Coffee Shop Essay

The global spread of coffee growing and drinking all started with a curious goat and that’s what legends say. 9th century Ethiopian goat herder Kaldi drank a concoction made from the beans after seeing his energetic goats eat them. The Sufi monks of Yemen in the 15th century were said to drink it as well. During the 17th century when coffee was introduced to Europe, the popularity of cafes followed the same pattern as most coffee houses around the world. It quickly became a venue for people to congregate, exchange views, write poems, plays, and political testaments, conduct business transactions, participate in cultural exchange and often relax with a good book. The popularity of coffee shop had served as a mailing address, because many people were regulars. When you want to go to exchange news, share ideas and get advice, you go to a coffee shop. It has been that way for quite some time. Coffee shops had been places of learning; of making business deals; scientific, literary, political, philosophical, and economic discussions; and even the typical gossip. At the beginning of the nineteenth century nearly all coffee exported on the world market was produced by European colonies. Two-thirds came from French colonies. But despite the fact that the following century would witness what Eric Hobsbawm called â€Å"The Age of Empire† and Lance Davis termed â€Å"high imperialism†, colonialism would cease being important in coffee production. (Though colonies certainly continued to be vital to the production of tea and sugar. ) This occurred precisely at the same time that coffee consumption rose vertiginously in most European colonial powers. Coffee was treated differently than sugar and rubber in the nineteenth century Age of Empire because its low technological demands meant that an independent country richly endowed with the factors of production, Brazil, could begin producing on an unprecedented scale. Cheap fertile land and slave labor allowed coffee prices to plummet after 1820 and remain low until the last quarter of the century creating supply-induced demand. Brazil’s exports jumped 75 fold between independence in 1822 and 1899. World consumption grew more than 15 fold in the nineteenth century. Consumers were not very price conscious because they were long buffered from recognizing the price. If they drank in cafes, they were unaware of the type of coffee they were drinking. As the price of one sort rose, cafe owners often blended in cheaper substitute grades rather than raise their price. he same seems to have been true for grocers. Rather than risk losing their clientele, they competed on blends, not on price. They also sought to keep prices constant. Price rises were often not passed on to the consumer. Instead, cheaper blends were used or grocers reduced their profit margin. Moreover, as coffee sipping became customary and even habit-forming, it was transformed into a necessity for many. As a result, coffee in the twentieth century became price and income inelastic. Thus we are presented with the irony that the international coffee market at the turn of the twentieth century, one of the world’s largest commodity markets, was relatively price inelastic (within in a reasonably large range) at both the production and the consumption end, though profit-driven commercial and industrial intermediaries were extremely conscious of price. In other words, it was quite imperfect. The Philippine Coffee Company (PCC) says the first coffee tree was introduced in Lipa, Batangas, in 1740 by a Spanish Franciscan monk and soon spread to neighboring towns of Ibaan, Lemery, San Jose, Taal, and Tanauan. â€Å"Batangas owed much of its wealth to the coffee plantations in these areas and Lipa eventually became the coffee capital of the Philippines. We are one of the few countries that produces the four varieties of commercially viable coffee: Arabica, Liberica (Barako), Excelsa, and Robusta. This is attributed to the country’s climate and soil ranging from the lowlands of southern Luzon to the mountain ranges of the Cordillera and Mindanao. â€Å"In 1880, the Philippines was the fourth largest exporter of coffee beans, and when the coffee rust hit Brazil, Africa, and Java, it became the only source of coffee beans worldwide,† PCC says. Our glory days as one of the world’s coffee centers lasted until 1889 when coffee rust hit the Philippine shores, coupled with an insect infestation. Production plunged to 1/6th its original amount. By then, Brazil had regained its position as the world’s leading producer of coffee. A few of the surviving coffee seedlings were transferred from Batangas to Cavite, where they flourished. Our ranking fell because many of the coffee growing areas – like rice fields and salt beds of Las Pinas – were eaten by housing and commercial developments. Less area was allotted to coffee because farmers had shifted to other cash crops. Today’s Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages. Some claim it is the most widely consumed liquid in the world aside from water. Coffee’s success as a beverage undoubtedly owes both to the caffeine it harbors and to its sensory pleasure. Coffee lovers come to associate the energizing lift of the caffeine with the richness and aroma of the beverage that delivers it. In our culture, bookstores are also seen as social, intellectual and downright hip. Many bookstores are a place of community where people gather and know one another and talk. The atmosphere in a bookstore typically invites customers to relax and browse the shelves. The concept of a bookstore and coffee house is a good combination that will perfectly gives the bookworm persons and a coffee lover the opportunity to purchase their favorite titles and discover new books while relaxing and enjoying a cup of coffee. The Company is then formed because of the said conceptualized idea and inspiration. COMPANY PROFILE The name of the company will be CTB that stands for COFFEE, TABLE, BOOK. The company’s name was originated from the idea of coffee table book which means a hardcover book that is intended to sit on a coffee table or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for portability. The Company CTB will be a combination of piles of books ready for reading and a comfortable cafe that provides place for bookworms to sip coffee and talk with their friends while enjoying their books. It is a modern type of library and a much more public place for reading with a twist for having a cafe in it. It is a very interesting place for a person who wants to meet new people who are also interested in reading, studying and exploring new things and ideas through books. The cafe is really just an addition to the whole idea. It gives new impression to reading. Reading with a cup of coffee or tea with you is a lot better than reading without anything to drink or eat. It’s a higher level of coming into a public place to look for interesting books and a cafe with it. TAGLINE â€Å"Cool your coffee and bring it closer to your heart and mind. † Our tagline represents our business in the most promising way. We decided to state it as cool your coffee, â€Å"cool† meaning call your coffee. Cool because we want it to be mind-teasing and catchy so that customers will notice the line and think. Call your coffee and order it in the CTB shop to relax while reading your favorite novels and bring it closer to your heart and mind. Customers will definitely bring it closer to their heart because the coffee goes to the heart and down to the veins of an individual. The heart and the mind as we all know, is really Like Coffee, Table, Books shop, customers will hold our business close to their hearts and mind, remembering every moment they’ve had with us. Every learning they will earn with what they have read, we are assuring them that they will treasure everything we have shared with them forever. LOCATION The CTB store is located in 1199 unit 5 ground flr. Lemon Square Building, Edsa, Munoz Quezon City with the size of 102. 50 square meters. There are adequate parking space and have reasonably priced per square meter. Rental payments as well additional payment will be stated within the leasing terms including the registration of utilities and amenities. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION VISION To become the foremost Coffee shop in the local and international industry providing the best products and high quality experience. MISSION. To create a unique, comfortable and relaxing environment while enjoying the best hot and cold coffee drinks at an affordable price making it perfect. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES †¢ To increase the frequency of customers’ visitations. †¢ To maintain positive sales growth and increase market share. †¢ Increase brand awareness †¢ To open new branches of stores nationwide every year. †¢ To ensure that equipments used for cold and hot coffee drinks are well-maintained and in good condition. †¢ Develop new products and innovate services yearly. †¢ Develop an increase in sales while achieving a status quo state and decrease in marketing expenses. †¢ To create a cozy and relaxing ambiance. †¢ To give seminars and trainings to employees and retain their Standard Operating Procedures. †¢ To improve promotional activities and advertisements quarterly †¢ To listen and implement feedbacks, suggestions and opinions of customers for the improvement and betterment of the business. COMPANY’S FORM OF ORGANIZATION The company CTB is a sole proprietor type of business because the owner’s primary purpose is to generate profit. A sole proprietorship is a business owned by a single individual. This sole owner is responsible for the entire business and accepts complete responsibility for the business’s liabilities, as well as its income. Unlike other legal structures, the sole proprietorship requires less paperwork and is subject to few business restrictions and regulations. ? Characteristics of Sole Proprietor Management and Control A sole proprietorship is operated by a single individual; thus, the sole proprietor has exclusive management and control of the business. Personal Liability A sole proprietor is personally liable for all obligations and debts of the business. Thus, the business assets and personal assets of the sole proprietor are subject to the risks of the business. Moreover, in California, if the owner is married, the martial community property is at risk and subject to attachment by creditors. If the business is conducted under a name which does not show the owner’s surname or implies the existence of additional owners, the owner is required to file a fictitious name certificate and publish a notice in the newspapers. Capitalization There are no rules governing capitalization of a sole proprietorship. Continuity of Existence The sole proprietorship continues as long as the sole proprietor desires to operate the business and is legally competent. If the business owner is adjudged legally incompetent, becomes incapacitated, or dies, the sole proprietorship ceases to exist. An owner may sell the business as he or she chooses. Taxation A sole proprietor is taxed on business income and may deduct allowable business expenses on his or her personal income tax return. ? Advantages of Sole Proprietor Easy formation: The formation of sole proprietorship business is very easy and simple. No legal formalities are involved for setting up the business excepting a license or permission in certain cases. The entrepreneur with initiative and certain amount of capital can set up such form of business. Direct motivation: The entrepreneur owns all and risks all. The entire profit goes to his pocket. This motivates the proprietor to put his heart and soul in the business to earn more profit. Thus, the direct relationship between effort and reward motivates the entrepreneur to manage the business more efficiently and effectively. Better control: The entrepreneur takes all decisions affecting the business. He chalks out the plan and executes the same. His eyes are on everything and everyone. There is no scope for laxity. This results in better control of the business and ultimately leads to efficiency. Promptness in decision-making: When the decision is to be taken by one person, it is sure to be quick. Thus, the entrepreneur as sole proprietor can arrive at quick decisions concerning the business by which he can take the advantage of any better opportunities. Secrecy: Each and every aspect of the business is looked after by the proprietor and the business secrets are known to him only. He has no legal obligation to publish his accounts. Thus, the maintenance of adequate secrecy leaves no scope to his competitors to be aware of the business secrets. Flexibility in operations: The sole proprietorship business is undertaken on a small scale. If any change is required in business operations, it is easy and quick to bring the changes. Scope for personal touch: There is scope for personal relationship with the entrepreneur and customers in sole proprietorship business. Since the scale of operations is small and the employees work under his direct supervision, the proprietor maintains a harmonious relationship with the employees. Similarly, the proprietor can know the tastes, likes and dislikes of the customers because of his personal rapport with the customers. Inexpensive formation and management: The cost of formation of a sole proprietorship is the minimum because no cost is involved in its formation excepting the license fee in certain cases. The management of the business is also inexpensive as no specialists are normally appointed in various functional areas of the business which is the added advantages. Free from Government control: Sole proprietorship is the least regulated form of business. Regulated laws are almost negligible in its formation, day-to-day operation and dissolution. Easy dissolution: Like that of formation, the dissolution of the sole proprietorship is also very easy. Since the proprietor is the supreme authority and no regulations are applicable for closure of the business he can dissolve his business any time he likes. Socially desirable: New and small entrepreneurs can take up business on small- scale basis. There will be no scope for concentration of wealth in few hands. Sole proprietorship continues its operation in almost each and every area of business activity and caters to the need of the society. Further, it provides ample opportunities for large-scale self-employment for rural and less skilled personnel. Thus, it is socially desirable. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES CTB will offer its customers the best tasting coffee beverages in the area. This will be achieved by using high-quality ingredients and strictly following preparation guidelines. The store layout, menu listings and marketing activities will be focused on maximizing the sales of higher margin espresso drinks. Along with the espresso drinks, brewed coffee, as well as some refreshment beverages will be sold in the coffee shop. CTB will also offer its clients, cookies, muffins, sandwiches and bread. On the other hand, the store offerings will be supplemented by small range of books, magazine and other references that customers can read while drinking coffee. PRODUCTS: COFFEE AND ESPRESSO Regular Coffee Americano Cappucino Macchiato *Caramel & Hazenut Caffe Latte Caffe Mocha ICED COFFEE Iced Americano Iced Cappucino Iced Macchiato *Caramel & Hazelnut Iced Latte Iced Mocha Latte NON COFFEE HOT DRINKS Hot Chocolate Hot Vanilla NON COFFEE FROZEN DRINKS Chocolate Mocha Vanilla Cookies and Cream Hazelnut BAKED GOODIES Sandwiches and Breads Muffins Cookies Croissants Donuts PRODUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT The Product Research and Development Plan of CTB will provide a clear framework of challenging targets for the consumer over the next years. Strategic view of the needs and opportunities to achieve outcomes that meet the expectations of industry will be the key to the success of this plan. Within the next two years, the company was expected to branch out in different areas of Metro Manila and other provinces. As seasons change, CTB will be offering products that will enhance sales and satisfy its customers’ desires. During summer months, CTB will subsidize lower hot beverage sales with frozen coffee drinks, as well as soft drinks, and other cold beverages. CTB will also have special beverages during holiday seasons. The CTB will carry a variety of quality products that will enable to provide full service delivery to espresso stands and coffee houses that will be offered 1 year after the store was established. The company’s underlying philosophy in selecting products is to choose lines that will bring consistent quality, competitive prices, and product satisfaction to our customers. TARGET MARKET CHARACTERICTICS |CHARACTERISTICS |PRIMARY |SECONDARY | |LOCATION |Nearby school/offices and establishments |Nearby residents of District 1 and 2 of Quezon | | | |City | |AGE |16-35 |36-59 | |GENDER |Male and Female |Male and Female | |OCCUPATION |Students/ Company employees |Entrepreneurs | |STATUS |Middle Class |Upper Class | |TYPE OF BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT |Schools/ Company offices |Commercial Buildings and Banks | SURVEY QUESTIONS 1. Age_________ Gender _________ Occupation _________ 2. How often do you visit a coffee shop within a month? o 1-2 o 3-4 o 5-6 o 7-more 3. How many cups of coffee do you consume in a day? | | |1 cup per day | |2-3 cups per day | |Greater than 3 cups per day (How many? ) | | | | | |4. What kind of coffee do you usually buy/order? | |Regular coffee | |Espresso | |Latte | |Iced Coffee | |Other____ (specify) | | | |5. Which snacks do you regular purchase? | |Donut | |Muffin | |Cookies | |Sandwiches | |Cake slices | |Pastries | |Other________(specify) | | | | | |6. How much do you spend in each month in coffee shop? | | | |Maximum 1000 | |Minimum 100 | |Average 350 | |Sum 1,400 | | | |7. What is the reason why do you want to go to a coffee shop? | |To release stress | |To study/read | |Social gathering | |Drinking habit | |Others_______(specify) | MARKET SIZE AND TRENDS Coffee is the drink of choice for many people across the world which is the reason why coffee shops are so popular. People love coffee, so many small business people capitalize on this by opening up coffee shops. Some coffee shops provide Internet access so that people can use their laptops while they enjoy their coffee. This is especially helpful for busy students on the go. The coffee shop trend continues because there is a huge demand for it. If you took a road trip across America, you would find coffee shops on just about every corner. While the biggest and most well-known chain is Starbucks, you will also see many mom-and-pop coffee shops or small coffee shop stands. Even gas stations sell coffee to truckers and other travelers on the road. Brazil has by far the most coffee drinkers worldwide, so you will certainly notice that the coffee shop trends are very popular in Brazil. Some people even say that they can smell the aroma of coffee in the air. Coffee with no sugar or added creamers has no calories, and coffee shops have come up with the trend of offering many coffee drinks and treats that are low-fat. Our generation grew up thinking of coffee as a morning pick-me-up and after dinner drink for adults only. The 18-24 year old group has a different view of coffee, thanks to the coffee shop culture. Where older generations gathered at the local soda shop, these kids made the local coffee shop their afternoon hangout. Starbucks and other local chains improved their coffees with flavors, sugar and many creams. This makes their coffee more appealing to the younger crowd. As those kids graduate from high school and move on to college, they’re finding that their love of coffee moves along with them. MARKETING STRATEGY CTB’s marketing strategy will be focused at getting new customers, retaining the existing customers, getting customers to spend more and come back more often. Establishing a loyal customer base is of a paramount importance since such customer core will not only generate most of the sales but also will provide favorable referrals. †¢ PRODUCT LINE. | | | | | |COFFEE |NON COFFEE HOT DRINKS |NON COFFEE FROZEN DRINKS |FOOD | |Iced Coffee |Hot Chocolate |Chocolate |Sandwiches and Breads | |Latte |Hot Vanilla |Mocha |Muffins | |Frap | |Vanilla |Cookies | |Espresso | |Cookies and Cream |Croissants | | | |Hazelnut |Donuts | †¢ POSITIONING The company will be positioned as a brand providing high quality products at reasonable prices for busy, mobile people whose time is already at a premium, but desires refreshing beverages in a welcoming space that fosters a warm, comfortable and professional environment. †¢ DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL Distribution channels move products and services from businesses to consumers and to other businesses. Given the importance of distribution channels along with the limited resources generally available to small businesses it is particularly important for entrepreneurs to make a careful assessment of their channel alternatives, because an effective channel of distribution strategy is also a major contributing factor for the success of any business entity to be established. Raw materials will be purchased from the suppliers and then delivered to the house of the sole proprietor for storage. The ingredients needed for the production of the final product are made available at the food stall processed into a final product to be served to the customers. The proposed business can offer and acquire sales directly from the market because it has the advantage of having the direct contact with the consumer. †¢ ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS We would adopt the following promotion strategies: o Loyalty Cards. o Coffee Feedback Cards o Refills only half the price o Coffee tasting event promotion o Seasonal product promotion o Meal-Focused Promotions o Provide Complementary Services and Products o Print Advertisements in different designated locations o Social Networking (engage fans in twitter, Facebook, Youtube and other photo sharing sites. ) MANAGEMENT PLAN Background and primary responsibilities of the management team In any business, employees have important roles in an organization towards achieving the business’s goal. The management aspect of COFFEE,TABLE,BOOK or CTB is composed of proposed techniques and strategies that will be used for the improvement of its employees. These can be done through proper hiring and training of workers. Every employee have their specific duties and responsibilities in building up a business. There will be a designated work and section for each of them in a period of time. The shuffling of assigned tasks are expected for the employees’ versatility and for them to be an effective, efficient and knowledgeable about their jobs. With proper utilization of its resources, it would be sure that the company will yield its expected return of income. The success of this project lies on the efficient and effective use of human resources in the following functions of management such as planning, organizing, directing and controlling. The top management of the business shall carry out its responsibilities by governing its employees and being responsible in taking in to actions the policies of the company. Also, they will be in charge of monitoring and supervising the trainees and former employees as well. It is very substantial to know the capacity and capability of the people working inside the organization and their manner of interrelationship with other employees as well as with the management. A manager will look after the employees and will assure that every employee are working and striving for the business standards. Overall, every person shall work effectively and contribute skills in order to achieve success of the organization. CTB Coffee,Table,Book [pic] by: Busita, Lorica R. Dionco, Criselda Marie A. Dumencel, Roshell B. Reyes, Jenny Lyn M. Rivera, Juvia Katte M.

An Analysis of the soundtrack from “The Girl Can’t Help It”

The Girl Can't Help It was released in 1956, and was directed, produced and mainly written by Frank Tashlin, who was formally a Looney Tunes auteur. The film is a classic Hollywood comedy, which broadcasts a musical line-up of mostly contemporary teen-favoured rock hits set against a narrative background of the popular music industry. The storyline follows the scenario of a backstage musical where an alcoholic press agent Tom Miller (Tom Ewell) is ordered by former mobster Fats Murdoch (Edmund O'Brien) to turn girlfriend Jerry Ann (Jayne Mansfield) into a pop music sensation. Tashlin uses the film music in such a way that it shows clear cartoon like traits; these will be explored in greater depth along with a look at the main characteristics that the soundtrack provides for the film. Anahid Kassabin suggests that most music in narrative film functions to create a mood (2001, p. 56). The film's musical references are made up of both composed and compiled scores; both donate to the mood of the scene. The composed score is non-diegetic and in this instance it does not compete or interfere with the spoken voices. Claudia Gorbman supplements this by suggesting there is ‘subordination' to a story. Subordination means ‘classic narrative sound' films are constructed in such a way that the spectator often does not consciously hear the film score. This is based on the idea that the spectators' attention is focused on the narrative events in the film. (1997, p. 31) However there is still a reason why composed scores are used. In this case they create an atmosphere which makes it easy for the audience to relax, it also guides them on what direction the mood of the film is going and also how they should be feeling. The compiled score operates quite differently; the music is diegetic and it mainly functions as an insight into rock ‘n' roll of the fifties. The mass of compiled music is one of the main attractions of the film and also acts as a narrative; this will be discussed in greater detail later. The music also identifies the film in terms of era and location with the presence of the band or singer in most musical compiled scenes. The film starts with one of the main characters (Tom Miller) in evening clothes appearing in the centre of a shrunken screen. The picture is in black and white with a composed score in the background, which stops as the narrator starts to speak. As the narrator tells the viewers that this is to be â€Å"a story about music,† the music begins again, â€Å"but first†, the narrator stresses â€Å"this was photographed in the grandeuer of Cinemascope†¦ † the narrator pauses, expecting the screen to expand, as he does, the music copies. He then sighs and takes it upon himself to flick the screen into widescreen, and the music ‘mickey-mouse's' his actions with sound effects. He then carries on his speech, as does the music, and he continues to say â€Å"†¦ n gorgeous lifelike colour by Delux. † The narrator and the music then pause, waiting as the screen turns to colour contrasts. Kassabian makes the conclusion that composers consider music as background to dialogue and should be kept simple, subtle, and soft. However she also argues it depends on the importance of the dialogue to the film. (2001, p. 55) In this opening narrative scene the composed music is imitating the speech of the narrator. Miller often pauses to stress fairytale technical difficulties, whilst consciously (but supposedly unknown to the audience) boasting their new technical advances. Hanns Eisler argues how film music was forced to serve as what he identified as ‘hyper-explicit' illustrative function, where two or more happenings such as image, music, sound effects, and dialogue may mimic each other. (Cited in Flinn, 1992, p. 34) Rudolf Arnheim has labelled this as â€Å"paralleling†. An extreme example of this is ‘mickey-mousing' a technique that, as the name suggests, appears frequently in animated films. (Cited in Flinn, 1992, p. 34) In this scene the classical music mimics the character as it would in a cartoon. The narrator continues to inform the audience that the picture is about contemporary music, expressing â€Å"the culture, the refinement, the polite grace and the present day†¦ † the camera pans to a lit jukebox as Little Richard's title song, â€Å"The Girl Can't Help It,† (1956) blares, drowning out his remarks. The opener praises and mocks new conventions in one brief sequence. Throughout the film, new versus vis-a-vis values, lifestyles and music are the sequence. The story begins with the ever present musical accompaniment and the heavy drinking agent, Tom Miller, who spends a lot of time in night spots listening to rock acts. He receives an invitation by Fats Murdock which he accepts. In order to elevate himself into newsworthiness, Fats wants Ewell to make his girlfriend into a star. Obtaining a $10,000 advance, Miller accepts Fats' challenge. He celebrates in another nightclub with a band blasting â€Å"Ain't Gona Cry No More. † Here the lyrics relate to the narrative of the film, the song has just conveyed in simple terms the emotions of Tom Miller. The music also interacts with other aspects of the scene as the band is also playing in the night club whilst Tom Miller dances along. This is one of the main musical features of the film, where the lyrics mimic what a character is feeling or doing. This is also shown in the next scene where diagetic music is used to accompany Jerry walking down a street. On her travels ice melts, milk bottles burst open and reading glasses split as Jerry walks by three men to the title song â€Å"The Girl Can't Help It†. Again cartoon behaviours appear in this scene. As the song â€Å"The Girl Can't Help It† appears in the title credits and later in the film, it is functioning as a kind of leitmotiv. Leitmotiv is a Wagnerian term where music refers to other musical events within a film and is memorable because the scene is structured to give a great deal of attention to the music. (Schroeder, 2003, p. 75) Theme songs are generally given a high degree of attention and often become attached to a film. This then creates audience connotations where a particular emotion or image becomes attached to a song. Identifying music often marks other features of a film. For instance, setting is often identified by quoted source music. Here the connotations of Jerry walking down the street are attached to this song as later in time it is used in the film â€Å"Pink Flamingos† (1972) where a transvestite is seen strutting down a street in the same way Jerry did. In the storyline, as a marketing ploy, Miller escorts Jerry on a nightclub crawl, displaying her to bistro managers. Little Richard is seen performing â€Å"Ready, Ready,† plus â€Å"She's Got It† where Jerry is strutting across the floor to get noticed by the manager. As Richard sings the lyrics â€Å"She's Got It† the camera cuts between Jerry and the reaction of the manager. The lyrics of â€Å"She's Got It† act as a narrative to the scene, also the manager mimics it in dialogue and says â€Å"she's got it all. † Throughout the night many musical acts are shown including The Three Chuckles, featuring Teddy Randazzo, performing â€Å"Lollipop Lies†; Eddie Fontaine performs â€Å"Rock Love†; and Abby Lincon sings the gospel tune â€Å"Spread the Word†. Kassabian stresses the drawbacks of using popular music in films and comments: â€Å"with their range of complete songs used just as they are heard on the radio, they bring the immediate threat of history. (Kasabian, 2001, p. 8-9) However in this particular film that is what was intended, the film acts as a type of historical document. Not many people of the Fifties got to see bands or singers so the cinema created a gateway for rock ‘n' roll music. Ernest Lindgren in The Art of the Film makes the point that â€Å"The use of well known music is†¦ distracting, and has the additional disadvantage that it often has certain associations for the spectator which may conflict entirely with the associations the producer wishes to establish the film. † (Cited in Flinn, 1992, p. 7) A certain level of distraction occurs in the film as one of the main reasons to see it was for the popular acts and when songs where cut short it left viewers wanting more. The dialogue, visuals and other elements are often scarce when such acts appear on screen, which makes it seem a deliberate ploy for attention to be on the music. The volume of the music is often lowered and the camera cuts to the characters when dialogue starts. The leitmotiv is used again in the film when Miller is in his apartment and he discovers a vision of Julie London (a former love) singing â€Å"Cry Me a River† (1953) which is about a lost love. Miller tries to escape her presence yet she appears wherever he goes but disappears as the music fades. This scene identifies he is in love with Julie London and again the music mimics the emotions of the character. Music used for identification does not always rule out the same music all together. Identifying music can convey or evoke all of the things mentioned in the definition of leitmotiv. The song â€Å"Cry Me a River† appears later in the film where Miller is looking for the hallucination of Julie London but instead sees Jerry. This conveys that the song not only has character recognition but the emotion of love also attached to it. The Girl Can't Help It presents teenage rock ‘n' roll in ‘adults only' venues. In a kind of variety show format, the rock ‘n' rollers are inserted into the narrative and given their one moment on screen. Interestingly, none of them are integrated into the plot. Stephen Heath, Ed Branigan, and Kristen Thompson have pointed out that in â€Å"historical enquiries on early cinema, color, and animated film, respectively, new technological developments in dominant cinematic representation do not contribute solely to greater â€Å"realistic effect. These inquiries suggest that it is the novelty of the technology that is celebrated for a while. † (Cited in Gorbman, 1997 p. 44) This is clearly the case in this film as many rock films in the Fifties put more emphasis on the use of popular bands to promote the film rather than the greatness of the plot. Kassabian suggests that there are uses of film music that link directly to other musical events. She calls this â€Å"quotation† which is the â€Å"importing of a song or musical text, in part or in whole, into a film's score. (2001, p. 49) David Shumway has suggested that the roots of these contemporary compiled scores can be found in early rock scores. (Cited in Kassabian, 2001, p. 49-50) In the mid 1950's teenagers' tastes in music were introduced as a separate segment of the mainstream, with rock ‘n' roll being the genre for that taste. The movie producer Samuel Z. Arkoff states â€Å"the oddity was that old people were afraid of rock ‘n' roll†¦ I don't know why but all adults thought that rock ‘n' roll was immoral. † (Coleman, 1997, p. 41) The Girl Can't Help It contributed to changing this, perhaps half of the featured performances such as Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and the Coasters are concessions to the teenage audience; the remainder Ray Anthony, Julie London, and Abby Lincoln are for the adults' tastes. The film premiered â€Å"attracting a large adult audience, the movie gave the much maligned rock ‘n' roll some respectability, though Films in Review it called it â€Å"a showcase for the leading purveyors of the jungle caterwauling known as rock ‘n' roll, and†¦ hereby a cultural debilitator our descendants won't forgive us for†Ã¢â‚¬  (Coleman, 1997, p. 141) The Girl Can't Help It showed that Hollywood was taking rock ‘n' roll seriously. In conclusion, the music was not only used to set the right ‘mood' using the composed score but to also set the scene with the compiled. Caryl Flinn suggests music reveals glimpses of a better, more unified world. It allows film to open doors to exotic locations and fantasy. It can also capture a sense of lost integrity and grandeur. 1992) As the film features mostly popular and jazz acts of the Forties and Fifties, Billboard reported on July 15 that the film â€Å"may lend an aura of rock ‘n' roll† to the movie. (Cited in Cloeman, 1997, p. 164) However the films reality is partly distorted from using such functions as ‘mickey-mousing' and ‘paralleling' yet the style of music does reflect the genre of the film. The storyline and music attracted both teenagers and adults by bringing adult themes and popular culture together, and portraying it in a way they could both enjoy. This was uncommon in the Fifties and Tashlin used Little Richard's music to â€Å"send up American attitudes towards sexuality and racism. † (White, 2003, p. 81) This film most probably would not have been a success without the rock ‘n' roll. Gorbman suggests that an argument runs that â€Å"sound, in the form of music, gave back to those â€Å"dead† photographic images some of the life they lost in the process of mechanical reproduction† (1997, p. 39) and in this case the film would be ‘dead' without the popular acts. Leonard B. Meyer argues â€Å"while the image itself is relevant to the music, the significance that it has for the particular individual is purely personal. (Cited in Kassabian, 2001, p. 56) Not only has the soundtrack shown clear musical technical advancements, but it also has a higher role to play in social advancements. It helps adults to understand the preferences of teenagers and offers a common ground between the two age groups. Rock ‘n' roll films also have a deeper meaning and start to touch on racial inequality by including black musicians as America's popular culture.

Develop a media plan Essay

Introduction I am going to define the EYWA company media requirements. And as well as identifying target audience and consumer profile, analysis the product market factor of the EYWA Company. Analysis the creative requirements of an advertising message and identifying media merchandising requirements , confirm the media budget and legal and voluntary constraints of the company of EYWA. 2. Characteristics of the target audience from the advertising brief. Earth sprite products are 100% natural and effective reasonable and innovative. The target audience consist of woman who are beauty conscious and who are looking for natural products. They are aware of the adverse effects of chemical-based skin care products. They are looking for natural products which are good value for money and will their skin looking rediant  and help fight aging. 3. Prepare a detailed consumer profile EWYA Company Demographic information Gender – Females Age – 25-54 Marital status: half of married and half of single Level of educational attained: females professional, Wives of professional Income – approximately $150,000 Geography profile- inner city and suburban areas Psychographic information: Activity Interest Opinion Values Lifestyle 4. Analyses market factor to determine the reach and frequency required for each of the advertising media suggested in the brief. Media strategy: EWYA Company using media for advertising such as TV, radio, woman’s magazines and health magazines. EWYA Company also using some of social website for examples Face book and twitter could also highly effective. Point of sale display in a major super market or chemist chain should also be considered. Level of involvement: TV, radio, and magazines and social media are high level involvement. Point of sale display in a major super market or chemist chain comes in low level involvement. Product usage and lifecycle: product usage is high and product life cycle comes in four sections. Advertising message characteristics: it is reasonable price and 100% Australia owned. Product characteristics: The entire earth sprite product contains tamanu oil which has a unique capacity to support the formation of new tissue. Eywa is 100% Australian owned. Ewya products price are very affordable rather than the competitors’ products. Competitive situation: other similar products on the market in term of product features and pricing. Create brand awareness for the Earth sprite products and differentiate the brand from its many competitors.  Media enviourment : it is combination of electronic and hardcopy media enviourment. 5. (a) creative requirement Eywa using mainstream media. Images Action Colour Words Music and sound Colour plays important part in advertising. colour perception controlled by brain, eyes and influencing our emotions and actions and we can use many colour such as black, blue, red, white, yellow, green, pink etc. Through the action add to the creative message by demonstrating how the product can be used and features of the products. Images based on the impact you want to make on the consumer. Music and sound I the key element in advertising like using the advertising slogan as part of the sound experience for the consumer can also make a big impact through brand association. The cost of this promotion is $5 million. Advertising message and media implication: the catchy slogan â€Å"Reconnect† with nature. Eywa is 100% Australian owned.  Ewya products price are very affordable rather than the competitors’ products. 6. Outline the product or service merchandising requirements Point of sale display space in a major super market or chemist chain should also be considered. Merchandising refer to any activity that aims to sell products or service using point of sale The product or service advertising be relevant to the specific communities. The product and service have an association with a specific media vehicle. A media merchandising strategy is to adopt a brand extension strategy. 7. Identify any relevant local, national or international legislation or standard that you may need to consider.

Judge Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Judge - Coursework Example Wright, a member of the same gender as theirs – who they could perceive was a victim of circumstances from the male gender, in general. As noted in the play, â€Å"I might have known she needed help! I know how things can be—for women† (Glaspell, 1916, p. 1). Further, the women could have justified the action of Mrs. Wright that murdering her husband must have been a product of years of solitary confinement and loneliness and where her life could end up just like the canary that was unmercifully killed by her husband. Mrs. Hale was revealed to have said: â€Å"If thered been years and years of nothing, then a bird to sing to you, it would be awful—still, after the bird was still† (Glaspell, 1916, p. 1). To them, Mr. Wright got what he deserved for killing what Mrs. Wright was before they were married: her jovial nature and her love for singing. Mrs. Hale affirmed this when she said: â€Å"Wright wouldnt like the bird—a thing that sang. She used to sing. He killed that, too† (Glaspell, 1916, p. 1). Collecting the selected things for Mrs. Wright evidently proves that they sympathize and empathize with her condition. One should definitely report them for withholding evidence because even if Mrs. Wright was a victim, herself, in this situation, the killing of her husband is not justified for the solitary confinement and loneliness felt from their marital union. They should have reported all the evidences to the investigation team and leave the matter to judicial process to determine the legal consequences of Mrs. Wright’s

Project maangement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project maangement - Essay Example This paper will evaluate the various reasons why organizations are using Project Management to achieve their strategic objectives. It will focus on the view of projects as investments rather than being likened to investments. The paper will evaluate the application of the various doctrines of strategic project management that project managers use to accomplish the strategic objectives. Project management generally takes the form of a decision tree (Fig. 1). Goodwin and Wright, (2009) observe that after developing the strategic objectives, the managers evaluate the current situation or status of the organization. This is a starting point that is necessary to determine the next course of action. Project management is therefore preferred because it answers the question of whether the organization has attained its maximum capacity (Chapman and Ward, 2003). If not, the managers engage in assessing the constraints to establish if their cause is known or not. From this point, if the causes of the constraints are known, ways of alleviating them can be determined. If they are not known, investigations are undertaken. Such procedures help organizations to apply a straightforward approach to solving problems (Kendrick, 2009). Many contemporary organizations undertake different projects depending on their significance to organizational productivity (Dale et al. 2007). In many situations, different departments in the organization come up with projects that compete for the available finances. They have different impacts on the overall organizational performance and priorities need to be set depending on the organizational needs. Project management is significant in making strategic choices to support the projects that need immediate attention as well as those that can be implemented in future (Kemp, 2006). Strategic project management integrates major organizational processes of strategic planning, tactical setting of

Processing the Crime Scene and Establishing Identity Case Study

Processing the Crime Scene and Establishing Identity - Case Study Example Murder is suspected as there is no reason for the girl to have committed suicide. It is an open and shut case, as the mother has named the suspect. After completing the formalities of investigation, it will become clear to establish motives and nail the suspect who is a school drop out and has been stalking the girl. She agreed for a date the previous night but failed to return until the suspect brought her home in an unconscious condition. According to the mother, she was a bright girl and did not need to be woken up. She had agreed to date the boy on the condition that he never asked her out again. Probably she felt he would see reason if she talked to him and encouraged him to resume schooling. She wanted the best for him. She was the type who met challenges head on. The police had come and sealed off the bedroom. The photographer was taking photographs from various angles. There were others with the police to take fingerprints, analyze DNA samples, footwear experts, and another person who looked after computer forensics. The fingerprint and DNA samples were taken. The computer forensics was only present to see first hand the body position of the deceased. The forensics report would have to wait as it came under analysis that took place at the general hospital.

The Effect of Using Smart Technology in the Education System in Saudi Research Paper

The Effect of Using Smart Technology in the Education System in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example The Effect of Using Smart Technology in the Education System in Saudi Arabia Education remains one of the most significant economic progress gauges in Saudi Arabia. This is apparent in the unremitting priority of the improvement and development of education. The usage of technology is fundamental to the progress and enhancement of the educational structure in Saudi Arabia. (Millson & Wilemon, 2008) Familiarizing SMART technology in the Saudi Arabian education structure is argued as being able to support teachers and learners in the process of accepting both technological modifications and new information. (Nastase, 2006). SMART technology also can improve the level of suppleness in the educational system, consequently improving the worth of education in an up-to-date Saudi Arabia. It is vital to incorporate technology efficiently and competently within the educational structure to progress the quality of student upshots. Some of the schools and Universities in Saudi Arabia that use Smart Technology are King Faisal University, King Khalid University and King Saud University. One of the key aims behind the relentless upsurge in reputation of smart classes is the point that this form of education is impeccable for all sorts of learners.The implementation of smart classes and up-to-the-minute technology simplifies the learning procedure for all students. This form of education in class encourages more communication between teacher and student with more involvement from both sides.

The Eye Above the Well Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Eye Above the Well - Movie Review Example His ability to enjoy the beauty and creation bestowed by the Almighty, amidst misery labels him a paradoxical happy-go-lucky, go-getter fatalist! The documentary film is a figurative description of the Third World countries. The film is set in the Indian state of Kerala and the story essentially brings to the forefront, the trauma and horrifying experiences that the Third Worlds countries have been undergoing. The man suspended from the tree, above a well is the representative of these countries and the well represents the profound misery they have been subject to. However, what is refreshingly different is the man's attempt to reach out and taste the drop of honey on a blade of grass. This is symbolic of the attempt of the Third World and the citizens of these countries, who, amidst poverty, hunger, illiteracy, disease and ignorance try to attain the innocent bliss of living each day and of enjoying God's creation, nature, beauty and the very meaning of life. They search and find happiness in the little things that their lives offer, without fretting. The film also brings to light the cultural richness and heritage of one such country-India.

Materiality in Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Materiality in Auditing - Essay Example As per IASB, the term ‘materiality’ refers to the information that are is important if their its exclusion or inaccurate presentation could shape the economic decision of the users of the financial statement of a business. The Materiality rests upon the magnitude of the evaluated element or error in some scenario of the auditor’s omission or inaccurate presentation. The Materiality depicts the significance of an exclusion or of an incorrect presentation of an accountancy data or information which will impact the decision of a user of such accountancy information. As per ISA (UK&I) 320 , materiality in planning and carrying over out an audit means that the auditor employs the notion of materiality in planning and carrying over out the audit to identify material misstatements. Moreover, at the final  end of the auditing, the auditor will decide whether the unrectified misstatements recognised are either in aggregate or individually material to the financial statements or not. Thus, in deciding the materiality, auditor has to exercise his judgment. An omission or misstatement can be evaluated to be material or immaterial by virtue of their its nature or size or a mixture of both (FRC 2013:7). The auditor is anticipated to design and carry out an audit that offers a reasonable promise that materials’ misstatements will be exposed. Both materiality and audit risk are interconnected in that audit risk is explained in terms of materiality. If there is a material misstatement present in the financial statement even after the audit has been executed , in such case auditor will be held responsile for not highlighting the materiality (Rittenberg, Johnstone & Gramming 2011:135). The notion of materiality offers flexibility to financial reporting, and this can result in abuse. Corporations may record â€Å"small† errors

Write a discution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Write a discution - Essay Example tough environment to retain or get the right skilled employees, and it is for this reason, that organizations are continuously seeking for the best skills in their HR teams. My experience in HR has been great; the feeling of identifying and managing talent has been the best and on top of my professional goals. I always feel proud to create a connection between the employees and management. I agree with you on the point that the most important resource an organization has are its employees. Therefore, having a good management system to attract and retain skilled employees really improves the performance of the organization. Finally, helping the employees get benefits and rewards for their efforts, while at the same time proving to the management that the organization is performing at its optimum point is an important task for the HR. I agree with you on the role of HR towards the employees. They should be able to address employee issues, and create a conducive environment that will allow the employees improve their performance. A happy employee is a positive sign towards a company’s performance and the HR should always be responsible in ensuring the employees are happy and

What does prsonal responsibility means to me Essay Example for Free

What does prsonal responsibility means to me Essay What does personal responsibility mean to me? According to Dictionary.com, â€Å"Personal Responsibility is the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one’s power, control, or management.† I am taking responsibility to complete my degree. I need to take responsibility for my academic work just like I do with business, I need to finish what I start, and if I take responsibility I will incorporate effective strategies as a student. First, I need to take responsibility for my academic work just like I do with business. It seems that most of my life has consisted in working for myself or for my business. After I dropped out of school and got married I opened up a family restaurant in the Oroville area called Cassidy’s Family Restaurant. We were very successful. Usually a restaurant needs to watch their food and labor numbers very closely but because we had huge volume it wasn’t necessary. At our high point we were bringing in $137,000.00 a week! One year later we opened up a second restaurant in Chico. Here, we did well but I was responsible for two growing, profitable restaurants. After five years I got out of the business and got into Real Estate. This new venture was slow in the beginning. I performed all of the normal marketing procedures that a Real Estate agent would perform and eventually became very proficient. This lead into opening my own agency which was very profitable but I decided to downsize in order to finish my degree. Using these examples, if I apply the same techniques and responsibilities to completing my degree then I should be ready to succeed. Taking responsibility for my academic work like I have with business I will be able to complete my college education. Next, I need to finish what I started. A college education is very important to me. Because I lacked a college education I could not get the high paying job I wanted with a corporation. I needed to make a healthy monthly income and without a college education the only way to make a lot of money was to start your own company. Presently, it’s a good time to finish my education because money is stable and I have the patience to work through  the classes. Also, my degree is probably the most important piece of my life that I have not completed and I am committed Lastly, by taking responsibility for my education I take responsibility to incorporate effective strategies as a student.. My college journey started in the late 80’s and it continued until 1993. I started at the local junior colleges and eventually transferred to U.C. Davis. My first year at Davis was a disaster! I was trying hard to fit in and lived off campus which was ridiculous. The quarter system was new to me and classes went by so fast. I did not take any responsibility for any of my actions. I started to miss classes and tests. Trying to catch up was a nightmare! Thinking back I really could have used more direction with my education. A good example is the exercises that we are completing in class right now. It feels refreshing learning more about myself and how I can actually fit into our class groups. Taking responsibility for my education will allow me to complete my education. Lastly, by taking responsibility I will incorporate effective strategies as a student. I will seek out advice from current successful students to succeed. According to Margaret M. Spieth in Optimizing Online Student Success: Strategies Utilized by technical College Students: 1) Take advantage of face-to-face time offered with your online instructor when you feel the course material is not making sense. Dont go into the class thinking that no face-to-face contact is the best approach. Meet your instructor to answer questions/comments/concerns you may have that an email will not convey properly. 2) Do not assume that an online class will be a breeze because you dont meet face-to-face. 3) It is extremely important to know that it generally takes more time to complete an online class than a traditional class, ranging from 4 hours to 25 hours of your time per class, per week. Plan your personal and online life accordingly and your family will still want all/most of their time -even if they have offered to make sacrifices. 4) Its wonderful to take when you work and have a family. Wish there were more classes like this! pg 140 In Conclusion, it is time to take control of my future education. Through the years I have started and ran successful business but always felt a  little incomplete because I did not complete my education. Using the tools and taking responsibility for my education as I did with my past businesses I should be successful. I am taking responsibility to complete my degree. By doing so I need to take responsibility for my academic work just like I do with business, I need to finish what I start, and if I take responsibility it will be easier to complete my degree. Reference Spieth, Margaret M. (2009). Optimizing Online Student Success: Strategies Utilized by technical College Students, 140. Retrieved from ProQuest LLC responsibility. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved September 16, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/responsibility

Terrorism and human rights abuses in the Balkans Essay Example for Free

Terrorism and human rights abuses in the Balkans Essay Abstract This essay aims to explain the history of and the reasons for the existence of terrorism in the Balkans. It also compared the similarity between human rights abuses in Persian gulf nations and Islamic fundamentalist-themed terrorist attacks on the United States. Lastly, this essay will also answer why the fall of the Soviet Union will lead to an increase in terrorism in Eastern Europe. Terrorism and Human Rights Abuses in the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Persian Gulf The Balkans, despite being a relatively small area, is home to an expansive assortment of nationalities, cultures and religions (Popescu, 2008). Hence, it is inevitable that any changes in the balance between them will have important political, social and economic consequences that will affect the entire region (Popescu, 2008). Terrorist groups took advantage of the instability brought about by the distrust of Balkan societies in their respective governments (Popescu, 2008). As a result, they easily turned the region into a breeding ground for extremist and fundamentalist groups, as well as a â€Å"transit corridor† for missions in third countries (Popescu, 2008). The war in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s, for instance, originated from the desire of the Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) to establish an Islamic state (Popescu, 2008). They used Islam as a â€Å"nationalistic rhetoric,† equating the survival of their country with the restoration of Muslim national identity (Popescu, 2008). The Bosniaks were supported by Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Libya and Iran, providing them with weapons and soldiers (Popescu, 2008). From 1992 to 1995, 6,000 â€Å"Arab-Afghan† rebels came to the country to fight in the hostility (Popescu, 2008). After 9/11, majority of the charitable institutions in Bosnia-Herzegovina were investigated and closed down due to their alleged ties with terrorist organizations like the Al-Qaeda (Popescu, 2008). In March 2002, police raided the Bosanska Idealna Futura-BIF, a Sarajevo-based humanitarian organization (Popescu, 2008). They found military manuals, forged passports, weapons and personal correspondence between Osama bin Laden and BIF founder Enaam Mahmud Arnaout (Popescu, 2008). Human rights abuses by Persian Gulf nations (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, etc. ) and terrorist attacks against US interests were both intended to supress political opposition. Despite publicly denouncing â€Å"American imperialism,† the aforementioned countries are notorious for grossly violating the human rights of their citizens (Simbulan, 2002). Majority of political prisoners in the Persian gulf nations were detained for speaking out against corruption and totalitarianism in their respective countries (Simbulan, 2002). Prominent Omani playwright and human rights activist Abdullah Ryami was imprisoned on July 2005 for vocally criticizing the Omani governments arrest and trial of 31 Omanis belonging to the Ibadi sect for allegedly plotting a coup (Human Rights Watch, 2005). At the time of his incarceration, he had no contact with his family or a legal counsel (Human Rights Watch, 2005). He was also banned from writing in newspapers and producing plays for television (Human Rights Watch, 2005). On December 2007, activists in Bahrain staged a series of demonstrations to â€Å"mark abuses by security forces during political unrest in the 1990s† (Human Rights Watch, 2008). Dozens of people were arrested in the violent dispersals that ensued, including opposition political activists who protested the Bahraini governments repression of civil liberties (Human Rights Watch, 2008). In January 2008, detainees complained of being subjected to physical and sexual abuse by interrogators and jailers (Human Rights Watch, 2008). The prisoners request for independent physicians to examine the extent of their injuries was also denied (Human Rights Watch, 2008). The collapse of the Soviet Union contributed to terrorist activities in Eastern Europe by making its newly-formed republics more vulnerable to American military intervention (Howstuffworks, 2008). After the Soviet bloc fell, the US emerged as the worlds remaining superpower (Howstuffworks, 2008). The breakup of the Soviet Union granted the US easy access to its natural resources, particularly oil (Howstuffworks, 2008). The paragraph below summarized the regions potential: Afghanistan occupies the central position in the U. S. strategy for the economic control of the oil and gas resources in the entire Middle East. The U. S. currently imports 51 per cent of its crude oil 19. 5 million barrels daily. The Energy Information Administration estimates that by 2020, the U. S. will import 64 per cent of its crude 25. 8 million barrels a day. Caspian region oil reserves might be the third largest in the world (after Western Siberia and the Persian Gulf) and, within the next 15 to 20 years, may be large enough to offset Persian Gulf oil. Caspian Sea oil and gas are not the only hydrocarbon deposits in the region. Turkmenistans Karakum Desert holds the worlds third largest gas reserves three trillion cubic meters and has six billion barrels of estimated oil reserves. Current estimates indicate that, in addition to huge gas deposits, the Caspian basin may hold as much as 200 billion barrels of oil 33 times the estimated holdings of Alaskas North Slope and a current value of $4 trillion. It is enough to meet the U. S. energy needs for 30 years or more (Yechury, 2001). Hence, it was no longer surprising if the US declared war against the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. But majority of the extremist and terrorist groups in the former Soviet Bloc and in Eastern Europe are allied with the Taliban, as the Taliban provided them with weapons, training and manpower (Godoy, 2001). Therefore, the US will have to face a bigger threat of terrorism in Eastern Europe. References __________. (2002, October). The Oil Equation in the US Bid against Iraq. Education for Development, 1, 15-16. Capdevila, G. (2002, October). Outgoing UN Human Rights Chief Repeats Criticisms against US. Education for Development, 1, 30-31. Deen, T. (2002, October). UN Credibility at Stake over Iraq, Warn Diplomats. Education for Development, 1, 10-11. Godoy, J. (2001, November 15). US Policy Towards Taliban Influenced by Oil – Authors. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://www. commondreams. org/headlines01/1115-06. htm. Howstuffworks. (2008). The Fall of the Soviet Union and the Rise of Terrorism. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://history. howstuffworks. com/cold-war/the-cold-war-timeline4.htm. Human Rights Watch. (2005, July 18). Oman: Critics Subjected to Injustices They Had Exposed. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://hrw. org/english/docs/2005/07/18/oman11343. htm. Human Rights Watch. (2008, January 21). Bahrain: Investigate Alleged Torture of Activists. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://hrw. org/english/docs/2008/01/21/bahrai17838. htm. Human Rights Watch. (2008, February 16). Bahrain: New Allegations of Detainee Abuse. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://hrw. org/english/docs/2008/02/16/bahrai18083.htm. Lobe, J. (2002, October). US Vision of Might and Right. Education for Development, 1, 3-5. Popescu, Teodora. (2008). Tackling Terrorism in the Balkans. PDF File. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from sparky. harvard. edu/kokkalis/GSW9/Popescu_paper. pdf. Simbulan, R. (2002, October). Why the UN Must Defend Iraq against the US War of Aggression. Education for Development, 1, 48-50. Yechury, Sitram. (2001). America, Oil and Afghanistan. Retrieved February 28, 2008 from http://www. hinduonnet. com/2001/10/13/stories/05132524. htm.

Hiv Aids Situation In South Africa

Hiv Aids Situation In South Africa The HIV/AIDS epidemic has had a devastating effect on the South African population. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is first transmitted through bodily fluid contact à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ usually through blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate and/or breast milk (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 1999). Ultimately, HIV advances to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) where the condition markedly attacks the immune system by increasing the risk of a variety of infections caused by bacteria, parasites and viruses (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 1999). Typically, the development of AIDS from HIV takes approximately five to eight years, but can be postponed with the aid of anti-retroviral drugs (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 1999). It can be noted that the disease affects individuals at the prime of their lifetimes. Sexually active men and women, as well as young children are affected most by this illness because HIV is transmitted through events such as unsafe sex, contaminated needles and/or transmission from a mother to her newborn during birth (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 1999). The concurrent nature of this disease makes it a greater threat to economic growth in South Africa à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ once one partner contracts it, the other partner does too. An individual is most susceptible to acquiring the disease from their sexual partner if that partner was infected less than a year prior. Clearly then, the disease is affecting the most economically active proportion of the South African population. It is estimated that 5.7 million people or about 12% of their population is affected by HIV/AIDS (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 2008). When examining the HIV prevalence rate for the labor force (ages 15-49), the rate increases to 18% (Figure 1) (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 2008) (United Nations Statistics Division 2009). The disease is far more prevalent among females between the ages of twenty- five and twenty-nine à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ at a prevalence rate of 32.7%; for males the age range is between thirty and thirty-nine and the prevalence is only about 25.8% (Figure 2) (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 2008). The impact of the epidemic can be seen most profoundly by the dramatic change in South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s mortality rates. The overall number of annual deaths increased sharply from 1997, when about 316, 559 individuals died to about 607, 184 deaths in 2006 (Figure 3) (Statistics South Africa 2008). Obviously, the rise cannot necessarily be attributed solely to HIV/AIDS, but what is essential here is that young adults are shouldering the burden of this increased mortality rate (Figure 4). In 2006, 41% of deaths were associated with twenty-five to twenty-nine year olds; in 1997 this percentage was about 29% (Statistics South Africa 2008). This is a significant marker in concluding that AIDS is a major factor in the overall rising number of deaths. Clearly then, it is not uncommon for one or more parents to die when their children are young. The number of premature deaths has risen considerably: 39% in 1997 to 75% in 2009 (Harrison 2009). This indicates that 80% of the sample population would lose more than half their per capita income with the death of the highest income earner (Harrison 2009). Thus, the HIV/AIDS epidemic that started in South Africa in the 1980à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s has had a negative impact on the health status as well as the economic development of individuals and households. ECONOMY OF SOUTH AFRICA In South Africa it can be said that their income has increased simply by examining their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the last thirty years (Figure 5). As can be noted, GDP has steadily increased over the last twenty years (World Bank 2010). South Africa is a country that perhaps has the best operational and entrepreneurial environment in Africa à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ it is considered to also have one of the most politically stabile climates in the Sub-Saharan African region. Moreover, it has a very advanced financial system à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ the South African stock exchange ranks among the worldà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s top ten largest exchanges. 1948 marked the beginning of the Apartheid; the economy had been divided into two à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ a privileged white sector an impoverished black one. The policy was heavily criticized and many sanctions were placed against South Africa in the 1980s. It was at the end of this period, when GDP as well as HIV/AIDS began to rise. Examining trade specifically, it is noted that South Africa is the worldà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s largest producer and exporter of platinum and gold as well as of base metals and coal. It is the worldà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s fourth largest producer of diamonds. Agriculture only accounts for about 3.4% of GDP, whereas services account for roughly 65.1%. South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s other main industries are mining, automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, and foodstuffs. Their exports account for roughly 30% of their GDP. South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s major trading partners include the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Italy, Belgium, China and Japan. South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s integration into the global economy became very apparent in the 1990à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s, especially after the implementation of rapid tariff liberalization after 1995, the export orientation of industrial policy and fiscal restraint through its macro-economic policy, the Growth, Redistribution and Employment Strategy (GEAR) in 1996. What has become clear through my research is that integration of South Africa into the global economy has brought about economic stability for the nation but it has not translated into sustainable economic growth or a reduction in income disparities. High unemployment rates dominate which leaves those from disadvantaged households largely marginalized. Moreover, their volatile domestic currency has created much instability in the export market. This generalized story of the South African economy has been provided to show that the country has enjoyed increased wealth over the last 15 or so years, some of which can be attributed to globalization. Trade activity, specifically exports is only one component of this sort of globalization. NATURE OF CURRENT RESEARCH In the discourse of health, economic activity, specifically trade activity is rarely spoken to. Economists have not yet opened dialogue on this sort of topic à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ this is clear in the modest amount of literature available on the subject. Relationships have been estimated between economic activity and the incidence of HIV in Africa. A noteworthy association comes from Emily Oster à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ she suggests that a doubling of exports leads to a doubling of infections (Oster 2009). Using national trade openness as a proxy for traffic flows, evidence suggest that trade is a significant and positive predictor of HIV-infection (Clark and Vencatachellum 2003). It is estimated that 25% of epidemics spread via trade (Voigtlander and Voth 2009). This implies that the flow of people resulting from trade might increase the risk of infection. Further, much research has indicated that countries with higher road densities have had stronger relationships between exports and new infections (Oster 2009). This has been proposed to be the mechanism by which exports could affect HIV infections. The assumption here is that more exports means more production, therefore more trucking is necessary to relocate goods (Oster 2009). Fundamentally, it is the movement of people which is the underlying effect. Another major assumption that is made in some of the research is that migrant workers (ex. Truckers) have more sex than individuals in the general population (Anarfi 1993; Brewer, et al. 1998; Brockerhoff and Biddlecom 1999; Lurie, et al. 2003; Orubuloye, Caldwell and Caldwell 1993)and they have riskier sex than the average individual (Orubuloye, Caldwell and Caldwell 1993). The proximity to a road increases individual risk of HIV infection and the effect is sensitive to the use of the road (Djemai 2009). The increased mobility and greater number of opportunities to have sex induced by the presence of better road infrastructure has shown to increase AIDS (Djemai 2009). This negative effect of roads undermines the positive effects; contamination is not prevented even though individuals have better access to information and improved contact with condoms (Djemai 2009). Moreover, the mechanism driving the relationship between distance to a road and the risk of infection is shown to be the increase in demand for casual sexual partners which offsets the increase of condom use (Djemai 2009). Accordingly, the research shows that people choose to expose themselves to the risk of infection despite having better access to self-protective tools (Djemai 2009). Countries have been examined and have been grouped into categories according to knowledge dispersion. Kenya and Malawi, based on significant relationships between infection and road distance, suggest spatial inequalities in the access to information about HIV/AIDS (Djemai 2009). Cameroon and Ghana fit into the second category, where road proximity is not significant when the media are controlled for (Djemai 2009). Therefore, the media has an effect on knowledge transfer in some of the countries. Lastly, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe point towards success of dispersing knowledge about HIV/AIDS even to the most remote locations (Djemai 2009). Access to condoms is another topic of interest that has been given a great amount of coverage in the HIV/AIDS discourse. There are obvious spatial inequalities in the access to condoms across countries which are suggested to result from the supply of private and public medical services. Essentially, accessibility through roads increases the knowledge that medical services are available, but usage has not been shown to be statistically significant (Robinson, et al. 2006). It is apparent that access to condoms and to information about the importance of using them has facilitated their use, but once again the empirical evidence does not indicate anything statistically significant (Robinson, et al. 2006). Likewise, people are expressing their preferences towards the set of available preventative measures that are hurting their utility the least. This would therefore mean that individuals who are living closer to roads are using condoms more, but are also engaging in riskier sexual behavi ors (Kiriga, et al. 2002). Basically, the research implies that incentives to health are too low in the Sub-Saharan African countries that have been analyzed. The cost of changing behavior in Sub-Saharan African countries is too high. For individuals living in low-income countries with life expectancies of no more than 40 or 50 years, there is little incentive to invest in their health and thus their economies (Oster 2007). The United States is a prime example of how education campaigns did work in the mid 1980s, but that is also because the cost of premature death was high (Oster 2007). Lastly, Oster made a case for Uganda and concluded that thirty to sixty percent of the decrease in their HIV prevalence rate in the 1990s could be attributed to a decrease in export activity (Oster 2009). Oster claims that the reduction could be a result of a decrese in coffee prices during that time (Oster 2009). They are the only country in Sub-Saharan Africa to have seen such a decline in their HIV-infection rates. I think this could be a direct result of a decrease in the labor force during that time period which decreased the number of individuals present in sexual networks, thus reducing HIV-transmission. Another proposition could be that there was an eventual impact on the labor force, whereby there were less people because of increased mortality or morbidity, reducing the number of individuals in the sexual network. Regardless, the literature surrounding this area is very much in its infancy. This kind of dialogueà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½examining HIV/AIDS from a perspective that questions the integrity of economic activity is still fresh in the public health arena. CASE STUDY: SOUTH AFRICA Throughout all the literature, I was hard-pressed to find information on the relationship between South African trade activity and their HIV-infection rates. Therefore, to highlight once again, the purpose of this paper was to examine the variety of factors that contribute to high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates with a direct application to the situation in South Africa. To summarize, South Africa has one of the highest prevalence rates as well as one of the highest GDP values within Sub-Saharan Africa (Figure 6). Thus, examining it with a closer look at the structural issues systemic within the nation was interesting. Little research focused on South Africa for some peculiar reason, uncovering the issue with South Africa seemed very fascinating. To set groundwork for this discussion, it must be noted that the export market in South Africa predominantly is labored by low to medium skilled workers (Outtek 2000). These markets are primarily capital-intensive rather than labor-intensive (Abt Associates Inc. 2000). Due to that fact, capital-intensive markets generally employ low-skilled workers who, although are accumulating wealth, have low levels of education. Projections from companies confirm that the highest HIV infection levels are concentrated among low-skilled workers (Abt Associates Inc. 2000). Therefore, an individualsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ level of education is a determinant of the type of work they do, thus contributing to their likelihood of being infected. In a study that modeled each sector confirmed what they referred to as a sector gradient à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ that prevalence rates varied by each sector of the economy (Figure 7) (Vass 2005). It was found that there were higher prevalence ratios in South Africa in the mining, tran sport, construction, government, accommodation and catering sectors (Vass 2005). The financial, insurance, business and communication sectors had the lowest aggregate HIV prevalence ratios (Vass 2005). The sector gradient visible in South Africa is reflective of a variety of high risk factors which are: age, gender, population group, skill level, and length of employment. There is a concentration of Blacks and women in low-skilled work; Whites are more heavily occupied in the high skilled occupations (Vass 2003). These conclusions are similar to projections of infection population groups (United Nations Statistics Division 2009). All of the studies that have been conducted in South Africa on the labor force and HIV-prevalence have assume that there is a constant risk associated with HIV-transmission; that each individual in each skill level has the same chance of getting infected with HIV. This coincides with the income and survival effect discussed below. We have established that increased exports are therefore enabling transmission of this disease because of the population group that is employed by the sector. Although, this conclusion cannot be quantitatively analyzed through empirical evidence due to limitations in data, the argument is still valid. Through figure 8 it can be seen that as exports have increased over the past fifteen years, so has HIV-prevalence. It is apparent through the data that HIV prevalence seems to plateau, however as per figure 9, it can be seen that the adult prevalence rates are still continuing to rise. The focus of this paper is primarily on the labor force (ages 15-49) or the adults, but what should be analyzed is that prevalence is decreasing for children and youth. This is consistent with public health officialsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ view to this disease à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ they are focused on education and prevention campaigns for youth and children because they have been proven to be most effective if information has been accessed before sexual debut (Frolich and Vazquez-Alvarez 2009). Due to the fact that low-skilled workers who are occupied by the capital-intensive sectors, which contribute to the exports of the South Africa, have lower levels of education à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ this must be an important aspect to consider in this discussion. However, because it is not the focus of this paper, I will only comment on the negative correlation that is found to be statistically significant for education level and HIV-prevalence (Walque 2009). It has been noted that income and education are positively correlated. So why in South Africa are the wealthiest the most affected, but the most educated not? Pursuing the topic at hand, we are discussing low-skilled workers who have very little education but who do have income that is relatively better than some of their educated counterparts. Thus we must discuss the relationship between wealth and this disease. Empirical evidence suggests that wealthier individuals are more likely to be infected with HIV as well as to engage in riskier sexual behaviors than their poorer counterparts (Walque 2009). Traditionally it is thought that income and health are positively correlated, however in the case of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, things are going in the opposite direction. People are adopting risky behaviors that reduce their human capital potential as their income increases. Taking into account the fraction of the population that is expected to engage in unsafe sex, individuals must decide whether their first sexual encounter should involve the use of a condom or not. Those who do not use a condom may contract HIV and not survive to experience a second encounter. Assuming that there is disutility in from using a condom to begin with (Agha, et al. 2002), it can be said that some individuals willingly trade-off future utility for the current utility gained from unsafe sex. I think a major reason why so many members of the population engage in unsafe sex in Africa is what I would refer to as an income effect. Individuals are more likely to engage in unsafe sex if their income depends not only on their own potential for human capital but also on the aggregate level of human capital present in the economy (Kiriga, et al. 2002). An individual may be more likely to engage in unsafe sex if they know that a large fraction of the population will also engage in unsafe sex. Thus, the negative macroeconomic effects of HIV/AIDS stem from this sort of effect: a large share of the population participates in unsafe sex, which leads to a lower level of aggregate human capital and hence lower income and consumption (Kiriga, et al. 2002). All of this directly leads to greater levels of induced poverty. Additionally, a term stemming from evolutionary biology à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ a survival effect can be noted when individuals are aware that many people are having unsafe sex and they choose to have safe sex based on this premise. Individuals in this situation would be concerned with protecting themselves from contracting the disease. I would assume to see the survival effect in a part of the population that has greater potential for human capital (higher income capacity). However, this is not what we are observing in South Africa currently, therefore it is safe to believe that South Africa depicts an income effect. Part of the reason for this sort of pattern must be that household wealth correlates with urban residence, more explicitly as closer proximity to roads; HIV-infection is higher in urban areas as a result of the road density (Djemai 2009). Also, HIV prevalence is a function of survival, the wealthier people with HIV are more likely to afford the appropriate medication, thus living longer. Perhaps, wealth enables individuals to pursue multiple sexual partners. Wealth is often associated with mobility, time and resources to maintain concurrent relationships (Gillespie and Greener 2006)à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ those that are characterized as an individual having a primary relationship as well as a secondary relationship, with the individual their having that secondary relationship with also having primary and secondary relationships. This causes an individual to knowingly or unknowingly have a large sexual network thus increasing the risk of HIV-infection. The economic factor in these relationships is obvious: wealth and social interaction are linked. Further, wealth increases the number of opportunities to engage in numerous sexual partnerships (Shelton, Cassell and Adetunji 2005). Furthermore, in South Africa, there is a stronger positive relationship for wealth and HIV status for women. Maybe, women exhibit this quality because wealth is contributing to their mobility and social status or it might be that women are improving their economic status by having more than one concurrent relationship. In any case, it appears that wealth appears to play a disadvantageous role in HIV transmission. The hypothesis here is that the combined effect of people being less worried about having the disease because they know they can afford treatment and having more individuals with the infection in the community is outweighing the disease itself. As these individuals are better able to manage the disease, the cost of acquiring it is very low. It can then be concluded that South Africa does show an increase in HIV/AIDS prevalence as a result of increased trade, but only because the individuals employed in the sector are low-skilled workers who have been pushed segregated into this category. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE IMPLICATIONS The future of the labor force infected with the disease looks quite bleak. Macro-economic modeling indicates that the labor force growth rate will decline which will result in a smaller labor force in the coming years. This will impede economic growth most definitely. ING Barings predicts an 18% decline in the labor force by 2015 (Orubuloye, Caldwell and Caldwell 1993)and Abt Associates Inc predicts a 21% decline when compared to a situation where no AIDS was present (Abt Associates Inc. 2000). The impact that this could have on productivity as well as South Africaà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s exports is profound. Considering a large proportion of the sectors that contribute to export activity are experiencing high levels of HIV prevalence, it can be assumed that attrition is high in the labor force. The increased morbidity and mortality creates absenteeism which hinders not only productivity but also creates a further decline in skill-level and experience. An underlying issue is that the incentive to life to longer has not been addressed in South Africa. It is clear that poorer countries have a lower life expectancy even in the absence of HIV/AIDS (Voigtlander and Voth 2009). Many researchers have pointed out that a higher life expectancy increases the likelihood of surviving if individuals engage in safe sex, but it does not affect the likelihood of surviving if an individual engages in unsafe sex (Voigtlander and Voth 2009). Thus, unsafe sex has as higher opportunity cost. As a result, if the overall population is experiencing a greater life expectancy, more individuals will choose safe sex. Therefore, the issue here is how should low and middle-income countries increase aggregate life expectancy? The answer to this sort of debate is well beyond the scope of this paper, but can be addressed using basic public health and community development interventions. Also, what I think might be a solution to this issue is if the South African government introduced implementation of a free antiretroviral drug plan. This would ensure that HIV prevalence decreases. The argument here is that individuals who are wealthier are able to afford medical treatment à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ they are clearly living longer than their poor counterparts. Thus, they are able to live longer and contribute to the labor force and economic productivity. Even though they are not participating in safe sex, at least they are living for greater periods of human capital aggregation, which increases expected income and lifetime utility from safe sex. The free antiretroviral drug plan would enable all members of the population, rich or poor to exhibit these characteristics. Thus, if lifetime utility is increasing, the opportunity cost to unsafe sex will increase. In conclusion, the low skill and education levels within the sectors that are participating in the export activity of South Africa is contributing to the disease à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ that is the direct association behind why links can be made between exports and HIV-infection. Thus my research hypothesis does stand à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ increase in exports has lead to an increase in wealth which has contributed to the spreading of HIV/AIDS. Therefore, policy discussions should be focused on the individuals who fall within this category. Addressing prevention programs geared towards the individuals are obviously in the labor force and who are in the low-skilled category seem to be of utmost importance. Figure 1 HIV Prevalence 1990-2008 Figure 3 Number of Deaths in South Africa 1997-2007 Figure 4 Number of Deaths by Age Group, 2008 Figure 5 GDP in $US 1980-2010 Noureen Noorani, 0550061 4A03 Final Paper

Lewis Carroll Essay -- essays research papers fc

Lewis Carroll is one of the most well known Nonsense Writers. Though using nonsense in poetry has been dismissed as simply "for entertainment purposes", most nonsensical poetry acts as an allegory, has deep symbolism and leaves the door wide open for varying interpretations. Lewis Carroll has utilized this sense with nonsense through his poems and prose found in his novels Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass . Through Carroll's interactions with his close friends and family, and the innovative and eccentric society and politics of the Victorian Era, he has created beautiful poetry with many different levels. The Victorian Era lasted from 1837 until 1901, which was the time during Queen Victoria's reign in England. The term Victorian has "conveyed connotations of ‘prudish', ‘repress', and ‘old fashioned'"(Landow 1). This era is now seen as a time of " great expansion of wealth, power, and culture"(Landow 1). This change in ideas and politics led to great change in democracy, and saw a rise in other modern movements. Since the era lasted for so long it is comprised of several different periods including Socialism, Darwinism, and scientific Agnosticism. The widespread use of opium during the Victorian period may have influenced or been reflected in Carroll's work. "In Carroll's time five out of six families used opium habitually"(Wohl 34). The Victorian Era, ideology, and politics had a great impact on Lewis Carroll's poetry. Lewis Carroll, formally Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was born at Daresbury, Cheshire, on January 27, 1832. His parents were Charles and Frances Dodgson. He was the oldest of 11 children.All through his life he loved to write, and take photographs. During 1854 Carroll continued to write and compiled a scrapbook of his best writings, called "Mischmasch". "Mischmasch" included a four line verse, titled "Stanza of Anglo-Saxon Poetry". Later this became the first verse of his nonsense poem "Jabberwocky". In 1855, Henry Liddell arrived as the new Dean at Christ Church and Carroll was introduced to his children. He had a son, Harry, and three daughters: Lorina, Alice, and Edith. Carroll had begun to photograph the family and had become especially charmed by the little girl Alice. Alice later b... ...nbsp; Works Cited Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. Norton Critical Edition. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1992. Connell, Kate. "Opium as a Possible influence upon Alice Books" 22 Mar 2000. The Victorian Web. <http://landow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/victov.html>. Graham, Eleanor. Lewis Carroll and the Writing of Through The Looking Glass Great Britain: Puffin Books, 1981. Landow, George P. "Victorian and Victorianism" 23 Mar 2000. The Victorian Web. <http://landow.stg.brown.edu/victorian/vn/victor4.html> Sewell, Elizabeth. The Field of Nonsense London: Chatto and Windus LTD., 1952.

Machiavelli Prince Essays -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The evolution of modern politics is strongly influenced by Machiavelli’s tactics in The Prince. The fast nature, smooth talking, and lack of original thought seen in modern politics is evident in Machiavelli’s work. It is a small but powerful thing to gain favor in politics, and Machiavelli accomplishes this well throughout The Prince. In applying his brain to assume a logical means to keep the status quo a political roadmap is created. Giving this work to the reigning Medici family gains their favor thus granting Machiavelli’s release from prison. Machiavelli’s work is a political piece written as a simple means to an end, another chance to live as a free subject. The Prince is fast talking politics describing itself, a small treatise acting as a well written guide. As a result of playing favor to both sides of a turbulent political conflict Machiavelli, with no specific powers, finds himself in prison at the beginning of the Medici Rule. By his own rules and examples set forth in The Prince he should, at the very least, be imprisoned for the rest of his life if not sentenced to death. While suffering in prison it is Machiavelli’s overwhelming desire to be free. Calmly collecting his thoughts and employing logic he prepares a treatise for the ruling hand and sets himself free in the process. Using very specific language Machiavelli creates a work which begs to be read. The Prince is fast, easy, and pleasing read ...

The Debate Over the Glen Canyon Dam Essay -- Nature Environmental Essa

The Debate Over the Glen Canyon Dam Over the years Glen Canyon Dam has been the spark for hundreds of debates, rallies, and protests. These debates have been going on for almost forty years now. The fact is that the dam created a huge lake when it was built, this is what bothers environmentalists. This lake is called Lake Powell and thousands of people depend on its tourists for income. The lake also filled up a canyon called Glen Canyon, some people say it was the most beautiful place on earth. The anti-dam side of the debate has its basis in the fact that Lake Powell is currently covering Glen Canyon. It was very remote so few people got to witness its splendor. This is probably the reason the dam was built in the first place, ignorance. The lake supports a small city called Page, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of people who vacation there. The people who live in or around page and the people who use the lake for recreation are the people who like the dam and they hold up the pro-dam side of the debate. The argument is: why should we drain Lake Powell when thousands upon thousands of people enjoy it each year compared to the few hundred if that that might have ventured into Glen Canyon if it were still there. Also people argue that the rock formations, plant life, and even streams and rivers of the old Glen Canyon have long since been destroyed and it will never be the same even if we were to drain the lake. This Paper will describe and analyze three articles pertaining to the ongoing debate for and against Glen Canyon Dam. Two of these articles were found in the 1999 edition of A Sense of Place, and the third was downloaded off a site on the Internet (http://www.glencanyon.net/club.htm). These articles wi... ...ion that the proposal to drain Lake Powell is not a very good one " First off two Club members in page, AZ quit the club over the Lake Powell proposal" (www.glencanyon.net/club). The writer thinks that the board is wrong to propose such an idea "Lake Powell violated the club's policy that major decisions should start at the ground and work their way up" (www.glencanyon.net/club). The author seems to want to clear guilt of the proposal from the club members. The author's point of view seems to be of someone who is involved in the Sierra Club organization itself, whether the author is or isn't a member they have something to do with the organization. The author is in a protective mode, "The Board (of the Sierra Club) pulled this idea out of thin air" (www.glencanyon.net/club) trying to state the fact that not all members are in favor of the plan to drain the lake.

Arise: a Destination-for-a-Day Spa Essay

The ARISE: A Destination-for-a-Day Spa case describes how a spa going through the business development stage is struggling with employee turnover as well as has been operating at a loss for the past two years. ARISE, the spa in question, was built on the business strategy of differentiation which emphasizes employee-customer relationships. Within these relationships, ARISE employees act as Personal Wellness Coaches (PWC) helping clients create â€Å"integrated health and happiness plans†. The key stakeholders in the case are the President and CEO: Kristen Chambers; Vice President of Business Operations: Sam Solti; Vice President of Spa Operations: Twyla Thompson; and Director of Spa Services: Danielle Dunn; who all offer differing opinions and proposed solutions for this dilemma. Included in these stakeholders are also the ARISE employees and their client base. CRITICAL ISSUES The first critical issue ARISE is dealing with is that it has been operating at a loss for the past two years (since the time it was established). ARISE has a limited amount of funds put aside anticipating the breakeven point and cannot afford to pay out year after year in order to keep itself afloat. The risk of going under is apparent if this issue is not resolved in a timely manner. ARISE’s second critical issue, which can assist the first issue of bringing up the bottom line, is that there an excessive amount of employee turnover. Chambers has allowed a three month period in which Thompson must figure out a solution to the employee turnover issue. This problem is especially important because it concerns ARISE’s overall business strategy. ARISE’s business strategy of differentiation through customer service requires having a strong and consistent workforce. Without the support of its employees, ARISE will crumble. There are also costs to cycling through a workforce. The hiring process and training of new staff are costly business procedures which greatly affect the bottom line when performing them as often as ARISE is currently. RECCOMMENDATIONS First it is critical that ARISE is aware of their employees’ wants and needs. Exit interviews are not enough and are in no way proactive in catering to the wants and needs of employees. Give surveys to employees in order to determine whether or not current business operations are effective. Ask specific questions such as: What is your favorite aspect of working at ARISE? (Explain) What is your least favorite aspect at being an employee at ARISE? (Explain) In regards to your experience as an employee at ARISE, what are some improvements ARISE can make? (Explain) Do you value having benefits offered by ARISE? (Explain) Would you like more flexibility in your schedule? (Explain) Do you like being a part of an All-Star Team? (Explain) etc†¦ With this information Thompson can make appropriate adjustments to the employee operations. Because of comments made in exit interviews along with previous employee surveys, it is recommended that ARISE keep the All-Star Team organizational design, offer more flexible schedule options (new parent, sick time, etc.), a higher base pay (in return for cutting benefits), as well as give employees a more realistic job preview when they enter employment at ARISE, as to not create false expectations. Providing ARISE employees with a higher base pay would greatly improve the turnover rate. Employees have stated during previous exit interviews that they were leaving to look for a higher salary. ARISE employees have also noted not valuing benefits as significant compensation. For that reason, it is a good idea to take the funds currently being put into benefits and redirect them to base salary in order to satisfy employees as well as not need to worry about the steeply climbing medical and dental rates year to year. Schedule flexibility is regarded as a benefit by employees as well as a reason to stay at a company. Employees may enjoy their job but find it impossible to meet a rigid schedule requirement; therefore, it would be beneficial for ARISE to offer more scheduling options. According to an article by the Boston College, â€Å"the main reason cited by employers for developing workplace flexibility†¦is the retention of employees in general (37%)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Cohen). Many employers recognize the importance of workplace flexibility and have seen it improve their turnover rate. Realistic job previews are important in relation to employee turnover. As emphasized in MGMT 411, high turnover can occur when they are unpleasantly surprised by an aspect of their job. It undermines the psychological contract between an employer and their employee while causing a loss of trust. Better informed candidates who choose to continue on with the application process after learning more about the job are more likely to be a good fit with the position and therefore continue on in the position for a longer period of time. Also, in regards to the issue of employee responsibilities, job specifications should be more clearly defined so that employees know what is expected of them. This will help deter slacking. In addition, supervisors must write up employees who are not fulfilling their job duties. All-Star teams are meant to keep employees responsible but if they aren’t someone else should step in. If nothing is done to reprimand slackers it encourages them as well as deters the hard working, responsible employees from continuing their correct actions. Hard working employees who pick up the slack from lazy teammates do not appreciate doing work without reward and may eventually move on from the organization. Which will overall lead stellar performers out of the organization and encourage less productive workers to continue poor business practices. Keep PWCs accountable.