Monday, September 30, 2019

Musical Hair Critiquing Essay

1) What show are you critiquing? Hair 2) Give a brief summary of the story line. Claude Hooper Bukowski, an Oklahoma farm boy, heads to New York City to enter the Army and serve in the Vietnam War. In Central Park, he meets a troupe of free-spirited hippies led by George Berger, a young man who introduces him to debutante Sheila Franklin when they crash a dinner party at her home. Inevitably, Claude is sent off to recruit training in Nevada, but Berger and his band of merry pranksters follow him. Sheila flirts with an off-duty Sergeant in order to steal his uniform, which she gives to Berger. He uses it to extract Claude from the base for a last meeting with Sheila, taking his place, but while Claude is away, the unit flies out to Vietnam, taking Berger with them. The film ends with the main cast singing at Berger’s grave, followed by scenes of a large anti-war protest outside the White House in Washington, DC. 3) What did you like best about this show? Hair succeeds at all levels—as lowdown fun, as affecting drama, as exhilarating spectacle and as provocative social observation. It achieves its goals by rigorously obeying the rules of classic American musical comedy: dialogue, plot, song and dance blend seamlessly to create a juggernaut of excitement. 4) What did you like least about this show? The film omits the songs â€Å"The Bed†, â€Å"Dead End†, â€Å"Oh Great God of Power†, â€Å"I Believe in Love†, â€Å"Going Down†, â€Å"Air†, â€Å"My Conviction†, â€Å"Abie Baby†, â€Å"Frank Mills†, and â€Å"What a Piece of Work is Man† from the musical. Many of the songs have been shortened, sped up, rearranged, or assigned to different characters to allow for the differences in plot. 5) Who was the hero/heroine? Claude Hooper Bukowski/ Sheila Franklin. 6) Who was the villain? The General. 7) Were you able to understand everything? If not what did you understand? A major plot difference between the film and the musical involves a mistake that leads Berger to go to Vietnam in Claude’s place, where he is killed. The musical focuses on the U.S. peace movement, as well as the love relationships among the Tribe members, while the film focuses on the carefree antics of the hippies. But why not make the film ending a happy one? In that case, the movie will better reflect the aspect of American Culture â€Å"Happy Ever After†. 8) Did you get a chance to listen to the soundtrack? Unfortunately not. 9) What was your favorite song? â€Å"Aquarius†. 10) Did you think that the actors were well cast? Sure. The cast featured John Savage as Claude Hooper Bukowski, Treat Williams as George Berger and Beverly D’Angelo as Sheila Franklin. Williams was nominated for New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture – Male. 11) If you were to remake this show who would you cast in the title roles? Why? If I were to remake the show, I would sill choose the actor and actress as the hero and heroine. The actors are really good-looking, and they can sing and dance well. 12) What aspect of American Culture do you see in this show? Nothing ventured nothing gained. Berger is not only at the heart of the hippie Tribe but is assigned some of Claude’s conflict involving whether or not to obey the draft. His death led to the large anti-war protest and featured the carefree antics of the hippies.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Earplugs Improve Patients Subjective Experience of Sleep in Critical Care

Earplugs improve patients’ subjective experience of sleep in critical care Laboure College Nursing 202 March 8, 2013 The purpose of this study is to see if earplugs improve sleep in patients in critical care areas. It is to see if the use of earplugs will improve patient outcomes by decreasing noise levels during sleeping hours. The problem statement is that patients will get better quicker if they get uninterrupted sleep. The literature review summarizes the topic and its findings.According to the article, noise can have a negative affect on patients outcomes like; sleep disturbances (Honkus, 2003; Redeker, 2003), increase in the stress response (Kam et al. , 1994; Moore et al. , 1998; Lower et al. , 2002), and reduced patient satisfaction (Lower & Bonsack, 2002). Different interventions were tried to decrease noise levels, but unfortunately, patients’ needs came first therefore abandoning those interventions like quiet time. Quiet time protocols were implemented by re stricting care activities and visiting at sleep hours (Moore et al. , 1998; Olson et al. 2001; Kellman, 2002; Lower & Bonsack, 2003). Wallace et al. (1998) studied the effect of earplugs worn during normal sleeping hours by 12 intensive care patients receiving mechanical ventilation and reported an increase in REM sleep during earplug use. This study was qualitative because it had the test subjects use subjective data about the use of earplugs and the decrease in noise level by using The Verran-Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale. The fit between the research question and methods are inconclusive because it is based on subjective data and not all the test subjects finished the study.The sample is the test subjects in the study. The participants included men and women over the age of 18 who were admitted to critical care units at a Midwestern US teaching hospital (Scotto, McClusky, Spillan, & Kimmel, 2009). The criteria consisted of subjects who were alert and oriented, able to understand the study, able to give informed consent and mark the tool (Scotto et al. , 2009). The data was collected by having the 100 participants randomly assigned to the earplug intervention or control group.The intervention group was giving instructions on the use of the earplugs during regular sleep hours for one night only removing them briefly for less than 10 minutes at a time for communication purposes (Scotto et al. , 2009). The data was compiled by having the participants complete the Verran-Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale the day following the study. The sleep scale scores were then kept in a locked box until data was entered into an SPSS spreadsheet for analysis to be seen by the research team. The instruments used were soft foam earplugs and the Verran-Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale.The sleep scale measures subjective response to sleep in hospitalized adults (Snyder-Halpern & Verran, 1987). The tool is an eight-item visual analogue instrument that takes about 10 minutes or less to complete ( Snyder-Halpern & Verran, 1987; Richardson, 1997). The pilot study received approval from the Summa Health System internal review board and had an equivalent group post-test-only design (Scotto et al. , 2009). The weakness of the study is the limitation of test subjects and that the data is qualitative.The findings showed that the participants using earplugs during normal sleeping hours fell asleep easier, woke up less, decrease tossing and turning, slept deeper and woke up feeling refreshed. Out of the six different types of earplugs, used patients preferred foam earplugs because they were more comfortable and easier to insert (Chisholm et al. , 2004). I would rate this article a three in difficulty. The overall contribution the study makes to patient care is finding ways to improve patients REM sleep therefore improving outcomes for patients well being.I think that earplug use on all types of floors in a hospital setting would be beneficial to help improve the overall health of the patient. References Chisholm E, Kuchai R, McPartlin D. (2004). An objective evaluation of the waterproofing qualities, ease of insertion, and comfort of commonly available earplugs. Clinical Otolaryngology; 29: 128-132. Honkus V. (2003). Sleep Deprivation in critical care units. Critical Care Nurse; 26: 179-189. Kam P, Kam A, Thompson J. (1994). Noise pollution in the anesthetic and intensive care environments. Anesthesia; 49: 982-986. Kellman N. (2002). Noise in the intensive care nursery.Neonatal Network; 21: 35-41. Lower J, Bonsack C. (2002). High-tech high touch: mission possible? Dimensions of Critical Care; 21: 201-205. Moore M, Nguyen D, Nolan S, Robinson S, Ryals B, Imbries J, Spotnitz W. (1998). Interventions to reduce decibel levels on patient care units. The American Surgeon; 64: 894-899. Olson D, Borel C, Laskowitz D, Moore D, McConnell E. (2001). Quiet time: a nursing intervention to promote sleep in neuro-critical care units. American Journal of Critical Care; 10: 74- 78 Redeker N. (2003). Sleep in acute care settings: an integrative review. Journal of Nursing Scholarship; 32: 31-38 Richardson S. 1997). A comparison of tools for the assessment of sleep pattern disturbances in critically ill adults. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing; 16: 226-242. Scotto C, McClusky C, Spillan S, Kimmel J (2009). Earplugs improve patients’ subjective experience of sleep in critical care. Nursing in Critical Care, 14(4). Snyder-Halpern R, Verran J. (1987). Instrumentation to describe subjective sleep characteristics in healthy subjects. Nursing in Research and Health; 10: 155-163. Wallace C, Robins J, Alvord L, Walker J. (1998). The effects of earplugs in critically ill patients. Sleep; 21(Suppl. ): 234.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Personal & Professional Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Personal & Professional Development - Assignment Example In the discussion henceforth, I will be emphasising my learning throughout the group work in three reflective logs referring to three key activities, which I believe to have imposed a strong impression on my understanding related to the subject matter. In the first activity, I will be giving an account of my experience throughout the group work, including the preparation of the group presentation. In the second and the third activities, I will respectively focus on exhibiting two of my in-class and voluntary works associated with the assignment, which helped me experience the entire process in a better way. The objective of the group assignment was to assess our knowledge of theories and concepts applied in the current scenario of business decision-making. It intended to enrich our critical understanding of the learning, we had gathered throughout the course and allow us to apply those learning in the practical case example. This assignment hence required high degree of interpretive skills, as we had to interpret our learning in order to justify the purpose of the activity, which was concentrated on examining the relationship between diversity and negotiations within a workplace. Proper search skills and analytical skills were also required to ensure that we could apply the theories properly in a comprehensible and a justified manner. Besides, the requirement of good communication skill was also essential in order to structure the entire paper in the most suitable manner that would depict what was intended. As I have already mentioned, prior to the assignment, I possessed only a limited knowledge regarding the two vital variables of our study, i.e. workplace negotiations and diversity considerations. Nevertheless, I must agree that I have always found the management of intellectuals within organisations most intriguing, perhaps owing to the way it works as a

Friday, September 27, 2019

HRM effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

HRM effectiveness - Essay Example He/she also has to take into account the firm's responsibilities to the society that it operates in. Human resource management deals with the "people" dimension in management. In their book Human Resource Management, Byars and Rue, say "Human Resource Management encompasses those activities designed to provide for and coordinate the human resources of an organization (Rue, 2000)." According to Ivancevich and Glueck, "Personnel or Human resource management is the function performed in organizations that facilitates the most effective use of people or employees to achieve organizational and individual goals (Glueck, 1995)." Every organization is composed of people and utilizing their services, developing their skills, motivating them to enhance their levels of performance and ensuring that they remain committed to the organization are essential for the accomplishment of organizational objectives. This is true for all types of organizations - government, business, education, health, recreation and social action. Acquiring and retaining good human resources is an essential pre-condition for the success of every organization. Organizations that can do this will be both effective i.e. they will be able to achieve their goals as well as efficient i.e. they will use minimum resources necessary to achieve their goals. Inefficient or ineffective organizations face the danger of stagnating or going out of business. Competent managers and workers are essential for the coordination of efforts towards the ultimate objectives which ensure the survival of the organization. Though such coordination alone cannot guara ntee success, the lack of it can lead to failure. In the changing times, it has become evident that it is the human resources of an organization or a country that can lead it on the path of success. It is the competencies and attitudes of the human resources that can make or break a business. The business of attracting and retaining talent and nurturing it has become imperative for the development of an organization. Innovative and proactive HR managers have been defining new boundaries of HRM. The turbulent and dynamic markets and the changing values and expectations of the workforce have made the earlier concepts of personnel management irrelevant. A new strategic role has emerged for HRM - that of a key player, to make the organization survive and succeed in a highly competitive business environment. Business has become knowledge based, service oriented, competitive and more dynamic in this new age. The quality of human resources has become an essential factor in determining the success of any organization. In the words of Eric Flamholtz a renowned HR consultant and a Professor at Anderson Graduate School, human resources accounting is defined as "accounting people as organizational resources. Human resources accounting is measurement of the cost and value of people for an organization (Flamholtz, 1999)." Till recently, people were not accounted as resources and no value was attributed to their contribution. However, in recent times, the criticality of the contributions of human resources have been acknowledged and recognized. Hence, the concept of attributing an

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Valued Employee Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Valued Employee Program - Essay Example ?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....10 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.12 Appendix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...13 Appendix A†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...14 Abstract Due to the global recession, the world is also experiencing global employability crisis especially in the country. To answer this problem, new talents must be f ound. This can be achieved by renewing business and management strategies. This would also include a program to enhance talent already in the company. Rewards and recognitions must be given either formally or informally. Other incentives may also be given. Successful implementation of these programs or strategies would contribute to the success of the company. Keywords: Rewards and recognition, valuing employees, global employability crisis Valued Employee Program Introduction â€Å"People are definitely a company's greatest asset because a company is only as good as the people it keeps.† This is a famous quote from Mary Kay Ash, a very successful American businesswoman. For a company to be a globally competitive one, it should know how to make its people competitive at the same time knowing how to keep them for long-term. This means having or discovering new talents and also giving rewards and recognitions to employees. According to Gallop (2006) as cited by Ascent Group (20 08), companies with high levels of employee satisfaction enjoyed higher return on investment. This is what our program wants to achieve. Satisfaction to the employee like rewards, recognitions, benefits, incentives, bonuses and satisfaction to the company in terms of increased sales, revenues and profits and also credibility will be achieved. Labor Force Situation As leaders transition toward growth, there is an increased focus on human capital which involves identifying and actively engaging the most critical employees, rapidly aligning the workforce around change and ensuring getting most of the dollar they spent (Aon Hewitt, 2011). Also, according to ManpowerGroup (2011), talent becomes increasingly difficult to find heading towards a global employability crisis. This means lesser assets to the company. Companies must reconsider work models and workforce strategies to execute their business strategies. Old assumptions on structure and organization of work plus the development of talent must be changed so as not to put the business in danger. These new strategies entail much effort to be put upon. It is becoming more and more difficult to find and engage the right employees (Ascent Group, 2011). Thus, more jobs are being difficult to fill. Based from the 2011 Talent Shortage Survey by the ManpowerGroup, the Top 10 Jobs Employers are Having Difficulty Filling Globally are as follows: 1) technicians; 2) sales representatives; 3) skilled trades workers; 4) engineers; 5) laborers; 6) management/executives; 7) accounting and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critique - Essay Example By inserting the word, â€Å"Indi’s owner,† the impact would be made smooth and the shift not abrupt. The corrected version would run like this: â€Å"Samantha, Indi’s owner, acknowledges ‘Being a pit bull†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Paragraph 3: The paragraph is too long and hard on the eyes. This should be broken in two. The new paragraph may begin with â€Å"BSL fails to address †¦.† as anyway it begins to explain deeper about BSL - a topic distinct different from the earlier idea being discussed which is dog breed and its general link to BSL. Paragraph 5: â€Å"However, that is an average of less than 20 dog-bite related fatalities per year, presumes accurate reporting of dog breed, and does not take total number of dogs in the breed in the general population into account.† Delete â€Å"is† in â€Å"is an average† and the thought will be clear. Paragraph 9: â€Å"The popularity of particular breeds ebbs and flows, in the 70s Dobermans were popular, in the 80s ‘pit bulls’ were†¦.† Colon instead should be used after the word, â€Å"flows† since a long enumeration begins on the topic of dog breeds by the decades. The outline of the article runs this way. Indi is introduced as champion dog, followed by the negative reputation of Pit Bull Terrier breed and what Indi has to endure for being of this breed. How â€Å"pit bull† breed came into controversy is discussed next, beefed by statistics on dog bites that are not based on breed. BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) is enacted on state-wide level then because of reported dog viciousness. Medical studies on dog bites come next, but these studies do not highlight breed. Statistics on dog-attacks are compared to non-fatal dog bites. From here, BSL being enacted based on breed incidents is described. BSL is hitting the wrong nail, it is argued, and that it is an ineffective response to sensationalized issues. The presumptions of BSL and why it is ineffective are considered. Because there is no decrease in dog attacks despite

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Two rhetorical analysis paragraphs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Two rhetorical analysis paragraphs - Essay Example For example, she digs with acute intelligence into assisted killing of patients with long history of depression and stress by sympathetic doctors. Her debate targets such sympathetic doctors who in the name of sympathy end lives when all their patients need is proper mental health care and a little compassion. Acton’s take on the highly complicated subject of assisted suicide is quite intriguing because it leaves readers immersed in intricate thought processes. It also urges readers to question their beliefs about assisted suicide. It motivates many readers to change their opinion and assume that assisted suicide is not actually progressive, rather opposing it makes a person progressive in every literal sense of the word. In context of the Aristotelian Appeals, Acton is found using logical appeals to augment her argument. For example, she is seen making a logical appeal when she provides succinct case studies of patients pertaining to idea being promoted. Acton does not fire a rrow in thin air as she has years of professional experience of helping people with problems. On grounds of such concrete experience, she advocates the idea of opposing assisted suicide as it is actually a way of facilitating untimely demise of a patient with a physical or mental health issue. In contrast to Ana Acton who takes a self-proclaimed progressive approach to the highly controversial subject of assisted suicide, George Dvorsky is seen doing exactly the opposite in his equally insightful and informative article. Information provided by the author in this article can also be characterized as logical because evidence is provided to appeal the case. Also, Dvorsky makes use of ethical appeals in his article and benefits from them to a remarkable extent. For example, the audience is reminded of how ethically and morally responsible they can become by defending people’s right to die. Dvorsky’s stance is that opposing assisted suicide is

Monday, September 23, 2019

How did the designations aliens ineligible for citizenship and the Research Proposal

How did the designations aliens ineligible for citizenship and the yellow peril negatively affect Asian Americans in the years prior to 1952 - Research Proposal Example Second, this designation led to separated or hurt families (Hutchison 44). Such families suffered mental effects because of this designation. Male-controlled familial structures among Asian Americans were not common in the United States before 1952. The statistical and social supremacy of Chinese males, together with domestic separation and customary diversity extended the assimilation procedure for Asian immigrants. This is the third negative effect of this designation that also allowed the dominant perception of Asian Americans as alien immigrants (Brilliant 34). Fourth, the â€Å"Aliens Ineligible for Citizenship† policy led to increased demands for Asian prostitution because of the absence of Asian women (Brilliant 34). Frequently disguised as business wives, selected Americans drew or bought and shipped women from Asian nations like China to serve as prostitutes in the United States. Shortly afterwards, Asian prostitution was perceived as an annoyance alongside West Coast and legislators responded by passing the Page Law in 1875. This law enabled customs officials at ports to refute entrance to Asian women believed to be imminent prostitutes in the United States (Brilliant 36). The designation â€Å"Yellow Peril† radically transformed into one of the approvals as Asian success tales began becoming increasingly common all through the American community (Allred 58). Before this transformation, this policy was the source of some of the worst discriminations against Asian Americans in history. This designation coined the phrase â€Å"model minority† to refer to Asian in the United States (Allred 61). This phrase acted as a model for other minorities. As a result, Asian Americans became a widespread outcast in America and suffered more discrimination than any other minority group. Secondly, as a type of subtle discrimination, the â€Å"Yellow Peril† designation fostered the spread

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Political Realism Essay Example for Free

Political Realism Essay According to realists, the conduct of international leaders differs very little from the conduct of a leader of a criminal organization. Realists’ underlying assumption, i. e. that the international system is in the condition of perpetual anarchy, is close to how crime bosses perceive the neverending competition between different gangs, clans or â€Å"crime families†, like the one Tony Soprano heads. Just like in relations between competing crews or between criminals and the government, no progress towards lasting peace is possible in international relations. International relations are by definition conflictual, unlike domestic matters of a state, since there is no supreme authority over sovereign subject which would possess monopoly on force similar to the one a state has on its territory. Conflicts in international relations, according to realists, are always resolved by the use of force. Here the analogy of Tony Soprano is particularly applicable, since he has killed at least eight people. Similarly, power in international relations, according to realists, is associated with military superiority and ability to defeat enemies. Crime families pursue their own interests using resources they command, but they are well aware of resources and capabilities of their competitors. The same way states in international relations make calculations of their power and interests vs. power and interests of their rivals. Therefore, intelligence information (everything that can be used against competitors) is equally valuable in international relations and criminal activity. Peace and stability is only possible when a durable balance of power exists that reflects actual standing of great powers on the international arena. The same happens in the criminal world. Although gangs and crime families have no moral obligations towards each other, they can sometimes cooperate against a common enemy (states on their part form international alliances). Balance of power among criminal organizations is of a paramount importance for peace and quiet in a city or neighborhood. As Sullivan (2000) informs, criminal groups sustain â€Å"spatial or economic spheres of influence – ‘turf’ or ‘markets’† (p. 86). The states act the same way when they perceive certain regions of the world as their spheres of influence. For the U. S. , the Middle East is a region of strategic importance, as its enduring military presence there clearly indicates. Similarly, Russia â€Å"is treating the former Soviet republics as a priority†¦in an effort both to obtain lucrative assets and to enhance its political influence† (Trenin 2006, p. 91). Realists also believe that there is a difference between private and political morality: for the public and private spheres, there should be different codes of ethical conduct, and some actions inacceptable in private morality terms can be indispensable in politics. This argument can be perhaps extended further to state that different ethical codes are applied to domestic matters and international relations: some actions that would be deemed inacceptable by domestic publics are carried out in or against foreign states, sometimes with the approval of the population at home. Here, an interesting example is the involvement of Henry Kissinger in the uprooting of Allende’s democratic regime in Chile. While it would be a plausible to assume Kissinger believed that democracy served the interests of American people (since he hasn’t made attempts to subvert the public order), he has been reported to comment on the Chilean election of socialist Alllende in the following way: â€Å"The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves† (cited in Zarembka 2006, p. ix). He has in fact denied that Chileans had a right to elect their own leaders, while Americans could teach other countries about right and wrong. In everyday life, this would be referred to as hypocrisy; however, according to political realists, this is how politics is made on the daily basis. In a similar fashion, many crime bosses are good at maintaining two distinct sets of values, one to be applied to intra-organizational matters and another one for the rest of the world. Inside their â€Å"crime family†, gangsters exhibit such qualities as loyalty, honesty, and nobility. All criminal organizations have a code of conduct that is strictly enforced, although such codes have little to do with morality and ethics in the conventional sense. That is why to the outside world, they appear as cruel, self-interested beasts. Similarly, political leaders have to maintain two sets of values: in their private affairs, they have to be an example of integrity and righteousness, as the scandal with Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky shows. Also, they have to be good to their electorates and even political rivals. However, in international relations, they are expected to defend vital interests of their country with determination and firmness. The Road to War This section will look into strange and unusual circumstances and events that lead to wars. The extent to which types of government and domestic publics have an impact on war proneness of states will be discussed. At a first glance, the recent U. S. attack of Iraq is an example of a war between a democracy and undemocratic country, so it is not particularly applicable for testing the democratic peace theory. In fact, the official reason for going to Iraq, as Scowcroft (2002) reports, was regime change: Saddam Hussein oppressed his own people and posed a threat to international security. It was exactly the undemocratic nature of Iraq that made it a tangible threat to the U. S. ; it was deemed that its democratization would automatically provide for peace. Saddam was portrayed as a leader that was impossible to deter by diplomatic means, sanctions, or the threat of force, therefore the invasion was deemed the only viable option for preventing Iraq from acquiring and deploying WMD (Mearsheimer Walt 2003). However, even before the actual deployment, there were forces in the foreign policy establishment calling for a more careful balancing of various U. S. interests at home and abroad. The war on Iraq, as Scowcroft (2002) then argued, would divert U. S. resources from other important pursuits such as the war on terror or resolution of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As the difficulties in Iraq have powerfully brought home, realism for the U. S. nowadays does not mean the use of force but rather refraining from it. The Bush doctrine implied going to war and falling out with allies for the sake of furthering American ideals (Rose 2005), on the aforementioned assumption that democratization is a necessary prerequisite for peace. This neoconservative line is sometimes referred to as â€Å"democratic transformationalism†, which is essentially liberal interventionism (Goldberg 2005). In his second term, however, Bush has been increasingly more inclined towards realism and looking out for actual American interests. To that end, he mended relations with Europe and returned to negotiating with rogue states (Rose 2005). This is in line with the need to balance one’s power and interests against those of other great powers. Such a change in orientation once again suggests that changes in leadership have a significant bearing on the war-proneness of a democratic state, a conclusion Elman (1997) has reached after analyzing the 1982 war between Israel and Lebanon. While no change of leadership has taken place in the U. S. , a change in President’s orientation and some reshuffle in the foreign policy establishment were responsible for the shift. While people like Henry Kissinger are vilified as amoral hypocrites, moralism in foreign policy has never led to anything good for the U. S. : Harry Truman was responsible for the Korean War, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson have initiated the Vietnam War, and Bill Clinton has presided over the Balkan conflict and a deterioration of relations with China. However, right- or left-wing moralists have almost always been succeeded by realists and foreign policy pragmatists who helped to clear the mess (Rose 2005). This mirrors the discussion by Postel (2004) of how democracy-spreading ambitions of George W. Bush worry American realists (together with libertarians and traditionalists). Realism’s main assumption is the primacy of state sovereignty, therefore an interference into the affairs of another state is only justified if an existential threat exists to one’s own country. Before that point is reached, â€Å"the internal organization of another country is [not] any of our business† (Goldberg 2005, para. 25). A far more important reason to worry about the spread of â€Å"democratic transformationalism† is the human and economic cost of it. As Johnson (2000) clearly shows, the U. S. is an overextended empire struggling to sustain its military commitments abroad, and â€Å"the people of the United States are neither militaristic enough nor rich enough to engage in the perpetual police actions, wars, and bailouts their government’s hegemonic policies will require† (p. 221). This argument suggests that populations at home ultimately have some say over foreign policy or at least over the economic cots of overseas military exercises. This point will be explored in greater detail further in this section. The supporters of â€Å"democratic transformationalism† think that the threat posed by Saddam at the turn of the century was the natural consequence of the limited nature of the U. S. intervention during the first Gulf War. Then the U. S. , in accordance with the U. N. mandate, focused on removal of Iraq from Kuwait and not the removal of Saddam from Iraq. Neoconservatives called it â€Å"an unfinished job†: the focus on stability instead of democratization has lead to the current mess, in their opinion (Goldberg 2005). Some commentators believe that the sole reason why the U. S. did not go to Iraq then was the â€Å"Vietnam syndrome† (Ferguson 2004). While historical evidence is mixed wit regard to the democratic peace theory (and therefore the feasibility of â€Å"democratic transformationalism†), it is too early to dismiss it as trivial. This theory might as well be applicable in the 21st century, even if it has failed for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, for two major reasons. First of all, with the advent of new technologies, the level of interconnectedness between peoples of the world has increased dramatically. Citizens of democratic states enjoy unrestricted access to the Internet and the ability to travel to other democratic countries, usually without a visa. Therefore, public opinion in a democratic country is unlikely to support a military action against another democratic country, since there are personal ties between citizens of both, or the consumption of cultural products from another country (e. g. French cinema or Danish design) has created an emotional attachment to a foreign land. The EU can be held up as a prime example. The European continent has been at war for most of its existence. However, nowadays no one can imagine a war between two EU members. Perhaps it was not the participation in common decision-making institutions (which are still weak and contested) but the strength of people-to-people contacts (encouraged by student mobility programs, the rise of an international professional class, cross-border marriages, and even the proposed mobility program for military staff) that has delivered the change. A valid objection to this reasoning would be that professionalization of armies has diminished the level of control publics have over armed forces. As Johnson (2000) explains, for most of the 20th century, national armies were formed by universal conscription, by volunteers, or by a combination of both. It was of paramount importance to sustain patriotic spirit among troops and persuade them by means of propaganda that an enemy poses an existential threat to their nation. If states failed to maintain a firmness of purpose among soldiers, insubordination, desertion and sabotage render an army effectively non-battleworthy. However, professional soldiers perceive their mission merely as a special kind of employment. Although states still initiate massive campaigns to convince their publics of necessity of a war, like it was in the case of Iraq, professional soldiers would be ready to battle any enemy their state commanded them to. Moreover, a state can hire private security providers to wage wars for them. Although there was no case when a war was waged by using such providers only, the involvement of private military companies (PMC) and private security companies (PSC) in Iraq has received a lot of attention (Singer 2004). Thus, a government can still wage a war against another country in opposition to domestic public opinion by relying on a professional armies or private security provides.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Projection & people Essay Example for Free

Projection people Essay The way a person projects him r herself affects how people perceive him or her as an individual. A person can either have a positive or a negative self-image. In the workplace, a poplar employee has a positive self-image and high self-esteem while an unpopular one has a negative self-image. People live through each day trying to project a positive self-image. Self-image is how one views himself, which includes the strengths and weaknesses that a person believes he or she has (Selk and Wilkins 69). For other people, self-image is about self-impressions that can give them confidence with regards to their actions and thoughts. If a person projects a positive self-image, he or she will be perceived by people around him or her as a capable person (â€Å"What is Self-Image? †). Self-image is related to self-esteem; wherein the latter is about believing that one is capable, lovable, and treats other people with respect (Clarke xi). Having a high self-esteem can affect the person, as self-esteem can affect how he or she feels about him or herself. Self-esteem can also make someone look good, productive, and effective (Clarke 5). All these things can contribute to the happiness of the person (â€Å"What is Self-Image? †). This is especially true in the workplace. There would always be someone who rises above the rest, and then there would be someone who might as well have seemed invisible. This has something to do with the way that a person projects him or herself towards other people. Self-image and self-esteem can make people stand out. A person who has a positive self-image is happy, has a healthy self-esteem, and feels independent and competent. Some people would say that image is everything. The manner at which someone sees him or herself is an important aspect that can influence his or her behavior and how that person relates to the people around him or her. A popular employee in the workplace exudes a positive self-image and self-esteem which then attracts other people. Researches have shown that self-image can affect one’s job performance. There are some people whose work ethic was influenced by self-image. Others found out that once they change their negative self-image into a positive one, it can help them get through tough times at work. Having a positive self-image can also eliminate any negative thought and doubts. Those who have a positive self-image believe in themselves and in what they can do. They can also turn away from things that could pull them down (Selk and Wilkins 75). An employee whom nobody seems to notice has the opposite characteristics. Having a low concept of self-image has adverse effects. This employee doubts him or herself and the things that he or she can do. This is because there is no one to praise the person’s achievements. Many of unpopular employees are also treated inferiorly by others. This in turn leads them to lose confidence on their abilities. Also, they will tend to make self-debasing comments. Researches have also pointed out that these people are at risk of depression (â€Å"Self-Image†). People do not approach someone of these characteristics because he or she has no confidence and projects him or herself negatively. Furthermore, a person with negative self-image does not have much confidence in relationships. Thus, he or she does not have many friends (Perera). Self-image is how one perceives him or herself. It is an important aspect for people to improve their job and relationships. A person who projects him or herself positively will be liked by everyone. This person possesses positive thoughts and feelings. A person with negative self-image, on the other hand, tends to be ignored in the workplace because he or she projects negatively to others. This kind of individual has low opinion of him or herself and of his or her own performance; and as such, this person tends to be treated inferiorly. Works Cited Clarke, Jean Illsley. Self-Esteem: A Family Affair. United States: Hazelden, 1998. Perera, Karl. 2008. â€Å"Self-Image – What does it Mean? † More Self-Esteem. 17 March 2009 http://www. more-selfesteem. com/selfimage. htm. â€Å"Self-Image. † 2009. Truth Media Internet Group. 17 March 2009 http://truthmedia. com/resources/self-image/. â€Å"What is Self-Image? † n. d. Mountain state, Centers for Independent Learning. 17 March 2009 http://www. mtstcil. org/skills/image-1. html.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Examining the Strategic Plans for Growth PepsiCo

Examining the Strategic Plans for Growth PepsiCo PepsiCo, Incorporated is a Fortune 500, American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, with interests in manufacturing and marketing a wide variety of carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, as well as salty, sweet and cereal-based snacks, and other foods. Besides the Pepsi brands, the company owns the brands Quaker Oats, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, SoBe, Naked, Tropicana, Copella, Mountain Dew, Mirinda and 7 Up (outside the USA). The various strategic plans for managing and developing the growth of PepsiCo are as follows:- INTENSIVE GROWTH (Identifying the opportunities to achieve further growth within the current business) Product -market expansion grid is useful framework for detecting new intensive growth opportunities Market penetration strategy(The company first considers whether it could gain more market share with its current products in the current markets): Headquartered in Purchase, New York, with Research and Development Headquarters in Valhalla, The Pepsi Cola Company began in 1898 by a NC Pharmacist and Industrialist Caleb Brad ham, but it only became known as PepsiCo when it merged with Frito Lay in 1965.Major products of both the companies were before they got merged were- Pepsi-Cola Company Pepsi-Cola was formulated in 1898, Diet Pepsi (1964) and Mountain Dew (introduced by Tip Corporation in 1948). Frito-Lay, Inc. Fritos brand corn chips (created by Elmer Doolin in 1932), Lays brand potato chips (created by Herman W. Lay in 1938), Cheetos brand cheese flavored snacks (1948), Ruffles brand potato chips (1958) and Rold Gold brand pretzels (acquired 1961). So, the Pepsi -cola and Frito-Lay both were amongst the renowned and best sellers till they got merged. Market development strategy (next it considers whether it can find or develop new markets for its current products)-Pepsi-Cola was considered a takeover target not only because it ran a distant second in the soft drink sector to industry giant Coca-Cola Company, but also because little of the companys stock was in the hands of management. Following the creation of PepsiCo, however, the new companys directors held a much larger proportion of shares, with Lay holding a 2.5 percent stake himself. A second force behind the merger was Frito-Lays desire to more aggressively pursue overseas markets. The companys sales had largely been restricted to the United States and Canada, but it could now take advantage of Pepsis strong international operations, through which Pepsi products were sold in 108 countries. Product development strategy A third force was the perceived synergy between salty snacks and soft drinks. As Kendall succinctly related to Forbes in 1968, Potato chips make you thirsty; Pepsi satisfies thirst. The plan was to jointly market PepsiCos snacks and soft drinks, thereby giving Pepsi a potential advantage in its ongoing battle with Coke. Unfortunately, these plans were eventually scuttled by the resolution of a Federal Trade Commission antitrust suit brought against Frito-Lay in 1963. The FTC ruled in late 1968 that PepsiCo could not create tie-ins between Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola products in most of its advertising. PepsiCo was also barred from acquiring any snack or soft drink maker for a period of ten years. integrative growth INTEGRATIVE GROWTH (Identifying opportunities to build or acquire business that are related to current business) Each company faces challenge of selection between different marketing strategies of growth. PepsiCo has a bunch of strategies called integrated growth strategies to: Expand Global Leadership Position of the Snacks Business. PepsiCo is global snacks leader of the world, with No. 1 savory category of the share position in the virtually each key region around the globe. They have advantaged position for entire value chain in over more than 40 developing and developed regions in which they operate as the capitalization on the local manufacturing and the optimized go-to-the-market capabilities in every region, thus also the ability to have introduced the relevant products locally by using the global capabilities. Ensure Sustainable, Profitable Growth in Global Beverages. When combined with actions they are taking to refresh their brands across the entire beverage category, they believe this game-changing transaction will enable them to accelerate their top-line growth and also improve their profitability. They continue to view the significant areas of the global beverage growth, specifically in the developing markets or in the evolving categories. They will thus invest in the attractive opportunities and concentrating in the geographies and the categories in which they the leader or the close second and where competitive game thus remains widely open. Unleash the Power of Power of One. Combination of the snacks and the beverages-with the global high-demand and the local brands thus makes the company an essential and needful partner for the small-format as well as the large-format retailers. Rapidly Expand Our Good-for-You Portfolio. By investing to thus accelerate growth of the platforms, and they are using the knowledge from the initiatives to improve their beverage offerings and the core snack and thus also developing high nutritious products for the undernourished people around the world. Continue to deliver the commitments and the Environmental Sustainability Goals. They actively work with their farmers to promote sustainable agriculture and thus developing the packaging alternatives in both the beverages and snacks to thus reduce impact on environment. Cherish the Associates and Developing Leadership to thus sustain the Growth. By implementing tailored training programs to provide managers and the senior executives with leadership and strategic capabilities that are required in the rapidly changing environment. diversification growth DIVERSIFICATION GROWTH (identifying opportunities to add attractive business unrelated to current business) the US based company thus conducted the restructuring exercise in the year 1997-98 by thus spinning-off the restaurants and the bottling businesses. Restructuring was thus aimed to achieve the improved and increased focus on companys snack food operations (Frito-Lay) and core beverage (Pepsi-Cola). By thus successfully adopting new focus strategy since the year 1997, the company has thus emerged as second largest packaged consumer goods company (terms of the revenues) in world. By thus acquiring the leading beverages companies like the Tropicana (July 1998), the South Beach Beverage (October 2000) and the Quaker Oats company (December 2000), company has thus significantly strengthened the competitive position in beverages segment.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Following In The Footsteps :: Personal Narrative Teaching Education Essays

Following In The Footsteps When I was growing up, I was always around the teaching profession. My mother is an educator and I had always been told that I would make a great educator too because my mother was a teacher. They said it was in my blood. I was never too sure about that. I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I did not know if teaching would be right for me. I did not know until the summer after graduating from high school; the summer I found my calling in life. At the time I did not know it, but the summer after graduating from high school would be one of the greatest summers of my life. During this summer, I became involved in a program called Energy Express. In this program, I had my own classroom of approximately ten students. I instructed these students in improving their reading and writing skills. I became more deeply involved with the program as the summer progressed and I fell in love with the art of teaching. Until this time, I did not know of anything that gave me the type of joy that teaching gives me. I had not known what a thrill that it would be for me to watch a child that could not read at all in June, read very well by the time August came around. I knew for sure after my summer was over with Energy Express that I wanted to be an educator, but not just any educator. I want to be the teacher that has a lasting impact on the lives of every single student that comes into my classroom. During my tenure with Energy Express and in my Education classes at Concord College, I have developed my teaching philosophy. I believe very strongly in cooperative learning, meaning that students should be heavily involved in the classroom by participating in group activities and discussions. By participating in a discussion and/or hands-on lesson, the student is more likely to retain what he or she has been taught. I also believe that teachers should do their absolute best to inspire the children to learn by making the classroom a fun place to learn, but at the same time having structure and discipline.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

An Argument Against Gun Control Essay -- Firearms Brady Bill

The Gun Control issue has sparked major controversy in America today. People who support gun control feel that guns are the reason for the soaring crime rate in our country. I disagree with the supporters of gun control. I feel that because of the black market, violent criminals being released from prison early, and the need to ensure personal safety, stricter gun control will have very little impact on violent crime in America. I believe that gun control works in theory, but not in real life. Sure, there are many violent crimes where guns are used, but most of these guns are obtained illegally, because the gun control laws enforced are not enough. With the growing gun-related crime rate in the United States today, many bills have been proposed to control guns. The most popular of these bans is The Brady Bill. The bill focuses on semi-automatic handguns. People wishing to buy a handgun will have to answer a federal questionnaire. The person’s background will be checked thoroughly for criminal records or records of past mental illness. The process should only take five days. This five day waiting period, or the â€Å"cooling off† period, is supposed to allow a person’s temper to cool down. The Brady Bill claims that people act on impulse. A person’s temper can interfere with his/her ability to think clearly; he/she is angry, so a gun is bought to get revenge. I have no problem with the Brady Bill, because it has stopped crime, but not enough. A bill was passed by former U.S. President George Bush which banned the production of nine types of assault weapons and the importation of forty-three types of assault weapons. Bush felt that assault weapons were responsible for majority of the violent crimes committed in the United States. Field & Stream writer, David E. Petzal agreed with Bush stating that, â€Å"Assault weapons are designed to put out a high volume of fire with a high degree of controllability. The only purpose these firearms have is to kill people† (27). Gun related crime is still very common. In the past, over 20,000 gun control bills have been passed through Congress, and crime is still running rampant through America’s streets. The National Firearms Act of 1934 was the first federal gun law to be passed. This act imposed a two hundred-dollar excise tax on the sale of fully automatic weapons. The Gun Control Act of 1968 made it a requirement for all... ... they are still getting them. As you can see, there is no way this controversy will be easily solved. There in no solution that will make both sides happy. Congress could pass gun control laws banning semi automatic handguns, and restricting other guns, but gun owners, including collectors would be unhappy. If Congress doesn’t pass gun control laws, the paranoid citizens of America would be unhappy. Taking the black market, self-defense, and collectors into consideration, the United States should not use gun control laws to try to reduce crime. Works Cited Bender, David L. Gun Control. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1992. Brister, Bob. â€Å"SHOT Therapy.† Field & Stream, May 1994, 82-84. Dolan, Edward F., Jr. Gun Control. New York: Franklin Watts, 1982. Hinds, Micheal deCourcy. â€Å"A Gun Dealer’s Story.† New York Times 6 June 1994: 13(A). Petzal, David E. â€Å"Reveille.† Field & Stream June 1994: 26-27 Simon, Jonathan. â€Å"The NRA Under Fire.† Public Citizen, July/August 1989: 9. Witken, Gordon. â€Å"A Suprising Ban on Assault Weapons.† U.S. News & World Report 16 May 1994: 31. Wright, James D. Taking Sides. Guilford Connecticut: The Dushkin Publishing

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

A Global Language: English Language Essay

English is an international language spoken all over the world that was originally borrowed from the world. If English is used as a global language, there might be some advantages related to communication and business. However, there are also several disadvantages in terms of losing mother tongue and taking time and money. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages, so English should be made the global language. The first essential affirmative point is communication. There are more than 200 countries in the world. If everyone could speak English, they may have the ability to communicate with others whenever they are in strange countries. Furthermore, using English, people can have more friends, widen peer relationships with foreigners and can not get lost. Overall, English becomes a global language; people may have more chances in communication.Another crucial advantage is improving business. If English was spoken widespread and everyone could use it, they would likely have more opportunities in business. Foreign investments from rich countries might be supported to the poorer countries. For instance, a company and its proponents would be able to discuss, understand each other and develop the projects together. The first disadvantage of issue is losing mother language. If English used as a global language, people may use it both at work and daily life. Children and teenagers might prefer to watch English cartoons or movies. Gradually, they make mistake when they use their mother languages. It can not be imagine if English is only one language in the world. Another serious negative point is taking much time and money. Old generation might need to study English to communicate with the youth ages. In addition, educational curriculum system could be changed to be suitable for the reform. These processes need quite long time and a large amount of money. In conclusion, using English as a global language has both advantages and disadvantages. It is useful for communicating and business while could lead to be lost mother tongue and take much time and money.

Monday, September 16, 2019

How I Learned to Play the Guitar

How I Learned to Play the Guitar Guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments to learn because of its versatility and portability. When I was in high school, I had an abundance of leisure time. I wanted to do something meaningful and fun instead of wasting time on playing video games, so I decided to learn a musical instrument. Honestly speaking, I was a good singer; however, singing without a musical instrument to accompany me seemed strange. That is why I made up my mind to learn to play the guitar.Now I realize that I made a wise decision. To learn to play the guitar, I bought a guitar and a guitar pick. In addition, like playing other instruments, learning to play the guitar requires the love of music, perseverance, and patience. I learned some basic knowledge about the guitar and how to tune it. To illustrate, the neck of the guitar is divided by the strings from the left to the right and by the frets into sections from the top to the bottom. Moreover, every guitar has six strings and each string has a different size and note value.Each time before playing, I need to tune the strings. The tuning process is important for getting the right sound when I play. Next, I began to learn to play the chords, which are made up of different combination of notes. Each time I played the chords, a unique sound was created. The knowledge of the function of the frets and strings helped me identify the chords’ locations easily. There are a lot of chords on the guitar, but I could only memorize the most common chords.I could search for other chords online when I needed them. Now I can play the most important and fundamental five ‘major’ chords. I spend more than 30 minutes every day practicing without looking at the diagram of chords. At first, I strummed the strings slowly to see if all the strings rang clearly. When I could naturally play different chords, I would switch my fingers from one chord to another as quickly and precisely as possible. In this way, I could connect several chords together to make a song.There are many different types of scales, each with different characteristics, note patterns and musical qualities on the guitar. Playing improvisation means playing the scales in different orders. I also learned some techniques to enrich improvising, like mute, vibrato technique, advanced bend and so on. All the different techniques made improvisation fun and diverse. With the encouragement of my professor, I became very enthusiastic about playing the guitar. I carried my guitar everywhere and strummed notes whenever I was free.Before long, my fingertips developed calluses and the pain abated. Also, the more flexible and the stronger my fingers became, the easier I could play the chords. My fingers’ flexibility and strength turned out to be essential for improvisation on the guitar scales. At last, after learning to play the guitar for three months, I could play one of my favorite songs, ‘Time of Your Life’ by Green Day and some other songs with simple tunes. Then I quit my class and decided to learn to play the guitar by myself.Because I knew, practice makes perfect, in order to be a better and more skillful player, I had to practice more. I began to search music scores and videos online, and I followed them to learn new songs. Many uploaded videos on YouTube teach how to play different songs, and I benefited greatly from them. It took me some time to learn a new song, but the process was always fun and enjoyable. Even though I stopped going to the guitar class, I knew what to do and where to go to improve my skills. The most important lesson I learned about playing the guitar is that practice makes perfect.The only way to become a good guitar player is to practice every day. It has been said that professional guitar players practice 8 hours a day, so I knew there was a long way for me to go to become a good player. I am very delighted to say that I can play and sing qui te a few songs at the same time. It has been rewarding to learn to play the acoustic guitar, as it has opened up a whole new universe of expression, conversation and real pleasure. It also has been a great way to make friends, so it was worth making the effort to learn it.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Gin Act DBQ

In eighteenth-century England, the English saw a huge rise in the popularity and sale of Gin. Gin slowly (from 1701 to 1751) gained much favor over beer and peeked in 1741 out consuming beer times six (Doc. 1). As Gin sales started to take over the sale of beer, the government saw this as an opportunity to make taxes and restraints on the sale of Gin to benefit the government. As this persisted, The Gin Act of 1751 was instated. This act is one way that the government made sure that Gin sale did not get out of hand. Although in the preamble of the Gin Act of 1751 it states that Parliament assembled, ever attentive to the preservation and health of your Majesty’s subjects, I believe that Parliament had a more financial goal rather than health goal. As these restraints and taxes were brought upon people who produced Gin, there were mixed feelings on how these restraints would affect the community and the common welfare of the people. Citizens used many aspects of society to gain ground behind their opinions on the restrictions on the sale of Gin. Many citizens were in fact for the restraints because of the occupation they worked, the religion they belonged to, or the position they held in government. Other citizens felt the exact opposite. Many felt that the restrictions of Gin sale were not just and would not allow for citizens â€Å"relief or support of nature† (Doc. 8). Others were pushing towards a more neutral view on if Gin was bad or good. This type of people was indirectly affected by the sale of Gin but wanted to have their opinions stated. Amongst the many motives that citizens had to favor the restrictions on Gin, one was to better the common welfare of the people. William Hogarth showed so perfectly, in his work Gin Lane that he believes that Gin degrades the people which degrade the city. In his painting of Gin Lane, he shows how much people don’t care about their city and their fellow neighbors. He shows this through the many buildings falling apart and many drunken people. He is showing how much Gin is ruining the city and the people (Doc. 11). William Hogarth then shows through the painting of Beer Street how much better of an idea to slow the consumption of Gin and up the consumption of beer would be. It depicts a calm very clean and orderly city. Although drinking and enjoying themselves, all the citizens of the city are all cohesive and working their job as they should (Doc. 12). People were worried since the production of Gin has gone up significantly and that the price has gone down that drunkenness would become the characteristic of the people. Meaning all the poor would get drunk and corrupt the city life and generations to come because of the low Gin price (Doc. 13). Since a majority of people in England worked long and hard weeks, gin was considered harmful because people would work so many hours that when the weekend would come, they would come drink glass after glass until they were cursing at each other and quarreling and making a scene (Doc 3). gin lowered people's morals and made their behavior more atrocious as well as destroying some of the Kings men which was not attractive to the common person (Doc 7). It was once stated in a speech at Parliament that â€Å"Gin not only infatuates the mind but poisons the body; it not only fills our streets with madness and our prisons with criminals†. This just shows how much people believe that Gin is to blame for vagabonds on the streets and criminals. These people are worried about their well being and want to support restrictions on the sale of Gin. Some citizens approved and supported the sale of Gin in England. England at that time had already gone through the Agriculture Revolution. The new technologies brought by the Revolution had tripled England's wheat supply and had forced the sale and demand of wheat to plummet. People supported gin because it could help them as well as their government by providing relief from the over production of wheat. This remedy would in turn produce more demand and improve sales (Doc 1). Even England's climate aided in the sale of gin. Englishmen and women at that time worked very long hours either in their home or working for another family. When it came time for the weekend, gin was considered a relief or an out to people’s problems. Since England's weather was often foggy, cold, and damp, gin would relieve people from their hardships (Doc 8). William Pulteney is a great example of someone who needed Gin sales to go up because it depended on his finances. Pulteney was a landowner who probably had wheat on the land; therefore he obviously was against the restrictions and for the sale of Gin because if Gin sellers didn’t want his wheat anymore because beer took Gin over, he would be kicked off his land (Doc. 4). Many people saw how easy government put these taxes on Gin, so why couldn’t they do the same to property. People felt very violated after this (Doc. 5). Grain was distilled to make Gin and Daniel Defoe felt that this was a great way to support Gin and to gain from it too (Doc. 2). There was also a neutral side of people who really didn’t care if Gin was good or bad but they were indirectly affected by it and demanded a say. On one account, John Wesley, a Methodist who believes that drunkenness is a means of removal from religious society, therefore is strongly against the mass sale of Gin. This is just one example of how Gin indirectly affected a religious man. Another person who could get stuck in the crossfire is someone in a government position. A member of parliament who is always worried about the King and if he is pleased, is obviously against the restrictions but in a different way. This member of parliament is mainly only worried about the King and really has not correlation to Gin except in the pocket book. In eighteenth century England, government was attempting to restrict the sale of Gin throughout England. Many people did not want Gin and were for restriction on Gin either because of how it reflected on the city or how it affected someone’s job. Others strongly though that Gin was helping the economy and was keeping wheat owners in business. There was also a part of people who took a more neutral stand on weather Gin was good or bad. Although many opinions on this topic, all were centered on the way the person lived and their position in society.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Character Analysis of Devdas in the Novel and Movie

After his wealthy family prohibits him from marrying the woman he is in love with, Devdas Mukherjee's life spirals further and further out of control as he takes up alcohol and a life of vice to numb the pain. An epic love story set in the 1900s which reveals a portrait of love destroyed by class differences, family pressures, and character weaknesses. Devdas is the wealthy son of a high-caste landlord. His best friend growing up, whom he loved dearly, was Paro, the daughter of a low-caste family. After moving to London, Devdas returns home after ten years to find that Paro is about to be married off to a rich landowner. Devdas sinks into alcoholism, and is later visited by Paro who admits to still loving him. Devdas film based on the Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novella Devdas. Devdas Mukherjee, is a slacker, though sensitive and talented. His daily chore is to spend time with his childhood friend, Parvati, the Mukherjees' neighbor, who belongs to a middle-class family. Devdas is sent away abroad so that he can improve himself. Several years, upon his return, things have not changed, his dad still regards him as a slacker, though Devdas is welcomed by the rest of his family, the welcome could have been warmer had Devdas chosen not to visit Parvati (Paro), rather than his own mother. Devdas and Paro are in love, and hope to marry. But Devdas' dad has other plans, vehemently opposing marriage to a lower caste family, and as a result Paro gets married to a much older widower with grown-up children her age, and Devdas leaves home, becomes an alcoholic, a womanizer, who is unable to get Paro out of his mind, loving and hating her at the same time. Devdas meets with courtesan, Chandramukhi, and ends up falling in love with her also, thus getting her a bad reputation. Then Paro decides to talk Chandramukhi out of getting Devdas away from alcohol, to which Chandramukhi agrees, but the question remains whether they will act in time to stop Devdas before he self-destructs. The joy-ride starts with all the glitter and shine of a Hollywood classic, it sails through the emotions and ends up at the death.. so real and reality is the biggest plus of this great movie. Its loud in dialogues as the feudal society of early 20th century in India was and is not overpowered with emotions†¦ s the people from that class should have been (expressive yet graceful). Technically it remains the best ever Indian film and one of the best around the world. Well done Bhansali. In acting Aish does wonders.. Madhuri has shown why she is the queen of the bollywood and Shahrukh khan has reached where no Indian actor would have ever reached.. I have seen Dilip sahab's Devdas too and bowing to the greatness of Dilip Sahab let me say,†Shahrukh did it better than him†. Dialogues, sequences, frames, music and acting all there to give you a treat to watch.. movie in which one finds the glimpses of one's own life†¦ beautiful yet so real, harsh and sad†¦ Devdas, is telling us about love that end with tragedy, theme that has been revisited for many times in many films. In this case, is not surprise considering that this film is the fourth version of Suraj Chandrachaterjee's novel to make in to a film. We better not to talk about the plot, because it's so typical (and sometimes could bored the viewers), but I must admit that technically, this film is superb. Visualizations of the scenes are breathtaking and make you don't have a ny complains about the plot. It seems that Sanjay Leela Bhansali try to renew the old style of the Hindi films into a kind of an innovative and colorful theatrical film. I always believe with Sanjay's skill on directing a movie (go watch â€Å"Hum Dill De Chuke Sanam† for instance). The score and sound track is enchanting. The outfits is gorgeous and so with the sets. In the acting department, Aishwarya Ray is perfect. The Acting diva once again shows her best performance, and much deserve for an award. Madhuri Dixit has the smallest role, but she proves that she is the living legend. Meanwhile, the main character that plays by Shahrukh Khan, is applaud worthy but doesn't more that. Better luck next time Mr. Khan. This movie is an excellent portrayal of indian culture. It possess so much strength and beauty and the characters act well. The characters suit each character perfectly and i thouroughly enjoyed the movie from beginning to end. The movie was very sad, but its a change from a normal hindi movie. Your heart soars for each of the characters at different stages of the movie. Overall this movie ruled, and i would watch it over and over again. Devdas: A Byronic Bollywood Hero â€Å"Devdas† by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay is one of the classics of Indian literature, subject to many film adaptations in Indian cinema, including a recent psychedelic version of the story. Devdas deserves to be placed in the Norton Anthology alongside other great writers, due to its tragic eponymous hero and the insights into Bengali life. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the leading literary deities of Bengal, he published several books earlier Nishkriti, Charitraheen, Parineeta, and Srikanta, but his most famous novel is Devdas. Sarat Chandra was born on September 15th, 1876 in Devanandapur, a village in West Bengal. He spent his childhood in poverty and was constantly shifting from town to town in Bengal, and received little formal education. In his adulthood, he moved to Burma in 1903, and it was here that Sarat Chandra started sending his novels and short stories to Calcutta journals. The reigning author during this time was Rabindranath Tagore, who had a rumoured rivalry with Sarat Chandra, whose novels were much more understandable and realistic for the reading masses of Bengal. It would be fitting to include Sarat Chandra to the canon of literature due to his indelible mark on Indian literature with his unforgettable character Devdas. His crowning achievement Devdas was written in 1901, and later published after some revisions in 1917, which included the more tragic ending to the novel. The novel tells the tragic love story of Devdas and Paro, childhood sweethearts torn apart when Devdas leaves for school in Calcutta, and when he returns Paro proposes they get married. Devdas, unable to stand up to his parents, rejects her, and Paro is married off to a wealthy widower. Devdas, heartbroken after another rejection from Paro, returns to Calcutta and along with his friend Chunilal he seeks solace in alcohol and a courtesan Chandramukhi who falls for him. Devdas continues on his self-destructive path until on his deathbed, when he travels to Paro’s home only to die alone at her doorstep. This tragic tale has stayed in the minds of readers because of its seminal hero that can immediately be identified in the subsequent films and novels featuring a self-destructive hero. Devdas is not a typical romantic hero, because he is unable to proclaim his love for Paro despite loving her dearly. In one scene in the novel, Paro boldly goes to Devdas in the night to propose their marriage, but Devdas is preoccupied with protecting her honour rather than facing up to the real reason she came to him, and answers with: â€Å"You must know that my parents are dead against this? Parvati nodded – she knew. She didn’t say a word more. After what seemed like an eternity, Devdas heaved a sigh and said, â€Å"So then, why? † (Pg36) This exchange highlights Devdas’ anti-hero like status, as he is unable to accept his love and rejects Paro, because of parental opposition. Even through earlier passages in the novel, we can tell Devdas loves Paro, but he cannot upset societal norms of marrying from another caste. After this scene, Devdas is chastised by his parents and he escapes to Calcutta, where he writes a letter of rejection to Paro claiming, â€Å"Another thing: I had never felt that I loved you tremendously – even today. I cannot feel any deep well of sorrow in my heart for you †¦ Try to forget me, I pray that you succeed,† (Pg39). This rash action by Devdas reveals his indecisive nature as soon as he posts the letter he realizes he is actually in love with Paro. He then feels guilty for sending the letter, and muses, â€Å"How would this arrow he had dispatched go and hit her? †(Pg40), he later realizes his folly of upholding the narrow-minded views of the caste system, which an educated man like Devdas can see is wrong. Devdas is a tragic character worth studying in literature because he is so inactive and indecisive in his love story, which sets forth his downward spiral. The reason he is indecisive is that the love of Paro and Chandramukhi is what drives the narrative, the situations when they confront Devdas is what develops him as a character. Devdas turns to drink when Paro rejects his proposal that they elope before her wedding, in anger he strikes her brow, â€Å"For shame Paro, I have merely left a mark for you to remember our last meeting,†(Pg46), this moment solidifies their relationship as the blood resembles the sindoor in the hair parting of a married Hindu woman. With this rejection, Devdas is dejected and he willingly goes to the courtesan harem and drinks his sorrows away. Devdas begins to hate women and spurns Chandramukhi, who finds him charming; â€Å"There isn’t a woman on earth who wouldn’t deny herself this heaven,† (Pg92) she muses of his company. Later Devdas begins to care for Chandramukhi but he cannot love her as he is still in love with Paro. He acknowledges his indecisiveness when he visits Chandramukhi, who has settled down and given up her sinful life, saying, â€Å"Perhaps Bou, you will suffer like Paro because of me,†(Pg116), the use of Bou, which means wife, highlights it is Chandramukhi who Devdas provides money and pleasure as a husband would. Devdas is one of the most complex characters of Indian literature, because the choices he makes are detrimental for all involved in the love triangle, as he pines for Paro whom he rejected, and Chandramukhi whom he also grows to like is denied by him because her low status. Devdas’ self-destructive tendencies occur because he feels like a victim of the situations that he has created for himself. Sarat Chandra does not describe characters but puts them in difficult situations to which the reader has to infer into the character, as Devdas has become an identifiable figure in the many movie adaptations or of characters that pine for unfulfilled love. Devdas is a novel to be studied in a literature class because of the strong women that shape his character. Devdas is an important novel to be included in a Norton Anthology book, because of the social conventions of Indian life affect the narrative. Devdas belongs to zamindari/landlord family and Paro’s family live and work on their land. When Paro’s grandmother broaches the subject of Paro and Devdas’ marriage to his mother, she rejects this notion, â€Å"The Chakravaty’s was a trading household. And they lived next door. Oh shame! (Pg24) the class differences are ironically the aspect, which separates the two lovers as opposed to caste differences as both families are Brahmins. Sarat Chandra uses the differences to aid in separating the lovers, as Devdas is unable to face opposition from his parents and rejects Paro. Class differences also tear apart the burgeoning relationship between Chandramukhi and Devdas, as she is a fallen woman who Devdas cannot possibly break social norms to live with. Chandramukhi nurses Devdas back to health, when she spots him during a drinking binge; once Devdas is healed, she asks to be his nurse, but he will not allow his name to be disrespected as Chandramukhi realizes, â€Å"She could help Devdas regain his health, she could give him pleasure, but she could never give him respectability,† (Pg116). The novel set in colonialist India, makes no mention of British rule other than the Devdas who is dressed smartly and smokes a pipe when he returns from Calcutta after his studies. Sarat Chandra used his novels to highlight social problems of Bengali life, and in â€Å"Devdas,† he makes light of the issue of dowry. Paro, who is of age to be married at 13, and born into a poorer household, her father, rejects the social practise, â€Å"But Nilkantha-babu abhorred this practise. He had no intention of selling Parvati and making money on the transaction,† (Pg23) Sarat Chandra here reveals that daughters should not be sold as if making a business deal for marriage. Devdas is one of the only novels where Sarat Chandra does not make an explicit social point to educate his readers, as he leaves the novel as an open text where readers may form their own opinions on the predicament of the eponymous hero. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s â€Å"Devdas† would be a suitable addition to a literature book like the Norton Anthology, because he created the classic self-destructive hero for Indian cinema and, the original source would be a good companion to the films. Devdas is a thoughtful novel that allows readers to make their own judgement of the hero, and gain insights into Bengali culture during the 1900’s.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Beleifs of Ancient India Essay Sample

The beliefs and thoughts of Ancient India such as the caste system. karma. reincarnation and Buddhism greatly influenced its society by maintaining the people calm and happy even in imbalanced state of affairss. The caste system is a hierarchal construction in which people are born into their category. or caste. with no exclusion. For illustration. if two people were low-ranking husbandmans. the boy and/or girl of these parents would besides be born as husbandman even if he/she showed outstanding intelligence and leading. Though this does non look right or merely. the people of Ancient India had no job with it and did non arise chiefly because of two beliefs. karma and reincarnation. Karma is the belief that the behaviour of a individual in their present life will impact the category they are born into in the hereafter when reincarnated. Reincarnation is the belief that worlds will come back in a new human signifier after they die. Karma and reincarnation helped the people of Ancient India with unpleasant lives manage with their poorness or under-appreciation by giving them hope for better lives in the hereafter. From a different point of position. Buddhism besides helped act upon India in a much more â€Å"fair† manner. It still uses reincarnation and karma as portion of the faith. nevertheless more things are besides now introduced much like the four baronial truths. The Four Noble Truths consist the kernel of Buddha’s instructions. They are the truth of enduring. the truth of the cause of enduring. the truth of the terminal of enduring. and the truth of the way that leads to the terminal of enduring. Basically. enduring exists. it has a cause. it has an terminal ; and it has a cause to convey about its terminal. The caste system states that each individual in society is born into his or her ain category and that person’s karma in their preceding life is the make up ones minding factor for which category he or she is born into. The Brahmin priests who. obviously. were the highest category of people and had the most power created the caste system of India. They had control over everyone and instilled the nucleus beliefs of karma and reincarnation. Without the Brahmans at the caput of Indian society. the swayers and warriors would hold had control and the society would non hold been able to remain civil and peaceable for every bit long as it did. finally interrupting out into war. The high categories of the caste. gave the lower 1s an illustration of what there following life can be like. therefore making a peaceable system were the lower categories strive to be good and nice in hope of life in a higher one after reincarnation. The caste truly was a utile system used to assist make a pea ceable society. Buddhism is a bit more complex than the caste system nevertheless. However. it still uses reincarnation and karma in its instructions. Karma. in Buddhism. determines where a individual will be reborn and their position in their following life. Good karma can ensue in being born in one of the celestial kingdom. Bad karma can do metempsychosis as an animate being. or torture in a snake pit kingdom. The Four Noble Truths are a event program for covering with the agony humanity faces. agony of a physical sort. or of a mental nature. The First Truth identifies the presence of enduring. The Second Truth. on the other manus. seeks to find the cause of enduring. In Buddhism. desire and ignorance prevarication at the root of agony. By desire. Buddhists refer to hungering pleasance. material goods. and immortality. all of which are wants that can neer be satisfied. As a consequence. wanting them can merely convey agony. The Third Noble Truth. the truth of the terminal of enduring. has double significance. proposing either the terminal of enduring in this life. on Earth. or in the religious life. through accomplishing Nirvana. The Fourth Noble truth is the method for stoping agony. known as the Noble Eightfold Path. The stairss of the Noble Eightfold Path are Right Understanding. Right Thought. Right Speech. Right Action. Right Livelihood. Right Effort. Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. If a Buddhist were able to follow and obey all of these regulations of life. he would be able to accomplish enlightenment and unrecorded in ageless felicity. This. much like the caste system. was a radical manner to get by with emphasis and unhealthy choler to maintain society safe and peaceable.

Baroque Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Baroque Art - Assignment Example There was great religious turmoil during this time period. This tumultuous force was the Reformation. After Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses, it took relatively little time for northern Europe’s nations to become primarily Protestant, while the southern countries retained and strengthened their Catholic identities during the Counter-Reformation. There was the intense us vs. them battle of religion, and art was in the middle. Once the Reformation began, Protestant leaders such as John Calvin and Huldreich Zwingli encouraged iconoclastic movements, which denounced Catholic imagery as idolatrous and called for its destruction. However, the Protestants did not condemn all art—they chiefly opposed the Catholic religious art, to which Catholics of the time gave reverence. The chief argument between Catholic and Protestant was that the Protestants believed the Catholics held their relics and imagery sacred, instead of revering Christ. In contrast, the Roman Catholic Church had embarked in the 1550s on a program of renewal known as the Counter - Reformation. As part of the program, the Catholic Church used art of the magnificent display for the campaign. It was intended to be both doctrinally correct and visually and emotionally appealing so that it could influence the largest possible audience. Their paintings glorified Catholic traditions, the sacraments, and the saints. Clearly, the content of their work contrasted strongly with that of the northern Protestants’ work.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Dr. Von Gronberg strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Dr. Von Gronberg strategies - Essay Example As a move to step up the change process, he intensively used internal competition. Amongst corporate units of the company. Corporate headquarters were started which continued to define targets which served as a framework of expected pursuit. The new CEO should continue with this change process as one of his evolutionary strategies According to Porter 1980 a vertically integrated company can be at a competitive disadvantage because its component manufacturers this will make it lack flexibility because its capital investment in establishing methods forms a barrier in technological change. Kr. Van never ignored the idea of technology in his change process it has been said that to manage a business well is to manage its future, and to manage the future is to manage information. He realized that if your competitor has access to the same information as you, then the question becomes one of the speed and the skill with which you use the information. He knew that ht equality of information analysis and how to use technology to integrate the business around the customer was very critical to the future success of continental (Ohmae, 1982) In the early period of his chairmanship of the executive Board he called for the company to actively strive for the leading positions in technology which was to be on the basis of innovative capability of each individual employee in every department of the company. Though the tire areas innovative potential seemed exhausted he continues to count on further product and process innovations saying that the company was looking for access to fields of technology that were not occupied. Technology brings about competitive advantage a thing that favourably distinguishes a company or its products form those of a competition in the eyes of the customers. This can be enhanced with information technology such as reduced cost, better service through speed of response or information provision, or a feeling by customers that the manufacturer understands their needs and values them because of flexibility and responsiveness (schon, 1983) technology has helped the marketing manages in achieving the objective of getting close to customers and integrating the total marketing system. Hammer and Mangorian (1987) suggested an impact/value framework for understanding the way in which technology can create business opportunities. The potential impact of information technology is classified into three areas. Compression of time, overcoming the restrictions of geography and the restructuring relationships. Time compression takes place through clear communication links between organization units or between parts of the business process. IMPACT/VALUE FRAMEWORK Efficiency Effectiveness Innovation Time Accelerate business process Reduce information Float Create service excellence Geography Recapture scale Ensure global management control Penetrate new markets Relationships By pass intermediaries Replicate scarce knowledge Build umbilical cords. Marketing is concerned with satisfying customers needs by providing products and services which give benefits to the customers value

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Current Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current Health Care Reform - Essay Example Under this plan, the government will increase the amount of money taxed to people, and insurance companies will also play a crucial role. The plan is to be fully implemented in 2014, and several legal specifications indicate that it would influence the most of people in a good way as compared to a variety of issues which they normally reject since they assume they are costly. For those who cannot get insurance, there will be a sliding scale of subsidies created to help pay their premiums (Miranda, 2010). Under this plan, pre-existing conditions will not be used by insurance firms to refuse to pay up on health claims. The government will fund Medicare even more by adding 250 dollars to be used in covering prescriptions. Pursuant to this, it is projected that those who paid 100 percent will only be required to pay 25 percent by the year of 2012. This is projected to cost the government the excess of 938 billion within the next 10 years (Andrews, 2012). Furthermore, under the Patient Pr otection and affordable Care Act plan, more lavish benefits of Medicare, such as gym membership, hearing aids and the likes, are not planned to have been cut. Increases in taxes can also be seen in the fact that, for instance, couples making 250,000 annually will be taxed 1.45 to 2.35 by the year 2013. People with higher incomes will be taxed at the rate of 2.8 percent on the income that is not earned, such as interest and dividends (Miranda, 2010). Those enjoying indoor tanning facilities will be compelled to pay 10 percent more in taxes. The main influence behind the health care bill was, of course, President Barrack Obama whose administration has been instrumental in pushing for and promoting these health reforms. In congress, the bill has not been popular but the Democrats have put their weight behind the bill, since they insist it aims at ensuring all citizens will access to health insurance. In 2011 the final vote was 220 to 207 with all the Republicans voting against, but the bill eventually passed (Andrews, 2012). It actually makes employers play a greater role in the provision of their employees with health insurance. As a matter of fact, passing the bill was not an easy job as the process was fraught with political interferences and parties’ politics. In 2011, the Senate repealed the bill but the Supreme Court overturned this appeal. In an unexpected move, Justice Roberts voted for the bill justifying his reasoning by saying that the Constitution allows Congress to, whether based on actions or inactions, assess taxes. This had great influence in saving the plan from the opposition of the Republicans. In the Senate, the bill has been favored by the majority of Democrats who have supported the bill. While the Republicans consider it an unnecessary and expensive tax, the supporters of Democrats claim that it should not be repealed, since it would take away medical care for millions. Public opinion is divided and is expected to be reflected in the November elections. Republicans are using the opposition for this to rally people against Obama in the re-election. In fact, the plan is tailored to fit with the majority’s requirement and, since it will provide cheaper insurance and health cover for millions, a sizeable number will support it. When Romney tried to tell an audience of voters that the Republicans would do away with Obama’s health reforms, he was booed. This is the evidence that quite a

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Saudi Airline and the Privatisation Dissertation

Saudi Airline and the Privatisation - Dissertation Example However, in essence, it refers to the shift of partial or full responsibility for a function performed by the public sector or government to the private sector. The most common usage of the term takes place when a public sector entity is divested, either through sale or a long term lease, to a private entity (Veljanovski & Bentley, 2008, p. 42). However, technically, the granting of a long term franchise or concession to the private sector investors, where they would build, manage and operate a major project also falls under the umbrella of privatisation. Furthermore, in a third type of privatisation, a government entity retains control of the strategic direction of the public service but allows a private entity to deliver a public service. This form of privatisation is commonly known as outsourcing or contracting (Bortolotti, et al., 2004, pp. 330). Reasons for Privatisation As argued by Megginson & Netter (2001) that the government usually justifies privatisation with three reasons . First, privatisation generates revenue which could be used to reduce the fiscal deficits and pay off debts. Throughout the history, in times of dire need, huge debts and fiscal deficits, policymakers have resorted to privatisation of the SOEs s that they reduce fiscal deficits and pay off the public debt (Bos, 2011, p. 41). Consider the ongoing example of the European Sovereign Debt Crisis, where countries such as Spain, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Iceland and others are facing a difficult time in meeting their debt obligation. Many of the European countries have sold off several public entities to generate much needed revenue. In fact, many countries that have acquired bailouts from International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank (ECB) have had to sign agreements promising the privatisation of several underperforming public sector institutions. Therefore, in these countries, privatisation is an attempt at bailing out the government and the SOEs. Second, policymakers mig ht also undertake privatisation to reverse the effects of â€Å"crowding out† within markets and encourage the private enterprises to take the lead. As apparent from the theory of crowding out, when governments, while following an expansionary fiscal policy, increase the size of the public sector, it drives out the private sector from the market (Cashore, 2002, p. 505). More importantly, in several cases, even a moderate increase in public sector might drive out several private entities. Therefore, when public sector entities leave the competitive arena, with their monopoly, concessions, subsidies, unlimited funds and several other advantages, it encourages the private sector to enter the market (Vickers & Yarrow, 1988, p. 52). When the government no longer is there to distort the market, the market forces ensure effective and efficient resource allocation, which not only generates employment

Monday, September 9, 2019

The Information Requirements for a Hypothetical Information System Essay

The Information Requirements for a Hypothetical Information System - Essay Example To make the implementation of this new information system a success we will need to fulfill some additional requirements. In this scenario, some staff training will be required for learning and understand the use of the new system. I have outlined below some of the specific requirements: To make the implementation of this new information system a success we will need to fulfill some additional requirements. In this scenario, some staff training will be required for learning and understand the use of the new system. I have outlined below some of the specific requirements:†¢ Staff Training Manual development  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Staff Training seating arrangement development  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Staff Training instructor selections and interview  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Staff Training books distribution  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Staff Training course content development  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Staff Training area definition  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Staff Training operations definition†¢ Staff daily learning schedule development†¢ Staff Training area assessment  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Staff Training material approval†¢ Staff Training timetable distribution. In the previous phases, we have presented an overview of the system which we are going to develop the shopping mall management. We have also presented a feasibility study report for this project. In this phase of the system development life cycle, we will present the information requirements for the shopping mall management system. In addition, these requirements will be classified into different categories and each category will demonstrate specific requirements.

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Economic Growth and Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic Growth and Development - Research Paper Example Economic growth refers to an increase in the output of a country over time according to Glanville and Glanville. It is an increase in a country’s national income indicated by the Gross National Product, GNP or Gross Domestic Product, GDP or in per capita output, that is, GNP or GDP per person. This makes its measurement quantitative, hence a macroeconomic variable that could be measured in a straight-forward manner. The history of economic growth could be traced back to the Adam Smith theory which argues that savings and investment are growth stimulators. Growth would be directly affected by accumulation of capital and indirectly through labour productivity and exchange and trade. This theory postulates economic growth as the increase in the main factors of production, namely, labour, capital and land.Economic growth does not consider the magnitude of the informal economy, also known as the black economy, which refers to the unrecorded economic activity. It does not account fo r natural resources depletion that could lead to pollution and disease. It concerns the increase in the output of an economy. Haller defines it as an increase in the income per capita of a nation, especially quantitatively. The ultimate goal of economic growth according to Colombatto is to increase people’s production and consumption of both goods and services.Economic development differs from economic growth. It is a rather much broader concept which involves non-economic and intangible improvements on the standards of living as documented by Glanville and Glanville