consequences of smoking. She said that patients with lung cancer often experience difficulty in breathing. The fact that there is no way to replace the lungs increases the risk of patients with chronic lung cancer to die.

Understanding Ethics and Ethical Behaviors Essay Example for Free

Understanding Ethics and Ethical Behaviors Essay The roadmap of this brief essay is to present an overview of the importance of ethics and ethical behavior in the field of management and business enterprise. This paper hopes to enumerate certain ethical behaviors necessary for the proper conduct of professional affairs, as well as cite certain examples that can help situate the discussions being unraveled. This discussion is important insofar as our present generation spends most of their times in their workplaces. In a manner of speaking, it is within these professional contexts where, according to Delbecq, most people’s characters are forged (qtd. in Schminke ix). Ethics is a science that seeks to shed light on matters that are either right or wrong. Merriam-Webster defines it as the discipline which deals â€Å"with what is good and what is bad, and with what is moral duty and obligation† (Merriam-Webster 398). As such, ethics is both informative and formative. It is on the one hand informative because it concerns itself with knowledge about all things right or wrong. Yet it is on the other hand formative (or imperative) because it demands adherence to moral laws in the conduct of human affairs. Many ethical norms are deemed necessary in view of making ethical the conduct of affairs transpiring within professional workplaces. Among others, honesty, truthfulness and transparency are three of the most fundamental traits that need to be observed. Specifically, dealing honestly with colleagues, being truthful in transacting business with clients, and being transparent in completing database and/or records are conditions of no little importance to one’s professional career (Mary Guy 22). Still, fairness, justice and respect are intricately woven ethical benchmarks as well. Fairness and justice go hand in hand; they behoove equal treatment and distributed opportunities for and to all stakeholders. Just the same, respect for colleagues and the workplace itself are truly important so as to maintain smooth interpersonal interaction. Hardly over, personal integrity and the courage to rectify misgivings are essential aspects of ethical behavior in workplaces as well. These traits enhance ethical decision-making process which individual employees must see through successfully. The case of Sherron Watkins, the once-Vice President who turned her back at Enron Corporation, is a good instance to cite. According to the story, Ms. Watkins was made accessory to accounting frauds, even while she was nervous about being implicated in the process. After much deliberation, she decided to expose the irregularities even to the point of being made to testify to the Congress; all because she wanted to rectify the detestable errors committed by her company (Pellegrini). Taking cue from the example of Sheron Watkins, it seems therefore needless to point that professional workers must take upon themselves the burden of behaving ethically in their workplaces. Far more critical, they should be prepared to handle incidences involving not just accounting frauds but also bribery, racial discrimination, favoritism, unjust wage, unsafe working environment and practices, onerous and unstipulated demands, tax frauds, sexual solicitation and/or harassment, illegal termination and espionage of employees, among others. To briefly conclude, this paper ends with a thought that affirms the importance of the discipline which the science of ethics demands from professionals reporting to workplaces almost on a daily basis. The discussions herein developed emphasized the importance of knowing certain ethical behaviors and implementing them in workplaces. As indeed, the case of Sherron Watkins provides a framework for ethical decision-making process, as well as the basis to be vigilant in correcting instances of misdemeanor committed within professional workplaces. References Delbecq, A. â€Å"Foreword†. Marshal Schminke, Ed. Managerial Ethics: Moral Management of People and Processes. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1998. Guy, M. Ethical Decision Making in Everyday Work Situations. Westport, Connecticut: Quorum Books, 1990. Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. Tenth Edition. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam- Webster, Incorporated, 1996. Pellegrini, F. â€Å"Person of the Week: â€Å"Enron Whistleblower† Sherron Watkins†. Time Magazine. 05 January 2009 http://www. time. com/time/pow/article/0,8599,194927,00. html.

About School Essay Example for Free

About School Essay I believe in school now in days the curriculum kills our crea? vity. Not the teachers. The teachers are only there to help teach the curriculum. Now in days you can’t write whatever you want any more or do whatever you want any more in school. There is no choice. Its either op? on â€Å"A† or op? on â€Å"B†. Kids growing up in this era will have no imagina? on because it’s all straight forward stu$. Teacher get mad at you if you doodle on your paper or step out of line in the hall way. See more: Satirical elements in the adventure of Huckleberry Finn essay Kids won’t want to be crea? ve because they won’t know what crea? ve is. I %nd that the curriculum is to worried on geng the informa? on to the kids other than leng them %nd out ways to show the informa? on or talk about it. It’s just all wri? ng and wri? ng, no free choice anymore. In the poem it’s the same thing. The boy gets made fun of and hurt because he was trying to be crea? ve. No one can do their own stu$ anymore.

Government Legislation And Market Structure Of Airline Industry Economics Essay

Government Legislation And Market Structure Of Airline Industry Economics Essay Over the past two decades the airline industry has experienced major changes that has affected the overall structure and segmentation of the market. The Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) market has stolen ground on the established market, at a substantial rate. This essay will focus on the Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) market and in particular will look at the easyJet firm based in Luton, England. The essay will asses the position that easyJet has acquired in the European airline market and the microeconomic factors that affect the firm. In addition, the essay will provide an analysis of how past, current and future prospects of the economy and how macroeconomic factors influence easyJets growth. Finally, based on analysis of the key discussions raised throughout the essay, a set of recommendations will be made outlining possible strategies that the firm could consider in order to prosper further. History of easyJet Greek entrepreneur Stelious Haji-Ioannou founded easyJet in 1995. The company was created to take advantage of the deregulation of the European Airline industry and to offer customers a low cost alternative. The company along with Ryanair pioneered the no-frills airline. The reduction of costs lies at the core of the low-cost business model, which aims to offer lower fares, eliminating some comfort and services that were traditionally guaranteed (Malighetti, Paleari Redondi. 2009). EasyJet was floated on the stock market in 2000. It has grown since then into a leading European Low-Cost Carrier. The company provides airline services on short-haul and medium-haul point-to-point routes, operating primarily in Europe on over 400 routes. SECTION 1, MICROECONOMICS: Government Legislation Market Structure: In the past the European airline industry was characterized by an oligopoly market structure, a form of imperfect competition in which a limited number of firms dominated the industry (Rubin Joy, 2005). However although airlines may use oligopoly market power to restrict competition, new innovative firms can carve out a niche, which is the strategy of easyJet (Rubin Joy, 2005) In order to stimulate competition, during the 1980s the European Commission implemented the open skies legislation. This aimed to liberalise air travel within the European Community and challenge the cartel of flag-carrying national airlines such as British Airways, Air France and Lufthansa which controlled 40% of the available passenger-kilometers on scheduled intra-European flights through bilateral agreements, regulated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) (Ghoshal, Lefefebure, Jorgensen Staniforth, 1988) As easyJets annual report in 2001 eludes to the market environment for too long, many of Europes airlines have considered themselves immune from the realities of their operating environment. State aid, entrenchment at Europes busiest airports and favourable restrictive bilateral agreements have been used to prevent proper competition from sweeping continental Europe. According to Rubin et al., (2005) although high entry costs of aircraft acquisition and other capital requirements make entry difficult, the industry appears more contestable (e.g. imperfectly competitive but subject to potential entry if warranted by prices or profits). This paved the way for the LCCs to enter the market, armed with completely different business models which have erode the dominant carriers market share even at large hub airports. Figure 1 shows how the UK in particular where easyJet are based have taken to the LCC idea. Figure 1 Low Cost Carriers operating to/from major European countries by frequency in November 2005 Source: OAG MAX Online. February 2006 Competitive analysis: The airline industry is characterised by high levels of competition, therefore the profit margins can be result in low returns. Because profit margins are very small, during a recession or a lull in demand airlines can become bankrupt within a short space of time. In order for easyJet to sustain there profit growth they rely on very quick turnarounds in order to maximize there profit. In addition the expansion of the Internet has made the pricing of fairs more transparent to the customer and has eradicated the travel agents fee, which has brought huge cost savings for airlines. These costs have been passes onto to the passengers, which has triggered a boom in flight capacity. However, the internet has also resulted in more price comparison websites for the price sensitive customer to compare ticket prices from different airlines. Customers now do not have much loyalty towards specific airlines, as they are more concerned with finding the cheapest price for their journey. However easyJet have now become one of the leading LCC airlines in the UK as illustrated by market share in Figure 2. Figure 2 Shows the dominance of both easyJet and Ryanair that have a large market share in the UK. Figure 2 Low Cost Carriers to/from the UK Source: OAG MAX Online. March 2006 Major determinants of demand: The demand for air travel is sensitive to changes in easyJets own prices, the price of related goods, incomes and individual taste preferences. However the degree of sensitivity is dependent on varying market conditions. EasyJets own price The low cost carriers have profoundly changed the airline industry, by increasing the demand for air travel. Alertness to latent demand, characterized by the passengers willingness to pay elastic prices, which is not the attitude of the so-called traditional passengers, is among the key factors of easyJets success (Pels and Rietveld, 2004). Because of the their alternative business plan, easyJet are able to offer a reduced price to customers. The price choices and the ability of the airlines to understand the characteristics of the demand are decisive in the balance of the business model itself (Malighetti, Paleari, and Redondi, 2009) The Internet has also increased the transparency of costs and allowed customers to compare prices instantly. There is now no loyalty, because customers will most often than not choose the cheapest ticket. No-frills airlines tend to use simplified pricing structures based on demand regulated single fares or flexible return tickets without the high- cost premium fares required by mainstream airlines for fully flexible travel (Baum, 1997). Lower fares have meant that those more frequent shorter holidays are not necessarily a more expensive option and the trend towards more flexible booking arrangements has encouraged this development (Graham, 2006). Price of related goods: The price of substitute goods and the consumers purpose of travel consistently affect the demand for easyJets services. There are numerous forms of substitutes that could cater for the customers needs such as travelling by car domestically or by train internationally. The structure of demand, which guides the optimisation choices of the carrier, is influenced by the presence of competitors, and the passengers opportunities to opt for a substitute service (Malighetti, Paleari, and Redondi, 2009) Therefore if Eurostar decreased their prices to travel from London to Paris then this would affect the demand for and the price customers are willing to pay to travel with easyJet. In addition airline passengers usually travel for different purposes, either leisure, business or to visits friends and family. Typically, business travelers have lower demand elasticity, and higher willingness to pay than leisure travelers. (Alves, and Barbot, 2009) Income The demand for travel is also affected by the average household income. If the household income increases so does the purchase of luxury goods such as travelling abroad. On this basis a elasticity multiplier of 1.1 is used to adjust air travel price elasticitys for short-haul flights (Deaton, 1975). Tastes SECTION 2: MACROECONOMICS This section of the essay will asses how past current and future prospects of the economy has affected easyJet. Monetary and Fiscal policy: Monetary policies in the shape of interest rates affect the demand on the airline industry. Higher interest rates raise the retail price index by raising the cost of living. This has made borrowing from banks more expensive and coupled with the current economic climate has had a negative impact on consumer expenditure. Therefore people have less disposable income to spend on travelling aboard. Figure 3 Relationship between Interest rates easyJets annual total profit Source: Bank of England As Figure 3 illustrates, between 2005 and 2007 there was a sharp increase in easyJet profits. However, because of the recent economic recession the Bank of England have responded to the current climate by reducing their interest rates from 5.5% to 2.0% to try and stimulate the economy. EasyJet are affected by fiscal policies through the implementation of tax duties on air carriers. The government allocate these fees to fund for increased security needed since the September 11th terrorist attack and support operations at airpark facilitates. As the graph illustrates during the 2007-2008 period there was a sharp decline in profits due to the unexpected doubling of Air Passenger Duty (APD) in the UK (easyJet Plc Annual report, 2007). Although the government use fiscal policies to try and stabilise the airline industry, they ultimately decrease the already tight profit margin that easyJet operates under. In addition the future of the airline industry seems likely that there will be more taxes levied at easyJet and the airline industry as a whole. As easyJets annual (2008) reports states the European Union has now finalised the terms of aviations entry into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). This will require us, from 2012, to hold carbon emission allowances to cover our CO2 emissions. ETS is a cap and trade scheme, covering many sectors, and is designed to ensure that carbon emissions in the EU are reduced as efficiently as possible. Crude oil The airline industry uses kerosene, which is now ranked as the third highest petroleum because it is widely available and can withstand a wide range of temperature fluctuation. Therefore, the price of kerosene has an obvious and direct impact on the cost of easyJets and the airline industry as a whole, because it is one of the major costs occurred in the business. Figure 4 The relationship between Crude Oil and easyJets net profit Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Independent Statistics Analysis Figure 4 illustrates the relationship between crude oil prices and easyJets total revenue. As you can see from the graph there is a direct correlation between the two values. Crude oil has been rising astronomically since 2000. EasyJets annual report highlighted the affect that oil is having on their profits the price of oil, which constituted some 14% of our costs for the year ended 30 September 2004 (easyJet Plc Annual Report, 2004). In 2008 the price of oil was still high on the agenda of easyJets annual report, which stated The price of fuel rose to unprecedented levels and less well positioned competitors struggled to survive resulting in capacity exiting the market. In addition it is alarming to realise that the price of jet fuel has risen by more than 50% in the last year. This is directly affecting easyJets baseline profits as Table 1 demonstrates. (IATA Website, 2010) Table 1 This weeks price of aviation jet fuel Percentage change vs. 1-Jan-10 Index* $/b cts/gal $/mt 1 week ago 1 month ago 1 year ago Jet Fuel Price 241.7 88.4 210.5 696.7 3.7% 1.6% 50.3% Sourced from Platts  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   * 100 in 2000 (87 cts/gal) Increases in fuel prices have an obvious affect on the operation, but they also trigger economic recessions, which in turn result in a substantial decline in demand for air travel and air cargo. However, like many other industries that rely on crude oil high prices forces them to cut down their use or look for alternative resources. In order to tackle this problem easyJet have bought fleets of new airliners. To offset this, we are concentrating both on operating the most fuel-efficient aircraft and reducing costs elsewhere (easyJet Plc Annual Report, 2004). The new aircrafts are more fuel-efficient enabling them to reduce the expenditure on fuel. In addition, when fuel prices are raised it also affects the consumers decision on whether to fly at all or look for substitute modes of transport. GDP Growth: GDP growth has historically been a key determinant of the leisure travel demand and it continues to play an important role in many forecasting models (Graham, A. 2006). EasyJet and the airline industry are affected by the overall condition of the national and international economy. When there is a healthy economy the nations expenditure on travel increases. However, when there is an unhealthy economy the buying habits of the consumer falls because travelers will have fewer resources available to travel for pleasure. Figure 5 The relationship between GDP and easyJet net profit Source: Office for National Statistics As the graph illustrates 2002 and 2003 there was a sharp decrease in easyJets profit. A statement from the annual report attributes these facts to the War in Iraq, economic uncertainty and the SARS epidemic all adversely affected sentiment about travel, both business and personal (easyJet Plc Annual Report, 2003). However, A fundamental weakness in comparing travel growth to economic growth is that ignores the important influence that travel cost or price can play. The travel cost will determine the amount of income that needs to be spent on travel (Graham, A. 2006). Recent reports have suggested that the UK and the rest of Europe are slowly emerging from the recent recession. This should help to contribute to easyJet reaching its projected growth forecasts. Conclusion: Based on the previous analysis of discussion that was raised I will now sate recommendations and describe possible strategies easyJet could consider to increase their net profit. The current economic conditions have had an adverse affect on the airline industry as a whole. The near future may see more mergers of airlines in order to survive or heavy consolidation of their routes. The future of easyJet is heavily reliant on outside influences. However, because the easyJet company is based on a low-cost business plan coupled with the fact that population is rising, one could argue that they are in a better position to weather the storm and increase market share. In order to take advantage of the current situation easyJet need to face a number of problems. There is no question that the price of fuel is playing a significant role in the underlining profit of the easyJet company. Both in terms of the reduced profit margin and the overall affect the price of oil can have on the overall economy, history has shown us that it can contribute to the manifestation of recessions. However because the price of oil is set externally it is out of easyJets control, therefore there is need to explore alternative avenues of curtailing the effect that oil prices has on the easyJet company. One solution to reducing the affect that oil prices has on easyJet is by investing in more fuel efficient aircraft that reduce the amount of miles per gallon. As technology is moving forward at a unprecedented pace new airliners are becoming more aerodynamic, using lighter materials and pilots are utilising more cruise control technologies so that the consumption of fuel is used more efficiently. In addition, investing in more fuel efficient aircrafts will reduce the amount of money that will need to be paid in 2012 when the new Emissions Trading Scheme is enrolled, which is designed to ensure carbon emissions are reduced as efficiently as possible. Another alternative method to curbing the affect oil prices is to invest in research and development of alternative fuels. Although this may initially require large investments, but if alternatives are found easyJet will be ideally placed to be one of the first airlines to take advantage of new technologies and pass the savings onto their customers. In recent years easyJet has expanded its operations around Europe especially in Italy, France and Spain with nearly half of easyJets passengers now originating from outside the UK (easyJet Plc Annual Report, 2008). However, these expansions may have caused their operations to slip in their overall efficiency. Because of the nature of easyJets business plan, the company relies on very quick turnarounds at airports and highly efficient operations in order to maximise their profit margin. Therefore it would be beneficial for easyJet if they were to focus on economies of scale by making their operations more lean in order to increase profit margins. Because customers are becoming price sensitive to airline prices, another strategy that could prove beneficial is to target the business class who will have less of a price elasticity compared to leisure travellers who do not necessarily have to use easyJets services. In order to appeal to the business class easyJet will need to offer more flexible and more frequent services to the major business capitals in Europe.