Thursday, December 26, 2019

Charlemagne Or Charles The Great - 1525 Words

Charlemagne or Charles the Great, (747-814) was one of the most significant people during the Middle Ages, playing a key role in defining the shape and character of Medieval Europe. Considered the ‘Father of Europe’, Charlemagne reigned as King of the Franks (768-814) and became the first Holy Roman Emperor (800-814). He created a great empire as he dramatically expanded the Frankish Kingdom in a series of conquests that united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire. He also introduced many governmental, cultural and economic reforms to further his great ‘Carolingian’ Empire. Additionally the Emperor fostered the Carolingian renaissance, a time of great cultural and intellectual revival and reinforced the Christian foothold on Europe. Charlemagne’s role in Medieval Europe was as a complete leader and emperor, one that effectively managed every aspect of his empire. As King of the Franks, Charlemagne played the role of a warrior king, constantly engaged in warfare and through his conquests he no longer ruled a Kingdom but a veritable empire. When the fall of the Roman Empire led to its dissolution in Western Europe, it caused a fragmented collection of Kingdoms. As Charlemagne united these fragments he needed to reconstruct the structures of a complex society and maintain unity within his realm, which was complicated by the differences between his people. Due to this, Charlemagne’s role was as an effective administrator, and he instituted manyShow MoreRelatedLegitimacy Of Charlemagne And Charles The Great1449 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Legitimacy of Charlemagne† Charles, or better known as Charlemagne or â€Å"Charles the Great†, was born in 742 AD. Charlemagne was described as having a cheerful face and attractive gray hair (Becher, pg.2). He was described as being a tall man, not only in height, being that his â€Å"height was equal to the length of seven of his feet†, but as Einhard also pointed out he had a â€Å"neck that was fat and too short, and a large belly† (Becher, pg. 2). Charlemagne over the years had claimed manyRead MoreRecording of Charles the Great were recorded Charles the Greats Deeds and Characteristics in The life of Charlemagne1364 Words   |  6 Pagesof Charles the Great were recorded in The life of Charlemagne after Charles’ death by the courtier, Einhard, who argues that Charles was the greatest, idealistic king and must be passed on to the next generation. The author Einhard, a courtier to Charlemagne served as an attendant to the king, dedicated the writing to Charles and Charlesâ €™ son, Louis, for who it was to serve as a guide to being a great king. Although Einhard is humble in stating that he is not worthy of writing about Charles theRead MoreThe King Of The Franks Essay1655 Words   |  7 PagesSabrina Fearon History 8G 4/14/16 â€Å"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.† William Shakespeare Do you agree/disagree/partially agree that Charlemagne was an example of all three? Clovis, king of the Franks, established the Merovingian Empire in 481. Then, in 511, he split his empire between his four sons. The kings in the Merovingian line continued to hand down their thrones to their later generations, which slowly started to make them weak. ThisRead MoreCharlemagne Essay examples1611 Words   |  7 PagesEmperor and Augustus? What made King Charles, Charles the Great? In Einhards Life of Charlemagne, a very succinct description of King Charles ideals, beliefs, attitudes and traits are depicted along with his lifes territorial as well as mental conquests illustrated. Charlemagne was a man with a vision of a utopian society united under Christianity in its glorious form in an almost Camelot like kingdom. Einhards literary work gives society an insight into King Charles and what made him capable of beingRead MoreCharlemagne Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesCharlemagne, also known as Charles the Great and Charles I, was not only a king of France, but a commandin g historical figure. Charlemagne is believed to have been born sometime around the year 742. He became King of the Franks in 768 and went on to become the Emperor of the Carolingian Empire in 800, before his death in 814. Charlemagne’s father, King Pepin (the short), officially put an end to the Merovingian line of kings to become King of the Franks, and willed that Francia be divided betweenRead MoreChristian Beliefs Of The World909 Words   |  4 Pages Charlemagne, was a man raised on Christian beliefs who spent his life waging war on those who were not Christian. Conquered peoples were forced to accept Christianity as their fate or face exile and/or death. This manner of conversion to Christian beliefs completely goes against the teachings of his beloved bible. The hypocrisy of these acts bring one to question his true motivations. Was he really trying to spread Christianity or was he simply using his Christian crusade as a means to expandRead MoreHow Do You Perceive the Historical Transformation from the Collapse of Rome to the Dawn of the Middle Ages1441 Words   |  6 PagesPope Stephen crowned Pepin, and thereby solidifying his right to the throne. He had a son named Charlemagne, who later became king and was referred to as â€Å"Charles the Great†. This honorable name was bestowed upon him because he was the first king to re-establish order to this unruly empire. Charles united the Frankish empire, encouraged commer ce, and brought religion back to the masses. Through Charles’ charisma, knowledge, determination, and loyalty to his people he achieved what no other ruler couldRead MoreThe Life of Charlemagne by Einhard1388 Words   |  6 Pages Charlemagne is described by Janet Nelson as being a role model for Einhard. Einhard himself writes in the first paragraph of The Life of Charlemagne, â€Å"After I decided to write about the life, character and no small part of the accomplishments of my lord and foster father, Charles, that most excellent and deservedly famous king, I determined to do so with as much brevity as I could.† I feel that these are sincere words about the man who cared for Einhard. I feel that Einhard’s purpose for writingRead More Charlemagne Essay1379 Words   |  6 PagesCharlemagne By the Cross and the Sword : Charlemagne’s Impact on the West. â€Å"He who ordains the fate of kingdoms in the march of the centuries, the all-powerful Disposer of events, having destroyed one extraordinary image, that of the Romans, which had, it was true, feet of iron, or even feet of clay, then raised up, among the Franks, the golden head of a second image, equally remarkable, in the person of the illustrious Charlemagne. Notker the Stammerer, the monk of St. Gall, wrote these wordsRead MoreCharlemagne : The Kingdom Of The Dark Ages1100 Words   |  5 Pagesfourth century of the Dark Ages. Charlemagne was determined to unite and christianize the Germanic kingdoms of Europe. He lived in a time in which the Germanic groups who inhabited Europe remained disorganized and had no central authority (Ann 1). Through many battles and years of war, he reached his destination of unifying Europe. Charlemagne deserves the title â€Å"Father of Europe† after he unified his kin gdom and set a precedent for his successors. Charlemagne inherited the throne with his brother

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Concentration Of Ethanol From Vodka - 1631 Words

Abstract The concentration of ethanol in vodka was determined by back titration. A known amount of excess potassium chromate was added to the vodka sample to convert ethanol into acetic acid by oxidation. The amount of leftover chromate was determined by titration with iron (II) solution, prepared from dissolution of ferrous ammonium sulfate. Using the amount of chromate added to the vodka solution, the amount of chromate reacted was determined and used to find the amount of ethanol in the sample. A potentiometer in the mV mode was used to create first and second derivative curves for determining end points. The concentration of ethanol determined was 39.91%, with standard deviation of 0.13%. The percent error was 0.22%, with the true concentration being 40.00%. Introduction The consumption of alcoholic beverages, which has increased, has been presenting several health complications in recent years. The center for disease control explained that the act of drinking in order to become intoxicated has become more popular recently, and that this has led to increases in alcohol poisoning, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, and neurological damage, as well as both intentional and unintentional injuries [1]. Although alcoholic beverages contain many different ingredients, the most significant is ethanol, as it is most commonly responsible for the health problems mentioned above. This study’s primary focus was to identify the concentration of ethanol in an unknownShow MoreRelatedThe Energy Of Energy Usage1129 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Historically, the distillation of alcohol (spirits, wine and vodka) has been a high-end consumer in terms of energy usage. According to U.S. Dept. of Energy, there are more than 40,000 distillation columns in North America and they consume 40% of the total energy used to operate plants in chemical industries [1]. As a result, researchers have focused their efforts towards developing distillation columns that are more compact, utilize compressors to recirculate latent heat and possessRead MoreHomeostasis And Background Information : Homeostasis1048 Words   |  5 Pagesconstant is blood alcohol concentration. Blood alcohol centration is the amount of alcohol in your system and is measured for every 0.02 grams of alcohol per 100 grams of individual s blood. It can be measured through a urine test that police usually conduct. Another and more frequently used method of measuring blood alcohol content is with a breathalyzer that the police use for drunk drivers. Because alcohol concentra tion in the breath is directly related to the alcohol concentration in the blood. TheRead MoreWhats the Appropriate Drinking Age?1256 Words   |  6 Pagesyou are at greater risk of becoming an alcoholic also. Alcoholism can be passed on from generation to generation (Alcoholism). Binge drinking is the most common form of alcoholism. Binge drinking is when a person consumes enough alcohol to raise their blood alcohol concentration above .08 percent. Normally it takes about five drinks for a male and four drinks for a female to reach a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. One out of six adults binge drink four times a month. Binge drinkingRead MoreEssay about Alcohol: A Double Edge Sword1043 Words   |  5 Pageschiefly grapes, and yeast (Maisto et al., 2011). Distillation came much later and fortified the beverage with a much higher concentration of alcohol. This method uses a fermentation process of sugar dissolved in water and exposed to air, which is then heated to a vapor and condensed through cooling (Maisto et al., 2011). The psychoactive ingredient in all alcoholic beverages is ethanol. Alcohol is mainly consumed orally; however, it can be injected and used topically (Maisto et al., 2011). Oral consumptionRead MoreBinge Drinking On College Campuses1536 Words   |  7 Pageslead to serious consequences. For example, 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries (niaaa.nih.gov).Most alcohol-related injuries and accident are a result of binge drinking. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dl. â€Å"Although people of all ages, races, and genders participate in binge drinking, itRead MoreImpact of Radio and Television Advertising on Consumer Behaviour Special Referance on Consumer Durable Goods5906 Words   |  24 PagesWine health benefits compared to drinkers of beer and spirits Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes or other fruits. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, water, or other nutrients Noun An alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice. | | | Verb Entertain someone by offering them drinks or a meal: lavishly wined and dined. | | | Synonyms vintage | | the  fermented  juice  of  grapes,  made  in  many  varietiesRead MoreWhat Is The Social Issue You Are Looking At? Essay7531 Words   |  31 PagesWhat is the social issue you are looking at? The Social Issue we are looking at is Alcohol, in particular Policies relating to use/consumption of the substance. Alcohol is the term we use for ethanol, the substance suitable for humans to drink. Another form of alcohol is methanol and it is toxic to humans. Alcohol is regarded as a drug, its one of the more potent drugs which is legal and available for people under 18(with permission of their parents). The laws around alcohol have created many disputesRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pageswritten permission of the publisher. Thomson Higher Education 10 Davis Drive Belmont, CA 94002-3098 USA For more information about our products, contact us at: Thomson Learning Academic Resource Center 1-800-423-0563 For permission to use material from this text or product, submit a request online at http://www.thomsonrights.com. Any additional questions about permissions can be submitted by e-mail to thomsonrights@thomson.com. Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 10 09 08

Monday, December 9, 2019

Characterization Of Finny Essay Example For Students

Characterization Of Finny Essay In a Separate Peace by John Knowles there is a character Phineas other wise known as Finny. Finny is an honest and ignorant charismatic young boy of 16 who is outgoing. Finny is unknowing of his ability to manipulate people. Finny is a lover of basic simple life. This story is set in a New England Prepschool. Finny and Gene are the best of friends. Making their contribution to the war effort by simultaneously jumping out of a tree, Gene jounces the limb and causes Finny to fall and break his leg. Gene jounced them limb on purpose. Finny is in denial when Gene tells him the truth. Finny goes into a torrent falls down the stairs and breaks his leg again. The story is centered around Gene causing Finny to fall and Finny accepting the truth. Finny is honest in many ways he is honest with himself and what he believes in, he is also honest with the people in his surroundings. ? Its you pal Finny said at last just you and me. He and I started back across the fields, preceding the others like two seigneurs. We were the best of friends that moment. You were very good , said Finny good naturally , once I shamed you into it. You didnt shame me into anything. Oh yes I did. Im good for you that way you have a tendency to back away from thing otherwise. I never backed away from anything in my life! I cried, my indignation at this charge naturally stronger because it was true.? This is a classic example of Finnys honesty. He is being honest with himself about why his best friend Gene Forrester did not jump from the tree. He is also being honest with Gene. ?Finny didnt really dislike West Point in particular or authority in general, but he just considered authority the necessary evil against which happiness was achieved.? This is an other example of Finnys Ignorance. He doesnt know any better than to think that authority is an evil. FinnyFinny does not realize his powers. He has the power to manipulate people into his side of the story with out even trying or thinking about it. Our absence from dinner had been noticed. The following morning?the clean-washed shine of summer mornings in the north country?Mr. Prudhomme stopped at our door. He was broad-shouldered, grave, and he wore a gray business suit. He did not have the careless, almost British look of most of the Devon masters, because he was a substitute for the summer. He enforced such rules as he knew; missing dinner was one of them. We had been swimming in the river, Finny explained; then there had been a wrestling match, then there was that sunset that anybody would want to watch, then thered been several friends we had to see on business?he rambled on, his voice soaring and plunging in its vibrant sound box, his eyes now and then widening to fire a flas h of green across the room. Standing in the shadows, with the bright window behind him, he blazed with sunburned health. As Mr. Prudhomme looked at him and listened to the scatterbrained eloquence of his explanation, he could be seen rapidly losing his grip on sternness. ?If you hadnt already missed nine meals in the last two weeks . . .? he broke in. But Finny pressed his advantage. Not because he wanted to be forgiven for missing the meal?that didnt interest him at all, he might have rather enjoyed the punishment if it was done in some novel and unknown way. He pressed his advantage because he saw Mr. Prudhomme was pleased, won over in spite of himself. The master was slipping from his official position momentarily, and it was just possible, if Phineas pressed hard enough, that there might be a flow of simple, unregulated friendliness between them, and such flows were one of Finnys reasons for living. .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb , .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .postImageUrl , .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb , .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb:hover , .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb:visited , .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb:active { border:0!important; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb:active , .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3aeb5bec13ca8163635fbbb33e617eeb:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Sexual Harassment And Rape EssayThis quote is a great explanation of Finnys character, because it shows Finnys power of manipulating people in use. Finny is able to manipulate people at a whim. When Finny uses his powers to try to achieve a friendship with Mr. Prudhomme explains Finnys drive for simple pleasurable life. Another classic example of Finnys powers is when he wears the Devon school tie for a belt to a luncheon at the Headmasters. Finny simply goes on a wild tangent about how by wearing the tie is a salute to the school and how it is Finnys contribution to the war effort. Finny is a talented athlete who had an everlasting friendship with his best friend and roommate Gene. Finny and Gene are the best of friends. Making their contribution to the war effort by simultaneously jumping out of a tree, Gene jounces the limb and causes Finny to fall and break his leg. Finny is never again able to play sports. When the truth is forced upon Finny by a crazy nature loving draft dodger.Finny goes into an emotional torrent. He runs down the stairs fall and breaks his leg. Finnys character is an icon of innocence, an innocence that is suffocated when Finny is forced to face the travesties of the real world. Finny is a gentle boy whole loves sports and simple living. I would defiantly like to have a Finny in my life. I think that there should be more Finnys in the world, and if there were more Finny perhaps his honesty, trusting, and integrety would perhaps rub off onto the rest of society and then the world would be a better place to live.

Monday, December 2, 2019

William Faulkners Spotted Horses And Mule In The Yard Essays

William Faulkner's Spotted Horses And Mule In The Yard William Faulkner's ?Spotted Horses? and ?Mule in the Yard? Lei Szabados March 16, 1999 UCONN English 109 Mrs. Drescher ?Spotted Horses? and ?Mule in the Yard? are two short stories by William Faulkner that deal with comedic animal chases. Although both provide entertaining examples of Faulkner's work in very similar settings, on the scale of literary value, ?Spotted Horses? rises above ?Mule in the Yard? in depth and insight. This superiority is result of both it's narrative style and character development, which causes ?Spotted Horses? to produce an overall more powerful effect than ?Mule in the Yard?. The most notable and important difference between the two stories is the contrasting narrative style. In ?Spotted Horses?, the story is told in first person point of view by a narrator who observes the major events of the story but is involved in only a minor fashion. His narration provides the audience with a look at the town and it's inhabitants through the eyes of someone living in the county of Mississippi. This adds a realistic dimension to the image of the story. It is also through this narrative style that Faulkner weaves humor into ?Spotted Horses?. The narrator shows the story in a comic light simply through his words right from the introductory paragraph. For example, the audience is introduced immediately with a casual ?Yes, sir. Flem Snopes has filled that whole country full of spotted horses. You can hear folks running them all day and night, whooping and hollering, and the horses running back and forth across those little wooden bridges ever now and then kind of like th under.? (349) In contrast, ?Mule in the Yard? is told in the objective viewpoint. With this type of information, the reader can only observe what is seen and heard. Therefore, it follows that the reader must infer everything about the characters and their motivations from only their actions and dialogue. Faulkner weaves humor into the story through the distinct dialogue and ironic situations that occur in ?Mule in the Yard?. For example, in the opening scene, Mrs. Hait and old Het are chasing a mule out of their yard. If the reader imagines the scene that Faulkner writes about with old Het?waving a shopping bag. [Yelling] ?Hoo!' [As] Mrs. Hait whirled. Again she skidded savagely on the greasy planks as she and the mule rushed parallel with one another (364), there is definitely humor within it. Yet, the humor is not as effective as it is in ?Spotted Horses? where it is a part of the entire tone of the story, not only in the situations but also with the interior involvement of the na rrator and his interaction with the characters. Because the narrator in ?Spotted Horses? is experiencing the scene where the action is taking place, the reader receives a richer understanding of the characters. It is almost as if the reader might know the characters personally. Importantly, ?Spotted Horses? deals with several more characters than ?Mule in the Yard?, which only has three significant characters. These characters are defined only by their actions through the objective narration. Mrs. Hait is described as an independent woman who wears ?a calico wrapper and a sweater coat, and a man's felt hat which they knew had belonged to her ten years' dead husband? (364) and brand new high mans shoes with buttons and ?toes like tulip bulbs.? (364) The audience can only infer that she does not fear the mule based on her several confrontations with him as well as the way in which she refers to it as ?Them sons of bitches?. (364) The author can not tell the audience why she wears what she does or why she has such a motivation to get rid of the mule besides that he is a nuisance, and there is not enough development in the story to infer definitely what Faulkner intends. This is also seen in the character of old Het, who is described as a tall gangly old black woman personified by a stereotypical southern black dialect. This is seen as she addresses Mr. Snopes in town one day. She says to him, ?Miz Mannie gimme dis to give you, I wuz just on

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude Essay Example

Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude Essay Example Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude Paper Magical Realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude Paper Examples of Magical Realism Latin American roller where the enchantment of magical concepts Is Incorporated with realistic Ideals. It Is a genre In which magic and reality are not two separate and autonomous types of literature. Instead, the two seemingly conflicting writing styles are merged to make a unique and unwonted, yet familiar style of literary work. Various magical ideas ranging from flying carpets to floating up into the heavens are inputted into the daily lives of the Bundies as well as those who they interact with in Gabriel Garcia Marquezs book One Hundred Years of Solitude. It is not unusual to encounter the supernatural in this novel. Neither is it uncommon to find people, and even animals losing their sanity over what to us may seem like something not worthy of even bothering about. However, Macon, along with the Bundies, does not lose its sense of reality In such a way that the town and Its people retain their earthiness despite all of the unrealistic happenings In the story. Garcia Marquee starts off his novel with a flashback of the time when the town of Macon was still young. Gypsies, who are generally considered to be a magical people, annually return to this town to show its few citizens their inventions. They bring in items such as metal ingots that attract metallic items unseen for a period of time. Unheard of to the very first citizens of the town of Macon, it was definitely and invention that did not cease, but instead increased their curiosity. Nowadays, however, it is known that these two metal ingots were magnets. Still in the very first chapter of One Hundred Years of Solitude, a boy by the name of Aurelian Is born to Ã'Å¡Ursula Agrarian and Joss © Arcadia Buena. He Is the first person to be born In Macon. Aurelian Is said to have wept while he was still In his mothers womb, and he Is also said to have been born with his eyes open. Babies cannot really cry whilst soul In their mothers womb. Babies also cannot be born with their eyes open. However, Gabriel Garcia Marquee is able to make it seem like it is actually possible to have these things happen in the real world. Perhaps one of the most commonly used examples of magical realism that can be found in this book is one of the existence of ghosts in the lives of the townspeople of Macon. Numerous times, the ghost of Pronounced Jugular Is seen by both Ã'Å¡Ursula Agrarian, and her husband, Joss © Arcadia Buena. At first, Joss © Arcadia Buena says that these encounters are Just because they cant stand the weight of their conscience, since Pronounced Jugular was killed by Joss © Arcadia Buena out of anger. This soon proves to be too much for Joss © Arcaded Buena. This final night that Joss © Arcaded Buena ever sees the ghost of Pronounced Jugular, he says, Its all right, Pronounced, were going to leave this town, just as far away as we can go, and well never come Dock. Go In peace now. (25) I Nils Is want set Tontine excursion AT several f Joss © Arcadia Bandits friends and their families. Ghosts are not unheard of to many, yet they are not a part of peoples live either. Many people do not even believe in ghosts or anything that has to do with the supernatural. Unusual to many of us these days, the idea of ghosts may be one that scares us or is even downright absurd. In the town of Macon, however, it may Just well be that ghosts are the townspeople. When the ghosts of Maladies and Joss © Arcadia Buena, along with the other ghosts are seen in the town, nobody seems to mind them, Just like no one else really minds the other citizens of Macon that are alive. The only ghost that is really paid any attention to in the story is the ghost of the gypsy, Maladies. Prior to the encounters with these ghosts, however, there was no death in Macon. People lived for quite a long time during those days considering the state they were in. It is this idea of the extremes that really allows for the reader to grasp the concept of magical realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude. Aside from living for quite a long time, the people of Macon also encounter the extremes brought upon them by nature. They go through a seemingly endless downpour of rain as well as a terrible heat wave that drives many mad. A plague of insomnia also causes the townspeople not to be able to sleep and in its more advanced stages, causes a loss of memory. Furthermore, outsiders, who the townspeople call gringos, shoot down more than three thousand of the people who work for their banana company. Yet, not one person in the village of Macon remembers this massacre. This is the magical part of the term magical realism. It is not really the enchanted fairy tale idea that many have conceived magic as, however. The magic, in this case, is how seemingly everyday occurrences (aside from the massacre) are made to be more than they really are. Maybe during the early years of the world, when the story of the Bundies happened, these occurrences were really plausible. But, being read many, many years after the story of the Bundies supposedly occurred, a great number of things has changed about the world we now live in. Rains do not last for five years. Heat waves do not necessarily drive people and animals insane. People do not Just forget about a massacre. It is this feeling of unusual, yet valid occurrences being larger-than-life that gives the reader a sense of something fantastic in their own world, as well as in the world of the Buena family. Where, and how, then, does Gabriel Garcia Marquee incorporate reality into the story? Reality can be found in the town of Macon itself. Although its citizens may react differently to situations that one might expect, the town itself is as close to reality as it can possibly get. The sense of community in the town is generally now different to practically every real community in the world. It is what holds its people together even when the people are tearing themselves apart. Reality in One Hundred Years of Solitude is also found in the lives of the townspeople. People in Macon are just like most people in the real world. They have a family, friends, work which allows teem to soups TN art messes. I nee nave run, out teen also nave times AT solemnity and sadness. Being this realistic, One Hundred Years of Solitude furthermore engages its readers, because they can relate, even Just partially to what is happening to the characters in the story. The success, then, of the use of magical realism in the story can be found through the various extremes of occurrences and their being relatable to its readers. It is because the happenings in the story are somewhat grandiose compared to what any may experience in their everyday lives that makes the fantastic so appealing. It is also how these fantastic experiences are made relatable by the sense of community and togetherness. Magic and reality are two seemingly opposing and contradictory words. Yet, when put together by a very capable author, stories familiar and unfamiliar at the same time can be presented to use. It is this intermingling of two genres that makes for an even more interesting plot in One Hundred Years of Solitude. What more can be said about the success of a book that has won the Nobel Prize?

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Critical Essay on Shakespeares sonnets

Critical Essay on Shakespeares sonnets Critical Essay on Shakespeares sonnets Many people read Shakespeares sonnets because they find them to be very relevant in their lives. They know Shakespeare’s sonnets for the manner in which they articulate ideas about love and relationships. Though many people try to identify the message and apply it in their lives, they find it very difficult to do so. The reason is that they find poetry hard to understand since they are not used to the poetic devices of written literature. In order to write a good critical essay on Shakespeare’s sonnets: Message of several poems: The writer can identify the situation that best fits the message identified from a number of poems. In this case, the writer can use several poems that have a similar message for analysis, and the writer needs to understand that different groups of people can use a single sonnet for different purposes. People interpret messages depending on the situations that they are facing at any one particular time. Identify the suitable sonnets: Choose the Shakespeare’s sonnets that suit the situation at hand. This is important in preparing a good critical essay on the same. Read widely: Consult on those things that you least understand. Ensure that you research sound sources at these times. Pay attention to how you express the understanding you have gained, and present it in an interesting way. Use suitable stylistic devices: This is necessary to set the tone of the essay. For instance, the use of imagery is very important in writing a critical essay. The reader should be able to visualize the situation that the writer is analyzing in the essay, and be able to make the right judgment. The writer should also help the reader to understand what the correct reaction should be to the situation explained in the essay. The writer should help in creating the correct image that will elicit the readers’ reactions. Integrate the use irony: In a critical essay on Shakespeare’s sonnets irony goes well with sarcasm, and the writer should include sarcastic statements that will help in understanding the sonnets even better. Show the reality of the poem: Since the Shakespeare’s sonnets represent the reality in our societies, people should be able to see this reality through the critical essay. Unlike in the case of the poems, the essay should explain everything in detail, and assist readers to think about similar situations that either happened in their lives, or that could possibly happen in their lives. Shakespeare’s sonnets are not as hard to understand as people may think. However, they are important in shaping the thoughts and actions of people in society. The writers can therefore need to carefully select the sonnets,explore them critically using in depth investigation, and present them in well-structured critical essay writing.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Strategic Analysis of ZARA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Analysis of ZARA - Essay Example Per se, Zara has many risks imposed by such factors as rival promotional competence, the ability of consumers to dictate pricing among retailers, and even responsiveness (or lack thereof) of suppliers that are critical to meeting the two week lead time from design to delivery. The report identified that Zara requires acknowledgement of market forces that can potentially impede brand sustainment and growth in sales. These forces include ongoing negative publicity for allegations of unethical business practices, the competence of competitive rivalry especially related to marketing philosophies of rivals, and even macro-economic issues related to foreign currency exchanges. All of these factors influence Zara’s strategic position and direction. Findings indicate recommendations that include more proactive efforts at promoting corporate social responsibility, changing trading currency from the Euro to the American dollar, conducting more market research studies on consumer target groups, and working to build an internal culture focused on ethical behaviour. These recommendations will assist Zara in sustaining a positive brand reputation and building equity that can translate into future revenue gains through diversification efforts. CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction......................................................................................... 2.0 Competitive forces and industry audit............................................. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis..................................................................... 3.0 An internal strategic audit.................................................................. 4.0 Public relations crises at Zara........................................................... 5.0 Recommendations for improving future business position........... 6.0 Conclusion........................................................................................... References 1.0 Introduction Zara is a leader in providing what is referred to a s fast fashion products in the retail environment. Fast fashion is defined as the ability of the company to rapidly replenish inventories in the sales environment in a lead time of two weeks or less. Accomplishment of this strategy entails aligning all elements of the value chain that are necessary to achieve competitive advantage. This report highlights Zara’s industry environment, the competitive pressures and threats of the firm’s operating environment, and proposes recommendations for future business improvement. 2.0 Competitive forces and industry audit The retail industry in most developed countries is very saturated, meaning that international markets are inundated with a variety of retail competitors. Zara is currently most impacted by competitive forces from H&M, The Gap and Benetton, which are competitors that offer similar fashion products at reasonably similar pricing structures. Because of this saturation and presence of like rivals, Zara must be ever-awar e of the changing market forces that have the ability to improve business position or severely hinder its performance and profitability. Porter (2011) describes five forces that impact whether or not a business can adapt or find positive market position in its operating markets. These include threat of substitutes, buyer power, supplier power, rivalry between competitors, and the risk of new market entrants by competing retail organisations. All of these forces influence business strategy development as well as responsiveness of Zara in attempting to outperform competitors. Zara faces very little in its sales markets in relation to substitutes. Substitutes are defined as replacement products that can serve as surrogate products for consumers. In the fashion industry, except for like products

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Analysis of British Airways Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of British Airways - Essay Example I will be able to help the company in its decision-making processes specifically on the strategic path that it would take. This is because I have been able to acquire knowledge and skills in the fields of general management, strategic management, and corporate finance. I am particularly interested in joining the management and planning team which primarily determines the core competencies, strengths, weaknesses, and the needs of British Airways. I can surely be instrumental in shaping the strategic path of the organization with my hard-earned knowledge and skill in assessing the internal performance of the company as well as the external factors in its external environment, I believe that in landing a job, a potential employee must only be imbued with the technical skills needed for the position. One of the most important things to consider is the persons high level of motivation to excel in the field and his capacity to deal with the diverse individual in the business organization. Joining British Airways has been one of my greatest dreams and I am highly passionate to aid in the company's success. I am highly motivated to excel in this career, wanting not just a mere position but with commitment and devotion, I would like to pursue growth and excellence. I believe that I will be able to stand the pressure of joining a diverse workforce because I am trained to be open-minded and respectful of individuals outside my color, culture, value, and opinion. In order to prove that I will be effective in my chose position, I will be giving a brief analysis of British Airways current performance through the employment of strategic management tools. First, I will be focusing on the business organizations financial performance by a financial ratio analysis. Next, I will look at the company's internal and external environment by the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Factors Affecting Academic Performance Essay Example for Free

Factors Affecting Academic Performance Essay Like many Americans caught up in the economic downturn, college students are worried about money. Now research indicates that financial worries may affect their academic performance. This years National Survey of Student Engagement, released on Thursday, reveals that more than a third of seniors and more than a quarter of freshmen did not purchase required academic materials because of the cost. Roughly equal shares, around 60 percent, said they worried about having enough money for day-to-day expenses. And 36 percent of freshmen and 32 percent of seniors reported that financial concerns had interfered with their academic performance. Since 2000, Nessie, as the survey is known, has collected wide-ranging data to help colleges develop effective educational practices and promote engagement. Students are asked, for instance, how much time they spend studying, whether they get involved with campus organizations, and how they interact with their professors and peers. This year the researchers, based at Indiana University at Bloomington, also assessed how the economy was affecting students at a subset of the 546 American colleges that participated. The survey examined students employment, finding that among freshmen, nearly 20 percent worked on campuses, and about 30 percent worked elsewhere. For seniors, those proportions were about a quarter on campuses and more than half elsewhere. Students working off campuses logged more hours: More than half of seniors working on campuses worked less than 15 hours a week, but 40 percent of full-time seniors in off-campus jobs worked more than 16 hours a week; 20 percent logged 30 or more hours. Other research has found that working up to 20 hours a week can increase students engagement and improve their academic performance, but that a greater time commitment can be detrimental. In this years survey, more than half of full-time seniors who worked 21 or more hours a week said their work schedule interfered with their studies. Yet 60 percent of those students said they had investigated working even more hours to help cover the cost of college. Related Content Grades and Tests May Miss What Matters Most in Learning Charts: How Financial Worries Are Affecting Students Alexander C. McCormick, director of the survey, says institutions should consider such findings an opportunity to get a better sense of the financial stressors that shape students academic experiences. Most colleges, he points out, know which students have on-campus jobs. But administrators could do more to figure out how much time students spend working off-campus, and whether those commitments threaten their academic success. You can never do enough to understand who your students are, Mr. McCormick says. But collecting data is the easy part. The really hard work is up to the colleges and universities, to figure out what the data mean and what they want to do in response.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Different Ideas Of What Is True :: essays research papers

As a child I repeatedly stood in line with my mother at the supermarket waiting to pay for our groceries. I often grew bored and found cheap entertainment in reading the thick, dark print of the supermarket tabloids. I would gaze my eyes and drop my jaw in shock at their stories; but, the one thing I never did doubt was the drama of their plots. As I grew older, I would watch television news magazine programs and think how different the facts, and pictures, as presented on television were from those of the supermarket tabloids. Now I have learned that in order to be constantly informed I must become a media critic, and I must judge for myself the facts which stories are correct. For some time I have found myself straining away from the supermarket tabloids and towards magazines I think I can trust. Upon examination of two periodicals, Time and Globe, it is easy to see the distinction between reputable and irreputable media, with regard to the JonBenet Ramsey case. Through the use of facts, photographs, and aim towards a certain audience a discrimination between drama and information is clear. It is disturbing that the Globe magazine uses melodrama and tension to sell a story in which the drama lies not in the pages of a magazine, but in the heart of all the victims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The facts discussed in both magazines contradict one another, and further the confusion of the reader. Time magazine challenges its readers to weigh the evidence and decide upon the guilt or innocence of John and Patsy Ramsey. Time magazine concludes that the investigation of the parents has come to a halt, due to the fact that no new evidence has been brought forward for months. This information does nothing to clear the Ramseys of murder, but does nothing to encourage their punishment. In the Globe magazine, a mention of a nylon cord is made to imply that the Ramseys will be arrested and charged with the murder of their daughter. There is no discussion of this report in Time magazine, and Globe magazine does not mention a source leading one to believe that this report is false, or concocted. By linking the Ramseys to the murder of their daughter by the use of fabricated evidence, the Globe encourages the readers to prosecute the Ramseys while destroying their na me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Photographs spread across the pages of Time magazine do nothing to add drama to the JonBenet Ramsey case, whereas Globe photographs add emotional illustrations to a excessive story.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Advertisement Is a Legalised Form of Lying Essay

Necessity is the mother of invention’ is an oft-quoted saying. But now-a-days the reverse of it is more true. In modern business, ‘invention’ is mother of necessityIn this age of machinery, newthings are produced everyday. Market is created for these things through advertisementBusinessmen advertise their goods in various ways and thus spread a knowledge of their goodsamong the customers. It is through advertisement that people begin to feel a need for even those goods of whichthey had never heard before. Advertisement creates demand. it is the backbone of commerce and Industry. No business can stay in the business world without advertisement. A successful businessman is one who snatches away money from even the most miserly and reluctant customer. Thus, the business world rotates on the pivot of advertisement. As the world is progressing, so the means of advertisement are also increasing. We allknow that big posters are pasted on the walls, and handbills are distributed to advance the sale of goods. Walls are painted and big signboards are displayed on crossings and prominent places toserve this purpose. In a cinema hall, first of all we see the advertisement slides. A major part of thedaily newspapers is full of advertisement. ‘Situations Vacant’, ‘Tender Notice’, ‘Educational’, ‘Lostand Found’, ‘Matrimonial’, cinema advertisements, and advertisements of so many other commodities are regular features of all newspapers. Radio and Television also are being used asmeans of commercial advertisement. A good advertisement must have certain qualities. First, it should be based on human- psychology. A thing meant for ladies, should be advertised in such a way that they are attractedtowards it. If men are to be customers, then it should appeal to their tastes. Goods for differentincome groups should be advertised, taking into consideration their purchasing power. A motor car is a thing for the rich. Its advertisement must be touch the mentality of the rich. Usha SewingMachine should be advertised in such a way that the family man, with ordinary income, may feelthe economic advantages of the investment of his money on it. Secondly, advertisements should be attractive. This is very essential. People look towardsan advertisement only if it is eye-catching. Good, interesting pictures are very effective form this point of view. We all know about ‘Sanforised cloth’. The advertisements to show that quality of the cloth display a man wearing a suit of non-sanforized cloth. He appears funny and uncomfortable ashis suit has gone out of fit by washing. Another man is shown wearing a suit of ‘Sanforised cloth’. How smart and active he appears. We immediately learn that ‘Sanforised cloth’ is best because itdoes not shrink. So a good advertisement must be interesting, attractive and eye-catching. But proper sanctity must be maintained and unnecessary exposure must be avoided. It must also befrequently repeated, otherwise people forget all about the goods advertised. do not like to waste their time on things which do not concern them. So to be successful,advertisement must be brief. Long descriptive stories or certificates of praise about certain thing donot make good advertisement. This is an important point in advertising and a good advertiser mustkeep it in mind. Advertisements are not concerned with the good or bad quality of goods. Even the mostinjurious goods are advertised these days. Advertisements of undesirable drugs and medicines andindecent literature, so common. They simply cheat the public. So we should be careful while purchasing an advertised article. We should use our own mind, instead of blindly following theadvice of the advertisement. In our country, the art of advertising is in its infancy. in progressive countries, likeAmerica, big business concerns have specialists and experts for this purpose. They spend hugeamounts of money on advertisement. But it is not so in our country. Some businessmen consider their products to be very superior. They think advertisement unnecessary. This is undesirable. Toget success in business every big or small business-concern must make effective us of art of advertising goods. To run a business without its aid is not possible in the modern age. â€Å"the advertisement for the body-spray, Impulse. The whole idea of a man absorbed in hisdaily routine being suddenly roused out of it by a whiff of Impulse and then going through a seriesof impulsive actions to compliment the lady wearing it, is romantic and endearing to most women. This combined with the light, tinkling piano accompaniment and soft-focus filming makes theadvertisement an attractive one. Then we have the newspaper and magazine advertisements, invibrant color, interesting graphics and witty slogans. Take a look at most cosmetic advertisementslike Maybelline or Cover girl, where the page is attractively splashed with the newest colors themanufacturer has come up with a pretty, lively girl caught in mid-laughter. Therefore, advertisements today are generally interesting due to the visual and sound effects made possible yadvanced technology in the various mediums of print, sound and film, and a little imagination,especially when rival companies try their best to attract consumers and so try to advertise better. Are they useless? Not necessarily. In many ways advertisements help to keep the cost of most publications low so that we can afford them quite easily. This applies in the case of our dailynewspaper â€Å"The Straits Times†, the Sunday â€Å"Asia Magazine†, the popular â€Å"Readers Digest† andespecially the publication we are all familiar with, our respective school magazines. Theadvertisers pay to advertise and this payment subsidizes publishing cost so that we pay less thanwhat we might otherwise have to pay. Advertisements also help to ease our boredom sometimes. How many times have people been roused out of a bored stupor once they see an interestingadvertisement on a billboard or bus or when lazily flicking through a magazine? Also,advertisements either interesting or otherwise, especially of otherwise, do promote conversationamong friends when they discuss them, how an advertisement is so silly, or another is unusual andimaginative and yet another is introducing an interesting and attractive product which might beworth buying. This then brings us to the last point. Are advertisements misleading? One of their uses is that they inform us as to what is available on the market, but is this informationwholly true? Their main function is to attract buyers so naturally, only certain details regarding a product are highlighted while others are not provided at all. We are made to believe that a productis long-lasting, worthwhile, multi-purpose and bound to give us that happiness we cannot findelsewhere. Perfume advertisements promise to bring the opposite sex falling at one’s feet,dictionary and encyclopedia advertisements promise to give us all the wisdom and knowledge inthe world, cosmetic advertisement for â€Å"Ponderosa Steak & Salad Restaurant† promises juicy andtender steak and delicious salad. I have eaten there and found the steak to be of very low quality,for a very high price, but the salad was everything the advertisement led me to believe. conclusion:So in conclusion, I would say that modernAdvertisements are boring, unless and oftenmisleading. †

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Urbanization and Rural Migrants

DefinitionsUrbanisation: The process in which an increasing proportion of the population live in cities/urban areas. Urban growth: Increase in population size and/or physical size of the towns, cities and other larger urban settlements in a country or a region. Process whereby settlements grow in terms of population number and/or physical size Megacity: A giant metropolis with a population of at least 10 million Slums: A residential area that is physically and socially deteriorated and in which satisfactory family life is impossible. Squatters: Shelters with poor structural quality and developed without legal claims to the land and/or permission from the concerned authoritiesTrends in urbanisationGeneral trends:In 1950, there were two megacities with 10 million or more inhabitants. By 2005, this number has increased to 20 and it is projected that there will be 22 megacities by 2015. Developing countries will have 18 of the 22 megacities in 2015.LEDCs vs MEDCs:Since 1950, the most rap id growth in urbanisation has occurred in LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries) in South America, Africa and Asia. Between 1950 and 1990, the urban population in LEDCs has doubled. In China, the urban population grew from 192 million to 375 million in 16 years. However, this is not the case in MEDCs, which instead face the phenomenon of counter-urbanisation where people choose to move away from the bustling city to the quieter rural environment.Positive impacts (Reasons for urbanisation)Wage and employment differentials Economic advancements are better in the city for migrants due to higher wages and increased number of working days. For example, In Dehli, rural migrants’  income increase by 150% compared to those in villages. Job opportunities in the city can also be found in the form of employment in informal sectors such as hawkers selling food by the sidewalks. This requires limited capital as money does not have to be spent on renting a workplace or a stall.The cities provide a greater opportunity for rural migrants to climb the income ladder. The increased wealth will enhance the lives of the migrants and their families as money can be spent on proper food, water, healthcare and even education. If the money is invested well in their children, their families can be brought out of the cycle of poverty, increasing their standard of living in the long run.Access to Amenities and ServicesDue to the close proximity of people in the highly populated cities, it is easier and cheaper to provide amenities that are accessible and affordable to everyone. This is referred to as the economies of scale, hence allowing city dwellers to have better and cheaper access to water and electrical supply. This results in an improvement in their living standards and decreases one’s chance of contracting diseases related to the lack of proper water supply.For example, water pipes and sewers can be constructed within densely populated areas more efficiently than laying long pipelines connecting houses in more dispersed rural settlements. The poor access to basic infrastructure has a disproportionate effect on rural women as they perform most of the domestic chores and often walk long distances to fetch water. The energy spent on getting water can be better channeled to economic activities in urban areas.Future ProspectsPeople are willing to endure short-term difficulties in the hopes of better prospects of economic gain and improved welfare in the longer term, even if only for their children.Economic growthCities are engines of economic growth as they are places where money, services, wealth and manpower are centralized. Cheap labour will attract foreign investors as production cost is low. Through trade and tourism, foreign money will flow into the country, boosting the economy. Urban-based economic activities account for more than 50% of the gross  domestic product (GDP) In all countries. For example, Mumbai, the richest city in I ndia, ha the highest GDP of any city in South, West and Central Asia.Negative impacts (Challenges)Urban unemployment and urban povertyThere is a huge economic income disparity, leaving a huge gap between the rich and the poor in the cities. This is because the rural migrants lack education and the skills required to get a good job. Hence, the inhabitants of the urban areas have better access to the various industries due to the higher levels of education they received, while rural migrants only earn a meager income. This is made worse by the lack of jobs due to the sudden increase in population and workforce in the city. Many rural migrants turn to the ‘informal sector’ as their source of income, where there is no need for them to pay taxes.However, this results in a decrease in the government’s income, which can be used to build and improve infrastructure and provide better amenities and services to the people. For example, in Morocco, street vendors are a commo n sight as these mobile traders do not have to pay rent or municipal tax. However, these informal traders cause small retailers to lose out in the competition and has forced many small businesses in the area to close down.Traffic congestionThe increased income means an increase in private ownership of cars as a form of luxury instead of taking public transportation. However, this leads to traffic congestions during peak hours due to insufficient roads in the transport network, leading to delays and frustrations. It is estimated that in Bangkok, a car spends an average of 44 days per year stuck in traffic. Apart from being a waste of time, it also causes environmental and noise pollution. This affects the quality of life for urban dwellers.Environmental degradationThe increase in private car ownership and other human activities result in air pollution and other forms of environmental degradation such as dumping of chemical waste in waterways. More than 80% of sewage in developing   countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas. This makes water unfit for drinking and also upsets the ecosystem. Fumes from exhaust pipes cause the air to be filled with harmful particles that negatively affect the health of urban dwellers, especially those with respiratory difficulties such as asthma.This is a prominent problem in Beijing, where the smog in the air is so thick that it is a cause of worry for the citizens. Smoking causes lead pollution in the air, which has adverse effects on other’s health. The air in New Mexico causes lead levels in babies to be so high that it impairs their brain development. This affects the social wellbeing of the citizens.HousingRapid urbanisation has led to the development of squatter settlements and an informal sector to the economy. By 2050, it is estimated that the world’s population will be 9 billion, of which 3.5 million will be living in slums and squatter settlements. There is a huge demand for housing due to the great increase in urban population. This pushes up the price of housing. Poor rural migrants who are unable to afford proper housing are forced to live in slums or squatters.1. These settlements lack proper sanitation, drainage and disposal systems (dumping ground). The houses are closely packed in a disorderly fashion, and often overcrowded with people. This makes the spread of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis quick and easy, giving rise to a high likelihood of health problems, especially given the unsanitary conditions. 2. There is an inadequate access to clean water and lack of a proper sewage system, allowing water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid to be spread easily. (2 million children are killed yearly by water contaminated by sewage.)3. There might be a high incidence of fire breakouts as the close proximity of the houses make it easy for the fire to spread. Furthermore, the disorderly arrangement of houses makes it difficult for s lum residents to escape easily from the fire. 4. Lack of basic amenities and services such as electricity means the need to use oil lamps and kerosene for lighting. This also increases the chance of a fire. 5. Makeshift shelters are built using low quality building materials such as  cardboards, planks, etc. that might be flammable. This encourages a fire breakout, and also means that a fire can cause the residents to lose all their possessions. 6. The lack of a proper drainage system might lead to flooding, especially for slum settlements build on water-retention areas.SolutionsHOUSING:1. (Overcrowding) Curb the flow of rural-urban migration to ensure that the government can cope with the pace and provide the necessary infrastructure required a. Improve living conditions in rural areas such that there will not be a need for rural dwellers to move to the city. b. Indonesian migrants to Jakarta are required to obtain residence cards to prove that they have a job and accommodation i n the city before permission is granted to them to leave the rural areas. 2. (Slums) Improving living conditions of squatter settlements a. â€Å"For a Better Calcutta† in India: The Central Metropolitan Development Authority (CDMA) launched this  £250 million programme to make slums more bearable and the city liveable by installing sanitation and sewers, drinking water and streetlights, health care and education. a.i. 150 000 street lighting points provideda.ii. Provision of 90 litres of water per capita per day. More than 20 000 water tap points and connections have been provided a.iii. Revamp and Renovation of drainage and sewage systems: 45 000 permanent sanitary latrines (1 per 35 people) a.iv. Construction of 600m of paved roads and pathwaysa.v. Gardens, parks and playgrounds on 60 sites are under construction.Provision of subsidized housing and relocationa. Cingapura project, Sao Paulo, Brazila.i. Brazil aims to replace slums with low-rise blocks of flats. They aim t o resettle 92 000 families from 243 slum sites a.ii. Residents pay for the house over a span of 20 years at a low interest rate. 4. Self-Help Schemesa. In Nairobi, Kenya Africa, the World back gives financial support to the  squatters. Building lots are provided and laid out with water, drains, roads lighting and occasionally clinics and schools. Squatters are given modest loans for building materials and are expected to build their own homes on prepared sites. 5. With these interventions, slum and squatter dwellers of urban areas are experiencing an improvement in the living environment.TRAFFIC: 1. Restrictionsa. Curbing vehicle growth by increasing the cost of private car to discourage car ownership. a.i. For example, in SG, potential car owners must pay to bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) b. Reducing congestion by limiting the number of cars on the road. b.i. In Singapore, ERP gantries are set up on frequently congested roads to collect additional road tax during peak hours. b.ii. Beijing restricts certain cars with certain numbers from going on the roads on weekdays 2. Encourage the use of public transport by improving and subsidizing public transport to make it accessible and affordable.MacroconceptsUrbanisation is an inevitable process for a country on its way to development. No country has achieved high-income status without first urbanizing, and nearly all countries become at least 50% urbanized before fully reaching middle-income status. Urbanization plays an important role in economic, political and cultural development, and also provides better access to education, employment and healthcare, hence improving the social wellbeing of the people.Even though urbanisation brings about both advantages and disadvantages, many of the urban problems are results of poor management and planning and the absence of coherent urban policies. For example, in Africa, urban areas are economically stagnant or in recession, hence local authorities do not hav e the money or expertise to provide services such as access to water, housing, education and healthcare. This results in the formation of slums. (70% of Africa’s urban population live in slums) Hence, urbanisation itself is not a problem, and should be encouraged. However, it has to be accompanied with proper planning and  regulation.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Economy of China (Globalization Effect) Essays

The Economy of China (Globalization Effect) Essays The Economy of China (Globalization Effect) Essay The Economy of China (Globalization Effect) Essay Research Essay Lewis Carroll The effects of globalisation on Economic growth and the quality of life in China. China holds the second largest economy in the world, measured by Purchasing Power Parity (a technique used to determine and compare the relative value of different currencies). From the late 1970s, the Chinese economy has become more market orientated, rather than its former closed and planned political system. This change has played a major role in the development of their economy and impact of globalisation. At present, it is the worlds fastest growing major economy. Growth ates in the Chinese economy have averaged 10% throughout the past 30 years. By utilising Chinas perfect environment for manufacturing with low minimum income levels compared to other countries, and little to no policies surrounding work place health and safety, in 2010 China became the worlds largest exporter. In 2010, 19. 8% of the worlds manufacturing output was produced by China, and Industry and Manufacturing account for 46. 8% of Chinas GDP. Apart from the thriving Manufacturing industry, China also produces 45% of the worlds steel and is the worlds third largest Automotive Manufacturer. Over recent years, Chinas Urban wages have received a 13-19% increase to an average of $2472USDp. a. The Chinese Economy has gained both benefit and been disadvantaged by globalisation trends. One advantage is China has received extensive amounts of high GDP over recent years, although it sometimes due to the over exploitation of their unbelievably cheap labour compared to other countries. China has become almost an essential to the global supply chain because of its cheap labour leading to the massive growth we have seen over recent years. Other Positive effects of globalisation include the mprovement of living standards due to higher employment and therefore larger income and contribution to the economy. The amount of employment in china has increased due to the rise in growth and creation of TNCs and movement of production due to globalisation. This means that in order to meet demands, they need to create more Jobs which is suited best in China because of low minimum income levels Negative effects of Globalisation on China include environmental changes and urbanisation. The Chinese Environment has been damaged due to rapid pollution and industrialisation consequences. The growth of industries pecializing in manufacturing has caused the pollution of the air, ground and permanent damage on the surroundings of these factories due to production processes such as burning or pollution from capital goods. The growth of urbanisation was a result after the rapid increase in Jobs around cities, but this can also lead to the lowering of standards of living and the amount of Jobs and resources available elsewhere. The urban cities are unable to provide necessities and services the population need. By the end of 2012 52. 6% of the Chinese population had become urbanised, an increase from the former 26% in 1990 . Although currently, the ities cannot provide for the amount of people urbanising, the government has aimed to create services, increase availability of necessities and support a range of mass transit around and inside the city as a part of their 5-year-plan for 2011-2015. lowest income earners and reduce homelessness. Another problem with this sudden spark in urbanisation is the lowering of workplace safety regulations yet to be created. The people are working in factories with very poor standards which reduce hygiene and can also cause mental issues such as suicides. The Chinese Economy has implemented particular strategies in order to promote and stabilize the conomic growth and development they have received. These policies and strategies are a result of increasing demand because of globalisation in China. The introduction of the Open door policy (essential opening china into a mass of once protected foreign direct investment) created a huge utilisation of Chinese labour. Chinese capital and labour resources have become efficiently allocated, which then has greatly boosted economic growth and productivity. The Chinese economy then strategically utilised their obvious comparative advantage in export orientated and labour intensive industries. The Chinese Economys rapid growth is due to creation of particular strategies such us export Incentives and decentralisation of government. Export Incentives are monetary, tax or legal motivations designed to encourage businesses to export certain types of goods or services. This large labour force, huge investments in efficient technology and the introduction of subsidies and incentives have created the perfect environment for mass growth of this emerging economy. Chinese exporting alone has generated up to a staggering 36 per cent of Chinas GDP (2006). Since the Decentralization of Government (the process of redistributing, owers, people or things away from the government) the Chinese GDP per capita has risen from its previous $674 in 1978 to $5,085 in 2004 (ppp adjusted). That is over 7 and a half times greater than the previous recording. This change in government, liberalization of prices, reduction in agriculture resources, and integration into world markets, had proved to be a major cause of the Chinese economic boom over the past 30 years beginning with the open door policy The use of Special Economic Zones in china created an ability to alter the policies and investments in areas suited. For example, lower taxes and lower tariffs and other protection policies were introduced in order to encourage the exportation of technology. Their immediate success fuelled the way for more specific zones in order to utilise the economic boom they were currently experiencing. The implementations of a practise known as the household responsibility system was a specific quota for agricultural demand created by the government in order to remain self-sufficient in agricultural goods, but continue to redistribute their resources to other more profitable and efficient areas. The farmers and producers were given compensation for completing these merit goods that compared to other industrialised productions, were not very profitable. These strategies allowed the Chinese people and economy to thrive during economic boom but also increase their standard of living. The Chinese Government has introduced a way to change economic strategies and policies in order to relate to the current economic activities. This plan is called the 5-year-plan, a set of policies that have to remain active for the remaining 5 years until they are reassessed for the new economic activities. This 5 year plan applies for all regions of china, and is used in order to map strategies for economic development, setting growth targets, and launching reforms. The 12th 5 year plan (2011-2015) outlines their planned building of new low-income apartments to reduce poverty and increase the standard of living for the Chinese Population. The policies can also aim to stabilize their current growth, make incomes more equal and improve social infrastructure. The Chinese government believe that the increase of employment and reduction in unemployed population is the top priority to create stability in their rapidly growing conomy. By the end of 2005, the registered unemployment population in urban areas reached 8. 39 million, and the registered unemployment rate in the urban areas was 4. 2 per cent. In order to counteract the growing unemployment, The Chinese Government applied structural Proactive employment Policies in order to create incentive and encourage unemployed members of the Chinese population to look, create, or innovate their own employment These practises were used to promote the economic growth but also increase the poor standard of living in China. These included: 1. Encouraging the unemployed to start up their own businesses. Reducing taxes and charges, plus small loans with discounted interests created a perfect environment and incentive for the Chinese unemployed to stimulate the economy and its growth. 2. Exempting and reducing taxes on enterprises willing to employ disadvantaged unemployed people. 3. Offering particular insurance subsidies for flexible employment terms. Evaluation of Economic Growth and development Strategies: Strategies used by the Chinese Government are all aimed to create, stabilise and promote growth of the Economy and the quality of life of the Chinese people. The Open Door policy has unlocked the swift growth of the Chinese Economy by allowing the flooding of Foreign Direct Investment. With an increase of Chinas GDP per capita from $153 to $1284 , this single indicator outlines the success of opening China to Foreign Direct Investment. The open door policy has also created an opening for greater employment, income and therefore better living standards for the Chinese population. This is because the open door policy allows more TNCs and large enterprises to base their factories and outlets around the Chinese population. Export nd business incentives have also fuelled a large amount of success though the encouragement of reaching the technical optimum in economies of scale, and employing more people, once again, creating more Jobs and increasing living standards of the Chinese population. The Decentralization from government is a strategy that started the growth they have received and the increase of economic development in China. Through this decentralization, the redistribution of income and resources has unlocked the flood for foreign direct investment, creation of employment and increased the living standards of the population. The 5 year plan as fulfilled its potential by maintaining the economic stability of china, whilst still creating growth. Through the increase of GDP, employment rates, and living standards of the Chinese population, it is obvious that the changing of political policies and goals have succeeded in guiding the Chinese economies growth. This planning allowed the government to change into a market orientated system whilst still keeping the benefits of planning goals, rates and living standards to predict the future of the Chinese economy. The strategies under the Proactive employment unemployment and increasing the living standards of the Chinese population. Not only has the policies reduced the people unemployed, but they also can be used to raise the minimum income. Overall, the effects of globalisation on economic growth and the quality of life in china have been mostly benefiting. Through the introduction of new employment, high income and standards of living, and the decentralization of the Chinese government, China continues to gain expediential growth over any other country in the world. The industrialisation of China has proven to be a crucial time for reassessing political strategies and adding policies to benefit the Chinese population.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Battle of Peleliu in World War II

The Battle of Peleliu in World War II The Battle of Peleliu was fought September 15 to November 27, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945). Part of the Allies island-hopping strategy, it was believed that Peleliu needed to be captured before operations could commence against either the Philippines or Formosa. While planners had originally believed that the operation would only require a few days, it ultimately took over two months to secure the island as its nearly 11,000 defenders retreated into a system of interconnected bunkers, strong points, and caves. The garrison exacted a heavy price on the attackers and the Allied effort quickly became a bloody, grinding affair. On November 27, 1944, after weeks of bitter fighting, Peleliu was declared secure. Background Having advanced across the Pacific after victories at Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Guam, and Tinian, Allied leaders reached a crossroads regarding future strategy. While General Douglas MacArthur favored advancing into the Philippines to make good his promise to liberate that country, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz preferred to capture Formosa and Okinawa, which could serve springboards for future operations against China and Japan. Flying to Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt met with both commanders before ultimately electing to follow MacArthurs recommendations. As part of the advance to the Philippines, it was believed that Peleliu in the Palau Islands needed to be captured to secure the Allies right flank (Map). Fast Facts: Battle of Peleliu Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: September 15 to November 27, 1944Armies Commanders:AlliesMajor General William RupertusRear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf1st Marine Division (17,490 men), 81st Infantry Division (10,994 men)Japanese:Colonel Kunio Nakagawaapprox. 11,000 menCasualties:Allies: 2,336 killed and 8,450 wounded/missingJapanese: 10,695 killed and 202 captured The Allied Plan Responsibility for the invasion was given to Major General Roy S. Geigers III Amphibious Corps and Major General William Rupertuss 1st Marine Division was assigned to make the initial landings. Supported by naval gunfire from Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorfs ships offshore, the Marines were to assault beaches on the southwest side of the island. Going ashore, the plan called for the 1st Marine Regiment to land to the north, the 5th Marine Regiment in the center, and the 7th Marine Regiment in the south. Hitting the beach, the 1st and 7th Marines would cover the flanks as the 5th Marines drove inland to capture Pelelius airfield. This done, the 1st Marines, led by Colonel Lewis Chesty Puller were to turn north and attack the islands highest point, Umurbrogol Mountain. In assessing the operation, Rupertus expected to secure the island in a matter of days. Colonel Lewis Chesty Puller, 1950. US Marine Corps A New Plan The defense of Peleliu was overseen by Colonel Kunio Nakagawa. Following a string of defeats, the Japanese began to reassess their approach to island defense. Rather than attempting to halt Allied landings on the beaches, they devised a new strategy which called for islands to be heavily fortified with strong points and bunkers. These were to be connected by caves and tunnels which would allow troops to be safely shifted with ease to meet each new threat. To support this system, troops would make limited counterattacks rather than the reckless banzai charges of the past. While efforts would be made to disrupt enemy landings, this new approach sought to bleed the Allies white once they were ashore. The key to Nakagawas defenses were over 500 caves in the Umurbrogol Mountain complex. Many of these were further fortified with steel doors and gun emplacements. At the north of the Allies intended invasion beach, the Japanese tunneled through a 30-foot high coral ridge and installed a variety of guns and bunkers. Known as The Point, the Allies had no knowledge of the ridges existence as it did not show on existing maps. In addition, the islands beaches were heavily mined and strewn with a variety of obstacles to hamper potential invaders. Unaware of the change in Japanese defensive tactics, Allied planning moved forward as normal and the invasion of Peleliu was dubbed Operation Stalemate II. A Chance to Reconsider To aid in operation, Admiral William Bull Halseys carriers commenced a series of raids in the Palaus and Philippines. These met little Japanese resistance led him to contact Nimitz on September 13, 1944, with several suggestions. First, he recommended that the attack on Peleliu be abandoned as unneeded and that the assigned troops be given to MacArthur for operations in the Philippines. He also stated that the invasion of the Philippines should begin immediately. While leaders in Washington, DC agreed to move up the landings in the Philippines, they elected to push forward with the Peleliu operation as Oldendorf had begun the pre-invasion bombardment on September 12 and troops were already arriving in the area. Going Ashore As Oldendorfs five battleships, four heavy cruisers, and four light cruisers pounded Peleliu, carrier aircraft also struck targets across the island. Expending a massive amount of ordnance, it was believed that the garrison was completely neutralized. This was far from the case as the new Japanese defense system survived nearly untouched. At 8:32 AM on September 15, the 1st Marine Division began their landings. The first wave of LVTs moves toward the invasion beaches, passing through the inshore bombardment line of LCI gunboats. Cruisers and battleships are bombarding from the distance. The landing area is almost totally hidden in dust and smoke. US Naval History and Heritage Command Coming under heavy fire from batteries at either end of the beach, the division lost many LVTs (Landing Vehicle Tracked) and DUKWs forcing large numbers of Marines to wade ashore. Pushing inland, only the 5th Marines made any substantial progress. Reaching the edge of the airfield, they succeeded in turning back a Japanese counterattack consisting of tanks and infantry (Map). A Bitter Grind The next day, the 5th Marines, enduring heavy artillery fire, charged across the airfield and secured it. Pressing on, they reached the eastern side of the island, cutting off the Japanese defenders to the south. Over the next several days, these troops were reduced by the 7th Marines. Near the beach, Pullers 1st Marines began attacks against The Point. In bitter fighting, Pullers men, led by Captain George Hunts company, succeeded in reducing the position. Despite this success, the 1st Marines endured nearly two days of counterattacks from Nakagawas men. Moving inland, the 1st Marines turned north and began engaging the Japanese in the hills around Umurbrogol. Sustaining serious losses, the Marines made slow progress through the maze of valleys and soon named the area Bloody Nose Ridge. As the Marines ground their way through the ridges, they were forced to endure nightly infiltration attacks by the Japanese. Having sustained 1,749 casualties, approximately 60% of the regiment, in several days fighting, the 1st Marines were withdrawn by Geiger and replaced with the 321st Regimental Combat Team from the US Armys 81st Infantry Division. The 321st RCT landed north of the mountain on September 23 and began operations. A U.S. Marine Corps Chance Vought F4U-1 Corsair aircraft attacks a Japanese bunker at the Umurbrogol mountain on Peleliu with napalm bombs. US Marine Corps Supported by the 5th and 7th Marines, they had a similar experience to Pullers men. On September 28, the 5th Marines took part in a short operation to capture Ngesebus Island, just north of Peleliu. Going ashore, they secured the island after a brief fight. Over the next few weeks, Allied troops continued to slowly battle their way through Umurbrogol. With the 5th and 7th Marines badly battered, Geiger withdrew them and replaced them with the 323rd RCT on October 15. With the 1st Marine Division fully removed from Peleliu, it was sent back to Pavuvu in the Russell Islands to recover. Bitter fighting in and around Umurbrogol continued for another month as the 81st Division troops struggled to expel the Japanese from the ridges and caves. On November 24, with American forces closing in, Nakagawa committed suicide. Three days later, the island was finally declared secure. Aftermath One of the costliest operations of the war in the Pacific, the Battle of Peleliu saw Allied forces sustain 2,336 killed and 8,450 wounded/missing. The 1,749 casualties sustained by Pullers 1st Marines nearly equaled the entire divisions losses for the earlier Battle of Guadalcanal. Japanese losses were 10,695 killed and 202 captured. Though a victory, the Battle of Peleliu was quickly overshadowed by the Allied landings on Leyte in the Philippines, which commenced on October 20, as well as the Allied triumph at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The battle itself became a controversial topic as Allied forces took severe losses for an island that ultimately possessed little strategic value and was not used to support future operations. The new Japanese defensive approach was later used at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In an interesting twist, a party of Japanese soldiers held out on Peleliu until 1947 when they had to be convinced by a Japanese admiral that the war was over.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Tourism Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tourism Management - Essay Example Most of the developing countries promote tourism considering the perspective of economic development. However, tourism must be seen in a broader context of development as it has the potential to impact the socio economic aspects, and environmental aspects on the destination tourist regions (Batta 2000). There is presence of cumulative relationship between the development of tourism, the environment and the socio-economic environment. For tourism to contribute to the sustainable development, it must be ecologically and environmentally sensitive, economically viable and culturally appropriate (Reisinger and Dimanche 2009). There are both positive and negative impacts of tourism on socio-cultural and environmental aspects. It is essential to manage these impacts by encouraging positive ones and doing away with negative ones through appropriate planning and strategies. Sustainable development is possible through necessary management of tourism. Environmental impact of tourism In context of tourism industry, the environment performs three vital functions. Firstly, it is the supplier of natural goods, for example, mountains, beautiful landscape, and so on. It forms the core of the tourism product. Secondly, it is the provider of natural resources that is used for creation of economic goods. Thirdly, the environment has the sink function in which the desirable by-products which are generated during the process of both the production and consumption are discarded (Terkenli et al 2007). The quality of tourism depends on the quality of the environment. There are both positive and negative impacts of tourism on the environment as environment constitutes a very essential part of the overall tourism industry. Positive impact of tourism on environment The growth and development of tourist destinations encourages the conservation of flora and fauna. For instance, savannah parks of eastern Uganda have rich flora and fauna that are preserved and protected in order to attract la rge number of tourists in the region. It also leads to preservation of attractive landscapes and the infrastructure of tourism utilizes the lands that has remained as waste and idle until tourist activities were started (Richards and Hall 2000). With the blooming tourism activities, there is better infrastructure with availability of resources and maintenance of the heritage characteristics of the park due to working of three factors. Firstly, tourists are attracted through projection of the tourist place as the place having some scenic beauty, historical monuments and natural parks. This projection results in an increased allocation of required resources from the government for their maintenance and related publicity activities. Secondly, visiting tourists are required to pay for seeing these monuments and natural parks, etc. which also adds to the resource pool for maintenance and further growth of the region. Thirdly, due to the combined effect of increased expenditure of governm ent on building infrastructure facilities and publicity, and increasing number of arrivals of tourists, the private investment also starts emerging (Richards and Hal

Friday, November 1, 2019

Second Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Second Generation - Essay Example It depicts the Asian community differently from the way we know it. It has themes such as authentic lives of Asians, British Asian underground music and romance amongst teenagers. The writer Neil Biswas wanted to give a picture of Asian community as it really is, as opposed to how it is perceived on TV. The director Jon Sen sought to address the world’s fascination of Bollywood as it has packaged their culture as a fashion with celebration and vigor (Sandhu, 1). With this production, they depict the seriousness of their Hindu and Islam religions, as the West does not understand the seriousness of it. The epic drama serves to inform and educate its audience, while opening doors to the lives of teenagers in Whitechapel (Sandhu, 1). The main character, Sam, a young boy rapper uses his own money to start up a record label to promote raw talent in the hope that his music will elevate him. His friends however, contact other record labels and turn the music into something commercial. The teenagers in the streets use music to express their feelings of anger and rebellion (Sandhu, 1). The stars in the drama are distinguished actors and actresses, well known to the Asian community and have a list of big productions under their belt. The drama unlike others is not about problems of assimilation, but of position and influence (Sandhu, 1). The article describes the misleading fallacy that has existed for a long time concerning Asian women. In episode 1 of Second Generation, Heer is depicted as an independent woman living with her fiance as opposed to the Asian home portrayed by other media. She is however forced back into her family life when her father falls into a coma. Heere is Sam Khan’s first love and their romance is rekindled after they reconnect. The themes of this episode are love and family. In many Asian stories that have been told in the past, the subject of love and romance is always never brought up. Mostly, they shy away from showing such topics and we as the viewer have concluded that it’s not a topic for dinner time discussion (Channel 4). The article describes an area that is not common in Asian programs or dramas. It is safe to say that it is a result of multiculturalism. It gives us an impression of a black neighborhood with the underground music scenes. Furthermore, there are aspects of multiculturalism that the second-generation teenagers have adopted, different from their predecessors such as music, especially rap (Sandhu, 1). Minority media and diasporic media represent media of a minor community found in a greater region. Their role is to keep the identity of the minority within the new community. Older generations have a problem with recognition as the amalgamation of people and culture fosters aspects such as mixed marriages. Therefore, there is fragmentation of the original culture and a rise of multicultural democracies. The British Asians of the Second Generation drama have adopted a new culture and p lace a risk of fading away of their original culture. The author, Eugenia Siaperain in her book, Cultural Diversity and Global Media: The Meditation of Difference looks into media production and the role the internet has played in diasporic communication. The internet has opened up a new world of communication (Sandhu, 1). According to the article, Second generation has tried to describe Asians in their true form. In episode 1, we see aspects of love and family which are not different from any other

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Air Asia Berhard Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Air Asia Berhard - Research Paper Example This section of the paper seeks to assess how Air Asia would change its business model in its effort to expand its operations in the UK market. One of the major initiatives that the company has emulated in order to improve its profitability is expansion of operations through increasing the number of routes. For example, the company has created connection with various regions within Asia such as Vietnam, Shenzen, Indonesia among others. Even though the company enjoys strong customer loyalty in the domestic market, it has to emulate different strategies in order to penetrate UK market. This is based on the stiff competition and diversified environmental factors that determine the operations of UK airline industry. In the Malaysian market, Air Asia has remained competitive by offering low travelling fares to its customers. However, this is achieved at the expense of its employees who are given lower salaries. Due to the stiff competition in the UK airline industry, Air Asia has to incre ase its wages and salaries in order to motivate its employees. Otherwise, its employees will search for jobs in UK airline companies that are offering competitive prices. In the same way, Air Asia has low overhead costs. It is fundamental to note that in its effort to attain a significant share in the UK market, the company must emulate expansion strategies that are similar to those of UK companies. This implies that the company will have to increase the fare in order to generate more revenue thus enhancing its ability to carry out its operations in the UK market. In order to effectively penetrate the market, Air Asia will need to establish its own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in UK (Aruan 36). Additionally, the company must establish administration offices in various UK cities. Thus resulting to increased administration costs an aspect that the company is currently trying to avoid. Based on the above discussion, it is clear that Air Asia will have to break a numb er of its business model to remain competitive in the UK market. However, it is crucial to note that a strategy such as increasing the travelling costs will ultimately affect the loyalty of its customers both locally and internationally. In the same way, increasing employee’s salaries is a strategy that the company will not only initiate in UK but also in all countries it has established operations. Thus resulting to increased costs and reduced profits. This implies that Air Asia entry of the UK market will be difficult. Paper 2. First Solar’s multinational business context and internal resources First Solar is a technology company that is based in Arizona. One of the key aspects that have enhanced the production capacity of the company is experienced and motivated work force. With more than 5,200 associates, the company has been able to raise a significant capital that has made it possible to diversify its product line thus attracting large number of customers especia lly in the European market. During its establishment, First solar specialized in the production of glass products rather than manufacturing of photovoltaics. Based on the expertise of the company founder Harold McMaster in the glass manufacturing, he diverted his skills to the solar industry. He was also

Sunday, October 27, 2019

HIV/AIDS And Stigma | Essay

HIV/AIDS And Stigma | Essay HIV/AIDS is one of the challenges to human life and dignity. It affects all levels of society and has a massive impact on global economic and social development, (Rowden, 2009). Studies have been conducted on its impact on human life and how it could be controlled. This review was conducted by exploring literature from a variety of sources for published articles on HIV/AIDS and its stigma. Literature from research covering a period of 8 years from 2002-2010 was extracted from Assia, PubMed, Sage, British Medical Journal, Cochrane and Absco-host, and reviewed for the study, objectives, methodology and key findings. Relevant books, journals, documents and reports from organisations such as UNAIDS, and the World Bank were also reviewed. Both qualitative and quantitative data was used to present the information. Despite facing a lot of criticism on its top-down approach, the biomedical model remains the dominant concept in health and illness. Its credibility lies on its scientific methods and expert knowledge used to diagnose or understand illness and treatment. This model views the body as a machine composed of different parts working together for it to function. If one part is not functioning properly, the aim is to find what is wrong with it through diagnosis and fix it by prescribing medicine, (Taylor Hawley 2010:12). Focus is therefore restricted to the physical illness of an individuals body and the scientific understanding of disease, making the approach heavily based on pharmacology. While pharmacology is beneficial in the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, it is criticised for promoting the privilege of the biomedical model, further enhancing undermining of alternative approaches to health and healing. The biomedical approach may be inappropriate to some communities and create fe elings of helplessness and vulnerability therefore affecting the success of the intervention. (Global Health Watch, 2008, Farmer, 1999). Lay concepts of health and illness are diverse and complex than those of the medical model. They focus on peoples experiences of health and illness in relation to their overall life experiences and are embedded within local social and cultural structures. Unlike in the biomedical approach, indigenous approaches seek to heal the whole person by linking the illness with the persons social and economic background, (Taylor, 2003). However critics of this model argue that lay concepts are difficult to evidence and research hence they remain marginalised and scarcely recognised as legitimate knowledge, (Taylor Hawley, 2010:13). On the contrary, Taylor, (2003) argues that lay perspective is crucial knowledge for public health as it identifies roots of illnesses for possible long term prevention and treatment for the larger population as compare to individually focused interventions. Influence of power systems such as the dominance of the medical model hinder progress on preventions and treatment of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and stigma as they govern relationships between health structures and lay people. Goffman, (1990), and Parker and Aggleton, (2003),s theories of stigma in helping us to understand how stigma is constructed and its influence in peoples lives view stigma and discrimination as functional systems which maintain boundaries between those in power and those without. Through such power, social inequalities are developed leading to creation of social norms. These formulate stigma by governing interactions between people and reinforce power structures that serve to maintain control of the powerless, (Farmer, 2005). Both theories have been widely used in HIV related stigma to highlight how prejudice, negative attitudes, abuse and maltreatment directed towards PLWHA have hindered the progress of prevention and treatment. Research highlights that stigma and discrimination in health care settings deriving from social power imbalances contribute a great deal in keeping people away from accessing HIV/AIDS treatment and care. Patients felt greatly affected by health workers feeling uncomfortable with them and treating them in an inferior manner. In Tanzania, some discriminatory and stigmatised practices such as gossiping about patients HIVs status, neglect, verbal abuse, testing and disclosing HIVs status without consent were noted, (D.C Synergy, 2005). Similarly in India, health workers were disclosing patients HIV status to their families without patients consent, (Mahedra et, al, 2007). Harassment, avoiding and isolation of HIV-positive patients and testing without counselling are common features of stigmatisation in most studies. Some health workers wore protective clothing even if there was no physical contact during interactions. Fear of being identified as infected with HIV also influenced people t o prolong testing for HIV and only accessed services when their illness was at an advanced stage, (Bond and Aggleton, 2002; Kinsler et al, 2007; Varga et al 2006; Kalichman and Simbayi, 2003). In Zambia, HIV-positive health workers were hiding their HIV status from their colleagues in fear of being stigmatised, (Dieleman et al, 2007). While most of the literature on HIV/AIDS and access to health services is negative, there is evidence of the value of supportive and de-stigmatising HIV services in some parts of the globe. Brazil has been hailed as a model by PLWHA. They reported supportive inclusive structural systems that create healthy environments that promote active participation of different groups in society and the government, (Caltado, 2008). In South Africa where most people believe in traditional healing, Aids Activism has made a positive significance in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment by translating and mediating the biomedical approach within local ideological frameworks which are easily understood and acted on by the locals, (Colvin, Robins, 2010). Literature reveals that collaboration between lay perspectives and biomedical approach is essential for successful control of HIV/AIDS and stigma. There is no cure for AIDS but Anti-retrovirals (ARVs) can prolong life by lowering levels of HIV in the body therefore delaying the process between HIV and AIDS, (Robin, 2009). Although ARVs are now readily available in most countries, numbers of newly infected people are rising. According to the World Bank, 60 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Access to treatment has increased dramatically but for every 100 people on treatment, 250 become newly infected, (World Bank, 2010). As such, pressure is now rising on the effectiveness of only relying on the biomedical approach for treatment and care of HIV/AIDS. While lay perspectives are considered effective, this cannot be confirmed as true with HIV/AIDS care. In South Africa, despite people heavily relying on traditional healing approaches, HIV prevalence continued to rise. Significance towards effective control of the epidemic has been noted with the increase in accessibility of ARVs, (Colvin, 2009). In the UNAIDS Report On The Global AIDS Epidemic 2010, in 7 countries, five of them in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, HIV incidences increased by more than 25% between 2001 and 2009. Sub Saharan Africa, although still remaining the most highly affected by the epidemic, figures either stabilised or showed signs of decline owing to positive behaviour due to increased services that are embedded in local culture. The report affirms that stigma and discrimination, lack of access to services and bad laws can make the epidemic worse, (UNAIDS, 2010). Due to the challenges presented by HIV/AIDS to global public health, Baum. (2008:241) calls for collective participation of all sectors in the fight against this deadly disease. She asserts that community level mobilisation where there is partnership between lay people and structures is the effective way of combating HIV/AIDS and stigma. This is further supported by Farmer, (1999:90), who does not condone the dominance of the biomedical perspective in health and healing. He believes that lay people have a significant role in the process of health improvements and emphasises on the importance understanding lay peoples experiences as essential knowledge for successful interventions. He holds that health care services should be accessible to PLWHA without fear of being stigmatised. Educating health care professionals about the impact of stigma on patients and policies that encourage inclusion of PLWHA in decisions that affect their lives are some of the key factors of effectively tackli ng the epidemic. Parker and Aggleton, (2003) also claim collective participation between lay people and health structures as key to successful anti-stigma services. Relationships between health structures and PLWHA could also be improved by engaging lay people through advocacy. The Greater Involvement of PLWHA, (GIPA) principle emphasises the need for involvement of PLWHA at all levels in combating HIV/AIDS because they understand their situation better. Therefore their voices could be heard well if their needs were presented by people in the same situation, (UNAIDS, 2007). In the Zambia study, professionals living with HIV/AIDS are in a better position to advocate for people accessing services. Baum, (2008:550) affirms that advocacy involving public health practitioners is an effective way of influencing structural barriers in public health. Literature has highlighted the contested nature of concepts of health and healing underpinning access to services providing treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS and its stigma. The biomedical approach conceptualises health and illness through science and expertise with focus on the individual. Lay concepts view health and healing as embedded within local social and cultural structures and therefore seek to address public health for a wider population. Literature suggests that neither approach in isolation is effective in prevention and care for HIV/AIDS. Arguments have centred on the importance of collaboration of the models. Therefore there is need for intervention programmes to develop holistic approaches that are underpinned by the two models but it is also important to understanding each of the concepts in its own right.