Last Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Last - Essay Example argument that they had the same constitutional rights and standing as biological parents, ruling that the application of the â€Å"Existing Indian family exception† did not apply in the said case. The ruling on this case has two major implications. First, Brewer, according to the words of Barbara Atwood, notes that it scraps the ‘Existing Indian Family’ exception, one that has always been a cause of disagreement within the Californian Courts. Secondly, the ruling also discards the constitutional issues brought forward by the foster couple in favor of their argument. This ruling signals a predisposition of the nation towards rejecting Existing Indian Family exception. To answer the questions, in the event that the court rules against John E, he will still be obliged to provide child support to Baby A. According to the principles underlining guidelines formation, both parents should share the legal responsibility of their children, and John is no exception here. Secondly, the Child Support Recovery Act of 1992 and the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act of 1998 can both be used to compel John towards providing support to the child. Furthermore, paternity tests did show that he is the father to the child, and thus he must take the full responsibility. However for the mother to Baby A, this far little has been heard about her, but in the event that she shows up, and given that she is a well-known drug addict, her fitness must be confirmed before she can be allowed near the child. If the tests prove her fit, the she should be allowed access to the baby, but not custody. The bonding the child has created with the caretakers is healthy enough at this point , and disrupting it by allowing the mother to have her might be detrimental to her wellbeing. In the case of Stanley v Illinois, the initial ruling had some inadequacies. The argument that the bond between a mother and a child is often stronger than that between a father and a child was sound; however, in the event

Business Ethics and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Business Ethics and Starbucks Essay 1. Starbucks demonstrates a new focus on business ethics and social responsibility by providing health care benefits to their employees, giving to the welfare of the needy, and also by packaging their goods in recycling materials along with any other practices that are beneficial to the company. Starbucks has also demonstrated by improving their dealings with their customers as well as their suppliers. Although this may not bring in additional revenues, the ethical businesses are better recognized and there durability is greater. As long as Starbucks can continue to gain trust in the customers, it will allow them to have a strong bond with them also. 2. I feel that Starbucks has been concerned with social responsibility in its overall corporate strategy because for one reason it is a popular business and it helps the image of the company to care about the community and the environment. Other reasons Starbucks were so concerned was because of the negative impact on the company. Starbucks has always been engaged in responsible business practice since they first started their operation and they have always spent a lot of time defending their image as well. Several small coffee shops were put out of business due to the clustering strategy. Starbucks decided to refocus their strategy after the 2009-2009 recession. Several locations were closed because of the lack of performance due to the economic depression. Because of Starbucks dedication to their employees and suppliers, they were able to earn their loyalty. However Starbucks were also concerned with social responsibility because it affected all parties involved. The company did achieve social responsibility by taking steps to follow certain guidelines and being involved in the community, which is very important to the company since ethical companies tend to do better in the long run. 3. I think Starbucks has both grown rapidly and mainly because it does provide products and an environment that customers want. Most people don’t know anything about the ethical and social responsibility that Starbucks engage in unless they research their websites. I feel that Starbucks success was due to its strong brand image that had been built over the years. Consumers purchased these products from Starbucks because of the good taste. However people were concerned about being ethical and social responsible when running a business, especially when consumers wanted to enjoy what they were consuming without having to worry about how the products are labored. This company also grew large due to several charity campaigns; such as the partnership between Starbucks and the project Red to raise money for different events. By being a large buyer of Fair Trade certified coffee, in spite of the high cost, they continued to grow as the purpose of fair trades that promotes a better working condition and greater incentives for the mmanufacturers. Starbucks does not only offer quality coffee to its customers, they also have a great atmosphere of the coffee shop. They have given back to the community and earned their trust as well as respect from their customers.

Essay --

Taylor Heisler A Soldier’s Life A soldier’s journey throughout the Civil War began with them entering the war. At the start of the war, both sides had many men who volunteered to fight for their side. Many volunteered to fight because of patriotism, state pride, to be paid, for their religion, or even for the thrill of an adventure. Although towards the middle and end of the Civil War, volunteers were no longer as common. Both sides began to have a problem with the lack of soldiers. The Confederacy ending up creating a draft that first began drafting men ages eighteen to thirty-five, but by the end of the war the age was men forty-five to fifty. Although the Union wasn’t as in a short supply of men as the Confederacy, they also started a draft but it only made up about 6 percent of their army. While having the draft, both sides allowed the wealthy to pay $300.00 to buy their way out of serving in the Civil War. This meant most of the men who were drafted tended to be poor. This angered civilian s from both sides and riots broke out which were quieted by the armies. The Union also began accepting escaped Confederate slaves and African Americans to fight as soldiers. Becoming desperate, the Confederacy also began drafting slaves to fight in their army. After soldier’s joined the army they experienced training for the war. At the beginning of the war, neither side had a great amount of trained soldiers considering most soldiers had been farmers. A majority of officers and trainers also lacked fighting skills. Neither side had much time to train their armies but they trained the best they could. Drills were conducted to train the soldiers. The drills became a daily routine and taught their soldiers discipline and battle... ... limbs, because of the poor sanitation of the medical equipment used to remove their limbs. One of the least dangerous struggles soldiers faced was boredom. Soldiers waited at camps for action. While waiting for orders, soldiers passed time with varies methods. Soldiers would cook food, write letters to their loved ones, clean their clothes and even play games. Common games played were: baseball, dominoes, cards, chess, and checkers. A soldier experienced many hard ships beginning with being brought into the war, training, and surviving the war. Soldiers fought for their side whether they wanted to be in the war or not. They endured many long days of training and struggled to become better soldiers. A soldier not only struggled to survive a battle but also a normal day at camp. Although the armies faced the same struggles, the soldiers continued to fight.

The Bible References in Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales

The very first reference to a religious aspect is that they are twelve as the apostles of the Bible, and one of them, the youngest had the name of one bible character – Benjamin- who was too the 21st son of Jacob also, who had a daughter too.The next reference is the Golden Star on the girl's forehead, which is a compost symbol with two pieces, the first is gold, and it evokes what is illuminated, sacred and durable. The second is Star, it symbolize â€Å"the presence of divinity' (Cooper, 156). Like the brothers on this fairy tale, Jacob once had to flee from the wrath of his brother Seas. When the princess took off the flowers from earth she deflowered her brother she committed an incestuous act.The brothers turned into Ravens, which are in the Bible god singers and prophets, as a punishment to the Incestuous act and she was not punished too because of being a divinity and sacred being. The seven years of silence that she had to obey can be a reference to Mary of Sorrows, w hich symbol Is a heart pierced by seven swords, each sword meaning one of the sorrows that she had to face. The latter reference is the step-mother who persuades the King to send his beloved wife to the fire, acting like the Devil stacking his claim of the sinner princess.

Olympics Document Based Question Essay

DBQ Essay (Modern Day Olympics 1896 – 2002) War, Nationalism, and money paid by various corporations/countries all shaped the modern day Olympics. War played a major role in shaping the modern day Olympic Games. In document one, Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement, states that the Olympics would serve as a reduction of war because of the worldwide competition between various countries. Coubertin wrote this document to attempt to convince the Athletic Society of France to revive the Olympic Games. In document 3, the autobiography of Arnold Lunn talks about how the Nazis used certain competition to prove to the world that a dictatorship (or Nazism) is better than democracy. The only thing that mattered to the Nazi’s was to win. The Nazi’s had pictured the Olympics as a war where it was the Nazi’s against the world. Document 5 reveals that if Japan wouldn’t have hosted the Olympic Games after the Second World War, they would’ve never gotten what they needed to rise as a world trade power. Ryotaro Azuma wrote this document to recognize the fact that the Olympics had evo lved into an event that would ultimately save a country. Nationalism also played a major role in shaping the modern day Olympic Games. Document 2 recognizes the fact that men were too proud to let women represent their country in the Olympics. Document 4 represents nationalism because it shows how proud America would be if they beat the Soviets in any sort of competition during the Olympics. Bob Matthias wrote this document to show us the determination and pride the U.S had to defeat the soviets, and how the Olympics evolved into a competition between just the U.S and the Soviets.

Men of honour essays

Men of honour essays Edgar Degas artwork called Before the take off. Edgar degas was a landscape painter which is evident in this artwork were the scene is set on a green grass field landscape. Though he usually works on a studio but he would also do some artworks outside. The scene is set in a grass field hence the green grass. The title says, Before the take off so this area must be set in a race course. The images that are shown are jockeys on their horses getting ready for a big race. This presentation is like naturalistic presentation as it has been drawn from real life. The artwork creates a calming mood as it is before the race and usually before a race is about to start the crowd would go quiet and it would sound calm. The relationship of the viewer to the subject is like the, viewer is the observer as we are watching through Edgar Degas eyes, because he too would have obviously been observing the race. The medium of this artwork is a oil pastel work. The use of pastel is by line and uses blck quite frequently to trace around the images, for example the horses and the jockeys have a black outline on them to let the viewer distinguish the images been shown on the art work. Also the use of brown as the base colour for the horses then the sue of black lines to work over the brown base colour creates that tone and definition and black is also use the create shadows on the images. There is no visual perspective but as you can see the horses are lined up repetitively horizontal to the top right so I would be guessing that the perspective would be pointing towards the top right corner of the artwork. The use of yellow on the jockey on the closest end, his shirt is full of texture as u can see it been worked over quite a lot because you can see the impurities of the colour, if you look closely to it there are a few colours not just yellow theirs also a little bit of black and a darker yel ...

hispanos

Becas universitarias para Latinos/hispanos Si eres latino y buscas becas para ayudar a pagar por tus estudios universitarios el Hispanic Scholarship Fund es un lugar fundamental para considerar aplicar. Y es  que en sus casi cuarenta aà ±os que han pasado desde su creacià ³n, el Hispanic Scholarship Fund  ha distribuido entre estudiantes latinos universitarios ms de 150 diferentes tipos de  becas por un monto total de ms de $430 millones.   Las becas concedidas  varà ­an entre los $1,000 y los $15,000 por estudiante. La media es de $2,500 para estudiantes en universidades y colleges de cuatro aà ±os (à ©sta es la diferencia).  Y  de $1,250 para estudiantes en Community Colleges (llamados en algunos estados Junior College o Technical College). 4 ventajas de estudiar en un Community College Los estudiantes que obtengan estas becas pueden utilizar su monto para pagar la matrà ­cula (tuition) o parte de ella o para gastos relacionados con los estudios universitarios, como transporte, alojamiento, libros, etc. Antes de aplicar asegurarse de cumplir con estos tres  requisitos: 1. Ser latino/hispano Son consideradas latinas o hispanas las  personas nacidas en uno de los siguientes paà ­ses  o con padre o madre o uno de los cuatro abuelos nacidos en al menos uno  de los siguientes paà ­ses: Argentina, Brasil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador,   El Salvador, Espaà ±a, Guatemala, Honduras, Mà ©xico, Nicaragua, Panam, Paraguay,Perà º, Repà ºblica Dominicana, Uruguay y Venezuela. Y tambià ©n los del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. 2. Tener uno de los siguientes estatus migratorios Es necesario ser ciudadano de los Estados Unidos (asà ­ se puede acreditar) o residente permanente legal. Aunque tambià ©n es posible aplicar y obtener una de estas becas si se est en una de las situaciones siguientes. Ser un joven con Accià ³n Diferida aprobada (DACA, por sus siglas en inglà ©s).Tener condicià ³n aprobada de refugiado o asilado, entrada condicional o parole y asà ­ tiene que estar seà ±alado mediante un sello en el I-94.Ser un cubano al que se la ha concedido entrada por pies secos pies mojados. En base a todo lo anterior no pueden aplicar los inmigrantes indocumentados (excepto, como se ha dicho, los jà ³venes con DACA aprobada). Tambià ©n estn excluidos las personas extranjeras presentes en Estados Unidos legalmente con una visa no inmigrante. Por ejemplo, los estudiantes internacionales con una F-1, los turistas, las personas con visas de trabajo temporal, etc.   Al final de este artà ­culo, opciones de becas para todo tipo de estudiantes universitarios, incluidos internacionales e indocumentados. 3. Tener un rà ©cord acadà ©mico excelente Se pide una media de GPA de 3.00 (si bien para recibir The Gates Millennium Scholarship es necesario un 3.30).   El GPA es la forma de puntuar acadà ©micamente en los Estados Unidos. El mximo es un 4.00. Si los à ºltimos estudios se realizaron fuera de los Estados Unidos, hay que traducirlos y convertirlos en puntaje GPA.   Seguir las especificaciones del Hispanic Scholarship Fund.Si se aplica siendo estudiante de à ºltimo aà ±o de High School, las calificaciones para obtener esa media se computan desde el grado 9 al grado 11.Si se aplica en el primer aà ±o de estudios universitarios, hay que notificar el GPA que se obtuvo al graduarse de High School.Si se aplica despuà ©s del primer aà ±o, incluir GPA de estudios universitarios, debià ©ndose al menos haber completado 12 crà ©ditos. Si se aplica como estudiante en estudios de postgrado, verificar los requisitos. Aplicar para recibir una beca Por internet en la pgina del Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Y dentro de plazo. Hay que tener en cuenta que es un conjunto de becas, no una sola que luego se distribuye. Y entonces hay que verificar las fecha para aplicar a cada una de ellas. Generalmente el plazo para aplicar para una beca para el curso escolar del aà ±o siguiente se abre en septiembre.   Por lo tanto, si ves que cuando entras en la pgina no hay ninguna beca con plazo abierto, regresa ms tarde. Pero aprovecha para enterarte de quà © becas podrà ­an ajustarse a tu perfil y quà © papeles se necesitan para aplicar. Para asà ­, cuando se abra el plazo, tenerlo todo a mano y no perder la oportunidad. La aplicacià ³n es gratuita. De dà ³nde viene el dinero de las becas El dinero de las becas proviene de donaciones de empresas, fundaciones y tambià ©n de personas privadas. Destacan: Bill and Melinda Gates FoundationCoca-ColaGeneral ElectricGoya FoodsTargetUnivisià ³nThe Chicago Community TrustThe Gilbert and Jacki Cisneros FoundationThe Goizueta FoundationWalmartWells Fargoy muchas ms.   Un dato sobre becas desconocido, pero cierto Un buen nà ºmero de universidades de à ©lite Estados Unidos -entre ellas algunas Ivy League- conceden ayuda financiera en forma de becas basadas en el sistema need-blind. Esto quiere decir que si el estudiante es admitido la universidad se compromete a pagar los gastos demostrados necesarios para poder cursar la carrera. De estas universidades, algunas sà ³lo aplican este sistema a ciudadanos y residentes permanentes legales, pero otras -algunas de las cuales se encuentran entre las 10 mejores universidades del paà ­s- tambià ©n consideran a inmigrantes con la Accià ³n Diferida aprobada (DACA, por sus siglas en inglà ©s), indocumentados no elegibles para DACA y tambià ©n a estudiantes internacionales. Este es un listado de 13 universidades que siguen esta polà ­tica de need-blind admissions. De interà ©s Las 10 mejores universidades para estudiar ingenierà ­a. Edad de consentimiento sexual por estados. Porque tener relaciones sexuales consentidas por un menor de edad puede tener consecuencias legales serias.

Here I thought Nimrod was a compliment!

Here I thought Nimrod was a compliment! Here I thought â€Å"Nimrod† was a compliment! Here I thought â€Å"Nimrod† was a compliment! By Maeve Maddox By now you know that I’m not deeply versed in slang. When I read in the newspaper about a dust-up over an email in which a radio news director called a political candidate a â€Å"nimrod,† I couldn’t understand why the word was being decried as â€Å"derogatory.† Now I know. The meaning I’ve always attached to the word Nimrod is â€Å"a skilled hunter.† That’s the meaning with which it is used in the books I’ve seen it in. This sense comes from the Bible. And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. Genesis 8-9 The citations for Nimrod=hunter in the OED include one as recent as 1994: Towns such as Eagle, Glenwood Springs..and Gunnison throw out the welcome mat for this horde of nimrods. 1994 Denver Post Oct. B9/1 Here nimrods is being used as a synonym for hunters. As early as 1933, however, the lowercase word nimrod acquired a secondary meaning: N. Amer. slang. A stupid or contemptible person; an idiot. OED When I said I’d never seen â€Å"nimrod† used with the sense of â€Å"dummy,† I had apparently blocked out seeing it in the most recent novel I’ve read, a picaresque romp by Christopher Moore called Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal: The Lord doesnt give a damn what a chicken does on the Sabbath, you nimrod! Its a chicken. I’ll try to remember not to call any hunters â€Å"Nimrods† in a mistaken effort to compliment them. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)Running Amok or Running Amuck?Mood vs. Tense

Fluid Mechanics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fluid Mechanics - Essay Example If the dimensions b and d of the immersed surface are 8.00 ft and 12.00 ft and the vertical distance is 10.00 ft., the magnitude of the resultant force on one side of the immersed surface is, 3. As indicated in examination Figure 1, assume that b = 27.00 in., d = 63.00 in., and h = 5.00 ft. The static moment of the immersed rectangular surface with respect to an axis in the surface of water, in feet to the third power. 4. As indicated in examination Figure 1, a rectangular plate is immersed in water in a vertical plane with its top and bottom edges horizontal. If b = 3.00 ft, d = 7.00 ft. And h = 2.00 ft, the vertical distance from the surface of the water to the center of pressure of the immersed surface is 5. A trapezoidal surface having the dimensions shown in Examination Figure 2 is immersed in fresh water with its top edge horizontal and at the surface of the water. The resultant force on one side of the immersed surface is 7. The formula to determine the moment of inertia of a rectangular surface with respect to a horizontal line drawn through its centroid is _________, where the surface’s width runs parallel to the line through the centroid. 8. a symmetrical trapezoid plate has the following dimensions. The width of the parallel are, respectively 2.50 ft. and 4.50 ft.The perpendicular distance between those sides is 1.50 ft. The plate is submerged in a liquid in a vertical position with the parallel sides horizontal and the shorter parallel side at the top and exactly even with the surface of the liquid. The moment of inertia of the plate with respect to the surface of the water would be, 9. a new cast iron pipe for conveying water from one reservoir to another has a diameter equal to 8.00 in., and the length is 5400.00 ft. The head tending to cause flow is 40.5 ft. If the velocity head and minor loses of head can be neglected, the rate of discharge, in cubic feet per second, computed by using the Chezy-Darcy

Italian Renaissance Artists Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Italian Renaissance Artists - Term Paper Example It was a movement and an era of awakening that turned from the darkness and stagnation of the middle ages and laid the basis for Western civilization up to the present. The flowering of art during the Renaissance is what it is most remembered for today. Hence, the paintings and sculptures and their creators can be seen as springboards for discussing some fundamental changes in attitude – especially how art evidences new attitudes toward man, his place in the world, and his relationship to God. (Osmond, 1998, p.18) This essay will talk about Italian artists – the likes of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bellini, etc - who played pivotal roles in this great chapter in European history. During the era of the early Renaissance, evolving modes of representation and choice of content led to a redefinition of painting and sculpture as liberal arts. It can even be said that visual  artists themselves played a role in modifying the perception of their profession and art. In o ther words, artists both helped to shape and to react to an essential change in their status from craftsman to creator. This can be learnt from the broad ranging â€Å"written and visual evidence, including treatises, contracts, letters, financial records, and, perhaps most interesting, the works of art themselves. That many of the most successful early  Renaissance artists  evinced a significant interest in intellectual and social issues is demonstrated in a number of different areas, including changes in artistic training; the involvement of  artists in civic life; their engagement in the study of antiquity and antique art;  artists pursuit of the literary arts, including poetry, autobiography, and theory; and their participation in the paragone debate.† (Rosenberg, 2001, p.937) There was also a shift in the power relationship between patron and artist in favor of the latter, a shift ushered in by the emergence of the social value of artistic renown. The impact of t his phenomenon is best illustrated in the â€Å"difficulties which Isabella d'Este, the Marchioness of Mantua, experienced as she went about negotiating with some of Italy's "best  artists" -- Bellini, Mantegna, Perugino, and Leonardo -- for paintings for her famous studiolo†. (Rosenberg, 2001, p.937) Likewise, artists such as Giovanna Garzoni, Bartolomeo Bimbi, Jacopo Ligozzi, etc â€Å"brought to their subjects not only a masterly technique, but a freshness and originality of style that would have a lasting influence on botanical illustration and the art of naturalistic painting.† (Hirschauer, 2002, p.62) The cartoons made by them are â€Å"full-scale drawings characterized by extended passages of careful modeling and chiaroscuro, became collectible objects valued for their intrinsic aesthetic qualities. Raphael's cartoon (Ambrosiana Gallery, Milan) for the School of Athens is the largest and perhaps best known example of this category of drawing. Because the tran sfer process often led to the destruction of a cartoon, artists introduced another intermediate step, the "substitute cartoon," as a means of preserving workshop model drawings and of keeping the ben finito cartone intact† (Fletcher, 2000, p.347) Towering above the achievements of other artists are the masterly works of Michelangelo,

Discussion board - research design class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion board - research design class - Essay Example 2. Distinguishing between authoritative sources and non-authoritative ones In order to write a good scholarly paper, one has to be aware of how to distinguish between authoritative sources and non-authoritative ones. One of the criteria that is used to distinguish between the two is the credibility of the author. In most authoritative sources, the authors’ credentials are normally given in detail. Other criteria that can be used to check the authoritativeness of source is evaluating the use of evidence and critical analysis of the evidence presented. 3. Examples of authoritative sources: Peer Reviewed journals UN research reports Audit reports for companies The information contained in these sources is normally based on evidence and through research. The authors of these documents are credible and the information contained in their findings is easily verifiable. Examples of non-authoritative sources: Personal blogs Social networks Free online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia Th ese sources normally do not contain substantive information. The information found in these sources in mainly personal opinion which in many instances is not backed by any hard evidence (MW Consulting, 2008). Response on Postings The first posting contains a brief and clear definition of an authoritative source.

The Rise of Imperial Rome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Rise of Imperial Rome - Essay Example Afterwards, more provinces became romanized and integrated they themselves played an increasing role in the empire governing. The people in the new provinces gradually started getting roman citizenship and later the provinces came to form significant minorities in the Rome senate (Jill, 286). However, the citizenships extended always tend to exclude women and slaves. The same time the provinces were be included in the senate, the economic centre of the empire began to move towards the provinces within the Roman Empire from Italy. Trade started expanding and extending to other markets such as Italy and beyond. The trading that went on within the provinces of trading everyday items between those in the empire created a sense of communion. However, a clear defined line between the east and west was still laid down. In the east Greek was spoken as an official language while in the west Latin was the official language at this time. However, through the years Latin remained to be a marker of Romanness. The trading opportunities for Rome Empire were diverse and plentiful. Roman glassware and pottery were traded east. Gold and silver coins were the main form of payment, draining 100 million sesterces every year from the empire. Among the trade that took place in Rome was also slave trade (history.com/topics/ancient-rome). During Augustus reign as many as 35 percent of Italian people were slaves. Therefore Rome was marked as one of the five slave societies in history. Slaves in Rome Empire constituted at least a fifth of the people in the population and played a major role in the economy. History of the rise of imperial Rome Initially, Rome was governed as a republic before it becoming an empire. It had three major elements; the central government, military and provincial government. In the 3rd century BC, Rome had begun taking over provinces. During this time, Sulla and Caesar governed Rome and they had both achieved the rank of absolute ruler, however, their reign was short lived, owing to the crisis that the empire underwent in the 3rd century, which threatened its existence. Fortunately, the situation was stabilized and reunited. This was four centuries before it became the greatest empire. Furthermore, the provinces were administered by former praetors and consuls. The consuls and praetors were elected to one year term and held right of command. Consequently, Rome transitioned from republic to imperial autocracy due to the amassing of misappropriates military power and wealth by some men through their provincial commands and this was a lead factor for the transition. After the transition from a republic to an empire the first empire was Augustus. The first empire Augustus obtained his role as a supreme ruler after defeating Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BC, at the battle of Actium. The emperor was the overall authority in decision and policy making and his practical source of power and authority was the military. Augustus rejected titles associa ted with monarchy and otherwise referred to him as princeps which meant the leading citizen. Moreover, in his era, Augustus order to the chaos that almost took 20 years of civil war was finally brought to an end (Duncan, 24). Areas that had been added to the Roman republic needed to be reconstructed as provinces to the empire, therefore Augustus reorganised the provinces such as Asia Minor and Syria, and then held the Parthian empire in check using cunning diplomacy. During the reign

White-collar crime and criminal theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

White-collar crime and criminal theories - Essay Example Based on the rational choice theory, individuals engage in crime deliberately, and they have the conscious that the act they engage in is criminal. The theory also holds that people engage in white-collar crime on their own and as a result of their own free will (Shover & Hochstetler 2). The rational choice theory states that individuals willing to engage in white-collar crime first evaluate their actions. Based on their evaluation of the situation, the individual then makes an assessment on whether there is a possibility that they will complete the action without any sanctions. The rational choice theory is also states that people who carry out white-collar crime tend to be motivated to do so because of the desire to make illegal gains (Shover & Hochstetler 4). The theory further argues that the entities and individuals engaging in white-collar crime know the consequences of such a crime, but they choose to ignore these consequences and engage in crime regardless of the consequences. For example, a white-collar crime like fraud is carried out intentionally with the aim of getting unscrupulous gains. Corporate entities also engage in white-collar crime intentionally since they know the consequences of such crime (Vito and Jeffrey 63). The other theory, which explains white-collar crime, is the social disorganization theory. According to this theory, the factors around a person have a profound impact on the possibility to commit a crime. The conflicts and inconsistency of institutions play a key role in determining whether the white-collar crime will be committed (Payne 224). The key theorist who advanced the social disorganization theory was Edwin Sutherland. According to him, the social disintegration of society can be regarded as the basis upon which white-collar crime takes place. The disorganization of institutions contributes to white-collar crime since it enables criminals to have an easy way.

Reactions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reactions - Assignment Example Its current liabilities have witnessed unsteady change, increasing between 2009 and 2011 and decreasing steadily between 2012 and 2013. Both the shareholders equity and borrowings have been at acceptable levels. This company is economically stable and growing upwards. This is the company that has been advocating for standards of media communication that observes certain values and principles of integrity, liberty and voluntary press. The financial muscles of this Santa Ana based communication company have grown over the years. It has seen a steady growth in terms of the profits accrued over the period of five years from 2009 to 2013. This has seen the marginal profit go to figures above 12 million US dollars. Its long term obligations have also decreased with huge little marginal figures between 2009 and 2013 to an amount of 11 billion US dollars. The rate of recuperation for this company is admirable and it’s one of the fastest growing companies. This company is one of the major modern publishers in the rapidly growing economy of China. The company operates mostly on the cultural publications. It operates on academic material and referencing tools with Chinese dictionaries like the Xhinua dictionary. This company has grown in revenue with 2005 figures amounting to about 540 Yuan. The company has also realized profits of over 50 million Yuan over the period of time form 2005. The company majors in reference book publishing which contribute over 60% of the profit. I think the production strategy should be changed as the company relies majorly on the production of reference books. This can be disastrous for the company if returns in this area of business go down. It should therefore distribute the publications evenly across all the products it offers for more security. This is a television network providing company with numerous TV channels

White-collar crime and criminal theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

White-collar crime and criminal theories - Essay Example Based on the rational choice theory, individuals engage in crime deliberately, and they have the conscious that the act they engage in is criminal. The theory also holds that people engage in white-collar crime on their own and as a result of their own free will (Shover & Hochstetler 2). The rational choice theory states that individuals willing to engage in white-collar crime first evaluate their actions. Based on their evaluation of the situation, the individual then makes an assessment on whether there is a possibility that they will complete the action without any sanctions. The rational choice theory is also states that people who carry out white-collar crime tend to be motivated to do so because of the desire to make illegal gains (Shover & Hochstetler 4). The theory further argues that the entities and individuals engaging in white-collar crime know the consequences of such a crime, but they choose to ignore these consequences and engage in crime regardless of the consequences. For example, a white-collar crime like fraud is carried out intentionally with the aim of getting unscrupulous gains. Corporate entities also engage in white-collar crime intentionally since they know the consequences of such crime (Vito and Jeffrey 63). The other theory, which explains white-collar crime, is the social disorganization theory. According to this theory, the factors around a person have a profound impact on the possibility to commit a crime. The conflicts and inconsistency of institutions play a key role in determining whether the white-collar crime will be committed (Payne 224). The key theorist who advanced the social disorganization theory was Edwin Sutherland. According to him, the social disintegration of society can be regarded as the basis upon which white-collar crime takes place. The disorganization of institutions contributes to white-collar crime since it enables criminals to have an easy way.

Exam 1 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exam 1 - Term Paper Example In order to establish the most applicable definition of justice, it is necessary to classify justice under ancient Greece philosophy by Plato, medieval Christianity philosophy by Augustine and Aquinas. In addition, early modern philosophies by Hume and Hobbes and recent modern philosophies by Mill and Kant are crucial. Justice ensures that all parties in various situations achieve what is rightfully theirs and present what they should give. Social issues include war, punishment, civil disobedience, equal opportunity, slavery, international relations and property rights. Plato defines justice as a virtue that establishes rational order1. The parties involved perform their appropriate roles while at the same time, not interfering with the functions of other parties. Aristotle contributes to this view by stating that justice is consistent and matches actions that are fair and lawful. He describes fairness as the equitable distribution of opportunities and correction of inequitable incidences. In Christian opinion, Augustine defines justice as a cardinal virtue that requires people to accord parties their due recognition. Aquinas’ definition of justice presents a rational result arising from proportional distribution of opportunities and rights that balances with reciprocal transactions2. The modern perception of justice seems to vary from the mentioned definitions. According to Hobbes, justice is only an artificial asset required by the civil society that stems from an agreement between differing social implications3. Hume seconds this by stating that justice protects the society by ultimately protecting properties. Kant, whose opinion is among the most recent definitions of justice, states that justice is achieved by respecting other people’s autonomy, freedom and dignity4. In this view, a just individual does not interfere with other people’s actions for as long as

Customs and traditions in the USA Essay Example for Free

Customs and traditions in the USA Essay Customs and traditions are important part of our culture, of our lives. Customs and traditions unite, build community. They provide identity. They tie us to our ancestors and heritage. They remind us of where we came from. Every country and every nation has its own traditions and customs. Its very important to know traditions and customs of different people. It will help you to know more about the history and life of different nations and countries. Custom is a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time; a thing that one does habitually. Tradition is the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way; long-established custom or belief that has been passed on from one generation to another All countries have their social customs and peculiarities, and the US is no exception. The first group of custom which is worth speaking about is connected with meeting someone. When meeting someone for the first time, it is customary to shake hands, both for men and for women. Hugs are only exchanged between close friends. Kissing is not common. Among friends, it’s common for men to kiss ladies on one or both cheeks. Men don’t usually kiss or embrace each other. Americans usually introduce themselves by their first name and last name (such as â€Å"Hello, I’m John Smith†), or, if the setting is very casual, by their first name only (â€Å"Hi, I’m John†). The common response when someone is introduced to you is â€Å"Pleased to meet you.† Americans generally dislike formality or any sort of social deference due to age or position, and most quickly say ‘Please call me Rick (or Rita)’. To Americans, informality shows no lack of respect. Because of the rise of women’s liberation in America, women may be introduced with the title ‘Ms’ (pronounced ‘mizz’) and some women object to being addressed as ‘Miss’ or ‘Mrs’. In some social circles, women are introduced after their husbands, e.g. Mrs Chuck Whizzkid, in which case you shouldn’t address her as Chuck! Americans often reply ‘You’re Welcome’ or something similar when somebody thanks them, and they may think you’re impolite if you don’t do likewise. If someone asks ‘How are you?’, it’s usual to reply ‘Fine thanks’ and don’t complain even if you feel dreadful. Americans don’t have status or inherited titles (e.g. Sir or Lord) but it is necessary to defer to people with a professional title which has been earned. These include foreign diplomats (e.g. Sir), members of the Senate (Senator) or Congress (Congressman/Congresswoman), judges, medical doctors and others with a doctorate, military officers (e.g. General, Colonel), professors, priests and other religious ministers (e.g. Father, Rabbi, Reverend). If you’re invited to dinner, it’s customary to take along a small present, e.g. flowers, a plant, chocolates or a bottle of wine (but nothing extravagant or ostentatious). But choosing flowers you should remember that American people pay attention to the meaning of flowers. For example carnations are associated with bad luck, chrysanthemums are for cemeteries and roses signify love. Guests are normally expected to be punctual with the exception of certain society parties, when late arrival is de rigueur (provided you don’t arrive after the celebrity guest). It’s usual to arrive half an hour to an hour after the official start of a dance. Invitations to cocktail parties or receptions may state 5pm to 7pm, in which case you may arrive at any time between these hours. Dinner invitations are often phrased as 8pm for 8.30pm. This means you should arrive at 8pm for drinks and dinner will be served at 8.30pm. Anyone who arrives late for dinner or doesn’t turn up at all, should expect to be excluded from future guest lists. On the other hand, you must never arrive early. The custom of not taking off the shoes is peculiar to Americans. That is why don’t think of whether you should take off your shoes or not. If it is necessary the host will warn you about it himself. When watching American films I always wondered why Americans did not take off their footwear. The matter turns out to be that there is no much dirty and dust in American streets. Some people who were in America say that it is possible to sit on some pavements and not to make oneself dirty. One more reason explaining this custom is that majority of Americans prefer driving but not going of foot. That is why they are not afraid of dirtying their houses. Some families say grace before meals, so follow your host’s example before tucking in. Table manners are more relaxed in the U.S. than in many other countries. The fork is held in the right hand and is used for eating. The knife is used to cut something. To use the knife, the fork is switched to the left hand. To continue eating, the fork is switched back to the right hand. Don’t overstay your welcome. This becomes obvious when your host starts looking at his watch, talking about his early start the next day. The custom which is also typical for the USA is tipping. Most Americans are shocked by anyone who doesn’t tip or who tips too little. The one you will encounter most often is at restaurants. American restaurants do not add a service charge to the bill. Therefore it is expected that the customer will leave a tip for the server. Common practice is to leave a tip that is equal to 15% of the total bill for acceptable service, and about 20% for superior service. If the service was unusually poor, then you could leave a smaller tip, about 10%. Other professions where tipping is expected include hairdressers, taxi drivers, hotel porters, parking valets, and bartenders. The general rule is to tip approximately 15% of the bill. In situations where there is no bill the tip may range from $1 to $5, depending on the type of establishment and on how good the service was. The custom of tipping came to America from Great Britain. In the 18th century in Great Britain the boxes with the inscription T.I.P.S. which was meant To Insure Prompt Service were on the tables during having tea. Then this term came to America. Baby showers have been a tradition in the US for a long time now, and are growing in popularity here, too. What better excuse is there for getting a group of friends together than to celebrate a new life? Plus, the mum-to-be get lots of great presents for her and her baby, result! The only person who shouldnt arrange a baby shower is the mum-to-be. The whole event should be great fun and completely stress-free for her. Friends, family or work colleagues are the usual organizers. You could either keep it as a surprise for the mum-to-be, or tell her what you are planning. Baby showers usually have some sort of baby theme to get everyone in the mood. Popular themes include: Teddy bears tea party. Get hold of as many teddies as you can and make sure each guest brings one, too! As presents, they could bring teddy bear-related books. The cake could be in the shape of a teddy bear. You get the general idea! Nursery rhymes. Arrange toys linked to nursery rhymes around the room , such as shoes (There was an old lady), a spider (Little Miss Muffet), a bucket (Jack Jills pail), and toy boats (Row row row your boat). Ask guests if they can count how many rhymes are represented. Books. Ask each guest to bring a book that meant something to them as a child. Its a great way for mum to start up her childs library. For decoration, everyone could also bring books to arrange around the room. The cake could be in the shape of a fairytale book. One more tradition connected with babies is to give a baby a birthstone. The Tradition of Birthstones goes back further than written history. People wear jewelry containing stones designated for their Birth Month. In the USA there are a lot of traditions connecting with wedding. It is known that before marriage engagement takes place. As a rule a man invite a woman to the restaurant to make her a proposal. Engagement ring obligatory should have a brilliant. The diamond engagement ring originated with King Maximillian who presented Mary of Burgundy with a diamond ring in 1477 as a token of his love. And the ring is presented unexpectedly. It may found in the glass of champagne by the woman or in the bud of the rose. To my mind this tradition is very romantic. The tradition of a Bachelor Party which is held for the Groom and usually sponsored by The Best Man the night before the Wedding and a Bridal Shower which is usually sponsored by The Brides Maid is very popular in the USA. By the way the number of bridesmaids in America amount from two to twenty. The tradition of bridesmaids dressing the same as each other and in similar style to the bride comes from ancient days when it was believed that evil spirits have a more difficult time distinguishing which one is the bride and putting a hex on her. The tradition of a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner also takes place in America. It is usually celebrated between the immediate families of spouses in the late afternoon the day before the wedding. The Grooms Family traditionally provides for this celebration. The Wedding Ceremony is most often performed as part of a religious ceremony each with its own specific customs and traditions. On the day of the wedding the Groom does not see the Bride until the actual ceremony. As Custom would have it from Victorian Times: the Bride wears Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Sixpence in her shoe. The bride and groom exchange their rings to mark the permanent commitment of the new spouses to each other. The rings should be gold. According to history gold rings signified a financial sacrifice on the part of the prospective husband. Ring finger is the fourth ringer which is considered to be connected directly to the heart by a route that was called â€Å"the vein of love.† In the USA tradition of engraving of wedding rings is popular. The kiss on weddings dates back to the earliest days of civilization in the Middle East. A kiss was used as the formal seal to agreements, contracts, etc. In Ancient Rome a kiss was still being used as the legal bold to seal contracts. Hence the obvious use of the custom at the end of the wedding ceremony to â€Å"seal† the marriage vows. After the wedding ceremony newlyweds are covered with rice which is used as a symbol of fertility and as a wish for a â€Å"full pantry†. A Wedding Reception is usually held after the ceremony for all family and friends to celebrate. The Brides Family usually provides for this celebration. Traditionally the groom’s flower, worn on his lapel, usually matches one of the flowers in his bride’s bouquet. This tradition goes back to medieval times when knights wore the colors of their lady in tournaments. All of us know the tradition of throwing bridal bouquet and garter. The history of this tradition is very interesting I believe. In parts of Europe during the 14th contrary, having a piece of the bride’s clothing was thought to bring good luck. Guests would literally destroy the brides dress by ripping off pieces of fabric. In order to prevent this, brides began throwing their bouquets to the unwed girls. And grooms began to throw garter to unmarried men. One more wedding tradition is connected with CARRYING THE BRIDE OVER THE THRESHOLD Traditionally, the bride had to enter her new home the first time through the front door. If she tripped or stumbled while entering it was considered to be very bad luck. And the groom carried her over the threshold les she should stumble. Hence the tradition of the groom carrying the bride over the threshold. They bring us all together, no matter where we are. We can all relate to them and understand each other because we all use them. It is also a great connection for family and friends. There are traditions that are upheld for hundreds of years that are so important in our hearts. It links and connects us to past members of our family and our world whom we may never have gotten the chance to meet. They teach us about ourselves, our families, and the world around us. We can learn our history, why this tradition was started and what it signifies when we follow it today. They can work as the glue that holds us together. They are our culture, our heritage; they are us.

Development and History of AIRASIA

Development and History of AIRASIA AIRASIA is one among the top International brand in the low cost Airline Industry. Airasia brand came into existence in 1993, it was a joint public-private sector enterprise, however in 2001 current CEO Mr. Tony Fernandes purchased it and It was under him the Airasia brand got global recognition and unimaginable growth which started right from 2002 and continues till date, AirAsia started moving up the ladder under Tonys leadership from 2002 onwards by launching new routes from its main hub the capital of Malaysia till then the national carrier of Malaysia ruled the sky in and around Malaysia. In 2007, Airasia announced the birth of Airasia X the long haul budget flights, the first AirAsia X flight was from Kuala lumpur International airport to Gold coast in Australia thus began the journey from south east Asia to capturing routes in major cities around the world. In 2007, Virgin Airline chief had 20% stake in AirAsia X and had announced code sharing between Virgin Blue and AirAsia in and around Australian subcontinent. Profile of AirAsia: AIRASIA, is Asias largest and one among the top 10 international brand in the low cost segment having physical base in three countries; Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. AirAsia has four subsidiaries: AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, ThaiAirAsia and VeitJet Airasia. The company has a strength of around 3000 staffs and It flies to around 65 destinations worldwide using the 97 aircrafts and another 125 on order will be added to its fleet and it operates over 400 domestic and International flights, The total number of passengers that flew Airasia numbered 16,000,000 per year at a rate of 51000 per day for the year 2007. STRATEGIC CORPORATE PLANNING OF AIRASIA: By September 2008, Airasia had 60 routes and was voted as Worlds best New Airline for 2008 at World low cost Airline Congress in London inspire of tough competition it faced over Asian skies by brand which had committed fan following, global recession and increased air fuel prices. Airasia managed to survive and grow against the odd solely based on their distinctive model and new strategies. AIRASIA MODEL AND STRATEGIES: To position itself as the top airline brand in the low-cost, short haul based on no frills model. Opening of new hubs at airports and new routes outside their dominated Asian zone. Expanding into the Cargo transportation market. Marketing as a Go Green brand. User being able to access bookings and Online Information on Airasia through Blackberry. Fuel efficiency which helps in the overall reduction of travel cost. The slogan of Airasia is Now Everyone Can FLY, to attract customers both old and new ones with flying on time and having attractive and competitive price and tour packages as airasia management have their own hotel division having star hotels around many destinations plus having wide range of meal option on the In-fight purchase menu. The model which AirAsia under Mr. Tony Fernandes adopted for long haul flight was to choose airport where airport charges was low hence instead of Sydney airport Gold coast airport was considered for airasia link between Malaysia and Australia. To achieve Reduction in travel fuel cost Airasia concentrated on optimizing the air fuel consumption and with majority of the asset within the fleet being new Airbus planes, its more easier said than done. Airasia management based its model around latest technology including having access to its service [online booking, online checking and e-ticketing] through computers and blackberries. Successive growth of Airasia since its re-birth in 2001 can be put on following main strategies which they adopted: Cost reduction strategy of Airasia : Airasia vision is be a leader in the low cost airline segment by targeting the 3 billions people who are still under-served with the poor connectivity facing the high fares. AirAsia managements key strategies on cost reduction are:- High point concentration on Passenger Safety and maintenance of its fleet to be in best of the condition as per the set standards of regulators and its partners. To achieve High Aircraft Utilization by trying to get the quick turnaround by 25 minutes and by increasing staff productivity. Low fare, no Frills like added facilities of baggage transfer, preference on meals and seat arrangement etc. which adds to the customer satisfaction. Streamline Operations by working with single aircraft fleet to reduce manpower and stocking of maintenance parts. Using Latest Lean Distribution System to reduce labour and material utilization like usage of E-ticket. Point to point network. Summarised in a Table format below: Cost Category Cost Item Levers for reducing costs Costs -Aircraft Utilisation. -Reduce turnaround times. -Reduce maintenance downtime Fuel Costs Route Efficiency -Weight Reduction -Shorter en-route and approach times. -High standard of fleet maintenance. -Use of fuel hedging strategy. Handling Costs Service Level In sourcing. Reduce Handling Fees Pre-cleaning activities by cabin crew Loading/unloading support from crew Global contracts with key suppliers Off-peak pricing Catering Costs Reduce unit costs Reduce volumes Simplification of meal choice. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reduce logistics costs for delivery. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Monitor passengers vs. available meals. Lean Distribution management. Ticketing Sales Channels Sales Commissions Development of E-ticketing Self-service check-ins Divert customers to on-line channels. Maintenance -Fleet. -Service Costs -Fleet harmonisation. -Reduce average fleet age. -Joint purchasing of some work. optimise maintenance activities Porters Generic Strategies: AirAsia follows Porters strategies to focus on cost leadership to allign with its business strategy and mission statement by targeting specific segment of price sensitive customers and the first time fliers looking at value for price and short haul flights. Porters Generic strategies talks of three different generic strategies that any business can focus for a overall edge over competitors, sustainability and growth as shown in above figure, the three strategies include Cost leadership, Differentiation strategy and market segmentation (Focused differentiation) (Johnson Scholes 1997). Cost leadership strategy: This strategy allows a business to become the lowest cost producer of a product within an industry by organising and managing its value- adding activities. Cost advantage may be achieved in terms of how qualitatively a product or services is designed. Differentiation strategy: This strategy is adopted by persuading customers that a product is superior to that offered by competitors (Campbell, 2002). The value added by the uniqueness of the product or services may allow the company to charge a premium price for it. However, the threat to this differentiation may include copying of the product by competitors and changes in customer tastes. Focus-differentiation strategy: is aimed at a segment of the market from a product rather than at the whole market or many markets (Campbell, 2002). The successful way using focus strategy is to tailor a broad of product or service development strengths to a relatively narrow market segment that they know very well. This strategy may also face the threat of imitation and changes in the target segments. AirAsia business strategy is built around above defined three Porters generic strategies on two of the above strategies it follows Broader approach and on focus-differentiation strategy AirAsia follows narrow approach to sustains its competitive advantage. AirAsia mission statement was to be the leader in the low cost segment and it follows the porters strategy to the book on cost leadership by providing services at a price that is simply lower than competitors price and by effective and efficient operational management. Airasia uses Porters cost leadership strategies to be on path of its motto Now everyone can fly to achieve this it markets and manages itself as airline with hassle-free, no-frills, luxury at low fare travel by efficiently managing its policy of cost reduction to the micro level in the value chain so that the saving can be passed on to the price sensitive passengers so as to be the leader in the low cost segment. SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT analysis  is a  strategic planning  method used to evaluate the  Strengths,  Weaknesses,  Opportunities, and  Threats involved in a  business  venture.   SWOT analysis points to the Internal (strength and weakness) and External (opportunities and threats) factors that would affect in the growth and sustainability of a business venture in our case Airasia to sustain its top position in the low cost carrier segment. Strengths A Low cost operations which has made AirAsia brand a leader in the low cost carrier segment. Airasia management is made of fewer level which helps in faster and effective, focused and aggressive management and with management consisting of members having strong links with Government in south pacific Asia, it makes it easy for their business development with least government interference and more concessions. Airasia Staffs is made up of workforce which are Multi-skilled and efficient, Airasia follows the model of incentives for the hardworking and smart workforce, this model helps to return talent and to grow along with the company. Management strong focus on cost reduction to position AirAsia Groups as industrys lowest cost producer. Airasia group have strong balance sheet and cash flow this helps to weather short-terms unforeseen difficulties. Airasia management decision to move to a Single type fleet paid well it helps in minimising maintenance fees. IT Utilization to the maximum has enabled Airasia to increase efficiency helping it track its fleet, staffs and seat management in case of no-show customers on ASAP basis. IT also helps in promotional activities and in lean management based on e-ticketing model and online checking. Fuel Burn Emissions: Single type fleet of Airbus A320 helps Airasia stick to its efficient fuel usage police to go by their GO Green and cost reduction strategy. Airbus A320s low noise level improves operational flexibility and lowers surcharges for airports with noise constraints. Ancillary Services: In the current year from January to April, Airasia achieved ancillary income of RM45 per passenger. AirAsias ancillary service includes products and services such as baggage supersize, in-flight food and beverage, merchandising and duty-free, courier, airspace advertising and AirAsia RedTix. AirAsia RedTix is a unique Ancillary income system which is related with non-airline ticketing system focusing on tickets to events, sports and music. Ancillary income not only contributes to the airlines bottom line, but it also provides a buffer against rising fuel prices. Weakness Airasia do not have their own MRO (maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities. Being a young fleet with young staff at times makes it difficult to handle unforseen situation at both physical location and over the customer service management mainly related with change of flight and over refunds. AirAsia have faced difficulties with government interference mainly at level where Airasias main competition happens to be directly with the national carrier. Being a young brand makes it a challenge to catch the attention of frequent and first time fliers for Branding is vital for market position. Airasia depends on service based on outsourcing which at times can lead to delivery delays and hindrance of long duration on two segment IT and MRO. Young fleet at times shows lack of contingency plan on irregular situations. Opportunities AirAsis after making a mark for its brand in short haul low cost carrier sector is targeting the Long haul flight domain as an trial phase to tap share of that market as well. After having tasted success in Asia-Pacific region, AirAsia is targeting new routes and destinations on a global level. AirAsia by having tie up with other established low cost carriers on Existing, new routes and destinations untapped by AirAsia brand for example Airasia have tie up with Virgin Airline on landing rights and landing slots. AirAsia have tied with various new Airports outside of Malaysia for setting up for new AirAsia hub at these Airports. AirAsia management through its RedTix subsidiary can enhance its brand growth by having Service related Industry-wide mutual cooperation. AirAsia being in a Dominant/monopoly position in many routes in and around the Asia-Pacific zone will give them bargaining power on the pricing front. Threats Established carriers both private and national carriers if start bringing down their prices to attract the cost sensitive customers will directly affect AirAsia which is based on low cost, no frills, no hassle model. Global uncertainty on Business and Political front directly causes fuel prices to increase and High Fuel prices decreases revenue and hurts more for a low cost carrier. IT Utilization to maximum can also have a side effect on growth for heavy reliance on online sales is risky as system can breakdown anytime. New form of taxes for example Environmental taxes adds on to disruption on the cost equation. With terrorism being a global evil airline Industry is the always under threat, Accidents due to human and natural disaster is always a threat. Uncertainties on Aviation regulations and government policies. PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL: Political Uncertainties in Asia-pacific region be it Malaysia, Indonesia and the wide unrest in Thailand. Malaysian Government Regulation played a vital role at the initial stages. There existed a heavy restriction on competition in this industry imposed by the individual countries mainly Malaysia trying to protect their national airlines. The bilateral agreement between the countries led to the deregulation of the industry. Terrorism is one of the factor which plays behind the mind of the traveler wishing to take a vacation in the Asia-pacific zone specially after Bali bombing which is one of the dominating region for AirAsia brand. ECONOMIC: The terrorist attacks, wars, epidemics like SARS, played a very crucial role in the airline industries. Uncertainty in fuel and energy costs Uncertainties on the economical Recession front can highly affect the AirAsia growth. SOCIAL: The Growth in the Middle class population in Asia where AirAsia has a dominating presence. Attractive Travel and tourism package by government initiated tourism Ministry and private tour operators attracted large number of fliers. Exclusive prices provided by AirAsia helped in the growth of its brand among price conscious fliers. TECHNOLOGICAL: Being a Young fleet, AirAsia had the Advantage to invest and use latest technology and concepts as their business model. AirAsia along with using World Wide Web for online services are internally using -Yield Management system, computer reservation system and latest Microsofts Enterprise Resource Planning System. All these have helped AirAsia to reduce operating costs and provide fast, efficient service like checking of flight schedules, booking seats, online check-in, and pre-order meals, Supersize my baggage FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS upto 2nd Quarter of 2010. Table below shows the positive growth of AirAsia brand in last 3 years with strong profit after tax performance of RM 549 million

humans doing their best :: essays research papers

We human beings are a very unique creature. We have the ability to communicate through words, actions, and visions. We also strive to be the best that we can be. Whether at sports, school, or work we all want to be to the leaders of our field. That is why with my guidance and leadership we can grow not only as individual people but as a group of people as well. As you all know, my door is always open to suggestions and comments. If you feel hat something might work better than the way it is being handled let me know. Also, I shall make sure everyone is treated fairly and justly. In our country everyone will be treated equally regardless of their wealth or status, which we all desire. Here, no one will be overworked or underpaid; we will all share the revenue that is created by our fellowman. Lastly, there will be low taxes which will go toward funding our military. Our military will be used to protect citizens so they will not live in fear, it will not be used to police our peop le, like fascists. In the end communism will benefit us by allowing everyone to feel safe and equal. Since we are a communist community I shall be speaking for all of us. But that does not mean you have no say in what goes on. As your leader, I shall keep you all posted on what is happening locally as well as internationally. Unlike democracy, bills will be passed in a timely fashion because there will not be political parties arguing. Also, everyone will have the resources that they need which will eliminate competition for basic necessities, such as food, clothing, housing and education. Furthermore, unlike democratic politicians this government will be honest with its' people. No one under this government would be ruled with an "iron fist," like in fascism, instead the punishments that people receive will be given in accordance with the crimes they commit. First of all lets talk about the rules. Rule number one is no killing. Those who fail to do so will be subject to torture of the victims families' choosing. Second, no stealing. Stealing will result in forced payment of double the value of the item stolen, and in the case that the thief is poor, he or she will do community service equivalent to a dollar a day until they have paid off double what they have stolen.

Organizational Performance Management System Essay

In the pursuit of developing most appropriate organizational performance management system, many organizational performance management systems have emerged, making it difficult to choose the best organizational performance management system. The paper reviews the published literature on organizational performance management, and discusses the shift from traditional to new performance management system framework. Also, Balance Scorecard, which is one of the most commonly used approaches in measuring organizational performance, is discussed. Finally, five most important factors in designing organizational performance management are addressed. Introduction In increasingly competitive market, it is imperative that organizations design and implement an effective organizational performance management system to gauge their competitive advantage in the market. An Organization Performance Management System includes multiple activities that help in establishing the goals of the organization, and monitor the progress towards the target. It is used to make adjustments to accomplish goals more efficiently and effectively. Organizational Performance Management System can be best understood through considering the definitions of the words â€Å"performance† and â€Å"measurement† according to the Baldrige Criteria (NIST, 2001): Performance refers to output results from processes, products and services that permit evaluation and comparison relative to goals, standards, past results, and other organizations. Performance might be expressed in non-financial and financial terms. Measurement refers to numerical information that quantifies input, output, and performance dimensions of processes, products, services, and the overall organization (outcomes). Performance measures might be simple (derived from one measurement) or composite. Underlying performance management at both the organizational and employee levels is a set of performance measures. Performance measures with respect to organizational performance are an instrument to assess progress against stated program and organizational objectives. With respect to individual performances it is to assess progress against stated performances objectives, or â€Å"results to be achieved† for individual employees or teams of employees (Good & Carin, 2004). The objective of such system would be to increase the efficiency, effectiveness and performance at both organizational and employee level. The challenge for organizations today is how to match and align both organizational and individual performance measures with business strategy, structures and corporate culture, the type and number of measures to use and how to deploy the measures so that the results are used and acted upon. To address these challenges, organizations have been continually searching for an effective organizational performance management framework. Measuring organizational performance management has variety of uses. As per Vince Kellen (2003) those uses include monitoring and controlling activities, driving organizational improvement, maximizing the effectiveness of the improvement effort, achieving alignment with organizational goal and objectives, rewarding and disciplining. The Changing Role of Organizational Performance Measurement System How to create and measure organizational performance measurement system has been a persistent source of debate. Traditionally, organizational performance management system included measuring financial ratios, such as return on investments, cash flows, and cost of sales. Figure one below depicts traditional performance indicators, focused mostly on financial measures. Figure One Source: Frederico and Cavenaghi 2009 In the recent years the focus has been on measuring non-financial ratios, such as quality, customer satisfaction, safety and other stakeholders. Figure Two shows the new performance indicators, incorporating quality together with other financial indicators. Figure Two Source: Source: Frederico and Cavenaghi 2009 Furthermore, according to Shackleton (2007) financial measures prohibit the guidance and evaluation of an organization’s ability to create future value through investments in customers, suppliers, employees, processes, technology and innovation. Shacketon agues that the pressure for reporting on corporate performance today, has confronted the traditional managerial mindset of historical models for performance measurement, and has required them to be more innovative. Table one below illustrates the shift in the mindset and provides a comparison between traditional and more recent performance measurement systems. Table One TraditionalInnovative Based on cost/ efficiencyValue-based Performance orientedPerformance compatibility oriented Profit –orientedCustomer-oriented Short-term orientedLong-term oriented Prevalence of individual measuresPrevalence of team measures Prevalence of functional measuresPrevalence of transversal measures Comparison with standardImproving monitoring Aim at evaluatingAim at evaluating and involving Source: Shackleton, 2007 From the table it can be concluded that organizational performance management systems are moving towards relationship-oriented understanding of the whole organization progress. It is clear that financial indicators are not ignored, but treated as one piece of the puzzle in a more complex set of criteria’s in measuring organizational performance. Organizational Performance Measurement Approaches: Balance Scorecard Several approaches for measuring and managing organizational performance management system have evolved over time, including Balance Scorecard, Benchmarking, Business Process Reengineering, Continuous Improvement, ISO9000, Total Quality Management, Stakeholder Approach, and Performance Prism Approach amongst others. There is no single framework or model that will ensure success in implementing an organizational performance management system. Exploring all the approaches is beyond the scope of this review, hence Balance Scorecard is review at length since it most commonly used for measuring organizational performance. Balance Scorecard was developed by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton in 1992. It was developed to remedy the weak and vague performance management strategies developed earlier that mostly concentrated on financial indicators.

How slaves were affected Essay

When the African Americans were introduced to slavery, they didn’t accept what was happening to them and how they were being treated, but as time passed working for their masters, not only physical, but mental abuse took its toll and soon they began to believe the way they were living was normal and alright. Punishment played a giant role in slave life. It showed the consequences of not doing what was asked or disobeying their master thus instilling fear in every single slave the owner possessed. Charity Anderson recalls, â€Å"But honey chile, all white folks warn ‘t good to dere slaves, cause I’se seen poe niggas almos’ to’e up by dogs, and whipped unmercifully, when dey did’nt do lack de white folks say.† Mary Reynolds remembers, â€Å"I seed them put the men and women in the stock with they hands screwed down through holes in the board and they feets tied together and they naked behinds to the world. Solomon the [sic] overseer beat them with a big whip and massa look on. The niggers better not stop in the fields when they hear them yellin’. They cut the flesh most to the bones and some they was when they taken them out of stock and put them on the beds, they never got up again.† These two accounts show just what these poor slaves had to deal with. They were constantly watched, and felt that if they just as much as gave a superior a wrong look, they would be beaten, or even worse, killed. Of course slaves saw this as inhuman but had no choice to obey as their masters said. There is much evidence that shows how quick they learned to do as they were told and after a period of time, many slaves accepted the idea of being just that†¦a slave. This transformation started with the servants becoming fearful. Surviving was a game of smarts, hard work, and willpower. In order to live, slaves would allow their masters to beat and punish them without questioning so as not to risk a painful and senseless death. Snitching on other slaves who planned to escape was a good way to show their masters how loyal they were. Many slaves went as far as calling their masters â€Å"nice† and sometimes even boasting about their masters to other servants on different plantations. These small acts helped many stay alive but living oppressed lives affecting their minds and emotions forced themselves to cope with their sadness. Singing was common among slaves to express themselves and their hardships. Frederick Douglass recollects, â€Å"They told a tale of woe which was then altogether beyond my feeble comprehension; they were tones loud, long, and deep; they breathed the prayer and complaint of souls boiling over with the bitterest anguish.† The servants shared their feelings with each other through these hymns and so it made them strong enough to have the willpower to keep living by obeying and doing as they were told. Dogs lived a better life than many slaves, â€Å"We had very bad eatin’. Bread, meat, water. And they fed it to us in a trough, jes’ like the hogs. And ah went in may [sic] shirt till I was 16, nevah had no clothes. And the flo’ in ouah cabin was dirt, and at night we’d jes’ take a blanket and lay down on the flo’. The dog was supe’ior to us; they would take him in the house.† -Richard Toler. The serfs accepted that they lived worse than dogs and at this point, it becomes evident that slaves began accepting the life of slavery. They knew escaping was a bad idea because they would have no shelter, food, or clothes. If they were caught, they would be in the worst kind of trouble so they were forced to keep living the oppressed life. Being beaten and abused had them physically and mentally feeling that they were a lower race. Being intimidated all of the time had a harmful affect and they started to see slavery as acceptable. Their owners didn’t allow them to read or write so living with a roof over their head made them feel privileged. Mr. William McNeill says, â€Å"The escaped slaves were always trailed down by hounds; they never got away, there were always some good slaves to tell on others. I was glad when the slaves gained their freedom, even though we had a large number and lost plenty of money. They made many people rich and got nothing but punishment as a reward. They tell that some of the masters were good but I never did see a good one.† This man is one that didn’t buy into slavery and kept his mind from being brainwashed like many other slaves. He knew deep down that slavery was wrong and kept the truth in his reality. Even after the slaves were â€Å"freed,† life for them wasn’t as great as they hoped it would be and they soon realized that being freed was near as bad as being slaves. Being freed toyed with their minds; just like they became slaves and felt out of place in the beginning, they were put into another  tough position to have to readjust once again. â€Å"An’ after, soon after when we found out that we was free, why then we was, uh, bound out to different people. An’all such people as that. An’ we would run away, an’ wouldn’ stay with them. Why then we’d jus’ go an’ stay anywhere we could. Lay out a night in underwear. We had no home, you know. We was jus’ turned out like a lot of cattle. You know how they turn cattle out in a pasture? Well after freedom, you know, colored people didn’ have nothing. Colored people didn’have no beds when they was slaves. We always slep’ on the floor, pallet here, and a pallet there. Jus’ like, uh, lot of, uh, wild people, we didn’, we didn’ know nothing. Didn’ allow you to look at no book. An’ there was some free-born colored people, why they had a little education, but there was very few of them, where we was. An’ they all had uh, what you call, I might call it now, uh, jail centers, was jus’ the same as we was in jail.† -Fountain Hughes. This man described how, after being freed, he and his family lived the life that nomads lived. They traveled around aimlessly, trying to find any place they could possibly stay. He described themselves like cattle which was an understatement because cattle could at least count on being fed. They could eat the grass of the land but the newly freed slaves would be lucky if they could find a piece of fruit. The freed slaves had no money, no beds like Fountain said, no education, basically they had nothing to call their own. Living free was as if they were living in jail Hughes thought, and many others agreed. â€Å"An’ my father was dead, an’ my mother was living, but she had three, four other little children, an’ she had to put them all to work for to help take care of the others. So we had what you call, worse than dogs has got it now. Dogs has got it now better than we had it when we come along.† -Richard Toler. Families were torn apart when all members had to work in order for the family to be able to buy the essential necessities they needed to live. Toler said dogs have better lives now than the lives of black families after being freed which shows just how much of a mess the south was in. Many white people did not accept this idea of freeing the slaves so this had many colored people feeling insecure and out of place. Some white people would go out of their way to try and hurt the colored people like the KKK did.  Frederick Douglass talks about the idea of trust in â€Å"Getting Help from Others† He said he met an Irishman who felt it was a pity for Douglass to be a slave. He then told Douglass to run away to the north where he would find friends there to help him. â€Å"I pretended not to be interested in what they said and treated them as if I did not understand them; for I feared they might be treacherous. White men have been known to encourage slaves to escape, and then, to get the reward, catch them and return them to their masters.† Douglass had this distrust when he was a slave but these feelings were carried on even after people like Douglass were freed. They felt they could not trust anyone but their own people. This idea is seen in the Tar Baby story as well. The main purpose of this tale was to show black people that they shouldn’t go out of their way to talk to others. It was better to keep their mouths shut and thoughts to themselves because opening up to white folks could only get them into trouble. Since the colored people did not fit in, they kept to themselves which didn’t seem like true freedom. Douglass also said in â€Å"Thoughts of Escape† that he and the slaves â€Å"rather bear those ills we had, than fly to others, that we knew not of.† Once he and every other slave was freed, this is essentially what happened. They had to move and re-adapt to new ‘ills’ and complications which challenged them as slavery had challenged them once before. The whole time being slaves, black people finally started believing that slavery was what they were meant to do and it was alright for them to be treated at a lower level. Setting them free in an unaccepting world with no help or direction forced them once again, to cope with new problems and start a new theory about what it was they were really supposed to be doing or could be doing if it wasn’t working and slaving for the white man.

California Drought in 2014 Essay

Water is a life resource for everyone. A situation between a drought and our resources being in danger with shortages of water in the region, is something that should not be trifled with. The state of California plunged into its third year of being affected by a record breaking drought. (Global Risk Insight) The Sacramento region was in desperate need of water this winter, with the high record of 52 winter days without rain (Sacramento Bee: Weather Report). Generally, the average time for rainfall encloses the time from late November to Mid April; and the months of the most rainfall occurs December through February.(Department of Water Resources) As parts of the country get drier, the amount of water availability will most likely decrease. The drought of 2014 is being noted as the most dangerous and driest drought California has ever seen. To understand what a drought is, there are different terms and systems of droughts that differentiate among one another. A drought is periods of unusually dry weather that persists long enough to cause environmental or economic problems. Droughts that are lingering for countless years does indeed do a negatively great climatic difference in the environment and do many environmental and social damages: water shortages, agricultural problems, health issues and much more (livescience). There is a total of four categories of droughts: meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socioeconomic. The first three are known to measure drought as a physical phenomenon, the last deals with drought in terms of supply and demand (Types of Drought). During the occurrences of a drought, the major factors are having the greatest impacts: Economic, Environmental, and Social. The United States has suffered droughts in the past but as mentioned before, 2014 is noted as being the worst of all. California is similar to an arid state with a Mediterranean climate, those who have lived in California has certainly lived through a drought in their lifetime. Since the 1900’s there have been extended droughts at least once a decade, last one ending in 2009 (CBS Sacramento: Drought Way of Life). Between 1980 and until now, 16 drought events have cost a combined $210 billion in the U.S., and thousands have died due to the droughts effects.(LiveScience). Research shows that the  2014 drought epidemic has nearly 91 percent of the state undergoing â€Å"Severe to exceptional drought. More than seventeen communities scattered across the state are expected to run out of water by mid-May†. Scientists are now seeing that this drought has the most record breaking dryness than the previous drought that had happened in 1850. (Global Risk Insights) A notable dry period of dry conditions was experienced most in the 1920’s and well into the 1930’s. Three twentieth century droughts were of particular importance from a water supply standpoint – the droughts of 1928 – 35, 1976 – 77, and 1987 – 91. The year of 1928 – 35 was considered as the dustbowl drought as it established hydrologic criteria widely used in designing storage capacity and yield of large Northern California reservoirs.The drought of 1977 served as a wakeup call for water agencies that were unprepared for major cutbacks in their supplies. The 1987 – 92 drought was noted as its six-year duration. Adopting of measures such as a 14 month ban on all lawn watering, the city installed a temporary emergency desalination plant and an emergency pipeline. (Department of Water Resources) Not only is everyone in California suffering through the consequences of the drought, our commercial agricultural system is also being affected. Lack of water calls for desperate measures: with not enough water to maintain our growing plants with sufficient nutrients, it delays the growth rate of the vegetation, and that inconvenience will cause a food supply shortage. In addition to that, economic supply and demand will be uneven in the marketing procedure, which will have the effect of high prices in produce in marketing. Food availability, affordability and quality drive food security problems in the world are all being affected right now as the drought continues on. (Global Risk Insights) Hunger and famine are a great issue at hand, our agriculture system is what keeping us healthy and placing foods in our grocery stores. Little water will not support food crops towards the livestock nor will they have enough grass or grains to be feed upon. When droughts are at their peak of their dryness, it destroys food sources, and those who suffers are us. We go  hungry and if hunger lasts for a long period of time, famine is surely to come to be the new epidemic. Lack of clean and dependable water resources can lead to public health problems. As noted before, significant drought events have occurred and can have different affects in different areas. (CDC) The use of water for any health care resource is vital and it has to be within everyones reach in order to have a healthy lifestyle. Saving water is indeed important, but that should not eliminate the water being used to wash ones hands to reduce germs from the hands. (LiveScience) Although we are in a drought, that should not limit the continuous use of hand washing. Droughts creates lack of clean water resource for drinking, public sanitation and personal hygiene, which unfortunately can lean to multiple wide ranges of life-threatening diseases. In addition, health concerns can have everyone suffering, lack of water can lead to dehydration and the human body can function certain amount of days without water. Farmers in the agricultural system work at their hardest to have food growing for our personal hunger needs. In the season of a drought, farmers are worried about their crops and paying out of their pocked to keep their crops alive and doing any means necessary to keep their crops. Farmers run a chance that they will loose all of their financial benefactors if a drought destroys their crops. Having water to nurture their crops is another fact; spending more money to have specialized irrigation or wells drilled up for the farmers to have a continuation of water. Lack of water for the surrounding environment is not the only factor of danger that endangers the surrounding area; Lack of moisture and precipitation from the drought conditions can produce out-of-control wildfires with hazardous conditions in forests and across range lands. The negative result of this environmental danger results in injuries/death, extensive damage. Many unfortunate consequences can arise from this negative factor. Not only does the environment suffer from this inconvenience, workers in the wood or timber industries are also being affected. Climate change with the danger of the drought is not a good combination together; water reservoirs, lakes and dams are shrinking rapidly. Water quality can be in danger. Shrinking amounts can cause dangerous contaminants such as heavy metal, industrial chemicals, pesticides, and sediments. An example of a shrinking dam: Folsom Lake. Folsom Lake normally holds just under 1 million acre feet of water. However during this drought it is only 33 percent of average. The lake’s extremely low levels have become one of the droughts most iconic images. Other reservoirs across the state were hitting record lows across the state, alarming water agencies to do necessary water cutbacks. (CBS Sacramento: Hard to Recover) The same factors as the commercial agricultural farmers hold the same fate as the businessmen in the aquatic industry. Those who work in the boating or fishing industry may not have the luck to sell their goods due to the lakes or other water resources drying up or reaching abnormal water levels. Hydroelectric power energy companies rely their energy functioning on running water, and this would be expensive for both the company and the customers as they would be needed to pay extra. Workers working on ships or sail boats may find difficulty navigating their way through streams, river, and canals due to low water levels. This would be considered as a expensive business transportation for receiving or sending goods and materials. During a drought, officials may issue a water restriction measure;Governor Jerry Brown, has requested the Sacramento City Council and all Californians to approve a 20 percent reduction in water use for everyone in the city. This is a mandatory rationing so that homes, businesses and farms will not run dry over the sumer (SF gate). Depending where everyone lives, water restriction measure procedures can vary on odd or even days of the week, at night, or on weekends. The restriction may vary from hours, days or in some cases prohibit use of water. No matter the case, it is important to check with your local water utility for more information. (How to Survive a Drought.) The future still holds many questions and discovery in the long run for the environment and towards everyone. The population is increasing everyday, and  in arid, and wet regions the demand of water supplies are still the same. Not only is the expansion of the population is causing a bit of worrisome troubles about the future use of water, but the idea of global warming.(LiveScience) With increasing levels of global warming, who knows how the environment will deal with more strong droughts. The least thing everyone can do is be prepared for dry seasons with little rainfall, and dangerous environmental consequences. However, the good new is everyone can help save water, we all have the ability to make a difference in the environment. There are multiple ways to save water and take consideration to the environment, and it all starts with how we make a change to our lifestyle. The major places to observe water waste would be in the kitchen, bathroom, how we do laundry, and activities that are done outside. The average gallons wasted during showers and brushing our teeth with running water is as least 2.5 gallons per minute. Washing a full load of clothes in the washing machine is 15-50 gallons per load, depending what kind of appliances one owns. The leaking problems under the sink, faucets, toilet, and bathtub can actually waste more water than anything else; the average gallon waste is at least 30 gallons per day in leaks. When working outside, its is important to reserve water as much as one can. As the average water waste when one is working outside is at least 20 gallons. By replacing energy and water efficient appliances. (City of Sacramento: We Are in A Drought) The drought of this country and the regions that are suffering with it, has no good cause for everyone and the environment. The ongoing California drought provides a unsavory view of future water shortages and its impact on agricultural production and food safety. Preventing a drought is something that everyone in the world cannot avoid, if it is going to strike then it’s going to strike, there is no stopping it, unless if rainfall comes. However, what we can prevent is our precious water going to waste by making water efficient choices that will conserve water.

Indigenous Voice Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Indigenous Voice Performance - Essay Example   The indigenous voices performances were held at the Washington State University (Washington State University Performing Arts, n.d.). The performers were both indigenous rap and hip hop, artists. They included Supaman, Nataani Means, Yaz and Witko. The aim of these indigenous performances was to celebrate world art. The first artist was Supaman who is member of the Apsaalooke group. He originated from the Crow Reservation in Montana. Supaman was a local American dancer as well as a hip hop performer whose mission was to encourage the youth and educate the public using hopeful songs and culture (Washington State University Performing Arts, n.d.). Supaman performed a song called prayer loop song, which contained a combination of traditional symbols and modern sounds. In the song, Supaman wore a traditional but fancy attire to represent two distinct worlds combining positively. The second artist, Nataani Means is a son of an Indian leader Russell Means.   Nataani Means performed th e radical featuring Russell Means, a song that told true stories of indigenous people living in the United States (Washington State University Performing Arts, n.d.). Nataani Means aim was to show the struggles that the modern indigenous Americans go through.  Ã‚   The third performer was Mike Cliff (Witko) performed a song called alive that addresses issues faced by the Lakota people in the United States. Witko who was originally from Lakota mentioned the judgments and discriminations that the Lakota people face.

English Language and Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

English Language and Communication - Essay Example Unfortuntely, the generl public sometimes ssocites foreign ccents with lower socil sttus. Spekers with foreign ccents my be viewed s less intelligent, less competent, nd even less ttrctive thn ntive English spekers. Other evidence indictes tht people in different countries hve been denied housing or employment simply becuse of their ccents. Negtive stereotyping nd stigmtiztion of English second-lnguge spekers is serious problem tht is excerbted by the frudulent clims of some shdy business people who sy tht they cn eliminte foreign ccents with expensive CDs nd lerning progrms. In fct there is no scientific evidence tht foreign ccent cn routinely be eliminted by ny such progrm. Theory relted to stigmtiztion defines this phenomenon s discrediting ttribute ssigned by society to those who differ in some mnner from society's expecttions, customs, nd mores. It results from socil ctegoriztion process tht llows for the quick identifiction of those who re similr nd those who re different nd cn therefore be considered s "others." It is not simply the ct of ctegoriztion tht results in stigmtiztion of certin groups, but, rther, the coupling of negtive vlue judgments with prticulr chrcteristics tht result in n dverse rection to difference. The dverse rection to ccents tkes the form of discrimintion, or beliefs, ttitudes, nd ctions directed t individuls due to "phenotypic chrcteristics or ethnic group ffilition" tht result in disprte life chnces or unequl outcomes. Disbility nd ethnicity re two such chrcteristics used to ctegorize individuls into stigmtized groups. There re multiple other stigmtizing chrcteristics, including femle gender nd single motherhood. Link nd Pheln (2001, 2001b) developed conceptul frmework for stigm tht ddresses the socil element inherent in the stigmtiztion process. Their frmework is bsed on interrelted components tht look beyond the individul, nd it ddresses the role of power in discrimintion. Within their frmework, lnguge stigm is conceptulized s five-stge process: () Differences re identified nd lbeled; (b) differences re linked to negtive stereotypes; (c) stereotyping llows for ctegoriztion nd plcement of stigmtized individuls into distinct groups, seprte from the dominnt culture; (d) seprtion llows for loss of sttus nd discrimintion; nd (e) power differentil exists between the lbeler nd the lbeled, mking discrimintion possible. Link nd Pheln (2001) identified three sources of discrimintion in reltion to ccent stigmtiztion: () direct or overt, (b) structurl or systemic, nd (c) socil-psychologicl processes operting through the stigmtized individul. The finl source, socil-psychologicl processes, describes sociliztion of stereotypicl perceptions nd the internliztion of such perceptions resulting in behviors tht my led to self-perpetuting discrimintion. With this source of discrimintion, individuls who believe tht they will be discriminted ginst my respond by withdrwing nd voiding socil contct, thereby negtively ffecting their support network nd incresing their levels of stress. Negative effects of accent on people's lives Fer of ccent stigmtiztion nd subsequent discrimintion my influence how individuls interct with others. Concelment of the